Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Left Ventricular Hypertrophy in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death represent main causes of morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Their pathogenesis relates to the close linkage between heart and kidneys and involves both traditional and non-traditional risk factors. According to the well-established classification of cardio-renal syndrome, the cardiovascular involvement in chronic kidney disease is known as “type 4 cardiorenal syndrome” (chronic renocardiac syndrome). Uremic cardiopathy is mainly characterized by both left ventricular systolic and diastolic impairment, often associated to right heart dysfunction due to the presence of a vascular access for hemodialysis. The typical clinical picture is represented by left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), the pathogenesis of which is multifactorial and closely linked to elevated blood pressure, vascular stiffness and atherosclerosis. The diagnosis is mainly made by ultrasound (2D and 3D echocardiography) and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI), although echocardiography is most widely employed since it is non-invasive and cheaper than CMRI. The following chapter provides an overview of the epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of left ventricular hypertrophy in CKD patients.
Quality of life following surgery for colorectal cancer: A literature review

Colorectal cancer patients are faced with the debilitating consequences of either sphincter‐sacrificing or sphincter‐conserving surgery. The question central to the current literature review is: what is the prevalence of physical, psychological, social and sexual dysfunction among colorectal cancer patients with a colostoma (ostomates) compared with those patients whose sphincter function has been conserved (non‐ostomates). Although the extant literature yields some inconsistent findings, a number of clear trends can be identified: (a) both patient groups are troubled by frequent or irregular bowel movements and diarrhea, and consequently often require dietary restrictions; (b) ostomates report higher levels of psychological distress than do non‐ostomates; (c) psychological problems tend to be more frequent among younger patients and among women; (d) while both ostomates and nonostomates report restrictions in their level of social functioning, such problems appear to be more prevalent among patients with a colostoma; (e) the sexual functioning of male colostomists is consistently more impaired than that of patients with intact sphincters; and (f) a considerable number of women whose sphincter function has been sacrificed suffer from dyspareunia. There is need for more methodologically sound studies that: (1) employ well validated quality‐of‐life measures; (2) assess patients' quality of life prospectively in order to examine patients' psychosocial adaptation over time; and (3) identify those subgroups of patients who are at greatest risk to the adverse psychosocial sequalae of the disease and its surgical treatment.
Interpretation of Pharmaceutical Pictograms by Pharmacy and Non-Pharmacy University Students

Background: The present study was undertaken to evaluate the correct interpretation by university students of internationally available pictograms and to assess the ability of the pictograms to convey the intended messages. Aim: To compare the ability of pharmacy and non-pharmacy students to comprehend pharmaceutical pictograms. Method: Twenty eight internationally available (United States Pharmacopoeial Convention Inc. USP) pictograms were used throughout this study, which was conducted with 300 pharmacy and non-pharmacy students. Questionnaires included relevant questions, and participants were instructed to study the pictograms and write their interpretations. The American National Standards Institute requirement of 85% correctness criterion was used for correct interpretation. Differences between responses of the two groups were calculated using SPSS version 18 and p
Dilemma of Regulating Dietary Supplements

ABSTRACT The manufacturing of herbal preparations or dietary supplements, has become a multibillion dollar industry in the United States. Presently, dietary supplements are not considered drugs by the government, but are classified as food supplements. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) has defined dietary supplements as a product intended to supplement the diet that contains one or more of a vitamin, mineral, an herb or other botanical, an amino acid or a dietary substance to supplement the diet by increasing the total dietary intake, or concentrates, metabolites, constituents, extracts or combinations of any ingredients described above. The main limitation of DSHEA is that it deals only with herbs as dietary supplements, i.e., as foods and not as drugs. A quandary still exists among: (1) the consumers who want to use these products safely; (2) the government that wishes to protect its citizens from potential hazards; and (3) the conventional medical community still questioning the safety and efficacy of these products. DSHEA does not appear to be the final verdict on herbal regulation, but just the first step in a long process of interpretation, evaluation, and decision-making required in the U.S. for regulation of any new class of such products. This paper reviews the current status facing the consumer, medical industry, and government in regards to herbal use.
The role of tramadol in pain management in Latin America: a report by the Change Pain Latin America Advisory Panel

Abstract Objective: Change Pain Latin America (CPLA) was created to enhance chronic pain understanding and develop pain management improving strategies in this region. During its seventh meeting (August 2016), the main objective was to discuss tramadol’s role in treating pain in Latin America. Furthermore, potential pain management consequences were considered, if tramadol was to become more stringently controlled. Methods: Key topics discussed were: main indications for prescribing tramadol, its pharmacological characteristics, safety and tolerability, effects of restrictions on its availability and use, and consequent impact on pain care quality. Results: The experts agreed that tramadol is used to treat a wide spectrum of non-oncological pain conditions (e.g. post-surgical, musculoskeletal, post-traumatic, neuropathic, fibromyalgia), as well as cancer pain. Its relevance when treating special patient groups (e.g. the elderly) is recognized. The main reasons for tramadol’s high significance as a treatment option are: its broad efficacy, an inconspicuous safety profile and its availability, considering that access to strong analgesics – mainly controlled drugs (classical opioids) – is highly restricted in some countries. The CPLA also agreed that tramadol is well tolerated, without the safety issues associated with long-term nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use, with fewer opioid-like side effects than classical opioids and lower abuse risk. Conclusions: In Latin America, tramadol is a valuable and frequently used medication for treating moderate to severe pain. More stringent regulations would have significant impact on its availability, especially for outpatients. This could cause regression to older and frequently inadequate pain management methods, resulting in unnecessary suffering for many Latin American patients.
Failure of bacille Calmette‐Guérin in patients with high risk non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer unsuitable for radical cystectomy: an update of available treatment options

Although the accepted standard upon failing intravesical bacille Calmette‐Guérin (BCG) in patients with high‐risk non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) is radical cystectomy, there are some patients for whom this is not an option. We critically reviewed previous reports on the treatment possibilities available in such a clinical scenario. The options available can be categorized as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, device‐assisted therapy and combined therapy. Combining new with established intravesical treatments seems to hold the most promise. Maintenance thermo‐chemotherapy gives a reported 2‐year disease‐free survival rate of 50% and in small early‐phase studies of intravesical gemcitabine administered in combination with mitomycin‐C, tolerance and efficacy data would suggest the need for larger trials, given the early encouraging results. Electromotive mitomycin‐C given sequentially with BCG might not only reduce the recurrence rate but also reduce progression and disease‐specific mortality, although currently there is no trial in a specific population with ‘BCG failure’.
Metodología de introducción de servicios de e-salud para el seguimiento y control de pacientes crónicos

Se presenta una metodologia para la introduccion progresiva y ordenada de servicios especificos de e-Salud para el seguimiento extrahospitalario de pacientes cronicos. Identificado como un modelo de pasos con filtro para la gestion del proceso global de introduccion, se presenta formalmente estructurado en tres pasos: 1) exploratorio (fase de proyecto piloto); 2) evaluacion en profundidad (fase de ensayo clinico), y 3) despliegue (fase de uso tutelado). En la primera fase, controlada por el equipo de I+D, los criterios predominantes son los de funcionalidad y utilidad de las tecnologias involucradas. En la segunda fase, controlada por una Agencia de Evaluacion de Tecnologias Sanitarias, prevalece el criterio cientifico asociado con los resultados obtenidos en el ensayo clinico. La tercera fase es controlada por decisiones de las administraciones sanitarias sobre la introduccion de nuevas tecnologias y su financiacion. Se describen los requerimientos de la plataforma tecnologica disenada para soportar los proyectos y ensayos de las fases 1 y 2. Como ejemplo de actuacion en la fase 2 se describe un ensayo sobre hipertension arterial.
Is Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose Appropriate for All Type 2 Diabetic Patients? The Fremantle Diabetes Study

Despite the negative results of our community-based study of the link between self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) and glycemia (1), Kolb et al. (2) commented on the overall concordance of our study and several other observational studies. They also suggest that we might have missed a positive impact of SMBG since new users in our cohort were not differentiated from either prevalent users or never users. In our prospectively followed 531 type 2 diabetic patients (1), 92 who …
Assessment of functional status and quality of life of students after acute respiratory viral diseases

Purpose : explore the functional status and quality of life of students after acute viral infectious diseases. Material : a total of 25 students aged 19-22 years after the acute respiratory viral infections and 20 healthy people. Results : It was found that the students observed a significant increase in heart rate at rest compared with healthy. Also deteriorates the functional state of the respiratory system. Overall performance of such students 60-80% lower than in healthy persons. Students after acute respiratory viral infections found increased tone autonomic nervous system. This impairs their function. Conclusions : after acute respiratory viral diseases in students the deterioration of the functional state. Significant deterioration in the quality of life of students is associated with reduced physical and social activity, peaking emotional problems.
Clinical Electrocardiographic and Echocardiographic Features of Atrial Fibrillation in Nigerians: An Analysis of 39 Patients Seen at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital

Purpose: To evaluate the clinical, electrocardiographic (ECG) and echocardiograhic features of adult Nigerians presenting with atrial Fibrillation (AF) at the cardiology unit. Method: All consenting patients presenting to the cardiology unit of LUTH from September 2000 to September 2001 with ECG evidence of AF were recruited into the study. Demographic and anthropometric data were obtained. The subjects had a full clinical examination. 2D and M-mode echocardiogram was performed on the subjects. Result. Of the 39 subjects analysed there were 22 females and 17 males with a mean age of 54.49±14.60. The underlying heart disease distribution was as follows: hypertensive heart disease 46.2%; dilated cardiomyopathy 20.8%; rheumatic heart disease 17.9%; thyrotoxic heart disease 7.7%; hypertrophic cardiomyopathy 5.1%, lone 2.6%. About 23% were asymptomatic for the arrhythmia at diagnosis. Congestive cardiac failure was present in 74% of the subjects with a mean NYHA class of about III. Embolic phenomenon was observed in 15% of the subjects; 12.8% cerebral events and 2.6% limb embolism. Abnormal QRS axis was noted in 33.3%. Ectopic ventricular beats were as follows: uniform ectopics 30.8%; multiform ectopics 10.3% and unsustained ventricular tachycardia 7.7%. Abnormal echocardiographic features are as follows: dilated left atrium 33( 84.62%); abnormal thickness of the interventricular septum and posterior wall 12(30.77%) and 19(48.71%) respectively;Increased left ventricular internal diameter in diastole 20(51.3%) and in systole 25(64.10%); reduced fractional shortening 30(76.9%); spontaneous echoes 7(18.0%) and intramural thrombus 2(5.1%) Conclusion: Commonest underlying heart disease for AF in this study was hypertensive heart disease. Congestive cardiac failure was a frequently documented clinical feature and cerebral embolism remains a very common complication. Nig. Qt. J. Hosp. Med. Vol.12(1-4) 2002: 29-33
3D street art illusions: embedding chalk stylized rendering of 3D objects into a pavement photo

Three dimensional street art illusions have become more popular in recent years. Many of them are drawn on pavement such as streets, sidewalks, and town squares. It is often known as 3D chalk art, where a 2D artwork is drawn on the street, giving the viewer a 3D optical illusion from a certain perspective. This paper supplies chalk stylized renderings for 3D models and synthesizes 3D objects into a realistic photograph. Users can input one photo for the 3D model. First, a camera position is achieved by using a camera calibration algorithm. Second, a chalk stylized rendering was applied to create an artistic image of the 3D models using the same camera position. Then, the non‐photorealistic rendering image is composited into a source photograph using a modified Poisson approach. All of the enhanced pavement texture details are also blended into the object's image. The major contribution of this paper is providing a user to create any interesting and attractive 3D illusionary art without physically drawing pictures on the pavement. Finally, the proposed method is demonstrated using various experimental 3D street art illusion images. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Breast Cancer Cells Exhibit Selective Modulation Induced by Different Collagen Substrates

During the invasive phase of malignant tumors, neoplastic cells break into the basal lamina and enter in contact with the underlying connective tissue, which concurrently undergoes extensive modifications. The aim of our present minireview is to focus the changes in the collagenous matrix occurring during breast cancer progression and to explore the possible effects of different collagen substrates on breast cancer cell behavior and proteomic modulation.
Habitual dietary intake of obese pregnant women in the UK

S. Barr, L. Poston, A. Briley, E. Oteng-Ntim, B. Holmes, T. Kinnunen, H. Croker, R. Bell, J. Wardle, J. Sandall, N. Sattar, S. Nelson and T. A. B. Sanders Diabetes and Nutritional Sciences Division, King’s College London, SE1 9NH, UK, Division of Women’s Health, King’s College London, SE1 7EH, UK, Institute of Health and Society, Newcastle University, NE1 7RU, UK, Epidemiology and Public Health, University College London, WC1E 7HN, UK and School of Medicine, Glasgow University, G12 8QQ, UK
LIFE AND DEATH OF SPARE (SELECTIVE BLADDER PRESERVATION AGAINST RADICAL EXCISION): REFLECTIONS ON WHY THE SPARE TRIAL CLOSED

© 2 0 1 0 T H E A U T H O R S J O U R N A L C O M P I L A T I O N © 2 0 1 0 B J U I N T E R N A T I O N A L 7 5 3 prostate cancer. N Engl J Med 2010; 362 : 1192–202 2 Jemal A, Siegel R, Ward E et al . Cancer Statistics 2008. CA Cancer J Clin 2008; 58 : 71–96 3 Thompson IM, Tangen CM, Goodman PJ, Lucia MS, Klein EA. Chemoprevention of prostate cancer. J Urol 2009; 182 : 499–508 4 Lippman SM, Klein EA, Goodman PJ et al . Effect of selenium and vitamin E on risk of prostate cancer and other cancers: the Selenium and Vitamin E Cancer Prevention Trial (SELECT). JAMA 2009; 301 : 39–51 5 Stranges S, Marshall JR, Natarajan R et al . Effects of long-term selenium supplementation on the incidence of type2 diabetes: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med 2007; 147 : 217–23 6 Thompson IM, Goodman PJ, Tangen CM et al . The influence of finasteride on the development of prostate cancer. N Engl J Med 2003; 349 : 215–24 7 Thompson IM, Chi C, Ankerst DP et al . Effect of finasteride on the sensitivity of PSA for detecting prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 2006; 98 : 1128–33 8 Redman MW, Tangen CM, Goodman PJ, Lucia MS, Coltman CA, Thompson IM. Finasteride does not increase the risk of high-grade prostate cancer: a bias-adjusted modeling approach. Cancer Prev Res (Phila Pa) 2008; 1 : 174– 81 9 Pinsky P, Parnes H, Ford L. Estimating rates of true high-grade disease in the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial. Cancer Prev Res (Phila Pa) 2008; 1 : 182–6 10 Walsh PC. Chemoprevention of prostate cancer. N Engl J Med 2010; 362 : 1237– 8 11 Thompson IM, Tangen CM, Goodman PJ et al . Finasteride improves the sensitivity of digital rectal examination for prostate cancer detection. J Urol 2007; 177 : 1749– 52 12 Andriole GL, Bostwick D, Brawley O et al . The utility of PSA for detection of prostate cancer in men treated with dutasteride: results from the REduction by DUtasteride of prostate Cancer Events (REDUCE) study. J Men’s Health 2009; 6 : 269 13 Kirby RS, Eeles RA, Kote-Jarai Z, Guy M, Easton D, Fitzpatrick JM. Screening for prostate cancer: the way ahead. BJU Int 2010; 105 : 295–7
Lecture Notes on Diseases of the Ear, Nose, and Throat

When this reviewer undertook to evaluate this small volume, he experienced a disconcerting inability to categorize it. It is not a reference work, a teaching text, a practitioner's handbook, or a student's synopsis. It appeared at first to be only a book of lists, lists of conversational points, or semantic tokens. It is not a "how-to" book, nor a "why-because" book, nor a "what-to-do-until-the-consultantcomes" book. After some difficulty, this reviewer finally realized that it is just exactly what it claims to be: a set of standardized lecture notes, suitable for use by busy attendings who must crowd an occasional lecture to clinical clerks or nurse-practitioners into their busy schedules of hospital rounds, office appointments, and housecalls. The transatlantic origin of the work is apparent, most of all in the pharmacopoeia. Some of the names recall (with nostalgia) the occasions when this reviewer (doctor of medicine, 1953) would surreptitiously explore the
Robust handling of clumping and stiffness in wet hair animation

Simulating the clumping and stiffness of wet hair or fur is a challenging problem. The dynamics of wet hair or fur are characterized by clumping and stiffness at the tip, which can be seen clearly in running animals or headbanging scenes. Existing animation methods address these phenomena within preset scenarios. However, there is no consensus on a method for depicting the details of wet hair. This paper therefore proposes a new method for modeling the clumping and stiffness of wet hair or fur. Previous studies have focused on modeling the absorption of water into hair or fur, whereas this paper considers a realistic simulation of wet hair. Unlike dry hair strands, wet hair strands adjacent to one another are subject to a clumping force, gathering together and becoming more stiff as the saturation level of water increases. The proposed method builds on a surface‐tension model based on smoothed particle hydrodynamics to simulate the clumping force and to adjust the hair elasticity via stiffness constraints. The method gives realistic simulations of wet hair by maintaining the clumping force of the wet hair during movement and by simulating the stiffness of the hair in line with its water‐saturation level.
Treat Status Asthmaticus Three Days Before it Occurs

incipient attacks of status asthmaticus. When a patient’s usual maintenance/management regimen begins to fail to control symptoms, more aggressive therapy should focus on emerging inflammation with resulting mucus production, which is invariably present in life-threatening and fatal attacks of status asthmaticus. When an inhaled beta agonist fails to work in 5 minutes or if the benefit gained does not last for 4 hours, this simply means that bronchospasm isn’t all that is going on in the conducting air passages of the patient’s lungs. The act of any asthmatic reaching for his or her metereddose inhaler more often than usual should become
Substance P increases CCN2 dependent on TGF-beta yet Collagen Type I via TGF-beta1 dependent and independent pathways in tenocytes

ABSTRACT Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFbeta-1) and connective tissue growth factor (CCN2) are important mediators of tissue repair and fibrosis, with CCN2 functioning as a downstream mediator of TGFβ-1. Substance P (SP) is also linked to collagen production in tenocytes. A link between SP, TGFbeta-1 and CCN2 has yet to be established in tenocytes or fibrogenic processes. We sought to determine whether SP induces tenocyte proliferation, CCN2, or collagen production via TGFbeta-1 signaling or independently in rat primary tenocytes. Tenocytes were isolated from rat tendons, cultured and stimulated by SP and/or TGFbeta-1. Cultured cells expressed proteins characteristic of tenocytes (vimentin and tenomodulin) and underwent increased proliferation dose dependently after SP and TGFbeta-1 treatments, alone or combined (more than SP alone when combined). SP induced TGFbeta-1 expression in tenocytes in both dose- and time-dependent manners. SP and TGFbeta-1, alone or combined, stimulated CCN2 expression in tenocytes and their supernatants after both 24 and 48 h of stimulation; a response blocked with addition of a TGFbeta-1 receptor inhibitor. In contrast, SP potentiated collagen type I secretion by tenocytes, a response abrogated by the TGFbeta-1 receptor inhibitor after 48 h of stimulation, but not after the shorter 24 h of stimulation. Our findings suggest that both SP and TGFbeta-1 can stimulate tenocyte fibrogenic processes, albeit differently. TGFbeta-1 pathway signaling was involved in CCN2 production at all time points examined, while SP induced collagen type I production independently prior to the onset of signaling through the TGFbeta-1 pathway.
Link protein N-terminal peptide and fullerol promote matrix production and decrease degradation enzymes in rabbit annulus cells

ABSTRACT Purpose: Intervertebral disc degeneration is a major cause of back pain. Novel therapies for prevention or reversal of disc degeneration are needed. It is desirable for potential therapies to target both inflammation and matrix degeneration. Materials and Methods: The combined regenerative potential of link protein N-terminal peptide (LN) and fullerol on annulus fibrosus (AF) cells was evaluated in a 3D culture model. Results: Interleukin-1α (IL-1α)-induced AF cell degeneration was counteracted by fullerol, LN, and fullerol + LN, with the latter having the greatest effect on matrix production as evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction and glycosaminoglycan assay. IL-1α-induced increases in pro-inflammatory mediators (interleukin-6 and cyclooxygenase-2) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1, -2, -9, and -13) were also counteracted by fullerol and LN. Conclusion: Our data demonstrate that LN and fullerol individually, and in combination, promote matrix production and have anti-inflammatory and anti-catabolic effects on AF cells.