Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical measures identify vitamin D deficiency in dialysis.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Vitamin D deficiency (defined by serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D) is common in patients with ESRD on hemodialysis, but risk factors are unknown. This study was conducted to determine whether routinely measured clinical and demographic parameters could identify dialysis patients who are vitamin D deficient. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS Nine-hundred eight patients with 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels were identified from the Accelerated Mortality on Renal Replacement (ArMORR) cohort of incident U.S. dialysis patients and were divided into training (60%) and validation (40%) sets. Predictive models were generated from routinely assessed clinical and demographic data in the training set using logistic regression modeling, neural networks, and decision trees with vitamin D deficiency as the dependent variable. Models underwent progressive variable reduction to identify the simplest model that remained predictive. RESULTS Seventy-nine percent of the population was vitamin D deficient (25-hydroxyvitamin D <30 ng/ml). Black race, female sex, winter season, and hypoalbuminemia (serum albumin < or =3.1 g/dl) were the strongest predictors of vitamin D deficiency. In the validation set, the presence of hypoalbuminemia and winter season increased the likelihood of vitamin D deficiency in black women (from 90% to 100%), black men (from 85% to 100%), white women (from 82% to 94%), and white men (from 66% to 92%). CONCLUSIONS Deficiency of 25-hydroxyvitamin D is nearly universal among patients with hypoalbuminemia initiating chronic hemodialysis in winter.
Essays on modelling the volatility dynamics and linkages of emerging and frontier stock markets

I ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . III DECLARATION OF AUTHORSHIP . IV CONFERENCES . V TABLE OF CONTENTS . VI LIST OF TABLES . VIII LIST OF FIGURES . X 1. CHAPTER ONE . 1 1.
Management of a patient with patellofemoral pain syndrome using neuromuscular training in decreasing medial collapse: a case report

Abstract Background and purpose: Medial collapse has been reported to increase patellofemoral stresses. This case describes the examination and treatment of a patient with patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS), displaying medial collapse during functional activities. The purpose of this case is twofold: (1) to describe a clinical movement pattern assessment using a 2-dimensional (2D) assessment; and (2) to describe a clinical neuromuscular training program focused on optimal movement patterns. Case description: A 19-year-old female diagnosed with PFPS. Initially, the patient exhibited medial collapse. A treatment approach focused on optimization of functional movement patterns to correct medial collapse through visual input and neuromuscular training was implemented. Interventions focused on correction of faulty movement patterns. Outcomes: After four sessions over 3 weeks, the patient reported cessation of pain and displayed an improved movement pattern without medial collapse during functional activities. Discussion and evidence-based recommendations: The clinical assessment of medial collapse utilized was novel, and a successful outcome with minimal visits was achieved for a patient with PFPS. Further research to establish the reliability and validity of the 2D evaluation method of medial collapse and optimum alignment training for patients with PFPS is necessary.
Creating Inclusive Classroom Communities Through Social and Emotional Learning to Reduce Social Marginalization Among Students

A student's social and emotional skills are related to how well equipped they are to address and adapt to the academic, behavioral, and functional demands of the classroom. With the increased attention on academic outcomes, the opportunities to teach social and emotional learning (SEL) are limited. However, SEL approaches have demonstrated increases in functional, behavioral, and academic outcomes for school aged youth. This chapter is designed to identify the key components of SEL, provide guidance in implementation, and describe how SEL can help reduce the social marginalization among youth with disabilities and those at-risk for disability identification.
Factors affecting the frequency infection in renal transplant recipients.

A retrospective review of 149 patients receiving 162 renal transplants showed that 83% of these patients developed one or more infections during a follow-up period averaging one year. In 32 (73%) of 44 deaths, infection was an important contributing cause. In only four (9%) of the deaths were the patients free of infection at the time of death. The Klebsiella-Enterobacter group was the most common agent causing pneumonitis and sepsis. Cryptococcus neoformans caused seven of 11 cases of meningitis. Pseudomonas was the most frequent agent associated with infections documented during postmortem examinations. In a short-term controlled study comparing daily and alternate daily therapy with prednisone, the alternate daily group had significantly (P less than .05) more infections per patient, especially in patients who had no evidence of rejection (P less than .025).
Flow cytometric and histological analysis of ductal carcinoma in situ of the breast

Using archival paraffin wax embedded tumour we have investigated histological grade, DNA ploidy, S phase fraction and prolifera live index in 74 patients with symptomatic ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) of the breast. Nine patients developed local recurrence, six invasive in character. No patients with the cribriform subtype of DCIS developed local recurrence. The cribriform subtype showed a significantly lower rate of DNA aneuploidy and a lower proliferative index than the other subtypes. Cribriform tumours were almost exclusively well differentiated in contrast with the comedo and solid variants. Our results suggest the cribriform variant is less aggressive than other subtypes of DCIS. This has possible implications for management of these lesions.
Percutaneous ethanol injection in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. A multicenter survey of evaluation practices and complication rates.

BACKGROUND Percutaneous ethanol injection (PEI) has become a widely used procedure in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the criteria for selecting patients are not standardized, and little information is available about the complications of the procedure. METHODS A questionnaire was sent to 11 experienced Italian centers. It investigated: the size and the number of HCC nodules suitable for treatment and the Child-Pugh risk class of the associated cirrhosis; the performance of the procedure; the number and characteristics of the patients treated; and, finally, any complications. RESULTS Most of the centers performed PEI in single HCC nodules less than 5 cm in diameter or in multiple nodules if fewer than three, the larger being less than 3 cm. Patients in Child-Pugh's classes A, B, and C with single nodules were generally considered for PEI. A prothrombin time of less than 40% and a platelet count of less than 40,000/mm3 contraindicated PEI in most of the centers. PEI was generally performed on outpatients, using Chiba or spinal needles. One thousand and sixty-six patients (8118 sessions) were enrolled; 74% had a single HCC nodule and 26% multiple nodules. All except four had cirrhosis; 53% were in Child class A, 38% in class B, and 9% in class C. The mean number of sessions needed to destroy an HCC nodule was 6.7 (range, 2-14), with a mean alcohol injection volume of 5.0 ml per session (range, 2-20 ml). One death (0.09%) and 34 complications (3.2%) were reported. Among the complications we call attention to the hemorrhagic ones (eight cases) and tumoral seeding (seven cases). Severe pain experienced during the maneuver led to discontinuation of the procedure in 3.7% of the patients; 13.5% of the patients required analgesics and 24% had fever after PEI. CONCLUSIONS Some procedural aspects of PEI treatment differ among the various centers a standardization is advisable. In the present survey PEI is a low-risk technique.
Efficiency of Inflation Targeting in Transition Countries, the Case of the Czech Republic

This paper examines Czech experience with inflation targeting. It tries to assess empirically character of deviations from inflation targets throughout the time. It assess situation also in an international context. Consequently it analyse ability of IT regime to anchor inflation expectations in context of CNB? s forecasting performance. Results imply that although deviations were quite frequent in the Czech Republic, their occurrence has not been a barrier for delivering lower inflation and its lower volatility. Notwithstanding, its volatility remains significantly above the range experienced in the EU and the EMU countries. Regarding the inflation expectations, monetary policy surprises tend to be smaller over time,signalising that IT regime is priced by the markets. Thus, credibility of the CNB, concerning anchoring of inflation expectations, seems to improve after introduction of IT regime. It also indicates that IT regime is a quite appropriate regime for the upcoming period of time, which will be end up by the entry in the EMU.
Individual adenovirus type 5 early region 1A gene products elicit distinct alterations of cellular morphology and gene expression

Adenovirus early region 1A (E1A), which gives rise to three overlapping transcripts, was inserted into a murine leukemia virus-derived vector, and recombinant viruses were used to prepare permanent cell lines of NIH 3T3 cells containing DNA copies of the individual 13S, 12S, and 9S mRNAs. Integrated proviral copies of the recombinant genomes were rescued as bacterial plasmids from each of the cell lines, and the DNA sequence of E1A was demonstrated to be a precise copy of the individual transcripts. The DNA copies were shown to be expressed as part of the full-length retroviral transcript by S1 nuclease analysis, and the synthesis of their encoded polypeptides was demonstrated by immunoprecipitation. Those cell lines expressing the polypeptide encoded by the 13S transcript were shown to contain that function required for regulating the accumulation of mRNAs from adenovirus early genes by their ability to complement the adenovirus type 5 E1A deletion mutant dl312. Cell lines expressing polypeptides encoded by the 13S, 12S, and 9S transcripts showed characteristic alterations in morphology. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis of total cellular protein derived from the three cell lines demonstrated that each E1A gene product elicits specific alterations in the patterns of proteins expressed. Studies of the expression of two specific genes, those encoding fibronectin and collagen type 1, indicated that the observed alteration in levels of the two proteins results from a reduction in RNA levels induced by E1A functions.
SET complex in serous epithelial ovarian cancer

With low cure rates but increasing diverse treatment options that provide variable remission times, ovarian cancer is increasingly being recognized as a chronic disease. This reality indicates the need for a better understanding of factors influencing disease progression. In a previous global analysis of gene expression, we identified genes differentially expressed when comparing serous epithelial ovarian tumors of low and high malignant potential (grade 0 vs grade 3). In this analysis, 4 out of 5 members of the SET complex, SET, APE1, NM23 and HMGB2, were highly expressed in invasive grade 3 tumors. To further investigate the expression of these genes and the fifth member of the SET complex (pp32), we performed immunohistochemistry, on a tissue array composed of 235 serous tumors of different grades and disease stages. A significant correlation between expression of all SET complex proteins and the tumor differentiation was observed (p < 0.05). When combining all tumors, overexpression of Nm23 (p = 0.04), Set (p = 0.004) and Ape1 (p = 0.004) was associated with the clinical stage of the disease. No marker by itself was associated with prognosis. The combination of a high level of Nm23 in the context of a low level of Set compared to all other combinations of these markers did confer a better prognosis (p = 0.03). When combined, high expression of Hmgb2 and low expression of Ape1 was also associated with patient prognosis (p = 0.05). These findings suggest that a strategy that sums the activities of different partners within a pathway may be more appropriate in designing nomograms for patient stratification. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Propofol and tourniquet induced ischaemia reperfusion injury in lower extremity operations

Background and objective: Extremity surgery with tourniquet to provide a bloodless field may be a good human model for ischaemia reperfusion (IR) injury. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of three different modes of propofol use on tourniquet induced IR injury in lower extremity operations. Methods: Thirty‐three consecutive ASA Grade I and II patients were randomized into three groups of 11 patients each. In the spinal group (Group S), after intrathecal anaesthesia, sedation was given with a propofol infusion at 2 mg kg−1 h−1 after a 0.2 mg kg−1 bolus dose and fentanyl 100 μg. In the general (Group G) and TIVA (Group T) groups, general anaesthesia was induced with propofol 2 mg kg−1 with fentanyl 100 μg and maintained with inhalation of halothane or infusion of propofol respectively. Venous blood samples were obtained at different time points for measurements of plasma malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) levels. Results: Plasma MDA levels were increased significantly in the Group G at 1 min before tourniquet release and 5 and 20 min after tourniquet release compared with before induction of general anaesthesia (baseline). Before intrathecal anaesthesia and before induction of general anaesthesia significantly decreased levels of MDA were observed both before and after tourniquet release compared to baseline. Plasma SOD and CAT concentrations were decreased significantly only at tourniquet release in the Group G compared with baseline. In the Groups S and T these enzymes were not changed significantly. Plasma GPx levels were not altered in any groups. Conclusion: Propofol administration may inhibit lipid peroxidation and restore antioxidant enzyme levels in extremity surgery requiring tourniquet application.
Carbon Accounting: Challenges for Research in Management Control and Performance Measurement

Carbon reduction programs and corporate emissions reporting have expanded rapidly across firms in response to climate change and global warming. This development is partly driven by institutional demands and partly by value creation considerations. The consequences of these developments for management accounting and control (MAC) are not clear, despite anecdotal evidence that suggests an increasing effort to incorporate carbon accounting into traditional decision and reporting processes. The reasons for this lack of clarity are the disproportionate focus in practice on carbon disclosure, compared to a small number of empirical studies, and the absence of an academic debate in this novel area from a MAC perspective. This paper seeks to stimulate such an academic debate by reviewing the extant literature, identifying key theoretical and empirical shortcomings of extant academic research, and outlining some directions for future studies on carbon accounting. These directions are inspired by more established MAC research that may help to guide and organize MAC research in the emerging and exciting field of carbon accounting.
Changes in reaching reaction times due to volitional modulation of beta oscillations

Hypotheses about what drives beta oscillations in local field potentials (LFPs) of motor areas are numerous and include action inhibition, muscle stiffening, sensorimotor processing, and increased attention. Here, a subject performs variations on a reaching task where they experience either predictable or unpredictable `go cue' times and target locations in blocks. The beta (25-40 Hz) power time course is analyzed as the subject learns the statistics of the hold time and target location. While learning a predictable target location correlates with an earlier onset in the pre-reach rise in beta, learning a predictable hold time does not alter beta dynamics. Further, during unpredictable hold times, fast reaction times that are likely in anticipation of the `go cue' exhibit reduced beta desynchronization compared to slower reaction times where the subject likely has waited for the `go cue' prior to movement initiation. These findings point to a role of beta power in inhibition of prepared actions. We test this hypothesis with a combined operant - conditioning and reaching task where subjects volitionally control their motor cortical beta power and immediately afterwards perform a reaching task. We find that when subjects lower their beta power, their reaction times are significantly faster, supporting the idea that beta power inhibits prepared actions.
Interpreting COPD prevalence estimates: what is the true burden of disease?

STUDY OBJECTIVES To summarize the available data on COPD prevalence and assess reasons for conflicting prevalence estimates in the published literature. DESIGN We reviewed published studies that (1) estimated COPD prevalence for a population, and (2) clearly described the methods used to obtain the estimates. RESULTS Thirty-two sources of COPD prevalence rates, representing 17 countries and eight World Health Organization-classified regions, were identified and reviewed. Prevalence estimates were based on spirometry (11 studies), respiratory symptoms (14 studies), patient-reported disease (10 studies), or expert opinion. Reported prevalence ranged from 0.23 to 18.3%. The lowest prevalence rates (0.2 to 2.5%) were based on expert opinion. Sixteen studies had measured rates that could reasonably be extrapolated to an entire region or country. All were for Europe or North America, and most fell between 4% and 10%. CONCLUSIONS There is considerable variation in the reported prevalence of COPD. The overall prevalence in adults appears to lie between 4% and 10% in countries where it has been rigorously measured. Some of the variation attributed to differences in risk exposure or population characteristics may be influenced by the methods and definitions used to measure disease. Spirometry is least influenced by local diagnostic practice, but it is subject to variation based on the lung function parameters selected to define COPD.
Contact activation in shock caused by invasive group A Streptococcus pyogenes

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to characterize abnormalities of coagulation in mice with experimental, invasive group A, streptococcal shock, in an attempt to explain the prolongation of the activated partial thromboplastin time identified in patients with streptococcal toxic shock syndrome. DesignA longitudinal descriptive animal model study of coagulation times and single coagulation factors in mice infected with Streptococcus pyogenes. This was followed by an experimental study to determine whether streptococci or streptococcal products could activate the human contact system in vitro. SettingUniversity infectious diseases and hemostasias molecular biology laboratories. SubjectsCD1 outbred mice. InterventionsNone. Measurements and Main ResultsCoagulation times, single factor assays, and bradykinin assays were conducted on murine plasma at different times after streptococcal infection and compared with uninfected mice. In experiments in which streptococcal products were co-incubated with human plasma, we compared coagulation times, single factor assays, and activities against a range of chromogenic substrates with control plasma. In a murine model of streptococcal necrotizing fasciitis, the activated partial thromboplastin times were significantly prolonged in infected mice compared with controls, whereas prothrombin times were normal, suggesting an isolated abnormality of the intrinsic pathway. Bleeding was not seen. Prolongation of activated partial thromboplastin time was associated with reduced factor XII and prekallikrein, whereas levels of factors VIII, IX, XI, and high molecular weight kininogen were elevated. In vitro studies suggested that streptococcal supernatants can activate prekallikrein, in addition to causing plasminogen activation through the action of streptokinase. ConclusionsProlongation of activated partial thromboplastin time in streptococcal toxic shock syndrome is associated with activation of the contact system, possibly contributing to the profound shock associated with streptococcal toxic shock syndrome.
Smoking prevalence in early pregnancy: comparison of self-report and anonymous urine cotinine testing

Objective. Societal pressures against smoking during pregnancy may lead to a reduction in disclosure of smoking status. The objective of this study was to compare prevalence of smoking at prenatal intake by self-report with anonymous biochemical validation. Methods. Women receiving care at the Duke Obstetrics Clinic from February 2005 through January 2006 were eligible for evaluation. Self-reported smoking and urine samples were obtained anonymously at prenatal intake. The NicCheck™ I semi-quantitative dipstick was used to detect urinary nicotine, cotinine, and 3-hydroxycotinine. The difference, with 95% confidence interval, between the proportions of smokers by self-report and urine testing was calculated for (1) high-positive vs. low-positive and negative results combined and (2) any positive vs. negative results. Results. Among 297 subjects, self-reported smoking was 18.2 vs. 14.8% for low-positive and negative results combined with an absolute difference of 3.4%, [−2.9%, 9.6%]. When comparing self-report with any positive result (43.1%), the absolute difference was 24.9%, [17.4%, 32.1%]. Conclusions. Our findings suggest that most pregnant women disclose their smoking and many nonsmokers may have significant second-hand exposure. Universal urinary cotinine screening of pregnant women could aid in appropriately counseling women about second-hand exposure as well as monitoring women at high risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes.