Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In vitro and in vivo evaluation of the effect of elevated factor VIII on the thrombogenic process

Summary Factor VIII (FVIII), a procoagulant cofactor, plays a crucial role in the intrinsic coagulation cascade. A causal association between elevated FVIII levels and venous thrombosis incidence has been established; no such association has been confirmed with arterial thrombosis. The independent role of elevated FVIII levels in arteriolar thrombosis was evaluated in a mouse model to determine the thrombogenic potential of elevated levels of FVIII. The in vitro thrombogenic effect of elevated FVIII levels was examined using thrombin-antithrombin (TAT) complex generation and thromboelastography (TEG) assays. The thrombogenic potential of acute and extended elevation of circulating FVIII levels was assessed using ferric chloride induced injury of the cremaster arterioles. The rate of TAT complex formation, and the final concentration of TAT complexes, significantly increased as FVIII levels were elevated from 100% to 400% FVIII activity. TEG analysis of fibrin and clot formation showed that as FVIII levels were elevated, the time to initial fibrin formation decreased and the rate of fibrin formation increased. The acute elevation of circulating FVIII to 400% FVIII activity resulted in significantly decreased times to vessel occlusion. Prolonged elevation of FVIII activity did not significantly affect time to vessel occlusion. In conclusion, acute elevations in FVIII levels result in a nonlinear thrombogenic effect, with non-significant increases in thrombogenic risk within the physiological range (FVIII levels up to 200%). Prolonged elevation of plasma FVIII did not further increase the thrombogenic potential of elevated FVIII levels.
The effects of medical school curricula, faculty role models, and biomedical research support on choice of generalist physician careers: a review and quality assessment of the literature

The authors evaluated and reviewed the literature on the effects of medical school curricula, faculty role models, and federal biomedical research support on the specialty choices of U.S. medical students. All 275 articles on these subjects published from 1984 through 1993 were considered. An instrument was developed to assess the quality of the articles. A total of 85 articles met study criteria and were reviewed. The mean score achieved was 42.7% of the total possible points. Major educational reforms emphasizing primary care have resulted in significant increases in the percentages of graduates choosing generalist careers. Except for required clinical training in family practice, individual curriculum components have generally not been successful. Students and physicians often stated that faculty role models influenced specialty choices, and there is some evidence that faculty composition is related to students' career choices. There was a consistent inverse correlation between the amount of federal biomedical research support received and the percentage of a school's graduates choosing generalist careers. It is unknown whether this relationship is causative and, if so, how research funds affect specialty choices. The best strategies to enlarge the proportion of medical students choosing generalist careers include institutional reform to emphasize generalist training, increasing the size of generalist faculty, and requiring clinical training in family practice. The relationship of federal biomedical research support to the specialty choices of medical students needs to be studied further. Research on specialty choice could be improved by including a larger number of schools and students, studying trends over several years, and using validated measures and outcomes, control groups, and multivariate analyses. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Methadone in the Management of Intractable Neuropathic Noncancer Pain

ABSTRACT: Objective: To evaluate the role of methadone in the management of intractable neuropathic noncancer pain. Methods: A case series of 50 consecutive noncancer pain patients who were seen at a tertiary care centre and treated with oral methadone for a variety of intractable neuropathic pain states. Results: The mean age was 52.7 years and the mean duration of follow-up was 13.9 months. Post-discectomy nerve root fibrosis, complex regional pain syndrome, peripheral neuropathy and central spinal cord pain syndromes were the most common diagnoses. Over 90% had been treated with one or more tricyclic antidepressants and anticonvulsants and a similar number had received other adjuvant analgesics. All patients had failed treatment with one or more conventional opioid analgesics (mean 2.8) at a mean maximal morphine dose of 384 mg (or equivalents) per day. Twelve patients had failed spinal cord stimulation. Nineteen patients (38%) did not tolerate initial methadone titration or thought their pain was worse on methadone. Five patients (10%) declared initial benefit but required repetitive dose escalation and eventually became non-responders. Twenty-six patients (52%) reported mild (4), moderate (15), marked (6) or complete (1) pain relief and continued on methadone at a mean maintenance dose of 159.8 mg/day for a mean duration of 21.3 months. Fourteen patients (28%) reported improved function on methadone relative to previous treatments. Conclusions: Methadone appears to have unique properties including N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist activity that may make it especially useful in the management of intractable neuropathic pain. This observation needs to be tested in randomized, controlled trials.
Interaction Between Electric and Acoustic Cues in Diotic Condition for Speech Perception in Quiet and Noise by Cochlear Implantees

Objective This study aimed to evaluate the interaction of electric and acoustic cues in diotic condition in cochlear implantees. Materials and Methods Five adult cochlear implantees with residual contralateral hearing were prospectively evaluated in hearing aid only (HA), cochlear implant only (CI), and HA + CI modes by audiometry (pure tone, dissyllabic words, and sentences), and sound quality questionnaires. CI electrodes corresponding to preserved frequencies in the contralateral ear (free-field aided thresholds, <50 dB) were then deactivated, and patients were retested after 20 to 30 days. Results Sentences in silence showed a benefit of CI and the additive effect of HA + CI. As expected, performances with CI alone decreased after apical electrode deactivation. In contrast, speech performances (Marginal Benefit from Acoustic Amplification sentences) in HA + CI mode were not altered by electrode deactivation in silence (90 ± 5.9% before versus 81 ± 10.1% after deactivation, not significant, 2-way analysis of variance) or in noise (78 ± 4.8% before versus 66 ± 11.9% after deactivation, not significant, 2-way analysis of variance). Performances for dissyllabic words confirmed these results. Questionnaires showed a significant compensation of partial electrode deactivation by the contralateral hearing. Moreover, the human voice was reported to be significantly less metallic. Conclusion These results suggested a significant complementarity of acoustic and electric diotic cues but also some redundancy affecting the sound quality.
EVALUATION OF A VISCOELASTIC SOLUTION OF HYDROXYPROPYL METHYLCELLULOSE AS A POTENTIAL VITREOUS SUBSTITUTE

Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), an inert polymer that forms a viscoelastic solution in aqueous media, is useful for anterior segment surgery. A 2.2% solution of HPMC (MW 86,000 daltons) of 6,000 centistokes viscosity was evaluated as a vitreous substitute in rabbit eyes. Four days after perfluoropropane gas compression of the vitreous, the gas was exchanged with 0.5 ml HPMC. The aqueous was removed 1 and 2 weeks postinjection and at sacrifice, the vitreous was removed at sacrifice. HPMC concentrations in aqueous humor were: 0 hr, 0%; 48 hr, 0.002%; 1 week, 0.004%; 2 weeks, 0.001%; 4 weeks, 0%. HPMC concentrations in vitreous were: 48 hr, 93% of amount injected; 2 weeks, 88%; 4 weeks, 78%; 10 weeks, 0%. Hyaluronidase injected in the vitreous enhanced HPMC elimination. The effect of HPMC also was assayed on a cultured retinal pigment epithelial monolayer. Compared with controls, HPMC-treated cells maintained normal morphology at 5 days, and 2, 3, and 4 weeks as observed by light microscopy. Because of rapid intraocular decrease in viscosity, HPMC is not a good long-term vitreous replacement to support retinal tears. However, HPMC might be useful short-term to avoid postoperative hypotony, and to remove intraocular silicone oil and peel retinal membranes.
Experience in Implementing the OpenMRS Medical Record System to Support HIV Treatment in Rwanda

The challenge of scaling up HIV treatment in Africa has led to a new emphasis on improving health systems in impoverished areas. One aspect of this is the development and deployment of electronic medical record systems to support HIV and TB treatment. In this paper we describe the design and implementation of a new medical record architecture to support an HIV treatment program in rural Rwanda. The architecture is called OpenMRS and it has been developed to address the problem of configuring EMR systems to suit new sites, languages and diseases. OpenMRS uses a data dictionary called the concept dictionary to represent all the possible data items that can be collected. This allows new items to be added to the system by non-programmers. In addition, there are form creation tools that use drag and drop web technologies to simplify form construction. The OpenMRS system was first implemented in Kenya in February 2006 and then in Rwanda in August 2006. The system is now functioning well and we are developing extensions to improve the support for the clinic. These include improved, easy to use reporting tools, support for additional clinical problems including nutrition and child health, better database synchronization tools, and modules to collect laboratory data and support the pharmacy. The system is also in use in South Africa and Lesotho and is being deployed in Tanzania and Uganda.
Effect of the of Surface-Charge Diffusion on the Polarization of a Dielectric Sphere and Its Role in Electrohydrodynamics and Electromechanics

To simulate electrokinetic processes in weakly conducting dielectric media the Taylor-Melcher leaky dielectric model is widely used though its applicability conditions are unknown. To define them, the electric-potential distribution inside and outside a dielectric sphere placed in a uniform electric field is determined assuming the sphere and ambient medium are weakly conducting and taking into account electric and diffusion interfacial currents and surface-charge decay. Earlier, an electric-field characteristic of a dielectric sphere, for example, the real part of the Clausius-Mossotti factor found for the direct current (DC) field, was commonly thought to be a single-valued function of two parameters, the conductivities of the sphere and ambient medium. Now, it depends on a larger number of parameters and, in the DC case, ranges from the perfect dielectric to perfect-conductor values even for a particle of a good insulator. The dielectrophoretic (DEP) inflection and crossover frequencies are defined allowing for the decay of the surface charge. A dependence of the effective conductivity of a sphere on the angular field distribution is predicted for the first time. The proposed model is confirmed by a review of phenomena observed mainly in a silicone-oil drop suspended in castor oil with microparticles at the interface.
Self‐face recognition in the ultra‐high risk for psychosis population

Phenomenological research indicates that disturbance of the basic sense of self may be a core phenotypic marker of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Self‐face recognition (SFR) is an experimental paradigm which can assess the basic sense of self. In this study, we used SFR to determine whether basic self‐disturbance is present in the ultra‐high risk (UHR) for psychosis population at the perceptual level.
Oxidative modulation of the transient potassium current IA by intracellular arachidonic acid in rat CA1 pyramidal neurons

Oxidative stress affects cellular membrane lipids and proteins. Using whole‐cell patch‐clamp recording we demonstrate differential oxidative inhibition of voltage‐gated transient (IA) and delayed rectifier [IK(V)] K+ currents by arachidonic acid (AA) and H2O2 in CA1 neurons in hippocampal slice. We show that intracellular application of 1 pm AA or its non‐metabolizable analog eicosatetraynoic acid (100 pm) reduced IA by ∼42% but did not affect IK(V). AA shifted the voltage dependence of steady‐state inactivation of IA by 12 mV to more negative potentials whereas the rate of inactivation was unchanged. Surprisingly, intracellular glutathione (GSH, 20 mm) enhanced the effect of AA on maximal IA (−62%) and with AA slowed inactivation of IA. The combination of GSH and extracellular ascorbate (0.4 mm) prevented reduction of IA by AA. Intracellular Trolox (a vitamin E analog, 10 µm) reduced IA by 61%and IK(V) by 39%. Like AA, intracellular Trolox caused a 10‐mV left shift of IA steady‐state inactivation but Trolox and AA did not cause a shift when coapplied. Extracellular Trolox (100 µm) had no effects on IA. H2O2 (80 µm) reduced both IA and IK(V) in a GSH‐ and ascorbate‐sensitive manner and slowed the rate of inactivation of IA by a factor of 2. Coapplication of H2O2 with GSH and extracellular ascorbate caused ∼22 mV negative shifts of both steady‐state inactivation and activation. We conclude that AA is extremely potent in affecting IA by oxidative modifications. Antioxidants can augment these effects, probably by catalysis of the underlying reactions between oxidants and IA channel proteins.
Thoracic sympatholysis with epidural blockade assessed by quantitative measurement of cutaneous blood flow

Background: Quantifying sympathetic activity is difficult. Direct measurement is possible and superior to indirect techniques, but nerves to internal organs are not accessible in humans. Recently, we validated a quantitative technique for measurement of cutaneous blood flow using heat as an indicator. The aim of the study was to investigate whether sympatholysis during thoracic epidural blockade (TEA) may be documented by changes in regional cutaneous blood flow. A secondary aim was to assess whether, during TEA, local heating itself enhances regional blood flow.
Low power Wallace multiplier design based on wide counters

Multiplication is one of the most basic arithmetic operations. It is used in digital applications, central processing units, and digital signal processors. In most systems, the multiplier lies within the critical path and hence, due to probability and reliability issues, the power consumption of the multiplier has become very important. Moreover, as chips shrink and their power densities increase, power is becoming a major concern for chip designers. The ever increasing demand for portable applications with their limited battery lifetime indicates that power considerations should be a center stone in today's designs and the future's designs. Thus, all this has motivated us to provide a novel circuit design technique for a low power multiplier without compromising the multiplier's speed.
3-D ultrafast doppler imaging applied to the noninvasive mapping of blood vessels in Vivo

Ultrafast Doppler imaging was introduced as a technique to quantify blood flow in an entire 2-D field of view, expanding the field of application of ultrasound imaging to the highly sensitive anatomical and functional mapping of blood vessels. We have recently developed 3-D ultrafast ultrasound imaging, a technique that can produce thousands of ultrasound volumes per second, based on a 3-D plane and diverging wave emissions, and demonstrated its clinical feasibility in human subjects in vivo. In this study, we show that noninvasive 3-D ultrafast power Doppler, pulsed Doppler, and color Doppler imaging can be used to perform imaging of blood vessels in humans when using coherent compounding of 3-D tilted plane waves. A customized, programmable, 1024-channel ultrasound system was designed to perform 3-D ultrafast imaging. Using a 32 × 32, 3-MHz matrix phased array (Vermon, Tours, France), volumes were beamformed by coherently compounding successive tilted plane wave emissions. Doppler processing was then applied in a voxel-wise fashion. The proof of principle of 3-D ultrafast power Doppler imaging was first performed by imaging Tygon tubes of various diameters, and in vivo feasibility was demonstrated by imaging small vessels in the human thyroid. Simultaneous 3-D color and pulsed Doppler imaging using compounded emissions were also applied in the carotid artery and the jugular vein in one healthy volunteer.
Orgasmic aura originates from the right hemisphere

The authors present a patient with right mesiotemporal epileptogenic region who experienced orgasmic epileptic aura. Twenty-two similar published cases were also evaluated. Among 15 patients with unilateral EEG foci, 13 (87%) had right and 2 (13%) had left focus. All of the nine patients who had sufficient data on ictal onset area had right-sided seizure onset. The authors suggest that orgasmic aura is an ictal lateralizing sign to the right hemisphere.
Different Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicines Containing Similar Herbal Constituents on Prednisolone Pharmacokinetics

Three major traditional Chinese medicines (TCM), Sho‐saiko‐To, Saiboku‐To, and Sairei‐To, consist of similar herbal prescriptions containing glycyrrhizin, which is a strong inhibitor of 11β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase. We performed cross‐over open trials in healthy subjects to clarify prednisolone pharmacokinetics on co‐administration of these preparations.
In vivo strains in the femur of the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) during terrestrial locomotion: testing hypotheses of evolutionary shifts in mammalian bone loading and design

SUMMARY Terrestrial locomotion can impose substantial loads on vertebrate limbs. Previous studies have shown that limb bones from cursorial species of eutherian mammals experience high bending loads with minimal torsion, whereas the limb bones of non-avian reptiles (and amphibians) exhibit considerable torsion in addition to bending. It has been hypothesized that these differences in loading regime are related to the difference in limb posture between upright mammals and sprawling reptiles, and that the loading patterns observed in non-avian reptiles may be ancestral for tetrapod vertebrates. To evaluate whether non-cursorial mammals show loading patterns more similar to those of sprawling lineages, we measured in vivo strains in the femur during terrestrial locomotion of the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), a marsupial that uses more crouched limb posture than most mammals from which bone strains have been recorded, and which belongs to a clade phylogenetically between reptiles and the eutherian mammals studied previously. The presence of substantial torsion in the femur of opossums, similar to non-avian reptiles, would suggest that this loading regime likely reflects an ancestral condition for tetrapod limb bone design. Strain recordings indicate the presence of both bending and appreciable torsion (shear strain: 419.1±212.8 με) in the opossum femur, with planar strain analyses showing neutral axis orientations that placed the lateral aspect of the femur in tension at the time of peak strains. Such mediolateral bending was unexpected for a mammal running with near-parasagittal limb kinematics. Shear strains were similar in magnitude to peak compressive axial strains, with opossum femora experiencing similar bending loads but higher levels of torsion compared with most previously studied mammals. Analyses of peak femoral strains led to estimated safety factor ranges of 5.1–7.2 in bending and 5.5–7.3 in torsion, somewhat higher than typical mammalian values for bending, but approaching typical reptilian values for shear. Loading patterns of opossum limb bones therefore appear intermediate in some respects between those of eutherian mammals and non-avian reptiles, providing further support for hypotheses that high torsion and elevated limb bone safety factors may represent persistent ancestral conditions in the evolution of tetrapod limb bone loading and design.
Detection of Rare G3P[19] Porcine Rotavirus Strains in Chiang Mai, Thailand, Provides Evidence for Origin of the VP4 Genes of Mc323 and Mc345 Human Rotaviruses

ABSTRACT Among 175 fecal specimens collected from diarrheic piglets during a surveillance of porcine rotavirus (PoRV) strains in Chiang Mai, Thailand, 39 (22.3%) were positive for group A rotaviruses. Of these, 33.3% (13 of 39) belonged to G3P[19], which was a rare P genotype seldom reported. Interestingly, their VP4 nucleotide sequences were most closely related to human P[19] strains (Mc323 and Mc345) isolated in 1989 from the same geographical area where these PoRV strains were isolated. These P[19] PoRV strains were also closely related to another human P[19] strain (RMC321), isolated from India in 1990. The VP4 sequence identities with human P[19] were 95.4% to 97.4%, while those to a porcine P[19] strain (4F) were only 87.6 to 89.1%. Phylogenetic analysis of the VP4 gene revealed that PoRV P[19] strains clustered with human P[19] strains in a monophyletic branch separated from strain 4F. Analysis of the VP7 gene confirmed that these strains belonged to the G3 genotype and shared 97.7% to 98.3% nucleotide identities with other G3 PoRV strains circulating in the regions. This close genetic relationship was also reflected in the phylogenetic analysis of their VP7 genes. Altogether, the findings provided peculiar evidence that supported the porcine origin of VP4 genes of Mc323 and Mc345 human rotaviruses.
Risk factors for functional decline in older adults with arthritis.

OBJECTIVE Functional limitation is a major factor in medical costs. This study was undertaken to evaluate the prevalence of functional limitation among adults with arthritis and the frequency of functional decline over 2 years, and to investigate factors amenable to public health intervention that predict functional decline. METHODS Longitudinal data (1998-2000) from a cohort of 5,715 adults ages 65 years or older with arthritis from a national probability sample were analyzed. Function was defined based on ability to perform basic activities of daily living (ADL) tasks and instrumental ADL. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) from a multiple logistic regression model were used to estimate the associations between functional decline and comorbid conditions, health behaviors, and economic factors. RESULTS Overall, 19.7% of this cohort had functional limitation at baseline, including 12.9% with ADL limitations. Over the subsequent 2 years, function declined in 13.6% of those at risk. Functional decline was most frequent among women (15.0%) and minorities (18.0% Hispanics, 18.7% African Americans) with arthritis. Lack of regular vigorous physical activity, the most prevalent risk factor (64%), almost doubled the odds of functional decline (adjusted OR 1.9, 95% confidence interval 1.5-2.4) after controlling for all risk factors. It was found that if all subjects engaged in regular vigorous physical activity, the expected functional decline could be reduced as much as 32%. Other significant predictors included older age, cognitive impairment, depressive symptoms, diabetes, physical limitations, no alcohol use, stroke, and vision impairment. CONCLUSION Lack of regular vigorous physical activity is a potentially modifiable risk factor that could substantially reduce functional decline and associated health care costs. Prevention/intervention programs should include regular vigorous physical activity, weight maintenance, and medical intervention for health needs. (c) 2005, American College of Rheumatology.