Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
[Men with type 2 diabetes and erectile dysfunction are a particular risk group for LUTS - results of the Witten Diabetes Survey].

INTRODUCTION According to our data on 4 071 patients with type 2 diabetes, 65.5% of the men and 70.4% of the women complain of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS). That is twice as much as the normal population for the same age group. The most common symptom was overactive bladder (OAB). In patients with a diabetes-related complication such as retinopathy or nephropathy, the incidence for LUTS was about 20% higher than that in patients without complications, whereas in men with diabetes mellitus type 2 and erectile dysfunction (ED) the incidence for LUTS was 31.9% higher than without ED. We wanted to compare the incidence of LUTS in patients with type 2 diabetes and ED against patients without ED as well as women with type 2 diabetes. RESULTS Men with ED had a statistically significant longer history of diabetes, a higher HbA1c and increased serum creatinine compared to men without ED (p value <0.0001). The length of diabetes history was not statistically relevant compared to women with type 2 diabetes. However the HbA1c and serum creatinine were higher than those of the women from the data bank (p value <0.0001). Diabetic men with ED complained more often of urinary incontinence, urge incontinence and made more often use of incontinence pads (p value <0.0001). As for pollakisuria and nocturia the difference was not significant. 42.3% of type 2 diabetic patients with ED were diagnosed with OAB by their urologist or GP. That was significantly more than type 2 diabetic patients without ED and type 2 diabetic women (see graph). The same was true of stress incontinence, overflow incontinence and non-classified incontinence with the exception of faecal incontinence. Patients with type 2 diabetes and ED had to take drugs more often than type 2 diabetic men without ED and women with diabetes. CONCLUSION Amongst patients with type 2 diabetes, ED increases the risk of developing lower urinary tract disorders. Moreover it is connected with a higher HbA1c and a higher risk for LUTS, especially for OAB. The regular use of incontinence pads in every fourth patient with type 2 diabetes and erectile dysfunction demonstrates a high number of under-treated patients. Patients with type 2 diabetes and especially patients with type 2 diabetes AND erectile dysfunction represent a risk group that needs special attention and a special management plan from urologists and GPs.
Levosimendan pre-treatment improves outcomes in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery.

BACKGROUND The calcium sensitizer levosimendan has anti-ischaemic effects mediated via the opening of sarcolemmal and mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium channels. These properties suggest potential application in clinical situations where cardioprotection would be beneficial, such as cardiac surgery. We thus decided to investigate whether pharmacological pre-treatment with levosimendan reduces intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay in patients undergoing elective myocardial revascularization under cardiopulmonary bypass. METHODS One hundred and six patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting were randomly assigned in a double-blind manner to receive levosimendan or placebo. Levosimendan (24 microg kg(-1)) or placebo was administered as a slow i.v. bolus over a 10 min period before the initiation of bypass. RESULTS Tracheal intubation time and the length of ICU stay were significantly reduced in the levosimendan group (P<0.01). The number of patients needing inotropic support for >12 h was significantly higher in the control group (18.0% vs 3.8%; P=0.021). Compared with control patients, levosimendan-treated patients had lower postoperative troponin I concentrations (P<0.0001) and a higher cardiac power index (P<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Pre-treatment with levosimendan in patients undergoing surgical myocardial revascularization resulted in less myocardial injury, a reduction in tracheal intubation time, less requirement for inotropic support, and a shorter length of ICU stay.
Does therapists' competence matter in delivering psychological therapy?

Therapists differ in their effectiveness in the delivery of psychological therapy. Can trainees who are exposed to similar training in psychological therapy achieve the same standard of competence regardless of professional background? This is a timely question given the planned expansion of psychological therapists to treat common mental disorders in England and Wales and the Scottish initiative to increase access to psychological therapies.
Functionally important movements in RecA molecules and filaments : studies involving mutation and environmental changes

# 2008 International Union of Crystallography Printed in Singapore – all rights reserved The crystal structures of mutants of Mycobacterium smegmatis RecA (MsRecA) involving changes of Gln196 from glutamine to alanine, asparagine and glutamic acid, wild-type MsRecA and several of their nucleotide complexes have been determined using mostly low-temperature and partly roomtemperature X-ray data. At both temperatures, nucleotide binding results in a movement of Gln196 towards the bound nucleotide in the wild-type protein. This movement is abolished in the mutants, thus establishing the structural basis for the triggering action of the residue in terms of the size, shape and the chemical nature of the side chain. The 19 crystal structures reported here, together with 11 previously reported MsRecA structures, provide further elaboration of the relation between the pitch of the ‘inactive’ RecA filament, the orientation of the C-terminal domain with respect to the main domain and the location of the switch residue. The lowtemperature structures define one extreme of the range of positions the C-terminal domain can occupy. The movement of the C-terminal domain is correlated with those of the LexAbinding loop and the loop that connects the main and the N-terminal domains. These elements of molecular plasticity are made use of in the transition to the ‘active’ filament, as evidenced by the recently reported structures of RecA–DNA complexes. The available structures of RecA resulting from X-ray and electron-microscopic studies appear to represent different stages in the trajectory of the allosteric transformations of the RecA filament. The work reported here contributes to the description of the early stages of this trajectory and provides insight into structures relevant to the later stages. Received 12 July 2008 Accepted 5 September 2008
Therapeutic Effect on the Change of Gait Performance in Chronic Calf Myofascial Pain Syndrome: A Time Series Case Study

Objectives: To investigate the influence of the chronic calf myofascial pain syndrome [MPS] on gait performance and the effectiveness of myofascial treatment programs in order to inform the clinical management for this impairment. Methods: A female subject suffered from chronic knee and ankle pain for five years as a result of calf muscles MPS. The range of motion, pain intensity, and gait analysis were evaluated before and after myofascial pain therapy. The eight-week calf myofascial treatment programs included manual techniques, deep myofascial release, deep friction massage, and proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation stretching, and a home program [self-stretching exercises]. Results: There were significant improvements in the ankle-dorsiflexion range of motion of the affected leg after treatment [P < 0.01]. A trend of moderate improvement in pain conditions were recorded both in resting and after work. Although the kinematic data of gait analysis were quite similar across treatments except for improved knee flexion angles, the kinetic findings revealed significant effectiveness of myofascial treatments. The decreased peak ground reaction forces [P < 0.001], improved peak joint moments of ankle dorsiflexion [P = 0.008], foot supination [P = 0.002], and knee extension [P = 0.009] were demonstrated during walking. Conclusions: The chronic muscle tightness caused by MPS is a factor influencing the joint motion and easily ignored by clinicians. This study investigated the influence of calf myofascial pain on gait performance. The quantitative gait analysis was highly valuable to clarify the influence of chronic calf tightness on the mobility of ankle and knee joints and to assess the effectiveness of myofascial treatments.
Immunological reconstitution after hematopoietic cell transplantation – its relation to the contents of the graft

Background: After hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), there is a prolonged period of immune deficiency. Objective: To review the recovery of immunity after HCT, including how it is influenced by the cellular contents of the graft, and therapeutic implications. Methods: Literature review using Medline. Results/conclusion: Whereas innate immunity (e.g., epithelial barriers, phagocytes, natural killer cells) typically recovers within weeks post-transplant, the recovery of adaptive immunity takes longer, months for B cells and years for T cells. The recovery is influenced by the graft contents. For example the number of CD34 cells given with the graft affects the tempo of neutrophil recovery, and the number of CD4 T cells given with the graft affects CD4 T cell counts post-transplant. Improved understanding of the relationship between graft contents and immune reconstitution could lead to graft engineering improving transplant outcomes.
Guidelines for Policy Statements: the Explicit Approach

THE FIRST obligation of a policymaker is to design a policy that, if accepted and applied correctly, will improve patients' lives. The second obligation is to present the policy in a way that ensures it will be accepted and applied correctly. The first obligation is addressed through the choice of methods for designing a policy. 1 The second obligation is addressed through the policy statement. Objectives The objectives for policy statements are similar to the objectives for methods: accuracy, accountability, predictability, defensibility, and usability. 1 The pertinence of these objectives to policy statements can be appreciated by viewing the policy statement from the perspective of the people who will be affected by it—practitioners, patients, and payers. Begin with the primary audience of a policy statement— practitioners. The purpose of a practice policy is to modify the behavior of practitioners to steer their decisions toward actions that the policymakers consider desirable.
Dilated cavum septi pellucidi in fetuses with microdeletion 22q11

The cavum septi pellucidi (CSP) is an easily recognizable landmark in the fetal brain. CSP disappears after birth to form the septum pellucidum. Children with microdeletion 22q11 (del. 22q11) were, however, reported to have a persistent dilated CSP. This study was designed to examine whether the CSP is dilated in fetuses with del.22q11.
Efficacy, safety and immunogenicity of heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine in children

Objective. To determine the efficacy, safety and immunogenicity of the heptavalent CRM197 pneumococcal conjugate vaccine against invasive disease caused by vaccine serotypes and to determine the effectiveness of this vaccine against clinical episodes of otitis media. Methods. The Wyeth Lederle Heptavalent CRM197 (PCV) was given to infants at 2, 4, 6 and 12 to 15 months of age in a double blind trial; 37 868 children were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive either the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine or meningococcus type C CRM197 conjugate. The primary study outcome was invasive disease caused by vaccine serotype. Other outcomes included overall impact on invasive disease regardless of serotype, effectiveness against clinical otitis media visits and episodes, impact against frequent and severe otitis media and ventilatory tube placement. In addition the serotype‐specific efficacy against otitis media was estimated in an analysis of spontaneously draining ears. Results. In the interim analysis in August, 1998, 17 of the 17 cases of invasive disease caused by vaccine serotype in fully vaccinated children and 5 of 5 of partially vaccinated cases occurred in the control group for a vaccine efficacy of 100%. Blinded case ascertainment was continued until April, 1999. As of that time 40 fully vaccinated cases of invasive disease caused by vaccine serotype had been identified, all but 1 in controls for an efficacy of 97.4% (95% confidence interval, 82.7 to 99.9%), and 52 cases, all but 3 in controls in the intent‐to‐treat analysis for an efficacy of 93.9% (95% confidence interval, 79.6 to 98.5%). There was no evidence of any increase of disease caused by nonvaccine serotypes. Efficacy for otitis media against visits, episodes, frequent otitis and ventilatory tube placement was 8.9, 7.0, 9.3 and 20.1% with P < 0.04 for all. In the analysis of spontaneously draining ears, serotype‐specific effectiveness was 66.7%. Conclusion. This heptavalent pneumococcal conjugate appears to be highly effective in preventing invasive disease in young children and to have a significant impact on otitis media.
Assessing balance in measured baseline covariates when using many‐to‐one matching on the propensity‐score

The propensity score is defined to be a subject's probability of treatment selection, conditional on observed baseline covariates. Conditional on the propensity score, treated and untreated subjects have similar distributions of observed baseline covariates. Propensity‐score matching is a commonly used propensity score method for estimating the effects of treatment on outcomes. Balance diagnostics have been previously described for use when 1:1 matching on the propensity score is employed. We illustrate that these methods can be misleading when many‐to‐one matching on the propensity score is employed. We then propose modifications of these methods that involve weighting each untreated subject by the inverse of the number of untreated subjects in the matched set. We describe both quantitative and qualitative methods to assess the balance in baseline covariates between treated and untreated subjects in a sample obtained by many‐to‐one matching on the propensity score. The quantitative method uses the weighted standardized difference. The qualitative methods employ graphical methods to compare the distribution of continuous baseline covariates between treated and untreated subjects in the weighted sample. We illustrate our methods using a large sample of patients discharged from hospital with a diagnosis of a heart attack (acute myocardial infarction). The exposure was receipt of a prescription for a statin at hospital discharge. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Role of NUCB2/Nesfatin-1 in the Hypothalamic Control of Energy Homeostasis

Abstract Hunger and satiety are regulated in a complex fashion by a few food intake stimulatory (orexigenic) and a multitude of inhibitory (anorexigenic) factors produced in the periphery (mainly in the gastrointestinal tract) or directly in the brain. Within the brain, the hypothalamus plays a pivotal role as a production site of food intake regulatory factors. Importantly, this site integrates peripheral and central signaling factors to orchestrate food intake and in the long term body weight. Our knowledge on these regulatory pathways is not static but rather rapidly changing as new factors as well as up- and downstream signaling pathways of already known transmitters are uncovered. Hypothalamic nucleobindin2 (NUCB2), the precursor of nesfatin-1, was first described in 2006 and nesfatin-1 found to be a novel anorexigenic modulator of food intake and body weight. The initial report stimulated several groups to investigate the biological actions of nesfatin-1 and subsequent studies delineated the underlying brain mechanisms involved in its food reducing effect. Of interest was the demonstration that NUCB2 also exerts its anorexigenic action in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus and is regulated at this site by changes in metabolic status with a diurnal rhythm inversely related to that of feeding in rats. The present review describes the current state-of-knowledge on central nesfatin-1’s effects on food intake and body weight and highlights important missing links regarding cellular signaling mechanisms involved in nesfatin-1’s action.
Causes of endogenous uveitis in cats presented to referral clinics in North Carolina

OBJECTIVE To investigate the causes of endogenous uveitis in cats presenting to referral ophthalmology clinics in North Carolina. PROCEDURE Medical records of cats diagnosed with endogenous uveitis at North Carolina State University's College of Veterinary Medicine (NCSU-CVM) or Animal Eye Care Associates of Cary, NC between 2003 and 2015 were reviewed. Inclusion criteria were cats that had complete diagnostic workups, including clinical, clinicopathological, serological, and histopathological data, as well as imaging modalities. Serology was consistently completed for feline leukemia virus (FeLV), feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), feline coronavirus (FCoV), Toxoplasma gondii, and Bartonella spp. RESULTS One hundred and twenty cats met the inclusion criteria. Seroprevalence of FeLV (2.7%), FIV (7.3%), FCoV (34.7%), T. gondii (23.7%), and Bartonella spp. (43.2%) was observed, with a combined seroprevalence of 59.2%. Nineteen cats (15.8%) were diagnosed with feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) based on clinical, hematological, serological, histopathological, and necropsy findings. The average age of all cases was 7.62 years, while the average age of cats diagnosed with FIP was 1.82 years. Neoplasia was diagnosed in six cats (5.0%). No underlying etiology was found in 49 cats (40.8%). CONCLUSIONS Both idiopathic and neoplastic causes of uveitis were less prevalent than previously reported in studies, while seropositivity was higher than previously reported for the study area. This may be due to improved diagnostic capabilities or that cats with infectious disease were more likely to be referred. Because of the high prevalence of FIP, young cats with uveitis should be evaluated for hyperglobulinemia and FCoV serology should be performed as minimal diagnostics.
High-inspired oxygen concentration further impairs opioid-induced respiratory depression.

BACKGROUND Hyperoxaemia depresses the output of peripheral and central chemoreceptors. Patients treated with opioids often receive supplemental oxygen to avert possible decreases in oxygen saturation (Sp(O2)). We examined the effect of a single dose of remifentanil in healthy volunteers inhaling room air vs air enriched with 50% oxygen. METHODS Twenty healthy volunteers received i.v. 50 mg remifentanil (infused over 60 s) at anormoxic (N) or hyperoxic (FI(O2) 0.5, H) background on separate occasions. Minute ventilation (Vi), respiratory rate (RR), end-tidal PC(O2), and Sp(O2) were collected on a breath to-breath basis. The occurrence of apnoea was recorded. RESULTS During normoxia, remifentanil decreased Vi from 7.4 (1.3) [mean (SD)] to 2.2 (1.2) litre min 21 (P,0.01), and during hyperoxia from 7.9 (1.0) to 1.2 (1.2) litre min 21 (P,0.01; H vs N: P,0.001). RR decreased from 13.1 (2.9) to 6.1 (2.8) bpm during N (P,0.01) and from 13.2 (3.0) to 3.6 (4.0) bpm during H (P,0.01; H vs N: P,0.01). During normoxia, Sp(O2) decreased from 98.4 (1.5) to 88.6 (6.7)% (P,0.01), while during hyperoxia, Sp(O2) changed from 99.7 (0.7) to 98.7 (1.0)% (P,0.001). Apnoea developed in two subjects during normoxia and 10 during hyperoxia. CONCLUSIONS Respiratory depression from remifentanil is more pronounced in hyperoxia than normoxia as determined from minute ventilation, end-tidal PC(O2), and RR. During hyperoxia, respiratory depression may be masked when measuring Sp(O2) as pulse oximetry remains in normal values during the first minutes of respiratory depression.
Early Improvement and Serum Concentrations of Citalopram to Predict Antidepressant Drug Response of Patients with Major Depression

Abstract Introduction: Post hoc analyses of clinical trials have shown that early improvement around day 14 is highly predictive for later response. Moreover, evidence has been given that sufficiently high concentrations of antidepressant drugs in blood are required to attain response. In this study, we determined cut-off levels for citalopram serum concentrations and clinical improvement during the early phase of treatment to predict later response and the predictive power of these measures either alone or in combination. Methods: Inpatients with depressive disorder according to ICD-10 who received citalopram were included. Psychopathology was assessed by the 17-item Hamilton Depression (HAMD-17) rating scale, and serum concentrations of citalopram were measured in weekly intervals. Results: The analysis included 55 inpatients. Receiver operating characteristics analysis revealed for citalopram a serum concentration of 53 ng/ml on day 7 and a clinical improvement of 24% on the HAMD-17 scale on day 14 as significant cut-off values to predict response after 5 weeks of treatment. Both measures taken together predicted response on week 5 with 73% sensitivity and 85% specificity with an odds ratio of 14.6. Discussion: It is concluded that treatment with citalopram should be guided by symptom rating at baseline and on day 14 and serum concentration determination on day 7.
High-Intensity Exercise May Compromise Renal Morphology in Rats

Abstract We investigated the renal effects of a high-intensity exercise (HIE) program based on strength training. 20 Wistar rats were randomly assigned to 2 experimental groups performing HIE or control over 12 weeks. Urinary volume, pH, citrate and calcium, and plasma urea, total proteins, creatinine, albumin, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase (CK), calcium, magnesium, corticosterone and testosterone were measured. We also studied renal morphology with the Fibrosis HR® software. Plasma urea and CK concentrations were higher in the HIE compared to the control group (p<0.05), whereas plasma creatinine was lower (p<0.01). Plasma corticosterone was higher (p<0.05) and testosterone lower (p<0.01) in the HIE group. Except for the higher urinary volume found in the HIE group (p<0.05), no differences between groups were observed in the rest of urinary parameters analyzed. Renal interstitial connective tissue was ~30% higher in the HIE group (p<0.05). Glomerular tufts and mesangial areas were also higher in the HIE group (all, p<0.05). No differences between groups were observed in the glomerular area. Overall, HIE promoted a worse morphological renal profile that might be associated with a higher risk for incidence of kidney disease in the long-term. The stress induced by the type of exercise performed could be on the basis of this worse morphological renal status.