Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prediction of hip fracture in elderly women: a prospective study.

OBJECTIVE--To assess the relative importance of osteoporosis of the os calcis, cognisance, and mobility in the risk of subsequent fracture of the hip in elderly women. DESIGN--Prospective study of elderly women in residential care over two years. SETTING--21 Private or 38 local authority residential homes for the elderly and 4 geriatric hospitals in Doncaster and Hull. SUBJECTS--1414 Ambulant women aged over 69, in private or local authority residential care or geriatric care. Those who had had bilateral hip surgery were excluded. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Broad band ultrasonic attenuation (BUA) index, Clifton assessment procedures for the elderly test (for cognisance), and mobility on a six point scale, and fracture of the hip in the subsequent two year period. RESULTS--73 Women fractured their hip during the two years. Their mean age was not significantly different from that of the women who did not have a fracture (85.3 (SD 5.6) v 83.9 (6.3); p = 0.07), but their mean BUA index (40.3 (19.3) v 50.9 (22.2) db/MH2), and score for cognisance (median 19 (interquartile range 10.5-27.0) v 24 (17-30)) were significantly lower (both p less than 0.001). These variables had independent associations with fracture of the hip. Women with fractures had a significantly lower score for the psychomotor component of the cognisance test (4.5 (1-8) v 7 (2-10); p less than 0.0025 and were significantly more mobile (1(1-3) v 3 (1-6); p less than 0.02). Subdividing women according to high, medium, and low scores for BUA index and cognisance testing disclosed a high risk group (118 women) with low BUA index and cognisance score, whose incidence of fracture was 12.8%; in the group at lowest risk (136 women) with high BUA index and cognisance score, the incidence of fracture was only 1.5% (relative risk 8.4 (95% confidence interval -2.0 to 35.5]. Further analysis showed that those most at risk were, additionally, most mobile but that less mobile women with good cognisance had a low incidence of fractures, regardless of the BUA index, (1.2%, high index, v 0.9%, low index). CONCLUSIONS--Elderly women most at risk of sustaining hip fractures were those with low BUA index, low cognisance test score, and high mobility. Improving bone strength and cognisance in elderly women may reduce their incidence of hip fracture.
High-Tech-Gründungen in Deutschland. Von Tabellenführern, Auf- und Absteigern: Regionale Entwicklung der Gründungstätigkeit

Die Bedeutung von Unternehmensgrundungen insbesondere in innovativen und technologieorientierten Sektoren fur die Starkung der Wettbewerbs- und Leistungsfahigkeit einer Volkswirtschaft ist hinlanglich bekannt. Die Entscheidung, ein Unternehmen zu grunden, wird auf Basis verschiedener Faktoren getroffen. In der Grundungsforschung unterscheidet man generell zwei verschiedene Ebenen: die Grunderperson und das Grunderumfeld (Blanchflower, 2000, Verheul et al., 2002). In den bisherigen Studien der Reihe "High-Tech-Grundungen in Deutschland" wurden vorrangig individuelle Charakteristika der Unternehmen und der Grunderpersonen in den Mittelpunkt gestellt. Neben diesen personenbezogenen Merkmalen spielen auch regionale Gegebenheiten eine grose Rolle bei der Grundungsentscheidung und fur den Unternehmenserfolg. Aus diesem Grund wird in diesem Bericht die regionale Ebene naher beleuchtet.
Morphologische und funktionelle Magnetresonanztomographie-Untersuchungen nach interventioneller Revaskularisierung bei akutem Myokardinfarkt

Kurzfassung: Motivation: Im Rahmen der vorliegenden Studie sollte der quantitative Zusammenhang zwischen der Ischamiezeit „(pain-to-balloon time“) und der Erholung der linksventrikularen regionalen Funktion nach primarer PTCA akuter Myokardinfarkte mittels kardialer MRT geklart werden. Methoden: Wir fuhrten sowohl Cine- als auch Late-Enhancement- (LE-) MRT-Untersuchungen an 40 Patienten mit erstem Myokardinfarkt kurz nach Wiederherstellung eines TIMI-3-Flusses sowie 4 Monate danach durch. Infarzierte Segmente wurden anhand der LE-Kurzachsenschnitte definiert. Die Parameter der regionalen Wandbewegung wurden anhand der Kurzachsen-Cine-Aufnahmen quantifiziert. Die Einteilung der Segmente folgte dem AHA17-Segmentemodell. Es wurden Patientengruppen mit einer Ischamiezeit von 12 Stunden gebildet. Ergebnisse: Von 640 untersuchten Segmenten zeigten 335 (52 %) eine Signalverstarkung 15 min. nach Kontrastmittelgabe im Sinne eines LE sowie eine konsekutiv erniedrigte regionale Wandbewegung („segmental wall thickening“ [SWT] 49 ± 2 % vs. 60 ± 2 % bei ubrigem Myokard; p < 0,01). Bemerkenswerterweise unterschieden sich die mittlere maximale Transmuralitat sowie die Baseline-SWT innerhalb der Gruppen nicht signifikant. Es zeigte sich jedoch nur in den Gruppen, welche innerhalb von 6 Stunden reperfundiert wurden, eine signifikante Zunahme der regionalen Wandverdickung (p < 0,001). Im Follow-up zeigte sich eine signifkant verbesserte Wandbewegung bei fruher Reperfusion innerhalb von 3 Stunden (< 3 h: 74 ± 4 %; 3–6 h: 57 ± 4 %; 6–12 h: 48 ± 7 %; < 3 bis 3–6 h: p < 0,003 und < 3 bis 6–12 h: p < 0,001). Ebenso zeigte sich in dieser Gruppe eine deutlich hohere Zunahme der regionalen Funktion (< 3 h: +21 ± 3 %; 3–6 h: +8 ± 4 %; 6– 12 h: +6 ± 3 %; < 3 h bis 3–6 h und 6–12 h; p < 0,02). Schlussfolgerung: Es konnten erstmals mittels kardialer MRT die quantitativen Auswirkungen fruher Reperfusion bei akuten Myokardinfarkten mittels primarer-PTCA gezeigt werden.
Actin cable dynamics in budding yeast

Actin cables, bundles of actin filaments that align along the long axis of budding yeast, are crucial for establishment of cell polarity. We fused green fluorescent protein (GFP) to actin binding protein 140 (Abp140p) and visualized actin cable dynamics in living yeast. We detected two populations of actin cables: (i) bud-associated cables, which extend from the bud along the mother-bud axis, and (ii) randomly oriented cables, which are relatively short. Time-lapse imaging of Abp140p–GFP revealed an apparent increase in the length of bud-associated actin cables. Analysis of movement of Abp140p–GFP fiduciary marks on bud-associated cables and fluorescence loss in photobleaching experiments revealed that this apparent elongation occurs by assembly of new material at the end of the cable within the bud and movement of the opposite end of the cable toward the tip of the mother cell distal to the bud. The rate of extension of the tip of an elongating actin cable is 0.29 ± 0.08 μm/s. Latrunculin A (Lat-A) treatment completely blocked this process. We also observed movement of randomly oriented cables around the cortex of cells at a rate of 0.59 ± 0.14 μm/s. Mild treatment with Lat-A did not affect the velocity of movement of randomly oriented cables. However, Lat-A treatment did increase the number of randomly oriented, motile cables per cell. Our observations suggest that establishment of bud-associated actin cables during the cell cycle is accomplished not by realignment of existing cables but by assembly of new cables within the bud or bud neck, followed by elongation.
Brain Structures Involved in Bipolar Disorder: Findings from Structural and Functional Imaging

Abstract Bipolar disorder is a prevalent psychiatric disorder with a high rate of misdiagnosis and evidence of degenerative progression. Research indicates that the interval between bipolar episodes decreases steadily until the patient settles into a relatively frequent course of mania and depression. Various imaging techniques have been used in the understanding of the brain pathology underlying bipolar disorder through identification of patterns consistent with disruption of the normal brain activity in bipolar patients. These techniques have demonstrated evidence of abnormalities in the structure and function of the prefrontal cortex. In addition, the cerebellar vermis, which serves as an error-detection function to modulate the iterative network, appears to shrink with recurrent episodes. Functional imaging demonstrates that the anterior limbic network is overactivated and overresponsive in patients with bipolar disorder. In many patients, those deficits are often compensated for by activation of other brain areas. Ultimately, when the compensation fails, expression of bipolar symptoms arise. Using magnetic resonance spectroscopy, simple models can be constructed based on the hypothesis that mitochondrial function may be impaired in bipolar disorder. There is also increasing evidence that psychotropic medications can affect specific brain regions that are thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders. Glutamate levels appear to be elevated in untreated patients with bipolar disorder, which may cause glutamatergic neurotoxicity and negative therapeutic implications. Further advances in brain imaging may contribute to the improvement of available therapies and the understanding which treatments will be most suitable for specific patients.
Nucleotide Sequence of Porcine Circovirus Associated with Postweaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome in Pigs

ABSTRACT This article describes the nucleotide sequence of a porcine circovirus (PCV) which possesses a high degree of association with postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS), a newly described disease of young pigs. The DNA sequence of this PMWS-associated PCV (pmws PCV) has 68% homology with that of a previously published nonpathogenic strain of PCV. The strains appear to be closely related yet distinct from one another.
Role of the complex upstream region of the GDH2 gene in nitrogen regulation of the NAD-linked glutamate dehydrogenase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We analyzed the upstream region of the GDH2 gene, which encodes the NAD-linked glutamate dehydrogenase in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, for elements important for the regulation of the gene by the nitrogen source. The levels of this enzyme are high in cells grown with glutamate as the sole source of nitrogen and low in cells grown with glutamine or ammonium. We found that this regulation occurs at the level of transcription and that a total of six sites are required to cause a CYC1-lacZ fusion to the GDH2 gene to be regulated in the same manner as the NAD-linked glutamate dehydrogenase. Two sites behaved as upstream activation sites (UASs). The remaining four sites were found to block the effects of the two UASs in such a way that the GDH2-CYC1-lacZ fusion was not expressed unless the cells containing it were grown under conditions favorable for the activity of both UASs. This complex regulatory system appears to account for the fact that GDH2 expression is exquisitely sensitive to glutamine, whereas the expression of GLN1, coding for glutamine synthetase, is not nearly as sensitive.
Acute delirium and functional decline in the hospitalized elderly patient.

BACKGROUND Delirium is often considered a transient cognitive syndrome. Its effect on long-term physical function, however, has not been well defined. METHODS In a prospective study of 325 hospitalized community and nursing home elderly, we analyzed the effect of in-hospital delirium on subsequent physical function. ADL performance was assessed prior to admission, and at 3 and 6 months after hospital discharge. RESULTS There was a strong univariate (unadjusted) association between incident delirium and functional decline (p < .02). Delirious subjects lost a mean of almost one ADL, as measured 3 months after hospital discharge. Using multivariate linear regression analysis, with adjusted change in function as the dependent variable, delirium persisted as the sole predictor of loss of function (p = .009) at 3 months after discharge. The functional decline persisted at 6 months after hospital discharge. CONCLUSION This finding of a nontransient, perhaps permanent consequence of delirium invites reexamination of the definition of delirium from that of an acute, reversible syndrome to one of acute onset with long-term sequelae.
Effects of smoking cannabis on lung function

Although cannabis (or marijuana) is the world’s most widely-used illicit drug, there has been surprisingly little research into its effects on respiratory health. Part of the problem is the inherent difficulty of studying the long-term effects of an illegal habit. It has often been assumed that smoking cannabis will have similar long-term effects to smoking tobacco. Several recent observational studies suggest that this is not the case and that cannabis has quite different effects on the lung function. There are consistent findings that smoking cannabis is associated with large airway inflammation, symptoms of bronchitis, increased airway resistance and lung hyperinflation. The evidence that smoking cannabis leads to features of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, such as airflow obstruction and emphysema is not convincing. However, there are numerous case reports of bullous emphysema among cannabis smokers. These findings have not been confirmed in systematic analytical studies and probably represent uncommon adverse effects in very heavy cannabis smokers. There is now additional controversial evidence that cannabis is at least an occasional cause of respiratory malignancies, but again the evidence is inconclusive.
Pathology with clinical correlations of primary central nervous system non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma. The massachusetts general hospital experience 1958‐1989

Background. Primary central nervous system non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL‐CNS) is an enigmatic disease of uncertain origin. At the Massachusetts General Hospital, 104 patients with NHL‐CNS were seen from 1958 through 1989. An impression of changes in the frequency of diagnosis, character of the tumors, and therapy for this disease prompted this study of the pathologic features, clinical data, and natural history of this tumor in these 104 patients.
Resumption of virus production after human immunodeficiency virus infection of T lymphocytes in the presence of azidothymidine

The new antiviral agent, azidothymidine (AZT; BW A509U), is currently the only successful drug in use for patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The effect of this thymidine analog, 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine, on the replication of the lymphadenopathy-associated virus strain of the human immunodeficiency virus was evaluated by using susceptible H9 and Jurkat cells. Cells were pretreated with concentrations of drug ranging from 0.5 to 100 microM, infected, and maintained in medium containing drug. Virus production was assayed by reverse transcriptase assays, and virus-specific DNA was analyzed by Southern blots probed with cloned human immunodeficiency virus sequences. At 4 to 8 days postinfection, infected cells without drug reached a peak of reverse transcriptase activity that was sustained. Increasing concentrations of AZT caused increasing delays in virus production; however, replicate cultures at nontoxic levels of the drug (up to 25 microM) eventually produced as much virus as did non-drug-treated infected cells, despite the continued presence of the drug. Levels of intracellular, unintegrated, virus-specific DNA paralleled reverse transcriptase levels. Virus-caused cytopathic effect was likewise delayed in drug-treated cultures. Virus recovered from H9 cultures after 25 microM AZT treatment did not appear resistant to AZT.
Recommendations for management of liver and biliary tract disease in cystic fibrosis. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Hepatobiliary Disease Consensus Group.

Although involvement of the liver and biliary tract has been recognized as a complication of cystic fibrosis (CF) since Anderson's initial description of CF in 1938 (1), the clinical significance of hepatobiliary disease in CF has not been well characterized until recently. The clinically silent development of liver complications has often been eclipsed by the obvious manifestations of pulmonary and pancreatic abnormalities. Because of improved life expectancy in the past 2 decades, now reported to be 31 years, liver disease has assumed greater importance to patients with CF and those involved in their care. Unfortunately, clinical identification of liver disease in CF has been difficult and inaccurate because of the general absence of symptoms of the developing fibrotic liver lesion. Thus, early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention has not been possible. In recent years, advances in our understanding of the function of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) in bile duct epithelia and of the mechanisms of fibrogenesis in the liver have provided a stronger scientific basis for the pathogenesis of disease, leading to insights concerning potentially novel therapeutic approaches. For these reasons, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has recognized the need to revise the previous Recommendations for Management of Liver and Biliary Tract Disease in Cystic Fibrosi published in 1989, to reflect the new scientific advances and clinical information in this area.
Anastomotic complications after robot-assisted laparoscopic and open radical prostatectomy

Abstract Objective Anastomotic complications are well known after radical prostatectomy (RP). The vesicourethral anastomotic technique is handled differently between open and robotic RP. The aim of the study was to investigate whether the frequency of anastomotic leakages and strictures differed between patients undergoing retropubic radical prostatectomy (RRP) and robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) and to identify risk factors associated with these complications. Materials and methods The study included 735 consecutive patients who underwent RRP (n = 499) or RARP (236) at the Department of Urology, Rigshospitalet, Denmark, in a complete 3 year period from 2010 to 2012. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyse associations between surgical procedure (RRP vs RARP) and anastomotic complications. Analyses included age, smoking status, diabetes, hypertension, surgeon, prostate volume and anastomotic leakage as variables. Owing to a low number of events, multivariable analyses only included smoking status, diabetes and prostate volume for anastomotic leakage, and age, smoking status, prostate volume and anastomotic leakage for anastomotic strictures. Results The frequency of anastomotic leakage was 2.9%. Anastomotic stricture was seen in 4.9% of patients during follow-up. No differences were found in the frequency of anastomotic leakage (p = 0.35) or strictures (p = 0.35) between RRP and RARP. Univariate analysis demonstrated an association between surgeon and the risk of anastomotic strictures in RRP patients (p = 0.02). No other independent risk factors were identified. Conclusion Overall, the anastomotic complication rate in this cohort is similar to other published reports. No obvious risk factors for anastomotic complications could be identified, which in part was due to the low number of events.
Predictors of restenosis after treatment of bifurcational lesions with paclitaxel eluting stents: A multicenter prospective registry of 150 consecutive patients

Objectives:The aim of the study was the assessment of the clinical, angiographic and procedural characteristics correlated with freedom from adverse events at 1 year in a real life setting of consecutive bifurcation lesions. Background: Even if stent implantation has shown to be superior to conventional balloon angioplasty in most coronary lesions, bifurcation treatment with stent implantation both in main and in side branch (SB) still raises controversy. Methods: We reviewed the results obtained in a prospective multicenter registry of 150 patients with 158 bifurcation lesions involving a SB of sufficient diameter to be treated, if necessary, with a polymer based paclitaxel eluting stent (PES, TAXUS). Two stents were used in 118 lesions (74.7%). Final kissing balloon inflation was performed in 87/118 lesions (73.7%) and in 30/40 lesions (75.0%) of the 2 and 1 stent group respectively. Results: At 1‐year clinical follow‐up we observed 4 stent thromboses, all involving the SBs of the 2 stents group (2.7%). Unlike previous reports, revascularization involved the main vessel in the majority of patients (21/150, 14.0%). After an exploratory multivariable analysis the only parameter predictive of target lesion revascularization (TLR) (HR 0.52; CI 95% 0.11–0.86; p = 0.02) and target vessel revascularization (TVR) (HR 0.47; CI 95% 0.14–0.90; p = 0.03) was postprocedural main branch minimal lumen diameter (MB‐MLD). Conclusions: In a real life setting of consecutive bifurcation lesions, thrombosis rate, concentrated in the SB and the 2‐stents group, and need for target lesion revascularization remain higher than in less complex lesion subgroups treated with PES. No differences in immediate success and TLR were observed between 2 stents and 1 stent groups. The frequently observed suboptimal stent expansion and final MB‐MLD predict 1 year revascularization. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Design and Implementation of Dual-Band Circular Polarization Square Patch Antenna for the Reception of GPS and S-DMB Signals

In this paper, we propose a dual-band CP square patch antenna for the reception of Global Positioning System (GPS) and satellite digital multimedia broadcasting (S-DMB) signals. This proposed dual-band CP design is achieved by loading multiple slots in the square patch antenna. And one design example is simulated and implemented. Measurement results are also included. First, we summarize the CP antenna and propose a novel slotted square patch antenna. Next, simulation and measurement results for the design example are presented, and a conclusion follows
Distinct clinical and metabolic deficits in PCA and AD are not related to amyloid distribution

Background/Objective: Patients with posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) often have Alzheimer disease (AD) at autopsy, yet are cognitively and anatomically distinct from patients with clinical AD. We sought to compare the distribution of β-amyloid and glucose metabolism in PCA and AD in vivo using Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) and FDG-PET. Methods: Patients with PCA (n = 12, age 57.5 ± 7.4, Mini-Mental State Examination [MMSE] 22.2 ± 5.1), AD (n = 14, age 58.8 ± 9.6, MMSE 23.8 ± 6.7), and cognitively normal controls (NC, n = 30, age 73.6 ± 6.4) underwent PiB and FDG-PET. Group differences in PiB distribution volume ratios (DVR, cerebellar reference) and FDG uptake (pons-averaged) were assessed on a voxel-wise basis and by comparing binding in regions of interest (ROIs). Results: Compared to NC, both patients with AD and patients with PCA showed diffuse PiB uptake throughout frontal, temporoparietal, and occipital cortex (p < 0.0001). There were no regional differences in PiB binding between PCA and AD even after correcting for atrophy. FDG patterns in PCA and AD were distinct: while both groups showed hypometabolism compared to NC in temporoparietal cortex and precuneus/posterior cingulate, patients with PCA further showed hypometabolism in inferior occipitotemporal cortex compared to both NC and patients with AD (p < 0.05). Patients with AD did not show areas of relative hypometabolism compared to PCA. Conclusions: Fibrillar amyloid deposition in PCA is diffuse and similar to AD, while glucose hypometabolism extends more posteriorly into occipital cortex. Further studies are needed to determine the mechanisms of selective network degeneration in focal variants of AD.