Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anxiety and sense of coherence in Roma and non-Roma coronary heart disease patients

Objective. Morbidity and mortality among Roma due to coronary heart disease (CHD) is high, but evidence on potential psychosocial pathways is lacking. This study aimed to assess the differences in the severity of anxiety symptoms and in the sense of coherence (SOC) between Roma and non-Roma CHD patients, crude and adjusted for age, sex, functional status and socio-economic status (SES). Design. We examined 607 CHD patients (mean age 58.0 ± 7.4, 28.7% female) scheduled for coronary angiography, 98 (16.1%) of whom were Roma. Anxiety symptoms were measured using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and SOC using the 13-item Orientation to Life Questionnaire. Data were analysed using hierarchical regression. Results. Roma ethnicity was associated with more severe anxiety (B = 1.89; [95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.79; 2.98]) adjusted for age, sex, functional status and SES. Roma ethnicity was also associated with lower SOC (B = −4.77; [95% CI = −7.85; −1.68]) adjusted for age, sex and functional status. The latter association lost statistical significance after adjustment for SES. Conclusion. Roma ethnicity is associated with more anxiety symptoms and lower SOC among CHD patients. Our findings indicate that Roma CHD patients have a worse position regarding psychosocial factors that increase mortality and thus require additional attention.
Histology and clinical outcomes in patients with bilateral testicular germ cell tumors: the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center experience 1950 to 2001.

PURPOSE The optimal management of bilateral testicular tumors continues to evolve. We examined the incidence, characteristics, histology, treatment and clinical outcomes of patients with bilateral testicular cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between 1950 and 2001, 3,984 patients with testicular cancer were treated at our center. A total of 58 patients with bilateral testicular germ cell tumors were identified. The clinical records of these 58 patients were reviewed for age, histology of the 2 tumors, stage at presentation of the first and second tumor, interval between tumors, treatment and clinical outcome. Median followup was 60 months. RESULTS Ten of the 58 patients (17%) had synchronous tumors, while the other 48 (83%) had metachronous tumors with a median interval between tumors of 50.5 months. Overall seminoma was the most common histology of the synchronous and metachronous tumors. Most patients in the synchronous and metachronous tumor groups presented with low stage disease. Of the 58 patients 52 (89%) had no evidence of disease and 6 (11%) were dead of disease at the last followup. Treatment of the second tumor appeared to be influenced by therapy for the first tumor in 16.7% of cases. CONCLUSIONS Patients with a history of testicular germ cell tumor require careful long-term monitoring of the contralateral testicle due to the risk of bilateral disease and potentially long latent period between the first and second tumors. Overall the clinical outcome is good in these patients when they are treated appropriately for histology and stage. In patients with metachronous tumors treatment of the contralateral tumor is rarely altered by prior treatment of the initial tumor.
Reduced cartilage proteoglycan loss during zymosan-induced gonarthritis in NOS2-deficient mice and in anti-interleukin-1-treated wild-type mice with unabated joint inflammation.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the role of nitric oxide (NO) and interleukin-1 in (IL-1) joint inflammation and cartilage destruction during zymosan-induced gonarthritis (ZIA). METHODS Monarticular arthritis was elicited by intraarticular injection of zymosan. The effect of NO deficiency on arthritis was studied in mice with genetically disrupted NOS2. The role of IL-1 was examined by treating wild-type mice with neutralizing anti-murine IL-1(alpha+beta) antibodies. Joint swelling was measured externally by the increased uptake of circulating 99mtechnetium pertechnetate. Proteoglycan (PG) synthesis was assessed using 35S-sulfate incorporation into patellae ex vivo. Histology evaluated exudation and infiltration of leukocytes and the extent of cartilage destruction. RESULTS The proinflammatory mediators NO, IL-1, and IL-6 were released by the articular tissues during the first hours of inflammation. Interestingly, anti-IL-1 treatment moderately reduced, and NOS2 deficiency moderately enhanced, joint swelling. However, the influx of neutrophils into the joint occurred independently of IL-1 and NOS2 activities. In the first week of inflammation, chondrocyte PG synthesis was significantly suppressed and chondrocytes became unresponsive to their essential anabolic factor, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1). Anti-IL-1 treatment or NOS2 deficiency prevented the inhibition of PG synthesis, and the chondrocytes remained IGF-1 responsive. Intraarticular injections of IL-1alpha into NOS2-deficient mice did not affect PG synthesis, thus proving that NO mediated this IL-1 effect in vivo. Furthermore, histology showed that cartilage PG loss was markedly ameliorated in NOS2-deficient and anti-IL-1-treated mice. Intermediate cartilage pathology was found in mice that were heterozygous for disrupted NOS2. CONCLUSION IL-1 and NO play a minor role in edema and neutrophil influx, but a major role in cartilage destruction of ZIA. In this model of murine arthritis, cartilage destruction was, for the most part, caused by pronounced suppression of PG synthesis and IGF-1 unresponsiveness of the chondrocytes, which were induced by de novo-synthesized IL-1 and were mediated by NOS2 activation.
Cholinergic Control of Gamma Power in the Midbrain Spatial Attention Network

The modulation of gamma power (25–90 Hz) is associated with attention and has been observed across species and brain areas. However, mechanisms that control these modulations are poorly understood. The midbrain spatial attention network in birds generates high-amplitude gamma oscillations in the local field potential that are thought to represent the highest priority location for attention. Here we explore, in midbrain slices from chickens, mechanisms that regulate the power of these oscillations, using high-resolution techniques including intracellular recordings from neurons targeted by calcium imaging. The results identify a specific subtype of neuron, expressing non-α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, that directly drives inhibition in the gamma-generating circuit and switches the network into a primed state capable of producing high-amplitude oscillations. The special properties of this mechanism enable rapid, persistent changes in gamma power. The brain may employ this mechanism wherever rapid modulations of gamma power are critical to information processing.
Targeted Replacement of the Mouse Apolipoprotein E Gene with the Common Human APOE3 Allele Enhances Diet-induced Hypercholesterolemia and Atherosclerosis*

Apolipoprotein (apo) E, a constituent of several lipoproteins, is a ligand for the low density lipoprotein receptor, and this interaction is important for maintaining cholesterol and triglyceride homeostasis. We have used a gene replacement strategy to generate mice that express the human apoE3 isoform in place of the mouse protein. The levels of apoE mRNA in various tissues are virtually the same in the human apoE3 homozygous (3/3) mice and their littermates having the wild type mouse allele (+/+). Total cholesterol and triglyceride levels in fasted plasma from the 3/3 mice were not different from those in the +/+ mice, when maintained on a normal (low fat) chow diet. We found, however, notable differences in the distribution of plasma lipoproteins and apolipoprotein E between the two groups: β-migrating lipoproteins and plasma apoB100 levels are decreased in the 3/3 mice, and the apoE distribution is shifted from high density lipoproteins to larger lipoprotein particles. In addition, the fractional catabolic rate of exogenously administered remnant particles without apoE was 6-fold slower in the 3/3 mice compared with the +/+ mice. When the 3/3 and +/+ animals were fed a high fat/high cholesterol diet, the 3/3 animals responded with a dramatic increase (5-fold) in total cholesterol compared with the +/+ mice (1.5-fold), and after 12 weeks on this same diet the 3/3 animals developed significantly (at least 13-fold) larger atherosclerotic plaques in the aortic sinus area than the +/+ animals. Thus the structural differences between human APOE3 and mouse ApoE proteins are sufficient to cause an increased susceptibility to dietary-induced hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis in the 3/3 mice.
Cost-effectiveness of real-world infliximab use in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Sweden

Objectives: The objective of this study was to estimate the cost-effectiveness of infliximab use in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Swedish clinical practice, based on patient-level data from the Stockholm TNF-alpha follow-up registry (STURE). Methods: Real-world patient-level data on infliximab use from the STURE registry were implemented in a Markov cohort model, in which health states of functional status were classified according to the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ—five categories) and twenty-eight joint count Disease Activity Score (DAS28). The transition probabilities between HAQ and DAS28 states during treatment, as well as discontinuation rates were modeled based on data from the registry for patients using infliximab as their first-line biological treatment. The transition probabilities in the comparator arm, that is, disease progression without biologic treatment, as well as mortality rates, costs, and utilities were based on published literature. The analysis had a societal cost perspective. Results: Infliximab was associated with an incremental gain in quality-adjusted life-years of 1.02 and an incremental cost of €23,264 per patient compared with progression without biologic treatment, producing an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of €22,830 (SEK211,136 or US$31,230). Sensitivity analyses of input parameters and model assumptions produced ICERs in the range from €18,000 to €47,000. Conclusions: Results from base-case and sensitivity analyses fell well below established benchmarks for cost-effectiveness in Sweden. The results, therefore, indicated that infliximab treatment for RA has provided good societal value for money in Swedish clinical practice, compared with a scenario of no biological treatment.
Autoimmunity in depression: increased antiphospholipid autoantibodies

Some groups have recently reported higher titers of autoantibodies in depressed subjects than in normal controls. The present study investigates whether depressed patients exhibit increased antiphospholipid antibody titers compared with normal controls. The authors measured the binding index (BI) of antiphosphatidylserine (APSA), antipartial thromboplastin (APTA) and anticardiolipin (ACA) in 22 minor, 23 simple major and 20 melancholic depressives, 10 healthy controls and 104 normal controls with negative autoantibody sera. Depressed subjects exhibited significantly higher APSA and APTA antibody titers compared with normal controls. A large number of depressed subjects (± 54%) showed APTA and APSA positivity, defined as BI≥2 standard deviations above the mean BI of normal controls. There was a significant discrimination (≥2.8 standard deviations) between melancholic subjects and healthy controls with respect to BI of ACA, APSA and APTA. However, by using a more conservative value for phospholipid positivity (i.e., BI≥5 standard deviations above the mean BI of a reference sample of normal sera), the subject's autoantibody titers were, on the whole, within the normal range. Our results point towards a higher expression of antiphospholipid antibodies during depression but a much lower incidence of positive patients than in classical autoimmune disorders, such as systemic lupus erythematosus.
DNA sequence of the F traALE region that includes the gene for F pilin

The complete sequence of a 1.4-kilobase PstI fragment containing the F transfer genes traA, -L, and -E is presented. The traA reading frame has been located both genetically and by comparing the primary structure of F pilin (the traA product) predicted by the DNA sequence to the amino acid composition and sequence of N- and C-terminal peptides isolated from purified F pilin. Taken together, these data show that there is a leader peptide of 51 amino acids and that F pilin contains 70 amino acids, giving molecular weights of 13,200 for F propilin and 7,200 for mature F pilin. Secondary structure predictions for F pilin revealed a reverse turn that precedes the sequence Ala-Met-Ala51, a classic signal peptidase cleavage site. The N-terminal alanine residue is blocked by an acetyl group as determined by 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The traL and traE genes encode proteins of molecular weights 10,350 and 21,200, respectively. According to DNA sequence predictions, these proteins do not contain signal peptide leader sequences. Secondary structure predictions for these proteins are in accord with traLp and traEp being membrane proteins in which hydrophobic regions capable of spanning the membrane are linked by sequences that form turns and carry positively charged residues capable of interacting with the membrane surface.
Adjunctive use of rifampin for the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus infections: a systematic review of the literature.

BACKGROUND Staphylococcus aureus causes severe life-threatening infections and has become increasingly common, particularly methicillin-resistant strains. Rifampin is often used as adjunctive therapy to treat S aureus infections, but there have been no systematic investigations examining the usefulness of such an approach. METHODS A systematic review of the literature to identify in vitro, animal, and human investigations that compared single antibiotics alone and in combination with rifampin therapy against S aureus. RESULTS The methods of in vitro studies varied substantially among investigations. The effect of rifampin therapy was often inconsistent, it did not necessarily correlate with in vivo investigations, and findings seemed heavily dependent on the method used. In addition, the quality of data reporting in these investigations was often suboptimal. Animal studies tended to show a microbiologic benefit of adjunctive rifampin use, particularly in osteomyelitis and infected foreign body infection models; however, many studies failed to show a benefit of adjunctive therapy. Few human studies have addressed the role of adjunctive rifampin therapy. Adjunctive therapy seems most promising for the treatment of osteomyelitis and prosthetic device-related infections, although studies were typically underpowered and benefits were not always seen. CONCLUSIONS In vitro results of interactions between rifampin and other antibiotics are method dependent and often do not correlate with in vivo findings. Adjunctive rifampin use seems promising in the treatment of clinical hardware infections or osteomyelitis, but more definitive data are lacking. Given the increasing incidence of S aureus infections, further adequately powered investigations are needed.
Further Evaluation of the Tripartite Structure of Subjective Well-Being: Evidence From Longitudinal and Experimental Studies.

Subjective well-being (SWB; Diener, 1984) comprises three primary components: life satisfaction (LS), positive affect (PA), and negative affect (NA). Multiple competing conceptualizations of the tripartite structure of SWB have been employed, resulting in widespread ambiguity concerning the definition, operationalization, analysis, and synthesis of SWB-related findings (Busseri & Sadava, 2011). We report two studies evaluating two predominant structural models (as recently identified by Busseri, 2015): a hierarchical model comprising a higher-order latent SWB factor with LS, PA, and NA as indicators; and a causal systems model specifying unidirectional effects of PA and NA on LS. A longitudinal study (N = 452; Mage = 18.54; 76.5% female) and a lab-based experiment (N = 195; Mage = 20.42 years; 87.6% female; 81.5% Caucasian) were undertaken. Structural models were evaluated with respect to (a) associations among SWB components across time (three months, three years in Study 1; one week in Study 2) and (b) the impact of manipulating the individual SWB components (Study 2). A hierarchical structural model was supported in both studies; conflicting evidence was found for the causal systems model. A hierarchical model provides a robust conceptualization for the tripartite structure of SWB.
Laparoscopic duodenoduodenostomy for duodenal obstruction in infants and children.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE Duodenal obstruction, such as that resulting from atresia or web, routinely has been corrected by laparotomy and duodenoduodenostomy. Until recently, no one has reported on the use of minimally invasive techniques to correct this congenital anomaly. Over the last 6 months we have approached 4 patients, 3 with atresia and one with a web, laparoscopically. Three were newborns, and one was 8 months old. METHODS All procedures were performed with 3-mm instruments and scopes. RESULTS Operating time in all cases was less then 90 minutes. Visualization was excellent, and there were no intraoperative complications. Feedings were started on postoperative day 5 in all 3 neonates and day 3 in the infant. All 4 were on full feedings after 3 days. Follow-up upper gastrointestinal tests show no evidence of stricture or obstruction. CONCLUSION Laparoscopy provides an excellent way to evaluate and treat congenital duodenal obstruction.
Therapeutic empathy with the suicidal wish: principles of therapy with suicidal individuals.

Several principles of therapeutic work with suicidal individuals are described. These principles represent different aspects of therapeutic empathy with the suicidal wish. They are based on a theoretical model that presents suicide as an end result of unbearable mental pain. Mental pain is believed to emerge from reciprocal interactions between biochemical imbalances, life stress, personality factors, pain-producing inner patterns (e.g., self-hate, sense of being dispensable), and facilitators and inhibitors of self-destructive behavior. The therapeutic approach is characterized by an empathic experiential encounter with the death wish, the pain-producing inner patterns, self-destructive tendencies, and the exploration of the most dreadful and frightening inner experiences. An empathic attitude toward the wish to die, coupled by an uncompromised confrontation of self-destructiveness, can provide the hope of discovering a path of compromise with life's difficulties.
Sorption of imidacloprid and its metabolites on tropical soils

Abstract The sorption of imidacloprid (l‐[(6‐chloro‐3‐pyridinyl)‐methyl]‐N‐nitro‐2‐imidazolid‐inimine) (IMI) and its metabolites imidacloprid‐urea (l‐[(6‐chloro‐3‐pyridinyl)‐methyl]‐2‐imidazol‐idinone) (IU), imidacloprid‐guanidine (l‐[(6‐chloro‐3‐pyridinyl)‐methyl]‐4,5‐dihydro‐lH‐imidazol‐2‐amine) (IG), and imida‐cloprid‐guanidine‐olefin ( 1 ‐[(6‐chloro‐3‐pyridinyl)methyl]‐lH‐imidazol‐2‐amine) (IGO) was determined on six typical Brazilian soils. Sorption of the chemicals on the soil was characterized using the batch equilibration method. The range and order of sorption (Kd) on the six soils was IG (4.75–134) > IGO (2.87–72.3) > IMI (0.55 ‐16.9) > IU (0.31–9.50). For IMI and IU, Kd was correlated with soil organic carbon (OC) content and CEC, the latter due to the high correlation between OC and cation exchange capacity (CEC) (R2=0.98). For IG and IGO, there was no correlation of sorption to clay, pH, OC or CEC due to the high sorption on all soils. Average Koc values were IU = 170, IMI = 362, IGO = 2433, and IG = 3500. Although Kd and Koc values found were consistently lower than those found in soils developed in non‐tropical climates, imidacloprid and its metabolites were still considered to be slightly mobile to immobile in Brazilian soils.
Spatial connectivity in an adult‐sedentary reef fish with extended pelagic larval phase

Understanding the spatial scale of demographic connectivity in marine reef fishes dispersing pelagic larvae is a challenging task because of the technical difficulties associated with tagging and monitoring the movements of progeny at early life stages. Several studies highlighted a strong importance of local retention with levels of dispersal of ecological significance restricted to short distances. To date little information is available in species where pelagic dispersal lasts for long periods of time. In this work, population structure and connectivity were studied in the grey triggerfish, Balistes capriscus. Grey triggerfish larvae and juveniles remain associated with floating Sargassum sp. beds for an estimated period of 4–7 months before settling on benthic habitats where they remain sedentary as adults. Analysis of genetic variation among populations along the continental shelf of the northern Gulf of Mexico and U.S. east coast, encompassing over 3,100 km of coastline, revealed homogeneous allele frequencies and a weak isolation‐by‐distance pattern. Moment and maximum‐likelihood estimates of dispersal parameters both indicated occurrence of large neighbourhoods with estimates of the dispersal distribution parameter σ of 914 and 780 km, respectively. Simulated distributions of dispersal distances using several distribution functions all featured substantial fractions of long‐distance dispersal events with the 90% percentiles of travel distance prior to settlement averaging 1,809 km. These results suggest a high dependency of local recruitment on the output of nonlocal spawning stocks located hundreds of kilometres away and a reduced role of local retention in this species.
Combination treatment with interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C in patients who have failed to achieve sustained response to interferon alone: Swedish experience.

BACKGROUND Only 10-20% of patients treated with interferon alfa alone attain long-term benefits. More effective regimens are needed. METHODS Twenty Swedish patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection, ten with a prior non-response and ten with a non-sustained response to interferon alfa treatment alone, were treated with interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin in combination for 24 weeks, then followed up for another 24 weeks. Patients received interferon alfa-2b subcutaneously 3 MU thrice weekly and oral ribavirin 1000-1200 mg/day. RESULTS All ten patients with a prior non-sustained response to interferon alone had a sustained biochemical response with normal aminotransferase levels at follow-up; nine also had a sustained viral response with a negative HCV-RNA test in serum. Among the ten patients with a prior biochemical non-response to interferon alone, five had normal aminotransferase levels at the end of therapy; four were negative for HCV RNA in serum. At follow-up, three had normal aminotransferase levels and a negative HCV-RNA test in serum. No major adverse effect was seen, apart from fatigue and an expected fall in hemoglobin levels from a mean of 155 g/l to 124 g/l at the end of therapy. All patients completed the treatment schedule, but the ribavirin dose was reduced in one patient because of a fall in hemoglobin to 99 g/l. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that combination treatment with interferon alfa-2b and ribavirin offers a chance of sustained biochemical response and virus eradication in a subset of patients who fail to achieve sustained response with interferon alfa alone.