Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phenomenology and beliefs of patients with Dhat syndrome: A nationwide multicentric study

Aim: To assess the phenomenology and associated beliefs in patients with Dhat syndrome. Methods: A total of 780 male patients aged more than 16 years were recruited from 15 centers spread across the country and were assessed on Dhat Syndrome Questionnaire. Results: The most commonly reported reasons for passage of Dhat were excessive masturbation (55.1%), sexual dreams (47.3%), excessive sexual desire (42.8%) and consumption of high energy foods (36.7%). The most common situation in which participants experienced passage of Dhat were as ‘night falls’ (60.1%) and ‘while passing stools’ (59.5%). The most common consequence due to passage of Dhat was weakness in sexual ability (75.6%). In terms of psychological and somatic symptoms, the common symptoms included bodily weakness (78.2%); feeling tired or having low energy (75.9%); feeling down, depressed, or hopeless (67.9%); and little interest or pleasure in doing things (63.7%). In terms of treatment expectations, about half of the patients (49.1%) expected that energizing medications like vitamins/tonics/tablets were required and more than one-third (38.2%) expected that there was a need for taking energizing injections. Conclusion: Present study shows that Dhat syndrome is a distinct clinical entity seen all over India, with its characteristic features.
Biased Expression of the FOXP3Δ3 Isoform in Aggressive Bladder Cancer Mediates Differentiation and Cisplatin Chemotherapy Resistance

Purpose: The transcriptional regulation mediating cancer cell differentiation into distinct molecular subtypes and modulating sensitivity to existing treatments is an enticing therapeutic target. Our objective was to characterize the ability of the forkhead/winged transcription factor FOXP3 to modulate the differentiation of bladder cancer. Experimental Design: Expression of FOXP3 was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in a tumor microarray of 587 samples and overall survival in a subset of 187 patients following radical cystectomy. Functional assays were performed in SW780 and HT1376 cell lines in vitro and in vivo and gene expression profiling performed by RNA-Seq. Validation was undertaken using gene expression profiles of 131 patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) consortium in bladder cancer. Results: FOXP3 expression correlates with bladder cancer stage and inversely with overall survival, with biased expression of the FOXP3Δ3 isoform. Functional assays of FOXP3Δ3 demonstrated resistance to chemotherapy in vitro, whereas subcutaneous xenografts overexpressing FOXP3Δ3 developed larger and more poorly differentiated bladder cancers. RNA expression profiling revealed a unique FOXP3Δ3 gene signature supporting a role in chemotherapy resistance. Accordingly, knockdown of Foxp3 by siRNA in HT1376 cells conferred sensitivity to cisplatin- and gemcitabine-induced cytotoxicity. Validation in TCGA dataset demonstrated increased expression of FOXP3 in subtypes II to IV and skewing of molecular subtypes based on FOXP3Δ3-specific gene expression. Conclusions: (i) Biased expression of the FOXP3Δ3 isoform in bladder cancer inversely correlates with overall survival, (ii) FOXP3Δ3 induces a unique gene program that mediates cancer differentiation, and (iii) FOXP3Δ3 may augment chemotherapy resistance. Clin Cancer Res; 22(21); 5349–61. ©2016 AACR.
Transmission Strategy Design in Cognitive Radio Systems With Primary ARQ Control and QoS Provisioning

In this paper, we consider an underlay cognitive radio paradigm with a primary packet system which implements automatic repeat request (ARQ)-based error control. We propose cognitive transmission strategies which provision for minimum primary quality of service (QoS) requirements. The proposed strategies take advantage of opportunities that arise during ARQ retransmissions of the primary system at the link layer, and adapt channel fading variations by employing adaptive modulation and coding (AMC) and power control at the physical layer. In this cross-layer formulation, the cognitive throughput is optimized subject to 1) a packet-loss-rate (PLR) constraint on the cognitive link, and 2) a minimum required throughput and a PLR constraint on the primary link. We first derive analytical expressions for the link-layer throughput of the cognitive link defined in terms of the data rate successfully received at the receiver side. Next, we present optimized AMC and power control schemes for the cognitive transmitter. Numerical results show significant improvement in terms of the cognitive throughput and PLR performance. Namely, when the cognitive transmitter employs both power and rate control the throughput-maximizing strategy is determined based on a tradeoff between the primary PLR and delay (in terms of the number of retransmission rounds) QoS metrics.
Analysis of complex balanced chemical reaction networks with fixed boundary concentrations

In this paper, we analyze the dynamics of complex balanced single-substrate single-product (SS) chemical reaction networks governed by mass-action kinetics with a carefully chosen set of boundary species fixed at constant concentrations. The remaining species of the reaction networks are allowed to have constant influx and/or proportional efflux. We show that such a network has a unique equilibrium concentration vector in the positive orthant and it is asymptotically stable. Using the maximum modulus principle for graphs, we provide bounds for this equilibrium.
Fetal Exposure to Montelukast and Congenital Anomalies: A Population Based Study in Denmark.

BACKGROUND The objective was to study pregnancy outcomes between groups of Danish women, with pregnancy ending between 1998 and 2009, according to their exposure to montelukast. METHODS Cross-sectional observational study in Danish women, selecting live births and stillbirths (Birth Registry) and spontaneous abortions and induced terminations (Patient Registry). Montelukast exposure was obtained from the Prescription Registry (ATC code R03DC03). Exposure period was from 3 months before the last menstrual period until the end of the first trimester. Four groups were studied: (1) women with prescription for montelukast, (2) women with prescription for montelukast and other anti-asthmatic medications, (3) women with prescription for other anti-asthmatic medications, (4) women without prescription for any anti-asthmatic medications. RESULTS A total of 754,300 singleton pregnancies (> 12 weeks) were identified: 401 pregnancies in group 1, 426 pregnancies in group 2, 24878 in group 3 and 728,595 in group 4. Risk of preterm birth, maternal preeclampsia and gestational diabetes was increased for pregnancies exposed to montelukast. No significant differences were found for the risk of major congenital anomalies (CA). Adjusted odds ratio for CA was 1.4 (95% CI 0.9-2.3) for the group 1 and 1.0 (95% CI 0.6-1.8) for group 2. CONCLUSION Pregnant women with prescriptions for montelukast had a higher risk of preterm birth and maternal complications. These risks are known to be associated with maternal asthma, no increased risk of CA was found. Further analysis including more exposed pregnancies will be needed to determine the risk of specific CA. Birth Defects Research 109:452-459, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Long-term SARS Coronavirus Excretion from Patient Cohort, China

This study investigated the long-term excretion of severe acute respiratory syndrome–associated coronavirus in sputum and stool specimens from 56 infected patients. The median (range) duration of virus excretion in sputa and stools was 21 (14–52) and 27 (16–126) days, respectively. Coexisting illness or conditions were associated with longer viral excretion in stools.
Parents' and professionals' perceptions of Quality of Life in children with speech and language difficulty.

BACKGROUND The true impact of speech and language difficulties (SaLD) on children's lives and the effectiveness of intervention is unknown. Within other fields of paediatric healthcare, clinicians and policy-makers are increasingly emphasizing the utility of Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) studies and measures. SaLT has a variety of measures to assess and treat children's 'quantity' of life, but also requires measures that allow it to measure and even target their Quality of Life. AIMS To provide novel, primary data on the HRQoL of children with speech and/or language difficulties. METHODS & PROCEDURES The study used a qualitative methodology to begin the process of developing knowledge about HRQoL in children with SaLD. Focus group interviews were held with parents and professional carers of children with SaLD, and participants were encouraged to reflect on their experiences and beliefs around HRQoL issues for these children. The discussions within these groups were tape-recorded and analysed using the principles of grounded theory and content analysis. OUTCOMES & RESULTS Analysis of tape-recorded data identified ten descriptive themes related to children with SaLDs HRQoL. These themes were labelled: Inclusion; Behaviour and reactions of others; Education and awareness; Friendships and family relations; Schooling; The child's needs; Dependence/independence; Quality of care; Choice and potential; and Variability. The results can be seen as lying on a spectrum, with factors outside of the child at one pole, the individual child's characteristics at the other, and the interaction between the child and significant others in the middle. A number of the themes reflected a common belief, across all groups, that the HRQoL of children with SaLD is influenced by the behaviours, attitudes and beliefs of people surrounding them. In addition, participants' beliefs that the quality of a child's social integration, relationships and care are also related to their HRQoL. CONCLUSIONS These are encouraging results, indicating that children with SaLD experience HRQoL issues associated with their communication impairments. The results support the suggestion that speech and language therapists should ensure that their assessments and interventions account for both a child's impairment and also factors related to well-being reflected in the themes presented here. However, this was also a small-scale study and consequently further research of this type, with a larger and more varied population, is necessary so that HRQoL issues for all clinical sub-groups of children with SaLD can be explored.
Ovalbumin aerosols induce airway hyperreactivity in naïve DO11.10 T cell receptor transgenic mice without pulmonary eosinophilia or OVA‐specific antibody

The pathobiology of allergic asthma is being studied using murine models, most of which use systemic priming followed by pulmonary challenges with the immunizing antigen. In general, mice develop eosinophilic pulmonary inflammation, increased antigen‐specific immunoglobulins, and airway hyperreactivity (AHR), all of which are dependent on antigen‐specific T cell activation. To establish a model of allergic asthma, which did not require systemic priming, we exposed DO11.10 T cell receptor transgenic mice, which have an expanded repertoire of ovalbumin (OVA), peptide‐specific T cells, to limited aerosols of OVA protein. DO11.10 +/− mice developed AHR in the absence of increases in total serum IgE, OVA‐specific IgG, or eosinophilia. The AHR was accompanied by pulmonary recruitment of antigen‐specific T cells with decreased expression of CD62L and CD45RB and increased expression of CD69, a phenotype indicative of T cell activation. Our results support recent hypotheses that T cells mediate AHR directly.
Differing coping mechanisms, stress level and anorectal physiology in patients with functional constipation.

AIM To investigate coping mechanisms, constipation symptoms and anorectal physiology in 80 constipated subjects and 18 controls. METHODS Constipation was diagnosed by Rome II criteria. Coping ability and anxiety/depression were assessed by validated questionnaires. Transit time and balloon distension test were performed. RESULTS 34.5% patients were classified as slow transit type of constipation. The total colonic transit time (56 h vs 10 h, P<0.0001) and rectal sensation including urge sensation (79 mL vs 63 mL, P = 0.019) and maximum tolerable volume (110 mL vs 95 mL, P = 0.03) differed in patients and controls. Constipated subjects had significantly higher anxiety and depression scores and lower SF-36 scores in all categories. They also demonstrated higher scores of 'monitoring' coping strategy (14+/-6 vs 9+/-3, P = 0.001), which correlated with the rectal distension sensation (P = 0.005), urge sensation (P=0.002), and maximum tolerable volume (P = 0.035). The less use of blunting strategy predicted slow transit constipation in both univariate (P = 0.01) and multivariate analysis (P = 0.03). CONCLUSION Defective or ineffective use of coping strategies may be an important etiology in functional constipation and subsequently reflected in abnormal anorectal physiology.
The Role of Social Learning Networks in Mobile Assisted Language Learning: Edmodo as a Case Study

In this study the effect of the Edmodo social learning environment on mobile assisted language learning (MALL) was examined by seeking the opinions of students. Using a quantitative experimental approach, this study was conducted by conducting a questionnaire before and after using the social learning network Edmodo. Students attended lessons with their mobile devices. The course materials were shared in the network via Edmodo group sharing tools. The students exchanged idea and developed projects, and felt as though they were in a real classroom setting. The students were also able to access various multimedia content. The results of the study indicate that Edmodo improves students' foreign language learning, increases their success, strengthens communication among students, and serves as an entertaining learning environment for them. The educationally suitable sharing structure and the positive user opinions described in this study indicate that Edmodo is also usable in other lessons. Edmodo can be used on various mobile devices, including smartphones, in addition to the web. This advantageous feature contributes to the usefulness of Edmodo as a scaffold for education.
Adjustments in motor unit properties during fatiguing contractions after training.

OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of strength and endurance training on muscle fiber membrane properties and discharge rates of low-threshold motor units of the vasti muscles during fatiguing contractions. METHODS Twenty-five sedentary healthy men (age (mean ± SD) = 26.3 ± 3.9 yr) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: strength training, endurance training, or a control group. Conventional endurance and strength training was performed 3 d·wk⁻¹, during a period of 6 wk. Motor unit conduction velocity and EMG amplitude of the vastus medialis obliquus and lateralis muscles and biceps femoris were measured during sustained isometric knee extensions at 10% and 30% of the maximum voluntary contraction before and immediately after training. RESULTS After 6 wk of training, the reduction in motor unit conduction velocity during the sustained contractions at 30% of the maximum voluntary force occurred at slower rates compared with baseline (P < 0.05). However, the rate of decrease was lower after endurance training compared with strength training (P < 0.01). For all groups, motor unit discharge rates declined during the sustained contraction (P < 0.001), and their trend was not altered by training. In addition, the biceps femoris-vasti coactivation ratio declined after the endurance training. CONCLUSIONS Short-term strength and endurance training induces alterations of the electrophysiological membrane properties of the muscle fiber. In particular, endurance training lowers the rate of decline of motor unit conduction velocity during sustained contractions more than strength training.
The empirical adequacy of cumulative prospect theory and its implications for normative assessment

Much behavioral welfare economics assumes that expected utility theory (EUT) does not accurately describe most human choice under risk. A substantial literature instead evaluates welfare consequences by taking cumulative prospect theory (CPT) as the natural default alternative, at least where description is concerned. We present evidence, based on a review of previous literature and new experimental data, that the most empirically adequate hypothesis about human choice under risk is that it is heterogeneous, and that where EUT does not apply, more choice is characterized by rank-dependent utility models than by CPT. Most of the apparently loss-averse choice behavior results from probability weighting rather than from direct disutility experienced when an outcome is framed as a loss against an idiosyncratic reference point. We then consider implications of this finding for methodological debates about how to model welfare effects of policies, and argue that abandonment of a dogmatic belief in CPT as the correct theory of risk human choice exposes a conceptual error that is widespread in behavioral welfare economics. We provide concluding reflections on second-order, philosophical issues around the grounding of normative commitments in policy-focused economics.
Fluoxetine versus trimipramine in the treatment of depression in geriatric patients.

INTRODUCTION Fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), and trimipramine, a tricyclic antidepressant (TCA), were compared in terms of efficacy and tolerability in a six-week, parallel group, double-blind pilot study in 41 geriatric patients with major depression (61 - 85 years old). METHOD The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17), the Montgomery-Asberg Rating Scale (MADRS), the Adjective Mood Scale (Bf-S), the Clinical Global Impression (CGI), and the Patients Global Impression (PGI) were used to measure changes in depressive symptoms. RESULTS Improvement with treatment was found on all scales. Efficacy and tolerability were similar in both groups. No statistically significant differences were found. CONCLUSION These findings suggest that fluoxetine and trimipramine are comparable in terms of efficacy and tolerability in the treatment of major depression in geriatric patients.
Physiological determinants of the variation in left ventricular mass from early adolescence to late adulthood in healthy subjects

Background: The physiological determinants of left ventricular mass (LVM) measured by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging are not well defined as prior investigators have studied either adults or adolescents in isolation or have not strictly excluded hypertension or accounted for the effects of exercise habits, haemodynamic, demographic, or body shape characteristics.
A double-blind, randomized and placebo-controlled trial of Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) in the treatment of anxiety and depression

Abstract Background: Depression and anxiety are prevalent serious psychiatric disorders. Several drugs are used to treat these conditions but these are often associated with serious side effects. For this reason alternative therapies, including herbal medication such as saffron, have been proposed. We aimed to assess the effects of saffron extract for the treatment of anxiety and depression using a 12-week double-blind, placebo-controlled trial design. Methods: Sixty adult patients with anxiety and depression were randomized to receive a 50 mg saffron capsule (Crocus sativus L. stigma) or a placebo capsule twice daily for 12 weeks. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) questionnaires were used at baseline, 6 and 12 weeks after initiating medication. 54 subjects completed the trial. Results: Saffron supplements had a significant effect on the BDI and BAI scores of subjects in comparison to placebo at the 12 week time-point (p<0.001). Conclusions: Saffron appears to have a significant impact in the treatment of anxiety and depression disorder. Side effects were rare.
Comparison of Serum Bactericidal Activity Among Three Antimicrobial Combinations

Three antimicrobial combinations, ticarcillin plus cephalothin (T+C), ticarcillin plus gentamicin (T+G), and cephalothin plus gentamicin (C+G), were administered to 105 febrile granulocytopenic cancer patients at the Baltimore Cancer Research Center as part of a multi-institutional prospective randomized antibiotic trial. The sera from 32 of these patients (T+C−10 patients, T+G−10 patients, and C+G−12 patients) obtained 1 h post-antibiotic administration were examined for bactericidal activity against 11 strains each of the most common pathogens infecting the granulocytopenic host: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. Each of the three antibiotic regimens produced a high degree of bactericidal activity in these sera against S. aureus and E. coli. P. aeruginosa was equally, although poorly, killed by sera containing ticarcillin (T+G, T+C), whereas C+G produced no measurable serocidal activity (P < 0.05). Sera with C+G killed K. pneumoniae more effectively than T+G; T+C produced the least killing effect of the three regimens against this organism (P < 0.05). The bactericidal activity of the serum from these 32 patients supplements the overall clinical results of the multi-institutional antibiotic trial and suggests that T+G is a useful initial regimen for empiric therapy of febrile episodes in granulocytopenic cancer patients.
Assessing pediatric senior residents’ training in resuscitation: Fund of knowledge, technical skills, and perception of confidence

Objective To describe pediatric housestaff knowledge, experience, confidence in pediatric resuscitations and their ability to perform important resuscitation procedures during the usual training experience. Design and participants Cohort study of PGY-3 level residents in a ACGME accredited pediatric residency training program at a large, tertiary care children’s hospital. Methods Fund of knowledge was assessed by administering the standardized test from the Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) Course in addition to a supplemental short answer test requiring clinical problem-solving skills. Procedural skills were evaluated through observation of the resident performing four procedures during a skills workshop using a weighted step-wise grading sheet. Resident experience and confidence was quantified using an anonymous survey. Results Ninety-seven percent of residents participated. Residents achieved high scores on the standardized PALS test (93.2% ± 5.5), but performed less well when answering more complicated questions (60.0% ± 9.9) on the short answer test. No resident was able to successfully perform both basic and advanced airway skills, and only 11% successfully completed both vascular skills. Although residents were overall confident in their resuscitation skills, performance in the skill workshop revealed significant deficits. For example, only 18% performed ancillary airway maneuvers properly. None of the residents performed all four skills correctly. Experience in both real and mock resuscitations was infrequent. Residents reported receiving feedback on their performance less than half of the time. Over 89% of them felt that resuscitation knowledge and skill were important for their future chosen career. Conclusion Pediatric residents infrequently lead or participate in real or mock resuscitations. Although confident in performing many of the necessary resuscitation skills, few residents performed critical components of these skills correctly. Current pediatric residency training may not provide sufficient experience to develop adequate skills, fund of knowledge, or confidence needed for resuscitation.