Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association of serum phosphorus concentration with mortality in elderly and nonelderly hemodialysis patients.

OBJECTIVE Hypo- and hyperphosphatemia have each been associated with increased mortality in maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. There has not been previous evaluation of a differential relationship between serum phosphorus level and death risk across varying age groups in MHD patients. DESIGN AND SETTINGS In a 6-year cohort of 107,817 MHD patients treated in a large dialysis organization, we examined the association between serum phosphorus levels with all-cause and cardiovascular mortality within 5 age categories (15 to <45, 45 to <65, 65 to <70, 70 to <75, and ≥75 years old) using Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for case-mix covariates and malnutrition inflammation complex syndrome (MICS) surrogates. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE All-cause and cardiovascular mortality. RESULTS The overall mean age of the cohort was 60 ± 16 years, among whom there were 45% women, 35% Blacks, and 58% diabetics. The time-averaged serum phosphorus level (mean ± SD) within each age category was 6.26 ± 1.4, 5.65 ± 1.2, 5.26 ± 1.1, 5.11 ± 1.0, and 4.88 ± 1.0 mg/dL, respectively (P for trend <.001). Hyperphosphatemia (>5.5 mg/dL) was consistently associated with increased all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risks across all age categories, including after adjustment for case-mix and MICS-related covariates. In fully adjusted models, a low serum phosphorus level (<3.5 mg/dL) was associated with increased all-cause mortality only in elderly MHD patients ≥65 years old (hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.21 [1.07-1.37], 1.13 [1.02-1.25], and 1.28 [1.2-1.37] for patients 65 to <70, 70 to <75, and ≥75 years old, respectively), but not in younger patients (<65 years old). A similar differential cardiovascular mortality risk for low serum phosphorus levels between old and young age groups was observed. CONCLUSIONS The association between hyperphosphatemia and mortality is similar across all age groups of MHD patients, whereas hypophosphatemia is associated with increased mortality only in elderly MHD patients. Preventing very low serum phosphorus levels in elderly dialysis patients may be associated with better outcomes, which needs to be examined in future studies.
Dental erosion patterns from intrinsic acid regurgitation and vomiting.

BACKGROUND The distribution of lesions from dental erosion due to intrinsic acid regurgitation and vomiting may be different from patterns of dental erosion due to extrinsic acids. To date studies have failed to validate this assumption. This study described the sites and nature of lesions from dental erosion in cases of intrinsic acid regurgitation, and compared them with the distribution of lesions occurring in age and sex matched controls, whose lesions are due to extrinsic acids. METHODS The University of Queensland tooth wear clinic patients were screened to select 30 cases, 21 self-identified bulimics and nine medically diagnosed chronic gastric acid regurgitators, and 30 controls. Epoxy resin models of the subjects' dentition were examined under stereoscopic light microscope at magnification 16 to 40. The patterns and sites of tooth wear were recorded for teeth representative of 20 tooth sites in every subject. RESULTS While the incisal edges of maxillary and mandibular anterior teeth of acid regurgitators were more frequently affected by erosion, incisal attrition was more common on controls' teeth. Cervical lesions were more commonly found in association with incisal attrition in the controls, and in association with incisal erosion in the cases. In 10 per cent of sites in case subjects, cervical lesions associated with incisal erosion were found on the lingual aspects of their mandibular incisors, canines and premolars. These lesions were almost exclusive to the case subjects. CONCLUSIONS These results validate that lingual cervical lesions associated with incisal erosion on the mandibular anterior teeth are strong discriminators between tooth wear in patients with bulimia nervosa or chronic gastro-oesophageal reflux and those whose dental erosion is due to extrinsic acids.
Genetic analysis of psychiatric disorders in humans

Psychiatric disorders place a large burden not only on affected individuals and their families but also on societies and health services. Current treatment is only effective in a proportion of the patients, so considerable effort has been put into the development of new medications. The susceptibility to all major psychiatric disorders is, at least in part, genetic. Knowledge of the genes that underlie this susceptibility may lead to the identification of new drug targets and the development of more effective treatments. Therefore, numerous genetic studies in search for the genes involved in psychiatric disorders have been performed. Although results of both linkage and association studies have been inconsistent, several promising gene regions and candidate genes have been identified recently. In this article, we will review the strategies that proved to be successful in detecting genes for psychiatric disorders and we will provide some recommendations to increase the probability of detecting susceptibility genes in genetic studies of different designs.
A quantitative study of the effects of several nucleoside analogues on established herpes encephalitis in mice.

Mice with established herpes encephalitis were used to compare the effects of chemotherapy using three different nucleoside analogues. Encephalitis was produced by intranasal inoculation of a type 1 strain of herpes simplex virus. Without chemotherapy all mice died within 5 to 7 days of inoculation. Oral acyclovir (ACV) was a successful preventative measure if commenced within 2 days of inoculation but much less effective if the onset of treatment was further delayed. From the third day, when central nervous system infection had definitely become established, ACV only reduced mortality if given intraperitoneally (i.p.) at regular 6-hourly intervals. Comparison with bromovinyldeoxyuridine (BVdU) and the new nucleoside analogue dihydroxypropoxymethylguanine (DHPG) using the same 6-hourly i.p. regimen revealed that BVdU was poorly effective, despite better activity in vitro, whereas DHPG was the most successful. Virus was rapidly eradicated from all parts of the brain by DHPG therapy, and by day 10, no infectious virus remained in the brains of treated mice, no virus antigens were observed and no trace of virus DNA could be detected in neural tissues by Southern blotting.
Polymorphism in the nuclear excision repair gene ERCC2/XPD: association between an exon 6–exon 10 haplotype and susceptibility to cutaneous basal cell carcinoma

Cutaneous basal cell carcinoma (BCC) risk is mediated by interactions between ultraviolet radiation (UVR) and host factors, including DNA repair efficiency. We investigated the association between BCC risk and SNPs in exon 6 (c.466C>A, dbSNP238406:g.C>A; designated C/A156), exon 10 (c.932G>A, dbSNP1799793:g.G>A; designated G/A312), and exon 23 (c.2251A>C, dbSNP13181:g.A>C; designated A/C751) of the nucleotide excision repair gene, XPD (ERCC2; excision repair cross‐complementing repair deficiency, complementation 2 [xeroderma pigmentosum D]). XPD genotype frequencies were not significantly different in 509 cases and 379 controls, although AA156 (odds ratio [OR]=0.61, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.37–1.01, P=0.052) and AA312 (OR=0.65, 95% CI=0.40–1.05, P=0.08) were linked with reduced risk. A156–A312 and A156–A312–A751 haplotype frequencies however, were significantly lower in cases than controls (OR=0.12, 95% CI=0.05–0.31, P<0.001; OR=0.10, 95% CI=0.03–0.33, P<0.001). We confirmed the robustness of these findings by showing significant associations of the haplotypes with risk in two randomly selected equal sized groups of cases and controls and, using the false positive report probability (FPRP) approach (FPRP values<0.001 and<0.004, respectively). A156–A312 was similarly associated with reduced risk in subgroups, including cases with no family history of skin cancer, with only BCC on the head/neck, and those with a high rate of increase in BCC numbers. The association was not dependent on gender, age, or extent of UVR exposure. A156–A312 was found in 6.3% of controls and the corresponding risk haplotype, C156–G312 (OR=1.65, 95% CI=1.21–2.26, P=0.002) in 35.4% of controls. We interpret these data as showing that XPD SNP mediate susceptibility to BCC. Hum Mutat 25:353–359, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Modelling interactions among the housing market and key US sectors

Abstract This study evaluates the dynamic interactions among the housing market and ten key US sectors including: consumer discretionary, consumer staples, energy, financials, industrial, technology, health care, materials, utility and telecommunications. Long-run results indicate that the housing market is integrated with each of the ten sector and that the degree of convergence has increased over time and especially after the onset of the most recent housing crisis. Moreover, the housing market contributes most heavily to the common trends indicating that the housing market is the ‘leader’ market that drives each sector towards the long-run equilibrium relationships. Short-run analyses indicate causal linkages emanating from the housing market to each sector with reciprocal feedback. Finally, impulse response function analysis reveal that shocks from each sector affect the housing market but that shocks from the housing market have a (comparatively) more profound and persistent impact on each sector.
Characterization and Expression of Calpain 10

Calpains are calcium-dependent intracellular nonlysosomal proteases that are believed to hydrolyze specific substrates important in calcium-regulated signaling pathways. Recently, an atypical member of the calpain family, calpain 10, was described, and genetic variation in this gene was associated with an increased risk of type II diabetes mellitus in humans. In the present report, a polyclonal antibody directed against rat calpain 10 was developed. This antibody was used to monitor the expression of calpain 10 protein in tissues from rats, mice, and humans. Calpain 10 protein was found to be present in all tissues examined by Western blotting including the lens, retina, brain, heart, and skeletal muscle. Although some calpain 10 was detectable in the water-soluble protein fraction of these tissues, it was preferentially found in the water-insoluble fraction. In the lens, immunohistochemistry revealed that calpain 10 was predominately located in the cytoplasm of epithelial and newly differentiating lens fibers at the transition zone. However, calpain 10 was found to be associated with the plasma membrane of differentiated lens fiber cells and the sarcolemma of skeletal muscle. In the lens epithelium-derived cell line, αTN4–1, the calpain 10 protein was found in a punctate distribution in the cell nucleus as well as the cytoplasm. After the elevation of intracellular calcium levels with ionomycin, calpain 10 protein levels in the nucleus of αTN4–1 cells increased markedly, whereas those in the cytoplasm decreased. In the lens, the elevation of intracellular calcium levels after selenite administration resulted in increased levels of calpain 10 RNA within 1 day and a loss of calpain 10 protein from the lens nucleus coincident with the onset of selenite cataract. In conclusion, calpain 10 seems to be a ubiquitous calpain, the expression level and subcellular distribution of which are dynamically influenced by calcium.
[Effect of curcumin on pulmonary hypertension and wall collagen of pulmonary arterioles of chronic hypoxic hypercapnic rats].

AIM To study the effect of curcumin on pulmonary arterial pressure and type I collagen of pulmonary arterioles in pulmonary hypertensive rats induced by chronic hypoxia and hypercapnia. METHODS Thirty six rats were randomly divided into three groups: normal control group (NC), hypoxic hypercapnic group (HH) and hypoxic hypercapnia + curcumin group (HC). Collagen I in pulmonary arterioles was observed by the technique of immunohistochemistry. RESULTS (1) The findings from hemodynamics showed that the mPAP in group HH was significantly higher than that in group NC and HC. Differences of mCAP among groups were not significant (P > 0.05). (2) Light microscopy showed the value of WA/TA (vessel wall area/total area), SMC (the density of medial smooth muscle cells) and thickness of pulmonary arterial media smooth cell layer(PAMT) were significantly higher in group HH than group NC (P < 0.01) and group HC (P < 0.01). (3) Electron microscopy showed that structure of the endothelial cells in pulmonary arterioles in group HC was near to normal, and the proliferation of medial smooth muscle cells and collagen fibers in adventitia was much lighter than those of group HH. (4) Expression of collagen I in pulmonary arterioles was significantly higher in group HH than group NC (P < 0.01) and group HC (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION Curcumin can decrease pulmonary arterial pressure, improve pulmonary vessel remodeling and inhibit the deposition of collagen I in pulmonary arterioles.
Long-term Outcomes of Infants and Children Undergoing Percutaneous Endoscopy Gastrostomy Tube Placement

Objectives: Little is known about long-term outcomes of patients undergoing percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) placement. The purpose of this study was to examine tube-related major complications in pediatric patients undergoing PEG placement during a 10-year follow-up period. Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients undergoing PEG placement from April 1999 through December 2000 at Boston Children's Hospital was performed. Cumulative incident rates of major complications (defined by additional hospitalization, surgical or interventional radiology procedures) as well as time between PEG placement and major complications were evaluated using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. Time to elective tube removal and patient mortality was also assessed. Results: One hundred thirty-eight patients (59% [n = 82] boys [median age 22.5 months] [interquartile range, IQR 9–72.5], weight 9.2 kg [IQR 6.1–15.8]), underwent PEG placement during the study period and were followed at our hospital for a median of 4.98 years (IQR 1.5–8.7) years. Median time to elective tube removal was 10.2 years, with approximately half of the patients estimated to still have an indwelling enteral tube 10 years after placement. Fifteen patients (11%) had at least 1 major complication related to their gastrostomy tubes during the examined time period. The cumulative incidence of patients having a major complication was 15% (95% confidence interval 8.9–24.5) by 5.4 years. Conclusions: Children undergoing PEG placement have a long-term high risk of morbidity related to enteral tubes. Major complications can occur many years after PEG placement. Larger prospective studies may be useful to assess risk factors for PEG-related complications in pediatrics.
Population-based assessment of clinical characteristics predicting outcome of conjunctival melanoma in whites.

PURPOSE To identify the clinical determinants of prognosis and the incidence of malignant conjunctival melanoma in whites. METHODS A nationwide search identified 85 patients in whom primary conjunctival melanoma was diagnosed in Finland between 1967 and 2000, all of whom were enrolled. Data were collected from the Finnish Cancer and Population Registries and from patients' charts in all involved hospitals. The age-specific and age-adjusted incidences were calculated. Clinical characteristics of the tumors were recorded and time to local recurrence and melanoma-specific survival were analyzed by Kaplan-Meier analysis and univariate and multivariate extended Cox regression. RESULTS The annual crude incidence of conjunctival melanoma in Finland was 0.51 per million inhabitants, and the age-adjusted incidence (mean, 0.54) increased from 0.4 to 0.8 during the 34-year study period. The median age at diagnosis was 60 years (range, 20-90). Clinically detectable primary acquired melanosis preceded or accompanied the primary tumor in 61% of patients. The 5-year cumulative proportion of cases with local recurrence was 0.36 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.25-0.48). The melanoma-specific 5-and 10-year mortalities were 0.20 (95% CI, 0.12-0.32) and 0.38 (95% CI, 0.26-0.53), respectively. By multiple-event Cox regression, nonlimbal location of the primary tumor predicted a short time to local recurrence (hazard ratio [HR] 1.81, P = 0.024). Nonlimbal location of the primary tumor (HR 4.08, P = 0.023) and increasing tumor thickness (HR 1.19 for each millimeter change, P=0.063) were associated with increased mortality. Local recurrence, analyzed as a time-dependent covariate, also increased mortality (HR 1.39 for each recurrence, P = 0.014). CONCLUSIONS The incidence of conjunctival melanoma in the white population of Finland increased analogous to cutaneous melanoma. Nonlimbal tumors recur more often and are associated with decreased survival, independent of their greater thickness. Local recurrence contributes to mortality, whereas primary acquired melanosis was not associated with either outcome.
Glucocorticoid receptor down-regulation in neutrophils of periparturient cows.

OBJECTIVE To determine effects of parturition on glucocorticoid receptor (GR) expression in neutrophils, serum cortisol concentration, and total blood leukocyte and neutrophil counts in periparturient dairy cows. ANIMALS 23 Holstein cows. PROCEDURE Blood samples were collected from 8 multiparous and 5 primiparous periparturient cows at various times from 28 days before parturition until 14 days after parturition. Glucocorticoid receptor expression in neutrophils, serum cortisol concentration, and total blood leukocyte and neutrophil counts were determined. Results were compared with results from control samples obtained from 5 multiparous and 5 primiparous Holstein cows in midpregnancy. RESULTS Neutrophils from periparturient cows had 49% reduction in GR expression at calving, compared with GR expression 2 to 4 weeks before calving, and 39% reduction, compared with neutrophils from cows in midpregnancy. Reduction in neutrophil GR expression began 1 week before calving and was most severe at calving and 24 hours after calving; a significant difference in GR expression was detected between primiparous and multiparous cows. Serum cortisol concentrations and total leukocyte and neutrophil counts were significantly increased at calving and returned to baseline values by 24 hours after calving. Significant negative correlations were detected between neutrophil GR expression and serum cortisol concentration, total leukocyte count, and neutrophil count. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Reduced GR expression in blood neutrophils of periparturient dairy cows was associated with increased serum cortisol concentrations, leukocytosis, and neutrophilia. Thus, GR down-regulation in neutrophils may be involved in periparturient neutrophil dysregulation and may cause increased susceptibility to mastitis.
Major perioperative adverse events of peroral endoscopic myotomy: a systematic 5-year analysis

Background and study aims: Peroral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) is now a widely used treatment for esophageal achalasia, supported by several large cohort studies. Although major perioperative adverse events (mAE) are rare, in-depth investigations of related risks and preventive measures are lacking. The aim of this study was to systematically assess mAEs during POEM by analyzing their incidence, risks, prevention, and management. Patients and methods: This retrospective single-center analysis included all patients (n = 1680) undergoing POEM between August 2010 and July 2015 at Zhongshan Hospital. Major adverse events were defined as: vital-sign instability, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, hospital readmission, conversion to open surgery, invasive postoperative procedure, blood transfusion, or prolonged (> 5 days) hospitalization for functional impairment. Results: A total of 55 patients (3.3 %, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 2.5 % – 4.2 %) experienced mAEs: delayed mucosal barrier failure (n = 13, 0.8 %; 95 %CI 0.4 % – 1.3 %), delayed bleeding (n = 3, 0.2 %; 95 %CI 0.04 % – 0.5 %), hydrothorax (n = 8, 0.5 %; 95 %CI 0.2 % – 0.9 %), pneumothorax (n = 25, 1.5 %; 95 %CI 1.0 % – 2.2 %), and miscellaneous (n = 6, 0.4 %; 95 %CI 0.1 % – 0.8 %). Four patients (0.2 %) required ICU admission. No surgical conversion occurred, and 30-day mortality was zero. In stepwise multivariate regression, institution experience of < 1 year (odds ratio [OR] 3.85, 95 %CI 1.49 – 9.95), air insufflation (OR 3.41, 95 %CI 1.37 – 8.50), and mucosal edema (OR 2.01, 95 %CI 1.14 – 3.53) were identified as related risk factors. After introducing CO2 insufflation, the mAE rate declined to 1.9 % (95 %CI 1.2 % – 2.7 %) and seemed to plateau after 3.5 years at ~ 1 %. Conclusion: In general, POEM appears to be a safe procedure. Major adverse events were rare and could usually be prevented or anticipated, and were all managed effectively.
Evaluating the effectiveness of a multimedia program on home safety.

PURPOSE This study was designed to test the effectiveness and acceptance of multimedia home safety programming by community-dwelling seniors. DESIGN AND METHODS A prototype CD-ROM was produced that required no reading or computer skills because the program included an audio narration of content and directions for operating the program on a touchscreen computer monitor. Volunteers (N = 126) from a senior center aged 55 and older were randomly assigned to (1) a multimedia group that used the interactive program to learn about home safety, (2) a traditional learning group that read well-established booklets on home safety, and (3) a control group that received no instruction on safety between the pre- and posttests. RESULTS Repeated-measures multivariate analysis of variance showed that the multimedia group was the only group to improve in knowledge. The group was also very satisfied with the approach. IMPLICATIONS Multimedia formats can effectively and economically provide information to older clients.
LIM domain only 2 protein expression, LMO2 germline genetic variation, and overall survival in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma in the pre-rituximab era

Abstract Both LMO2 (LIM domain only 2) mRNA and protein expression in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) have been associated with superior survival. However, a role for germline genetic variation in LMO2 has not been previously reported. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for LMO2 was conducted on tumor tissue from diagnostic biopsies, and 20 tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from LMO2 were genotyped from germline DNA. LMO2 IHC positivity was associated with superior survival (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.55; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.31–0.97). Four LMO2 SNPs (rs10836127, rs941940, rs750781, rs1885524) were associated with survival after adjusting for LMO2 IHC and clinical factors (p < 0.05), and one of these SNPs (rs941940) was also associated with IHC positivity (p = 0.02). Compared to a model with clinical factors only (c-statistic = 0.676), adding the four SNPs (c-statistic = 0.751) or LMO2 IHC (c-statistic = 0.691) increased the predictive ability of the model, while inclusion of all three factors (c-statistic = 0.754) did not meaningfully add predictive ability above a model with clinical factors and the four SNPs. In conclusion, germline genetic variation in LMO2 was associated with DLBCL prognosis and provided slightly stronger predictive ability relative to LMO2 IHC status.