Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Seroepidemiology of Strongyloides stercoralis in Dhaka, Bangladesh

SUMMARY Human strongyloidiasis is a neglected tropical disease with global distribution and this infection is caused by the parasitic nematode Strongyloides stercoralis. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of strongyloidiasis in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Sera from 1004 residents from a slum (group A) and 299 from city dwellers (group B) were tested for total IgG and IgG subclasses to Strongyloides antigen. There was a significant difference (P < 0·001) in IgG seroprevalence between group A (22%) and group B (5%). Reactive IgG subclasses (IgG1 and IgG4) were also higher in group A (P < 0·05). The seroprevalence of strongyloidiasis in group A increased with age but was unrelated to sex. The presence of reactive IgG to Strongyloides antigen had no correlation with either socio-economic or personal hygiene factors. However, a history of diarrhoea in a family member, in the past 6 months, but not in the respondents was associated with detection of antibodies to S. stercoralis (P < 0·01). None of the sera from either group had an HTLV-I reaction. This study demonstrates that strongyloidiasis is prevalent in Dhaka, especially among slum dwellers, but concurrent infection with HTLV-I was not found. Future epidemiological studies should identify individual risk factors and other communities at risk so that appropriate interventions can be planned.
Yoga into Cancer Care: A Review of the Evidence-based Research

To cope with cancer and its treatment-related side effects and toxicities, people are increasingly using complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Consequently, integrative oncology, which combines conventional therapies and evidence-based CAM practices, is an emerging discipline in cancer care. The use of yoga as a CAM is proving to be beneficial and increasingly gaining popularity. An electronic database search (PubMed), through December 15, 2016, revealed 138 relevant clinical trials (single-armed, nonrandomized, and randomized controlled trials) on the use of yoga in cancer patients. A total of 10,660 cancer patients from 20 countries were recruited in these studies. Regardless of some methodological deficiencies, most of the studies reported that yoga improved the physical and psychological symptoms, quality of life, and markers of immunity of the patients, providing a strong support for yoga's integration into conventional cancer care. This review article presents the published clinical research on the prevalence of yoga's use in cancer patients so that oncologists, researchers, and the patients are aware of the evidence supporting the use of this relatively safe modality in cancer care.
Diabetes and Early Postoperative Outcomes Following Lumbar Fusion

Study Design. Retrospective cohort study using data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample administrative data from 1988 through 2003. Objective. To examine perioperative morbidity and mortality for patients with and without diabetes mellitus following lumbar spinal fusion. Summary of Background Data. Diabetes has been associated with worse outcomes in a variety of orthopedic procedures including spinal surgery. There is limited evidence that diabetic patients have more complications following lumbar fusion with little published data to support this conclusion. Methods. Data from 197,461 patients who underwent lumbar fusion were included. Over 11,000 patients (5.6%) with a postoperative diagnosis of diabetes mellitus were identified. Selected variables were used for comparison of patients with and without diabetes. Bivariate statistical analyses compared postoperative complication rates while multivariate statistics were used to determine likelihood of complications with diabetes. Results. Bivariate analysis demonstrated that diabetes was significantly associated with postoperative infection, need for transfusion, pneumonia, in-hospital mortality, and nonroutine discharge (P ≤ 0.001). Adjusted multivariate regression analyses, however, suggested no difference in mortality although infection, transfusion, and nonroutine discharge continued to be highly significant (P ≤ 0.002). Significantly higher inflation adjusted total charges were also present with patients with diabetes as well as increased lengths of stay (P < 0.001). Conclusion. This nationally representative study of inpatients in the United States provides evidence that diabetes is associated with increased risk for postoperative complications, nonroutine discharge, increased total hospital charges, and length of stay following lumbar fusion. Prospective studies to determine causality as well as the potential impact of diabetes control on these variables have not yet been done.
Relationship of Religiosity to Wellness and other Health-Related Behaviors and Outcomes

The relationship of religiosity to health-enhancing attitudes and behaviors (wellness), health-compromising behaviors, and adverse health-related outcomes was examined in a sample of 1,077 college students from a large, comprehensive mid-western university. In general, religiosity was positively correlated with wellness and inversely correlated with health-compromising behaviors and illnesses. Interpretation of the findings was complicated in some instances by significant interactions between study variables.
Contact allergy to dental restorative materials in patients with oral lichenoid lesions

118 patients with oral lichenoid lesions (OLL) topographically related to dental fillings were patch tested (FT) to reveal contact allergy to restorative materials. 80 (67.8%) patients displayed positive PT reactions to metals of dental filling materials: 76 reactions were found to various mercury compounds. 4 to sodium aurothiosulphate, 3 to stannic chloride and 2 to silver nitrate. The positive patch lest reactions appeared more commonly in patients with restricted contact lesions (85.1%, type‐1 lesions) as compared to patients with lesions exceeding to the adjacent areas (38.6%, type‐2 lesions). The replacement of dental fillings was carried out in 62/80 PT‐positive and 15/38 PT‐negative patients. 28 out of 62 (45.2%) PT‐positive and 3/15(20%) PT‐negative patients showed complete healing of OLL after a mean follow‐up time of 16 months. Complete healing occurred in 29/54(54.0%) type‐1 and 2/23 (8.7%) type‐2 lesions. Topographical relation between the lesion and the filling material (restricted versus exceeding the contact area) indicated association of OLL lesion and the filling material, which could be further confirmed by patch testing in the majority of patients. The patch test series should include mercuric chloride (0.1%), mercury (0.5%) and mercury ammonium chloride (1.0%), each in pet.
Disease Therapeutic Targeting of Autophagy : Potential and Concerns in Treating Cardiovascular

Autophagy, a term coined by Christian de Duve, describes an evolutionarily conserved process involved in the digestion of long-lived proteins and organelles. This process is characterized by the engulfment of cargo into double membrane autophagosomes, which then fuse with lysosomes for degradation. Autophagy is important for cellular homeostasis under normal conditions and is rapidly increased in response to stress or nutrient deprivation. To ensure survival, the cell uses autophagy to selectively digest protein aggregates, oxidized lipids, and damaged organelles. The cell can also degrade functional, undamaged cytoplasmic components in a nonselective manner. The digested contents are recycled to synthesize critical cellular components and to maintain cellular ATP. In recent years, the importance of autophagy in the myocardium has become evident. Autophagy occurs at low levels under normal conditions and is important for basal turnover of proteins and organelles. Defects in the autophagy process lead to development of heart failure. Autophagy is also an adaptive response to ensure survival of myocytes during unfavorable conditions. It is becoming clear that altered autophagic activity is associated with cardiovascular disease and aging. The majority of studies have reported that enhancing autophagy in the myocardium is cardioprotective, whereas reduced autophagy correlates with increased injury and development of heart failure (Table 1). Autophagy is reduced with age, and interventions that increase autophagy have been shown to reduce age-related cardiac pathologies and prolong lifespan. However, it is clear that enhanced autophagy is not always beneficial. For instance, excessive and chronic autophagy can lead to excessive degradation of critical cellular proteins and organelles, which will induce cell death. In the heart, Review
Review of multinomial and multiattribute quality control charts

Attribute control charts are very useful nowadays for monitoring processes where the quality characteristics cannot be measured in a continuous scale, which may be manufacturing processes from industrial settings, health‐care processes or processes from service industries and environments of non‐manufacturing quality‐improvement efforts. Many of the above cases, however, involve the monitoring of multiple attributes simultaneously, thus leading to the case of multinomial and multiattribute quality control methods, which are better than the simultaneous use of multiple uni‐attribute methods. In this study, an attempt to review the research previously conducted on multiattribute quality control is made in order to help the interested researchers and practitioners get informed about the references on the relevant research in this field, regarding the design, performance and applications of multiattribute control charts. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Lymphocytes and Langerhans cells in patch tests

The distribution of immunocompetent cells was analysed in allergic (nickel) and irritant (dithranol) patch tests using conventional transmission electron microscopy and labelling with monoclonal antibodies in an avidin‐biotin immunoperoxidase study. The biopsies were taken 24 or 48 h after the allergen/irritant application.
Increased Risk for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Children with Cytochrome P450 A1(CYP1A1)- and NAD(P)H:Quinone Oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1)-Inherited Gene Variants

eastern Brazil. Thus, the identification of the CYP1A1 and the NQO1 genotypes in healthy and ALL individuals from this region was considered necessary to test their effect on the ALL risk in our population. DNA from the peripheral blood of 99 consecutive Caucasian patients with de novo ALL (median age: 4 years; 52 males and 47 females) and 99 Caucasian blood donors (median age: 53 years; 52 males and 47 females) was analyzed by PCR and enzymatic digestion for the identification of the CYP1A1 T6235C (rs 4646903) and A4889G (rs 1048943) [2] , and the NQO1 C609T (rs 1800566) [12] genotypes. Both patient and control samples confirmed the Hardy-Weinberg expectations at the CYP1A1 T6235C ( 2 = 0.58, p = 0.45; 2 = 1.88, p = 0.17) and A4889G ( 2 = 0.77, p = 0.38;  2 = 0.00, p = 1.00) loci, suggesting that the frequencies of the distinct genotypes were similar among individuals. Samples of controls ( 2 = 2.26, p = 0.13) but not patients ( 2 = 7.47, p = 0.006) were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium at the NQO1 C609T locus, suggesting Environmental exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) has been associated with an increased risk for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) [1] . The ability to metabolize PAH varies among human beings and, therefore, healthy individuals may be at distinct risks for the disease. The cytochrome P 450 (CYP) enzymes are the first line of defense against PAH, participating in their activation in order to facilitate their inactivation. The variant alleles of the CYP1A1 T6235C and A4889G polymorphisms give rise to enzymes with increased activity in PAH activation. The variant CC and GG genotypes were found in 1–20 and 4–40% of healthy individuals from distinct ethnic populations, respectively, but their roles for the risk of ALL are controversial [2–5] . On the other hand, the NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is an enzyme of the second line of defense against chemicals, which detoxifies PAH and reduces oxidative stress on hematopoietic cells. A polymorphism with a C ] T substitution at nucleotide 609 of the NQO1 gene was associated with decreased activity of the coded enzyme. The variant TT genotype was found in 5–25% of individuals of different ethnic origin, and its role for the risk of ALL is unclear [6–11] . Environmental diseases resulting from exposure to PAH were described as serious health problems in southReceived: May 3, 2010 Accepted after revision: August 10, 2010 Published online: October 20, 2010
Tectonic slicing of subducting oceanic crust along plate interfaces: Numerical modeling

Multikilometer‐sized slivers of high‐pressure low‐temperature metamorphic oceanic crust and mantle are observed in many mountain belts. These blueschist and eclogite units were detached from the descending plate during subduction. Large‐scale thermo‐mechanical numerical models based on finite difference marker‐in‐cell staggered grid technique are implemented to investigate slicing processes that lead to the detachment of oceanic slivers and their exhumation before the onset of the continental collision phase. In particular, we investigate the role of the serpentinized subcrustal slab mantle in the mechanisms of shallow and deep crustal slicing. Results show that spatially homogeneous serpentinization of the sub‐Moho slab mantle leads to complete accretion of oceanic crust within the accretionary wedge. Spatially discontinuous serpentinization of the slab mantle in form of unconnected patches can lead to shallow slicing of the oceanic crust below the accretionary wedge and to its deep slicing at mantle depths depending on the patch length, slab angle, convergence velocity and continental geothermal gradient. P‐T paths obtained in this study are compared to natural examples of shallow slicing of the Crescent Terrane below Vancouver Island and deeply sliced crust of the Lago Superiore and Saas‐Zermatt units in the Western Alps.
Treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ventilator-associated pneumonia with high-dose vancomycin or linezolid

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical cure rate of high-dose vancomycin for the treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in critically ill trauma patients. Recent trials suggest that a traditional dose of 1 g q12 hours results in unacceptable cure rates for MRSA VAP. Thus, more aggressive vancomycin dosing has the potential to improve efficacy. Based on pharmacokinetic principles, the goal initial dose at the study center has been 20 mg/kg q12 hours or q8 hours since the 1990s. METHODS All patients admitted to the trauma intensive care unit from 1997 to 2008 diagnosed with MRSA VAP were retrospectively reviewed. Diagnosis required bacterial growth ≥100,000 colony forming units/mL from a bronchoscopic bronchoalveolar lavage, new or changing infiltrate, plus at least two of the following: fever, leukocytosis or leukopenia, or purulent sputum. RESULTS Overall, 125 patients with 141 episodes of MRSA VAP were identified. Mean age was 47 years ± 21 years, median Injury Severity Score was 29 (22–43), 70% of patients were male, and the mean length of intensive care unit stay was 38 days ± 35 days. The mean initial vancomycin dose was 18.1 mg/kg/dose with a mean duration of therapy of 11 days. Clinical success was achieved in 88% (125 of 131) of episodes, with microbiological success in 89% (66 of 74) of episodes with a follow-up bronchoscopic bronchoalveolar lavage. Overall mortality was 20% (25 of 125), with death due to VAP in 12 of 25 deaths. Mean initial vancomycin trough concentrations were 10.6 mg/L in the clinical success group and 13.3 mg/L in the clinical failure group (p = not significant). CONCLUSIONS High-dose vancomycin provided an acceptable cure rate for MRSA VAP in critically ill trauma patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic study, level III.
Gene expression patterns in human embryonic stem cells and human pluripotent germ cell tumors

Remarkably little is known about the transcriptional profiles of human embryonic stem (ES) cells or the molecular mechanisms that underlie their pluripotency. To identify commonalties among the transcriptional profiles of different human pluripotent cells and to search for clues into the genesis of human germ cell tumors, we compared the expression profiles of human ES cell lines, human germ cell tumor cell lines and tumor samples, somatic cell lines, and testicular tissue samples by using cDNA microarray analysis. Hierarchical cluster analysis of gene expression profiles showed that the five independent human ES cell lines clustered tightly together, reflecting highly similar expression profiles. The gene expression patterns of human ES cell lines showed many similarities with the human embryonal carcinoma cell samples and more distantly with the seminoma samples. We identified 895 genes that were expressed at significantly greater levels in human ES and embryonal carcinoma cell lines than in control samples. These genes are candidates for involvement in the maintenance of a pluripotent, undifferentiated phenotype.
Association of XRCC1, XRCC3, and NAT2 polymorphisms with the risk of oral submucous fibrosis among eastern Indian population.

BACKGROUND Arecanut and smokeless tobacco usage is a major cause for oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) and its subsequent development to oral squamous cell carcinoma in South-east Asian population. Polymorphisms at N-acetyltransferase 2 locus, coding for an enzyme catalyzing acetylation of aromatic amines, might cause DNA adduct formation because of improper acetylation of these polyaromatic hydrocarbons. DNA repair enzymes remove these adduct to prevent malignancy. METHODS In this hospital-based study, 100 controls and 88 OSF patients were genotyped at four polymorphic sites on NAT2 481 (C > T; silent), 590 (G > A; Arg197 > Gln), 803 (A > G; Lys268 > Arg), 857 (G > A; Gly286 > Glu) and two on XRCC1 18067 (C > T Arg 194 > Trp), 28152 (G > A Arg 399 > Gln), and one of XRCC3 26304 (C > T Thr 241 > Met) loci by PCR-RFLP to determine the risk of the disease. RESULTS Heterozygous XRCC3 codon 241 [OR 2.07 (1.05-4.06)], homozygous variant of NAT C481T [OR 2.81 (1.09-7.21)], and both heterozygous and homozygous variants of NAT codon 268 and 286 [OR 2.31 (1.20-4.45) and 4.98 (1.87-13.14), and 6.12 (2.75-13.62) and 2.65 (1.04-6.72)] individually influenced susceptibility to OSF in the population. CONCLUSION Gene-gene interaction analysis by multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) revealed that XRCC3 Thr 241 Met had the largest univariate effect followed by XRCC3 Thr 241 Met - NAT2 A857G in men that presents a highly synergistic interaction as one of the potential combinations of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to increase the risk of OSF in men if exposed to arecanut or smokeless tobacco usage. These observations can speculate the impact of the studied SNPs on the etiology of OSF.
Identification of an E689K substitution as the molecular basis of the human acid α‐glucosidase type 4 allozyme (GAA*4)

We have identified the molecular basis of the GAA*4 allozyme as a G to A transition at nt2065 which predicts the substitution of glutamic acid by lysine at codon 689 (E689K). The conclusion that this change represents the molecular basis of the GAA*4 allozyme is based on 1) presence of the G2065A in homozygosity in a known GAA*4 homozygote, 2) transient expression studies showing normal enzyme activity expressed by cDNA containing the G2065A transition and 3) isoelectric focusing studies showing a more cathodal pattern for the expressed product as compared to the common GAA*1, analogous to the patterns seen in normal and known GAA*4 lymphoid cells.
Cyclosporine-a and bone density around titanium implants: a histometric study in rabbits

Aim Cyclosporine A (CsA) is an immunosuppressive agent common- ly used to prevent organ transplantation rejection. It has been demonstrated that CsA may negatively affect osseointegration around dental implants. Therefore, the aim of this study was to eva- luate the effect of CsA administration on bone density around tita- nium dental implants. Materials and Methods Fourteen New Zealand rabbits were ran- domly divided into 2 groups with seven animals each. The test group (CsA) received daily subcutaneous injection of CsA (10mg/kg body weight) and the control group (CTL) received saline solution by the same route of administration. Three days after the beginning of immunosuppressive therapy, one machined dental implant (7.00 mm in lenght and 3.75 mm in diameter) was inserted bilaterally at the region of the tibial methaphysis. After 4 and 8 weeks the animals were sacrificed and the histometrical procedures were performed to analy- se the bone density around the first four threads of the coronal part of the implant. Results A significant increase in the bone density was observed from the 4- to the 8 week-period in the control group (37.41% + 14.85 versus 58.23% + 16.38 - p < 0.01). In contrast, bone density con- sistently decreased in the test group overtime (46.31% + 17.38 ver- sus 16.28 + 5.08 - p <0.05). In the 8-week period, there was a significant difference in bone density between the control and the test groups (58.23 + 16.38 eand16.28 + 5.08 - p= 0.001). Conclusion Within the limits of this study, long-term CsA admini- stration may reduce bone density around titanium dental implants during the osseointegration process.
Seasonal abundance patterns of the sandfly Phlebotomus papatasi in climatically distinct foci of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Israeli deserts

Abstract. Among foci of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Israel, population densities of the vector sandfly Phlebotomus papatasi Scopoli (Diptera: Psychodidae) were assessed during April–October 1999 in the mesic Negev desert and the hyper‐xeric Arava valley, using sticky traps placed overnight near host burrows of the fat sand rat, Psammomys obesus Cretzschmar (Cricetidae: Gerbillinae). Population dynamics of Ph. papatasi differed between the Negev (study sites on sand near Mount Keren and on loess at Nizzana ruins) and the Arava valley (study sites on sand at Shezaf and in a fallow field near irrigation at wadi Arava). At the Negev sites, sandfly abundance peaked in spring (April or May), whereas at Arava sites Ph. papatasi population densities were bi‐modal, with peaks in both spring and autumn (September or October). This might be conducive to sustaining enzootic Leishmania major Yakimoff & Schokhor (Kinetoplastida: Trypanosomatidae). In both areas, Ph. papatasi densities were much higher at the site with moister soil, raising transmission risks of zoonotic cutaneous leishmaniasis.