anthonyyazdaniml/gliner-biomed-curated-corpus huggingface dataset:
A newly discovered property of thermal hysteresis proteins is the interaction of these proteins with cell membranes and thus with cells themselves, protecting cells and their membranes from damage which they would otherwise suffer upon exposure to non-physiological conditions such as temperature abnormalities, including both hyperthermic, hypothermic and sub-freezing temperatures. Improved rates of cell viability are observed over a wide range of conditions which do not involve ice formation, including temperatures above the freezing range as well as temperatures below the freezing range but in vitrification conditions. Heretofore the only known property of these proteins was their ability to interact with ice crystals. In conditions in which ice crystals are formed, it is further discovered that use of the proteins with human cells at the concentrations in which they naturally occur in the source organisms results in aggravating the injury to the cells rather than reducing it, but that the injury is lessened, and the survival rate improved, by using low concentrations. The proteins thus offer benefits in the preservation and improved viability of cell suspensions, tissues and whole organs. The proteins are further discovered to have the ability to block ion channels in mammalian cell membranes, thereby providing a further utility in the treatment of disease conditions.
Inhibition of the mTOR pathway by rapamycin (RAPA), an immunosuppressive drug used as adjunct therapy in preventing solid organ allograft rejection, enhances longevity in mice. Importantly, RAPA was efficacious even when initiated in relatively old animals. Thus, it has been suggested that RAPA could be used therapeutically in humans to slow age-associated pathologies. Indeed, improvements in cognition, control of tumorigenesis, and enhancing certain aspects of immunity have been demonstrated in RAPA treated murine models. Moreover, long-term RAPA delivery in older mice is associated with changes in immune reactivity not evident in younger animals. Investigators propose to expand to a larger cohort of older humans to test the hypothesis that RAPA treatment, even in very old individuals, will result in simultaneous improvement in systems known to be negatively affected by aging. Investigators will focus on the immune system, cognition, and physical parameters of healthy aging, such as walking speed. Investigators will recruit healthy volunteers, aged 75-95 years, and randomize them to either RAPA or placebo, controlling for gender, ethnicity, and age. These groups will be used to address the following specific aims: Aim 1. Assess general parameters of immune health before and after RAPA treatment; these include serum inflammatory cytokines, PBMC subsets (naïve vs memory T cells, TREGS, etc.), and polyclonal T cell activation potential. Aim 2. Test the effects of RAPA treatment on responsiveness to a vaccine challenge; both B cell (antibody) and T cell responses will be assessed. Aim 3. Correlate immune function rejuvenation with cognitive and physical function measures in subjects treated with RAPA or placebo. Aim 4. Collect pilot data on effect of RAPA on cardiovascular function. Cognition will be assessed by three different testing tools (EXIT25, SLUMS, and TAPS). Physical performance will be measured by grip strength and 40 foot timed walks, parameters known to correlate with healthy aging. Measures of cardiovascular function (Substudy D) using MRI of the heart to evaluate diastolic function and brain MRI to analyze cerebral blood flow, with measures of pulse wave velocity and endothelial function using laser doppler flowmetry will be performed. In addition to scoring positive outcomes, investigators will assess whether there are adverse changes in clinical laboratory tests that could compromise the safe use of RAPA therapeutically in older individuals. The long-term goal is to assess whether RAPA is safe to use in an elderly population, while also being efficacious in slowing, or even reversing, the aging process.
A cardiac health assessment system and method for use with a handheld electronic device. The cardiac health assessment system includes an electronic device case (EDC), a plurality of electrodes, and a circuit board. The EDC secures the handheld electronic device. The electrodes include a first ECG electrode, a second ECG electrode, and a third electrode. The first ECG electrode is placed on an outer surface of the EDC. The second ECG electrode and the third electrode are placed on each side of the EDC to facilitate a thumb and fingers of a user to be placed on the handheld electronic device. The electrodes capture data indicative of the cardiac health of the user. The circuit board includes a microphonic sensor, an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensor, and a microcontroller. The microphonic sensor and IMU sensor capture cardiac health data. The microcontroller transmits cardiac health data to the handheld electronic device.
The Transforaminal Endoscopic Surgical System (TESSYS) technique has gained popularity for the treatment of lumbar disc herniations. Foraminoplasty is the key procedure in TESSYS. However, it requires advanced skills and long-term learning, which hinder its widespread adoption among surgeons. Recently, the introduction of full-endoscopic solutions has made the process more manageable. The main difference from traditional single-portal endoscopic surgery is that full-endoscopic surgery is equipped with a larger working channel, allowing full visualization of foraminoplasty and decreasing reliance on intraoperative fluoroscopy. Recently, published studies have shown that full-endoscopic foraminoplasty and lumbar discectomy (FEFLD) could achieve comparable results to conventional microdiscectomy in terms of pain relief and functional outcomes, while enhancing postoperative recovery. This study describes the technique of FEFLD in detail, including every crucial step, such as patient positioning, puncture trajectory, endoscopic dissection of the superior articular process (SAP), endoscopic foraminoplasty, and more. We hope this will be helpful to beginners who wish to apply this approach.
Exercise sessions will be 20 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on a treadmill. A treadmill is located on D1A within the space shared by the Butler Hospital TMS Clinic and the COBRE-support Neuromodulation Research Facility. A research staff member will monitor their heart rate and blood pressure to ensure safety and that activity is occurring at a moderate intensity (i.e., 64-76% of age predicted maximal heart rate). Participants will be asked to rate their affect and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) during exercise sessions. Sessions will include a 5-min warm-up and a 5-min cool-down to ensure safe exercise procedures. Participants will be asked to answer questions about affect before, during, and after exercise. These sessions will be supervised (i.e., they provide onsite coverage) by an exercise physiologist or medical staff member (e.g., nurse or physician) to ensure safety.
BACKGROUND: Children undergoing hemispheric surgery for intractable seizures are susceptible to visual complications including strabismus. This systematic review aims to investigate the rates and characteristics of strabismus development after hemispheric surgery and evaluate clinical implications for ophthalmologic care.
METHODS: A systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane, PsychINFO, and Web of Science databases was performed from database inception to May 2022. Included articles referred to strabismus outcomes in pediatric populations after hemispherectomy or hemispherotomy. Reviews and non-English-language publications were excluded. Risk of bias was assessed using Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal tools. Demographic data and characteristics of strabismus were extracted and tabulated.
RESULTS: Of 41 articles identified, 10 studies consisting of 384 pediatric participants (48% females) and age at surgery between 6 months and 16 years were included. Preoperative strabismus rates ranged between 3% and 56%, whereas postoperative rates ranged between 38% and 100%. With respect to the site of hemispheric surgery, contralateral exodeviation was the most common (16%-67%; n = 7) and then ipsilateral exodeviation (16%-56%; n = 2), whereas ipsilateral esodeviation was infrequent (4%-9%; n = 3).
CONCLUSIONS: Contralateral exotropia and ipsilateral esotropia may occur after hemispheric surgery and may have the potential to be field expanding. Concerns regarding negative social reactions should be balanced with the risk of visual field reduction and (or) diplopia by strabismus surgery. Higher-quality articles with large, homogeneous, and well-described populations (i.e., complete pre- and postoperative ophthalmologic assessments) are required to establish the risks and rates of strabismus development after hemispheric surgery.
INTRODUCTION: Primary retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (pRPLND) is a treatment option for clinical stage (CS) II testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) and CS I with retroperitoneal relapse. Increasing raw lymph node yield during pRPLND has been associated a decreased relapse risk. However, this metric has limitations due to variations in surgical templates and specimen processing methods. We aimed to evaluate the lymph node density (LND), which is the ratio of positive lymph nodes to the total number of nodes removed, as a prognostic marker for relapse after pRPLND.
METHODS: We reviewed all patients who underwent pRPLND at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre between 1990 and 2022. The primary endpoint was relapse-free survival (RFS). RFS was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier product-limit method. The log-rank test was used to assess the impact of LND, and recursive binary partitioning was used to determine the threshold LND that provides optimum separation in RFS.
RESULTS: In this study, 178 patients were treated with pRPLND. A total of 137 (77%) patients had pathological evidence of nodal metastasis, 96 were treated with open RPLND, and 41 with robotic RPLND. The median number of lymph nodes harvested was 32 (IQR 23-43) and median total positive nodes was 2 (IQR 1-36). This translated into a median LND of 3.1% (IQR 1.7-57.1). There was no significant difference in the LND between robotic and open approaches (P = 0.6664). After a median follow-up of 38.6 months, 11 patients (8.02%) had relapsed. LND was not significantly associated with relapse (HR 1.018, 95% CI, 0.977-1.061). The optimal threshold to dichotomize LND that provides optimum separation in RFS was ≥ 26.75%, however, it did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.0651).
CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the LND was not associated with RFS after pRPLND in patients with TGCTs. The unique characteristics of TGCTs and the presence of other established risk factors limit the utility of the LND alone in predicting relapse.
BACKGROUND: The molecular mediators responsible for the progression of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) to steatohepatitis (MASH) have not yet been completely disentangled. We sought to analyze whether FNDC4, an hepatokine and adipokine with anti-inflammatory properties, is involved in TNF-α-induced inflammatory cell death in patients with MASLD.
METHODS: Plasma FNDC4 (n = 168) and hepatic FNDC4 and inflammatory cell death (n = 65) were measured in samples from patients with severe obesity with available liver biopsy-proven MASLD diagnosis. The effect of FNDC4 on TNF-α-induced pyroptosis, apoptosis and necroptosis (PANoptosis) and mitochondrial dysfunction was studied in vitro using human HepG2 hepatocytes.
RESULTS: Compared with individuals with normal liver, patients with type 2 diabetes and MASLD exhibited decreased hepatic FNDC4 mRNA and protein levels, which were related to liver inflammation. An overexpression of TNF-α, its receptor TNF-R1 and factors involved in inflammatory cell death was also found in the liver of these patients. FNDC4-knockdown in HepG2 hepatocytes increased apoptotic cell death, while FNDC4 treatment blunted NLRP3 inflammasome-induced pyroptosis, apoptosis and necroptosis in TNF-α-stimulated hepatocytes. Moreover, FNDC4 improved TNF-α-induced hepatocyte mitochondrial dysfunction by enhancing mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number and OXPHOS complex subunits I, II, III and V protein expression. Mechanistically, AMP-activated protein kinase α (AMPKα) was required for the FNDC4-mediated inhibition of cell death and increase in mtDNA content.
CONCLUSIONS: FNDC4 acts as a hepatocyte survival factor favouring mitochondrial homeostasis and decreasing inflammatory cell death via AMPKα. Collectively, our study identifies FNDC4 as an attractive target to prevent hepatocellular damage in patients with MASLD.
BACKGROUND: Gram-negative bacilli represents an important pathogen in hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) worldwide. The emergence of antibiotic resistance in these pathogens warrants attention for the proper management of infections. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) resistance represents a major therapeutic problem in infections due to Gram-negative bacilli. The present study aimed to study the extended-spectrum beta-lactamase genes blaTEM, blaSHV, and blaCTX-M by multiplex polymerase reaction in isolated Gram-negative bacilli from HAIs in pediatric patients.
METHODS: The study included one hundred-five isolates of Gram-negative bacilli from pediatric patients with different types of HAIs. The isolates were subjected to full microbiological identification, antibiotics susceptibility by disc diffusion method, the phenotypic study of ESBL, and the genetic study of ESBL genes by multiplex PCR.
RESULTS: Fifty isolates of Gram-Negative bacilli showed ESBL activity by a phenotypic study by double disc diffusion method (50/105). All ESBL producers' isolates were positive by PCR for ESBL genes. The most frequent gene was blaTEM (64%), followed by blaSHV (30%) and CTX-M (22%). Mixed genes were found in 4 isolates (8%) for blaTEM and blaSHV, blaTEM and CTX-M. There was a significant association between PCR for ESBL genes and phenotypic ESBL detection (P = 0.001). There was significant detection of ESBL genes in E. coli (28%), followed by Enterobacter spp. (26%), Klebsiella spp. (24%), Serratia (14%), Pseudomonas spp. (6%) and Proteus (2%), P = 0.01. There Seventy percent of isolates positive for ESBL production had an insignificant association between MDR and PCR for ESBL genes (P = 0.23).
CONCLUSION: The present study highlights the prevalence of ESBL activity among clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacilli isolated from hospital-acquired infections in pediatric patients. The most common gene responsible for this activity was blaTEM gee followed by blaSHV and blaCTX-M. There was a high prevalence of multiple antibiotic resistance among isolates with ESBL activity. The finding of the present study denotes the importance of screening extended beta-lactamase among Gram-negative bacilli associated with HAIs in pediatric patients.
Body measurements are primarily made with a tape measure. In measurements taken with a tape measure, the inability to take measurements from the same part of the body each time, incorrect positioning of the tape measure, the occurrence of incorrect measurements, and the need for a person to take the measurements are significant problems in the traditional measurement method. Due to the social distancing rule that must be followed during the Covid-19 pandemic, the close contact between the person to be measured and the person taking the measurement became the starting point of this study. This study focuses on the detecting body shape changes using image processing techniques with 2D imaging. The novelty of the work is that non-contact body measurements are taken more accurately and reliably using the cosine theorem. Regular monitoring of obese patients is important in combating obesity, which is also the source of many health problems. In the monitoring of obese patients, it is necessary to determine the rate of slimming in areas where fat accumulation is intense. The error margin between the real measurements of human models and the calculated measurements was calculated as an average of ± 5.16% for waistline and an average of ± 4.58% for hip size. The cosine theorem was used instead of the ellipse formula used in the literature, and it was observed that the cosine theorem obtained results closer to reality. It is also thought that the developed system will be beneficial not only for extracting body measurements but also for extracting body measurements contactless in the textile sector. The study demonstrates the feasibility of image processing for non-contact body anthropometry and shape tracking.
The utility model relates to a pair of sport shoes with health-care and breathable functions. Each sport shoe comprises a sole, an upper, a shoe-pad, a sole medicine bag, a heel medicine bag and a breathable mechanism, wherein the upper is connected with the sole, and the shoe-pad is put on the sole; and the breathable mechanism is arranged at the sole heel. The breathable mechanism comprises an air bag, an air inlet pipe and an air outlet pipe, and the air inlet pipe and the air outlet pipe are communicated with the air bag. The air inlet of the air inlet pipe is positioned on the outer side wall of the sole body, and a check valve is installed on the air inlet pipe. An exhaust port is arranged in the sole and is communicated with the air outlet pipe. The sole medicine bag is fixedly arranged at the sole of the shoe-pad, and the heel medicine bag is fixedly arranged at the heel of the shoe-pad. Traditional Chinese medicines for preventing and curing dermatophytosis are prepared into medicine bodies to be packaged in the medicine bags, and then the sole medicine bag and the heel medicine bag are respectively connected at the sole and the heel of the shoe-pad body in a sewing mode. Due to the design of the breathable mechanism, the breathable effect of the whole soles of the sport shoes is increased, the internal and external air circulation of the sport shoes is realized, and therefore the all-around breathable deodorant function is realized.
PURPOSE: Delayed re-endothelialization after coronary drug-eluting stent implantation is associated with an increased incidence of late in-stent thrombosis. Serum exosomes exhibit controversial effects on promoting endothelialization. This study aimed to compare the angiogenic effects of serum exosomes derived from patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and AMI plus diabetes mellitus (DM) and to explore the underlying mechanisms.
METHODS: Serum exosomes derived from patients in the control (Con-Exos), AMI (AMI-Exos), and AMI plus DM (AMI+DM-Exos) groups were isolated and identified using standard assays. CCK-8, wound healing, and tube formation assays were performed to detect the angiogenic abilities of serum exosomes on rapamycin-conditioned human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Differential proteomic profiles between AMI-Exos and AMI+DM-Exos were analyzed by mass spectrometry. The effects and potential mechanisms of exosomal angiopoietin-like 6 (ANGPTL6) were investigated.
RESULTS: Functional assays indicated that compared with Con-Exos, AMI-Exos enhanced, whereas AMI+DM-Exos inhibited the cell proliferation, migration, and tube formation of rapamycin-conditioned HUVECs. Subsequently, 28 differentially expressed proteins between AMI-Exos and AMI+DM-Exos were identified, which were correlated with material transportation, immunity, and inflammatory reaction. Moreover, ANGPTL6 was highly enriched in AMI-Exos. Overexpression and knockdown of ANGPTL6 enhanced and inhibited angiogenesis, respectively. Furthermore, the effect of ANGPTL6 on angiogenesis was mediated via the activation of ERK 1/2, JNK, and p38 pathways. The inhibition of ERK 1/2 signaling markedly attenuated the migration abilities of overexpressing ANGPTL6.
CONCLUSION: Diabetes impairs the regenerative capacities of serum exosomes. Exosomal ANGPTL6 contributes to endothelial repair and is a novel therapeutic target for enhanced stent endothelization.
BACKGROUND: We examined the trajectory of estimated glomerular filtrate rate (eGFR), associated risk factors, and its relationship with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) among a multiethnic patient population with type 2 diabetes in Singapore.
METHODS: A follow-up study included 62 080 individuals with type 2 diabetes aged ≥18 years in a multi-institutional SingHealth Diabetes Registry between 2013 and 2019. eGFR trajectories were analyzed using latent class linear mixed models. Factors associated with eGFR trajectories were evaluated using multinomial logistic regression. The association of eGFR trajectories with ESKD was assessed via competing risk models.
RESULTS: Trajectory of kidney function, determined by eGFR, was nonlinear. The trajectory pattern was classified as stable initially then gradual decline (75%), progressive decline (21.9%), and rapid decline (3.1%). Younger age, female sex, Malay ethnicity, lower-income housing type, current smoking, higher glycated hemoglobin, lower low-density lipoprotein, higher triglyceride, uncontrolled blood pressure, albuminuria, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and higher eGFR levels each were associated with progressive or rapid decline. Compared with the trajectory of stable initially then gradual eGFR decline, progressive decline increased the hazard of ESKD by 6.14-fold (95% confidence interval [CI]: 4.96-7.61)) and rapid decline by 82.55 folds (95% CI: 55.90-121.89).
CONCLUSIONS: Three nonlinear trajectory classes of kidney function were identified among multiethnic individuals with type 2 diabetes in Singapore. About one in four individuals had a progressive or rapid decline in eGFR. Our results suggest that eGFR trajectories are correlated with multiple social and modifiable risk factors and inform the risk of ESKD.
The study will recruit patients submitted to roux-en-y gastric bypass. Individuals that meet the inclusion criteria will be randomized by means of a computer program on three study groups: 1) Prebiotic group: Oral supplementation with 6g/day of prebiotic for 15 days. 2) Synbiotic group: Oral supplementation with 6g/day of synbiotic for 15 days. 3) Placebo group (control): Oral supplementation with 6g/day of placebo (maltodextrin) for 15 days. Will be assessed the effects of supplementation on the plasma cytokines, plasma lipopolysaccharide (bacterial endotoxin), plasma cellular fatty acid profile, metabolic parameters (lipid profile, glycemic status and insulin resistance) and nutritional status. Blood samples will be collected before the surgery and the supplementation will begin 30 days after surgery.
An automatic cash accounting system for use in a healthcare enterprise includes a message processor and a data processor. The message processor receives message data including an income amount value, representing cash income received during a time period, an associated income source identifier, and a patient identifier. The income source identifier identifies a department internal to the healthcare enterprise providing the associated income amount value. The patient identifier identifies a patient. The data processor processes the received message data to identify an income account associated with the department based on the income source identifier, and updates the identified income account with the income amount value to indicate the income amount value received by the identified income account during the time period. The data processor identifies a patient account associated with a patient based on the patient identifier, and updates the patient account with the income amount value to indicate the income amount received by the patient account during the time period. The data processor collates and combines data from the income accounts and the patient accounts to provide a first income amount total value and/or a second income total value, respectively, representing combined cash income for the departments and for the patients, respectively, during the time period.