Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Remission status and cortical thickness in childhood-onset schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE Few studies have examined prediction of schizophrenia outcome in relation to brain magnetic resonance imaging measures. In this study, remission status at the time of discharge was examined in relation to admission cortical thickness for childhood-onset schizophrenia probands. We hypothesized that total, frontal, temporal, and parietal gray matter thickness would be greater in patients who subsequently remit. METHOD The relation between admission cortical brain thickness on magnetic resonance imaging and remission status at the time of discharge an average of 3 months later was examined for 56 individuals (32 males) ages 6 to 19 diagnosed with childhood-onset schizophrenia. Cortical thickness was measured across the cerebral hemispheres at admission. Discharge remission criteria were adapted from the 2005 Remission in Schizophrenia Working Group criteria. RESULTS Patients remitted at discharge (n = 16 [29%]) had thicker regional cortex in left orbitofrontal, left superior, and middle temporal gyri and bilateral postcentral and angular gyri (p < or = .008). CONCLUSIONS Our results provide neuroanatomic correlates of clinical remission in schizophrenia and evidence that response to treatment may be mediated by these cortical brain regions.
Comorbidity of psychiatric disorders and nicotine dependence among adolescents: findings from a prospective, longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVE To examine prospectively the comorbidity of DSM-IV psychiatric disorders and nicotine dependence in adolescence. METHOD A multiethnic sample (N = 1,039) of adolescents from grades 6 to 10 in the Chicago public schools (mean age 14.1 years) was interviewed at home five times, and mothers were interviewed three times over a 2-year period (2003-2005). Completion rates at each wave were 96% of the initial sample. Selected DSM-IV psychiatric disorders were ascertained from youths and mothers about youths at two annual waves with the NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children, Version IV-Y and IV-P; DSM-IV symptoms of nicotine dependence were ascertained from youths at every wave using a measure developed for adolescents. RESULTS Psychiatric disorders most often preceded the onset of the first criterion of nicotine dependence. Prospective associations between psychiatric disorders and nicotine dependence were examined through logistic regressions. After controlling for comorbid disorders, it was found that lifetime disruptive disorder significantly predicted the onset of a nicotine dependence criterion (adjusted odds ratio 2.1). Early onset of any psychiatric disorder increased this risk. Other predictors included novelty seeking and extensiveness of smoking. By contrast, nicotine dependence did not predict the onset of a psychiatric disorder; significant predictors included the youths' prior other psychiatric disorders, novelty seeking, and parental depression and antisocial behavior. CONCLUSIONS Nicotine dependence does not seem to contribute to the onset of psychiatric disorders, whereas disruptive disorder is an important etiologic factor for nicotine dependence in adolescence.
Aberrant neural function during emotion attribution in female subjects with fragile X syndrome.

OBJECTIVE Fragile X (FraX) syndrome is caused by mutations of the FraX mental retardation-1 gene-a gene responsible for producing FraX mental retardation protein. The neurocognitive phenotype associated with FraX in female subjects includes increased risk for emotional disorders including social anxiety, depression, and attention deficit. Here, the authors investigated the neurobiological systems underlying emotion attribution in female subjects with FraX syndrome. METHOD While undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging, 10 high-functioning female subjects with FraX syndrome and 10 typically developing (TD) female subjects were presented with photographs of happy, sad, and neutral faces and instructed to determine the facial emotion. RESULTS No significant group differences were found for the recognition of happy faces, although the FraX group showed a trend toward a significant difference for the recognition of sad faces and significantly poorer recognition of neutral faces. Controlling for between-group differences in IQ and performance accuracy, the TD group had greater activation than the FraX group in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) for neutral faces compared with scrambled faces and the caudate for sad faces compared with scrambled faces (but not for sad faces compared with neutral faces). In the FraX group, FraX mental retardation protein levels positively correlated with activation in the dorsal ACC for neutral, happy, and sad faces when independently compared with scrambled faces. Significantly greater negative correlation between IQ and insula activation for neutral faces relative to scrambled faces was observed in the FraX group compared with the TD group. Significantly greater positive correlation between IQ and ACC activation for neutral faces relative to scrambled faces was observed in the TD group compared with the FraX group. CONCLUSIONS Although emotion recognition is generally spared in FraX syndrome, the emotion circuit (i.e., ACC, caudate, insula) that modulates emotional responses to facial stimuli may be disrupted.
Effect of T3 hormone on neural differentiation of human adipose derived stem cells

Human adult stem cells, which are capable of self‐renewal and differentiation into other cell types, can be isolated from various tissues. There are no ethical and rejection problems as in the case of embryonic stem cells, so they are a promising source for cell therapy. The human body contains a great amount of adipose tissue that contains high numbers of mesenchymal stem cells. Human adipose‐derived stem cells (hADSCs) could be easily induced to form neuron‐like cells, and because of its availability and abundance, we can use it for clinical cell therapy. On the other hand, T3 hormone as a known neurotropic factor has important impressions on the nervous system. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of T3 treatment on neural differentiation of hADSCs.
Impact of 4‐hydroxynonenal on matrix metalloproteinase‐9 regulation in lipopolysaccharide‐stimulated RAW 264.7 cells

Tissue degradation and leukocyte extravasation suggest proteolytic destruction of the extracellular matrix (ECM) during severe malaria. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) play an established role in ECM turnover, and increased MMP‐9 protein abundance is correlated with malarial infection. The malaria pigment hemozoin (Hz) is a heme detoxification biomineral that is produced during infection and associated with biologically active lipid peroxidation products such as 4‐hydroxynonenal (HNE) adsorbed to its surface. Hz has innate immunomodulatory activity, and many of its effects can be reproduced by exogenously added HNE. Hz phagocytosis enhances MMP‐9 expression in monocytes; thus, this study was designed to examine the ability of HNE to alter MMP‐9 regulation in activated cells of macrophage lineage. Data show that treatment of lipopolysaccharide‐stimulated RAW 264.7 cells with HNE increased MMP‐9 secretion and activity. HNE treatment abolished the cognate tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase‐1 protein levels, further decreasing MMP‐9 regulation. Phosphorylation of both p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) and c‐Jun NH2‐terminal kinase was induced by HNE, but only p38 MAPK inhibition lessened MMP‐9 secretion. These results demonstrate the in vitro ability of HNE to cause MMP‐9 dysregulation in an activated cell model. The findings may extend to myriad pathologies associated with lipid peroxidation and elevated MMP‐9 levels leading to tissue damage. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Influência do nível de ruídos na percepção do estresse em pacientes cardíacos

OBJECTIVES: To identify the main causes of stress in patients staying in a coronary unit and to assess the influence of noise levels on their perception of stress. METHODS: This was a prospective, descriptive and quantitative study conducted between June and November 2009 in the Coronary Unit of the Hospital de Clinicas da Universidade Estadual de Campinas. The Intensive Care Unit Environmental Stressor Scale was used on the first, second and third days of hospitalization to identify stressors. The noise level was measured on the first and second nights using an Instrutherm DEC-460 decibel meter. RESULTS: Overall, 32 clinical heart disease patients were included. The median Intensive Care Unit Environmental Stressor Scale scores were 67.5, 60.5 and 59.5 for the first, second and third days, respectively. The differences were not statistically significant. The highest noise level (a median of 58.7 dB) was detected on the second night at 9:00 pm; the lowest level (51.5 dB) was measured on the first night at 12:00 am. In a multiple linear regression model, the first-night noise level had a 33% correlation with the second-day stress scale score, and for the second night, the correlation with the third-day stress scale score was 32.8% (p = 0.001). CONCLUSION: Patients admitted into a coronary unit have an increased perception of stress. Higher noise levels are also responsible for the perception of stress in these patients.
In vitro effects of pesticides and metals on the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) from different tissues of the blue mussel, Mytilus trossulus L.

The objective of this study was to conduct a comprehensive comparison of the effect on acetylcholinesterase (AChE) from various tissues of Mytilus trossulus caused by in vitro exposure to several pesticides and metals, because results available in the literature are inconsistent, difficult to compare, and sometimes contradict each other. For this purpose, fraction S10 extracted from gills, digestive gland, mantle and muscles, and the whole soft tissue of the mussel was exposed to several pesticides (dichlorvos, chlorpyrifos, fenitrothion, carbofuran and carbaryl) and metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Hg, Pb) at a wide range of concentrations. AChE was inhibited in 50% or more in all the tissues exposed to dichlorvos, Cu, Hg and the mixture of Cu+Cd, and in some tissues exposed to carbaryl and carbofuran. The IC50 was calculated where possible. No inhibition was found in the case of chlorpyrifos, Cd, Pb, and Zn.
Imaging genetics.

As research in developmental and clinical sciences has progressed in the last decades, there have been many important technological and methodological advances in the increasingly complimentary fields of molecular genetics and neuroimaging. These advances have facilitated fruitful collaboration across once disparate disciplines, with early results shedding new light on the mechanisms giving rise to individual differences in complex behaviors and related psychiatric disorders. At the leading edge of such efforts is imaging genetics, an experimental strategy for the effective integration of molecular genetics and neuroimaging technologies for the study of biological mechanisms mediating individual differences in behavior and related risk for psychiatric disorders. Imaging genetic studies have the potential to provide a more complex and nuanced understanding of the pathways and mechanisms through which the dynamic interplay of genes, brain, and environment shapes variability in behavior. The broader potential of imaging genetics is to inform risk and resiliency; however, it is likely to be realized only through its orchestrated application within longitudinal developmental studies. To date, no imaging genetic studies of development or of childhood psychiatric disorders have yielded published results, although such studies are underway. The results of these studies may have important implications for the diagnosis and treatment of such psychiatric disorders.
The fate of recombinant plasmids during composting of organic wastes

Composting was investigated as a means for safe disposal of organic waste containing bacteria that carry transgenes in recombinant plasmids. To generate model recombinant plasmids, a mobile IncQ plasmid, RSF1010, and a non-mobile plasmid, pGFP, were genetically modified to carry a DNA segment encoding both green fluorescent protein and kanamycin resistance and were designated as RSF1010-GFPK and pGFPK. Escherichia coli (E. coli) C600 harboring these plasmids were inoculated into chicken manure specimens that were placed in compost at 20 and 60 cm from the bottom of a 1.0-m high compost bin. Control specimens were held at ambient temperature. By day 10, compost temperatures at the lower and upper levels of the bin had reached 45.3 and 61.5°C, respectively, and at both levels the target E. coli had been inactivated and the plasmids had lost their capacity to be transformed or mobilized. Furthermore, based on real time Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the transgene fragments along with the host chromosomal DNA fragment from specimens at the upper level had been degraded beyond the detection limit. However, at the lower level where temperatures remained below 48°C these fragment persisted to day 21. At ambient temperatures (0–8°C), the E. coli, plasmids and the transgene fragments persisted in manure specimens throughout the 21 day test period. The study showed the potential for composting as a safe procedure for disposal of bacteria carrying transgenes in recombinant plasmids.
Direct action of capsaicin in brown adipogenesis and activation of brown adipocytes

The ingestion of capsaicin, the principle pungent component of red and chili peppers, induces thermogenesis, in part, through the activation of brown adipocytes expressing genes related to mitochondrial biogenesis and uncoupling such as peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor (Ppar) γ coactivator‐1α (Pgc‐1α) and uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp1). Capsaicin has been suggested to induce the activation of brown adipocytes, which is mediated by the stimulation of sympathetic nerves. However, capsaicin may directly affect the differentiation of brown preadipocytes, brown adipocyte function, or both, through its significant absorption. We herein demonstrated that Trpv1, a capsaicin receptor, is expressed in brown adipose tissue, and that its expression level is increased during the differentiation of HB2 brown preadipocytes. Furthermore, capsaicin induced calcium influx in brown preadipocytes. A treatment with capsaicin in the early stage of brown adipogenesis did not affect lipid accumulation or the expression levels of Fabp4 (a gene expressed in mature adipocytes), Pparγ2 (a master regulator of adipogenesis) or brown adipocyte‐selective genes. In contrast, a treatment with capsaicin in the late stage of brown adipogenesis slightly increased the expression levels of Fabp4, Pparγ2 and Pgc‐1α. Although capsaicin did not affect the basal expression level of Ucp1, Ucp1 induction by forskolin was partially inhibited by capsaicin, irrespective of the dose of capsaicin. The results of the present study suggest the direct effects of capsaicin on brown adipocytes or in the late stage of brown adipogenesis.
Autoavaliação de saúde e doenças crônicas entre enfermeiros de Pelotas/RS

ABSTRACT To describe the self-evaluation of health and the prevalence of chronic diseases among nurses. This cross-sectional study was performed with 240 nurses, who answered a structured questionnaire. Data treatment performed using descriptive statistics and association with the chi-square test. The sample consisted of nurses, mostly women (90.8%), young adults (69.6%), unmarried (55.4%) and with children (53.4%). In the sample, 35.4% reported working more that 40h, 40% worked the night shift, 31.2% had chronic diseases, and 37.1% evaluated their health as being between average and bad. A significant association was obtained between chronic diseases and age above 39 years (p<0.001), and a self-evaluation of health between average and bad (p<0.001). The findings reveal it is necessary to invest in nurses’ health care, mainly regarding their living with chronic diseases, which, in turn, will affect the self-evaluation that these professionals make of their own health and of the care that is delivered. Descriptors: Quality of Life; Occupational Health; Nursing.
A randomized controlled trial of preoperative psychological preparation for mastectomy

The effectiveness of a preoperative psychotherapeutic intervention with breast cancer patients was assessed in a randomized controlled trial: (1) preoperative interview plus a 30‐minute preoperative psychotherapeutic intervention; (2) preoperative interview plus a 30‐minute chat to control for the effects of attention; (3) preoperative interview only; and (4) routine hospital care control. A clinical psychologist interviewed the patient in hospital the afternoon before surgery. A consultant surgeon trained in listening and counselling skills conducted a 30‐minute psychotherapeutic intervention or chat. Psychological measures included anxiety and depression, body image distress, stressful life events, social support, and coping. Patients receiving a preoperative interview had lower body image distress at 3 months and 1 year than controls. Controls also showed significantly less Fighting Spirit in 1‐year interviews, and more control patients were cases for both anxiety and depression on Present State Examination criteria at 1 year than patients in the experimental groups. The psychotherapeutic intervention was superior to the chat among patients with severe stressful life events. Patients in the chat condition used their 30 minutes with the surgeon to explore symbolically themes of loss and restitution. In a multivariate model for predicting psychological outcome at 3 months and 1 year, experimental group remained a significant predictor when surgical procedure and age were included in the regression equation. Patients undergoing sector mastectomy had lower body image distress scores than mastectomy patients both at 3 months and 1 year. Psychological morbidity in the sample was high preoperatively (59%) and at 1 year (39%), but detection of morbidity by health professionals was poor. Predictors of caseness at follow‐up included caseness preoperatively, severe stressful life events, age, marital status, and social support. Implications of the findings for the care of cancer patients in hospital are discussed.
Early emergence of behavior and social-emotional problems in very preterm infants.

OBJECTIVE Children born very preterm are reported to have an increased frequency of social, emotional, and behavioral problems at school age compared with their peers born at term. The primary aim of this study was to compare social-emotional difficulties and competencies of very preterm and full-term children at 2 years' corrected age. In addition, the relation between perinatal variables and early behavior problems was also examined to help identify those very preterm children most at risk. METHOD At 2 years' corrected age, the parents of 188 very preterm (gestational age <30 weeks or birth weight <1,250 g) and 70 full-term (gestational age >or=37 weeks) children completed the Infant Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment to determine externalizing, internalizing, and dysregulation problems and social-emotional competencies. For the very preterm sample, extensive perinatal data were collected including sex, birth weight, gestational age, chronic lung disease, and postnatal steroids, as well as neonatal cerebral white matter abnormalities detected by magnetic resonance imaging. RESULTS The very preterm children at 2 years demonstrated significantly higher internalizing and dysregulation scores and lower competence scores than peers born at term. There was no significant difference in externalizing scores between groups. Female sex, lower birth weight z score, white matter abnormalities, and postnatal corticosteroids were significantly associated with lower competence scores in the very preterm group. CONCLUSIONS Very preterm children exhibit higher rates of behavior problems early in development, in particular internalizing and dysregulation problems and poorer competence.
Physical education and health promotion: a qualitative study of teachers’ perceptions

Presents the findings from semi‐structured interviews with 35 physical education (PE) teachers in secondary schools in the Northwest of England. A principal aim of the study was to examine the extent to which health promotion had become a central feature of PE teachers’ ‘’philosophies” and practices. The findings indicated that the views of many teachers were heavily tinted with health‐related ideological justifications for PE. Teachers not only viewed sport as a central aspect of the subject but also as the main vehicle for health promotion. The paper concludes that an ideology of sport has penetrated deeply into the core assumptions of both PE teachers and government in relation to the promotion of health through PE. Gaps between “policy” and “practice” in relation to health promotion in PE remain and these appear likely to become hardened rather than diminished by recent government policy.
Cytokine profile in interferon‐β treated multiple sclerosis patients: reduction of interleukin‐10 mRNA expressing cells in peripheral blood

Treatment with interferon‐β reduces relapse rate, slows progression of neurological disability and reduces the number of active brain lesions observed with magnetic resonance imaging in relapsing‐remitting multiple sclerosis. Interferon‐β has antiviral properties, but in addition it affects the expression of several immunoregulatory genes, including genes for cytokines such as interferon‐γ and interleukin‐10. Cytokines are believed to be central in the pathologic process in multiple sclerosis, by regulating autoreactive T‐ and B‐cell responses. In this study we have determined effects of interferon‐β on the frequency of cells in peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid expressing mRNA for interferon‐γ, tumor necrosis factor‐α, interleukin‐4 and interleukin‐10 in a group of multiple sclerosis patients. All patients were treated for two months or more, since the beneficial effect of interferon‐β is not apparent until after several months of treatment. We detected a significant reduction of interleukin‐10 mRNA expressing cells in the peripheral blood during interferon‐β treatment compared with pretreatment values (10 vs 33 cells/105; p = 0.028) while the other investigated cytokines were not significantly affected. We conclude that there is a long term effect of interferon‐β on cytokine expression in multiple sclerosis patients. Its relation to the therapeutic effect is as yet not clear.