Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of a single intravitreal implantation of dexamethasone on the fellow eye in bilateral non-infectious uveitis - case report.

OBJECTIVE To present the influence of dexamethasone intravitreal implant due to macular edema in non-infectious uveitis in the fellow eye. PATIENTS AND METHODS A 25-year-old patient with a long history of juvenile arthritis with concomitant recurrent bilateral uveitis, complicated with increases of intraocular pressure and macular edema was treated with a single intravitreal dexamethasone implant into the eye with lower visual acuity. RESULTS During a 36-month follow-up, the patient's bilateral visual acuity improved. The retinal thickness in both maculae decreased. CONCLUSIONS Treating macular edema in the course of recurrent uveitis accompanying a systemic disease with dexamethasone depot in vitreous may play a beneficial role also in the fellow eye, when affected. This therapeutic effect in the fellow eye may suggest that the medication can penetrate into the circulatory system and reach such other organs as the fellow eye.
Recognition of the Thomsen-Friedenreich Pancarcinoma Carbohydrate Antigen by a Lamprey Variable Lymphocyte Receptor*

Background: Variable lymphocyte receptors (VLRs) bind tumor-associated carbohydrates, such as Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen (TFα), with high selectivity. Results: The crystal structure of a VLR-TFα complex coupled with thermodynamic analysis revealed the basis for selectivity. Conclusion: VLRs utilize leucine-rich repeats to recognize glycans with affinity comparable to that of lectins and antibodies. Significance: The VLR-TFα structure provides a template for engineering VLRs to bind biomedically relevant glycans. Variable lymphocyte receptors (VLRs) are leucine-rich repeat proteins that mediate adaptive immunity in jawless vertebrates. VLRs were recently shown to recognize glycans, such as the tumor-associated Thomsen-Friedenreich antigen (TFα; Galβ1–3GalNAcα), with a selectivity rivaling or exceeding that of lectins and antibodies. To understand the basis for TFα recognition by one such VLR (VLRB.aGPA.23), we measured thermodynamic parameters for the binding interaction and determined the structure of the VLRB.aGPA. 23-TFα complex to 2.2 Å resolution. In the structure, four tryptophan residues form a tight hydrophobic cage encasing the TFα disaccharide that completely excludes buried water molecules. This cage together with hydrogen bonding of sugar hydroxyls to polar side chains explains the exquisite selectivity of VLRB.aGPA. 23. The topology of the glycan-binding site of VLRB.aGPA. 23 differs markedly from those of lectins or antibodies, which typically consist of long, convex grooves for accommodating the oligosaccharide. Instead, the TFα disaccharide is sandwiched between a variable loop and the concave surface of the VLR formed by the β-strands of the leucine-rich repeat modules. Longer oligosaccharides are predicted to extend perpendicularly across the β-strands, requiring them to bend to match the concavity of the VLR solenoid.
Development of GABA‐immunoreactive neuron patterning in the spinal cord

In the frog Xenopus laevis, γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)‐immunoreactive spinal cord neurons (Kolmer‐Agduhr cells) formed a dispersed pattern within two columns on either side of the midline. The cellular pattern became established during embryonic and larval development. The GABA‐immunoreactive cells are cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)‐contacting neurons that began to appear by 1.2 days (st 26) of development. This stage occurred shortly after neural tube closure (0.9 days, st 21) and followed the appearance of ultrastructural characteristics of CSF‐contacting neurons. The pattern of GABA‐immunoreactive cells emerged during embryogenesis, as their density increased. Each longitudinal column was heterogeneous, containing cells with and without GABA immunoreactivity. Spatial analysis at several embryonic and larval stages showed that the cells in each column formed a nonrandom, dispersed pattern even at early stages of differentiation. This one‐dimensional pattern resembled that of dopamine‐immunoreactive neurons, which are also located in the ventral spinal cord. The patterning of both cell types followed a different time course, but the ultimate spacing of the neurons remained comparable. These results suggested that the mechanism patterning the two cell types within the same region was similar but not identical and may involve related molecular mechanisms. J. Comp. Neurol. 438:1–11, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Anthropometric measures as predictors of cardiovascular disease risk factors in the urban population of Iran.

BACKGROUND Overweight and obesity are an important public health problem in society, due to their association with various chronic diseases. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence and distribution of overweight and obesity, using different anthropometric measurements and to identify the best anthropometric indicator which is most closely related to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in an Iranian urban population. METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted with 991 men and 1188 women aged 15 to 64 years. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and percentage of body fat were measured. A fasting blood specimen was obtained. CVD risk factors, including fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol (Tchol), low-density (LDL-C) and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) were assessed. RESULTS Based on BMI, more than 49% of men and 53% of women were either overweight or obese with 10.2% of men and 18.6% of women being obese. In both men and women, the prevalence of overweight was greater among 40-49 year olds and the prevalence of obesity was greater among those 50+ years. Using the multiple regression analysis, BMI, WHtR and WHR explained the highest percentage of variation of triglycerides, Tchol/HDL-C ratio and LDL-C in men, respectively, whereas WHR explained the highest percentage of variation of triglycerides and WC explained the highest percentage of variation of Tchol/HDL-C ratio and LDL-C in women. CONCLUSION Our data indicated that WHR and WHtR were the anthropometric indicators that best predicted CVD risk factors in men and WHR and WC in women.
Neuroimaging and treatment implications of patients with multiple epidural spinal metastases

Although multiple spinal epidural metastases (MEMs) commonly occur in cancer patients, their clinical significance remains uncertain. The authors attempted to ascertain the incidence of MEMs and their association with the completeness of spinal imaging by magnetic resonance (MR) scanning versus myelography to determine how often they are missed because of incomplete spinal imaging and to assess their prognostic and treatment implications.
Protection of gerbils from amebic liver abscess by immunization with the galactose-specific adherence lectin of Entamoeba histolytica

No protective antigens from Entamoeba histolytica have been previously defined. We tested the ability of the galactose-specific adherence lectin of E. histolytica to elicit a protective immune response in conjunction with Freund's incomplete and complete adjuvants. The gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) model of an experimental amebic liver abscess was used. Gerbils were immunized intraperitoneally or subcutaneously with 10 micrograms of the affinity-purified lectin in complete Freund's adjuvant and then at 2 and 4 weeks with 10 micrograms of the lectin in incomplete Freund's adjuvant. All of the immunized animals developed antilectin antibody titers of greater than 1/1,024 as measured by a radioimmunoassay. The gerbil antilectin antibodies were shown by Western immunoblotting to be directed to the heavy subunit but not the light subunit of the lectin. Immune gerbil sera inhibited amebic adherence by 100% at a 1/10 dilution. Immune and control gerbils were challenged at 6 weeks by the intrahepatic injection of 5 x 10(5) E. histolytica trophozoites. Four independent trials demonstrated complete protection from amebic liver abscess formation in 67% of lectin-immunized gerbils. Unexpectedly, liver abscess weights were significantly higher in the gerbils that failed to become immune than in the control animals. Our results demonstrate that the galactose lectin is a protective antigen and provide an immune-animal model to study the mechanisms of protection and potential disease exacerbation conferred by the antilectin immune response.
Coronary artery disease screening in diabetic patients: how good is guideline adherence?

INTRODUCTION Diabetic patients are at high risk for coronary artery disease (CAD), which is the leading cause of death in this population. The Swiss Society of Endocrinology-Diabetology (SSED) recommends CAD screening for diabetic patients with > or = 2 additional cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF), by stress echocardiography (SE) or myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). The aim of this study was to assess the application of these guidelines and the treatment of CVRF in the diabetes outpatient clinics of the five Swiss University Hospitals. METHODS The study was initiated in Lausanne and the study questionnaires were circulated to the endocrinologists of the five Swiss University Hospitals. Practitioners were asked to include consecutive patients attending the diabetes outpatient clinics over one month. Prevalence of CAD, screening methods for CAD, prevalence of CVRF, biological analyses over the last 6 months and medical therapy were recorded. RESULTS A total of 302 subjects were included. The mean age was 53 +/- 14 years, 68% had type 2 diabetes, 27% type 1 and 5% other types. Among T2DM with > or = 2 CVRF, 45% were screened for CAD according to SSED guidelines. In T2DM 25% had blood pressure < or = 130/80 mm Hg, 15% a lipid profile within target, 23% HbA1c < or = 7.0%. Overall, 2% achieved all 3 targets. CONCLUSIONS Only 45% of T2DM with > or = 2 CVRF were screened for CAD according to SSED guidelines and 2% of T2DM had proper control over all CVRF. Efforts are still necessary to improve CAD prevention and screening of diabetic patients in Swiss University Hospitals.
The significance of ileo-colonic lymphoid nodular hyperplasia in children with autistic spectrum disorder

Background Intestinal mucosal pathology, characterized by ileo-colonic lymphoid nodular hyperplasia (LNH) and mild acute and chronic inflammation of the colorectum, small bowel and stomach, has been reported in children with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). Aim To assess ileo-colonic LNH in ASD and control children and to test the hypothesis that there is an association between ileo-colonic LNH and ASD in children. Patients and methods One hundred and forty-eight consecutive children with ASD (median age 6 years; range 2–16; 127 male) with gastrointestinal symptoms were investigated by ileo-colonoscopy. Macroscopic and histological features were scored and compared with 30 developmentally normal (non-inflammatory bowel disease, non-coeliac disease) controls (median age 7 years; range 1–11; 25 male) showing mild non-specific colitis in 16 cases (13 male) and normal colonic histology in 14 cases (12 male). Seventy-four ASD children and 23 controls also underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. The influence on ileal LNH of dietary restriction, age at colonoscopy, and co-existent LNH elsewhere in the intestine, was examined. Results The prevalence of LNH was significantly greater in ASD children compared with controls in the ileum (129/144 (90%) vs. 8/27 (30%), P<0.0001) and colon (88/148 (59%) vs. 7/30 (23%), P=0.0003), whether or not controls had co-existent colonic inflammation. The severity of ileal LNH was significantly greater in ASD children compared with controls, with moderate to severe ileal LNH present in 98 of 144 (68%) ASD children versus 4 of 27 (15%) controls (P<0.0001). Severe ileal LNH was associated with co-existent colonic LNH in ASD children (P=0.01). The presence and severity of ileal LNH was not influenced by either diet or age at colonoscopy (P=0.2). Isolated ileal LNH without evidence of pathology elsewhere in the intestine was a rare event, occurring in less than 3% of children overall. On histopathological examination, hyperplastic lymphoid follicles are significantly more prevalent in the ileum of ASD children (84/138; 61%) compared with controls (2/23; 9%, P=0.0001). Conclusion Ileo-colonic LNH is a characteristic pathological finding in children with ASD and gastrointestinal symptoms, and is associated with mucosal inflammation. Differences in age at colonoscopy and diet do not account for these changes. The data support the hypothesis that LNH is a significant pathological finding in ASD children.
Mechanical Strain and Estrogen Activate Estrogen Receptor α in Bone Cells

Bone cells' early responses to estrogen and mechanical strain were investigated in the ROS 17/2.8 cell line. Immunoblotting with antiphosphorylated estrogen receptor α (ER‐α) antibody showed that when these cells were exposed for 10 minutes to estrogen (10−8 M) or a single period of cyclic dynamic strain (peak 3400 μϵ, 1Hz, 600 cycles), there was an increase in the intensity of a 66‐kDa band, indicating phosphorylation of ser122 in the amino terminus of ER‐α. Increased phosphorylation was detected within 5 minutes of exposure to estrogen and 5 minutes after the end of the period of strain. Estrogen and strain also activated the mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) family member extracellular regulated kinase‐1 (ERK‐1). Increases in ERK activation coincided with increased ER‐α phosphorylation. Activation of ERK‐1 and the phosphorylation of ER‐α, by both estrogen and strain, were prevented by the MAP kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor U0126 and the protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor (PKI). These data support previous suggestions that resident bone cells' early responses to strain and estrogen share a common pathway, which involves ER‐α. This pathway also appears to involve PKA and ERK‐mediated phosphorylation of ser122 within the amino terminus of ER‐α. Reduced availability of this pathway when estrogen levels are reduced could explain diminished effectiveness of mechanically related control of bone architecture after the menopause.
Impact of recent studies on attitudes and use of hormone therapy among Scandinavian gynaecologists

Background. Climacteric medicine has been in focus during the last 2 decades, and an intensive debate has been ongoing regarding the positive and negative aspects of postmenopausal hormone therapy (HT). Recent randomised controlled studies have been unable to confirm data from observational studies of primary or secondary preventive effects of HT on coronary heart disease, and other studies have indicated an increased risk of breast cancer, stroke and venous thromboembolism among HT users. In 2001, we reported on knowledge, attitudes, management strategies and use of HT among Scandinavian gynaecologists. The aim of the present study was to re‐assess the same parameters concerning HT among Scandinavian gynaecologists in 2002–2003, and compare the results with the data collected in 1995–1997. Methods. All practicing gynaecologists in Denmark, Sweden and Norway were invited by letter to complete and return a questionnaire regarding their knowledge, attitudes and management strategies concerning HT. Female gynaecologists were questioned if they were currently using HT, and the same question was posed concerning spouses of male gynaecologists. Results. The questionnaire was completed and returned by 60, 76 and 72%, respectively of gynaecologists in Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Of the 1,591 physicians who responded, 13% thought that all women should be offered HT provided there were no contraindications, while 86% recommended HT only to selected women after considering the individual advantages and disadvantages of the treatment. Of the gynaecologists, 37% considered HT to be without relevance in the primary prevention of osteoporosis in healthy women. As for duration of the treatment, 40% of the gynaecologists would recommend HT for <5 years for the treatment of climacteric complaints, and only 8% would recommend HT for >10 years. The prevalence of HT use among the menopausal female gynaecologists varied between 71 and 74%. Among the menopausal spouses of male gynaecologists, 68–72% were current users of HT. Conclusion. During the last years of ongoing debate, gynaecologists from Denmark, Sweden and Norway have become more modest in their recommendations of postmenopausal HT. Scandinavian specialists are more cautious in prescribing hormones for women with symptomatic CVD or previously treated for breast cancer, however, their personal use of HT has not changed dramatically and still reflects a positive attitude.
Prevalence of Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia: association with education. The Rotterdam study

Abstract Objective: To estimate the prevalence of dementia and its subtypes in the general population and examine the relation of the disease to education. Design: Population based cross sectional study. Setting: Ommoord, a suburb of Rotterdam. Subjects: 7528 participants of the Rotterdam study aged 55-106 years. Results: 474 cases of dementia were detected, giving an overall prevalence of 6.3%. Prevalence ranged from 0.4% (5/1181 subjects) at age 55-59 years to 43.2% (19/44) at 95 years and over. Alzheimer's disease was the main subdiagnosis (339 cases; 72%); it was also the main cause of the pronounced increase in dementia with age. The relative proportion of vascular dementia (76 cases; 16%), Parkinson's disease dementia (30; 6%), and other dementias (24; 5%) decreased with age. A substantially higher prevalence of dementia was found in subjects with a low level of education. The association with education was not due to confounding by cardiovascular disease. Conclusions: The prevalence of dementia increases exponentially with age. About one third of the population aged 85 and over has dementia. Three quarters of all dementia is due to Alzheimer's disease. In this study an inverse dose-response relation was found between education and dementia—in particular, Alzheimer's disease. Key messages Key messages Of all cases of dementia, 72% were cases of Alzheimer's disease The pronounced increase in prevalence of dementia with age was due to a substantial increase in Alzheimer's disease Alzheimer's disease was more often diagnosed in less educated people The association between dementia and education could not be explained by cardiovascular disease comorbidity
Social and Clinical Determinants of Contralateral Prophylactic Mastectomy.

IMPORTANCE The growing rate of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) among women diagnosed as having breast cancer has raised concerns about potential for overtreatment. Yet, there are few large survey studies of factors that affect women's decisions for this surgical treatment option. OBJECTIVE To determine factors associated with the use of CPM in a population-based sample of patients with breast cancer. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS A longitudinal survey of 2290 women newly diagnosed as having breast cancer who reported to the Detroit and Los Angeles Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registries from June 1, 2005, to February 1, 2007, and again 4 years later (June 2009 to February 2010) merged with Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry data (n = 1536). Multinomial logistic regression was used to evaluate factors associated with type of surgery. Primary independent variables included clinical indications for CPM (genetic mutation and/or strong family history), diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging, and patient extent of worry about recurrence at the time of treatment decision making. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Type of surgery received from patient self-report, categorized as CPM, unilateral mastectomy, or breast conservation surgery. RESULTS Of the 1447 women in the analytic sample, 18.9% strongly considered CPM and 7.6% received it. Of those who strongly considered CPM, 32.2% received CPM, while 45.8% received unilateral mastectomy and 22.8% received breast conservation surgery (BCS). The majority of patients (68.9%) who received CPM had no major genetic or familial risk factors for contralateral disease. Multivariate regression showed that receipt of CPM (vs either unilateral mastectomy or breast conservation surgery) was significantly associated with genetic testing (positive or negative) (vs UM, relative risk ratio [RRR]: 10.48; 95% CI, 3.61-3.48 and vs BCS, RRR: 19.10; 95% CI, 5.67-56.41; P < .001), a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer (vs UM, RRR: 5.19; 95% CI, 2.34-11.56 and vs BCS, RRR: 4.24; 95% CI, 1.80-9.88; P = .001), receipt of magnetic resonance imaging (vs UM RRR: 2.07; 95% CI, 1.21-3.52 and vs BCS, RRR: 2.14; 95% CI, 1.28-3.58; P = .001), higher education (vs UM, RRR: 5.04; 95% CI, 2.37-10.71 and vs BCS, RRR: 4.38; 95% CI, 2.07-9.29; P < .001), and greater worry about recurrence (vs UM, RRR: 2.81; 95% CI, 1.14-6.88 and vs BCS, RRR: 4.24; 95% CI, 1.80-9.98; P = .001). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Many women considered CPM and a substantial number received it, although few had a clinically significant risk of contralateral breast cancer. Receipt of magnetic resonance imaging at diagnosis contributed to receipt of CPM. Worry about recurrence appeared to drive decisions for CPM although the procedure has not been shown to reduce recurrence risk. More research is needed about the underlying factors driving the use of CPM.
Protective Effects of Ambient Ozone on Incidence and Outcomes of Ischemic Stroke in Changzhou, China: A Time-Series Study

The potential beneficial effect of ozone (O3) on stroke had been identified experimentally and clinically, but these effects remain controversial in population-based studies. This study aimed to explore the epidemiological association between O3 and risk of ischemic stroke. Ischemic stroke related health data and air pollution data were obtained from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Environmental Monitoring Center in Changzhou between 2015 and 2016, respectively. The associations between the short-term exposure to O3 and daily ischemic stroke onsets and deaths were examined based on time-series generalized additive Poisson model. During the study period, daily ischemic stroke onsets and deaths decreased 0.340% (95% confidence interval (CI) −0.559% to −0.120%) and 0.697% (95% CI −1.103% to −0.290%) with an interquartile range (IQR) (41.1 µg/m3) increase in levels of ambient O3, respectively. The protective effects of O3 were more significant in men and elders and in the cool season than those in women and young people and in the warm season, respectively. The negative association was independent of PM2.5, PM10, SO2, NO2 or CO exposure. Acute O3 exposure was associated with decreased risk of ischemic stroke. These findings will help provide new insights into the relationship between ischemic stroke and ambient O3 concentrations.