Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Increased detection rates of Barrett's oesophagus without rise in incidence of oesophageal adenocarcinoma.

QUESTIONS UNDER STUDY/PRINCIPLES The incidence of oesophageal adenocarcinoma has quadrupled in the last 20 years. Barrett's oesophagus carries a 30- to 125-fold increased risk of developing adenocarcinoma. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the incidence and surveillance of Barrett's oesophagus, dysplasia and adenocarcinoma in Eastern Switzerland. METHODS Histological reports of 3659 patients (5190 oesophageal biopsies) from the St. Gallen Institute of Pathology were searched for evidence of Barrett's oesophagus (period 1989-1999). After retrospective classification according to findings on endoscopy and histology, the data were analysed with regard to surveillance intervals and incidence rates of Barrett's oesophagus, dysplasia and adenocarcinoma. RESULTS 742 patients with Barrett's oesophagus and 100 with oesophageal adenocarcinoma were identified and followed up for a mean 1.6 (1-11) years. The average incidence of Barrett's oesophagus rose from 8.5/10(5)/yr (CI-95%: 7.4-9.7) in the first to 15.5/10(5)/yr (CI-95% 14.0-17.0) in the second 5-year period. The incidence of adenocarcinoma in our study population was 0.5% (1/97 patient years). In 207 patients (25%) with follow-up of >1 year, 9% progressed to low grade and 1% to high grade dysplasia, and 5% to adenocarcinoma. Adequacy of surveillance in BE patients rose from 54% to 87% over the study period. CONCLUSIONS There is an increasing incidence of Barrett's oesophagus, which is not accompanied by an increase in oesophageal adenocarcinoma, in Eastern Switzerland. Surveillance of Barrett's oesophagus is often inadequate in spite of relevant findings such as dysplasia.
Blood pressure and heart rate over 10 years in the multimodal treatment study of children with ADHD.

OBJECTIVE It is unknown whether prolonged childhood exposure to stimulant medication for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) increases the risk for developing abnormalities in blood pressure or heart rate. The authors examined the association between stimulant medication and blood pressure and heart rate over 10 years. METHOD A total of 579 children, ages 7–9, were randomly assigned to 14 months of medication treatment, behavioral therapy, the combination of the two, or usual community treatment. The controlled trial was followed by naturalistic treatment with periodic assessments. Blood pressure and heart rate data were first analyzed with linear regression models based on an intent-to-treat approach, using raw data and the blood pressure categories of prehypertension and hypertension. Currently medicated patients were then compared with never or previously medicated patients. Associations between cumulative stimulant exposure and blood pressure or heart rate were assessed. RESULTS No treatment effect on either systolic or diastolic blood pressure could be detected. Children who were treated with stimulants had a higher heart rate (mean=84.2 bpm [SD=12.4] on medication alone and mean=84.6 bpm [SD=12.2] on medication plus behavioral therapy) than those who were treated with behavioral therapy alone (mean=79.1 bpm [SD=12.0]) or those who received usual community treatment (mean=78.9 bpm [SD=12.9]) at the end of the 14-month controlled trial, but not thereafter. Stimulant medication did not increase the risk for tachycardia, but greater cumulative stimulant exposure was associated with a higher heart rate at years 3 and 8. CONCLUSIONS Stimulant treatment did not increase the risk for prehypertension or hypertension over the 10-year period of observation. However, stimulants had a persistent adrenergic effect on heart rate during treatment.
Optimization of the effective light attenuation length of YAP:Ce and LYSO:Ce crystals for a novel geometrical PET concept

The effective light attenuation length in thin bars of YAP:Ce and LYSO:Ce crystals has been studied for different coatings of the lateral surfaces of the scintillators. This physical parameter plays a key role in a novel 3D PET concept based on axial arrays of long scintillator bars read out at both ends by Hybrid Photodetectors (HPD). The parameter influences the spatial, energy, and time resolutions of such a device. The expected resolutions let the novel concept appear competitive compared to existing traditional PET devices. In this paper we show that the effective light attenuation length can be tuned to the desired value by wrapping the lateral surfaces of the crystals or by coating them with layers of Cr or Au of different thickness. The studies have been carried out with long YAP and LYSO scintillator bars, read out by standard photomultiplier tubes. Even though the novel PET device is planned to use different scintillators and HPD readout, the results described here prove the feasibility of an important aspect of the concept and explore the potential resolution of the device.
Induced Event-Related Coherence Measures during Auditory Change Detection

Humans have different react to the different the auditory inputs and have the capability to automatically differentiate them. But, people cannot feel auditory change when auditory brain areas are damaged, in this paper a novel evaluation method is proposed based on induced event-related coherence (ERCoh), which quantified auditory brain areas response during auditory input change. To investigate the functional coupling of brain areas under auditory stimuli, sixtyfour-channel scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) were recorded for 14 subjects who were asked to listen different sounds. ERCoh of the EEG different bands (δ, θ, α1, α2, β and y) was calculated and compared statistically among different stimuli. The results suggest that alpha frequency band may reflect the cerebral processing of auditory changes by showing differential ERCoh phenomena among standard-, deviantand novel-elicited responses. The bilateral hemisphere coherence of the standard stimulus is higher than the deviant and novel stimulus in alpha band. For each stimulus, the coherence difference was clearly larger in the right hemisphere, which is mainly involved in auditory perception. Furthermore, the right frontal and temporal ERCoh is brought about by an increase in auditory changes. Thus, induced ERCoh does not only appear to be generated by distinct neurophysiological mechanisms but also differ with regard to their functional significance to evaluation auditory brain areas impairment. In addition, EEG classification task is accomplished based on ERCoh for potential BCI applications, which provide potentially the only communication channel for severely disabled people who are otherwise unable to articulate their thoughts and needs, Therefore, ERCoh is a very promising approach in the future.
Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorders in Liver Transplantation: A 20-Year Experience

ObjectiveTo evaluate the incidence of posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD) and the risk factors and the impact of this complication on survival outcomes in a large cohort of liver transplant recipients at a single institution. Summary Background DataLiver transplantation has been accepted as a therapeutic option for patients with end-stage liver disease since 1983, in large part due to the availability and reliance on the use of nonspecifically directed immunosuppression. However, as predicted and subsequently verified in 1968, an increased incidence of certain de novo malignancies has been observed, particularly with regards to lymphoid neoplasms. While many reports have confirmed and clarified the nature of PTLD, the literature is fraught with conflicting experience and outcomes with PTLD. MethodsFour thousand consecutive patients who underwent liver transplants between February 1981 and April 1998 were included in this analysis and were followed to November 2001. The effect of recipient age at the time of transplant, recipient gender, diagnosis, baseline immunosuppression, grading of PTLD, and association with Epstein-Barr virus were compared. The causes of death were also examined. Treatment for PTLD varied over the 20-year period, but all included massive reduction or elimination of baseline immunosuppression. ResultsThe 1-year patient survival for liver transplant patients with PTLD was 85%, while the overall patient survival for the entire cohort was 53%. The actuarial 20-year survival was estimated at 45%. The overall median time to PTLD presentation was 10 months, and children had an incidence of PTLD that was threefold higher than adults. Patient survival was better in children, in patients transplanted in the era of tacrolimus immunosuppression, in patients with polymorphic PTLD, and in those with limited disease. Interestingly, neither the presence or absence of Epstein-Barr virus nor the timing of PTLD presentation appeared to influence overall patient survival. Patients transplanted for alcohol-related liver disease had a similar incidence of PTLD but had a higher risk of mortality. ConclusionsWhile PTLD continues to pose problems in patients receiving liver transplants, improvements in patient survival have been observed over time. While it is too early to assess the impact of new advances in prophylaxis, diagnosis, and treatment, such approaches are based on an increased knowledge of the pathophysiology of PTLD.
Intracarotid infusion of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, L-NMMA, modestly decreases cerebral blood flow in human subjects.

BACKGROUND The authors hypothesized that if nitric oxide (NO) was a determinant of background cerebrovascular tone, intracarotid infusion of NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA), a NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor, would decrease cerebral blood flow (CBF) and intracarotid L-arginine would reverse its effect. METHODS In angiographically normal cerebral hemispheres, after the initial dose-escalation studies (protocol 1), the authors determined the effect of intracarotid L-NMMA (50 mg/min for 5 min) on CBF and mean arterial pressure (MAP) over time (protocol 2). Changes in CBF and MAP were then determined at baseline, during L-NMMA infusion, and after L-NMMA during L-arginine infusion (protocol 3). To investigate effects of higher arterial blood concentrations of L-NMMA, changes in CBF and MAP were assessed at baseline and after a bolus dose of L-NMMA (250 mg/1 min), and vascular reactivity was tested by intracarotid verapamil (1 mg/min, protocol 4). CBF changes were also assessed during induced hypertension with intravenous phenylephrine (protocol 5). RESULTS Infusion of L-NMMA (50 mg/min for 5 min, n = 7, protocol 2) increased MAP by 17% (86 +/- 8 to 100 +/- 11 mmHg; P < 0.0001) and decreased CBF by 20% (45 +/- 8 to 36 +/- 6 ml. 100 g-1. min-1; P < 0.005) for 10 min. Intracarotid l-arginine infusion after L-NMMA (protocol 3) reversed the effect of L-NMMA. Bolus L-NMMA (protocol 4) increased MAP by 20% (80 +/- 11 to 96+/-13 mmHg; P< 0.005), but there was no significant decrease in CBF. Intracarotid verapamil increased CBF by 41% (44+/- 8 to 62 +/- 9 ml. 100 g-1. min-1; P< 0.005). Phenylephrine-induced hypertension increased MAP by 20% (79 +/- 9 to 95 +/- 6 mmHg; P = 0.001) but did not affect CBF. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that intracarotid L-NMMA modestly decreases CBF, and the background tone of cerebral resistance vessels may be relatively insensitive to NOS inhibition by the intraarterial route.
Do Psychosocial Factors Have Any Impact on Outcomes After Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation?

Psychosocial factors have been show to impact survival and outcomes in a number of different diseases, including heart failure and patients receiving heart transplantation. With the increasing utilization of these devices, it is important to identify risk factors that could impact post-left ventricular assist device (LVAD) outcomes. This study was a single center, retrospective analysis of 238 patients who underwent implantation of a LVAD between July 27, 2004, and July 21, 2016, at The University of Nebraska Medical Center. Data collected include length of stay, number of readmission, alive status at 30 days, 180 days, and 1 year, as well as multiple psychosocial factors including history of drug abuse, history of alcohol abuse, history of noncompliance, history of anxiety, and history of depression, among others. Outcomes were calculated using univariate and multivariate analyses with SAS Version 9.4. None of the psychosocial factors assessed in this study showed statistical significance in predicting 30 day or 6 month mortality, but patients who smoked at the time of admission for LVAD implantation had higher mortality at 1 year (odds ratio 4.6, 95% confidence interval, 1.226–15.898, p = 0.011.) Patients with a diagnosis of depression had higher numbers of readmissions compared with those without depression (p = 0.048) with the number of readmissions further increased in patients with a diagnosis of both depression and anxiety (p = 0.0074). Psychosocial determinants do not appear to have a significant effect on mortality, but can result in increased risk of readmission if not adequately addressed before implantation and continually monitored postimplantation.
Short-term outcome of PDA ligation in the preterm infants at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Thailand.

BACKGROUND Failure of the ductus arteriosus to close after medical treatment is usually associated with many severe cardio-respiratory morbidities. Therefore, surgical ligation of symptomatic PDA is indicated in preterm newborn infants who do not respond or have contraindication of medical treatment. OBJECTIVE To report the short-term outcomes of PDA ligation in preterm infants at a tertiary care hospital in Thailand. MATERIAL AND METHOD Medical records of 42 preterm infants who underwent surgical ligation of PDA at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital were reviewed All of the infants had symptomatic PDA that failed to respond to medical treatment or had a contraindication to indomethacin or ibuprofen. Surgical ligation of PDA was performed under general anesthesia. Morbidity and mortality occurring during hospitalization were reported. RESULTS There were 42 preterm infants in the present study. All of them had large PDA with intractable congestive heart failure. Mean + SD of birth weight and gestational age were 1206 +/- 567 grams and 28.7 +/- 3.6 weeks respectively. Mean +/- SD of the infants' weight and age at the time of surgery were 1089 +/- 549 grams and 17.5 +/- 12 days respectively. Data on the size of PDA was available on 21 preterm infants. Their ductus diameter (Mean +/- SD) was 3.1 +/- 1.1 mm. All infants were successfully extubated after PDA ligation. Twelve events of complications occurred in 11 infants (26.7%). All of the complications were of mild degree and resolved within a few days except one infant with left phrenic nerve injury that needed surgical plication of the diaphragm. Two infants died at 37 and 160 days after surgery and the latter infant developed IVH grade IV on the 15th day postoperatively. These complications were probably not related to PDA ligation. CONCLUSION PDA ligation was performed successfully on 42 preterm infants who had medical failure or had contraindication to medical treatment. Cardio-respiratory illnesses improved significantly after ligation. Two infant mortalities were not related to the procedure. Overall complication of surgery was 26.7% and resolved without sequelae.
The evolution of bat nucleic acid‐sensing Toll‐like receptors

We characterized the nucleic acid‐sensing Toll‐like receptors (TLR) of a New World bat species, the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus), and through a comparative molecular evolutionary approach searched for general adaptation patterns among the nucleic acid‐sensing TLRs of eight different bats species belonging to three families (Pteropodidae, Vespertilionidae and Phyllostomidae). We found that the bat TLRs are evolving slowly and mostly under purifying selection and that the divergence pattern of such receptors is overall congruent with the species tree, consistent with the evolution of many other mammalian nuclear genes. However, the chiropteran TLRs exhibited unique mutations fixed in ligand‐binding sites, some of which involved nonconservative amino acid changes and/or targets of positive selection. Such changes could potentially modify protein function and ligand‐binding properties, as some changes were predicted to alter nucleic acid binding motifs in TLR 9. Moreover, evidence for episodic diversifying selection acting specifically upon the bat lineage and sublineages was detected. Thus, the long‐term adaptation of chiropterans to a wide variety of environments and ecological niches with different pathogen profiles is likely to have shaped the evolution of the bat TLRs in an order‐specific manner. The observed evolutionary patterns provide evidence for potential functional differences between bat and other mammalian TLRs in terms of resistance to specific pathogens or recognition of nucleic acids in general.
Disruption of the NHR4 domain structure in AML1-ETO abrogates SON binding and promotes leukemogenesis

AML1-ETO is generated from t(8;21)(q22;q22), which is a common form of chromosomal translocation associated with development of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Although full-length AML1-ETO alone fails to promote leukemia because of its detrimental effects on cell proliferation, an alternatively spliced isoform, AML1-ETO9a, without its C-terminal NHR3/NHR4 domains, strongly induces leukemia. However, full-length AML1-ETO is a major form of fusion product in many t(8;21) AML patients, suggesting additional molecular mechanisms of t(8;21)-related leukemogenesis. Here, we report that disruption of the zinc-chelating structure in the NHR4 domain of AML1-ETO by replacing only one critical amino acid leads to rapid onset of leukemia, demonstrating that the NHR4 domain with the intact structure generates inhibitory effects on leukemogenesis. Furthermore, we identified SON, a DNA/RNA-binding domain containing protein, as a novel NHR4-interacting protein. Knock-down of SON by siRNA resulted in significant growth arrest, and disruption of the interaction between AML1-ETO and endogenous SON rescued cells from AML1-ETO-induced growth arrest, suggesting that SON is an indispensable factor for cell growth, and AML1-ETO binding to SON may trigger signals inhibiting leukemogenesis. In t(8;21) AML patient-derived primary leukemic cells and cell lines, abnormal cytoplasmic localization of SON was detected, which may keep cells proliferating in the presence of full-length AML1-ETO. These results uncovered the crucial role of the NHR4 domain in determination of cellular fate during AML1-ETO-associated leukemogenesis.
Intra-articular injection of dexketoprofen in rat knee joint : Histopathologic assessment of cartilage & synovium

Background & objectives: Effective pain control following outpatient surgical procedures is an important aspect of patient discharge. This study was carried out with an aim to investigate the histopathological effects of intra-articular dexketoprofen trometamol injection in knee joint on synovium and cartilage in an experimental rat model. Methods: In each of 40 rats, the right knee was designated as the study group and the left knee as the control group (NS group). Under aseptic conditions, 35 rats received an injection of 0.25 ml (6.25 mg) dexketoprofen trometamol into the right knee joint and an injection of 0.25 ml 0.9 per cent normal saline solution into the left knee joint. On the 1st, 2nd, 7th, 14th, and 21st days after intra-articular injection, rats in specified groups were sacrificed by intraperitoneal injection of 120 mg/kg sodium thiopental. Knee joints were separated and sectioned for histopathological examination. Inflammatory changes in the joints were recorded according to a grade scale. Results: No significant difference in terms of pathological changes both in synovium and cartilage was observed between the NS group and the study group on days 1, 2, 7, 14 and 21 after intra-articular injection of dexketoprofen or saline in the knee joint. Interpretation & conclusions: The findings showed no evidence of significant histopathological damage to the cartilage and synovia for a period up to 21 days following intra-articular administration of dexketoprofen trometamol in the knee joints of rats.
Temporal distribution of baseline characteristics and association with early mortality among HIV-positive patients at University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria

The first six months of HIV care and treatment are very important for long-term outcome. Early mortality (within 6 months of care initiation) undermines care and treatment goals. This study assessed the temporal distribution in baseline characteristics and early mortality among HIV patients at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria from 2006–2013. Factors associated with early mortality were also investigated. This was a retrospective analysis of data from 14 857 patients enrolled for care and treatment at the adult antiretroviral clinic of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria. Effects of factors associated with early mortality were summarised using a hazard ratio with a 95% confidence interval obtained from Cox proportional hazard regression models. The mean age of the subjects was 36.4 (SD=10.2) years with females being in the majority (68.1%). While patients’ demographic characteristics remained virtually the same over time, there was significant decline in the prevalence of baseline opportunistic infections (2006–2007=55.2%; 2011–2013=38.0%). Overall, 460 (3.1%) patients were known to have died within 6 months of enrollment in care/treatment. There was no significant trend in incidence of early mortality. Factors associated with early mortality include: male sex, HIV encephalopathy, low CD4 count (< 50 cells), and anaemia. To reduce early mortality, community education should be promoted, timely access to care and treatment should be facilitated and the health system further strengthened to care for high risk patients.
Matrilysin Expression in the Involuting Rat Ventral Prostate

Matrilysin (PUMP‐1) is a member of the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family of extracellular matrix degrading enzymes that has been found to be overexpressed in human prostate cancer. The rat ventral prostate (RVP) following castration has been used as a model for both tissue involution and apoptosis. Northern analysis and in situ hybridization were used to determine the time course and localization of matrilysin during 8 days of RVP involution. Northern analysis revealed that the 1.2 kb matrilysin mRNA was undetectable in normal RVP. An increase in the steady‐state levels of matrilysin mRNA was observed 5 days after castration, and the levels began to decline by 8 days after castration. The mRNAs for tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase‐1 and urokinase‐type plasminogen activator also showed a time‐dependent induction during the course of involution. Localization of matrilysin by in situ hybridization indicated that the mRNA was produced by epithelial cells of the involuting RVP. The matrilysin message was observed in a small number of glands within the whole RVP. Matrilysin protein was present in the RVP and peaked 3 days after castration. The combination of proteinase genes expressed in the RVP following castration indicate that the Mh4P and serine protease families of enzymes may interact during tissue remodeling of the RVP following castration. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Inhibiting glycogen synthase kinase‐3 reduces endotoxaemic acute renal failure by down‐regulating inflammation and renal cell apoptosis

Background and purpose: Excessive inflammation and apoptosis are pathological features of endotoxaemic acute renal failure. Activation of glycogen synthase kinase‐3 (GSK‐3) is involved in inflammation and apoptosis. We investigated the effects of inhibiting GSK‐3 on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced acute renal failure, nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB), inflammation and apoptosis.