Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
[Subclinical depression: a clinically relevant condition?].

BACKGROUND Subclinical depression is a condition in which a person has depressive symptoms but does not meet the criteria for a depressive disorder. AIM To give insight in the clinical relevance of subclinical depression. method A review of a series of studies that the authors co-authored on the subject of subclinical depression. results These studies showed that subthreshold depression has serious consequences for the quality of life, but not as serious as in the case of a depressive disorder. It was also found that subthreshold (minor) depression can have considerable economic consequences for the individual concerned, although again less severe than if the individual had a depressive disorder. Because minor depression was more prevalent, the total costs of minor depression in the Netherlands (EUR 1.5 billion per year) appeared to be comparable to those of major depression (EUR 1.8 billion). It was also clear that subjects with subthreshold depression have an increased risk of developing a major depression. The degree of risk depended on a number of factors, including the definition of subthreshold depression. meta-analysis of seven studies examining the effects of psychological treatments of subthreshold depression showed that these treatments are effective (Cohen's d = 0.42; 95% ci: 0.23-0.60) and that they may well prevent the onset of major depression (incidence rate ratio: 0.70; 95% ci: 0.47-1.03; p < 0.1). CONCLUSION Subthreshold depression has serious consequences for the quality of life, but not as serious as in the case of a depressive disorder. Psychological treatment is effective.
Treatment and side effect management of CTLA‐4 antibody therapy in metastatic melanoma

Immune‐modifying monoclonal antibodies may induce or enhance the natural immune response against tumor cells. The complex interaction between antigen‐presenting cells and T lymphocytes as an immune response is strongly affected by anti‐CD152 (CTLA‐4)‐antibodies. The cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte (CTLA‐4) receptor binds molecules of the B7‐family which leads to a suppression of T cells. Specific CTLA‐4 antibodies induce an unrestrained T‐cell activation. Treatment with the CTLA‐4 antibodies ipilimumab and tremelimumab has been investigated in metastatic melanoma only within clinical trials. Currently, the critical phase III trial on ipilimumab is in the final analysis process and expected to lead to approval.
Preattentive Processes Guide Visual Search: Evidence from Patients with Unilateral Visual Neglect

Preattentive processes such as perceptual grouping are thought to be important in the initial guidance of visual attention and may also operate in unilateral neglect by contributing to the definition of a task-appropriate reference frame. We explored this question with a visual search task in which patients with unilateral visual neglect (5 with right-, 2 with left-hemisphere damage) searched a diamond-shaped matrix for a conjunction target that shared one feature with each of two distractor elements. Additional grouping stimuli appeared as flanks either on the left, right, or both sides of the central matrix, and significantly changed performance in the search task. As expected, when flanks appeared only on the ipsilesional side a decrement in search performance was observed, but the further addition of contralesional flanks actually reduced the decrement and returned performance to near baseline levels. These data suggest that flanking stimuli on the neglected contralesional side of visual space can influence the reference frame by grouping with task-relevant stimuli, and that this preattentive influence can be preserved in patients with unilateral visual neglect.
Distribution of Diseases Causing Liver Function Test Abnormality in Children and Natural Recovery Time of the Abnormal Liver Function

Although liver function test abnormality is frequently noted in children, there is no report about the distribution of the etiology and natural recovery time of the abnormal liver function. From March 2005 to February 2014, clinical information was retrospectively collected from 559 children who had abnormal liver function and were hospitalized or visited the outpatient clinic at the Jeju National University Hospital. The etiology of abnormal liver function was classified into groups and the natural recovery time of abnormal liver function was analyzed. The etiological groups of 559 patients included ‘nonspecific hepatitis’ in 42 (7.5%), ‘infection’ in 323 (57.8%), ‘rheumatologic and autoimmune’ in 66 (11.8%), ‘nonalcoholic fatty liver disease’ in 57 (10.2%), ‘anatomic’ in 12 (2.1%), ‘toxic’ in 13 (2.1%), ‘metabolic’ in 8 (1.4%), ‘hematologic’ in 7 (1.3%), ‘hemodynamic’ in 4 (0.7%), and ‘others’ in 27 (4.8%). Among the ‘infection’ group (57.8%), the ‘viral infection in the respiratory tract’ subgroup, which had 111 patients (19.8%), was the most common. The natural recovery time of the abnormal liver function was 27 days (median) in ‘nonspecific hepatitis’, 13 days (median) in ‘viral respiratory tract disease’, 16 days (median) in ‘viral gastroenteritis’, 42 days (median) in ‘viral febrile illness”, and 7 days (median) in “Kawasaki disease”. The information on the natural recovery time of abnormal liver function may help the physician to perform good clinical consultation for patients and their parents.
How important is on‐site adequacy assessment for thyroid FNA? An evaluation of 883 cases

Immediate adequacy assessment (IADA) during fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) is not universal and the optimal numberof passes has not been well determined. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nondiagnostic rates (NDR) with and without the IADA forthyroid aspirates. Subsequent cytological and surgical follow‐upwere reviewed for nondiagnostic cases. In addition, we evaluated the numberof passes performed in each FNA to determine the optimal number.
Electrocardiogram‐based emotion recognition system using empirical mode decomposition and discrete Fourier transform

Emotion recognition using physiological signals has gained momentum in the field of human computer–interaction. This work focuses on developing a user‐independent emotion recognition system that would classify five emotions (happiness, sadness, fear, surprise and disgust) and neutral state. The various stages such as design of emotion elicitation protocol, data acquisition, pre‐processing, feature extraction and classification are discussed. Emotional data were obtained from 30 undergraduate students by using emotional video clips. Power and entropy features were obtained in three ways – by decomposing and reconstructing the signal using empirical mode decomposition, by using a Hilbert–Huang transform and by applying a discrete Fourier transform to the intrinsic mode functions (IMFs). Statistical analysis using analysis of variance indicates significant differences among the six emotional states (p < 0.001). Classification results indicate that applying the discrete Fourier transform instead of the Hilbert transform to the IMFs provides comparatively better accuracy for all the six classes with an overall accuracy of 52%. Although the accuracy is less, it reveals the possibility of developing a system that could identify the six emotional states in a user‐independent manner using electrocardiogram signals. The accuracy of the system can be improved by investigating the power and entropy of the individual IMFs.
Evidence of a Broken Healthcare Delivery System in Korea: Unnecessary Hospital Outpatient Utilization among Patients with a Single Chronic Disease Without Complications

This study aims to estimate the volume of unnecessarily utilized hospital outpatient services in Korea and quantify the total cost resulting from the inappropriate utilization. The analysis included a sample of 27,320,505 outpatient claims from the 2009 National Inpatient Sample database. Using the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), patients were considered to have received 'unnecessary hospital outpatient utilization' if they had a CCI score of 0 and were concurrently admitted to hospital for treatment of a single chronic disease - hypertension (HTN), diabetes mellitus (DM), or hyperlipidemia (HL) - without complication. Overall, 85% of patients received unnecessary hospital services. Also hospitals were taking away 18.7% of HTN patients, 18.6% of DM and 31.6% of HL from clinics. Healthcare expenditures from unnecessary hospital outpatient utilization were estimated at: HTN (94,058 thousands USD, 38.6% of total expenditure); DM (17,795 thousands USD, 40.6%) and HL (62,876 thousands USD, 49.1%). If 100% of patients who received unnecessary hospital outpatient services were redirected to clinics, the estimated savings would be 104,226 thousands USD. This research proves that approximately 85% of hospital outpatient utilizations are unnecessary and that a significant amount of money is wasted on unnecessary healthcare services; thus burdening the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) and patients. Graphical Abstract
Lean-Seafood Intake Reduces Cardiovascular Lipid Risk Factors in Healthy Subjects : Results From A Randomized Controlled Trial With A Crossover Design

This population-based cohort study of 1045 subjects examined whether sodium consumption is a risk factor for fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular disease (CVD). Subjects were followed for approximately 19 years. At baseline, 716 subjects completed a 1-week food diary, which was used to calculate daily sodium intake (mg/1000 kcal). Results showed that baseline sodium intake correlated significantly with age (rs=0.117, P=0.002), BMI (rs =0.216, P=0.000), waist circumference (rs = 0.268, P=0.000), smoking (rs =0.144, P=0.000), alcohol consumption (rs =0.111, P=0.003), systolic blood pressure (rs =0.106, P=0.005) and LDL-cholesterol (rs = 0.081, P=0.033). Those who had cardiovascular events during follow-up consumed more sodium at baseline (mean 2010.4 ± 435.2 mg/1000 kcal/day, n=101) compared with those without events (mean 1849.9 ± 361.2 mg/1000 kcal/day, n=589; t-test; P=0.001). The incidence of cardiovascular events was greater in the highest quartile (22.1%) than in the lower quartiles (first 11.0%, second 9.9% and third 15.6%; X2; P=0.005). Results also showed that sodium intake predicted CVD events (P=0.031) independently when adjusted for covariates. This predictive role is seen especially in the group of subjects on hypertensive medication (P=0.001).
Causes of preterm delivery and intrauterine growth retardation in a malaria endemic region of Papua New Guinea

AIM To identify causes of preterm delivery and intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) in a malaria endemic region of Papua New Guinea. METHODS Independent predictors of preterm delivery and birthweight in term infants were identified using multiple regression analysis in a prospective study of 987 singleton live births delivered in Madang Hospital. RESULTS Overall, Plasmodium falciparum infection of the placenta was associated with a reduction in birthweight of 130 g. Malaria was significantly more common in primigravidae than multigravidae and probably contributed to both preterm delivery and IUGR. Maternal haemoglobin concentrations were significantly lower in malaria infected than non-infected women and reduced haemoglobin was the main determinant of preterm delivery. Poorer maternal nutritional status and smoking were associated with both prematurity and IUGR. Greater antenatal clinic attendance predicted increased birthweight in term infants. CONCLUSIONS Protection against malaria during pregnancy, especially in primigravidae, improved nutrition in women and discouragement of smoking would probably reduce both preterm delivery and IUGR. Greater use of existing antenatal clinics might increase birthweight in term infants. Key points In coastal Papua New Guinea, roughly a third of low birthweight infants were preterm and two thirds were growth retarded, term infants Protection from malaria during pregnancy, especially in primigravidae, may prevent both IUGR and preterm delivery A reduced maternal haemoglobin concentration was the main determinant of preterm birth Prevention of smoking during pregnancy, improved nutrition in girls and women, and increased antenatal care may also prevent low birthweight in this region
Learning and Memory Recoveries in a Young Girl Treated with Growth Hormone and Neurorehabilitation

Background—To describe the results obtained after treating a non growth hormone-deficient 10-year-old girl who suffered asphyxia during delivery, resulting in important cognitive deficits, with growth hormone (GH) and neurorehabilitation. Methods—GH was administered (mg/day) at doses of 0.5 over three months followed by 0.9, every two weeks over three months, and then alternating 1.2 three days/week and 0.3 two days/week. Neurorehabilitation consisted of daily sessions of neurostimulation, speech therapy, occupational therapy and auditive stimulation. Treatment lasted nine months. Results—Scores obtained in all the areas treated showed that, at discharge, the patient clearly increased her cognitive abilities, memory and language competence index; her intelligence quotient score increased from 51 to 80, and the index of functional independence measure reached a value of 120 over 126 (maximal value). Conclusions—This case suggests that GH administration may play a role in improving cognitive deficits during neurorehabilitation in children with brain damage suffered during delivery. This agrees with the known effects of GH on cognition.
Arthritis: Effect of Methotrexate Lymphocyte Cross-Talk in Rheumatoid Contact-Dependent Synovial Fibroblast-T IL-15 and the Initiation of Cell

To characterize the molecules responsible for synovial ﬁbroblast-T lymphocyte (TL) cross-talk in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), synovial ﬁbroblasts from patients with established RA (RASFibs) were cocultured with TLs from peripheral blood of early RA patients (RAPBTL). TLs from peripheral blood of healthy controls and from synovial ﬂuid of RA served as controls. Adhesion molecules and cytokines were determined by ﬂow cytometry, ELISA, and real-time PCR. RAPBTL ( n (cid:1) 20) induced an up-regulation of ICAM-1, intracellular IL-8, IL-6, IL-15, and surface IL-15 in cocultured RASFibs. In turn, RAPBTL showed an up-regulation of TNF- (cid:2) , IFN- (cid:3) , IL-17, CD25, and CD69 expression. Responses seen with TLs from peripheral blood of healthy controls ( n (cid:1) 20) were signiﬁcantly lower, whereas responses with TLs from synovial ﬂuid of RA ( n (cid:1) 20) were maximal. Blocking Abs to IL-15 and CD54, but not an isotype-control Ab, down-regulated the increased TL cytokine and activation marker expression. Abs to CD69, CD11a, IL-17, TNF- (cid:2) , and IFN- (cid:3) signiﬁcantly decreased the up-regulation of RASFib cytokine and CD54 expression. Cocultures using 0.4- (cid:4) m inserts did not result in up-regulation of surface molecules or cytokines. Methotrexate signiﬁcantly inhibited RASFib/TL cross-talk signals and decreased adhesion of TL to RASFibs. In summary, RASFib production of IL-15 induces the proinﬂammatory cytokines TNF- (cid:2) , IFN- (cid:3) , and IL-17 in cocultured TLs through a cell contact-dependent mechanism. In turn, these cytokines stimulate the expression of IL-15, IL-8, and IL-6 in RASFibs, thereby creating a feedback loop that favors persistent synovial inﬂammation. Methotrexate seems to disrupt this loop by decreasing cell adhesion. The Journal of Immunology, 2004, 173: 1463–1476. from controls n (cid:3) 20), and 3) synovial ﬂuid TLs from patients receiving treatment with oral pulse low-dose MTX (7.5–15 mg/wk) and low-dose prednisone mg/day) n 20). puriﬁed TLs were prepared from PBMCs by exhaustive immunomagnetic negative selection in an Automacs (Miltenyi Biotec, Bergisch Gladbach, using a T cell negative isolation kit (Miltenyi Biotec). The purity of TL (cid:4) 99% CD3-positive by ﬂow cytometry. Functional purity was assessed by the lack of proliferative responses to superantigens, lec- tins, and/or soluble anti-CD3. IL-15 anchored to plasma membrane may stimulate adherent T cells in cis by binding T cell IL-15R (cid:1) . T cell IL-15R (cid:1) would compete with ﬁbroblast IL-15R (cid:1) for secreted IL-15. C , Fibroblast IL-15 up-regulates T cell CD69, CD25, IL-17, TNF- (cid:1) , and IFN- (cid:3) expression that contribute to further increasing IL-15 and induce ﬁbroblast IL-6 and IL-8 secretion. This constitutes a feedback loop that perpetuates the inﬂammatory process.
Treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma by transcatheter arterial chemoembolization: comparison of planned periodic chemoembolization and chemoembolization based on tumor response.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of our study was to assess the efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma using two different infusion schedules. MATERIALS AND METHODS Chemoembolization with lipiodol-mediated injection of doxorubicin was performed in 160 patients. In the first group of 80 patients, conventional chemoembolization was initially planned to be repeated at least three times at 2-month intervals. In the second group of 80 patients, chemoembolization was used selectively and repeated only when necessary on the basis of follow-up CT or MR imaging. According to the Okuda classification, 72 patients were stage 1, 33 belonging to group 1 (subgroup 1, Okuda 1) and 39 belonging to group 2 (subgroup 2, Okuda 1). Eighty-eight patients were stage 2, 47 belonging to group 1 (subgroup 1, Okuda 2) and 41 belonging to group 2 (subgroup 2, Okuda 2). RESULTS Complications of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization occurred in 19 patients from group 1 and six patients from group 2 (p < .001). The mean time between the first and the third courses was significantly different between group 1 (4 months) and group 2 (14 months) (p < .001). The 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year survival rates were significantly different between subgroup 1, Okuda 1, (58%, 28%, 11%) and subgroup 2, Okuda 1 (89%, 68%, 39%) (p <. 001), and between subgroup 1, Okuda 2 (19%, 0%, 0%), and subgroup 2, Okuda 2 (48%, 31%, 15%) (p < .001). CONCLUSION The efficacy and tolerability of chemoembolization increase when it is used selectively and repeated only when necessary. Such technical considerations might explain some of the discrepancies of the results of chemoembolization in published data.
Germline hMLH1 promoter mutation in a Newfoundland HNPCC kindred

Hereditary non‐polyposis colon cancer (HNPCC) is an autosomal dominant form of inherited predisposition to colorectal and other malignancies. It is associated with mutations in DNA mismatch‐repair genes, especially hMSH2 and hMLH1. Management of HNPCC families is improved if the underlying mutation in each family can be discovered. We describe a Newfoundland kindred, meeting the Amsterdam Criteria for HNPCC, in which a mutation in the promoter region of the hMLH1 gene co‐segregates with the disease phenotype. The −42C > T mutation is within a putative Myb proto‐oncogene binding site. Using electrophoretic mobility shift assays, we demonstrated that the mutated Myb binding sequence is less effective in binding nuclear proteins than the wild‐type promoter sequence. Using in vivo transfection experiments in HeLa cells, we further demonstrated that the mutated promoter has only 37% of the activity of the wild‐type promoter in driving the expression of a reporter gene. The average age of onset in six family members affected with colorectal cancer is 62 years, which is substantially later than the typical age of onset in HNPCC families. This is consistent with a substantial decrease, but not total elimination, of mismatch repair function in affected members of this family. This is the first report of a heritable hMLH1 promoter mutation in any HNPCC family.
Synergistic role of TRPV1 and TRPA1 in pancreatic pain and inflammation.

BACKGROUND & AIMS The transient receptor potential (TRP) channels TRPV1 and TRPA1 have each been associated with regulation of efferent properties of primary afferent neurons that initiate neurogenic inflammation and are required for the development of inflammatory hyperalgesia. To evaluate the role of these channels in producing pain during pancreatic inflammation, we studied pancreatic nodose ganglion (NG) and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) sensory neurons (identified by content of retrograde tracer) and behavioral outcomes in a mouse model of acute pancreatitis. METHODS Pancreatic inflammation was induced by 8 hourly injections of cerulein (50 μg/kg). The extent of inflammation, pancreatic neuron TRP channel expression and function and excitability, and pain-related behaviors were evaluated over the course of the following week. RESULTS Histology and myeloperoxidase activity confirmed pancreatic inflammation that was associated with increased excitability and messenger RNA expression of the TRP channels in NG and DRG pancreatic neurons. Calcium imaging of pancreatic NG and DRG neurons from mice given cerulein revealed increased responses to TRP agonists. TRPV1 and TRPA1 antagonists attenuated cerulein-induced pain behaviors and pancreatic inflammation; they had a synergistic effect. CONCLUSIONS Pancreatic inflammation significantly increased the expression and functional properties of TRPV1 and TRPA1, as well as the excitability of pancreatic sensory neurons in vagal and spinal pathways. TRP channel antagonists acted synergistically to reverse pancreatic inflammation and associated pain behaviors; reagents that target interactions between these channels might be developed to reduce pain in patients with acute pancreatitis.
Theft detection and smart metering practices and expectations in the Netherlands

This paper provides insight into the illegal use or abstraction of electricity in the Netherlands. The importance and the economic aspects of theft detection are presented and the current practices and experiences are discussed. The paper also proposes a novel methodology for automated detection of illegal utilization of electricity in the future distribution networks equipped with smart metering infrastructure. The necessary data requirements for smart meters and distribution substations are defined, in order to unlock this feature in distribution network. The paper also proposes the measures, which should be undertaken by the smart metering standards.
Relationships between the Noncognitive Characteristics, High School Course Work and Grades, and Test Scores of ACT-Tested Students. ACT Research Report 99-4.

This study examined the relationships between students’ noncognitive characteristics and their performance on the ACT Assessment. Of particular interest were the contributions of these noncognitive variables to explaining ACT Assessment performance (over and above course work taken, grades earned, and high school attended). The sample for the study consisted of 5,489 ACTtested students from 106 schools who had completed a survey about their perceptions of themselves, their homes, and their school environment. From 47% to 65% of the variance in ACT scores was explained by high school grade average, core courses taken, education-related factors, activities, background characteristics, students’ perceptions of self, and high school attended. Students’ noncognitive characteristics explained less than 15% additional variance in ACT scores, over and above grades and course work taken. However, by themselves students’ noncognitive characteristics explained 31% of the variance in high school grade average and 21% and 12%, respectively of the variance in the number of years of mathematics or science courses taken. These results suggest that noncognitive characteristics impact students’ choices of high school course work and the grades they earn in those courses, which, in turn, are strongly related to ACT scores. Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank Christy Aicher, Linda Althouse, Chuan-Ju Lin, and Robbie Scholes for their assistance with this report.