Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Incidence of Atrial Fibrillation Post‐Cavotricuspid Isthmus Ablation in Patients with Typical Atrial Flutter: Left‐Atrial Size as an Independent Predictor of Atrial Fibrillation Recurrence

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter often coexist. The long‐term occurrence of atrial fibrillation in patients presenting with atrial flutter alone is unknown. We report the long‐term follow‐up in patients who underwent cavotricuspid isthmus ablation for treatment of lone atrial flutter.
[Postoperative radial paralysis. Fate or negligence, conservative wait or revision?].

Radial nerve palsy is a rather frequent complication caused by an accident as well as by surgery of the humerus. As a primary, i.e., accidental lesion, its incidence as stated in the literature is up to 30%, primarily fractures in the distal diaphyseal half. Secondary, i.e., surgically induced, nerve lesions surprisingly are reported with a similar frequency, though recently the incidence only approaches some 3%. Experts continue to argue over the timing for operative revision. Many authors rely on spontaneous recovery of the nerve as maintained by L. Boehler in the early 1960s, but this theory was rendered obsolete by the technical achievements of microsurgery and the patients' economic constraints. Other authors are afraid of accidentally damaging the nerve by revision surgery. The stand we take in this controversy is instant revision surgery both for accidental lesions as well as uncompromisingly for those incurred during surgery when the surgeon had not explored the nerve far enough to preserve it during the operation. Three exemplary cases are reported, one of them submitted for an expert's opinion because of an alleged mistake on the part of the doctor. Forensic responsibility has to match actual indication principles and the specific technique applied.
Emerging evidence of the role of gut microbiota in the development of allergic diseases

Purpose of reviewThe purpose is to review recent studies examining the role of gut microbiota in allergic diseases and asthma. Recent findingsWork in experimental models gives further evidence that a disturbed gut microbiota influences the propensity to develop allergic manifestations, and that changing the gut microbiota by dietary means (high fiber/acetate or prebiotics) in pregnancy may reduce the risk of allergic airways disease and food allergy in the offspring, respectively. The gut microbiome in established allergic disease and prior to disease onset has also been assessed in clinical trials. One study demonstrated a strong association between high abundance of Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and decreased levels of butyrate and propionate, and established eczema. Lower relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae appears to be implicated in food sensitization and to precede the development of atopic eczema. Decreased relative abundance of Lachnospira, Veillonella, Faecalibacterium, and Rothia in early infancy was reported to be associated with increased asthma risk. Inoculation of germ-free mice with these genera decreased airway inflammation in their offspring thereby proposing a causal role of bacteria in preventing allergic airways disease. SummaryGut microbiome research is an actively developing field. Although candidate bacterial taxa have been reported it still remains unclear which bacteria (or other microbes), in which numbers and combinations, and when during the gut colonization process may prevent allergic diseases and asthma. There is still a call for standardized approaches that will enable direct comparison of different studies.
Co‐amendment with halogenated compounds enhances anaerobic microbial dechlorination of 1,2,3,4‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin and 1,2,3,4‐tetrachlorodibenzofuran in estuarine sediments

Halogenated coamendments enhanced dechlorination of 31 μM of spiked 1,2,3,4‐tetrachlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin (TeCDD) and 49 μM of spiked 1,2,3,4‐tetrachlorodibenzofuran (TeCDF) in sediments from San Diego Bay (CA, USA) and Tuckerton (NJ, USA). Dechlorination of 1,2,3,4‐TeCDD occurred to a greater extent under methanogenic than under sulfate‐reducing conditions. The most effective stimulation of 1,2,3,4‐TeCDD dechlorination occurred with coamendment of 25 μM of 1,2,3,4‐tetrachlorobenzene (TeCB), 2,3,4,5‐tetrachloroanisole (TeCA), 2,3,4,5‐tetrachlorophenol, or 2′,3′,4′‐trichloroacetophenone plus 500 μM lactate and 500 μM propionate as electron donors. The 1,2,3,4‐TeCDD dechlorination was evident after three months and sequentially produced mainly 1,2,4‐trichlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin, 1,3‐dichlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin, and 2‐monochlorodibenzo‐p‐dioxin (MCDD). Monobromo‐phenols (2‐bromo‐, 3‐bromo‐, and 4‐bromophenol), monochlorophenols (2‐chloro‐, 3‐chloro‐, and 4‐chlorophenol), 2,3,5,6‐tetra‐chlorobenzoate, or electron donors alone stimulated less 1,2,3,4‐TeCDD dechlorination, with activity apparent only after six months. The 1,2,3,4‐TeCDD dechlorination produced 50 mol % 2‐MCDD after six months in sediments from the more contaminated Graving Dock and Paleta Creek sites in San Diego Bay. The 1,2,3,4‐TeCDD dechlorination by sediments from the less contaminated Shelter Island site in San Diego Bay and in pristine Tuckerton sediments did not produce 2‐MCDD. Dechlorination of 1,2,3,4‐TeCDF to tri‐ and dichlorinated daughter products was significantly enhanced by TeCB and TeCA. These results suggest that halogenated aromatic compounds with structural similarity to 1,2,3,4‐TeCDD/F stimulate bacteria with the ability to dechlorinate chlorinated dibenzo‐p‐dioxin and furans.
Patient utilities in ankylosing spondylitis and the association with other outcome measures.

OBJECTIVE To compare in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) utilities derived by rating scale and standard gamble method, to relate these values to other outcome measures, and to assess the sensitivity to change of utilities relative to changes in other outcomes. METHODS Patients with AS were randomly allocated to either weekly sessions of supervised group physical therapy for a period of 9 months or daily exercises at home. Analysis was restricted to the 59 patients who completed the Maastricht Utility Measurement Questionnaire (MUMQ) at baseline and after 9 months' followup and who were seen by the same interviewer. Reliability was assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient and change scores for marker states of disease. Construct validity was evaluated by correlation and multiple regression of baseline values with a variety of disease outcomes (pain and stiffness, patient's and physician's global assessment, Sickness Impact Profile, Health Assessment Questionnaire for the Spondyloarthropathies, Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale, functional, articular, and enthesis indices and spinal mobility measures). Sensitivity to change was assessed against changes in these outcome measures at followup. RESULTS The test-retest intraclass correlation coefficients for patient utilities were 0.95 (rating scale) and 0.79 (standard gamble), and for the marker state of mild disease 0.70 (rating scale) and 0.77 (standard gamble). A multiple regression analysis with the baseline rating scale or standard gamble utilities as dependent variable showed that patient's global assessment explained 59 and 11% of the total variance respectively. By multiple regression analysis 10% of the variance of change in rating scale utilities was explained by changes of patient's global assessment. In contrast, variance in change in standard gamble utilities was not explained by changes in other disease outcomes. CONCLUSION Findings obtained by rating scale and standard gamble differ considerably. Standard gamble utilities seem to address different aspects of health status than do rating scale utilities and more traditional outcomes. Utility measurement is sensitive to the method chosen to elicit patient well being.
Peginterferon-α2a for the treatment of hepatitis B infection

Chronic hepatitis B is one of the world’s most common serious diseases with > 300 million patients worldwide. Currently recommended treatments include conventional interferon (IFN), lamivudine and adefovir. Recently, peginterferon-α2a (PEG-IFN-α2a, Pegasys®; Hoffmann-La Roche & Co.) has been approved for use in patients with chronic hepatitis B in the US, the EU, Switzerland, Turkey and in several countries in the Asia-Pacific region. Several trials have been carried out using PEG-IFN-α2a (40 kDa) compared with conventional IFN, lamivudine monotherapy and a combination of PEG-IFN-α2a and lamivudine in patients with hepatitis Be antigen- (HBeAg) positive chronic hepatitis B, and patients with HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B. PEG-IFN-α2a was shown to be superior to conventional IFN in HBeAg-positive disease and to lamivudine in both HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B. Although there was greater suppression of virus while on therapy, the combination of lamivudine and PEG-IFN-α2a did not enhance sustained response at the end of the 24-week follow-up period, compared with PEG-IFN monotherapy. In addition, ~ 3% of patients underwent hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroconversion – the ultimate marker of therapeutic response, which is rarely seen following treatment with antiviral agents. The side effect profile was reasonable. PEG-IFN-α2a could become the treatment of choice in many patients with both HBeAg-positive and HBeAg-negative disease and, in those who fail to respond, consideration could then be given to the use of antiviral agents.
Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor Delays Neutrophil Constitutive Apoptosis Through Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase and Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase Pathways1

Activated neutrophils play an important role in the pathogenesis of sepsis, glomerulonephritis, acute renal failure, and other inflammatory processes. The resolution of neutrophil-induced inflammation relies, in large part, on removal of apoptotic neutrophils. Neutrophils are constitutively committed to apoptosis, but inflammatory mediators, such as GM-CSF, slow neutrophil apoptosis by incompletely understood mechanisms. We addressed the hypothesis that GM-CSF delays neutrophil apoptosis by activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) pathways. GM-CSF (20 ng/ml) significantly inhibited neutrophil apoptosis (GM-CSF, 32 vs 65% of cells p < 0.0001). GM-CSF activated the PI 3-kinase/Akt pathway as determined by phosphorylation of Akt and BAD. GM-CSF-dependent Akt and BAD phosphorylation was blocked by the PI 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002. A role for the PI 3-kinase/Akt pathway in GM-CSF-stimulated delay of apoptosis was indicated by the ability of LY294002 to attenuate apoptosis delay. GM-CSF-dependent inhibition of apoptosis was significantly attenuated by PD98059, an ERK pathway inhibitor. LY294002 and PD98059 did not produce additive inhibition of apoptosis delay. To determine whether PI 3-kinase and ERK are used by other ligands that delay neutrophil apoptosis, we examined the role of these pathways in IL-8-induced apoptosis delay. LY294002 blocked IL-8-dependent Akt phosphorylation. PD98059 and LY294002 significantly attenuated IL-8 delay of apoptosis. These results indicate IL-8 and GM-CSF act, in part, to delay neutrophil apoptosis by stimulating PI 3-kinase and ERK-dependent pathways.
Effects of environmental factors on the steering operation when driving a car

This paper discusses the influence of environmental factors on the value of the steering entropy. In this paper, the environmental factors refer to the conditions of the road, the weather, and the brightness. In order to investigate the above relationship, we conducted an experiment using a driving simulator. The results show that the curve, the tunnel and the crosswind increase the steering entropy.
An exploration of the uncertainty relation satisfied by BP network learning ability and generalization ability

This paper analyses the intrinsic relationship between the BP network learning ability and generalization ability and other influencing factors when the overfit occurs, and introduces the multiple correlation coefficient to describe the complexity of samples; it follows the calculation uncertainty principle and the minimum principle of neural network structural design, provides an analogy of the general uncertainty relation in the information transfer process, and ascertains the uncertainty relation between the training relative error of the training sample set, which reflects the network learning ability, and the test relative error of the test sample set, which represents the network generalization ability; through the simulation of BP network overfit numerical modeling test with different types of functions, it is ascertained that the overfit parameter q in the relation generally has a span of 7 × 10−3 to 7 × 10−2; the uncertainty relation then helps to obtain the formula for calculating the number of hidden nodes of a network with good generalization ability under the condition that multiple correlation coefficient is used to describe sample complexity and the given approximation error requirement is satisfied; the rationality of this formula is verified; this paper also points out that applying the BP network to the training process of the given sample set is the best method for stopping training that improves the generalization ability.
A large cohort study of long-term daily use of adult-strength aspirin and cancer incidence.

BACKGROUND Epidemiologic evidence indicates that aspirin use is associated with reduced risks of colon cancer and possibly several other cancers, including prostate and breast cancers. Recent results from the Women's Health Study randomized trial indicate that long-term use of low-dose aspirin (100 mg every other day) does not substantially reduce cancer risk. However, the potential effect of long-term daily use of higher doses of aspirin on cancer incidence remains uncertain. METHODS We examined associations between long-term daily use of adult-strength aspirin (> or = 325 mg/day) and both overall cancer incidence and incidence of 10 types of cancer among 69,810 men and 76,303 women participating in the Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort, a relatively elderly population. Aspirin use was reported at enrollment in 1992-1993 and updated in 1997, 1999, and 2001. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to calculate rate ratios (RRs). RESULTS During follow-up through June 2003, 10,931 men and 7196 women were diagnosed with cancer. Long-term (> or = 5 years) daily use of adult-strength aspirin, compared with no use, was associated with lower overall cancer incidence in men (multivariable-adjusted RR = 0.84, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.76 to 0.93) and non-statistically significantly lower overall cancer incidence in women (multivariable-adjusted RR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.73 to 1.03). Overall cancer incidence per 100,000 person-years (standardized to the age distributions of men and women in the study) with long-term daily aspirin use and no aspirin use was 1858 and 2163, respectively, among men and 1083 and 1169, respectively, among women. Long-term daily aspirin use was associated with lower incidence of colorectal cancer (RR = 0.68, 95% CI = 0.52 to 0.90 among men and women combined) and prostate cancer (RR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.70 to 0.94) and a non-statistically significant lower risk of female breast cancer (RR = 0.83, 95% CI = 0.63 to 1.10). CONCLUSIONS Long-term daily use of adult-strength aspirin may be associated with modestly reduced overall cancer incidence in populations among whom colorectal, prostate, and breast cancers are common.
Preoperative Angiopoietin-2 Serum Levels: A Marker of Malignant Potential in Ovarian Neoplasms and Poor Prognosis in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer

Introduction: The aims of the study were to explore the levels of angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1) and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) in patients with benign, borderline, or malignant epithelial ovarian tumors and to compare them to those of healthy controls. In addition, we aimed to study how Ang-1 and Ang-2 levels predict the clinical course and survival of patients with epithelial ovarian cancer. Methods: We enrolled 150 patients with ovarian neoplasms and 34 women with healthy ovaries in this study. Furthermore, we measured the levels of Ang-1 and Ang-2 in patients having an ovarian metastasis or another cancer (n = 29). Serum samples were collected preoperatively at the time of diagnosis, and Ang-1 and Ang-2 levels were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Angiopoietin-1 and Ang-2 levels were significantly elevated in serum samples of patients with ovarian carcinoma compared with healthy controls (P = 0.0005 and P < 0.0005, respectively). In addition, Ang-2 levels were significantly higher in patients with ovarian carcinoma compared with patients with benign (P < 0.0005) or borderline ovarian tumors (P = 0.011). In receiver operating characteristic analysis, the area under the curve for serum Ang-2 (0.77) was greater than Ang-1 (0.60) but lower than for cancer antigen 125 (0.95) to differentiate ovarian cancer from healthy control. High serum levels of Ang-1 and Ang-2 were associated with primary residual tumor more than 1 cm after debulking surgery, and high Ang-2 levels correlated positively with an advanced tumor stage (P = 0.042). Elevated Ang-2 level (>2.7 ng/mL) was a significant predictor of poor overall and recurrence-free survival (P = 0.043 and P = 0.033, respectively) when assessing Kaplan-Meier curves by a log-rank test. Conclusions: Patients with ovarian cancer have higher serum levels of angiopoietins than patients with benign or borderline tumors reflecting the increased angiogenesis. These results also suggest that Ang-2 may serve as an angiogenic marker of decreased patient survival in ovarian cancer.
Nonpharmacological enhancement of cognitive function in Parkinson's disease: A systematic review

Cognitive decline and dementia are frequent in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The evidence for nonpharmacological therapies in Alzheimer's disease and other dementias has been studied systematically, but the evidence is unclear for their efficacy in cognition and dementia in PD. An international collaboration produced a comprehensive, systematic review of the effectiveness and of nonpharmacological and noninvasive therapies in cognitively intact, cognitively impaired, and PD dementia groups. The interventions included cognitive rehabilitation, physical rehabilitation, exercise, and brain stimulation techniques but excluded invasive treatments, such as surgery and deep brain stimulation. The potential biases and evidence levels for controlled trials (CTs) were analyzed based on Cochrane and National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence criteria. After exclusions, 18 studies were reviewed, including 5 studies of cognitive training, 4 of exercise and physical therapies, 4 of combined cognitive and physical interventions, and 5 of brain stimulation techniques. The methodology, study populations, interventions, outcomes, control groups, analyses, results, limitations, biases, and evidence levels of all reviewed studies were described. There were 9 CTs, including 6 randomized CTs (RCTs). Although 5 trials showed positive results, only 1 study of cognitive training achieved evidence grading of 1+ with a low risk of bias. There were no studies on PD dementia. Current research on nonpharmacological therapies for cognitive dysfunction and dementia in PD is very limited in quantity and quality. There is an urgent need for rigorous RCTs of nonpharmacological treatments for cognitive impairment and dementia in PD. © 2013 Movement Disorder Society
A new classification of the mitral papillary muscle.

BACKGROUND Mitral valve homograft implantation and reconstruction of the left ventricular subvalvular apparatus requires a good knowledge of the morphology of the left papillary muscles. A comprehensive description of the left ventricular subvalvular apparatus is presented to aid in this procedure and to support conventional and endoscope-assisted reconstruction of the chordae tendineae. MATERIAL/METHODS The subvalvular apparatuses of 100 unfixed human hearts were investigated. Papillary muscles were endoscopically examined on the hearts in situ, then the hearts were explanted and the subvalvular apparatus was macroscopically inspected. The geometrical arrangement of the chordae tendineae was determined. RESULTS We defined three groups of the left ventricular papillary muscle. In group I the basal part and the apex of the muscle were undivided. In group II there were two heads; in subgroup II/A the base of the papillary muscle was undivided and in II/B it was divided into two separate parts. In group III the papillary muscle had three heads. In subgroup III/A the base was undivided, while in III/B it was made up of two and in III/C three separate parts. CONCLUSIONS We propose a classification of the left ventricular subvalvular apparatus based on the macroscopic and endoscopic investigations. It emphasizes the morphology of the apical and basal parts of papillary muscles and includes the geometrical arrangement of the chordae tendineae. Thus it may be of a great value in endoscopic and conventional mitral valve replacement or reconstruction of the chordae tendineae and in mitral valve homograft implantation.
Pricing vulnerable options with constant elasticity of variance versus stochastic elasticity of variance

In order to handle option writer’s credit risk, a different underlying price model is required beyond the well-known Black-Scholes model. This paper adopts a recently developed model, which characterizes the 2007-2009 global financial crisis in a unique way, to determine the no-arbitrage price of European options vulnerable to writer’s default possibility. The underlying model is based on the randomization of the elasticity of variance parameter capturing the leverage or inverse leverage effect. We obtain an analytic formula explicitly for the stochastic elasticity of variance correction to the Black-Scholes price of vulnerable options and show how the correction effect is compared with the one given by the constant elasticity of variance model. The result can help to design a dynamic investment strategy reducing option writer’s credit risk more effectively.
Heritability of plasma noncholesterol sterols and relationship to DNA sequence polymorphism in ABCG5 and ABCG8.

The plasma concentrations of cholesterol precursor sterols and plant sterols vary over a 5- to 10-fold range among normolipidemic individuals, and provide indices of the relative rates of cholesterol synthesis and fractional absorption. In the present study, we examined the relative contributions of genetic and environmental factors to variation in the plasma concentrations and sterol-cholesterol ratios of five noncholesterol sterols, including the 5alpha-saturated derivative of cholesterol (cholestanol), two precursors in the cholesterol biosynthesis pathway (desmosterol and lathosterol), and two phytosterols (campesterol and sitosterol). Plasma sterol concentrations were highly stable in 30 individuals measured over a 48 week period. Regression of offspring sterol levels on the parental values indicated that plasma levels of all five noncholesterol sterols were highly heritable. Analysis of monozygotic and dizygotic twin pairs also indicated strong heritability of all five sterols. Two common sequence variations (D19H and T400K) in ABCG8, an ABC half-transporter defective in sitosterolemia, were associated with lower concentrations of plant sterols in parents, and in their offspring.Taken together, these findings indicate that variation in the plasma concentrations of noncholesterol sterols is highly heritable, and that polymorphism in ABCG8 contributes to genetic variation in the plasma concentrations of plant sterols.