Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Group-Based Exercise on Range of Motion, Muscle Strength, Functional Ability, and Pain During the Acute Phase After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Controlled Clinical Trial.

Study Design Prospective observational study including a historical control group. Background The extent to which group-based exercise (G-EXE) improves knee range of motion (ROM), quadriceps strength, and gait ability is similar to that of individualized exercise (I-EXE) at 6 weeks and 8 months after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, the benefits of G-EXE for patients during the acute recovery phase after TKA remain unclear. Objective To determine the effects of G-EXE during the acute recovery phase after TKA on knee ROM, quadriceps strength, functional ability, and knee pain. Methods Two hundred thirty-one patients participated in G-EXE in addition to regular ambulation and activities-of-daily-living exercises twice daily during the hospital stay. Outcomes were compared to those of a retrospectively identified, historical control group (I-EXE group [n = 206]) that included patients who performed exercises identical to those performed by the G-EXE group. The outcomes included knee ROM, quadriceps strength, pain intensity, and timed up-and-go test score at 1 month before surgery and at discharge. Analyses were adjusted for age, body mass index, sex, length of hospital stay, and preoperative values. Results Changes in ROM of knee flexion and extension (P<.001) and quadriceps strength (P<.001) were significantly better in the G-EXE group than those in the I-EXE group at discharge. The pain intensity improved more in the G-EXE group than in the I-EXE group at discharge (P<.001). However, the changes in the timed up-and-go scores were not significantly different. Conclusion Patients performing G-EXE in addition to regular ambulation and activities-of-daily-living exercises demonstrated greater changes in knee ROM, quadriceps strength, and knee pain than those performing I-EXE in addition to regular ambulation and activities-of-daily-living exercises. The nonrandomized, asynchronous design decreases certainty of these findings. Level of Evidence Therapy, level 2b. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2016;46(9):742-748. Epub 5 Aug 2016. doi:10.2519/jospt.2016. 6409.
Hepatic enzyme abnormalities in children on triple therapy for tuberculosis

Standard chemotherapy for tuberculosis (TB) in children uses hepatotoxic drugs. Published data and guidelines on monitoring of liver function during TB treatment are often contradictory and not directly relevant to the pediatric population. We carefully monitored 43 children (age 6.6 years, 0.7–15.1 [median, range]; 49% male; 72% Caucasian) being treated for TB infection (n = 8) or disease (n = 35) with triple therapy, using pyrazinamide, rifampicin, and isoniazid in standard recommended doses. Children on other hepatotoxic drugs were excluded. Measurements of liver function tests (LFT) included aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and bilirubin, and they were checked before and a median of 5 times (1–23) during treatment. Only one child had mildly abnormal LFTs pretreatment.
Incidence and predictors of low chemotherapy dose-intensity in aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a nationwide study.

PURPOSE To assess the incidence of and risk factors for reduced relative dose-intensity (RDI) in patients treated with chemotherapy for aggressive non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). METHODS A nationwide survey was conducted of 567 oncology practices with data extracted from the records of 4,522 patients with aggressive NHL treated with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (CHOP); CHOP-rituximab (CHOP-R); or cyclophosphamide, mitoxantrone, vincristine, and prednisone (CNOP). The primary outcome was the average RDI for each regimen based on both planned and reference standards. Other assessments included the incidence of febrile neutropenia and patterns of colony-stimulating factor (CSF) use, as well as the average RDI in high-risk subgroups. RESULTS Dose reductions > or = 15% occurred in 40% of patients and treatment delays > or = 7 days occurred in 24% of patients, resulting in 53% and 48% of patients receiving an RDI less than 85% of the minimum six-cycle and National Comprehensive Cancer Network guideline standards, respectively. Reduced RDI was more prevalent in older patients, with 60% of patients older than 60 years receiving RDI less than 85%. Multivariate analysis identified several independent predictors for reduced RDI, including age older than 60 years, advanced disease stage, poor performance status, and no prophylactic CSF use. Age was no longer a significant risk factor in patients who received prophylactic CSF. CONCLUSION Patients with aggressive and potentially curable NHL treated with CHOP, CHOP-R, or CNOP frequently receive reduced RDI. Predictive models based on the risk factors identified for reduced RDI should enable the targeted use of appropriate supportive care, facilitating the delivery of full chemotherapy doses on schedule.
Rdp1, a Novel Zinc Finger Protein, Regulates the DNA Damage Response of rhp51+ fromSchizosaccharomyces pombe

ABSTRACT The Schizosaccharomyces pombe DNA repair generhp51 + encodes a RecA-like protein with the DNA-dependent ATPase activity required for homologous recombination. The level of the rhp51 + transcript is increased by a variety of DNA-damaging agents. Its promoter has twocis-acting DNA damage-responsive elements (DREs) responsible for DNA damage inducibility. Here we report identification of Rdp1, which regulates rhp51 + expression through the DRE of rhp51 +. The protein contains a zinc finger and a polyalanine tract similar to ones previously implicated in DNA binding and transactivation or repression, respectively. In vitro footprinting and competitive binding assays indicate that the core consensus sequences (NGG/TTG/A) of DRE are crucial for the binding of Rdp1. Mutations of both DRE1 and DRE2 affected the damage-induced expression ofrhp51 +, indicating that both DREs are required for transcriptional activation. In addition, mutations in the DREs significantly reduced survival rates after exposure to DNA-damaging agents, demonstrating that the damage response ofrhp51 + enhances the cellular repair capacity. Surprisingly, haploid cells containing a complete rdp1deletion could not be recovered, indicating thatrdp1 + is essential for cell viability and implying the existence of other target genes. Furthermore, the DNA damage-dependent expression of rhp51 + was significantly reduced in checkpoint mutants, raising the possibility that Rdp1 may mediate damage checkpoint-dependent transcription ofrhp51 +.
Potential for Effects of Land Contamination on Human Health. 2. The Case of Waste Disposal Sites

This review of the epidemiological literature shows that evidence for negative impacts of land contaminated by waste disposal on human health is limited. However, the potential for health impacts cannot be dismissed. The link between residence close to hazardous waste disposal sites and heightened levels of stress and anxiety is relatively well established. However, studies on self-reported outcomes generally suffer from interpretational problems, as subjective symptoms may be due to increased perception and recall. Several recent multiple-site studies support a plausible linkage between residence near waste disposal sites and reproductive effects (including congenital anomalies and low birth weight). There is some conflict in the literature investigating links between land contamination and cancers; the evidence for and against a link is equally balanced and is insufficient to make causal inferences. These are difficult to establish because of lack of data on individual exposures, and other socioeconomic and lifestyle factors that may confound a relationship with area of residence. There is no consistently occurring risk for any specific tumor across multiple studies on sites expected to contain similar contaminants. Further insights on health effects of land contamination are likely to be gained from studies that consider exposure pathways and biomarkers of exposure and effect, similar to those deployed with some success in investigating impacts of cadmium on human health.
Isolation and Quantitation of Topoisomerase Complexes Accumulated on Escherichia coli Chromosomal DNA

ABSTRACT DNA topoisomerases are important targets in anticancer and antibacterial therapy because drugs can initiate cell death by stabilizing the transient covalent topoisomerase-DNA complex. In this study, we employed a method that uses CsCl density gradient centrifugation to separate unbound from DNA-bound GyrA/ParC in Escherichia coli cell lysates after quinolone treatment, allowing antibody detection and quantitation of the covalent complexes on slot blots. Using these procedures modified from the in vivo complexes of enzyme (ICE) bioassay, we found a correlation between gyrase-DNA complex formation and DNA replication inhibition at bacteriostatic (1× MIC) norfloxacin concentrations. Quantitation of the number of gyrase-DNA complexes per E. coli cell permitted an association between cell death and chromosomal gyrase-DNA complex accumulation at norfloxacin concentrations greater than 1× MIC. When comparing levels of gyrase-DNA complexes to topoisomerase IV-DNA complexes in the absence of drug, we observed that the gyrase-DNA complex level was higher (∼150-fold) than that of the topoisomerase IV-DNA complex. In addition, levels of gyrase and topoisomerase IV complexes reached a significant increase after 30 min of treatment at 1× and 1.7× MIC, respectively. These results are in agreement with gyrase being the primary target for quinolones in E. coli. We further validated the utility of this method for the study of topoisomerase-drug interactions in bacteria by showing the gyrase covalent complex reversibility after removal of the drug from the medium, and the resistant effect of the Ser83Leu gyrA mutation on accumulation of gyrase covalent complexes on chromosomal DNA.
Entire-Domain Basis Functions for Scattering From Large Curved Surfaces Formulated by Transformation Optics

A complete set of entire-domain basis functions are introduced for the analysis of scattering from bodies with curved surfaces; they are defined via the application of a generalization of the Shannon sampling theorem. These basis functions are defined for curved patches with arbitrary contours, via a three-step procedure. First, the curved patch is mapped, via Transformation Optics, onto a flat parametric domain surrounded by a virtual anisotropic inhomogeneous space. Next, linear-phase functions are defined on the parametric flat domain; the sufficient and non-redundant number of functions is found by using a spectral domain “completeness relationship” of the delta function. Finally, the back-transformation from flat anisotropic to curved isotropic space yields the basis functions for the curved patch. The number of basis functions so obtained matches the degrees of freedom of the field known in the literature. Numerical results show the effectiveness of the representation for both fields and currents.
Myotube heterogeneity in developing chick craniofacial skeletal muscles

Avian skeletal muscles consist of myotubes that can be categorized according to contraction and fatigue properties, which are based largely on the types of myosins and metabolic enzymes present in the cells. Most mature muscles in the head are mixed, but they display a variety of ratios and distributions of fast and slow muscle cells. We examine the development of all head muscles in chick and quail embryos, using immunohistochemical assays that distinguish between fast and slow myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoforms. Some muscles exhibit the mature spatial organization from the onset of primary myotube differentiation (e.g., jaw adductor complex). Many other muscles undergo substantial transformation during the transition from primary to secondary myogenesis, becoming mixed after having started as exclusively slow (e.g., oculorotatory, neck muscles) or fast (e.g., mandibular depressor) myotube populations. A few muscles are comprised exclusively of fast myotubes throughout their development and in the adult (e.g., the quail quadratus and pyramidalis muscles, chick stylohyoideus muscles). Most developing quail and chick head muscles exhibit identical fiber type composition; exceptions include the genioglossal (chick: initially slow, quail: mixed), quadratus and pyramidalis (chick: mixed, quail: fast), and stylohyoid (chick: fast, quail: mixed). The great diversity of spatial and temporal scenarios during myogenesis of head muscles exceeds that observed in the limbs and trunk, and these observations, coupled with the results of precursor mapping studies, make it unlikely that a lineage based model, in which individual myoblasts are restricted to fast or slow fates, is in operation. More likely, spatiotemporal patterning of muscle fiber types is coupled with the interactions that direct the movements of muscle precursors and subsequent segregation of individual muscles from common myogenic condensations. In the head, most of these events are facilitated by connective tissue precursors derived from the neural crest. Whether these influences act upon uncommitted, or biased but not restricted, myogenic mesenchymal cells remains to be tested. Dev Dyn 1999;214:178–194. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Organ Dysfunction and Muscular Disability in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is a multisystemic disorder characterized by muscle weakness and multiple organ impairment, especially the eyes, lung, and heart. We conducted the current study to analyze the prevalence and intercorrelation among these disorders and their respective relationships with muscular disability. We assessed medical history, anthropometric data, lung volumes, arterial and venous blood samples, surface 12-lead electrocardiogram, echocardiography, ophthalmologic examination, and muscular impairment rating scale (MIRS) in 106 patients (48 male and 58 female) with DM1, aged 43.7 ± 12.8 years. Obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, and diabetes were found in respectively 25.6%, 47.6%, and 17.1% of patients. Disabling cataract was found in 43.4%, and was independently predicted by age and MIRS. Restrictive lung disease was noted in 34%, and was predicted by MIRS, CTG repeat expansion, and body mass index. Conduction disorders were found in 30.2% of patients and were predicted by left ventricular ejection fraction, MIRS, and CTG repeat expansion. We found significant relationships between cataract, restrictive lung disease, and conduction disorders: patients with cataract and those with conduction disorders exhibited more severe restrictive lung disease than the other patients. Conversely, the relative risk of restrictive lung disease was 2.42 (1% confidence interval [CI], 1.06-5.51) in patients with cataract and 2.54 (1% CI, 1.26-5.07) in patients with conduction disorders. Multivariate analysis revealed that MIRS was the only independent predictor for conduction disorders and restrictive lung disease. MIRS ≥3 and MIRS ≥4 were the best simple cutoff values to predict, respectively, lung and cardiac involvements. To conclude, muscular disability, ophthalmologic, and cardiac and pulmonary involvement are strongly correlated. Particular attention should be given to these entities in patients with distal or proximal muscular weakness. Abbreviations: BMI = body mass index, CI = confidence interval, DM1 = myotonic dystrophy type 1, ECG = surface 12-lead electrocardiogram, FEV1 = forced expiratory volume in 1 second, FSH = follicle-stimulating hormone, IgG = immunoglobulin G, LVEF = left ventricular ejection fraction, MIRS = muscular impairment rating scale, PaCO2 = arterial CO2 partial pressure, PaO2 = arterial O2 partial pressure, RNA = ribonucleic acid, RR = relative risk, RV = residual volume, TLC = total lung capacity, VC = vital capacity.
Anatomic determinants of sleep-disordered breathing across the spectrum of clinical and nonclinical male subjects.

OBJECTIVES We wished to determine the independent contribution of craniofacial dimensions of the upper airway to sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in subjects who spanned the entire continuum of SDB. We also determined the interactive effects of body mass index (BMI) and age on the relationship between airway dimensions and SDB. DESIGN AND SUBJECTS We studied 142 nonclinical male subjects in a working community population (average age, 47 years; average BMI, 29; average +/- SD apnea/hypopnea index [AHI], 20 +/- 20/h), and 62 patients with obstructive sleep apnea (average age, 47 years; average BMI, 32; average +/- SD AHI, 48 +/- 35/h. We determined the AHI from overnight polysomnography and the number of oxygen desaturations (> or = 2%) per hour of sleep. We used lateral facial cephalometric radiographs to measure 41 anatomic landmarks and 55 dimensions in the upper airway. SETTING A university hospital and a sleep-disorders clinic. DATA ANALYSIS We used stepwise regression analysis to determine the independent contributions of measured variables to SDB. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS In the entire study population (n = 204), variations in BMI and six measures of craniofacial morphology accounted equally for one half of the total variance in AHI, and their interactive effects accounted for an additional 15%. Membership in the clinical or nonclinical group per se had no significant influence on these relationships. The single most important cephalometric variable in predicting AHI severity was the horizontal dimension of the maxilla (ie, porion vertical to supradentale [PV-A] distance). When the PV-A distance was relatively narrow (< 97 mm) the probability of having mild (AHI, 15 to 30/h) to severe (AHI > 30/h) SDB increased fivefold to sevenfold in nonobese subjects and threefold in obese subjects. Thus, in nonobese subjects (average BMI, 25 +/- 2) and in subjects with narrow upper airway dimensions, four cephalometric dimensions were the dominant predictors of AHI, accounting for 50% of the variance. However, in subjects with a large anteroposterior facial dimension, BMI was the major predictor of AHI and a BMI > 28 increased the probability of moderate-to-severe sleep apnea by approximately fivefold. Finally, the combination of cephalometric dimensions and BMI accounted for an increasing amount of the variance in AHI as the severity of AHI increased. CONCLUSIONS Across the population spectrum of SDB, four cephalometric dimensions of the upper airway in combination with BMI accounted independently for up to two thirds of the variation in AHI; and the relative contribution of these two sets of determinants of AHI varied depending on airway size, obesity, and the amount of SDB.
Evaluation of oxidative stress induction in rats following exposure to silver nanorods

Abstract The study investigated the oxidative stress induction by the 10 and 25 nm silver nanorods (SNRs) following intra-tracheal instillation in rats after 1 day, 1 week, 1 month and 3 months post instillation periods at 1 and 5 mg/kg b.w. doses. The blood was withdrawn by retro orbital plexus method after exposure periods and different oxidative stress markers were estimated. The results showed that the both sizes of SNRs induced increased levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and depleted glutathione (GSH) levels after 1 day and 1 week post exposure periods. The 10 and 25 nm SNRs at both doses displayed that significantly reduced levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase following 1 day and 1 week post exposure periods. Also, the results have shown that decrease in total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of both sizes of SNRs significantly following 1 day and 1 week post exposure periods, indicating the oxidative stress induction by SNRs. In spite, there were no significant changes in oxidative stress markers following 1 month and 3 months post exposure periods may be due to recovery. The increased levels of MDA and decreased levels of GSH, SOD, catalase and TAC activity are strongly associated to ROS production and lipid peroxidation, suggesting the induction of oxidative stress in rats. The 10 nm SNRs at 5 mg/kg b.w. dose exposures in rats have shown greater changes in all oxidative stress parameters, indicating the greater induction of oxidative stress when compared with the 25 nm SNRs, representing the size–dose-dependent induction of oxidative stress of SNRs.
A cognitive radio application of OM-OFDM for implementation in DVB-T2

In this paper, the authors have proposed using offset modulation (OM-OFDM) for cognitive radio applications. An examination of the spectrum characteristics of an OM-OFDM transmission demonstrates its strong detection characteristics. Thereafter the methodology behind energy detection is discussed, and a simplified theoretical closed form expression for the probability of a missed detection (P<inf>md</inf>) and the probability of a false alarm (P<inf>ƒa</inf>) for an unknown deterministic signal is derived. Then, by using energy detection, the OM-OFDM method is shown to operate at a 15 dB lower average signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) value than an OFDM transmission, while offering similar detection characteristics as an OFDM transmission under Rayleigh fading conditions. The receiver operating characteristic curves in addition indicate that the P<inf>md</inf> for an OM-OFDM transmission is 1.3×10<sup>−1</sup> and the P<inf>md</inf> for an OFDM transmission is 0.85 (at a P<inf>ƒa</inf> = 10<sup>−1</sup> and average SNR of −5dB) for Rayleigh fading conditions.
Complications in antireflux surgery: national-based analysis of laparoscopic and open fundoplications.

HYPOTHESIS Longer experience of surgeons has reduced the rate of complications in antireflux surgery. DESIGN Comparison of the rate of serious complications between open and laparoscopic fundoplication in Finland at the national level. SETTING University teaching hospital. PATIENTS From January 1, 1992, to December 31, 2001, 10 846 fundoplications were performed in Finland. Of these, 3987 (37%) were open and 6859 (63%) were laparoscopic. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Administrative databases provided the number of fundoplications, the rate of severe complications, and the mortality. Medical records allowed for evaluation of the nature and cause of severe complications of laparoscopic and open fundoplications. RESULTS From January 1, 1992, to December 31, 2001, hospital mortality was significantly lower after laparoscopy (P = .01). In comparable groups, surgical mortality or the overall rate of serious complications did not differ. The rate of serious complications decreased after both open surgery (P = .01) and laparoscopic surgery (P = .03). After laparoscopy, patients made claims for injuries more often (P = .003) and had a higher rate of dysphagia (P < .001). In all of the patients with severe dysphagia or fundic perforations after laparoscopy, the short gastric vessels were not divided. Furthermore, 1 open fundoplication and 22 laparoscopic fundoplications had to have reoperations performed owing to dysphagia, mostly involving technical failure. CONCLUSIONS At the national level, the first 10-year experience of laparoscopic fundoplication reduced the rate of serious complications. The complications largely were technical failures related to the lack of a standardized surgical technique.