Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Is Old Age Depressing? Growth Trajectories and Cohort Variations in Late-Life Depression∗

Findings in previous research on the association of old age and depression are inconsistent due to a confounding of age changes and cohort differences. Using data from an accelerated longitudinal design from the National Institute of Aging Established Populations for Epidemiologic Studies of the Elderly, this study addresses three questions: (1) Does the age growth trajectory show an increase in depressive symptoms in late life? (2) Is there cohort heterogeneity in levels of depressive symptoms and age growth trajectories of depressive symptoms? (3) What social risk factors are associated with these effects? Results show evidence of substantial cohort variation in depression. There is also evidence for an age-by-cohort interaction effect. Specifically, depression declined with age more rapidly for earlier cohorts. The growth trajectories can be accounted for by factors associated with historical trends in education, life course stages, health decline, differential survival, stress, and coping resources.
Detection of proximal caries with high-resolution and standard resolution digital radiographic systems.

AIMS The aim of this study was to: (1) compare the diagnostic accuracy of the high-resolution and standard resolution settings of four digital imaging systems for caries diagnosis and (2) compare the effect on the diagnostic accuracy of reducing the high-resolution image sizes to the standard resolution dimensions, and vice versa. MATERIALS AND METHODS 90 extracted human premolars were mounted in groups of 5 in plaster blocks, containing 4 test teeth and 1 non-test tooth. Two blocks at a time were placed in a jig to simulate a bitewing radiograph. Radiographs were taken using four digital systems (Planmeca Dixi 2; Gendex Visualix HDI; Dürr Vistascan; Digora Optime), each at two resolution settings. Next, the teeth were sectioned and a total of 65 surfaces were incorporated in the study. Additionally, the bicubic interpolation method was applied to reduce the high-resolution original images and to enlarge the standard resolution images. The original, reduced and enlarged images were randomly shown to five observers in two random sessions. The observers were asked to assess caries depth on a 4-point scale. The observers' scores were compared with the results from a histological examination. Data were analysed using the statistical theory for multivariate discrete data. Cohen's kappa was used to determine the agreement with the gold standard. RESULTS None of the comparisons between the spatial resolution settings, or the comparisons between increased or reduced image size and the original image sizes, showed significant differences in the probability of caries detection (chi2=26.59, df=26, P approximately 0.50). The four digital systems used in this study differ significantly in the probability of caries detection (chi2=41.55, df=24, P<0.02). Compared with the gold standard, the Gendex Visualix HDI CCD sensor has the highest measure of agreement (kappa=0.31). CONCLUSION Caries diagnosis does not improve when using high-resolution settings compared with the standard settings. The use of bicubic convolution interpolation for zooming has no detectable effect on caries diagnosis and therefore is recommended to use when enlarging or reducing radiographs. The probability of caries detection, however, was different for the sensor systems of the different manufacturers.
Endoscopic submucosal dissection in large sessile lesions of the rectosigmoid: learning curve in a European center

Background and study aims: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) in the colorectum is not currently a standard procedure. Few data are available from the Western world. The aim of the present study was to report on the first experiences and the learning curve of colorectal ESD in a European center. Patients and methods: A total of 82 rectosigmoid lesions were referred for ESD. Lesion characteristics, resection rates, procedure times, complications, and recurrences were recorded prospectively. Results were compared between three consecutive study periods in order to determine the learning curve. Results: Lesions were located in the rectum (86.6 %) and the sigmoid colon (13.4 %). Median diameter was 45.5 mm. Lesions were of Paris type 0-Is with pit pattern type V (n = 8), 0-IIa (n = 33), 0-IIa + Is (n = 36), and 0-IIa + IIc (n = 5). The malignancy rate in these groups was 100 %, 0 %, 14 %, and 20 %, respectively. ESD was possible in 76 lesions (92.7 %). En bloc resection rate and R0 resection rate were 81.6 % and 69.7 %, respectively. Median procedure time was 176 minutes. Between the three consecutive study periods, en bloc resection rate increased (60.0 %, 88.0 %, 96.2 %), R0 resection rate increased (48.0 %, 76.0 %, 84.5 %; P < 0.001), and procedure time decreased (200, 193, 136 minutes; P = 0.027). The perforation and bleeding rates were 1.3 % and 7.9 %, respectively. Recurrence risk was 0 % after R0 en bloc resection and 41.7 % after piecemeal resection (P < 0.05). Median follow-up was 23.6 months. Conclusions: In the European setting, ESD in the distal colon is feasible with acceptable complication risks. Resection rates were not as high as those from Japanese studies; however, a clear learning curve could be shown. Colorectal ESD needs to be further evaluated, particularly in Europe where ESD experience is low.
DNA Barcoding Identifies all Immature Life Stages of a Forensically Important Flesh Fly (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)

Carrion‐breeding insects, such as flesh flies (Diptera: Sarcophagidae), can be used as evidence in forensic investigations. Despite their considerable forensic potential, their use has been limited because morphological species identification, at any life stage, is very challenging. This study investigated whether DNA could be extracted and cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) barcode sequences obtained for molecular identification of each immature life stage of the forensically important Australian flesh fly, Sarcophaga (Sarcorohdendorfia) impatiens (Walker). Genomic DNA extracts were prepared from all larval instars and puparia. Amplification of the barcoding region was successful from all extracts, but puparia amplicons were weak. All sequences were identified as S. impatiens with 99.95% confidence using the Barcoding of Life Database (BOLD). Importantly, crop removal was necessary to eliminate PCR inhibition for specimens from late second and early third instars. Similar results are expected for immatures of other carrion‐breeding species, enhancing the use of evidence from immature flies in forensic investigations.
Prevalence and circulation patterns of Variant, Atypical and Resistant HIV in Los Angeles County (2007–2009)

The prevalence of transmitted HIV drug resistance (TDR) in Los Angeles County remains unknown, due in part to the absence of reliable genotypic data. The specific objectives of this study are to estimate the prevalence of TDR, to describe the demographic characteristics associated with TDR and to investigate the distribution of HIV‐1 subtypes among persons newly diagnosed with HIV in Los Angeles County. From 2007 through 2009, 1,414 sequences were obtained from 7,100 persons newly diagnosed with HIV through HIV resistance surveillance. Overall, 257 (18%) sequences had some genetic evidence of drug resistance. Of these, 122 (9%) exhibited evidence of resistance to non‐nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, 121 (9%) to nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and 76 (5%) to protease inhibitors. Subtype B was dominant (97%), followed by subtypes C (1.2%), CRF01_AE (0.8%), CRF02_AG (0.4%), A (0.3%), and F (0.1%). With a TDR prevalence of 18%, Los Angeles County ranks high compared with other jurisdictions across the nation. The prevalence of TDR in recent (19%) and long‐standing (17%) HIV cases were similar, thus providing additional support for the notion that TDR‐associated mutations may persist well beyond the period of recent infection. HIV‐1 CRF01_AE, observed historically in central Africa and Asia, was observed to be circulating among men who have sex with men and heterosexuals in Los Angeles County. These findings underscore the need for continued and expanded HIV resistance surveillance to inform healthcare providers, policy makers and at‐risk populations of emerging trends in HIV drug resistance. J. Med. Virol. 86: 1639–1647, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
VALUE ADDED TRADE RESTRICTIVENESS INDEXES. MEASURING PROTECTION WITHIN GLOBAL VALUE CHAINS

Production and trade are increasingly organized within Global Value Chains (GVCs) and therefore assessing who effectively pays the cost of protection is not straightforward. Since exports rely on imported inputs, the evaluation of trade policies requires the use of new trade metrics on a value-added base in order to assess in which country the value embedded in trade has been actually produced. We define a new set of trade policy indexes in the spirit of the protection indexes introduced by Anderson and Neary, based on the value added in trade: the Value Added Trade Restrictiveness Indexes (VATRIs). VATRIs are theoretically sound protection measurements that make use of the trade flow decomposition proposed by the recent value added in trade literature. We compute the direct and indirect components of trade protection by computing the VATRIs using the Global Trade Analysis Project computable general equilibrium model.
Understanding Physicians’ Challenges When Treating Type 2 Diabetic Patients’ Social and Emotional Difficulties

OBJECTIVE To explore physicians’ awareness of and responses to type 2 diabetic patients’ social and emotional difficulties. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We conducted semistructured interviews with 19 physicians. Interviews were transcribed, coded, and analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS Three themes emerged: 1) physicians’ awareness of patients’ social and emotional difficulties: physicians recognized the frequency and seriousness of patients’ social and emotional difficulties; 2) physicians’ responses to patients’ social and emotional difficulties: many reported that intervening with these difficulties was challenging with few treatment options beyond making referrals, individualizing care, and recommending more frequent follow-up visits; and 3) the impact of patients’ social and emotional difficulties on physicians: few available patient treatment options, time constraints, and a perceived lack of psychological expertise contributed to physicians’ feeling frustrated, inadequate, and overwhelmed. CONCLUSIONS Recognition and understanding of physicians’ challenges when treating diabetes patients’ social and emotional difficulties are important for developing programmatic interventions.
Humeral head resurfacing in central bone defects: In vitro stability of different implants with increasing defect size

We examined the rotary motions of two distinct cementless surface replacement arthroplasties of the shoulder that were implanted on humeri with central spherical bone defects of 8%, 17%, and 37% of the head volume (n = 5 each). Rotary motions were measured under a cyclic torque application and translated into relative micromotions. Implant A with a perforated central crown had micromotions < 150 µm in all bony defects and during all simulated shoulder activities. Implant B with a central tapered tri‐fin pin had no micromotions > 150 µm in defects of 0% and 8% during a strenuous activity like lifting 10 kg, but did exhibit micromotion > 150 µm in 40% of the experiments in defects of 17% and 37%, which could impair bony ingrowth. Implant B displayed a significant increase in micromotions for defects of 8% and 17% (p < 0.05). Our results suggest that implant A could be used without risk in spherical head defects up to 37% of volume, even in strenuous shoulder activities immediately after its implantation. Implant B, however, is recommended in spherical defects starting from 8% and only during light shoulder activities until bony integration of the implant has occurred. © 2012 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 30:1285–1289, 2012
Phase I clinical trial using peptide vaccine for human vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 in combination with gemcitabine for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) is an essential factor in tumor angiogenesis and in the growth of pancreatic cancer. Immunotherapy using epitope peptide for VEGFR2 (VEGFR2‐169) that we identified previously is expected to improve the clinical outcome. Therefore, a phase I clinical trial combining of VEGFR2‐169 with gemcitabine was conducted for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Patients with metastatic and unresectable pancreatic cancer were eligible for the trial. Gemcitabine was administered at a dose of 1000 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15 in a 28‐day cycle. The VEGFR2‐169 peptide was subcutaneously injected weekly in a dose‐escalation manner (doses of 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/body, six patients/one cohort). Safety and immunological parameters were assessed. No severe adverse effect of grade 4 or higher was observed. Of the 18 patients who completed at least one course of the treatment, 15 (83%) developed immunological reactions at the injection sites. Specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) reacting to the VEGFR2‐169 peptide were induced in 11 (61%) of the 18 patients. The disease control rate was 67%, and the median overall survival time was 8.7 months. This combination therapy for pancreatic cancer patients was tolerable at all doses. Peptide‐specific CTL could be induced by the VEGFR2‐169 peptide vaccine at a high rate, even in combination with gemcitabine. From an immunological point of view, the optimal dose for further clinical trials might be 2 mg/body or higher. This trial was registered with ClinicalTrial.gov (no. NCT 00622622). (Cancer Sci 2009)
Salivary sex hormone measurement in a national, population-based study of older adults.

OBJECTIVES To describe the methods used for, correlates of cooperation with, and validity of in-home salivary specimens collected from older adults. METHODS Salivary specimens were collected between 2005 and 2006 during in-home interviews with a probability sample of 3,005 U.S. men and women, ages 57-85 years. Sex hormone levels were assessed by enzyme-linked immunoassay conducted at Salimetrics, LLC (State College, PA). Mean salivary sex hormone concentrations were compared by gender and in relation to medication use and health conditions. RESULTS Self-collected saliva specimens were provided by 2,722 (90.6%) individuals; 95.8% of these were adequate for analysis. Black participants were significantly less likely than individuals of other racial/ethnic groups to provide a salivary specimen; age, gender, education, and self-rated health were not associated with participation. Mean testosterone levels were higher in men compared with women, and estradiol levels were higher in women using estrogens. Salivary hormone measurements obtained in the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP) and other studies are of similar magnitude. CONCLUSION NSHAP is the first large, population-based study of older adults to measure salivary estradiol, progesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and, in women, testosterone. These data demonstrate a high cooperation rate with in-home salivary specimen collection from older adults and good validity of sex hormone measurements.
Looking for the Spanish ImperativeIntonation: Combination of Global and Pitch-Accent Level Strategies

It is well known that in Spanish, pitch is used to convey different pragmatic meanings. Recent studies show that Spanish dialects have different ways of expressing imperativity. However, declarative and imperative intonations have also been equated. Navarro Tomas (1944) suggests that Spanish employs more than just grammatical resources to denote imperativity and states that the so-called entonación volitiva can make the distinction between declarative and imperative sentences. He subdivides volitional intonation in different types that range from a regular command or a suggestion to an exhortation, an order or a stronger petition. He also defends “an amplification of tone inflections and an increase of expirational effort and of muscular tension” and asserts that imperatives have a wider tonal range and more intensity. Kvavik (1988) questions these descriptions in a study with four English-Cuban Spanish bilingual females. After comparing twenty-eight pairs of declarative/imperative sentences she concludes that there is “no clear imperative vs. declarative sentence prosody”. She generally finds higher F0 peaks in imperatives but the frequency range (difference between F0 maxima and minima) is not necessarily wider in these. Willis (2002) looks for the difference between the two kinds of sentences (eleven of each kind x three repetitions) at the pre-nuclear pitch-accent level in Mexican Spanish. He identifies two kinds of alignments: L+H* and L*+H. He calls the former ‘early peak’ because the F0 peak is reached within the boundaries of the tonic syllable and the latter ‘late peak’ because the F0 peak is reached in the post-tonic syllable. He notices that although both alignments are found in the two kinds of sentences, imperatives have a higher use of early peaks. He also observes an increased local tonal range in imperatives but this is not significant for all speakers. He concludes that, at least in a laboratory setting, the intonation marking of a Spanish imperative utterance is not categorical, although some local intonation cues can be found. In a more recent work, Prieto and Roseano (2010) present a compilation of imperatives in different dialects of Spanish that confirms previous findings and also shows new ones. For example, Estebas‐Vilaplana and Prieto (2010) notice that strong commands are produced with an expanded pitch range and that in Castillian Spanish their nuclear configuration is L+H* M%. López -Bobo and Cuevas-Alonso (2010) find a nuclear H+L* L% configuration preceded by L+H* or L+>H* (early and late H according to Willis) depending on the illocutionary force in Cantabrian Spanish. Similar configurations are also found in Dominican Spanish (Willis 2010), Ecuadorian Andean Spanish (O’Rourke 2010) and Argentinian Spanish (Gabriel et al. 2010). Finally, other varieties like Canarian Spanish (Cabrera Abreu and Vizcaíno Ortega 2010) use high boundary tones (L+H* HH%) to express imperativity.
Interferon‐gamma, tumor necrosis factor‐alpha, and lipopolysaccharide promote chitotriosidase gene expression in human macrophages

Human chitotriosidase (Chit), a chitinolytic enzyme, is a member of the chitinase family. In human plasma, Chit activity has been proposed as a biochemical marker of macrophage activation in several lysosomal diseases. Recently we found that Chit activity is higher in patients affected by Plasmodium falciparum malaria infection, suggesting that Chit may reflect induction of an immunological response. To assess this hypothesis, we evaluated the CHIT1 mRNA levels in human monocytes/macrophages (HMMs) following treatment with interferon‐gamma (IFNγ), tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNFα), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Stimulation of macrophages with INF‐γ, TNF‐α, and LPS resulted in an increase in Chit activity as well as the levels of CHIT1 mRNA as measured by quantitative real‐time PCR. The data presented in this article show that Chit plays a role in the response to the activation of INF‐γ‐, TNF‐α‐, and LPS‐driven macrophages, suggesting that the production of Chit by macrophages could have biological relevance in the immune‐response. J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 19:128–132, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Evaluating Policy Representation with Dynamic MRP Estimates: Direct Democracy and Same-Sex Relationship Policies in the United States

Does direct democracy strengthen popular control of public policy in the United States? A major challenge in evaluating policy representation is the measurement of state-level public opinion and public policy. Although recent studies of policy responsiveness and congruence have provided improved measures of public opinion using multilevel regression and poststratification (MRP) techniques, these analyses are limited by their static nature and cross-sectional design. Issue attitudes, unlike more general political orientations, often vary considerably over time. Unless the dynamics of issue-specific public opinion are appropriately incorporated into the analyses, tests of policy responsiveness and congruence may be misleading. Thus, we assess the degree of policy representation in direct democracy states regarding same-sex relationship recognition policies using dynamic models of policy adoption and congruence that employ dynamic MRP estimates of attitudes toward same-sex marriage. We find that direct democracy institutions increase both policy responsiveness and congruence with issue-specific public opinion.
How do Eurosceptic parties and economic crisis affect news coverage of the European Union? Evidence from the 2014 European elections in Italy

ABSTRACT This article aims at understanding to what extent the presence of Eurosceptic actors, along with the effects of the economic crisis, have affected the news coverage on Europe and the European Union during the 2014 EP election campaign in Italy. We rely on an original dataset based on content analysis of the 50 days prior to the 2014 EP elections in four mainstream newspapers (n = 2,499) and four mainstream TV newscasts (n = 519). Our findings show that, while Italian mainstream media covered EU issues through a more positive frame compared to domestic political issues, Eurosceptic parties and economic issues, especially in relation to the austerity policies supported by the EU, were the two explanatory factors that clearly affected the coverage of the EU.
Regulation of lipoprotein lipase by the oxysterol receptors, LXRalpha and LXRbeta.

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) is a key enzyme for lipoprotein metabolism and is responsible for hydrolysis of triglycerides in circulating lipoproteins, releasing free fatty acids to peripheral tissues. In liver, LPL is also believed to promote uptake of high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol and thereby facilitate reverse cholesterol transport. In this study we show that the Lpl gene is a direct target of the oxysterol liver X receptor, LXRalpha. Mice fed diets containing high cholesterol or an LXR-selective agonist exhibited a significant increase in LPL expression in the liver and macrophages, but not in other tissues (e.g. adipose and muscle). Studies in Lxr-deficient mice confirmed that this response was dependent more on the presence of LXRalpha than LXRbeta. Analysis of the Lpl gene revealed the presence of a functional DR4 LXR response element in the intronic region between exons 1 and 2. This response element directly binds rexinoid receptor (RXR)/LXR heterodimers and is sufficient for rexinoid- and LXR agonist-induced transcription of the Lpl gene. Together, these studies further distinguish the roles of LXRalpha and beta and support a growing body of evidence that LXRs function as key regulators of lipid metabolism and are anti-atherogenic.