Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stroke volume variability and heart rate power spectrum in relation to posture changes in healthy subjects.

BACKGROUND Power spectrum analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) can be used to assess the state of sympathovagal balance-modulating sinus node activity. Stroke volume variability (SVV) probably reflects the dynamics of physiological control mechanisms over time. MATERIAL/METHODS Power spectrum HRV and SVV were simultaneously measured in 44 healthy men. The values of the HRV and SVV parameters were compared for the supine and upright body positions in three age groups (I: 20-40; II: 40-60; III: >60 years old). The total power (TP) of the very low (VLF:<0.05 Hz), low (LF: 0.05-0.15 Hz) and high (HF: 0.15-0.5 Hz) HRV and SVV frequency bands were measured. The LF/HF and lnLF/lnHF ratios for HRV and SVV were calculated. RESULTS The upright position caused a significant decrease in HRV in the HF and lnHF bands and an increase in the LF/HF and lnLF/HF ratios in all groups. SVV analysis for the supine position revealed significant differences in lnTP and HF values (between groups I and II) and in lnHF values (between groups I and II and I and III). SVV analysis for the upright position revealed differences in lnTP (between groups I and II and I and III), lnVLF (between groups I and III and I and III), lnLF (between groups I and II and I and III) and lnHF (between groups I and II and I and III). CONCLUSIONS The combined analysis of HRV and SVV revealed different cardiovascular responses to postural stress in the three age groups considered.
Factors that affect response to chemotherapy and survival of patients with advanced head and neck cancer

A review of 164 patients with far advanced head and neck cancer, treated by a cytotoxic chemotherapy over a ten year period, at Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, was done in an attempt to determine factors that may influence the response to chemotherapy and subsequent survival. Response rate to methotrexate was 28%, 5‐FU 31%, and porfiromycin 13%. Improved responses were noted with combination chemotherapy. Patients who failed to first line therapy rarely responded to other single agent or combination chemotherapy. Those who did not have prior surgery and/or radiotherapy had better results from drug therapy. Patients with good performance status at the time of initial chemotherapy, had better response to treatment (32% vs. 13% PR & CR) and longer survival (28 weeks vs. 9 weeks, p = 0.01) when compared to those with poor status. Patients who responded to chemotherapy have better survival compared to nonresponders (29 weeks vs. 16 weeks, p = 0.002). This information may prove helpful in future planning of multidisciplinary approach in the treatment of patients with head and neck cancer.
in press-uncorrected proof A comparative evaluation of Golgi protein-73 , fucosylated hemopexin , a-fetoprotein , and PIVKA-II in the serum of patients with chronic hepatitis , cirrhosis , and hepatocellular carcinoma

Background: Golgi protein-73 (GP73) and fucosylated proteins have been proposed as potential serum markers for liver disease and/or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The purpose of this study was to compare the sensitivity and specificity of serum GP73 and fucosylated hemopexin (Fuc-HPX) with a-fetoprotein (AFP) and with protein induced by the absence of vitamin K or antagonist-II (PIVKA-II) for diagnosing chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and HCC. Methods: The concentration of GP73 in human sera was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay employing mouse monoclonal and rabbit polyclonal GP73 antibodies. Fuc-HPX was detected using a lectin chemiluminescence-linked immunosorbent assay using a mouse monoclonal anti-hemopexin antibody and Aleuria aurantia lectin. A total of 229 serum samples from patients with chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and HCC, as well as from normal individuals were evaluated using these four markers. Results: GP73 and Fuc-HPX showed significantly higher values in samples from patients with cirrhosis and HCC than in samples from patients with hepatitis and from normal individuals. The areas under the curves (AUCs) for GP73, FucHPX, AFP, and PIVKA-II were 0.90, 0.77, 0.74, and 0.88, respectively, for liver cirrhosis and HCC samples vs. hepatitis and normal samples. The AUCs of GP73, Fuc-HPX, AFP, and PIVKA-II were 0.78, 0.72, 0.81, and 0.90, respectively, for HCC samples vs. all other samples. Conclusions: PIVKA-II showed superior sensitivity and specificity for HCC compared with the other three markers. *Corresponding author: Kaori Morota, Research and Development, Abbott Japan Co., Ltd., 278 Matsuhidai, Matsudo, Chiba, 270-2214, Japan Phone: q81 47-386-4697, Fax: q81 47-386-4257, E-mail: kaori.morota@abbott.com Received September 14, 2010; accepted October 28, 2010; previously published online January 14, 2011 GP73 may be useful for detecting cirrhosis as a risk factor for HCC. Fuc-HPX showed inferior sensitivity and specificity compared to the other markers.
Quality Improvement Initiatives in Colorectal Surgery: Value of Physician Feedback

BACKGROUND: The impact of process improvement through surgeon feedback on outcomes is unclear. OBJECTIVE: We sought to evaluate the effect of biannual surgeon-specific feedback on outcomes and adherence to departmental and Surgical Care Improvement Project process measures on colorectal surgery outcomes. DESIGN: This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected 100% capture surgical quality improvement data. SETTING: This study was conducted at the department of colorectal surgery at a tertiary care teaching hospital from January 2008 through December 2013. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Each surgeon was provided with biannual feedback on process adherence and surgeon-specific outcomes of urinary tract infection, deep vein thrombosis, surgical site infection, anastomotic leak, 30-day readmission, reoperation, and mortality. We recorded adherence to Surgical Care Improvement Project process measures and departmentally implemented measures (ie, anastomotic leak testing) as well as surgeon-specific outcomes. RESULTS: We abstracted 7975 operations. There was no difference in demographics, laparoscopy, or blood loss. Adherence to catheter removal increased from 73% to 100% (p < 0.0001), whereas urinary tract infection decreased 52% (p < 0.01). Adherence to thromboprophylaxis administration remained unchanged as did the deep vein thrombosis rate (p = not significant). Adherence to preoperative antibiotic administration increased from 72% to 100% (p < 0.0001), whereas surgical site infection did not change (7.6%–6.6%; p = 0.3). There were 2589 operative encounters with anastomoses. For right-sided anastomoses, the proportion of handsewn anastomoses declined from 19% to 1.5% (p < 0.001). For left-sided anastomoses, without diversion, anastomotic leak testing adherence increased from 88% to 95% (p < 0.01). Overall leak rate decreased from 5.2% to 2.9% (p < 0.05). LIMITATIONS: Concurrent process changes make isolation of the impact from individual process improvement changes challenging. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly complete adherence to process measures for deep vein thrombosis and surgical site infection did not lead to measureable outcomes improvement. Process measure adherence was associated with decreased rate of anastomotic leak and urinary tract infection. Biannual surgeon-specific feedback of outcomes was associated with improved process measure adherence and improvement in surgical quality.
Proteolysis of the phage λ CII regulatory protein by FtsH (HflB) of Escherichia coli

Rapid proteolysis plays an important role in regulation of gene expression. Proteolysis of the phage λ CII transcriptional activator plays a key role in the lysis‐lysogeny decision by phage λ. Here we demonstrate that the E. coli ATP‐dependent protease FtsH, the product of the host ftsH/hflB gene, is responsible for the rapid proteolysis of the CII protein. FtsH was found previously to degrade the heat‐shock transcription factor σ32. Proteolysis of σ32 requires, in vivo, the presence of the DnaK‐DnaJ‐GrpE chaperone machine. Neither DnaK‐DnaJ‐GrpE nor GroEL‐GroES chaperone machines are required for proteolysis of CII in vivo. Purified FtsH carries out specific ATP‐dependent proteolysis of CII in vitro. The degradation of CII is at least 10‐fold faster than that of σ32. Electron microscopy revealed that purified FtsH forms ring‐shaped structures with a diameter of 6–7 nm.
Viral and bacterial antibody responses in multiple sclerosis

An imprint electroimmunofixation method (IEIF) was used to characterize antibodies to eight viral antigens (measles, mumps, rubella, herpes simplex type 1, varicella‐zoster, vaccinia, cytomegalovirus, adenovirus) and four bacterial antigens (β‐hemolytic streptococcus, Hemophilus influenzae type B, Escherichia coli, enterococcus) in serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 12 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Twelve patients matched for age and sex served as controls. Evidence for intrathecal synthesis of oligoclonal antibodies to one or more antigens was found in all 12 MS patients and in 1 of the controls. In the MS group, antibodies to viruses with neurotropic properties were more frequently associated with local synthesis than antibodies to other viruses and bacteria. The types and number of locally synthesized antibodies showed no correlation with disease duration and severity. The antibodies were not associated with oligoclonal CSF IgG and appear to account for only a minor fraction of the locally synthesized CSF IgG in MS.
Comparison of antigenic heterogeneity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains by micro-immunofluorescence and serum bactericidal tests

The antigenic heterogeneity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains was assessed by the micro-immunofluorescence (micro-IF) and the serum bactericidal tests. The micro-IF test verified the antigenic heterogeneity of nine strains received from the Center for Disease Control and placed them into immunotypes A and B. The serum bactericidal system also detected different antigenic determinants among the strains. Although the micro-IF and bactericidal assays did not correspond in each instance, the overall pattern of similarities and differences among these gonococcal strains was similar. The micro-IF pattern obtained with mouse antisera was identical to the pattern revealed with guinea pig antisera. Different colony type organisms showed similar sensitivity in the bactericidal test. The micro-IF test is a rapid technique for the immunotyping of N. gonorrhoeae and has the additional advantages of reproducibility and simplicity.
Méthodes Level Set pour des problèmes d'interface en microfluidique

Ce travail est consacre a la modelisation d'ecoulements de deux fluides immiscibles et son application en microfluidique. Pour cela, nous mettons en oeuvre des methodes Level Set actuelles permettant un suivi precis de l'interface, dont le mouvement est induit par des champs de vitesse verifiant les equations de Stokes ou de Navier-Stokes munies d'un terme de tension de surface. Dans une premiere partie, nous abordons la problematique du suivi d'interface et presentons en detail les composantes de la methode Level Set. En particulier, nous detaillons les approches ENO et WENO pour discretiser les equations de Hamilton-Jacobi ainsi que les diverses methodes existantes de redistanciation. Dans la deuxieme partie, nous traitons de l'analyse et de la resolution numerique des ecoulements bifluides incompressibles pilotes par la tension de surface. Apres avoir decrit les modeles mathematiques ainsi que leurs discretisations et solveurs, nous apportons une contribution nouvelle en derivant theoriquement une condition de stabilite valable pour les nombres de Reynolds faibles a moderes, caracteristiques des configurations microfluidiques. De plus, on introduit une methode de decomposition de l'ecoulement qui permet de diminuer les temps de simulation. Enfin, la troisieme partie est consacree a l'application des outils evoques precedemment pour simuler la dynamique de gouttes dans des microcanaux. Nous presentons les resultats numeriques obtenus avec d'une part, un code bidimensionnel cartesien et d'autre part, avec un code tridimensionnel axisymetrique que nous avons entierement developpes. Une bonne adequation est obtenue relativement aux experiences microfluidiques du laboratoire LOF (Rhodia - CNRS). En particulier, avec nos simulations, nous mettons a jour differentes dynamiques de melange au sein des gouttes.
Vascular endothelial growth factor gene polymorphisms and pregnancy

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a major angiogenic factor and prime regulator of endothelial cell proliferation. During pregnancy, VEGF is essential for the proliferation of trophoblasts, the development of embryonic vasculature and the growth of maternal and fetal blood cells in utero. In cases of pre-eclampsia and in some circumstances of preterm labor-raised umbilical cord serum, VEGF levels might be correlated with the clinical development of the above pathological disorders. Genetic alteration as 936C/T VEGF gene polymorphism has a statistical significant correlation with the severity of pre-eclampsia. The same VEGF gene polymorphism, which has been associated with lower protein production, has an increased risk of spontaneous preterm delivery in a Greek-studied population. Homozygotes were found to carry the greatest risk with a lesser proportionate risk associated with heterozygosity, whereas women with the -1154 allele of the VEGF gene have an increased risk of recurrent pregnancy loss. In this review, we present evidence that demonstrates an implication of VEGF gene polymorphisms in the pathological disorders of pregnancy. However, further genetic studies are needed to confirm these data.
Intravenous bilirubin, dibromosulfophthalein, and bromosulfophthalein infusions uncouple biliary phospholipid and cholesterol secretion from bile acid secretion by inhibiting hepatic phosphoglycoprotein-3 activity in pigs.

BACKGROUND Biliary secretion of organic anions disturbs the proportional relationship normally pertaining between biliary lipid and bile acid secretion. The mechanism causing this uncoupling of biliary lipid from bile acid secretion is incompletely understood. Impaired micellization of membrane lipids by bile due to biliary contamination with organic anions or lowering of biliary bile acid concentration by enhanced bile acid-independent bile flow has been proposed as causative factors. Recently, we found that hepatic phosphoglycoprotein 3 (pgp3) activity was reduced in pigs during bilirubin-induced uncoupling of biliary lipid from bile acid secretion. Pgp3 is the phosphatidylcholine flippase in the canalicular membrane sustaining biliary phospholipid secretion in pigs. This investigation was undertaken to examine whether bilirubin, dibromosulfophthalein, and bromosulfophthalein uncouple biliary lipid from bile acid secretion by the same mechanism. METHODS/RESULTS Hepatic bile was collected from 24 anesthetized pigs before and during infusion of 0.63 micromol x kg body wt(-1) x min(-1) intravenous bilirubin, dibromosulfophthalein, or bromosulfophthalein. Bile acid secretion was varied by intraportal cholic acid infusion. Hepatic pgp3 expression was measured by means of Western blot, using C219 antibody. Bilirubin > dibromosulfophthalein > bromosulfophthalein lowered biliary lipid secretion without altering hepatic pgp3 expression, increased bile acid-independent bile flow (bromosulfophthalein > dibromosulfophthalein > bilirubin), and enhanced the capacity of bile to micellize membrane lipids as assayed by means of erythrocyte lysis. Biliary bile acid concentration did not determine biliary lipid secretion. CONCLUSION Bilirubin, dibromosulfophthalein, and bromosulfophthalein in bile uncouple biliary lipid from bile acid secretion by inhibiting hepatic pgp3 phosphatidylcholine flippase activity, putatively through diffusing into the pgp3 pore.
Changing trends in vancomycin-resistant enterococci in French hospitals, 2001-08.

OBJECTIVES Unprecedented outbreaks of vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) have occurred in French hospitals since 2004. The aim of this study was to provide a picture of the spread and control of VRE in France and to characterize the isolates. METHODS Notification of VRE cases to Institut de Veille Sanitaire has been mandatory since 2001. Isolates of VRE were sent to the National Reference Centre for species and vancomycin-resistance gene identification. Isolates were tested for antimicrobial susceptibility and typed by PFGE and multilocus sequence typing. RESULTS Five hundred and four VRE notifications from 195 hospitals were recorded, corresponding to 2475 cases of infection (n=243) or colonization (n=2232) and 74 episodes of clustered cases. Outbreaks were controlled by implementation of infection control measures, although the number of new hospitals reporting isolation of VRE was increasing. The majority of 902 VRE isolated from 2006 to 2008 were Enterococcus faecium (94.8%) with the vanA or vanB gene. No isolate was resistant to linezolid, tigecycline or fusidic acid. PFGE analysis showed 161 different patterns. Generally a few predominant clones and several minor clones spread in a single hospital. In a subset of 46 representatives of PFGE clones, 13 different sequence types were characterized, all belonging to clonal complex CC17, while the esp and hyl genes were inconsistently detected. CONCLUSIONS The national mandatory notification of unusual nosocomial events allowed rapid identification of VRE outbreaks and early implementation of control measures that have proved effective. However, VRE continue to emerge in a growing number of hospitals.
Théorie du risque en santé publique: Application aux infections en milieu hospitalier

Nous introduisons une nouvelle approche pour traiter le probleme des infections contractees lors d'un sejour hospitalier. En nous inspirant de la theorie du risque en actuariat, nous avons defini un coefficient d'ajustement permettant de quantifier le risque de developper une infection dans un service hospitalier. Ce coefficient caracterise une distribution exponentielle de la fonction de survie et est estime comme solution d'une equation de Lundberg. La robustesse des estimateurs a ete evaluee sur donnees simulees. De plus, notre approche a ete appliquee a des donnees du programme de medicalisation des systemes d'informations (PMSI) concernant le risque d'embolie pulmonaire suite a une prothese de hanche dans la region Rhone-Alpes.
Independent Processing across Spatial Frequency in Moving Broadband Patterns

The aim of the experiments was to discover whether the visual system has independent access to motion information at different spatial scales when presented with a broadband stimulus. Subjects were required to discriminate between a pair of two-frame motion sequences, one containing a coherently displacing pattern and the other containing a pattern with high-frequency noise. The stimuli were either narrowband (1 octave) or broadband (6 octaves spanning 0.23–15.0 cycles deg−1) and their power spectra were either flat or followed a 1/f2 function. For the broadband stimuli, noise was introduced cumulatively into increasingly lower frequencies. For the narrowband stimuli, noise was introduced into the same frequency band as the signal. All stimuli could be defined by the lowest noise frequency (n1) they contained. For each stimulus, the largest spatial displacement across the two frames at which the task could be performed was measured (dmax). For the narrowband stimuli, dmax increased as n1 was lowered. This was true over the entire frequency range for the 1/f2 stimuli, though the task became impossible for the flat-spectrum stimuli at the lowest frequencies. This is attributed to the very low contrast of these latter stimuli. The dmax values for the broadband stimuli tended to shadow those of the narrowband stimuli with the equivalent values of n1 being around 25% lower. The data were modelled by spatiotemporally filtering the stimuli and considering the amount of directional power in the signal and noise sequences. The results suggest that there must be multiple spatial-frequency channels in operation, and that for broadband patterns the visual system has perceptual access to these individual channel outputs, utilising different filters depending on the task requirements.
Optimal spread spectrum sequences-constructed from Gold codes

This paper derives general results on the partial auto-correlation function of the optimal spreading sequences for asynchronous CDMA systems with respect to the minimization of the average error probability under the standard Gaussian approximation (SGA) condition without the assumption of stationary random processes on the spreading sequences. We construct a family of optimal spreading sequences from the existing Gold codes, which have the same number of codes as a set of Gold codes. An asynchronous CDMA system using such optimal spreading sequences allows 15% more users than when purely random binary sequences or Gold codes are employed. Moreover, the acquisition time performance of the proposed optimal spreading sequences is also shown to be better than that of Gold codes.
Characterizing Aging, Mild Cognitive Impairment, and Dementia with Blood-Based Biomarkers and Neuropsychology.

BACKGROUND Current treatment in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is initiated at a stage where the brain already has irreversible structural deteriorations. Therefore, the concept of treatment prior to obvious cognitive deficits has become widely accepted, and simple biochemical tests to discriminate normal aging from prodromal or demented stages are now common practice. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was the differentiation of controls, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD patients by novel blood-based assays in combination with neuropsychological tests. METHODS In a cross-sectional study, 143 subjects aged 18 to 85 years were recruited. All participants were classified by a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment. Blood samples were analyzed for several amyloid-β (Aβ) species, pro-inflammatory markers, anti-Aβ autoantibodies, and ApoE allele status, respectively. RESULTS Plasma Aβ1-42 was significantly decreased in MCI and AD compared to age-matched controls, whereas Aβ1-40 did not differ, but increases with age in healthy controls. The Aβ1-42 to Aβ1-40 ratio was stepwise decreased from age-matched controls via MCI to AD, and shows a clear correlation with memory scores. Reduced Aβ1-42 and Aβ1-42 to Aβ1-40 ratio have strongly correlated with carrying ApoE ɛ4 allele. Autoantibodies against pyroglutamate-modified Aβ, but only a certain subclass, were significantly decreased in AD compared to MCI and age-matched controls, whereas autoantibodies against the unmodified N-terminus of Aβ did not differ. CONCLUSION Comprehensive sample preparation and assay standardization enable reliable usage of plasma Aβ for diagnosis of MCI and AD. Anti-pGlu-Aβ autoantibodies correlate with cognition, but not with ApoE, supporting the associated plasma Aβ analysis with additional and independent information.