Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigating cognitive transfer within the framework of music practice: genetic pleiotropy rather than causality.

The idea of far transfer effects in the cognitive sciences has received much attention in recent years. One domain where far transfer effects have frequently been reported is music education, with the prevailing idea that music practice entails an increase in cognitive ability (IQ). While cross-sectional studies consistently find significant associations between music practice and IQ, randomized controlled trials, however, report mixed results. An alternative to the hypothesis of cognitive transfer effects is that some underlying factors, such as shared genes, influence practice behaviour and IQ causing associations on the phenotypic level. Here we explored the hypothesis of far transfer within the framework of music practice. A co-twin control design combined with classical twin-modelling based on a sample of more than 10,500 twins was used to explore causal associations between music practice and IQ as well as underlying genetic and environmental influences. As expected, phenotypic associations were moderate (r = 0.11 and r = 0.10 for males and females, respectively). However, the relationship disappeared when controlling for genetic and shared environmental influences using the co-twin control method, indicating that a highly practiced twin did not have higher IQ than the untrained co-twin. In line with that finding, the relationship between practice and IQ was mostly due to shared genetic influences. Findings strongly suggest that associations between music practice and IQ in the general population are non-causal in nature. The implications of the present findings for research on plasticity, modularity, and transfer are discussed.
Life table and consumption capacity of corn earworm, Helicoverpa armigera , fed asparagus, Asparagus officinalis

Abstract The life table and consumption rate of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) reared on asparagus, Asparagus officinalis L. (Asparagales: Asparagaceae) were studied under laboratory conditions to assess their interaction. Development, survival, fecundity, and consumption data were analyzed by the age-stage, two-sex life table. This study indicated that asparagus is a natural host of H. armigera. However, the poor nutritional content in asparagus foliage and the poor fitness of H. armigera that fed on asparagus indicated that asparagus is a suboptimal host in comparison to hybrid sweet corn. The uncertainty associated with life table parameters was estimated by using jackknife and bootstrap techniques, and the results were compared for statistical inference. The intrinsic rate of increase (r), finite rate of increase (&lgr;), net reproductive rate (R0), and mean generation time (T) were estimated by the jackknife technique to be 0.0780 day-1, 1.0811 day-1, 67.4 offspring, and 54.8 days, respectively, while those estimated by the bootstrap technique were 0.0752 day-1, 1.0781 day-1, 68.0 offspring, and 55.3 days, respectively. The net consumption rate of H. armigera, as estimated by the jackknife and bootstrap technique, was 1183.02 and 1132.9 mg per individual, respectively. The frequency distribution of sample means obtained by the jackknife technique failed the normality test, while the bootstrap results fit the normal distribution well. By contrast, the relationship between the mean fecundity and the net reproductive rate, as estimated by the bootstrap technique, was slightly inconsistent with the relationship found by mathematical proof. The application of the jackknife and bootstrap techniques in estimating population parameters requires further examination.
Low vitamin D status adversely affects bone health parameters in adolescents.

BACKGROUND The effects of subclinical vitamin D deficiency on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone turnover in adolescents, especially in boys, are unclear. OBJECTIVE We aimed to investigate the relations of different stages of vitamin D status and BMD and bone turnover in a representative sample of adolescent boys and girls. DESIGN BMD was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry at the nondominant forearm and dominant heel in a random sample of 12- (n = 260) and 15-y-old (n = 239) boys and 12- (n = 266) and 15-y-old (n = 250) girls. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, parathyroid hormone, osteocalcin, and type I collagen cross-linked C-telopeptide were assessed by using enzyme-linked immunoassays. Relations between vitamin D status and bone health indexes were assessed by using regression modeling. RESULTS Using multivariate regression to adjust for potential physical, lifestyle, and dietary confounding factors, we observed that 12- and 15-y-old girls with high vitamin D status (>/=74.1 nmol/L) had significantly greater forearm (but not heel) BMD (beta = 0.018; SE = 0.008; P < 0.05 for each age group) and lower serum parathyroid hormone concentrations and bone turnover markers than did those with low vitamin D status. These associations were evident in subjects sampled throughout the year and in winter only. There was no significant relation between vitamin D status and BMD in boys. CONCLUSIONS Maintaining serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations above approximately 50 nmol/L throughout the year may be a cost-effective means of improving bone health. Increased emphasis on exploring strategies for improving vitamin D status in adolescents is needed.
Effects of exercise intensity on food intake and appetite in women.

BACKGROUND Increasing exercise intensity has been shown to reduce energy intake in men. OBJECTIVE The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of exercise intensity on energy intake in women. DESIGN Thirteen moderately active (peak oxygen uptake: 44.0 +/- 4.7 mL . kg(-1) . min(-1)) women [body mass index (in kg/m(2)): 22.2 +/- 2.4; age: 22.2 +/- 2.0 y] were subjected to 3 experimental conditions: control with no exercise and 2 equicaloric (350 kcal) low- (LIE) and high- (HIE) intensity exercise sessions at 40% and 70% of peak oxygen uptake, respectively. After each session, the participants ate ad libitum from buffet-type meals at lunch and dinner and ate snacks during the afternoon and evening. Visual analogue scales were used to rate appetite. RESULTS More energy was ingested at lunchtime after the HIE session than after the control session (878 +/- 309 and 751 +/- 230 kcal, respectively; P = 0.02). Relative energy intake (postexercise energy intake corrected for the energy cost of exercise above the resting level) at lunch was lower after the LIE session than after the control session (530 +/- 233 and 751 +/- 230 kcal, respectively; P < 0.001) and was lower after the HIE session than after the control session (565 +/- 301 and 751 +/- 230 kcal, respectively; P < 0.01). Similarly, daily energy intake tended to increase during the HIE session relative to that during the control session. No treatment effect was found for appetite scores throughout the experiment. CONCLUSION The results suggest that HIE increases energy intake in women.
High-dose Versus Low-dose Tranexamic Acid to Reduce Transfusion Requirements in Pediatric Scoliosis Surgery

Background: Our objective was to quantify blood loss and transfusion requirements for high-dose and low-dose tranexamic acid (TXA) dosing regimens in pediatric patients undergoing spinal fusion for correction of idiopathic scoliosis. Previous investigators have established the efficacy of TXA in pediatric scoliosis surgery; however, the dosing regimens vary widely and the optimal dose has not been established. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed electronic medical records for 116 patients who underwent spinal fusion surgery for idiopathic scoliosis by a single surgeon and were treated with TXA. In total, 72 patients received a 10 mg/kg loading dose with a 1 mg/kg/h maintenance dose (low-dose) and 44 patients received 50 mg/kg loading dose with a 5 mg/kg/h maintenance dose (high-dose). Estimated blood loss and transfusion requirements were compared between dosing groups. Results: Patient characteristics were nearly identical between the 2 groups. Compared with the low-dose TXA group, the high-dose TXA group had decreased estimated blood loss (695 vs. 968 mL, P=0.01), and a decrease in both intraoperative (0.3 vs. 0.9 units, P=0.01) and whole hospitalization (0.4 vs. 1.0 units, P=0.04) red blood cell transfusion requirements. The higher-dose TXA was associated with decreased intraoperative (P=0.01), and whole hospital transfusion (P=0.01) requirements, even after risk-adjustment for potential confounding variables. Conclusions: High-dose TXA is more effective than low-dose TXA in reducing blood loss and transfusion requirements in pediatric idiopathic scoliosis patients undergoing surgery. Level of Evidence: Level—III, retrospective cohort study.
Fetal mesenchymal stem cells: isolation, properties and potential use in perinatology and regenerative medicine

The fetus is a source of nonembryonic stem cells (SC), with potential applications in perinatal medicine. Cells derived from the placenta, membranes, amniotic fluid or fetal tissues are higher in number, expansion potential and differentiation abilities compared with SC from adult tissues. Although some obstacles keep SC biology at distance from clinical application, the feasibility of using (homologous) SC for tissue engineering for the fetus with a congenital birth defect has been demonstrated. Also, other pathologies may benefit from SC technology.
Development of 2D+T tracking algorithm in ultrasound images for radiotherapy

The aim of this study is to develop and validate a deformable tracking algorithm for monitoring the motion of the target volume on 2D ultrasound (US) images during a radiotherapy fraction. The proposed method is applied on images acquired with a transperineal ultrasound (TP-US) probe on 31 treatment patient's sessions, treated with a prostate or after a surgery, called a prostatectomy. The developed algorithm is based on Speeded-Up Robust Features (SURF) to find and match the corresponding salient points in the reference and moving images, and Thin Plate Spline (TPS) to warp the image. The results are promising and show that the proposed algorithm performs well with either artificial transforms, or in comparison with a rigid intensity based algorithm used in clinic.
SMELL-S and SMELL-R: Olfactory tests not influenced by odor-specific insensitivity or prior olfactory experience

Significance Currently available smell testing methods can be confounded by the lack of prior experience or insensitivity to the odorants used in the test. This introduces a source of bias into clinical tests aimed at detecting patients with olfactory dysfunction. We have developed smell tests that use mixtures of 30 molecules that average out the variability in sensitivity to individual molecules. Because these mixtures have an unfamiliar smell and the tests are nonsemantic, their use eliminates differences in test performance due to familiarity with the smells or the words used to describe them. SMELL-S and SMELL-R facilitate smell testing in different populations, without the need to adapt test stimuli to account for differences in familiarity with the test odors. Smell dysfunction is a common and underdiagnosed medical condition that can have serious consequences. It is also an early biomarker of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, where olfactory deficits precede detectable memory loss. Clinical tests that evaluate the sense of smell face two major challenges. First, human sensitivity to individual odorants varies significantly, so test results may be unreliable in people with low sensitivity to a test odorant but an otherwise normal sense of smell. Second, prior familiarity with odor stimuli can bias smell test performance. We have developed nonsemantic tests for olfactory sensitivity (SMELL-S) and olfactory resolution (SMELL-R) that use mixtures of odorants that have unfamiliar smells. The tests can be self-administered by healthy individuals with minimal training and show high test–retest reliability. Because SMELL-S uses odor mixtures rather than a single molecule, odor-specific insensitivity is averaged out, and the test accurately distinguished people with normal and dysfunctional smell. SMELL-R is a discrimination test in which the difference between two stimulus mixtures can be altered stepwise. This is an advance over current discrimination tests, which ask subjects to discriminate monomolecular odorants whose difference in odor cannot be quantified. SMELL-R showed significantly less bias in scores between North American and Taiwanese subjects than conventional semantically based smell tests that need to be adapted to different languages and cultures. Based on these proof-of-principle results in healthy individuals, we predict that SMELL-S and SMELL-R will be broadly effective in diagnosing smell dysfunction.
Association of High‐Dose Ibuprofen Use, Lung Function Decline, and Long‐Term Survival in Children with Cystic Fibrosis

Rationale: Cystic fibrosis deaths result primarily from lung function loss, so chronic respiratory therapies, intended to preserve lung function, are cornerstones of cystic fibrosis care. Although treatment‐associated reduction in rate of lung function loss should ultimately improve cystic fibrosis survival, no such relationship has been described for any chronic cystic fibrosis therapy. In part, this is because the ages of most rapid lung function decline—early adolescence—precede the median age of cystic fibrosis deaths by more than a decade. Objectives: To study associations of high‐dose ibuprofen treatment with the rate of forced expiratory volume in 1 second decline and mortality among children followed in the Epidemiologic Study of Cystic Fibrosis and subsequently in the U.S. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry. Methods: We performed a matched cohort study using data from Epidemiologic Study of Cystic Fibrosis. Exposure was defined as high‐dose ibuprofen use reported at ≥80% of encounters over 2 years. Unexposed children were matched to exposed children 5:1 using propensity scores on the basis of demographic, clinical, and treatment covariates. The rate of decline of percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second during the 2‐year follow‐up period was estimated by mixed‐effects modeling with random slopes and intercepts. Survival over 16 follow‐up years in the U.S. Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Patient Registry was compared between treatment groups by using proportional hazards modeling controlling for matching and covariates. Results: We included 775 high‐dose ibuprofen users and 3,665 nonusers who were well matched on demographic, clinical, and treatment variables. High‐dose ibuprofen users declined on average 1.10 percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second/yr (95% confidence interval; 0.51, 1.69) during the 2‐year treatment period, whereas nonusers declined at a rate of 1.76% percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 second/yr (95% confidence interval; 1.48, 2.04) during the corresponding 2‐year period, a 37.5% slower decline among users compared with nonusers (95% confidence interval; 0.4%, 71.3%; P = 0.046). The users had better subsequent survival (P < 0.001): the unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios for mortality (high‐dose ibuprofen/non‐high‐dose ibuprofen) (95% confidence interval) were 0.75 (0.64, 0.87) and 0.82 (0.69, 0.96). Conclusions: In a propensity‐score matched cohort study of children with cystic fibrosis, we observed an association between high‐dose ibuprofen use and both slower lung function decline and improved long‐term survival. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that treatment‐associated reduction of lung function decline in children with cystic fibrosis leads to improved survival.
Genome stability: What we have learned from cohesinopathies

Cohesin is a multiprotein complex involved in many DNA‐related processes such as proper chromosome segregation, replication, transcription, and repair. Mutations in cohesin gene pathways are responsible for human diseases, collectively referred to as cohesinopathies. In addition, both cohesin gene expression dysregulation and mutations have been identified in cancer. Cohesinopathy cells are characterized by genome instability (GIN) visualized by a constellation of markers such as chromosome aneuploidies, chromosome aberrations, precocious sister chromatid separation, premature centromere separation, micronuclei formation, and sensitivity to genotoxic drugs. The emerging picture suggests that GIN observed in cohesinopathies may result from the synergistic effects of the multiple cohesin dysfunctions. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Iron status of the free-living, elderly Framingham Heart Study cohort: an iron-replete population with a high prevalence of elevated iron stores.

BACKGROUND Although iron deficiency occurs commonly in vulnerable groups of women of reproductive age, infants, and children, less is known about the iron nutriture of the elderly. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to evaluate the iron status of a noninstitutionalized, elderly US population, with a particular focus on 2 concerns unique to the elderly: 1) potential confounding effects of chronic disease on iron measures and 2) increased occurrence of elevated iron stores. DESIGN Multiple iron measures, including serum ferritin (SF), transferrin saturation, mean cell volume, and hemoglobin, were used to evaluate the prevalence of iron deficiency (ID), iron deficiency anemia (IDA), and other measures of iron nutriture in 1016 elderly white Americans aged 67-96 y from the Framingham Heart Study. "Diseased" subjects were defined as those with possible pathologically altered iron measures due to inflammation, infection, elevated liver enzymes, hereditary hemochromatosis, or cancer. The effect of altered iron status on various prevalence estimates was assessed. RESULTS The elderly subjects had a low prevalence of ID (2.7%), IDA (1.2%), and depleted iron stores (3%; SF < 12 microg/L). In contrast, 12.9% had elevated iron stores (SF > 300 microg/L in men and SF > 200 microg/L in women), of which only 1% was attributable to chronic disease. The prevalence of ID, IDA, and depleted iron stores was unaffected by the presence of chronic disease. CONCLUSIONS The Framingham Heart Study cohort is an iron-replete elderly population with a high prevalence of elevated iron stores in contrast with a low prevalence of iron deficiency, with insignificant effects of chronic disease on these iron status estimates. The likely liability in iron nutriture in free-living, elderly white Americans eating a Western diet is high iron stores, not iron deficiency.
Meal modulation of circulating interleukin 18 and adiponectin concentrations in healthy subjects and in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND A single high-fat meal induces endothelial activation, which is associated with increased serum concentrations of inflammatory cytokines. OBJECTIVE We compared the effect of 3 different meals on circulating concentrations of interleukin 8 (IL-8), interleukin 18 (IL-18), and adiponectin in healthy subjects and in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. DESIGN Thirty patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes and 30 matched, nondiabetic subjects received the following 3 isoenergetic (780 kcal) meals separated by 1-wk intervals: a high-fat meal; a high-carbohydrate, low-fiber (4.5 g) meal; and a high-carbohydrate, high-fiber meal in which refined-wheat flour was replaced with whole-wheat flour (16.8 g). We analyzed serum glucose and lipid variables and serum IL-8, IL-18, and adiponectin concentrations at baseline and at 2 and 4 h after ingestion of the meals. RESULTS Compared with nondiabetic subjects, diabetic patients had higher fasting IL-8 (P < 0.05) and IL-18 (P < 0.01) concentrations and lower adiponectin concentrations (P < 0.01) at baseline. In both nondiabetic and diabetic subjects, IL-18 concentrations increased and adiponectin concentrations decreased (P < 0.05) from baseline concentrations after consumption of the high-fat meal. After consumption of the high-carbohydrate, high-fiber meal, serum IL-18 concentrations decreased from baseline concentrations (P < 0.05) in both nondiabetic and diabetic subjects; adiponectin concentrations decreased after the high-carbohydrate, low-fiber meal in diabetic patients. IL-8 concentrations did not change significantly after consumption of any of the 3 meals. CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence that circulating IL-18 and adiponectin concentrations are modulated by familiar foodstuffs in humans. Meal modulation of cytokines involved in atherogenesis may represent a safe strategy for ameliorating atherogenetic inflammatory activity in diabetic patients.
Maternal antioxidant intake in pregnancy and wheezing illnesses in children at 2 y of age.

BACKGROUND Low intakes of dietary antioxidants may contribute to increases in asthma and allergy. OBJECTIVE We investigated the association of maternal total intakes (foods + supplements) of 10 antioxidant nutrients during pregnancy with wheezing and eczema in 2-y-old children. DESIGN Subjects were 1290 mother-child pairs in an ongoing cohort study. Maternal dietary and supplement intakes were assessed by using a validated food-frequency questionnaire administered in the first and second trimesters. Antioxidant nutrient intakes were calculated, and the mean for each nutrient was considered to be the exposure during pregnancy. The outcomes of interest were any wheezing by the child during either the first or second year of life, recurrent wheezing in both years, and eczema in either the first or second year. RESULTS No association was observed between maternal total intake of any antioxidant nutrient and eczema. In multivariate logistic regression models, the highest quartile compared with the lowest quartile of maternal total intakes of vitamin E [odds ratio (OR): 0.70; 95% CI: 0.48, 1.03] and zinc (OR: 0.59; 95% CI: 0.41, 0.88) was inversely associated with any wheezing at 2 y of age (P for trend = 0.06 and 0.01 over quartiles of intake for vitamin E and zinc, respectively). Similar results were obtained for recurrent wheezing at 2 y of age with vitamin E (OR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.27, 0.90) and zinc (OR: 0.49; 95% CI: 0.27, 0.87) (P for trend = 0.05 and 0.06 over quartiles of intake for vitamin E and zinc, respectively). CONCLUSION Our results suggest that higher maternal total intakes of antioxidants during pregnancy may decrease the risks for wheezing illnesses in early childhood.