Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Urinary albumin excretion patterns of patients with cast nephropathy and other monoclonal gammopathy-related kidney diseases.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Multiple myeloma is responsible for a wide variety of renal pathologies. Urinary protein and monoclonal spike cannot be used to diagnose cast nephropathy (CN). Because albuminuria is a hallmark of glomerular disease, this study evaluated the percentage of urinary albumin excretion (%UAE) as a tool to differentiate CN from Ig light chain amyloidosis (AL), light chain deposition disease (LCDD), and acute tubular necrosis (ATN). DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS Patients were selected from the Renal Biopsy Database and the Dysproteinemia Database. Participants were excluded if laboratory data were missing within 1 week of the renal biopsy. The %UAE was obtained from urine protein electrophoresis. RESULTS From 1992 to 2011, 260 patients were biopsied (177 with AL, 28 with LCDD, 43 with CN, and 12 with ATN). The %UAE for CN patients was significantly lower (7%) than for ATN (25%), LCDD (55%), and AL (70%) patients (P<0.001). Significant differences were also found in serum creatinine, serum albumin, free light chain ratio, total urine protein, and urine monoclonal spike; only the %UAE remained independently associated with CN in a logistic regression model (P<0.001). The area under the curve for the receiver operator characteristic curve for %UAE was 0.99. At <25%, the %UAE had a sensitivity of 0.98, specificity of 0.94, positive predictive value of 0.75, and negative predictive value of 0.99. CONCLUSIONS This study showed that %UAE was significantly less in CN than the other three renal lesions and %UAE may thus be helpful in diagnosis of CN.
Effect of dietary sodium restriction on human urinary metabolomic profiles.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Metabolomics is a relatively new field of "-omics" research, focusing on high-throughput identification of small molecular weight metabolites. Diet has both acute and chronic effects on metabolic profiles; however, alterations in response to dietary sodium restriction (DSR) are completely unknown. The goal of this study was to explore changes in urine metabolites in response to DSR, as well as their association with previously reported improvements in vascular function with DSR. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS Using stored urine samples from a 10-week randomized placebo-controlled crossover study of DSR in 17 middle-aged/older adults (six men and 11 women; mean age 62±8 years) who had moderately elevated systolic BP (130-159 mmHg) and were otherwise healthy, a liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry-based analysis of 289 metabolites was performed. This study identified metabolites that were significantly altered between the typical (153±29 mmol/d) and low (70±29 mmol/d) sodium conditions, as well as their baseline (typical sodium) association with responsiveness to previously reported improvements in vascular endothelial function (brachial artery flow-mediated dilation) and large elastic artery stiffness (aortic pulse wave velocity). RESULTS Of the 289 metabolites surveyed, 10 were significantly altered (nine were upregulated and one was downregulated) during the low sodium condition, and eight of these exceeded our prespecified clinically significant threshold of a >40% change. These metabolites were involved in biologic pathways broadly related to cardiovascular risk, nitric oxide production, oxidative stress, osmotic regulation, and metabolism. One metabolite, serine, was independently (positively) associated with previously reported improvements in the primary vascular outcome of brachial artery flow-mediated dilation. CONCLUSIONS This proof-of-concept study provides the first evidence that DSR is a stimulus that induces significant changes in urinary metabolomic profiles. Moreover, serine was independently associated with corresponding changes in vascular endothelial function after DSR. Larger follow-up studies will be required to confirm and further elucidate the metabolic pathways that are altered in response to DSR.
Validation of Sofit for Measuring Physical Activity of First- to Eighth-Grade Students

The purpose of this study was to assess the validity of the System for Observing Fitness Instruction Time (SOFIT) for measuring physical activity of elementary and middle school children. Students (N = 173,92 boys and 81 girls) from Grades 1–8 completed a standardized protocol that included lying, sitting, standing, walking, running, curl-ups, and push-ups. Heart rates were used as a criterion for concurrent validity. The results confirm the validity of the physical activity codes of SOFIT for elementary and middle school children. Activity Categories 2–5 indicate different levels of energy expenditure, whereas Categories 1 (lying) and 2 (sitting) refer to the same energy expenditure level. The common distinction between SOFIT Levels 4 and 5 as MVPA (moderate to vigorous physical activity) and SOFIT Levels 1 to 3 as non-MVPA is valid. Curl-ups and push-ups should be coded as MVPA.
Traumatic plexus lesion.

Pain, motor, and sensory deficits characterize patients with a traumatic lesion of the brachial plexus. Frequently, more severe injuries co-exist that require immediate surgical attention. Early rehabilitation and physical therapy are the cornerstones of treatment. Pharmacological management can be difficult. Surgical reconstruction is frequently advised when nerves are disrupted. The results, mostly from small historical reports, vary greatly. Neurostimulation may have an additional beneficial effect, especially if the pathophysiology of nociception and neuropathic pain becomes evident in these complex patients.
Genetic basis for predicting response to naltrexone in the treatment of alcohol dependence.

Alcohol use disorders (alcohol abuse and dependence) affect 15–20 million Americans at any given time. Despite this and the US$185 billion cost tag owing to lost wages, accidents, reduced productivity, property, personal damage and so on, most people remain untreated [1]. In the past 10 years or so, a number of medications have been reported to be efficacious in reducing drinking, promoting abstinence and reducing relapse [2,3]. One of the most widely studied medications in the treatment of alcoholism is the opioid receptor antagonist, naltrexone. Many studies, carried out in a number of countries, have substantiated the effectiveness of naltrexone for the treatment of alcohol dependence [4–6], with small to medium effect sizes over placebo treatment. One of the largest studies ever carried out on the pharmacotherapy of alcoholism in the USA, the federally funded Combined Pharmacotherapies and Behavioral Intervention for Alcohol Dependence (COMBINE) study, found that naltrexone was better than placebo, but only in the absence of specialty counseling, which itself was found effective. When medical management (MM) was combined with naltrexone, the overall global response rate was 71%, compared with 58% when MM was combined with a placebo. There was also a reduction in heavy drinking, and a greater numer of abstinent days in the active naltrexone plus MM group. Of course, the question asked most often is, why do some people respond to naltrexone and others do not? A corollary is, can you predict who will respond better to this medication? It is clear that, while some alcoholics do very well on naltrexone, others do not. A number of phenotypic characteristics of alcohol dependent individuals might be associated with better response, including level of craving, cognitive function, family history and gender [7–11]. More recently, the focus has turned to variability in the μ-opioid receptor in the brain, the receptor to which the endogenous opioid β-endorphin binds, and the likely main site of action of naltrexone, an antagonist/blocker of this receptor. An asparagine-to-aspartate amino acid substitution in the μ-opioid type 1 (OPRM1) receptor at the 40 position (asn40asp), as a result of an A to G substitution at the 118 position in exon 1 of the OPRM1 gene, causes structural variation on the extra-membrane portion of the receptor in the β-endorphin binding region. This variation has been reported to increase β-endorphin binding and G-protein-coupled adenylate cyclase production [12] and receptor levels [13], but these findings might be cell specific [14]. In addition, individuals with the asn40asp SNP show a different response to alcohol [15], alcohol cues [16], differential neural activation to pain [17] and hypothalamic adrenal response to opioid antagonists [18]. In summary, accumulated evidence suggests that this single polymorphism has functional activity at both the cellular and clinical level.
Botulinum toxin in the treatment of focal hyperhidrosis

Focal hyperhidrosis is excessive sweating affecting approximately 2–3% of the population. The condition is mainly confined to axillary and palmoplantar regions and treatment is still a challenge. Conventional treatment options, such as topical antiperspirant agents, systemic anticholinergics or iontophoresis, do not usually provide satisfactory results. Although surgical techniques are effective, they are not always practical to perform and carry the risk of surgical complications. Botulinum toxin therapy, which acts by blocking acetylcholine release during nerve stimulation, has become one of the most favorable therapies for hyperhidrosis within recent years, with effective and safe results. This paper highlights the main issues regarding the use of botulinum toxin therapy in the treatment of hyperhidrosis by reviewing the literature and the authors’ own experiences.
AWARENESS OF DIABETES MELLITUS AMONG AFRICAN TRADITIONAL HEALERS IN THE NELSON MANDELA METROPOLE

Diabetes mellitus, a chronic illness, affects approximately 8% of black South Africans. Traditional healers are an integral part of the lifestyle of the African people. Approximately 80% of black patients consult a western doctor only after having consulted a traditional healer, yet traditional healers remain an untapped resource in South Africa. The primary objective of the study was to determine the clinical knowledge pertaining to diabetes mellitus of traditional healers in the Nelson Mandela Metropole (NMM), and to educate the healers on diabetes mellitus through the medium of interactive workshops. Three workshops were held with the healers over a seventeen-month period. The target population consisted of all traditional healers of the NMM interested in participating in the research project. The results obtained indicated that healers of the NMM had a basic knowledge about diabetes and a willingness to learn more about conventional aspects of the disease. At a feedback workshop the healers indicated that they were using the information gained during preceding workshops and that they have begun imparting the knowledge gained to other traditional healers and to their apprentices. A relationship has been established between healers of the NMM and the University of Port Elizabeth (UPE) and Port Elizabeth Technicon.
Minority ethnic users experiences and expectations of nursing care

Abstract: During the last two decades, there has been a growing emphasis on the delivery of health care to meet the needs of minority ethnic patients, but there is less emphasis on the views of the patients themselves. This paper aimed to give minority ethnic groups the opportunity to voice their opinions on nursing care and to inform future nurse education. Focus groups were used to collect data. Six community groups, some of mixed ethnicity and some of specific ethnic identity, were included in the study. Data were analysed using a thematic approach and three themes were identified as representing the views of the participants. Participants identified that knowledge of cultural and religious practices were essential for nurses in order for them to understand the basis of their beliefs and practices. They also highlighted how the actions and behaviour of nurses either confirmed or ignored their specific requirements. They also recognised the inherent communication problems for those who had difficulty in communicating in English. Overall, they reiterated their need to be treated with dignity and respect. For nurse educators, the challenge is to develop not only the knowledge base of student nurses but also to help them translate that into practice that demonstrates cultural understanding and sensitivity.
Estudo Electromiográfico do Conflito Sub-Acromial

Objective: analyze the muscle activity of the shoulder complex during the volleyball serve and the possible correlation with the mechanism of injure of impingement syndrome. Methods: observational, analytic, transversal study. 15 athletes were divided in three groups and evaluated with surface electromyography. It was study the mean of muscle activation during the different fases of the serve. Results: increased activity in Upper Trapezius and Infraspinatus and a decreased activity in Rectus Abdominis and Obliquus Externus in athletes with impingement syndrome. Conclusion: athletes with and without impingement syndrome have significant different muscular activity levels in stabilizers.
On Lightening Up: Improvement Trajectories in Recovery from Depression

bar 5%, admitted to such mood states, with a mean frequency of six episodes over the preceding 12 months. For most, such depressive states generally lasted minutes, hours or days, while only 6% nominated episodes lasting several weeks and 8% had episodes lasting months. For those who had ever consulted a general practitioner or psychiatrist for depression, such consultation was essentially restricted to those who described their moods lasting weeks or months. Such findings, replicated and extended in several other non-clinical groups, build to a number of realities. Firstly, that a depressed mood is both a ubiquitous and frequent human experience. Secondly, that while a depressed mood can be quite severe, recourse to help-seeking is often driven more by duration than by severity, a phenomenon addressed by diagnostic manuals such as ICD-10 and DSM-IV imposing a minimum duration. It would appear then that most people accept a depressed mood as a relatively common response to certain vicissitudes of life and that, while it may be severe, it is expected to be transient, and to remit spontaneously and rapidly.
Drug-Eluting Stents in ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction: Comment on “Drug-Eluting vs Bare-Metal Stents in Primary Angioplasty”

Giuseppe De Luca, MD, PhD; Maurits T. Dirksen, MD; Christian Spaulding, MD; Henning Kelbæk, MD; Martin Schalij, MD; Leif Thuesen, MD; Bas van der Hoeven, MD; Marteen A. Vink, MD; Christoph Kaiser, MD; Carmine Musto, MD; Tania Chechi, MD; Gaia Spaziani, MD; Luis Salvador Dı́az de la Llera, MD; Vincenzo Pasceri, MD; Emilio Di Lorenzo, MD; Roberto Violini, MD; Giuliana Cortese, PhD; Harry Suryapranata, MD; Gregg W. Stone, MD; for the Drug-Eluting Stent in Primary Angioplasty (DESERT) Cooperation
Primary carers of people with arthritis and osteoporosis

This report brings together the latest data to highlight the impact of caring. Family members known as 'primary carers' provide significant assistance to people with disability associated with arthritis and osteoporosis to help them cope with their restrictions and continue independent living. The demand of caring however can have significant impact on the health and wellbeing of the carers. This report brings together the latest data to highlight the impact of caring. The information provided in the report should be useful to the broader community, policy makers and anyone with an interest in carers and caring issues. Image: 'Helping Grandmother Walk', Rosie O'Beirne / Flickr
Anticoagulation in Women with Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation: Insights from Clinical Trials

There is emerging evidence that women with atrial fibrillation, particularly those aged over 75 years, are more prone to strokes than men. It is also generally believed that older women are more vulnerable than men to warfarin-associated hemorrhage, leading to reluctance among physicians to anticoagulate women with atrial fibrillation. In the SPORTIF trials, the largest randomized cohort of women with atrial fibrillation on anticoagulation, including those aged over 75 years, women developed stroke (either ischemic or hemorrhagic) and systemic embolic events more often than men. In population-based studies such as the ATRIA study, female gender increased the relative risk of stroke significantly (incremental relative risk: 20–90%). Both types of studies demonstrated that maintaining the international normalized ratio within the therapeutic range of 2.0–3.0 was associated with similar rates of major bleeding in older women, younger women and men. Better validated predictors of bleeding than gender should be considered when selecting antithrombotic therapy. New oral anticoagulants are under development to reduce the burden and risk of warfarin-associated anticoagulation.
Ductal Carcinoma In Situ of the Breast: 11 Reasons to Consider Treatment with Excision Alone

For the last 15 years, there has been a vigorous ongoing debate as to whether or not all conservatively treated patients with ductal carcinoma in situ (DOS) require radiation therapy following excision or whether selected patients with DOS can be treated by excision alone. At just about all breast cancer symposia where DOS is discussed, experts are assigned to debate the pros and cons of radiation therapy after excision. The debate is often heated. This article outlines numerous reasons to consider excision alone in the treatment of selected DOS patients.
An assessment of telemedicine services within the Western Cape public health care system

An Assessment of the Telemedicine Services within the Western Cape Public Health Care System A. Hartmann Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Stellenbosch, Private bag X1, Matieland 7602 Assignment: M(Research) Engineering Management March 2014 Telemedicine is de ned as an electronic exchange of medical information and/or the delivery of clinical health care over a distance, by means of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). South Africa is faced with the problem of providing health care to a population in urban, as well as across vast rural areas. In addition to this, the South African health care system must deal with economical imbalances and a shortage of human resources to provide quality health care. Telemedicine services could provide a solution. Since the introduction of the rst national telemedicine services initiative in the late 1990s, a number of South African telemedicine services have been implemented in the public health care system. The majority of these telemedicine services have been prone to failure and many were prematurely terminated. The circumstances which in uence the failure or success of these services are not unknown. The lack of insight, and the high failure rate of telemedicine services implemented in the South Africa were the reasons for conducting this study. The purpose of the study is to assess telemedicine services implemented in the Western Cape public health care sector. The purpose is also to provide recommendations for improving the current and future telemedicine services in the Western Cape and other provinces. A telemedicine services assessment was conducted on a total of 26 telemedicine services identi ed at 6 health care facilities located in the Western Cape. ii Stellenbosch University http://scholar.sun.ac.za
Connexin43 carboxyl-terminal peptides reduce scar progenitor and promote regenerative healing following skin wounding.

AIM Gap-junctional connexin43 (Cx43) has roles in multiple aspects of skin wound healing - including scarring. The aim here was to study the effects of a cell-permeant peptide from the Cx43 carboxyl-terminus (CT) on scarring and regeneration following cutaneous injury. MATERIALS & METHODS The effects of Cx43 CT peptide were studied in mouse and pig models of cutaneous injury. The parameters assessed included neutrophil density, wound closure, granulation, regeneration and skin tensile properties. RESULTS Cx43 CT-peptide prompted decreases in area of scar progenitor tissue and promoted restoration of dermal histoarchitecture and mechanical strength following wounding of skin. These changes in healing were preceded by peptide-induced reduction in inflammatory neutrophil infiltration and alterations in the organization of epidermal Cx43, including increased connexon aggregation. CONCLUSION Cx43 CT peptide promotes regenerative healing of cutaneous wounds and may have applications in tissues other than skin, including heart, cornea and spinal cord.
Delayed-type hypersensitivity skin tests are an independent predictor of human immunodeficiency virus disease progression. Department of Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study Group.

Delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) testing was evaluated as a predictor of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease progression in 336 symptomatic patients with baseline CD4 cell counts of 200-500/mm3 who were participating in a randomized trial of early versus late therapy with zidovudine. Patients with a response of > 2 mm to any of seven antigens were categorized as reactive; those without were anergic. Anergic patients were significantly more likely than reactive patients to have HIV disease progression as evidenced by decrease in CD4 cell count (52% vs. 27%), development of AIDS (33% vs. 17%), or death (18% vs. 9%) (P < or = .02), irrespective of time of zidovudine initiation. By multivariate analysis, DTH results were an independent predictor of HIV progression separate from CD4 cell count, p24 antigen positivity, or level of beta 2-microglobulin. DTH skin tests are an independent predictor of HIV disease progression and may be of value in the evaluation of a patient's immune status.
Biomarkers that reflect immune activation or dysfunction will be important in the management of infectious diseases.

The human species has been under constant bombardment from pathogens over thousands of generations. It is likely that this host–pathogen interaction has to some extent shaped the biology and genetics of both populations. Today, this battle is ongoing with a range of infectious pathogens worldwide, some recurring and others newly transmitted to humans from other species. The social and economic cost of infectious diseases is enormous, as reflected by a recent WHO report that lists infectious diseases as one of the main causes of mortality and morbidity among children and adults in developing countries [101]. Unfortunately, individuals in these regions are often exposed to multiple pathogens, potentially exacerbating disease progression or increasing the complexity of clinical presentation. The diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases in developing countries has been difficult owing to conflict, poor sanitation and nutrition, and lack or limited access to preventive care and treatment (including immunization). However, the management of infectious diseases in developed countries also places a significant burden on the health system. Accordingly, there is a continuous need for tests that utilize biomarkers – measurable indicators of biological processes – that can provide rapid and cost-effective tools for the diagnosis of circulating infectious diseases and stratify individuals at risk of disease. Ideally, these methods can also be made available for point-of-care testing in some regions.