Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Double blind clinical trial of a remineralizing dentifrice in the prevention of caries in a radiation therapy population.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study is to determine the efficacy and safety of a specially formulated remineralizing toothpaste in controlling caries in a group of high risk, head and neck radiation patients. DESIGN The study compares the performance of the remineralizing toothpaste with a leading conventional fluoride dentifrice using double-blind randomization. TEST PRODUCTS: The products compared both contain equivalent quantities of fluoride (1150 ppm). The remineralizing toothpaste also delivers soluble calcium and phosphate ions, the essential components of teeth. SUBJECTS On completion, 50 subjects who received > 50 Gy of radiation to the head and neck. MEASUREMENTS Examinations include coronal and root caries using the Pitts Diagnostic Criteria, salivary flow rate, plaque and gingival indices and microbiological counts over one year. RESULTS At this point subjects are enrolled in the study at various phases. However, the current average for the net increment per month per subject is -0.12 (+/- 1.30) for coronal caries and 0.06 (+/- 0.73) for root caries in subjects using the remineralizing toothpaste and 0.53 (+/- 1.62) for coronal caries and 0.45 (+/- 0.98) for root caries in subjects using the conventional fluoride dentifrice. Non-parametric analysis of rank scores for net root surface increments/month was statistically significant (p = 0.02), suggesting lower net root surface increment/month for the remineralizing toothpaste relative to the conventional toothpaste. No significant differences were noted on coronal surfaces. CONCLUSIONS The results to date indicate that the remineralizing toothpaste is significantly superior to the conventional fluoride dentifrice in preventing root caries in high risk patients.
Sectoral Composition of Output and the Wage Share: a Two-Sector Kaleckian Model

In this paper, we look at structural change, and in particular at the shrinking size of manufacturing in favor of the service sector, as one additional source of decline in the wage share. To the purpose, we build on Dutt (1988) to develop a two-sector Kaleckian model of growth and distribution, where the economy consists of the service and manufacturing sectors. The service good is only used for consumption while the manufacturing good is used both for consumption and accumulation of the capital stock. We assume that structural change is exogenous as it arises from a shift in consumers' preferences. We show that, when mark-ups are relatively higher in the service sector, a shift in the sectoral composition of demand in favor of the service sector good generates a rise in the pro
Pediatric heart-lung transplantation: intermediate-term results.

BACKGROUND Adult heart-lung transplantation was initiated at Stanford in 1981 and the first pediatric heart-lung transplantation was done in 1986. Intermediate-term results of pediatric heart-lung transplantation at Stanford University are presented. METHODS A retrospective review of the records of all pediatric heart-lung transplantations done since 1986 was conducted. RESULTS Nineteen heart-lung transplantations were done in 17 patients. Ages ranged from 2 months to 18 years with a median age of 10 years. At the time of transplantation 5 patients were infants, 7 children, and 7 adolescents. The mean follow-up was 29 +/- 6.2 months (range 1 to 77, median 16) and follow-up was 100% complete. Diagnoses were congenital heart disease in 13, primary pulmonary hypertension in 2, and cystic fibrosis, cystic lymphangiectasia, viral pneumonia, and obliterative bronchiolitis in 1 each. Median wait on the heart-lung transplantation list was 91 days (range 2 to 707). All patients had New York Heart Association class III to IV symptoms, two were receiving ventilator support, and six were receiving oxygen. Fifteen of 19 transplant recipients were discharged from the hospital. The 30-day operative mortality rate was 5.2% (1 of 19). The actuarial survival at 1, 3, and 5 years for all patients was 67%, 51%, and 41%, respectively, and for hospital survivors was 82%, 62%, and 51%. The cause of death was obliterative bronchiolitis in 4, multisystem organ failure in 3, and graft coronary artery disease and chronic airway disease in 1 each. Three patients required retransplantation, 2 because of obliterative bronchiolitis and 1 because of viral pneumonia. Two patients underwent repeat heart-lung transplantation and 1 patient underwent single lung transplantation. Rejection was diagnosed in 73% of recipients, and obliterative bronchiolitis has developed in 32% of recipients. CONCLUSIONS Survival in pediatric heart-lung transplantation approximates that in the adult procedure at 1, 3, and 5 years. Long-term survival has been achieved but the primary factors limiting further improved survival remain infection and obliterative bronchiolitis.
High-risk mammographic parenchymal patterns, hormone replacement therapy and other risk factors: a case-control study.

BACKGROUND Mammographic parenchymal patterns are of particular interest because the denser patterns reduce screening sensitivity as well as increasing breast cancer risk, and because they have been shown to be affected by exogenous oestrogens. METHODS We designed a case-control study comprising 200 cases with high-risk (P2 and DY) pattern and 200 controls with low-risk (N1 and P1) pattern. Mammograms were evaluated according to the Wolfe classification. RESULTS Parity, body mass index (BMI) and current smoking were inversely and independently associated, whereas late age of menarche and history of benign breast disease were positively associated with high-risk mammographic patterns. Current-users of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) were more than twice as likely to have a high-risk pattern than never-users (OR = 2.48, 95% CI : 1.32-4.61). Women who used HRT for more than 5 years were almost three times more likely to have a high-risk pattern than never-users (OR = 2.77, 95% CI : 1.11-6.91). Relative to never-users, women who started HRT before the menopause were more than twice as likely to have a high-risk pattern (OR = 2.53, 95% CI : 1.31-4.87). CONCLUSIONS Careful clinical and mammographical follow-up might be appropriate in women undergoing HRT. The HRT-induced mammographic pattern might be regarded as a new baseline and changes with respect to this new pattern could then be monitored over time.
Hematoma expansion in spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage: predictors and outcome

Background: Hematoma growth is an independent determinant of outcome in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Predictors of hematoma expansion are poorly defined. Our aim is to determine predictors of hematoma expansion in patients with ICH. Methods: We reviewed our prospective database of patients with ICH between January 2009 and June 2012. Patients were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of hematoma expansion. Hematoma volume was calculated by thin volumetric cuts using special software. Expansion was defined as 33% increase in hematoma volume over 24 hours. We compared risk factors, laboratory parameters, medications and CT findings between the two groups using Fisher's exact test. A multivariate regression analysis was performed to identify predictors of expansion. Results: We identified 200 patients with ICH. On univariate analysis, patients with hematoma expansion were more likely to have Warfarin use (37% vs. 11% p = 0.001), low admission GCS (9 ± 4, 11 ± 4, p = 0.003), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) (79% vs. 45% p = 0.002) and hydrocephalus (43% vs. 22% p = 0.032). On multivariate regression analysis, prior Warfarin use (OR = 3.6, 95% CI: 1.3,10.3; p = 0.016) and IVH (OR = 5.7, 95% CI: 1.5,20.9; p = 0.009) were significant predictors of hematoma expansion. The ICU length of stay (8 ± 8 vs. 4 ± 6, p = 0.004), intubation rate (82% vs. 32%, p = 0.034), and hospital mortality (68% vs. 20%, p = < 0.001) were significantly higher among patients with hematoma expansion. Conclusion: Patient with prior Warfarin use and IVHs are at risk of hematoma expansion. Aggressive measures to prevent hematoma growth are important in these patients.
Antiplatelet effects and pharmacodynamics of clopidogrel in cats.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate antiplatelet effects and pharmacodynamics of clopidogrel in cats. DESIGN Original study. ANIMALS 5 purpose-bred domestic cats. PROCEDURE Clopidogrel was administered at dosages of 75 mg, p.o. , every 24 hours for 10 days; 37.5 mg, p.o. , every 24 hours for 10 days; and 18.75 mg, p.o. , every 24 hours for 7 days. In all cats, treatments were administered in this order, with at least 2 weeks between treatments. Platelet aggregation in response to ADP and collagen and oral mucosal bleeding times (OMBTs) were measured before and 3, 7, and 10 days (75 and 37.5 mg) or 7 days (18.75 mg) after initiation of drug administration. Serotonin concentration in plasma following stimulation of platelets with ADP or collagen was measured before and on the last day of drug administration. Platelet aggregation, OMBT, and serotonin concentration were evaluated at various times after drug administration was discontinued to determine when drug effects were lost. RESULTS For all 3 dosages, platelet aggregation in response to ADP platelet aggregation in response to collagen, and serotonin concentration were significantly reduced and OMBT was significantly increased at all measurement times during drug administration periods. All values returned to baseline values by 7 days after drug administration was discontinued. No significant differences were identified between doses. None of the cats developed adverse effects associated with drug administration. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggest that administration of clopidogrel at dosages ranging from 18.75 to 75 mg, p.o. , every 24 hours, results in significant antiplatelet effects in cats.
A Physiological Function for Apolipoprotein(a): A Natural Regulator of the Inflammatory Response

Structural similarities between apolipoprotein(a) (apo(a)), the unique apoprotein of lipoprotein(a), and plasminogen, the zymogen of plasmin, can interfere with functions of plasmin (ogen) in vitro. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of apo(a) in inflammation in vivo using apo(a) transgenic mice and to determine if effects are plasminogen-dependent using backgrounds that are either plasminogen-replete or plasminogen-deficient. After administration of peritoneal inflammatory stimuli, thioglycollate, bioimplants or lipopolysaccharide, the number of responding peritoneal neutrophils and macrophages were quantified. Apo(a), in either wild-type or plasminogen deficient backgrounds, inhibited neutrophil recruitment but had no effect on plasminogen-dependent macrophage recruitment. Macrophage-inflammatory protein-2, a neutrophil chemokine, was reduced in apo(a) mice, and injection of this chemokine prior to thioglycollate restored neutrophil recruitment in apo(a) transgenic mice. In the lipopolysaccharide model, mice with apo(a), unlike mice without apo(a), did not increase neutrophil recruitment in response to the stimulus. In the bioimplant model, neutrophil recruitment and neutrophil cytokines were reduced in apo(a)tg mice but only in a plasminogen-deficient background. These results indicate for the first time that apo(a), independent of plasminogen interaction, inhibits neutrophil recruitment in vivo in diverse peritoneal inflammatory models. Hence, apo(a) may function as a cell specific suppressor of the inflammatory response.
Nonadditive Genetic Components in Resistance of the Red Flour Beetle Tribolium castanaeum Against Parasite Infection

Abstract Genetically coupled antagonistic coevolution between host and parasites can select for the maintenance of recombination in the host. Mechanistically, maintenance of recombination relies on epistatic interactions between resistance genes creating linkage disequilibria (LD). The role of epistasis in host resistance traits is however only partly understood. Therefore, we applied the joint scaling principle to assess epistasis and other nonadditive genetic components of two resistance traits, survival, and parasite spore load, in population crosses of the red flour beetle Tribolium castanaeum under infections with the microsporidian Nosema whitei. We found nonadditive components only in infected populations but not in control populations. The genetic architecture underlying survival under parasite infection was more complex than that of spore load. Accordingly, the observed negative correlation between survival and spore load was mainly based on a correlation between shared additive components. Breakdown of resistance was especially strong in F2 crosses between resistant lines indicating that multiple epistatic routes can lead to the same adaptation. In general, the wide range of nonoverlapping genetic components between crosses indicated that parasite resistance in T. castanaeum can be understood as a multi peaked fitness landscape with epistasis contributing substantially to phenotypic differentiation in resistance.
Quality of life in chronic illness: children, parents and paediatricians have different, but stable perceptions

Aim: Quality of life assessments can be helpful to estimate the well‐being of chronically ill children. The aim of this study was to investigate the differences in perception of health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) among children, parents and paediatricians at the time of diagnosis and after initial treatment in four chronic diseases.
Predicting Stock Price Returns Using Microblog Sentiment for Chinese Stock Market

Recently there have been many efforts to study the predictability of stock market trend using post sentiments on social media sites. These studies have mainly focused on US stock market. In this paper we investigate the relationship between stock price movement and social media sentiment in China, which has a large stock capitalization and a unique social media landscape. We collect data from several different types of social media sites (microblogs, chat rooms, web forums), and find that data from these sites exhibit distinct characteristics in activity level, post length, and correlation with stock market behavior. Users in stock market related chat rooms tend to post more but much shorter blogs. The activity level is much more highly correlated with market trading hours and stock trading volumes. We then investigated several machine learning models to classify post sentiment in chat rooms, and achieved a performance similar to the state-of-the-art sentiment analysis result for short posts. We find that there is strong correlation and Granger causality between chat room post sentiment and stock price movement, indicating that post sentiments can be used to improve the prediction of stock price return over using the historic stock trading information alone. We further propose a prediction model that uses chat room sentiment to forecast the market direction, and develop a trading strategy that utilizes the prediction as trading indicators. Backtest using our strategy achieves promising portfolio returns. A total return of 19.54% is obtained at the end of the seven-month period when taking into account of slippage and commissions, compared to a loss of -25.26% by a passive buy-and-hold baseline strategy.
Incorporating a Weight Management Skills Workshop in Pharmacy Curricula in Australia

Objective. To develop, implement, and evaluate a competency-based weight management skills workshop for undergraduate pharmacy students in an Australian university. Design. A 3-hour workshop titled “Weight Management in Pharmacy” was implemented with a cohort of fourth-year undergraduate pharmacy students (n=180). Learning activities used included case-based learning, hands-on experience, role-play, and group discussion. Assessment. A 22-item attitudinal survey instrument and the validated Obesity Risk Knowledge (ORK-10) scale were administered at baseline and postworkshop to evaluate the impact of this educational workshop. There was significant improvement in the students’ ORK scores and students’ perceived level of self-confidence in performing weight management skills. Conclusion. An educational workshop designed to enhance professional competencies in weight management ensured graduates were “service-ready” and had the appropriate knowledge, skills, and attributes to deliver patient-centered pharmacy-based weight management services.
High prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among pregnant women in a Turkish population and impact on perinatal outcomes

Abstract Objective: Maternal vitamin D deficiency is a major public health problem. The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of vitamin D deficiency on perinatal results in primigravida. Methods: One-hundred fifty-two healthy nullipar women were included in the study. Pregnant women with serum vitamin D levels <15ng/ml were defined as Group I and ≥15 ng/dl were defined as Group II; data were evaluated retrospectively. Type of delivery, gestational age at birth, birth weight, intensive care of the newborn, peri-and postpartum complications were recorded. Statistical analyses were performed with SPSS for Windows (version 16.0 ). Categorical variables were assessed using chi-squared test. The numeric variables were analyzed using Student's t-test and one-way ANOVA. Results: 44.6% of pregnant women were found to have vitamin D deficiency. The mean serum vitamin D levels for Groups I and II were 10.8 ± 3.8 and 23.8 ± 13.3 ng/ml, respectively. SGA deliveries were detected in 16.66% and 4.87% of the primigravidas with and without vitamin D deficiency, respectively. Conclusions: This study has shown that maternal vitamin D deficiency is related with an increased risk of SGA delivery. Further studies are needed to explain the relationship with vitamin D deficiency and poor perinatal outcomes.
Comparison of the Mini‐Mental State Examination and Montreal Cognitive Assessment executive subtests in detecting post‐stroke cognitive impairment

The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) has been shown to be more sensitive in detecting executive dysfunction than the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE). However, it is still not known whether all the MoCA executive subtests contribute to the superior sensitivity. Thus, the present study aimed to determine how much executive abnormality was detected by the MMSE and MoCA executive subtests in a population‐based cohort of Chinese post‐stroke patients.
Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA), a Primary Tumor Suppressive Omega-3 Fatty Acid, Inhibits Growth of Colorectal Cancer Independent of p53 Mutational Status

Abstract Human colon carcinoma COLO 205, carrying wild type p53, grown subcutaneously in athymic mice was inhibited 80% by a high fat menhaden oil diet containing a mixture of omega-3 fatty acids compared to the low fat corn oil diet containing omega-6 fatty acids. Feeding a high fat diet of golden algae oil containing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as the sole long chain omega-3 fatty acid resulted in 93% growth inhibition. Similar findings were previously reported for WiDr colon carcinoma containing mutated p53 (His237). In vitro, 125 μM DHA inhibited COLO 205 growth by 81%, WiDr by 42%, while eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) marginally inhibited growth of both lines by approximately 30%. DHA inhibited cell proliferation by 41% in WiDr but did not significantly inhibit proliferation in COLO 205. Cell cycle analysis revealed that DHA arrested cell cycle at Resting/Gap 1 (G0/G1 phase) in WiDr and at Gap 2/Mitosis (G2/M) phase in COLO 205. DHA induced apoptosis in COLO 205 but not in WiDr, and EPA did not induce apoptosis in either line. Taken together, these findings suggest DHA is the primary tumor suppressive ω-3 fatty acid in vivo and in vitro and inhibits cancer growth by p53 dependent and independent pathways, while the marginal inhibition by EPA is p53 independent.
The DD genotype of the ACE gene polymorphism is associated with progression of diabetic nephropathy to end stage renal failure in IDDM.

BACKGROUND The insertion-deletion (I/D) polymorphism of the angiotensin converting enzyme gene is a diallelic polymorphism that constitutes a genetic influence on the progression of renal diseases such as IgA nephropathy. Patients with the DD genotype have an accelerated progression towards end stage renal failure in these diseases. The role of the I/D polymorphism in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy in IDDM is unresolved. PATIENTS AND METHODS We therefore set out to study the contribution of the I/D polymorphism in 79 patients (age 39.5 +/- 7.6 years (mean +/- SD) with end stage renal failure due to diabetic nephropathy, who were recipients of a combined kidney-pancreas transplantation (n = 60), or who were on the waiting list for such a procedure (n = 19). The control series consisted of 82 patients (age 39.5 +/- 9.6 years) without microalbuminuria after fifteen years of IDDM. RESULTS The ACE genotype distribution in patients was not in accordance with the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium due to a significant overrepresentation of the DD genotype (X2 = 8.9, p = 0.01). This resulted in a significant increase of the D-allele frequency in the cases compared to controls (X2 = 4.9, p = 0.03). The presence of one D-allele did not increase the risk of end stage renal failure (odds ratio ID/II = 1.0, 95% CI 0.4-2.2). The presence of the DD genotype increased the risk of end stage renal failure twofold compared to the other genotypes (odds ratio 2.1, 95% CI 1.1-4.0). The risk estimate seemed slightly higher in patients with good metabolic control (odds ratio 2.6, 95% CI 1.0-7.1), than in patients with poor control (odds ratio 1.6, 95% CI 0.59-4.3). CONCLUSION It is concluded that the risk of end-stage renal failure in patients with IDDM is twofold increased in patients with the DD genotype as compared to patients with other genotypes.
Risk of Tearing the Intact Anterior Cruciate Ligament in the Contralateral Knee and Rupturing the Anterior Cruciate Ligament Graft during the First 2 Years after Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Background The risk of tear of the intact anterior cruciate ligament in the contralateral knee after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction of the opposite knee and the incidence of rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament graft during the first 2 years after surgery have not been extensively studied in a prospective manner. Clinicians have hypothesized that the opposite normal knee is at equal or increased risk compared with the risk of anterior cruciate ligament graft rupture in the operated knee. Hypothesis The risk of anterior cruciate ligament graft rupture and contralateral normal knee anterior cruciate ligament rupture at 2-year follow-up is equal. Study Design Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods The Multicenter Orthopaedic Outcome Network (MOON) database of a prospective longitudinal cohort of anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions was used to determine the number of anterior cruciate ligament graft ruptures and tears of the intact anterior cruciate ligament in the contralateral knee at 2-year follow-up. Two-year follow-up consisted of a phone interview and review of operative reports. Results Two-year data were obtained for 235 of 273 patients (86%). There were 14 ligament disruptions. Of these, 7 were tears of the intact anterior cruciate ligament in the contralateral knee (3.0%) and 7 were anterior cruciate ligament graft failures (3.0%). Conclusion The contralateral normal knee anterior cruciate ligament is at a similar risk of anterior cruciate ligament tear (3.0%) as the anterior cruciate ligament graft after primary anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (3.0%).