Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Who is ‘Molly’? MDMA adulterants by product name and the impact of harm-reduction services at raves

Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), often sold as ‘Ecstasy’ or ‘Molly’, is commonly used at music festivals and reported to be responsible for an increase in deaths over the last decade. Ecstasy is often adulterated and contains compounds that increase morbidity and mortality. While users and clinicians commonly assume that products sold as Molly are less-adulterated MDMA products, this has not been tested. Additionally, while pill-testing services are sometimes available at raves, the assumption that these services decrease risky drug use has not been studied. This study analyzed data collected by the pill-testing organization, DanceSafe, from events across the United States from 2010 to 2015. Colorimetric reagent assays identified MDMA in only 60% of the 529 samples collected. No significant difference in the percentage of samples testing positive for MDMA was determined between Ecstasy and Molly. Individuals were significantly less likely to report intent to use a product if testing did not identify MDMA (relative risk (RR) = 0.56, p = 0.01). Results suggest that Molly is not a less-adulterated substance, and that pill-testing services are a legitimate harm-reduction service that decreases intent to consume potentially dangerous substances and may warrant consideration by legislators for legal protection. Future research should further examine the direct effects of pill-testing services and include more extensive pill-testing methods.
Incidence of silent hemorrhage and delayed deterioration after stereotactic brain biopsy

Object. Many neurosurgeons routinely obtain computerized tomography (CT) scans to rule out hemorrhage in patients after stereotactic procedures. In the present prospective study, the authors investigated the rate of silent hemorrhage and delayed deterioration after stereotactic biopsy sampling and the role of postbiopsy CT scanning. Methods. A subset of patients (the last 102 of approximately 800 patients) who underwent stereotactic brain biopsies at the Toronto Hospital prospectively underwent routine postoperative CT scanning within hours of the biopsy procedure. Their medical charts and CT scans were then reviewed. A postoperative CT scan was obtained in 102 patients (aged 17–87 years) who underwent stereotactic biopsy between June 1994 and September 1996. Sixty-one patients (59.8%) exhibited hemorrhages, mostly intracerebral (54.9%), on the immediate postoperative scan. Only six of these patients were clinically suspected to have suffered a hemorrhage based on immediate postoperative neurological defi.
The prevalence of spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis in symptomatic elite athletes: radiographic findings

Abstract Purpose: To assess radiographically the prevalence of spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis in symptomatic athletes from plain radiographs. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on the plain radiographic lumbar spine series of 4243 male and female athletes with symptoms relating to the lumbar spine. Results: The study showed that 590 athletes (13.90%) had a radiological diagnosis of spondylolysis with concomitant spondylolisthesis in 280 of these (47.45%). Conclusions: High prevalence of spondylolysis in athletes with low back pain compared with the general population suggests that it would be good practise to include a radiological examination of the lumbar spine in symptomatic athletes engaged in sports who are considered to be at risk in the light of this and other studies although MRI could offer the most comprehensive evaluation of the lumbar spine, without the potential risks of gonad irradiation.
Cathepsin-D And Tnf-α in Bladder Cancer

In a study of 34 normal healthy controls, 35 patients with urinary tract bilharziasis and 93 bladder cancer patients (62 of them are operable cases and 31 are non-operable ones), serum tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and cytosolic Cathepsin-D were estimated. Though both potential markers were elevated in bladder cancer patients, neither Cathepsin-D nor TNF-alpha showed associations of prognostic value since there were no positive correlations with tumor stages, grades or association of tumors with bilharzial ova or lymph node involvement.
Psychedelic therapy for smoking cessation: Qualitative analysis of participant accounts

Background: Recent pilot trials suggest feasibility and potential efficacy of psychedelic-facilitated addiction treatment interventions. Fifteen participants completed a psilocybin-facilitated smoking cessation pilot study between 2009 and 2015. Aims: The aims of this study were as follows: (1) to identify perceived mechanisms of change leading to smoking cessation in the pilot study; (2) to identify key themes in participant experiences and long-term outcomes to better understand the therapeutic process. Methods: Participants were invited to a retrospective follow-up interview an average of 30 months after initial psilocybin sessions. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 of the 15 participants. Data were analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Participants reported gaining vivid insights into self-identity and reasons for smoking from their psilocybin sessions. Experiences of interconnectedness, awe, and curiosity persisted beyond the duration of acute drug effects. Participants emphasised that the content of psilocybin experiences overshadowed any short-term withdrawal symptoms. Preparatory counselling, strong rapport with the study team, and a sense of momentum once engaged in the study treatment were perceived as vital additional factors in achieving abstinence. In addition, participants reported a range of persisting positive changes beyond smoking cessation, including increased aesthetic appreciation, altruism, and pro-social behaviour. Conclusions: The findings highlight the value of qualitative research in the psychopharmacological investigation of psychedelics. They describe perceived connections between drug- and non-drug factors, and provide suggestions for future research trial design and clinical applications.
Spatial interference mitigation for multiple input multiple output ad hoc networks: MISO gains

We consider spatial interference mitigation at the transmitter for multiple input single output ad hoc networks. We apply zero forcing beamforming at the transmitter, and analyze the corresponding network throughput and transmission capacity. Assuming a network with Poisson distributed transmitting nodes and spatially independent Rayleigh fading channels, we apply mathematical tools from stochastic geometry to derive a lower bound on the probability of outage. We derive scaling laws for the transmission capacity and show that for a large number of antennas, the maximum density of concurrently transmitting nodes scales linearly with the number of antennas at the transmitter, for a given outage constraint. Numerical results show that the network throughput achieved by interference nulling at the transmitter is comparable to that achieved by interference cancellation at the receiver.
Flexible and transparent electrothermal film heaters based on graphene materials.

High-performance and novel graphene-based electrothermal films are fabricated through a simple yet versatile solution process. Their electrothermal performances are studied in terms of applied voltage, heating rate, and input power density. The electrothermal films annealed at high temperature show high transmittance and display good heating performance. For example, the graphene-based film annealed at 800 °C, which shows transmittance of over 80% at 550 nm, can reach a saturated temperature of up to 42 °C when 60 V is applied for 2 min. Graphene-based films annealed at 900 and 1000 °C can exhibit high steady-state temperatures of 150 and 206 °C under an applied voltage of 60 V with a maximum heating rate of over 7 °C s(-1) . For flexible heating films patterned on polyimide, a steady-state temperature of 72 °C could be reached in less than 10 s with a maximum heating rate exceeding 16 °C s(-1) at 60 V. These excellent results, combined with the high chemical stability and mechanical flexibility of graphene, indicate that graphene-based electrothermal elements hold great promise for many practical applications, such as defrosting and antifogging devices.
Increased slow wave sleep with 5-HT2 receptor antagonists: detection by ambulatory EEG recording and automatic sleep stage analysis

The effect on slow wave sleep (SWS) of 5-HT antagonists with different affinities for 5-HT1 and 5-HT2 receptors was investigated using ambulatory EEG monitoring in normal volunteers. The selective 5-HT 2 antagonists, ritanserin and cypropheptadine, increased SWS while the non-selective 5-HT antagonist metergoline did not. The histamine H 1-receptor antagonist, mepyramine, was similarly without effect on SWS. These findings suggest that home ambulatory monitoring with automatic sleep stage analysis may be useful in detecting the effect of selective 5-HT 2 receptor antagonists on SWS.
Strength Training Using Elastic Bands: Improvement of Muscle Power and Throwing Performance in Young Female Handball Players.

CONTEXT Imbalance in shoulder-rotator muscles has been considered a risk factor for injuries in handball. Strength training programs (STPs) may play an important preventive role. OBJECTIVE To verify the effects of an STP using elastic bands on shoulder muscles and ball-throwing speed. DESIGN Randomized and prospective controlled trial. SETTING Exercise physiology laboratory. PARTICIPANTS Thirty-nine female handball players were randomly assigned to an experimental (EG, n = 21, 15.3 ± 1.1 y) or a control (CG, n = 18, 15.0 ± 0.8 y) group. INTERVENTION The EG performed the STP with elastic-band progressive exercises for 6 wk before regular handball training, and the CG underwent only their regular training. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Before and after the STP, both groups underwent a ball-throwing-speed test and isokinetic test to assess shoulder internal- (IR) and external-rotator muscle performance. RESULTS Average power values for IR muscles presented a significant group-vs-time interaction effect (F = 3.9, P = .05); EG presented significantly higher values after the STP (P = .03). Ball speed presented higher values in EG after the STP in standing (P = .04) and jumping (P = .03) throws. IR peak-torque values and balance in shoulder-rotator muscles presented no group-vs-time interaction effect. CONCLUSIONS STP using elastic bands performed for 6 wk was effective to improve muscle power and ball speed for young female handball players.
Comparison of the Therapeutic Effects of a Sling Exercise and a Traditional Stabilizing Exercise for Clinical Lumbar Spinal Instability.

CONTEXT Specific muscle-stabilization training can be relevant to patients with clinical spinal instability symptoms. The authors hypothesized that performing sling exercise using an elastic band in patients with clinical spinal instability would lead to pain reduction and improved lumbar spine stability. OBJECTIVE To compare supervised sling exercise with an elastic band with traditional stabilizing exercise in chronic lower back pain (LBP) patients with clinical spinal instability. DESIGN Randomized assessor-blind controlled trial. SETTING University rehabilitation hospital. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The participants were evaluated thrice at baseline, immediately after, and 3 mo after the last treatment session with the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS) and by the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). INTERVENTIONS Participants were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 treatment groups: a traditional trunk-muscle-stabilizing exercise group or a sling-exercise with elastic bands group. The participants in all treatment groups attended treatment twice a week for 12 wk. RESULTS The NPRS at immediately and 3 mo after treatments showed significantly higher improvement in the sling-exercise with elastic bands group than in the traditional trunk-muscle-stabilizing exercise group, respectively (P < .05). The ODI at immediately and 3 mo after treatment showed a significantly higher improvement in the sling-exercise with elastic bands group than in the traditional trunk-muscle-stabilizing exercise group, respectively (P < .05). CONCLUSION A sling exercise with elastic bands leads to a reduction in pain and disability compared with a traditional stabilizing exercise, although traditional stabilizing exercise also shows good results in chronic LBP patients with clinical spinal instability. A sling exercise with an elastic band could be a useful treatment for chronic LBP with clinical spinal instability.
Gold nanoparticles supported on nanoparticulate ceria as a powerful agent against intracellular oxidative stress.

Ceria-supported gold nanoparticles are prepared exhibiting peroxidase activity and acting as radical traps. Au/CeO(2) shows a remarkable biocompatibility as demonstrated by measuring cellular viability, proliferation, and lack of apoptosis for two human cell lines (Hep3B and HeLa). The antioxidant activity of Au/CeO(2) against reactive oxygen species (ROS) is demonstrated by studying the cellular behavior of Hep3B and HeLa in a model of cellular oxidative stress. It is determined that Au/CeO(2) exhibits higher antioxidant activity than glutathione, the main cytosolic antioxidant compound, and its CeO(2) carrier. Overall the result presented here shows the potential of implementing well-established nanoparticulated gold catalysts with remarkable biocompatibility in cellular biology.
The Influence of Ambulatory Aid on Lower-Extremity Muscle Activation During Gait.

CONTEXT Foot and ankle injuries are common and often require a nonweight-bearing period of immobilization for the involved leg. This nonweight-bearing period usually results in muscle atrophy for the involved leg. There is a dearth of objective data describing muscle activation for different ambulatory aids that are used during the aforementioned nonweight-bearing period. OBJECTIVE To compare activation amplitudes for 4 leg muscles during (1) able-bodied gait and (2) ambulation involving 3 different ambulatory aids that can be used during the acute phase of foot and ankle injury care. DESIGN Within-subject, repeated measures. SETTING University biomechanics laboratory. PARTICIPANTS Sixteen able-bodied individuals (7 females and 9 males). INTERVENTION Each participant performed able-bodied gait and ambulation using 3 different ambulatory aids (traditional axillary crutches, knee scooter, and a novel lower-leg prosthesis). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Muscle activation amplitude quantified via mean surface electromyography amplitude throughout the stance phase of ambulation. RESULTS Numerous statistical differences (P < .05) existed for muscle activation amplitude between the 4 observed muscles, 3 ambulatory aids, and able-bodied gait. For the involved leg, comparing the 3 ambulatory aids: (1) knee scooter ambulation resulted in the greatest vastus lateralis activation, (2) ambulation using the novel prosthesis and traditional crutches resulted in greater biceps femoris activation than knee scooter ambulation, and (3) ambulation using the novel prosthesis resulted in the greatest gastrocnemius activation (P < .05). Generally speaking, muscle activation amplitudes were most similar to able-bodied gait when subjects were ambulating using the knee scooter or novel prosthesis. CONCLUSIONS Type of ambulatory aid influences muscle activation amplitude. Traditional axillary crutches appear to be less likely to mitigate muscle atrophy during the nonweighting, immobilization period that often follows foot or ankle injuries. Researchers and clinicians should consider these results when recommending ambulatory aids for foot or ankle injuries.
Nuclear Factor- (cid:1) B Protects the Adult Cardiac Myocyte Against Ischemia-Induced Apoptosis in a Murine Model of Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background —Previous studies have shown that tumor necrosis factor (TNF) confers cytoprotective responses in cardiac myocytes. However, the mechanisms for the cytoprotective effects of TNF remain unknown. Given that TNF signals through nuclear factor (cid:1) B (NF- (cid:1) B) and given that NF- (cid:1) B mediates cytoprotective responses, we asked whether NF- (cid:1) B activation conferred cytoprotective responses in acute myocardial ischemia/infarction. Methods and Results —We examined infarct size and the prevalence of apoptosis in transgenic mice harboring cardiac-restricted expression of a mutated I (cid:1) B (cid:2) protein (I (cid:1) B (cid:2) (cid:1) N) that prevents nuclear translocation of NF- (cid:1) B in cardiac myocytes. Triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining showed that infarct size was (cid:2) 50% greater ( P (cid:3) 0.02) in the I (cid:1) B (cid:2) (cid:1) N mice compared with littermate controls at 24 hours. The prevalence of cardiac myocyte apoptosis was significantly greater ( P (cid:3) 0.008) in the I (cid:1) B (cid:2) (cid:1) N mice compared with the littermate control mice 3 and 6 hours after left anterior descending occlusion. To explore the mechanism for these findings, we examined protein levels of c-IAP1, c-IAP2, and Bcl-2 as well as manganese superoxide dismutase and c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase activity. These studies showed that protein levels of c-IAP1 and Bcl-2 were significantly lower in the I (cid:1) B (cid:2) (cid:1) N mice, whereas there was no change in c-IAP2 levels, manganese superoxide dismutase, or c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase activity. Conclusions —Transgenic mice with a defect in activation of NF- (cid:1) B have increased susceptibility to tissue injury after acute left anterior descending occlusion. These studies suggest that the cytoprotective effects of NF- (cid:1) B are mediated, at least in part, by Bcl-2 or c-IAP1. ( Circulation . 2003;108:3075-3078.) proteolytic (cid:2) -myosin this dominant-negative to the myocyte. defective translocation of (cid:1) after provocation with lipolysaccharide. The I (cid:1) maintained on a C57BL/ (cid:4) C3B6 hybrid background. littermate controls littermate biotin-labeled hairpin oligonu- cleotides. counterstained diamidino-2-phenylindole) to myocardial section. To were we
Low-Dose Sultamicillin Versus Amoxicillin-Clavulanic Acid in the Treatment of Acute Bacterial Sinusitis in Adults: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Several pathogens implicated in acute bacterial sinusitis have developed a notable incidence of antibiotic resistance usually through the production of a beta-lactamase. The purpose of this study was to compare the effectiveness of amoxicillin-clavulanic acid with that of low-dose sultamicillin in the treatment of acute bacterial sinusitis. Patients with acute sinusitis were randomly allocated in either of 2 groups: patients in group A (n = 21) received 625 mg amoxicillin-clavulanic acid 3 times daily for 10 days, and group B (n = 23) received 375 mg oral sultamicillin 2 times daily for the same duration. The 2 groups were not statistically different regarding age and sex. In group A, both intention-to-treat and per-protocol cure rates were 85.7%, whereas the corresponding figures in group B were 82.6% and 86.4%, respectively. Cure rates were not statistically different between the 2 groups, and side effects in group B were not significantly more common than in group A. In conclusion, low-dose sultamicillin can be considered as an effective and safe therapeutic regimen for acute bacterial sinusitis.
Factors associated with symptoms of pelvic floor dysfunction six years after primary operation of genital prolapse

Objective. To determine prevalence of pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD) symptoms in women six years after primary pelvic organ prolapse (POP) surgery and analyze predictive factors for these symptoms. Design. Cross‐sectional observational study. Setting. Three Swedish hospitals. Sample. Women who underwent primary POP surgery in 1993 and had no subsequent POP surgery during the following six years. Methods. Clinical data from patient records and a postal questionnaire concerning symptoms of PFD completed in 1999. Main outcome measures. Prevalence of PFD symptoms, predictive factors. Results. Urinary incontinence episodes ≥weekly were reported by 41%, feeling of vaginal bulging by 18% and solid stool incontinence by 15%. Thirty nine percent were sexually active; 15% refrained completely from sexual activity because of own discomfort or pain and 46% had no sexual activity due to lack of or sick partner. Discomfort or pain during sexual activity was experienced by 42%. Previous incontinence surgery and urinary incontinence prior to POP surgery were predictive factors for urinary incontinence. Anterior repair was protective for the postoperative symptoms of incomplete bladder and bowel emptying and vaginal bulging. Posterior repair was a risk factor for incomplete bowel emptying and solid stool incontinence. The association between posterior repair and discomfort or pain during sexual activity was not significant. Conclusion. The prevalence of PFD symptoms six years after primary POP surgery seemed high. The extent of POP surgery was predictive for postoperative symptoms of urinary and bowel dysfunction but not for discomfort or pain during sexual activity.
Hypertension Management in the Diabetes Patient

Approximately 11 million of the 17 million US citizens with type 2 diabetes mellitus also have hypertension. The development of diabetic nephropathy in patients with type 1 diabetes is frequently associated with hypertension, and both may present several years after the onset of diabetes. In type 2 diabetes, hypertension may precede the development of diabetes by several years. Differences that exist between type 1 and type 2 diabetes and the development of hypertension may indicate differences in the concomitant disease processes, yet the inevitable development of both diseases contributes to significant increases in risk of cardiovascular disease.The pharmacist must be familiar with blood pressure treatment goals in the hypertensive-diabetic patient and appropriate pharmacotherapeutic management. This article outlines treatment goals in the patient with diabetes and concurrent hypertension, reviews trials assessing pharmacologic treatments, and provides a summary of monitoring parameters to guide the pharmacist in the management of this population.
Correlates of Physical Activity in Latino Preschool Children Attending Head Start.

BACKGROUND Physical activity is associated with long-term benefits for health and tracks from early childhood into later adolescence. Limited information exists about factors influencing physical activity among Latino preschoolers. We aimed to identify correlates of objectively measured light-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity as a proportion of wear time (% PA) in Latino 3-5 year olds. METHODS Latino preschoolers (n = 96) were recruited from Head Start centers in Houston, TX, USA, from 2009 to 2010. Sociodemographics, anthropometrics, acculturation, neighborhood disorder, and TV viewing were measured. Actigraph GT1M accelerometers measured physical activity. Block linear regression was used with % PA as the dependent variable. RESULTS Children achieved 285.7 ± 58.0 min/day of PA. In the final adjusted-model, child age, parental education and neighborhood disorder were positively associated with % PA (beta = 0.33, p = .002; beta = 0.25, p = .038; beta = 0.22, p = .039, respectively). TV viewing was inversely associated with % PA (beta=-0.23, p = .027). CONCLUSION The majority of Latino preschoolers in our study exceeded US national and international guidelines of physical activity duration. Future interventions to sustain physical activity should focus on the influence of age, socioeconomic status, neighborhood disorder, and TV viewing on Latino preschoolers' attainment of physical activity.