Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Advances in hip arthroplasty surgery: what is justified?

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) surgery has shown dramatic changes in terms of increased number of procedures and of technical development in recent years. It has been described as “the operation of the 20th century” for the excellent results, the high satisfaction of the patients and the improvement of the quality of life. A lot of variations have been introduced over the last few decades in THA especially in terms of indications (both in younger and older patients), techniques and devices (approaches, tissue preservation, biomaterials and industrial finishing), per-operative management (blood loss and pain control) and post-operative protocols (the so called “fast track” surgery). Looking at all these advances the emerging question is: have all of them been justified both in terms of improvement of the results for the patients and of the cost/benefit ratio from an economical point of view? The purpose of this paper is to critically analyse the advantages and the disadvantages of the theoretically proposed “advances in hip arthroplasty” and attempt to understand which are justified of such “advances” nowadays, based on the international and the European perspective with a focus on the author’s personal clinical experience. Cite this article: EFORT Open Rev 2017;2. DOI: 10.1302/2058-5241.2. 170008. Originally published online at www.efortopenreviews. org
Cellular Changes During Repair of a Cryogenic Spinal Cord Injury in the Rat: An Electron Microscopic Study

Cryogenic injury of adult, rat spinal cord was produced under controlled non-invasive conditions to study repair and regeneration in adult, mammalian central nervous tissue in which tissue continuity and integrity are relatively preserved. Under these experimental conditions axons and myelin are destroyed, a matrix of glial cells is preserved, and regrowth of axons is apparent. Electron microscopic studies at 7, 15, 30 and 60 days post-injury demonstrate axonal structures indicative of regrowth, astrocytic structures which appear to provide support to both matrix and axons and myelination of axons by both oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells. These cellular events restore much of the normal structure within the injured area up to its junction with the Wallerian zone. In this junctional zone morphologic evidence may indicate continuing cellular activity, even at 60 days, in axons, astrocytes and myelinating cells. These studies suggest that under ideal conditions damaged axons may be capable of regeneration within the adult mammalian central nervous system and that this model provides an opportunity to define some of the mechanisms.
Regulation of starvation- and virus-induced autophagy by the eIF2α kinase signaling pathway

The eIF2α kinases are a family of evolutionarily conserved serine/threonine kinases that regulate stress-induced translational arrest. Here, we demonstrate that the yeast eIF2α kinase, GCN2, the target phosphorylation site of Gcn2p, Ser-51 of eIF2α, and the eIF2α-regulated transcriptional transactivator, GCN4, are essential for another fundamental stress response, starvation-induced autophagy. The mammalian IFN-inducible eIF2α kinase, PKR, rescues starvation-induced autophagy in GCN2-disrupted yeast, and pkr null and Ser-51 nonphosphorylatable mutant eIF2α murine embryonic fibroblasts are defective in autophagy triggered by herpes simplex virus infection. Furthermore, PKR and eIF2α Ser-51-dependent autophagy is antagonized by the herpes simplex virus neurovirulence protein, ICP34.5. Thus, autophagy is a novel evolutionarily conserved function of the eIF2α kinase pathway that is targeted by viral virulence gene products.
CaCO3-Templated Microcapsules to Carry Heparin via Layer-by-Layer Self-Assembly

This study aimed to prepare polyelectrolyte multilayer microcapsules by layer-by layer self-assembling of charged HEP on CaCO 3 microspheres. The LBL self-assembly process was monitored by zeta potential analyzer. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Laser Particle Size Analyzer, fluorescence microscope was used to characterize microparticles and microcapsules. The results indicated that the microparticles were 5 mum in size and monodispersed. The surface of microparticles was porous. Negatively charged heparin molecules loaded into the caco3 microparticles spontaneously and efficiently due to porous microcapsules. And the microcapsules have good biology compatibility. It is suggested that these microcapsules may provide effective tools for carrying drug molecules.
Shift in Binocular Disparity Causes Compensatory Change in the Cortical Structure of Kittens

Kittens were raised with prisms in front of their eyes which introduced a vertical disparity. At 4 months of age the disparity necessary to maximally stimulate a sample of binocular cortical cells was determined. The distribution of optimal disparities was abnormal, and shifted in a direction which would tend to compensate for the prism-induced disparity.
Immunological Relationship of Different Preparations of Coliform Enterotoxins

Antisera raised in rabbits to ultrafiltrate toxin preparations containing either the heat-labile (LT) toxin form obtained from whole cell lysates or broth filtrates or the heat-stable (ST) toxin form prepared from broth filtrates from nontoxigenic and toxigenic strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella were examined for their ability to neutralize the secretory effect on water transport of these toxins in the rat jejunum as determined by the in vivo marker perfusion technique. Antisera to the heat-labile toxin derived from whole cell lysate preparations from nontoxigenic strains had no neutralizing effect. Antisera to both types of LT preparation from both toxigenic strains neutralized, with several exceptions, all of the homologous and heterologous LT toxins as well as a heat-labile toxin preparation derived from sequential ultrafiltration of cell-free whole cell lysates which had a defined molecular weight of between 30,000 and 100,000. These antisera also neutralized homologous and heterologous ST preparations obtained from broth filtrates, but they had no neutraliziṅg effect on low-molecular-weight, ST toxin material obtained during the sequential ultrafiltration of cell lysates. Antisera to ST prepared from broth filtrates had no neutralizing capacity against either LT or ST toxin preparations. These observations (i) indicate that the immunological relationship of E. coli and Klebsiella LT and ST toxins extends to antisera raised against LT prepared by several different methods, (ii) raise the possibility that, based on the response to antisera to LT, there may be several immunologically heterogeneous forms of low-molecular-weight ST toxin, and (c) confirm the lack of immunogenicity of ST.
The impact of patient preferences on the cost-effectiveness of intensive glucose control in older patients with new-onset diabetes.

OBJECTIVE Cost-effectiveness analyses have reported that intensive glucose control is not cost-effective in older patients with new-onset diabetes. However, these analyses have had limited data on patient preferences concerning diabetic health states. We examined how the cost- effectiveness of intensive glucose control changes with the incorporation of patient preferences. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We collected health state preferences/utilities from 519 older diabetic patients. We incorporated these utilities into an established cost-effectiveness model of intensive glucose control and compared incremental cost-effectiveness analyses ratios (ICERs) (cost divided by quality-adjusted life-year [QALY]) when using the original and patient-derived utilities for complications and treatments. RESULTS The mean utilities were approximately 0.40 for major complications, 0.76 (95% CI 0.74-0.78) for conventional glucose control, 0.77 (0.75-0.80) for intensive therapy with oral medications, and 0.64 (0.61-0.67) for intensive therapy with insulin. Incorporating our patient-derived complication utilities alone improved ICERs for intensive glucose control (e.g., patients aged 60-65 years at diagnosis, 136,000 dollars/QALY-->78,000 dollars/QALY), but intensive therapy was still not cost-effective at older ages. When patient-derived treatment utilities were also incorporated, the cost-effectiveness of intensive treatment depended on the method of glucose control. Intensive control with insulin generated fewer QALYs than conventional control. However, intensive control with oral medications was beneficial on average at all ages and had an ICER < or =100,000 dollars to age 70. CONCLUSIONS The cost-effectiveness of intensive glucose control in older patients with new-onset diabetes is highly sensitive to assumptions regarding quality of life with treatments. Cost-effectiveness analyses of diabetes care should consider the sensitivity of results to alternative utility assumptions.
Czech mass methanol outbreak 2012: Epidemiology, challenges and clinical features

Abstract Objectives. Methanol poisonings occur frequently globally, but reports of larger outbreaks where complete clinical and laboratory data are reported remain scarce. The objective of the present study was to report the data from the mass methanol poisoning in the Czech Republic in 2012 addressing the general epidemiology, treatment, and outcomes, and to present a protocol for the use of fomepizole ensuring that the antidote was provided to the most severely poisoned patients in the critical phase. Methods. A combined prospective and retrospective case series study of 121 patients with confirmed methanol poisoning. Results. From a total of 121 intoxicated subjects, 20 died outside the hospital and 101 were hospitalized. Among them, 60 survived without, and 20 with visual/CNS sequelae, whereas 21 patients died. The total and hospital mortality rates were 34% and 21%, respectively. Multivariate regression analysis found pH < 7.0 (OR 0.04 (0.01–0.16), p < 0.001), negative serum ethanol (OR 0.08 (0.02–0.37), p < 0.001), and coma on admission (OR 29.4 (10.2–84.6), p < 0.001) to be the only independent parameters predicting death. Continuous hemodialysis was used more often than intermittent hemodialysis, but there was no significant difference in mortality rate between the two [29% (n = 45) vs 17% (n = 30), p = 0.23]. Due to limited stockpiles of fomepizole, ethanol was administered more often; no difference in mortality rate was found between the two [16% (n = 70) vs. 24% (n = 21), p = 0.39]. The effect of folate administration both on the mortality rate and on the probability of visual sequelae was not significant (both p > 0.05). Conclusions. Severity of metabolic acidosis, state of consciousness, and serum ethanol on admission were the only significant parameters associated with mortality. The type of dialysis or antidote did not appear to affect mortality. Recommendations that were issued for hospital triage of fomepizole administration allowed conservation of valuable antidote in this massive poisoning outbreak for those patients most in need.
Integration of light and hormone signals

After germination, seedlings follow one of two developmental programs, photo- and skotomorphogenesis, and the choice is determined by the interplay between environmental signals (light) and endogenous cues (the plant hormones gibberellins among others). In the December issue of Plant Journal we describe a molecular mechanism that allows the integration of light and gibberellin signaling to tightly control the switch between skoto- and photomorphogenesis. On one hand, the stability of HY5, a transcription factor required by light to promote photomorphogenesis, is enhanced in the light and in situations with compromised GA biosynthesis. And, on the other hand, the promotion of growth during etiolation is exerted by the PIF family of transcription factors, whose abundance is enhanced by the absence of light, and whose activity is regulated by functional interaction with gibberellin signaling. In this addendum we propose that the control of the activity of light-dependent transcription factors by gibberellins is a common theme in other developmental processes, such as shade avoidance and photoperiodic regulation of cell expansion.
Calibrating Multibeam Sonar by the Standard-Target Method: Extending Limited Measurements

Protocols have been developed for the calibration of multibeam sonars. These have been illustrated for a limited number of parameter values. Given the potentially large number of parameter values that could be involved in water-column measurements, there is a need to show how a calibration performed for a limited set of parameter values can be extended to the full range of available parameter values. This is done here principally for range measurement and range compensation by means of the time-varied-gain (TVG) function. Error analyses are performed, and algorithmic methods for correcting and extending limited calibration measurements are described. These are illustrated for a particular sonar, the Simrad SM2000/90-kHz multibeam echo sounder. Advantages of being able to perform a standard-target calibration at one or a few target ranges for just one or a very few gain functions are noted. However, this also requires determination of the sensitivity and saturation limits for the TVG functions. Attention is called to the nearfield problem; namely, performing a calibration in the transducer near- or farfield and making quantitative measurements in the respective far- or nearfield.
Cognitive Aids in Medicine Assessment Tool (CMAT): preliminary validation of a novel tool for the assessment of emergency cognitive aids

Applying human factors principles to the design of clinical emergency guidelines is important. The UK Civil Aviation Authority uses a Checklist Assessment Tool for evaluating the content and usability of emergency drills before introduction into service on aircraft. We hypothesised that this model could be used to develop a generic medical tool. A three‐stage modified Delphi process was used to adapt the above tool for use in designing medical emergency guidelines. The resulting Cognitive aids in Medicine Assessment Tool was then used to score and rank seven published difficult airway guidelines; the scores were used to assess its validity and reliability. Pearson's rank coefficient between these scores and scores from independent assessors was 0.89 (p = 0.007). Internal consistency, as assessed by Cronbach's alpha, was 0.74, 0.96 and 0.72 for the tool's three constituent domains of physical characteristics, content and layout/format, respectively. Inter‐rater reliability, as assessed by Cohen's kappa, ranged from 0.33 to 0.72. The adoption of our tool has the potential to improve the usability of medical emergency guidelines.
Comparative Analysis of Soybean Root Proteome Reveals Molecular Basis of Differential Carboxylate Efflux under Low Phosphorus Stress

Carboxylate efflux from roots is a crucial and differential response of soybean genotypes to low phosphorus (P) stress. Exudation of carboxylic acids including oxalate, citrate, succinate and fumarate was induced under low P stress, particularly in P-efficient soybean genotypes. Enhancement of root length, surface area and volume further improved P acquisition under low P stress. To understand the molecular basis of carboxylate efflux under low P stress, the root proteome of contrasting genotypes (P-efficient: EC-232019 and P-inefficient: EC-113396) was compared. Among a total of 325 spots, 105 (32%) were differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) between sufficient (250 µM) and low P (4 µM) levels. Abundance of 44 (14%) proteins decreased by more than two-fold under low P stress, while 61 (19%) proteins increased by more than two-fold. Protein identification and annotation revealed that the DAPs were involved in a myriad of functions including carboxylic acid synthesis, carbohydrate, protein and lipid metabolism. Proteins with significant abundance included malate dehydrogenase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, phosphoglucomutase, phosphoglycerate mutase, fructokinase, enolase, phosphoglycerate kinase, triosephosphate isomerase, alcohol dehydrogenase, glucan water dikinase, glutamine synthetase and argininosuccinate lyase. Inferences from proteomic analysis suggests the crosstalk between various metabolic pathways implicated in conferring superior P acquisition efficiency under stress.
Other supportive therapies in sepsis: An evidence-based review

Objective:In 2003, critical care and infectious disease experts representing 11 international organizations developed management guidelines for other supportive therapies in sepsis that would be of practical use for the bedside clinician, under the auspices of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign, an international effort to increase awareness and improve outcome in severe sepsis. Design:The process included a modified Delphi method, a consensus conference, several subsequent smaller meetings of subgroups and key individuals, teleconferences, and electronic-based discussion among subgroups and among the entire committee. Methods:The modified Delphi methodology used for grading recommendations built on a 2001 publication sponsored by the International Sepsis Forum. We undertook a systematic review of the literature graded along five levels to create recommendation grades from A to E, with A being the highest grade. Pediatric considerations to contrast adult and pediatric management are in the article by Parker et al. on p. S591. Conclusion:Patients with severe sepsis should be treated with deep-vein thrombosis prophylaxis. Low-dose unfractionated heparin or low molecular weight heparin is preferred. Use of graduated compression devices is recommended in septic patients with contraindication to the use of heparin or combined with heparin in very high-risk patients. Stress ulcer prophylaxis should be given to all patients with severe sepsis. Histamine-2 receptor antagonists are more effective than sucralfate in decreasing bleeding risk and transfusion requirements. Proton pump inhibitors have not been assessed in a direct comparison with histamine-2 receptor antagonists but do demonstrate equivalency and ability to increase gastric pH.
Optimizing the Volume of Starter and the Time of Fermentation in the Production of Biogas from Vegetable Wastes with Maximum Content of Methane Gas

National energy deposit is only available for the next 23 years. This matter is getting worse with the availability of annual waste production as the impact of rapid rate of population which is around 1.49 % per year. To cope with both matters, waste can be utilized as energy resources through fermentation technology. The urban waste dominated by organic waste like vegetable is potentially produce able to be biogas. The worst utilization of natural starter and the time spent for fermentation are among the existing obstacles to develop energy resources in urban areas. For this purpose, research was carried out to optimize ratio of urban waste, feces and water combined with the time for fermentation. The research employed experimental method with completely randomized design (CRD) of two—factor pattern. The factors are ratio of waste, feces, water and the time for fermentation that consists of 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, and 27 days. The research indicated that optimum proportion to produce maximum biogas volume is 500: 200: 300 for waste, feces, and water respectively. Additionally, three-day fermentation produced the highest volume of biogas.
Kurz zum Klima: Der Fluch der Ressourcen in Afrika

Die Rohstoffpreise klettern auf immer neue Hohen, aber dennoch hort man aus den rohstoffexportierenden Landern – vor allem Afrikas – wenig von wirtschaftlicher Prosperitat. Im Gegenteil: Es herrschen extreme Armut, hohe Arbeitslosigkeit, Gewalt, Korruption und Misswirtschaft. Der Beitrag geht der Frage nach, inwieweit negative Effekte von Ressourcenreichtum ausgehen.
Assessing Knowledge and Skills in Forensics with Alternative Assessment Pathways

Designing assessment for courses in computer science which are interdisciplinary by nature can be challenging. Challenging in making them interdisciplinary but also relevant within computing science. This paper presents the design and delivery of such an assessment for postgraduates in digital forensics that utilises assessment choice. Student teams were allowed to create either a program which implemented steganography or a report on the feasibility of such a tool being used to exfiltrate data by a whistle-blower in a fictional company. This paper reports on student feedback of this approach and provides a discussion on the benefits and concerns of utilising such an approach.
Bradykinin and peripheral sensitization

Abstract Pain hypersensitivity after tissue injury and inflammation is contributed to by a reduction in the threshold and an increase in the responsiveness of the peripheral terminals of high-threshold nociceptor neurons, the phenomenon of peripheral sensitization. Bradykinin, acting via G-protein-coupled receptors expressed by the sensory neurons, links to multiple intracellular signaling pathways that in turn interact with voltage-gated and ligand-gated ion channels, changing their properties in such a way as to enhance the response to peripheral stimuli.
NO EVIDENCE THAT POLYANDRY BENEFITS FEMALES IN DROSOPHILA MELANOGASTER

Abstract Understanding the evolution of polyandry (mating with multiple males) is a major issue in the study of animal breeding systems. We examined the adaptive significance of polyandry in Drosophila melanogaster, a species with well-documented costs of mating in which males generally cannot force copulations. We found no direct fitness advantages of polyandry. Females that mated with multiple males had no greater mean fitness and no different variance in fitness than females that mated repeatedly with the same male. Subcomponents of reproductive success, including fecundity, egg hatch rate, larval viability, and larval development time, also did not differ between polyandrous and monogamous females. Polyandry had no affect on progeny sex ratios, suggesting that polyandry does not function against costly sex-ratio distorters. We also found no evidence that polyandry functions to favor the paternity of males successful in precopulatory sexual selection. Experimentally controlled opportunities for precopulatory sexual selection had no effect on postcopulatory sperm precedence. Although these results were generally negative, they are supported with substantial statistical power and they help narrow the list of evolutionary explanations for polyandry in an important model species.
Resveratrol Suppresses Tumor Necrosis Factor-α-Induced Fractalkine Expression in Endothelial Cells

Up-regulation of fractalkine is involved in vascular and tissue damage in inflammatory conditions. Resveratrol has been shown to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antitumor activities. Its regulatory effects on expression of fractalkine in vascular endothelial cells and fractalkine receptor CX3CR1 in monocytes have not been studied. We evaluated the effects of resveratrol on fractalkine expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and CX3CR1 expression in THP-1 cells in response to treatment with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. TNF-α significantly induced fractalkine mRNA and protein expression in endothelial cells. Resveratrol strongly suppressed TNF-α-induced fractalkine expression in endothelial cells through suppression of nuclear factor-κB and Sp1 activities. Resveratrol decreased the number of TNF-α-induced fractalkine-positive endothelial cells and CX3CR1-positive cells determined by flow cytometric analysis. Resveratrol suppressed TNF-α-stimulated monocytes adhesion to human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that resveratrol suppressed TNF-α-induced arterial endothelial fractalkine expression in heart, kidney, and intestine and decreased ED-1-positive cell infiltration in intestinal villi. Resveratrol may provide a new pharmacological approach for suppressing fractalkine/CX3CR1-mediated injury in inflammatory conditions.