Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Psychiatric consultation for nursing homes.

LTHOUGH there is no way to accurately estimate the amount of medical nursing and custodial care required by elderly nursing-home patients, there is an over-all impression that the majority are not there to recuperate from recent acute medical or surgical illnesses. We do know that the great majority are dependent on public assistance in one form or another to meet the costs of the nursing home, and we may assume that the relatives of most patients are either unable or unwilling to provide the type of care elderly people need. Most nursing home patients are ill-prepared financially, emotionally, educationally, and physically to enjoy the extension of their years that modern medicine provides. Stotsky thoroughly reviewed the literature about the psychiatric consultation needs of nursing homes and drew attention to the combination of physical and mental illness often found in the aged. He referred to the growing need for psychiatrists to become involved in the problems of the aged patient and of the harassed nursing personnel in nursing homes. ’ Virtually all observers emphasize the prevalence of psychosocial problems that must be overcome if adequate care is to be provided for elderly patients in institutions; many are optimistic about the potential of psychiatric intervention. If a large number of elderly people are to benefit from the accumulated skills of psychiatry,
Topographical distribution of cerebral cortical thinning in patients with mild Parkinson's disease without dementia

The pathology of Parkinson's disease (PD) is not confined to the brainstem regions, but spreads to involve the neocortical areas. Using surface‐based cortical thickness analysis, we studied the topographical distribution of cortical thinning in nondemented patients with mild PD. The high‐resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies were performed in 48 patients with PD without dementia and 56 age‐matched healthy controls. Using the Freesurfer software, surface‐based analysis was done to find changes in cerebral cortical thickness in patients with PD. Compared to the controls, patients with PD showed significant cortical thinning in the temporal, inferior parietal, rostral frontal, and orbitofrontal cortical areas. Thinning of the cerebral cortex occurs even in nondemented patients with mild PD, and its topographical distribution was similar to that of the neocortical Lewy bodies. Further studies are needed to find pathological and clinical correlates of thinned cerebral cortex found in nondemented patients with mild PD. © 2010 Movement Disorder Society
Conference on ‘ Carbohydrates in health : friends or foes ’ Postgraduate symposium Is resistant starch protective against colorectal cancer via modulation of the WNT signalling pathway ?

Epidemiological and experimental evidence suggests that non-digestible carbohydrates (NDC) including resistant starch are protective against colorectal cancer. These anti-neoplastic effects are presumed to result from the production of the SCFA, butyrate, by colonic fermentation, which binds to the G-protein-coupled receptor GPR43 to regulate inflammation and other cancer-related processes. TheWNTpathway is central to themaintenance of homeostasiswithin the large bowel through regulation of processes such as cell proliferation and migration and is frequently aberrantly hyperactivated in colorectal cancers. Abnormal WNT signalling can lead to irregular crypt cell proliferation that favours a hyperproliferative state. Butyrate has been shown tomodulate theWNTpathway positively, affecting functional outcomes such as apoptosis and proliferation. Butyrate’s ability to regulate gene expression results from epigenetic mechanisms, including its role as a histone deacetylase inhibitor and through modulating DNA methylation and the expression of microRNA. We conclude that genetic and epigenetic modulationof theWNTsignalling pathwaymaybe an importantmechanism throughwhich butyrate from fermentation of resistant starch and other NDC exert their chemoprotective effects.
Resistin Production from Adipose Tissue Is Decreased in db/db Obese Mice, and Is Reversed by Rosiglitazone

Objective This study was designed to (1) investigate the expression profiles of resistin in db/db mice and its dynamic association with metabolic parameters; and (2) evaluate the effects of Rosiglitazone on production of resistin. Methods Db/db mice and their lean litter mates were used for this study. Epididymal fat tissue was excised from mice of different age (from 5 to 12 weeks) for ex vivo incubation. Resistin,along with adiponectin,in serum and conditioned culture medium of epididymal fat pads were measured with immunoassays. The gene expression of resistin was determined by real-time PCR. Rosiglitazone or the vehicle (PBS) was administered into db/db mice by daily intra-gastric gavage. Differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes were used for in vitro evaluation. Results The secretion of resistin from the fat pads in db/db mice was significantly lower than that in lean mice (P<0.01). The mRNA expression of the resistin gene in fat tissue of db/db mice at the age of 5 weeks was decreased by 60.5% compared to lean controls (p<0.05). Serum levels of resistin were comparable between the obese and lean groups, perhaps due to the increased total fat mass in db/db mice. Correlation analysis showed that serum resistin levels were positively correlated to resistin secretion from fat pads(r = 0.844,P = 0.000), while negatively associated with the body weight (r = −0.515, P = 0.000) and fasting glucose level (r = −0.357, P = 0.002). Notably, treatment with rosiglitazone increased the serum resistin levels by 66.4%(P<0.05)in db/db mice. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, Rosiglitazone (10 uM) markedly enhanced the secretion of resistin by 120% (P<0.01) and its gene expression by 78.1% (P<0.05). Conclusion Both resistin gene expression and its secretion from the epididymal adipose tissue were decreased in db/db obese mice, while the insulin-sensitizing drug rosiglitazone increased resistin production. Our results do not support the role of resistin as an etiological link between obesity and diabetes.
Itraconazole nanosuspension for oral delivery: Formulation, characterization and in vitro comparison with marketed formulation

Background and the purpose of the study Itraconazole is a poorly water soluble drug which results in its insufficient bioavailability. The purpose of the present study was to formulate Itraconazole in a nanosuspension to increase the aqueous solubility and to improve its formulation related parameters, dissolution and hence oral bioavailability. Methods Itraconazole nanosuspension was prepared by pearl milling technique using zirconium oxide beads as a milling media, Poloxamer 407 as a stabilizer and glycerol as a wetting agent. Effects of various process parameters like, stirring time and the ratio of the beads were optimized by keeping drug:surfactant:milling media (1:3.0:50) as a constant initially and then optimized process parameters were used to optimize formulation parameters by 32 factorial designs. The optimized nanosuspension was lyophilized using mannitol (1:1 ratio) as a cryoprotectant. Nanosuspension was characterized by particle size and size distribution, drug content, scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning colorimetry and X-ray diffraction techniques. Results Optimized nanosuspension showed spherical shape with surface oriented surfactant molecules and a mean particle diameter of 294 nm. There was no significant change in crystalline nature after formulation and it was found to be chemically stable with high drug content. Conclusion The in vitro dissolution profile of the optimized formulation compared to the pure drug and marketed formulation (Canditral Capsule) by using 0.1N Hydrochloric acid as release medium showed higher drug release.
Repeated oral dose tolerance in dogs treated concomitantly with ciclosporin and oclacitinib for three weeks

Background Ciclosporin and oclacitinib are immunomodulators approved for the treatment of canine atopic dermatitis. The administration of a short course of prednisolone at the beginning of ciclosporin therapy hastens the efficacy of this drug; oclacitinib has a rapid antipruritic effect similar to that of prednisolone. Objectives To evaluate the oral tolerance of oclacitinib and ciclosporin given concurrently for three weeks. Animals Two groups of eight beagles. Methods Dogs were randomized to receive oclacitinib alone (0.4–0.6 mg/kg twice daily for 14 days then once daily for seven days) or in combination with ciclosporin (5 mg/kg once daily) for three weeks. They were examined every day and adverse events were recorded. Blood samples were collected during the acclimatization phase, weekly during treatment and at the end of the study for haematology, clinical chemistry and coagulation evaluation. Results There were no abnormal clinical observations following treatment with oclacitinib given alone or concomitantly with ciclosporin, with the exception of diarrhoea in two dogs receiving both drugs. Three dogs from each group experienced transient inappetence; three dogs treated with oclacitinib had mild weight loss. Clinical pathology parameters remained within the reference range for beagle dogs at that facility. Conclusions and clinical importance The concomitant administration of ciclosporin and oclacitinib for three weeks to beagles was well tolerated and was not associated with an increase in the number of adverse events or laboratory abnormalities beyond those associated with oclacitinib given alone.
Experiences of Sleep and Benzodiazepine Use among Older Women

Sleep disturbances are common among older women; however, little is known about sleep experiences among chronic benzodiazepine users. The experience of sleep, sleep troubles, and management of sleep problems were explored through semistructured interviews with 12 women aged 65–92 who had used a benzodiazepine for three months or longer to treat a sleep disturbance. Themes that emerged from an interpretive phenomenological analysis included multiple reasons for sleep disruptions (health problems, mental disturbances, and sleeping arrangements), opposing effects of benzodiazepines on sleep (helps or does not work), and several supplemental sleep strategies (modification of the environment, distraction, and consumption).
Disc-like objects in hierarchical hydrodynamical simulations: comparison with observations

We present results from a careful and detailed analysis of the structural and dynamical properties of a sample of 29 disc-like objects identified at z=0 in three AP3M–SPH fully consistent cosmological simulations. These simulations are realizations of a CDM hierarchical model, in which an inefficient Schmidt-law-like algorithm to model the stellar formation process has been implemented. We focus on properties that can be constrained with available data from observations of spiral galaxies, namely the bulge and disc structural parameters and the rotation curves. Comparison with data from Broeils, de Jong and Courteau gives satisfactory agreement, in contrast with previous findings using other codes. This suggests that the stellar formation implementation we have used has succeeded in forming compact bulges that stabilize disc-like structures in the violent phases of their assembly, while in the quiescent phases the gas has cooled and collapsed in accord with the Fall & Efstathiou standard model of disc formation.
Psychometric properties of the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders in a rural high school population.

PROBLEM Evaluate psychometric properties of the 41-item SCARED (Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders) when used with a rural community-dwelling sample. METHODS As part of a randomized controlled trial, SCARED was administered to 193 adolescents in a rural high-school setting. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and factor structure were assessed. FINDINGS Adequate internal consistency (α= 0.93) and test-retest reliability (r= 0.703) were demonstrated. Five factors were identified with a differing composition than previously reported. CONCLUSIONS The SCARED was found to be a reliable tool in the rural adolescent population. Differences in some factors suggest further research is needed.
La lengua inglesa en la nueva universidad española del EEES

La puesta en marcha del Espacio Europeo de Educacion Superior ha supuesto un gran cambio para la universidad espanola, en especial por la gran importancia que a partir de el se le da al desarrollo de competencias. Una de estas competencias clave es el dominio de una lengua extranjera, competencia que se recoge en las directrices para algunas titulaciones de grado y de posgrado elaboradas por el Ministerio de Educacion. Sin embargo, en el ejercicio de su autonomia, las universidades han hecho una aplicacion poco homogenea de estas directrices, exigiendo niveles diferentes de los previstos en la normativa a sus estudiantes, extendiendo la exigencia a titulaciones para las que no se contemplaba e implementando la ensenanza de contenidos en una lengua extranjera. Esto ha creado una gran diversidad de situaciones en las diferentes universidades, diversidad que se encuentra tambien en la manera en que las universidades valoran y acreditan los niveles de ingles de sus estudiantes. Basandose en datos recogidos mediante una encuesta a representantes de 31 universidades y en la informacion publicada en las paginas webs de las propias universidades, este trabajo describe la situacion en que se halla la ensenanza del ingles en la universidad. Una vez analizados los datos, se proponen medidas para paliar la gran heterogeneidad existente con el fin de asegurar que los estudiantes universitarios espanoles adquieran niveles de lengua inglesa que les permitan enfrentarse con exito a las exigencias del mercado laboral. Por otra parte, se pretende contribuir a que los estudiantes cuenten con pruebas que tengan la fiabilidad y el rigor necesarios para dar una imagen objetiva de sus conocimientos de ingles y, por lo tanto, ser reconocidas mas alla de las puertas de la propia universidad.
Lorentz-breaking massive gravity in curved space

A systematic study of the different phases of Lorentz-breaking massive gravity in a curved background is performed. For tensor and vector modes, the analysis is very close to that of Minkowski space. The most interesting results are in the scalar sector where, generically, there are two propagating degrees of freedom (DOF). While in maximally symmetric spaces ghostlike instabilities are inevitable, they can be avoided in a FRW background. The phases with less than two DOF in the scalar sector are also studied. Curvature allows an interesting interplay with the mass parameters; in particular, we have extended the Higuchi bound of de Sitter to Friedman-Robertson-Walker and Lorentz-breaking masses. As in dS, when the bound is saturated there is no propagating DOF in the scalar sector. In a number of phases the smallness of the kinetic terms gives rise to strongly coupled scalar modes at low energies. Finally, we have computed the gravitational potentials for pointlike sources. In the general case we recover the general relativity predictions at small distances, whereas the modifications appear at distances of the order of the characteristic mass scale. In contrast with Minkowski space, these corrections may not spoil the linear approximation at large distances.
Probabilities of ADD/ADHD and Related Substance Use Among Canadian Adults

Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence and probabilities of comorbidities between self-reported ADD/ADHD and smoking, alcohol binge drinking, and substance use disorders (SUDs) from a national Canadian sample. Method: Data were taken from the Public Use Microdata File of the 2012 Canadian Community Health Survey–Mental Health (N = 17 311). The prevalence of (a) smoking, (b) alcohol binge drinking, and (c) SUDs was estimated among those with an ADD/ADHD diagnosis versus those without an ADD/ADHD diagnosis. Results: After controlling for potential socioeconomic and mental health covariates, self-reported ADD/ADHD acted as a significant predictor for group membership in the heaviest smoking, heaviest drinking, and heaviest drug usage categories. Conclusion: Individuals self-reporting a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD were found to have a significantly higher likelihood of engaging in smoking and alcohol binge drinking, and were more likely to meet criteria for SUDs than individuals not reporting an ADD/ADHD diagnosis.
Inhalant use among urban American Indian youth.

AIMS To assess the prevalence of inhalant use among urban American Indian youth and to examine differences between inhalant users and non-users. DESIGN Baseline (T1) self-report questionnaires completed in 5th-6th grade and at seven annual follow-up assessments (T2-T8). SETTINGS Seattle metropolitan area. PARTICIPANTS Two hundred and twenty-four Indian youth. MEASUREMENTS Youth-completed measures of substance use, ethnic self-identity, involvement in traditional Indian activities, family conflict, family history of alcoholism, peer and sibling deviance, self-esteem, delinquency, aggression, anxiety, depression, sensation seeking, conduct disorder and alcohol dependence. FINDINGS Lifetime inhalant use was reported by 12.3% of adolescents. At T1, inhalant users had significantly lower perceived self-worth and average annual household incomes and significantly greater density of familial alcoholism and expression of aggressive and delinquent conduct than non-users. Aggressive behavior was the most important T1 predictor of inhalant use. Lifetime conduct and alcohol dependence disorders were 3.3 and 2.6 times more prevalent among inhalant users than non-users at T5. Inhalant users had more extensive deviant peer networks, were more sensation-seeking, and evidenced lower perceived self-worth than non-users at T8. CONCLUSIONS Inhalant use was less prevalent in this particular sample of urban Indian adolescents than in most studies of reservation Indian youth. As with other studies of inhalant abuse, aggressive and delinquent males of low SES and low-perceived self-worth with family histories of alcohol dependence, were at highest risk for inhalant use.
Does N-acetyl-L-cysteine influence cytokine response during early human septic shock?

STUDY OBJECTIVE To assess the effects of adjunctive treatment with N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) on hemodynamics, oxygen transport variables, and plasma levels of cytokines in patients with septic shock. DESIGN Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. SETTING A 24-bed medicosurgical ICU in a university hospital. PATIENTS Twenty-two patients included within 4 h of diagnosis of septic shock. INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomly allocated to receive either NAC (150 mg/kg bolus, followed by a continuous infusion of 50 mg/kg over 4 h; n= 12) or placebo (n=10) in addition to standard therapy. MEASUREMENTS Plasma concentrations of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, IL-10, and soluble tumor necrosis factor-alpha receptor-p55 (sTNFR-p55) were measured by sensitive immunoassays at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 24 h. Pulmonary artery catheter-derived hemodynamics, blood gases, hemoglobin, and arterial lactate were measured at baseline, after infusion (4 h), and at 24 h. RESULTS NAC improved oxygenation (PaO2/FIO2 ratio, 214+/-97 vs 123+/-86; p<0.05) and static lung compliance (44+/-11 vs 31+/-6 L/cm H2O; p<0.05) at 24 h. NAC had no significant effects on plasma TNF, IL-6, or IL-10 levels, but acutely decreased IL-8 and sTNFR-p55 levels. The administration of NAC had no significant effect on systemic and pulmonary hemodynamics, oxygen delivery, and oxygen consumption. Mortality was similar in both groups (control, 40%; NAC, 42%) but survivors who received NAC had shorter ventilator requirement (7+/-2 days vs 20+/-7 days; p<0.05) and were discharged earlier from the ICU (13+/-2 days vs 32+/-9 days; p<0.05). CONCLUSION In this small cohort of patients with early septic shock, short-term IV infusion of NAC was well-tolerated, improved respiratory function, and shortened ICU stay in survivors. The attenuated production of IL-8, a potential mediator of septic lung injury, may have contributed to the lung-protective effects of NAC.
Handbook of Positive Psychology in Schools

Understanding the factors that encourage young people to become active agents in their own learning is critical. Positive psychology is one lens that can be used to investigate the factors that facilitate a student's sense of agency and active school engagement. In the second edition of this groundbreaking handbook, the editors draw together the latest work on the field, identifying major issues and providing a wealth of descriptive knowledge from renowned contributors. Major topics include: the ways that positive emotions, traits, and institutions promote school achievement and healthy social and emotional development; how specific positive-psychological constructs relate to students and schools and support the delivery of school-based services; and the application of positive psychology to educational policy making. With thirteen new chapters, this edition provides a long-needed centerpiece around which the field can continue to grow, incorporating a new focus on international applications of the field.
The “Doing” and “Undoing” of Community: Chinese Networks in Ghana

Chinese have been migrating to Ghana since the late 1950s. Despite over 50 years of migration to Ghana, the Chinese do not consider Ghana their home but rather live in an extended transitory state that can last from a couple of years to several decades. Part of the nature of this extended transitory state is the invisibility of a community. This paper looks at the nature of community among the Chinese in Ghana arguing that there is a constant desire to push away from the idea of belonging to a community (“undoing” of community) while at the same time pulling towards more social intimacy (“doing” of community). In particular, this paper looks at gossip and suspicion in conjunction with economic cooperation and competition as aspects of their social encounter that illuminates the nature of this pendulum swing.
Investigating the genetic association between ERAP1 and spondyloarthritis

Objective A robust association between polymorphisms in the non-major histocompatibility complex gene ERAP1 and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in several populations was recently identified. The aim of the current study was to determine the level of association of ERAP1 polymorphisms with spondyloarthritis (SpA) in French/Belgian populations with particular attention to genotype–phenotype correlations. Methods We studied 734 independent SpA cases and 632 controls from two European cohorts. Five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), rs27044, rs17482078, rs10050860, rs30187 and rs2287987 were genotyped, and case-control association analyses were carried using PLINK 1.07 software. Linkage disequilibrium and haplotypes were estimated with Haploview. Analysis was first carried out in SpA as a whole group, and then separately in AS and non-radiographic SpA (non-AS) patients. Results Consistent with previous studies conducted in AS, rs30187 was the most significantly associated SNP with SpA (p=0.008 in the French, and p=6.46×10−4 in the Belgian cohorts). In the combined cohorts, this SNP was associated with both AS and non-AS (Pcombined= 3.9×10−5 and Pcombined= 0.005, respectively). A similar trend was observed with other SNPs. The rs17482078/rs10050860/rs30187-CCT haplotype was significantly associated with increased risk of SpA in both cohorts (Pcombined= 9.08×10−4), including AS and non-AS (Pcombined=6.16×10−4 and Pcombined=0.049, respectively), whereas the -TTC haplotype was associated with reduced risk of SpA, including AS and non-AS (Pcombined=2.36×10−7, Pcombined= 5.69×10−6 and Pcombined= 2.13×10−4, respectively). Conclusions This is the first study to show an association between several polymorphisms located in ERAP1 and SpA as a whole. Our findings demonstrate consistent association of the same SNPs and haplotypes with both AS and non-AS subtypes of SpA.