Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Seasonal change in the exacerbations of Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND Ulcerative colitis (UC) has been reported to run a clinical course with seasonal exacerbations in both retrospective and prospective studies; such a seasonality was not been observed, however, in Crohn's disease (CD). METHODS The monthly distribution in the relapse of CD was retrospectively studied to ascertain whether there is any seasonal variation in the exacerbations of the disease. During the period of 1972 to 1993, 139 patients who had been regularly followed up for at least 13 consecutive months were analyzed. RESULTS In a total of 10,693 follow-up months for these patients 592 relapses occurred in the study period. The highest relapse rate was found in the autumn and winter, whereas the lowest was in the summer. CONCLUSION This study shows that CD runs a clinical course with seasonal exacerbations, suggesting that seasonal or exogenous factors may be involved in the relapse of CD.
Rapid Weight Loss in Sports with Weight Classes

Weight-sensitive sports are popular among elite and nonelite athletes. Rapid weight loss (RWL) practice has been an essential part of many of these sports for many decades. Due to the limited epidemiological studies on the prevalence of RWL, its true prevalence is unknown. It is estimated that more than half of athletes in weight-class sports have practiced RWL during the competitive periods. As RWL can have significant physical, physiological, and psychological negative effects on athletes, its practice has been discouraged for many years. It seems that appropriate rule changes have had the biggest impact on the practice of RWL in sports like wrestling. An individualized and well-planned gradual and safe weight loss program under the supervision of a team of coaching staff, athletic trainers, sports nutritionists, and sports physicians is recommended.
Analysis of graded-index polymer optical fiber link performance under fiber bending

Bending effects on bandwidth and loss of a graded-index polymer optical fiber (GI POF) were investigated, and those influences on the optical link performance were discussed simultaneously for the first time. The numerical apertures (NAs) of the GI POFs were deliberately varied from 0.154 to 0.292. A bending radius larger than 10 mm induced little mode coupling and little change in the bandwidth of the GI POF. A bending radius smaller than 10 mm caused degradation in the bandwidths of the higher NA GI POFs. On the other hand, in the lower NA GI POFs, even more severe bending could cause little change in their bandwidths. Thus, the lower NA GI POF seemed preferable in suppressing the bandwidth change. However, the higher NA GI POF exhibited the lower bending loss. The preferable NAs for both characteristics were completely opposite. Moreover, the bending loss under underfilled launch (UFL) could be lower than that under overfilled launch (OFL). On the other hand, the bending loss was equivalent to the bandwidth degradation in view of the link power penalty. Therefore, the bandwidth change and loss caused by the bending were the critical factors to optimize the optical link considering the link power budget. The high-NA GI POF with almost ideal refractive-index profile could provide stable high performance in overgigabit communication even under any bending conditions.
Duplicated inferior vena cava and crossed renal ectopia with abdominal aortic aneurysm: Preoperative anatomic studies facilitate surgery

Abdominal aortic aneurysm in association with duplication of the inferior vena cava and crossed renal ectopia is described for the first time. Preoperative imaging with computer‐aided tomography provided good visualization of the local anatomy, allowing the surgical approach to be adapted for the best access to the surgical site. A retroperitoneal approach was successfully used for repair of the abdominal aortic aneurysm. Clin. Anat. 16:355–357, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
In Vivo Mapping of Gray Matter Loss with Voxel-Based Morphometry in Mild Alzheimer's Disease

Up till now, the study of regional gray matter atrophy in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been assessed with regions of interest, but this method is time-consuming, observer dependent, and poorly reproducible (especially in terms of cortical regions boundaries) and in addition is not suited to provide a comprehensive assessment of the brain. In this study, we have mapped gray matter density by means of voxel-based morphometry on T1-weighted MRI volume sets in 19 patients with mild AD and 16 healthy subjects of similar age and gender ratio and report highly significant clusters of gray matter loss with almost symmetrical distribution, affecting mainly and in decreasing order of significance the medial temporal structures, the posterior cingulate gyrus and adjacent precuneus, and the temporoparietal association and perisylvian neocortex, with only little atrophy in the frontal lobe. The findings are discussed in light of previous studies of gray matter atrophy in AD based either on postmortem or neuroimaging data and in relation to PET studies of resting glucose consumption. The limitations of the method are also discussed in some detail, especially with respect to the segmentation and spatial normalization procedures as they apply to pathological brains. Some potential applications of voxel-based morphometry in the study of AD are also mentioned.
Epidemiology of Chronic Hepatitis C Infections at a Tertiary Care Centre in Oman.

Objectives Chronic hepatitis C (CHC) is a leading cause of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) worldwide. However, there is a lack of data regarding the epidemiology of CHC in Oman. This study aimed to describe the clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes of CHC-infected patients at a tertiary care hospital in Oman. Methods This retrospective descriptive hospital-based study included all CHC-infected patients who presented to the Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) in Muscat, Oman, between January 2010 and December 2015. The baseline demographic, clinical, laboratory and radiological data of the patients were analysed. Results A total of 603 CHC-infected patients were identified during the study period; of these, 65.8% were male and the mean age was 44.8 ± 16.5 years. The main risk factors associated with CHC infection were intravenous drug abuse (23.9%) and a history of blood transfusions (20.7%). The most prevalent virus genotypes were 1 and 3 (44.0% and 35.1%, respectively). Upon initial presentation, 33.0% of the cohort had liver cirrhosis; of these, 48.7% had decompensated cirrhosis and 23.1% had HCCs. Liver transplantation was only performed for 7.5% of the cirrhosis patients, mostly as a curative treatment for HCC. Conclusion The implementation of national policies to prevent hepatitis C transmission and encourage the early screening of at-risk patients is recommended to reduce the burden and consequences of this disease in Oman.
Cascaded multilevel converter based bidirectional inductive power transfer (BIPT) system

A typical low power IPT system employs an H-Bridge converter with a simple control strategy to generate a high frequency current from DC power supply. This paper proposes a cascaded multilevel converter for bidirectional IPT (BIPT) systems, which is suitable for low to medium power applications as well as for situations such as PV cells where several individual DC sources are to be utilized. A novel modulation strategy is proposed for the multilevel converter with the aim of minimizing switching losses. Series - Series (SS) compensation circuit is adopted for the IPT system and a mathematical model is presented to minimize the coil losses of the system under varying output power. Theoretical results presented in comparison to the simulations to demonstrate the applicability of the proposed concept and the validity of the developed model. The experimental results show the feasibility of the proposed phase shift modulation.
Endocrine factors in pre‐ and postmenopausal women with hidradenitis suppurativa

The relationship between hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and hyperandrogenism is largely based on the finding of an increased free androgen index due to a low sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). As SHBG is now believed to be regulated by factors that influence body weight, and previous studies were not controlled for body weight, we have re‐evaluated the androgen status of female patients with HS. We have studied the endocrine status of 66 women with HS. Twenty‐three had acne, and 23 were significantly obese (body mass index: BMI >30). There was no relationship between obesity and disease duration. Nineteen of 56 women were hirsute. A premenstrual flare in disease activity was reported by 32 women, but this was not related to menstrual disturbances. No consistent relationship was reported with pregnancy. Eight women with HS were menopausal at presentation, and one developed her disease 6 years after the menopause. Plasma androgens in women with HS were compared with controls matched for BMI and hirsuties. There was no difference between HS and controls. Testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate were normal in all subjects with HS. In obese subjects, SHBG was reduced, consistent with BMI‐matched controls. We have found no supporting evidence for biochemical hyperandrogenism in women with HS when compared with age‐, weight‐ and hirsuties‐matched controls. We report the continuation and primary development of HS in postmenopausal women.
Invasion of murine intestinal M cells by Salmonella typhimurium inv mutants severely deficient for invasion of cultured cells

We have examined the role of the Salmonella typhimurium inv locus in invasion of the murine intestine. Previous studies have demonstrated that M cells within the lymphoid-follicle-associated epithelia are the primary site of intestinal invasion by S. typhimurium. In this study, we show that mutants possessing defects in one of two inv genes, invA or invG, which render them severely deficient for invasion of polarized epithelial MDCK cells, retain their ability to actively invade mouse Peyer's patch M cells. The interaction of these mutants with M cells was associated with apical membrane remodelling resembling that induced by wild-type strains. These data demonstrate that Salmonella invasion in vivo can proceed via mechanisms other than those previously defined in cultured cells.
Microfinance and Threshold Effect: The Paradox of Microfinance?

The microfinance field has become a place of confrontation between different theoretical and empirical approaches. Microfinance would enable a group of people with widely different characteristics and/or unbanked out of the stranglehold of moneylenders, therefore including them financially and socially. The underlying assumption considers that the seniority in access to microfinance services can improve living conditions and reduce poverty among beneficiaries. The authors challenge this faculty of microfinance, stating that it could lead beneficiaries into situations of debt, and therefore aggravate their already difficult fate. Given this duality of approaches, we assume that there may be a "threshold" at which if nothing is done, the positive effects of microcredit become exhausted and result in the deterioration of welfare recipient. By adopting a descriptive approach, the objective of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of this dimension that is not truly reflected in the literature.
The impact of political instability on the economic growth of ECOWAS member countries

This study contributes to the literature on political instability and economic growth by specifically investigating the impact of political instability on the economic growth of member countries of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). West Africa is regarded as the riskiest sub-region within the African continent. To achieve this objective, this study employed panel data techniques (fixed effects and generalised method of moments) on a sample of 15 ECOWAS member countries for the period 2005–2012. The findings from the analyses showed that terrorism, poor governance, social unrest, youth unemployment, death rate and natural resource rent have negative relationships with economic growth. The findings and policy implications deduced from this study could not have been any timelier considering the recent escalation of instability in West African countries and their fragile growth prospects.
Identifying Fundamental and Financial Factors Underlying Oil Price Movements

This paper examines the relative importance of various financial and real shocks underlying oil price fluctuations using alternative Bayesian VAR approaches to calibrate the nature of major shocks. With a view to understanding the time-varying nature of shocks and structural shifts in their persistence, the models are estimated for two sub-periods. Contrary to some empirical findings, we find limited support for the argument that monetary policy shocks played an important role in causing fluctuations in oil prices. We also find evidence of significant but short-run effect of supply shocks on oil prices, whereas demand shocks seem to play a major role in driving oil prices in the medium to long-run. Precautionary oil demand shocks including speculation in commodity markets seem to have strong short-run impact on oil prices. Contrary to the belief held by some, demand shocks have now emerged as key drivers of oil prices over the medium to long-run. The findings do not, however, completely ignore the indirect role played by financial factors including short-term interest rates in causing fluctuations in oil prices by way of stimulating aggregate demand.
Does early detection of otitis media with effusion prevent delayed language development?

OBJECTIVE To consider whether earlier detection of otitis media with effusion (OME) in asymptomatic children in the first 4 years of life prevents delayed language development. METHODS MEDLINE and other databases were searched and relevant references from articles reviewed. Critical appraisal and consensus development were in accordance with the methods of the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care. RESULTS No randomised controlled trials assessing the overall screening for OME and early intervention to prevent delay in acquiring language were identified, although one trial evaluated treatment in a screened population and found no benefit. The “analytic pathway” approach was therefore used, where evidence is evaluated for individual steps in a screening process. The evidence supporting the use of tools for early detection such as tympanometry, microtympanometry, acoustic reflectometry, and pneumatic otoscopy in the first 4 years of life is unclear. Some treatments (mucolytics, antibiotics, steroids) resulted in the short term resolution of effusions as measured by tympanometry. Ventilation tubes resolved effusions and improved hearing. Ventilation tubes in children with hearing loss associated with OME benefited children in the short term, but after 18 months there was no difference in comparison with those assigned to watchful waiting. Most prospective cohort studies that evaluated the association between OME and language development lacked adequate measurement of exposure or outcome, or suffered from attrition bias. Findings with regard to the association were inconsistent. CONCLUSIONS There is insufficient evidence to support attempts at early detection of OME in the first 4 years of life in the asymptomatic child to prevent delayed language development.
Reducing the risk of AIDS through methadone maintenance treatment.

In a three-year field study of methadone maintenance programs in New York City, Philadelphia, and Baltimore, treatment was found to be effective in reducing IV drug use and needle sharing among most heroin addicts. Of 388 patients who remained in treatment for one year or more, 71 percent had ceased IV use. Conversely, 82 percent of patients who left treatment relapsed rapidly to IV drug use. Marked differences in the effectiveness of various programs were observed: current IV use varied from less than 10 percent to over 57 percent of patients in particular treatment programs. This differential effectiveness was related both to length of patient's stay and to the quality of treatment provided. HIV seropositivity among high-risk drug users is related to frequency of injections and needle-sharing contacts. Effective methadone treatment can stop these practices, but a widespread impact on the AIDS epidemic will require improvement of treatment in many programs.
Development and validation of a screening instrument for bipolar spectrum disorder: the Mood Disorder Questionnaire.

OBJECTIVE Bipolar spectrum disorders, which include bipolar I, bipolar II, and bipolar disorder not otherwise specified, frequently go unrecognized, undiagnosed, and untreated. This report describes the validation of a new brief self-report screening instrument for bipolar spectrum disorders called the Mood Disorder Questionnaire. METHOD A total of 198 patients attending five outpatient clinics that primarily treat patients with mood disorders completed the Mood Disorder Questionnaire. A research professional, blind to the Mood Disorder Questionnaire results, conducted a telephone research diagnostic interview by means of the bipolar module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. RESULTS A Mood Disorder Questionnaire screening score of 7 or more items yielded good sensitivity (0.73) and very good specificity (0.90). CONCLUSIONS The Mood Disorder Questionnaire is a useful screening instrument for bipolar spectrum disorder in a psychiatric outpatient population.
The CASSOWARY spectroscopy survey: A new sample of gravitationally lensed galaxies in SDSS

Bright gravitationally lensed galaxies provide our most detailed view of galaxies at high redshift. The very brightest (r < 21) systems enable high spatial and spectral resolution measurements, offering unique constraints on the outflow energetics, metallicity gradients and stellar populations in high-redshift galaxies. Yet as a result of the small number of ultrabright z ≃ 2 lensed systems with confirmed redshifts, most detailed spectroscopic studies have been limited in their scope. With the goal of increasing the number of bright lensed galaxies available for detailed follow-up, we have undertaken a spectroscopic campaign targeting wide separation (≳3 arcsec) galaxy–galaxy lens candidates within the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). Building on the earlier efforts of our Cambridge and Sloan Survey Of Wide Arcs in Thesky survey, we target a large sample of candidate galaxy–galaxy lens systems in SDSS using a well-established search algorithm which identifies blue arc-like structures situated around luminous red galaxies. In this paper, we present a new redshift catalogue containing 29 lensed sources in SDSS confirmed through spectroscopic follow-up of candidate galaxy–galaxy lens systems. Included in this new sample are two of the brightest galaxies (r = 19.6 and 19.7) known at z ≃ 2, a low metallicity (12 + log (O/H) ≃ 8.0) extreme nebular line emitting galaxy at z = 1.43, and numerous systems for which detailed follow-up will be possible. The source redshifts span 0.9 < z < 2.5 (median redshift of 1.9), and their optical magnitudes are in the range 19.6 ≲ r ≲ 22.3. We present a brief source-by-source discussion of the spectroscopic properties extracted from our confirmatory spectra and discuss some initial science results. Preliminary lens modelling reveals average source magnifications of 5–10 times. With more than 50 gravitationally lensed z ≳ 1 galaxies now confirmed within SDSS, it will soon be possible for the first time to develop generalized conclusions from detailed spectroscopic studies of the brightest lensed systems at high redshift.
Immunocytochemical Detection of Occult Tumor Cells in the Bone Marrow: Prognostic Impact on Early Stages of Lung Cancer

Objectives: This study was designed to verify the prognostic impact of occult tumor cells in the bone marrow of stage I and II non-small-cell lung cancer patients using cytokeratin as a micrometastatic marker. Methods: One hundred and fifty-two patients with stage I and II non-small-cell lung cancer, who underwent radical surgery by pulmonary lobectomy, were entered into the study. Bone marrow from fragments of resected ribs, and primary tumors were stained by anti-cytokeratin 18 antibody. Fourteen bone marrow specimens from patients without malignancy were used as a control group. Cancer recurrence was the study end point. Results: All the primary tumors were positive for cytokeratin; occult tumor cells were detected in 38 bone marrow specimens (25%). The prevalence of the occult tumor cells was not related to age, gender, tumor stage, histological differentiation or grade. The mean follow-up time was 35.3 months; 68 patients developed recurrence; the mean time for recurrence was 21.2 months. The general disease-free interval was not related to the presence of occult tumor cells in the bone marrow. This result did not change when grouping the patients by tumor stage. The stage was the best predictor of cancer recurrence (Cox proportional hazards model ratio: 2.09; p = 0.0026). Conclusions: This study confirms that immunocytochemical analysis detects occult tumor cells in the bone marrow of at least 25% of patients surgically treated for stage I and II non-small-cell lung cancer. These occult tumor cells do not have any impact on the disease-free interval.
Updated Database and Evolutionary Dynamics of U12-Type Introns

During nuclear maturation of most eukaryotic pre-messenger RNAs and long non-coding RNAs, introns are removed through the process of RNA splicing. Different classes of introns are excised by the U2-type or the U12-type spliceosomes, large complexes of small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particles and associated proteins. We created intronIC, a program for assigning intron class to all introns in a given genome, and used it on 24 eukaryotic genomes to create the Intron Annotation and Orthology Database (IAOD). We then used the data in the IAOD to revisit several hypotheses concerning the evolution of the two classes of spliceosomal introns, finding support for the class conversion model explaining the low abundance of U12-type introns in modern genomes.
Environmental Change in Colonial New Mexico

In recent years scholars of North American history have paid increasing attention to the interrelationship between human societies and their physical and natural worlds. Their studies analyze the various ways in which people interact with their surrounding environment and how their choices affect not only the human community but the larger ecosystem as well. Just as nature shapes human society, humans, in significant and far-reaching ways, shape nature. Exemplary works by William Cronon and Richard White have focused, from an ecological perspective, upon the English frontier experience in North America. Cronon, in his seminal book, Changes in the Land: Indians, Colonists and the Ecology of New England (1982) demonstrates that the English colonization of New England produced a number of "fundamental reorganizations.in the region's plant and animal communities";' a result, fundamentally, of the "colonists' more exclusive sense of property and their involvement in a capitalist