Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quit-attempt history: relation to current levels of emotional vulnerability among adult cigarette users.

OBJECTIVE The present investigation examined self-defined serious quit attempts (lifetime) in relation to current indices of anxious arousal, anhedonic depression symptoms, anxiety sensitivity, and severity of problems experienced in past efforts to quit. METHOD Participants in the present sample included 144 adult smokers (59.7% women; mean [SD] age = 29.48 [11.62] years) who were recruited from the Burlington, VT, community. RESULTS After controlling for daily cigarette smoking rate, total years as a regular smoker, current alcohol-use problems, and gender, the number of past quit attempts was significantly and uniquely associated with anxious arousal symptoms, anxiety sensitivity, and severity of problems experienced in past quit attempts; however, the number of past quit attempts was not significantly associated with anhedonic depression symptoms. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that clinicians may benefit by assessing for affective factors as part of a smoking-assessment process and integrating them into interventions for smoking cessation.
Endoscopy Continuous Evaluation of Patient Satisfaction in Endoscopy Centres

Background: A randomized sample of 14,000 men and women, aged 55-64 years, resident in the City of Oslo and Telemark County, were drawn from the population registry to be offered a flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) screening examination. A questionnaire was designed to modify routines and evaluate patient satisfaction. Methods: Consecutive participants (4956) were given a questionnaire immediately after the FS to be filled in and returned by mail on the following day. Participants were asked questions about service, practical issues, and the level of pain during the FS and post-examination discomfort. They were also encouraged to give their comments in free text. Results: Questionnaire replies were received from 4574 (92%) out of 4956 participants. The vast majority reported to have experienced no (70%) or slight (21%) pain during the examination. Women reported pain and post-examination discomfort more often than men. Pain was also associated with age of the patient and length of bowel examined, but not with total examination time. The proportion of painless examinations varied between endoscopists from 62% to 81%. For all endoscopists collectively, this improved during the study period, irrespective of past experience, but trainees seemed to adopt the score of their masters. Conclusions: The study demonstrated that the use of feedback information in an endoscopy screening unit may be useful in improving standards, including the performance of endoscopists. It is possible that the introduction of similar feedback systems in routine endoscopy laboratories may in the long run improve the reputation of gastrointestinal endoscopy.
Chromosome Damage, Apoptosis, and Necrosis in Exfoliated Cells of Oral Mucosa From Androgenic Anabolic Steroids Users

The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of the androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS) for inducing chromosome damage, apoptosis, and necrosis, using the micronucleus test on exfoliated cells from the oral mucosa of AAS users. The sample consisted of 55 male individuals, practitioners of physical exercise divided into two groups: 25 individuals who were users of AAS and 30 individuals in the control group. Cytological analysis included, in addition to micronuclei, counting of broken eggs and degenerative nuclear changes indicative of apoptosis (karyorrhexis, condensed chromatin, and pyknosis) and necrosis (karyolysis in addition to these changes). The statistical analysis did not show differences in occurrences of micronuclei, karyolysis, and broken eggs between the groups. The occurrence of apoptosis was significantly higher in cells from control subjects. The results obtained showed that inhibition of apoptosis was induced by AAS, suggesting that this may be one of the mechanisms contributing toward the association that has been described between use of AAS and the carcinogenic process.
Selective Synaptic Plasticity within the Cerebellar Cortex Following Complex Motor Skill Learning

Complex motor skill learning, but not mere motor activity, leads to an increase in synapse number within the cerebellar cortex. The present experiment used quantitative electron microscopy to determine which synapse types were altered in number. Adult female rats were allocated to either an acrobatic condition (AC), a voluntary exercise condition (VX), or an inactive condition (IC). AC animals were trained to traverse an elevated obstacle course requiring substantial motor coordination to complete. VX animals were housed with unlimited access to running wheels and IC animals received no motor training but were handled briefly each day. Results showed the AC animals to have significantly more parallel fiber to Purkinje cell synapses than both the VX and IC animals. No other synapse type was significantly altered. Thus, the learning-dependent increase in synapse number observed within the cerebellar cortex is accomplished primarily through the addition of parallel fiber synapses.
Response from authors RE: “Lack of association of herpesviruses with brain tumors”

Similar to the paper by Cobbs et al (2002), we investigated the association of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection with glioma. However, in accordance with recent publications of Lau et al (2005) and Sabatier et al (2005), we could not find hints for a role of this virus in glioma pathogenesis or maintenance of the transformed state of the tumor cells (Poltermann et al, 2006). We totally agree that a very careful and sophisticated methodology is required to ascertain results revealing the presence of viral macromolecules in tumor tissue. This is one of the reasons why we tested not only brain tumor material but also blood samples of the same patients to exclude that HCMV-positive blood might contaminate tumor samples tested. In addition, in order to test the requirement of HCMV to maintain a tumorigenic phenotype, we tested the presence of HCMV in glioma cell lines and in cell cultures, freshly established from patient’s tumor material: in none of the cases could HCMV DNA be detected. Reliability of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was assured by the use of various protocols of sensitive nested PCRs, including the one described by Cobbs et al (2005), and always including sensitive positive and negative controls. In addition, more recently the group of B. Ehlers tested the samples described in our paper (and 92 additional glioma samples) for the presence of herpes virus sequences on amore general basis (cf. Ehlers et al, 1999, 2003). In 10% of the samples, herpes virus DNA sequences (e.g., human herpesvirus [HHV]-6, herpes simplex virus [HSV], Epstein-Barr virus [EBV]) could be found, but in none of the cases could HCMV DNA
Information diffusion in heterogeneous networks: The configuration model approach

In technological or social networks, diffusion processes (e.g. information dissemination, rumour/virus spreading) strongly depend on the structure of the network. In this paper, we focus on epidemic processes over one such class of networks, Opportunistic Networks, where mobile nodes within range can communicate with each other directly. As the node degree distribution is a salient property for process dynamics on complex networks, we use the well known Configuration Model, that captures generic degree distributions, for modeling and analysis. We also assume that information spreading between two neighboring nodes can only occur during random contact times. Using this model, we proceed to derive closed-form approximative formulas for the information spreading delay that only require the first and second moments of the node degree distribution. Despite the simplicity of our model, simulations based on both synthetic and real traces suggest a considerable accuracy for a large range of heterogeneous contact networks arising in this context, validating its usefulness for performance prediction.
Correlation of Histologic Prognostic Factors in Core Biopsies and Therapeutic Excisions of Invasive Breast Carcinoma

Breast core biopsy is one of the major nonoperative methods of diagnosis. Increasingly, there is also a need to provide prognostic data to facilitate timely patient management. We present the results from 500 patients with invasive breast carcinoma, who underwent core biopsy followed by a therapeutic surgical procedure. Grade and type of the invasive and in situ carcinoma, together with the presence or absence of vascular invasion, were determined in both biopsy and definitive surgical excision and the results compared. There was 67% agreement with overall grade (kappa value 0.48), with scores for tubule formation, pleomorphism, and mitotic scoring achieving values of 82%, 73%, and 58%, respectively. Only 60% of grade 1 and 2 carcinomas showed concordance, but 84% of grade 3 tumors showed agreement between core and excision results. Tumor typing, vascular invasion, and grading of ductal carcinoma in situ had agreement values of 74%, 69%, and 65%, respectively. The major problem with assessing prognostic factors on needle biopsy specimens is undersampling of the most informative areas. However, in those patients in whom preoperative assessment of prognostic factors is most likely to be beneficial, i.e., those with grade 3 carcinomas, a high level of agreement was achieved in this large study.
Child Care, Maternal Employment and Persistence: A Natural Experiment from Spain

Reconciling work and family is high on many governments' agenda, especially in countries, such as Spain, with record-low fertility and female labor force participation rates. This paper analyzes the effects of a large-scale provision of publicly subsidized child care in Spain in the early 1990s, addressing the impact on mothers’ short- and long-run employment outcomes (up to four years after the child was eligible to participate in the program). Exploiting the staggered timing and age-targeting of this child-care expansion, our estimates show that the policy led to a sizable increase in employment (8%), and hours worked (9%) of mothers with age-eligible (3-year-old) children, and that these effects persisted over time. Heterogeneity matters. While persistence is strong among mothers with a high-school degree, the effects of the program on maternal employment quickly fade away among those without a high-school degree. These findings are consistent with the program reducing the depreciation of human capital. The lack of any results among college educated mothers, which represent less than one tenth of mothers, is most likely due to the fact that they are able to pay day care (even when it is mainly privately supplied), and that most of them are already strongly attached to the labor force.
Effects of glucocorticoid treatment and acute passive immunization with growth hormone-releasing hormone and somatostatin antibodies on endogenous and stimulated growth hormone secretion in the male rat.

Despite causing marked inhibition of somatic growth, glucocorticoids enhance both the response to GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) and the amplitude of naturally occurring GH secretory pulses in the male rat. The relative contribution of the two major hypothalamic regulatory factors for GH (somatostatin and GHRH) to these observed effects remains speculative. In the present studies, we have investigated endogenous and stimulated GH release in rats pretreated with glucocorticoid or vehicle, and the effects of passive immunoneutralization of somatostatin or GHRH. In an initial study, four groups of eight rats were treated with either saline or various doses of a depot preparation of betamethasone: low dose, 0.85 mg; medium dose, 1.7 mg; high dose, 3.4 mg. All doses significantly suppressed body weight gain, total adrenal weight and concentrations of both plasma corticosterone and pituitary ACTH. Seven days after betamethasone treatment, GH responses to an i.v. injection of 1 microgram human GHRH(1-29) were evaluated during pentobarbitone anaesthesia. Compared with saline-treated controls (peak GH concentration of 506.0 +/- 68.5 micrograms/l), peak GH levels were enhanced by the low dose (704.4 +/- 47.8 micrograms/l, P less than 0.05), unaltered by the medium dose (543 +/- 65.8 micrograms/l) and suppressed by the high dose (312.7 +/- 55.2 micrograms/l, P less than 0.05) of betamethasone. Similarly, the area under the secretory curves was increased by 46% following the low dose (P less than 0.01), unaltered by the medium dose and reduced by 33% after the high dose of betamethasone. In a second study, rats were pretreated for 7 days before blood sampling with either the medium dose of betamethasone or saline. On day 5, 48 h before blood sampling, an indwelling venous catheter was fitted enabling sampling of conscious rats. On the day of study, blood samples were taken at 30-min intervals over an initial 2-h period (10.00-12.00 h). Following the sample at 12.00 h, rats were given the reconstituted and dialysed immunoglobulin fraction from either control sheep serum (NSIgG), sheep anti-rat GHRH serum (GHRHab) or sheep anti-somatostatin serum (SRIHab), and samples were taken for a further 90 min (12.30-14.00 h). Directly after the sample at 14.00 h, GH stimulation was effected in all rats using 1 microgram human GHRH(1-29) with samples taken at 5, 10, 20 and 40 min following stimulation. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Synthesis and evaluation of anti‐inflammatory properties of silver nanoparticle suspensions in experimental colitis in mice

The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of newly developed silver nanoparticle aqueous suspensions NanoAg1 and NanoAg2 in the mouse models mimicking ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. NanoAg1 and NanoAg2 were synthesized in aqueous medium with the involvement of tannic acid. To elucidate their anti‐inflammatory activity, semi‐chronic mouse models of inflammation induced by dextrane sulfate sodium addition to drinking water and intracolonic (i.c.) administration of 2,4,6‐trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid were used. NanoAg1 and NanoAg2 (500 mg/dm3, 100 μl/animal, i.c., once daily) significantly ameliorated colitis in dextrane sulfate sodium‐ and 2,4,6‐trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid‐induced mouse models of colonic inflammation, as indicated by reduced macroscopic, ulcer and microscopic scores. The anti‐inflammatory effect was dependent on the shape and diameter of silver nanoparticles, as indicated by weaker effect of NanoAg1 than NanoAg2. In addition, administration of NanoAg2, but not NanoAg1, modulated colonic microbiota, as indicated by reduced number of Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens, and increased number of Lactobacillus sp. Summarizing, NanoAg1 and NanoAg2 after administered i.c. effectively alleviate colitis in experimental models of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease in mice. Therefore, NanoAg1 and NanoAg2 administered i.c. have the potential to become valuable agents for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases.
Vascular reactivity in mesenteric resistance arteries following chronic nitric oxide synthase inhibition in Wistar rats

1 Chronic inhibition of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) induces a sustained hypertension in rats. We studied the effects of chronic inhibition on the in vitro vasoreactivity of mesenteric resistance arteries in Wistar rats. We also investigated the effects of acute in vitro NOS inhibition in these vessels. 2 Acute NOS inhibition (Nω‐nitro‐L‐arginine, L‐NOARG, 10 μm) had no effect on the contractile response to KCl (125 mM), enhanced the response to the phorbol ester, phorbol dibutyrate (1 μm; 69±9% of KCl response, n=6; 38±7% control, n=6, P<0.05), increased sensitivity to phenylephrine (EC50: 1.68±0.14 μm, n=5; 2.35±0.23 μm control, n=5, P<0.05) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP; EC50 1.79±0.61 nM, n=6; 20.44±6.87 μm control, n=6, P<0.05) and decreased sensitivity to acetylcholine (EC50 123±12 nM, n=6; 45±10 nM control, n=13, P<0.05). 3 In contrast, contractile responses to KCl (125 mM; 170±12 mN mm−3, n=10; 257±21 mN mm−3 in control, n=13, P<0.005) and phenylephrine (maximum response, 30 μm: 169±24 mN mm−3, n=10; 295±19 mN mm−3 in control, n=13, P<0.001) were significantly reduced in magnitude following chronic NOS inhibition. Sensitivity to phenylephrine was not significantly altered. 4 The effects of chronic NOS inhibition (Nω‐nitro‐L‐arginine methyl ester, L‐NAME, 10 mg kg−1 daily for 3 weeks) were similar to those of acute NOS blockade with respect to the relaxant responses to SNP and acetylcholine, and also the contraction in response to protein kinase C activation. 5 Chronic inhibition of NOS significantly increased medial cross sectional area of mesenteric resistance arteries (0.013±0.002 mm2, n=7; 0.009±0.0005 mm2 control, n=15, P<0.05). 6 Thus, in contrast to the acute effects of NOS inhibition, chronic NOS inhibition results in a down‐regulation of the contractile responses to KCl and phenylephrine in mesenteric resistance arteries, despite an increase in medial cross sectional area. However protein kinase C‐dependent contraction remains relatively enhanced. Endothelium‐dependent relaxation is reduced and endothelium‐independent relaxation is enhanced in a manner similar to the effects of acute NOS blockade.
How does the way a weight is carried affect spinal loads?

People often have to carry a weight which increases the spinal load. Few in vivo measured spinal loading data exist for carrying a weight. The aim of this study was to measure the force increase on a vertebral body replacement (VBR) caused by carrying weights in different ways. A telemeterised VBR allowing the measurement of six load components was implanted in five patients suffering from lumbar vertebral body fractures. The patients carried different weights laterally in one or both hands, in front of the body and in a backpack. The force increase with respect to standing was more than twice as high for carrying a weight in front of the body compared with carrying it laterally. A weight of 10 kg in a backpack led to an average force increase of only 35 N. The position of the carried weight relative to the spine strongly affected the spinal load. Practitioner Summary: Carrying weights increases spinal loads. The loads on a telemeterised VBR were measured in five patients carrying weights in different ways. Holding a weight in front of the body strongly increased the force, while carrying it in a backpack led to only a minor load increase.
Direct growth stimulation of normal human epithelial cells by mutant p53

We developed a high‐titer amphotropic retroviral vector that expresses mutant (Ala 143) human p53 to test directly the response of genetically normal human epithelial cells to p53 mutation. Contrary to our prediction, we found that in pancreatic epithelium (whose tumors display a high frequency of p53 mutation) but not in thyroid (whose tumors show an exceptionally low mutation frequency), expression of mutant p53 induced a dramatic, though self‐limiting, proliferative response. This result questions the assumption that p53 mutation is relevant only to the later stages of tumorigenesis.
The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS): Rationale and Standardisation

Over 75 years ago, Bleuler (1911) confronted psychiatry with the question of ‘schizophrenia’ or ‘schizophrenias'. Today we recognise the heterogeneity of the condition, but we are still groping at efforts to clarify the different subtypes or subprocesses. Over the decades there have been various attempts to subclassify schizophrenia and tease apart the syndromes, none of which has been entirely successful. More recently, as a result of the work by Crow (1980) in England and Strauss et al (1974) in the USA, it has been proposed that two distinct syndromes can be discerned from the phenomenological profiles. The positive syndrome consists of productive features superadded to the mental status, such as delusions, hallucinations, and disorganised thinking. The negative syndrome represents absence of normal functions, such as deficits in the cognitive, affective, and social realms.
Determinants of Export Diversification Around the World: 1962–2000

Using a large dataset of countries during the last forty years, this paper analyzes the main determinants of export diversification. We explore the role of several factors and we use three different indicators of export diversification. We find robust evidence across specifications and indicators that trade openness induces higher specialization and does not favor export diversification. In contrast, financial development helps countries to diversify their exports. Looking at the effects of exchange rates, our results suggest a negative effect of real exchange rate overvaluation, but not significant effects of exchange rate volatility. We also find evidence that capital accumulation contributes positively to diversity exports and that increasing remoteness tend to reduce export diversification. We explore also the role of terms of trade shocks. Some of our results suggest that there is an interesting interaction between this variable and human capital. We find that improvements in terms of trade tend to concentrate exports, but this effect is lower for those countries with higher levels of human capital. This evidence suggests that countries with higher education can take advantage of positive terms of trade shocks to increase export diversification.
Sensing and transfer of respiratory gases at the fish gill.

The gill is both a site of gas transfer and an important location of chemoreception or gas sensing in fish. While often considered separately, these two processes are clearly intricately related because the gases that are transferred between the ventilatory water and blood at the gill are simultaneously sensed by chemoreceptors on, and within, the gill. Modulation of chemoreceptor discharge in response to changes in O(2) and CO(2) levels, in turn, is believed to initiate a series of coordinated cardiorespiratory reflexes aimed at optimising branchial gas transfer. The past decade has yielded numerous advances in terms of our understanding of gas transfer and gas sensing at the fish gill, particularly concerning the transfer and sensing of carbon dioxide. In addition, recent research has moved from striving to construct a single model that covers all fish species, to recognition of the considerable inter-specific variation that exists with respect to the mechanics of gas transfer and the cardiorespiratory responses of fish to changes in O(2) and CO(2) levels. The following review attempts to integrate gas transfer and gas sensing at the fish gill by exploring recent advances in these areas.
Pseudorabies virus glycoprotein gIII is required for efficient virus growth in tissue culture

Glycoprotein gIII of pseudorabies virus is a major antigen found in the envelopes of virus particles as well as in and on the surfaces of infected cells. It is not an essential gene product for virus growth in tissue culture. In this report, we provide evidence that, although it is not essential, the gIII protein is required for efficient virus growth and that gIII mutants are quickly outgrown by wild-type virus in mixed infections.
Censorship and medical sociology in The Netherlands.

This new section will summarise important developments and publications reported in languages other than English and not readily available in translation. Contributions. which should be informative rather than critical, summarising rather than reviewing, should be submitted in duplicate to one or other of the responsible editors. Contributions in Dutch, French, German, Polish, Spanish or Scandinavian languages will be welcome, although English material can be more quickly processed.