Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Highest mortality during the last year before and the first year after start of dialysis treatment in type 2 diabetic patients with nephropathy.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW The mortality of type 2 diabetic patients with renal disease is high during both the pre-dialysis period as well as the period under dialysis therapy. With respect to rare data in the literature it may be assumed that the mortality rate is especially high during the last year before and the first year after start of dialysis therapy. RECENT FINDINGS After reviewing the reports in the literature dealing with survival of diabetic patients with nephropathy it may be concluded that mortality is especially high during the year before and after initiating dialysis. There are exact survival data of type 2 diabetic patients under dialysis therapy but only few data concerning the survival during the last year prior to dialysis treatment. The possible reasons for this higher mortality shortly before and after start of dialysis are discussed in this article. SUMMARY The mortality in type 2 diabetic patients is especially high during the last year before and the first year after the start of dialysis therapy. However, only the higher mortality during the first year after initiating dialysis is well documented in the literature. Those patients who die early within 90 days of dialysis are not registered in the registries, therefore, the overall mortality during the first dialysis year is at least 5% higher than the registered. During both periods several factors may play a causal role in the high mortality, a higher prevalence of heart failure, and a progression of macroangiopathy with higher incidence of cardiovascular events due to traditional and non-traditional risk factors, especially inflammation and oxidative stress.
[Familial epilepsy].

BACKGROUND Epilepsy is a chronic disease, with heterogeneous etiology, clinical spectrum and prognosis. Among many causes of epilepsy genetic factors and hereditary diseases with different inheritance mechanisms manifesting with epileptic seizures play an important role. Analysis of genealogy of families burdened with epilepsy, development of molecular and genetic tests may contribute to better understanding of mechanisms of epileptogenesis and more effective treatment of epilepsy. AIM OF THE STUDY Research and analysis of epilepsy incidence in families of children hospitalized because of epilepsy. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study included 18 children with diagnosed epilepsy and positive family history of epilepsy, hospitalized in the Department of Pediatric Neurology Chair of Pediatric and Adolescent Neurology in the years 2007-2009. Apart from thorough pregnancy and delivery history, brain imaging examinations (MR, CT) and inter seizure EEG recording were performed. RESULTS Positive family history of epilepsy was found in children at the age range from 1 month to 11 years. In the examined group predomination of older children (over 2 years of age) and girls (10/18) was observed. Epilepsy with generalized seizures was found in majority of patients from examined group. The siblings of the patients were the most often affected with the epilepsy. CONCLUSIONS Positive family history of epilepsy in children with epilepsy is almost always associated with occurrence of generalized seizures. Even in twins different types of seizures may occur, which may result from structural brain lesions in one of them. In research of familial occurrence of epilepsy repetitive history taking and complementation is needed.
What about the Benefits?: A Missing Perspective in Software Engineering

The software engineering community has always sought to build great software and continues to seek out ways and approaches for doing this. The UX movement emphasizes the usability of the developed product. Agile approaches like scrum focus on aligning the functionality and features of the final product more closely with user/customer/market requirements. The recent interest in DevOps has brought to the fore the need to address the challenges once software goes into production. Despite this, in an enterprise environment, great software does not necessarily translate into real business benefits; few investments fail because the software didn't work [1], [2]. The overwhelming evidence points to the need to actively manage to achieve the business benefits being sought [3], [4], [5], [6]. This keynote presentation introduces the concepts and practices of benefits management and benefits realization that have emerged over the last 25 years. It highlights the issues and challenges in deploying software to deliver expected business outcomes. It suggests that this is a missing perspective in software engineering. Suggestions for how this perspective might be more closely integrated with software engineering are proposed.
Mesenchymal Stern Cells from Adult Human Bone Marrow Differentiate into a Cardiomyocyte Phenotype In Vitro

A method for isolating adult human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) was established, and the ability of human MSCs to differentiate into cells with characteristics of cardiomyocytes in vitro was investigated. Selected MSC surface antigens were analyzed by flow cytometry. The MSCs at Passage 2 were treated with 5-azacytidine to investigate their differentiation into cardiomyocytes. Characteristics of the Putative myogenic cells were determined by Immunohistochemistry and transmission electron and confocal microscopies. The expression of myogenic specific genes was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), real-time quantitative PCR, and DNA sequencing. The MSCs were spindle-shaped with irregular processes and were respectively Positive for CD13, CD29, CD44, CD71 and negative for CD3, CD14, CD15, CD33, CD34 CD38, CD45, and HLA-DR. The myogenic cells differentiated from MSCs were positive for beta-myosin heavy chain (beta-MHC), desmin, and alpha-cardiac actin. When the pyogenic cells were stimulated with low concentration of K+ (5.0 mM), an increase in intracellular calcium fluorescence was observed. Myofilament-like structures were observed in electron micrographs of the differentiated myogenic cells. The mRNAs of beta-MHC, desmin, alpha-cardiac actin, and cardiac troponin T were highly expressed in the myogenic cells. These results indicate that 5-azacytidine can induce human MSCs to differentiate in vitro into cells with characteristics commonly attributed to cardiomyocytes. Cardiomyocytes cultured from bone marrow sources are potentially valuable for repairing injured myocardium.
Surface Topography and Mechanical Strain Promote Keratocyte Phenotype and Extracellular Matrix Formation in a Biomimetic 3D Corneal Model

The optimal functionality of the native corneal stroma is mainly dependent on the well‐ordered arrangement of extracellular matrix (ECM) and the pressurized structure. In order to develop an in vitro corneal model, it is crucial to mimic the in vivo microenvironment of the cornea. In this study, the influence of surface topography and mechanical strain on keratocyte phenotype and ECM formation within a biomimetic 3D corneal model is studied. By modifying the surface topography of materials, it is found that patterned silk fibroin film with 600 grooves mm–1 optimally supports cell alignment and ECM arrangement. Furthermore, treatment with 3% dome‐shaped mechanical strain, which resembles the shape and mechanics of native cornea, significantly enhances the expression of keratocyte markers as compared to flat‐shaped strain. Accordingly, a biomimetic 3D corneal model, in the form of a collagen‐modified, silk fibroin‐patterned construct subjected to 3% dome‐shaped strain, is created. Compared to traditional 2D cultures, it supports a significantly higher expression of keratocyte and ECM markers, and in conclusion better maintains keratocyte phenotype, alignment, and fusiform cell shape. Therefore, the novel biomimetic 3D corneal model developed in this study serves as a useful in vitro 3D culture model to improve current 2D cultures for corneal studies.
Visual Recognition of Manual Tasks Using Object Motion Trajectories

Motion trajectories are powerful cues for event detection and recognition. In this paper we present a system for manual task analysis that distinguishes between skin and object motion and learns activity patterns through analysing object trajectories. It is particularly suited to the recognition of common object handling tasks. Our vision system performs hand skin detection and object segmentation for each frame in a sequence. The object trajectories are then modelled as motion time series. We have compared the performance of several different time series indexing schemes: symbolic, polynomial and orthonormal basis functions used for trajectory similarity retrieval and classification. We then attempt to cluster objectcentred motion patterns in the coefficient feature space. The proposed technique is validated on two different datasets, Australian Sign Language and object handling data obtained in the laboratory. Applications to task recognition and motion data mining in industrial surveillance applications are envisaged.
Reactivity of Human Apurinic/Apyrimidinic Endonuclease andEscherichia coli Exonuclease III with Bistranded Abasic Sites in DNA*

Several oxidative DNA-damaging agents, including ionizing radiation, can generate multiply damaged sites in DNA. Among the postulated lesions are those with abasic sites located in close proximity on opposite strands. The repair of an abasic site requires strand scission by a repair endonuclease such as human apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease (Ape) or exonuclease III inEscherichia coli. Therefore, a potential consequence of the “repair” of bistranded abasic sites is the formation of double-strand breaks. To test this possibility and to investigate the influence of the relative distance between the two abasic sites and their orientation to each other, we prepared a series of oligonucleotide duplexes containing abasic sites at defined positions either directly opposite each other or separated by 1, 3, or 5 base pairs in the 5′- or 3′-direction. Analysis following Ape and exonuclease III treatment of these substrates indicated a variety of responses. In general, cleavage at abasic sites was slower in duplexes with paired lesions than in control duplexes with single lesions. Double-strand breaks were, however, readily generated in duplexes with abasic sites positioned 3′ to each other. With the duplex containing abasic sites set 1 base pair apart, 5′ to each other, both Ape and exonuclease III slowly cleaved the abasic site on one strand only and were unable to incise the other strand. With the duplex containing abasic sites set 3 base pairs apart, 5′ to each other, Ape protein was unable to cleave either strand. These data suggest that closely positioned abasic sites could have several deleterious consequences in the cell. In addition, this approach has allowed us to map bases that make significant contact with the enzymes when acting on an abasic site on the opposite strand.
Methane oxidation in water-spreading and compost biofilters

This study evaluated two biofilter designs to mitigate methane emissions from landfill vents. Water-spreading biofilters were designed to use the capillarity of coarse sand overlain by a finer sand to increase the active depth for methane oxidation. Compost biofilters consisted of 238-L barrels containing a 1: 1 mixture (by volume) of compost to expanded polystyrene pellets. Two replicates of each type of biofilter were tested at an outdoor facility. Gas inflow consisted of an approximately 1: 1 mixture (by volume) of CH4 and CO2. Methane output rates (J out; g m-2 day-1) were measured using the static chamber technique and the Pedersen et al. (2001) diffusion model. Methane oxidation rate (J ox; g m-2 day-1) and fraction of methane oxidized (f ox) were determined by mass balance. For methane inflow rates (J in) between 250 and 500 g m-2 day-1, the compost biofilter J ox, 242 g m-2 day-1, was not significantly different (P = 0.0647) than the water-spreading biofilter J ox, 203 g m-2 day-1; and the compost f ox, 69%, was not significantly different (P = 0.7354) than water-spreading f ox, 63%. The water-spreading biofilter was shown to generally perform as well as the compost biofilter, and it may be easier to implement at a landfill and require less maintenance.
Call for a European programme in external quality assurance for bone marrow immunohistochemistry; report of a European Bone Marrow Working Group pilot study

Background and Aims: In diagnostic immunohistochemistry (IHC), daily quality control/quality assurance measures (QC/QA) and participation in external quality assurance programmes (EQA) are important in ensuring good laboratory practice and patient care. Bone marrow trephine biopsies (BMTB) have been generally excluded from EQA programmes for diagnostic IHC due to a lack of standards for tissue processing. The European Bone Marrow Working Group (EBMWG) has set up an EBMWG IHC Committee with the task of exploring the plausibility of an EQA programme for BMTB IHC in Europe. Methods: 28 laboratories participated in a web-based anonymous survey; 19 laboratories submitted a total of 109 slides stained for CD34, CD117, CD20, CD3, Ki-67 and a megakaryocyte marker of choice. Results: Eight different fixatives and nine different decalcification methods were used. While 93% of participants believed that they produced excellent results in BMTB IHC, only 4/19 (21%) laboratories did not have any poor results. CD117 and Ki-67, with 53% and 50% poor results, respectively, were the most problematic immunostains, while CD20 was the least problematic, with only 11% poor results. Conclusions: The EBMWG IHC Committee calls for a reduction in the tissue processing methods for BMTB and establishment of an EQA programme for BMTB IHC to help diagnostic IHC laboratories calibrate their tests according to expert recommendations. This is especially necessary in the light of recent introduction of predictive IHC tests in BMTB.
Burden and genotyping of rotavirus disease in the United Arab Emirates

Rotavirus (RV) is the most common etiological agent causing acute gastroenteritis (GE) in children aged <5 years. This cross-sectional, hospital-based surveillance study (NCT01201252) was designed to investigate RVGE disease burden. It was conducted from July 2009–July 2010 at 3 referral hospitals in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Children who had been hospitalized for acute GE were enrolled with informed consent. Stool samples were tested for RV using enzyme immunoassay and RV-positive samples were further typed using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and reverse hybridization to determine the G and P types. GE data were collected from medical charts and GE severity was assessed through clinical examination. Treatment and outcome were prospectively recorded. Among 6323 children hospitalized due to any reason, 771 (12.2%) presented acute GE and were enrolled, of whom 758 (98.3%) were included in the final analysis. Acute GE and RVGE accounted for 12.0% (758/6323) and 6.0% (381/6323) of all hospitalizations, respectively. RVGE accounted for 50.3% (381/758) of GE hospitalizations and predominantly affected, children younger than 2 years (66.1%; 252/381). The severity of GE before hospitalization was significantly associated with RV-positive status (P = 0.0031). The majority (>95%) of children received intravenous hydration during hospitalization. RVGE occurred throughout the year, with a subtle winter peak in February 2010 (63.6%; 56/88). G1WTP[8]WT was the most commonly detected RV strain (56.3%) in 268 analyzed samples. RV was a major cause of GE-hospitalizations in children under 5 years in the UAE; the highest number of RVGE cases was observed in children younger than 2 years.
Risk factors for serious prescription opioid-related toxicity or overdose among Veterans Health Administration patients.

OBJECTIVE Prescription opioid use and deaths related to serious toxicity, including overdose, have increased dramatically in the United States since 1999. However, factors associated with serious opioid-related respiratory or central nervous system (CNS) depression or overdose in medical users are not well characterized. The objective of this study was to examine the factors associated with serious toxicity in medical users of prescription opioids. DESIGN Retrospective, nested, case-control analysis of Veterans Health Administration (VHA) medical, pharmacy, and health care resource utilization administrative data. SUBJECTS Patients dispensed an opioid by VHA between October 1, 2010 and September 30, 2012 (N=8,987). METHODS Cases (N=817) experienced life-threatening opioid-related respiratory/CNS depression or overdose. Ten controls were randomly assigned to each case (N=8,170). Logistic regression was used to examine associations with the outcome. RESULTS The strongest associations were maximum prescribed daily morphine equivalent dose (MED)≥ 100 mg (odds ratio [OR]=4.1, 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.6-6.5), history of opioid dependence (OR=3.9, 95% CI, 2.6-5.8), and hospitalization during the 6 months before the serious toxicity or overdose event (OR=2.9, 95% CI, 2.3-3.6). Liver disease, extended-release or long-acting opioids, and daily MED of 20 mg or more were also significantly associated. CONCLUSIONS Substantial risk for serious opioid-related toxicity and overdose exists at even relatively low maximum prescribed daily MED, especially in patients already vulnerable due to underlying demographic factors, comorbid conditions, and concomitant use of CNS depressant medications or substances. Screening patients for risk, providing education, and coprescribing naloxone for those at elevated risk may be effective at reducing serious opioid-related respiratory/CNS depression and overdose in medical users of prescription opioids.
Breast cancer molecular subtypes of Uygur and Han in Xinjiang of China.

PURPOSE To compare the difference between Uygur and Han patients with breast cancer in molecular subtype. METHODS 4 immunohistochemical (IHC) markers (ER, PR, HER-2 and KI-67) were used to divide Uygur and Han breast cancer patients into 4 subtypes (Luminal A, Luminal B, HER-2 over expression and Basal-like), respectively. statistical analysis were used to evaluate difference in molecular subtype characteristics by race, tumor size, age of onset, menstruation and birth status, histological grade and lymph node metastasis. RESULTS There is no statistical difference on the molecular subtypes between Han and Uygur. But some characteristics about four subtypes between Han and Uygur have statistical difference like age onset of the Her-2 overexpression cases, subtypes of age less than 35 years, menarche age of the Basal-like cases and tumor size of the Luminal A cases. Between Han and Uygur there is statistical difference on the menarche age, number of childbirths, and tumor size. The HER-2 overexpression and Basal-like subtypes were more likely to be grade III tumors both of Han and Uygur. Between 4 molecular subtypes of Han there have statistical difference in number of metastasis lymph nodes. CONCLUSIONS Our result shows that there are some significant differences between Uygur and Han in the pathological features as well as molecular subtypes. Correct understanding the difference of breast cancer between Uygur and Han can provide guidance for clinical practice.
Aneuploid proliferation defects in yeast are not driven by copy number changes of a few dosage-sensitive genes

A central question is whether aneuploid phenotypes are the consequence of copy number changes of a few especially harmful genes that may be present on the extra chromosome or are caused by copy number alterations of many genes that confer no observable phenotype when varied individually. Bonney et al. used the proliferation defect exhibited by budding yeast strains carrying single additional chromosomes (disomes) to show that subtle changes in gene dosage across a chromosome can have significant phenotypic consequences.
Patient satisfaction concerning assisted reproductive technology treatments in moderate to severe endometriosis

Abstract A prospective observational cohort study was performed to examine patient satisfaction after one Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) treatment cycle in moderate to severe endometriosis patients. From May 2012 till September 2013, 25 patients with surgically proven endometriosis stage III-IV were included per group and received intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilization (IVF) or IVF preceded by long-term pituitary down-regulation (IVF-ultralong). The median patient satisfaction scores were 8.3, 7.9 and 8.0 in patients receiving IUI (n = 22), IVF (n = 24) and IVF-ultralong (n = 23), respectively (p = 0.89). Both deterioration in pain and quality-of-life could not be identified as determinants of decreased patient satisfaction scores. Satisfaction was higher in women receiving their first ART treatment attempt (p = 0.002), after treatment accomplishment (p = 0.04) and after a positive pregnancy test (p = 0.04). A median satisfaction score concerning preceding long term pituitary down-regulation of 6.1 (IVF-ultralong n = 25, IUI n = 8) was reported. Only three patients would refrain from this preceding therapy in a next treatment attempt. We concluded that patient satisfaction scores were comparable between the three different ART treatments. Since patient satisfaction was in particular dependent on treatment outcomes, it is recommended to compare those three ART treatments in a randomized controlled trial investigating the efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness. Chinese abstract 我们对中-重度子宫内膜异位症患者一个周期辅助生殖技术（Assisted Reproductive Technology，ART）后的满意度进行了一项前瞻性观察性队列研究。 宫腔内人工授精组（intrauterine insemination，IUI）、体外受精组（in vitro fertilization，IVF）和长期垂体降调节后体外受精组（IVF-超长）每组均收录25名从2012年5月至2013年9月手术确诊为子宫内膜异位症III-IV期患者。 三组患者的平均满意度分值分别为：IUI 8.3（n=22）、IVF 7.9（n=24）和IVF-超长 8.0（n=23），p=0.89。 疼痛程度及生活质量的恶化均不能作为降低患者满意度分值的决定因素。 首次ART患者（p=0.002）、ART成功的患者（p=0.04）和妊娠阳性患者（p=0.04）的满意度分值均高。 先进行长期垂体降调节患者的平均满意度为6.1（IVF-超长，n=25，IUI，n=8），且只有三名患者不愿在下一次ART中进行长期垂体降调节。 我们总结，三组ART治疗组患者的满意度分值相当。 因为患者的满意度与治疗结果关系密切，所以建议采用随机对照试验来研究三种ART治疗方法的有效性、安全性和成本效益。
[Hypothyroidism prevalence and its relationship to high levels of thyroid peroxidase antibodies and urinary iodine in a population aged 35 and over from Armenia, 2009-2010].

OBJECTIVES Determining the prevalence of hypothyroidism and its interrelationship with peroxidase antibodies and high urinary iodine levels as a means for devising a set of recommendations for health authorities regarding the consumption of iodised salt and the early detection of thyroid disease. METHODS 437 people in the municipality of Armenia (Quindío) participated in the study. ELISA tests were performed for free thyroxine, thyroid-stimulating hormone and thyroid peroxidase antibodies; a photocolorimetric analysis was carried out to determine urinary iodine levels. RESULTS Hypothyroidism prevalence was 18.5%. Thyroid peroxidase antibodies were positive in 28.9% of the study population, with significantly higher prevalence amongst those with levels > 10 mIU/mL thyroid-stimulating hormone compared to 5.1 to 10 mIU/mL in those without it (OR 3.2) and smokers (O.R 3,4). Free thyroxine was normal in 98.2% of participants (> 5 mIU/mL thyroid-stimulating hormone levels) and 92% in those in whom > 10 mIU/mL thyroid-stimulating hormone levels were found. The average iodine level was 565.1; levels above 300 µg/L were obtained in 81.8% of the participants. CONCLUSIONS Increased positive thyroid peroxidase antibody prevalence with increasing thyroid-stimulating hormone values could demonstrate a high risk of developing autoimmune hypothyroidism in Armenia; despite high iodine levels, a relationship with thyroid peroxidase antibodies or thyroid-stimulating hormone levels could not be established.