Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessing substance abuse treatment need: a statewide hospital emergency department study.

STUDY OBJECTIVE Health care providers in hospital emergency departments rarely take substance abuse histories or assess associated treatment need. This study compares documentation of psychoactive drug-related diagnoses for adult ED patients in medical records with treatment need assessed through self-report, toxicologic screening, and Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV), criteria. METHODS A statewide, 2-stage, probability sample survey was conducted in 7 Tennessee general hospital EDs from June 1996 to January 1997. Main outcome measures were the prevalence of diagnosed substance abuse problems, positive bioassay results, denied use, and treatment need. Sensitivity and multivariate analyses were conducted by using varied case definitions of treatment need. RESULTS Thirty-one percent (95% confidence interval [CI] 27.3% to 34.7%) of screened ED patients (n=1,330) had positive test results for substance use. Their prevalence of denial of use in the 30 days before the survey ranged from 10% for alcohol (95% CI 5.7% to 14.3%) to 100% for phencyclidine. One percent of all ED patients (n=1,502) had a recorded diagnosis of substance abuse. By contrast, as many as 27% (95% CI 23.3% to 31.8%) were assessed as needing substance abuse treatment on the basis of a comprehensive case definition that accounted for denial and positive test results. A sensitivity analysis using other case definitions is also presented. For example, 4% (95% CI 2.8% to 5.3%) of patients met the very strict definition of DSM-IV current drug dependence only. Under the comprehensive case definition, TennCare patients (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.63; 95% CI 1.30 to 2.05) and Medicare patients (adjusted OR 2.50; 95% CI 1.34 to 4.65) showed excess treatment need relative to the privately insured. Excess need was also exhibited by patients reporting 1 or more prior ED visits in the past year (adjusted OR 1.62; 95% CI 1.13 to 2.31) and by patients taking 2 or more hours to reach the ED after the onset of injury or illness (adjusted OR 1.54; 95% CI 1.16 to 2.04). Treatment need was inversely associated with age. Irrespective of case definition, less than 10% of ED patients who needed substance abuse treatment were receiving such treatment. CONCLUSION EDs can be important venues for detecting persons in need of substance abuse treatment.
Elemental Surface Analysis at Ambient Pressure by Electron-Induced X-Ray Fluorescence

The development of a portable surface elemental analysis tool, based on the excitation of characteristic x rays from samples at ambient pressure with a focused electron beam is described. This instrument relies on the use of a thin electron transmissive membrane to isolate the vacuum of the electron source from the ambient atmosphere. The major attributes of this instrument include rapid (several minutes) spectrum acquisition, nondestructive evaluation of elemental composition, no sample preparation, and high-to-medium (several hundreds μm) spatial resolution. The instrument proof-of-principle has been demonstrated in a laboratory setup by obtaining energy dispersive x-ray spectra from metal and mineral samples.
Comparison of two exhaled nitric oxide analyzers: The NIOX MINO hand‐held electrochemical analyzer and the NOA280i stationary chemiluminescence analyzer

Background and objective: Measurement of the fraction of nitric oxide (FeNO) in exhaled air is useful in the management of asthma. A new hand‐held nitric oxide (NO) analyzer, the NIOX MINO, is simple and easy to use in clinical practice. In this study, FeNO values measured using the NIOX MINO were compared with those obtained using a stationary chemiluminescence analyzer, the Sievers NOA280i.
Etude du développement des tendons et de leur interaction avec les précurseurs de muscles lors de la myogenèse appendiculaire chez la Drosophile

La mise en place du systeme musculo-(exo)squelettique de la drosophile est un modele d’organisation particulierement propice a l’etude des interactions tissulaires au cours du developpement.Notre etude vise a, d’une part, comprendre la myogenese appendiculaire a travers l’etude des interactions precoces entre les precurseurs de tendon et les myoblastes, et d’autre part, etudier les mecanismes de differenciation des precurseurs de tendons associes au disque de patte. Dans ce contexte nous avons adapte la methode GRASP (GFP Reconstitution Across Synaptic Partners) ainsi que l’imagerie en temps reel a notre modele pour demontrer l’existence des interactions cellulaires entre les precurseurs de tendons et les myoblastes, nous avons aussi mis au point une approche cellule-specifique afin de trier les precurseurs de tendons et les myoblastes associes au disque de patte, ce qui nous a permis d’obtenir dans un premier temps les donnees transcriptomiques des precurseurs de tendons. J’ai egalement etudie l’impact de l’alteration des precurseurs de tendon sur le comportement des myoblastes associes et inversement. Nos resultats montrent que l’alteration du developpement des tendons entraine une desorganisation spatiale des myoblastes environnants. Dans la seconde partie de mon projet, je me suis interessee a l’implication de la voie Notch et des genes de la famille odd-skipped dans la differenciation et la morphogenese des precurseurs de tendon. J’ai ainsi demontre que Notch est necessaire et localement suffisant pour induire l’expression de stripe et que les genes odd-skipped et stripe cooperent en aval cette voie pour permettre l’invagination et l’elongation sous forme de tube des longs tendons internes de la patte.
Comments on the Proof of Adaptive Stochastic Set Cover Based on Adaptive Submodularity and Its Implications for the Group Identification Problem in “Group-Based Active Query Selection for Rapid Diagnosis in Time-Critical Situations”

We point out an issue with one of the results in Bellala <italic>et al.</italic> <xref ref-type="bibr" rid="ref1">[1]</xref> that invokes a main result on adaptive stochastic minimum cost cover problem (Theorem 5.8) of Golovin and Krause. We construct an example that shows that the proof of Theorem 5.8 of Golovin and Krause is invalid, and therefore, the proof in Bellala <italic>et al.</italic> about the near-optimum performance of their algorithm is also invalid.
Liver Biopsy for Histological Assessment – The Case Against

Percutaneous liver biopsy (LB) remains an important tool in the diagnosis and management of parenchymal liver diseases. In current practice, it is most frequently performed to assess the inflammatory grade and fibrotic stage of commonly encountered liver diseases, with the diagnostic role relegated to secondary importance. The role of LB remains a vastly controversial and debated subject, with an ever-increasing burden of evidence that questions its routine application in all patients with liver dysfunction. It remains, essentially, an invasive procedure with certain unavoidable risks and complications. It also suffers shortcomings in diagnostic accuracy since a large liver sample is required for an ideal assessment, which in clinical practice is not feasible. LB is also open to observer interpretation and prone to sampling errors. In recent years, a number of noninvasive biomarkers have evolved, each with an impressive range of diagnostic certainty approaching that achieved with LB. These noninvasive tests represent a lower-cost option, are easily reproducible, and serve as suitable alternatives to assess hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. This article aims to debate the shortcomings of LB while simultaneously demonstrating the diagnostic accuracy, reliability and usefulness of noninvasive markers of liver disease thereby making the case for their utilization as suitable alternatives to LB in many, although not all, circumstances.
Computational and empirical studies of task switching

This thesis is concerned with the study of executive function using the task switching paradigm. It is argued that theoretical accounts of task switching fall into two categories: a) those that attribute the reaction time cost of task switching to interference caused by previous performance of a different task (Task carryover' accounts) and b) those that attribute the 'switch cost' to the duration of one or more executive control processes that are specific to task switching ('extra process' accounts). These accounts have different implications for the study of executive function with the task switching paradigm: according to extra process accounts, control processes involved in task switching may be investigated directly, whereas according to task carryover accounts there can only be an indirect relationship between the operation of control processes and the duration of switch costs. A parallel distributed processing (PDF) model is presented, implementing a version of the task carryover account. This model simulates reaction times when subjects switch between word reading and colour naming in response to Stroop stimuli, providing a good fit to a large body of empirical data. Further simulations with random parameter settings show that the model simulates this data as a result of its architecture and general processing principles, rather than the specific parameter settings that were chosen. Six empirical studies are then reported, investigating task switching performance when subjects simultaneously perform a working memory task. The model is used to relate patterns of switch costs in these experiments to the underlying control processes and strategies that may be employed by subjects. It is concluded that task switching may provide a suitable methodology for the study of executive function, but that the relationship between switch costs and executive function is complex and indirect.
Immune function in patients undergoing open vs laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND Abnormal release of inflammatory mediators following surgical injury is associated with immunological alteration, which may predispose to sepsis. Laparoscopic surgery is associated with reduced postoperative complications, but mechanisms are unclear. We hypothesized that early recovery following laparoscopic surgery may relate to minimal impairment of immune function. DESIGN Analysis of the temporal immune responses in two similar groups of patients randomized to open (n = 22) vs laparoscopic (n = 22) cholecystectomy. Patients were matched for age, height, weight, and operation time. Immune parameters, including monocyte superoxide anion (O2-) and tumor necrosis factor release, neutrophil O2- levels and chemotaxis, total white blood cell counts, partial arterial oxygen pressure, and serum cortisol and C-reactive protein levels were assessed preoperatively and on postoperative days 1 and 3. RESULTS There were significant increases (P < .001) in monocyte release of O2- and tumor necrosis factor, neutrophil release of O2- and chemotaxis, and white blood cell count in the open vs laparoscopic cholecystectomy study groups, with a concommitant decrease in partial arterial oxygen pressure. These findings correlated with significantly higher postoperative septic complications in the open cholecystectomy group (P < .05). There were no significant differences in either plasma cortisol or C-reactive protein levels between groups. All measurements were carried out in a blinded fashion. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that laparoscopic surgery appears to be associated with similar metabolic responses compared with open surgery, while immune parameters vary greatly between groups. The beneficial effects of laparoscopic surgery may relate, in part, to preservation of immune function in the postoperative period.
Recovery of Cryptosporidium from spiked water and stool samples measured by PCR and real time PCR

Cryptosporidium parvum is a common intestinal protozoan parasite infecting humans and a wide range of animals, whose diagnostics present considerable difficulties. These arise from the exceptionally robust nature of the oocyst's walls, which necessitates more stringent treatments for disruption and recovery of DNA for analysis using molecular methods. In the case of water, which is the major source of Cryptosporidium oocysts, investigations concern the detection of the presence of the oocysts. Their concentration in water is very low, and moreover, many substances that may have significance as inhibitors of DNA amplification, are present in environ- mental water and stool. We have carried out trials in order to assess the effectiveness of recovery of C . parvum oocysts, from spiked environmental and distilled water samples, filtrated and concentrated with the use of special laboratory equipment. Inactivation of inhibitors was carried out with use of bovine serum albumin (BSA) in PCR mixes at ten different concentrations. DNA extraction was carried out from stool samples spiked with C . parvum oocysts, concentrated using two methods, and unconcentrated. Nested PCR and a TaqMan nested real time PCR assay, targeting the 18S rRNA gene, was used to detect C . parvum DNA in spiked water and additionally in spiked stool samples. The obtained results showed that losses of C. parvum oocysts occur during the filtra - tion and concentration of spiked water samples. The addition of small amounts of BSA (5-20 ng/µl) to PCR and TaqMan PCR mixes increases the sensitivity of both methods, but a high concentration of BSA (100 ng/µl and above) has an inhibiting effect on the polymerase reaction. The extraction of DNA from C . parvum oocysts from spiked stool samples preceded by concentration with PBS, ether and Percoll resulted in a higher copy number of the 18S rRNA gene.
Effect of Host Weight Loss on Friend Leukemia Virus Infections in Swiss, DBA/2, and BALB/c Mice.∗

Summary Caloric restriction studies in Swiss, DBA/2, and BALB/c mice infected with Friend leukemia virus (FLV) have indicated that loss of host weight can markedly affect the extent of virus-induced splenomegaly, but does not noticeably affect the titer of recoverable virus in plasma or spleens from these animals. It was concluded that host weight change is important and should be considered when using FLV-induced splenomegaly in chemotherapy trials. The effect on FLV-induced splenomegaly of 2 compounds, porfiromycin and 1-methyl-1-nitrosourea, were evaluated in the light of these findings.
Quantitative determination of AVI-7100 (Radavirsen), a phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer (PMOplus® ), in human plasma using LC-MS/MS.

AIM AVI-7100 (Radavirsen) is a 20-mer phosphorodiamidate morpholino oligomer (PMOplus®) for the treatment of influenza. Results/methodology: An automated solid-phase extraction method was used to extract plasma samples (200 μl). The extracts were analyzed using liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry under the positive ionization mode. This method was fully validated over the calibration curve range of 5.00-1000 ng/ml. The between-run precision and accuracy ranged from 0.0 to 5.2% relative standard deviation and 91.6 to 100.0% of nominal for all quality control concentrations, including the lower limit of quantitation. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION This is the first liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry method for the measurement of AVI-7100 concentrations in human plasma. It has been used to support regulated bioanalysis.
[Promotor hypermethylation of E-cadherin, p16 and estrogen receptor in prostate carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE To investigate promotor hypermethylation of the CpG islands of E-Cadherin, p16 and estrogen receptor (ER) in prostate carcinoma and explore whether such methylation might play a role in the tumorigenesis and malignant progression of prostate carcinoma and their significance in the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment. METHODS Thirteen specimens of benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH), 10 specimens of high grade prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (HGPIN) and 20 specimens of prostate carcinoma (with follow-up records) were collected from the patients who underwent radical prostatectomy or transurethral resection. Methylation-specific PCR (MSP) was used to detect the promoter hypermethylation of E-Cadherin, p16 and ER genes. RESULTS Hypermethylation percentages in prostate carcinoma were: E-Cadherin, 30%; p16, 25%; and ER, 65%. Almost all nonmalignant tissues (BPH and HG-PIN) lacked methylation of any genes. CONCLUSION Detecting promotor hypermethylation of E-Cadherin, p16 and ER may be helpful to differentiate nonmalignant lesions from prostate carcinoma.
Loss of control eating in adolescents from the community.

OBJECTIVE Loss of control (LOC) eating is a salient indicator of eating disorder psychopathology in adolescents and is associated with marked distress. While research has focused on the relevance of episode size, clinical significance of LOC eating frequency has rarely been explored. Therefore, this study aimed at identifying LOC eating prevalence with respect to its recurrence and associated variables in a community-based sample. METHOD Participants were 1,643 adolescents, aged 12-20 years (62.4% female). Based on EDE-Q self-report, participants were categorized as those reporting recurrent (N = 156; 9.5%), nonrecurrent (N = 226; 13.8%), and no LOC eating (N = 1261; 76.7%). RESULTS Adolescents with recurrent LOC eating reported clinically relevant and significantly greater eating disorder psychopathology, functional impairment, and distress because of LOC eating, and a significantly higher body mass index (BMI, kg/m(2) ) than adolescents with nonrecurrent and those without LOC eating. DISCUSSION These results underline that LOC eating is a common eating behavior among adolescents in the community associated with clinical characteristics of eating disorders, and could therefore be a risk factor for developing full- or partial-syndrome eating disorders. Further research on the classification of eating disorders in adolescents with LOC eating and severity indicators is warranted.
Systems biology analysis of Sjögren's syndrome and mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma in parotid glands.

OBJECTIVE To identify key target genes and activated signaling pathways associated with the pathogenesis of Sjögren's syndrome (SS) by conducting a systems analysis of parotid glands manifesting primary SS or primary SS/mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma phenotypes. METHODS A systems biology approach was used to analyze parotid gland tissue samples obtained from patients with primary SS, patients with primary SS/MALT lymphoma, and subjects without primary SS (non-primary SS controls). The tissue samples were assessed concurrently by gene-expression microarray profiling and proteomics analysis, followed by weighted gene-coexpression network analysis. RESULTS Gene-coexpression modules related to primary SS and primary SS/MALT lymphoma were significantly enriched with genes known to be involved in the immune/defense response, apoptosis, cell signaling, gene regulation, and oxidative stress. Detailed functional pathway analyses indicated that primary SS-associated modules were enriched with genes involved in proteasome degradation, apoptosis, signal peptides of the class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC), complement activation, cell growth and death, and integrin-mediated cell adhesion, while primary SS/MALT lymphoma-associated modules were enriched with genes involved in translation, ribosome biogenesis and assembly, proteasome degradation, class I MHC signal peptides, the G13 signaling pathway, complement activation, and integrin-mediated cell adhesion. Combined analyses of gene expression and proteomics data implicated 6 highly connected "hub" genes for distinguishing primary SS from non-primary SS, and 8 hub genes for distinguishing primary SS/MALT lymphoma from primary SS. CONCLUSION Systems biology analyses of the parotid glands from patients with primary SS and those with primary SS/MALT lymphoma revealed pathways and molecular targets associated with disease pathogenesis. The identified gene modules/pathways provide further insights into the molecular mechanisms of primary SS and primary SS/MALT lymphoma. The identified disease-hub genes represent promising targets for therapeutic intervention, diagnosis, and prognosis.
Contrast volume reduction with superior vena cava catheter-directed coronary CT angiography: comparison with peripheral i.v. contrast enhancement in a swine model.

OBJECTIVE Conventional MDCT angiography uses a traditional peripheral i.v. approach for contrast injection; however, we describe our experience with a superior vena cava (SVC) catheter approach for coronary artery MDCT angiography as a potential means of decreasing iodinated contrast volume. CONCLUSION Central SVC contrast injection can decrease the contrast volume by 50% while maintaining coronary attenuation similar to that of peripheral i.v. injection. This approach has potential in reducing the contrast volume on coronary MDCT angiography studies and therefore the risk of contrast-induced nephropathy in certain high-risk patients. Further studies with higher injection rates and faster scan acquisition are needed for defining a lower contrast volume threshold.
Efficient selection of discriminative genes from microarray gene expression data for cancer diagnosis

A new mutual information (MI)-based feature-selection method to solve the so-called large p and small n problem experienced in a microarray gene expression-based data is presented. First, a grid-based feature clustering algorithm is introduced to eliminate redundant features. A huge gene set is then greatly reduced in a very efficient way. As a result, the computational efficiency of the whole feature-selection process is substantially enhanced. Second, MI is directly estimated using quadratic MI together with Parzen window density estimators. This approach is able to deliver reliable results even when only a small pattern set is available. Also, a new MI-based criterion is proposed to avoid the highly redundant selection results in a systematic way. At last, attributed to the direct estimation of MI, the appropriate selected feature subsets can be reasonably determined.
Scanning electron microscopic observations on the taste pores and taste hairs in rabbit gustatory papillae.

The taste pores and taste hairs of the papillae foliatae and circumvallatae in the rabbit's tongue were observed under the scanning electron microscope. The animals were perfused with buffered glutaraldehyde through the A. carotis communis and the papillae were post-fixed with buffered osmium tetroxide.1. The taste pores were distributed more frequently on the top of the undulating epithelial surface lining the papilla groove, and opened in the form of circular crater with a relatively uniform diameter.2. Each pore was surrounded by 3 to 5 cell bodies arranged side by side to form a ring.3. Two types of taste hairs were found: the one occupied the major part of the pore and corresponded to the common taste hairs or microvilli in its size and shape and its location in the pore, while the other was a club-like projection, only one to three in number, and it extended out of the free margin of the pore an unusually long and thick stem with its top generrally swollen.4. Development of the hairs in papillae circumvallatae was not so conspicuous as in papillae foliatae and the occurrence of the club-like projection was correspondingly very seldom.5. The club-like projection is considered to correspond to the ending of the dark cell or type III cell which MURRAY and MURRAY et al. have reported with sectional views by transmission electron microscopy.