Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multidimensionality and State Dependency of Alexithymia in Recently Sober Alcoholics

In this study, we a) examined the appropriateness of using a single global score to represent alexithymia and b) constructed a model to examine the relationship between alexithymia and depression in recently sober alcoholics applying for inpatient care. To measure alexithymia, we used the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS); to measure depression, we used the revised Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Factor analyses identified three alexithymia factors (Feelings, Daydreaming, and External Thinking) and two depression factors (Somatic-Performance and Cognitive-Affective). The three TAS factors were not positively related to each other; the two BDI factors were. We used LISREL software to examine the relationships between the TAS factors and the BDI factors. The only two significant unidirectional coefficients were between the TAS-Feelings factor and the two BDI factors. Our results suggest that in recently sober alcoholics, alexithymia, as measured by the TAS, consists of three independent, unrelated dimensions. Moreover, only the dimension associated with an inability to identify feelings and to distinguish them from bodily sensations is related to depressive symptoms. To determine whether this alexithymia feelings dimension actually is dependent on situational depression and/or anxiety will require confirmation in additional samples, such as primary alexithymics and patients with major depressive disorders.
Phosphocreatine degradation in type I and type II muscle fibres during submaximal exercise in man: effect of carbohydrate ingestion

1 The aim of this study was to examine the effect of carbohydrate (CHO) ingestion on changes in ATP and phosphocreatine (PCr) concentrations in different muscle fibre types during prolonged running and relate those changes to the degree of glycogen depletion. 2 Five male subjects performed two runs at 70 % maximum oxygen uptake (V̇O2,max), 1 week apart. Each subject ingested 8 ml (kg body mass (BM))−1 of either a placebo (Con trial) or a 5.5 % CHO solution (CHO trial) immediately before each run and 2 ml (kg BM)−1 every 20 min thereafter. In the Con trial, the subjects ran to exhaustion (97.0 ± 6.7 min). In the CHO trial, the run was terminated at the time coinciding with exhaustion in the Con trial. Muscle samples were obtained from the vastus lateralis before and after each trial. 3 Carbohydrate ingestion did not affect ATP concentrations. However, it attenuated the decline in PCr concentration by 46 % in type I fibres (CHO: 20 ± 8 mmol (kg dry matter (DM))−1; Con: 34 ± 6 mmol (kg DM)−1; P < 0.05) and by 36 % in type II fibres (CHO: 30 ± 5 mmol (kg DM)−1; Con: 48 ± 6 mmol (kg DM)−1; P < 0.05). 4 A 56 % reduction in glycogen utilisation in type I fibres was observed in CHO compared with Con (117 ± 39 vs. 240 ± 32 mmol glucosyl units (kg DM)−1, respectively; P < 0.01), but no difference was observed in type II fibres. 5 It is proposed that CHO ingestion during exhaustive running attenuates the decline in oxidative ATP resynthesis in type I fibres, as indicated by sparing of both PCr and glycogen breakdown. The CHO‐induced sparing of PCr, but not glycogen, in type II fibres may reflect differential recruitment and/or role of PCr between fibre types.
Growth , Liquidity Provision , International Reserves , and Sovereign Debt Capacity

I establish a theoretical framework to address three distinct, but interrelated puzzles in international economics: (1) the occurrence of twin crises, (2) the existence of large amounts of sovereign debt, and (3) the presence of substantial amounts of international reserves. By considering the interaction between growth and banking in a small open economy that is unable to commit to repaying its external sovereign debt, my dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model uses Global Games techniques to study the endogenous relationship between domestic bank runs, sovereign debt capacity, international reserves, growth, and macroeconomic fundamentals. The main findings are as follows. First, when excluded from international credit markets, liquidity demands rise in a country’s domestic banking sector, which raise the probability of bank runs and costs of liquidation of long term projects. This creates incentives for repayment and sovereign debt capacity. Second, twin (domestic) banking and (external) sovereign debt crises endogenously emerge within the model. Third, international reserves have “war chest” like properties within the model: they help prevent domestic bank runs, during which incentives for a country to strategically default increase, and can therefore create sovereign debt capacity. Finally, my model can quantitatively generate reasonable amounts of sovereign debt and international reserves in equilibrium. ∗I am extremely grateful to my committee Hui Chen, Leonid Kogan, and Adrien Verdelhan for their guidance and support. I would also like to thank Raj Iyer, Lynn Li, Debbie Lucas, Jonathan Parker, Amir Yaron, as well as participants from the MIT Finance lunch, MIT International lunch, and the Spring 2014 Macro-Financial Modeling Conference for helpful comments and discussions. I am also grateful for financial support from the Macro Financial Modeling group. All errors are my own. †MIT Sloan School of Management. Email: yu xu@mit.edu. Download the latest version of this paper at http://yuxu.mit.edu/sites/default/files/images/yuxu_jmp. pdf
Biomarkers and Surrogate Endpoints in Renal Transplantation: Present Status and Considerations for Clinical Trial Design

Of major importance in clinical trials is the ability to predict individual patient outcome or endpoints using biomarkers, also known as variables or predictors, in as safe, efficient, and accurate a manner as possible. This review addresses the concepts and possible strategies for use of predictor and surrogate biomarkers in the design of clinical trials in renal transplantation. The statistical concepts apply equally well to other organ grafts.
The North American Immune Tolerance Registry: contributions to the thirty‐year experience with immune tolerance therapy

Summary. The North American Immune Tolerance Registry (NAITR) began in 1992 as a project of the ISTH Factor VIII/IX Subcommittee with the goal of further determining immune tolerance induction (ITI) practices in Canada and the United States. This retrospective registry study, published in 2002, was limited in its capacity to provide definitive answers to many unresolved ITI practice issues. Nonetheless, it played a role in developing guidelines for current ITI practice and in generating hypotheses that must now be examined through rigorous prospective data collection efforts. For haemophilia A, the logical next step has been the initiation of international prospective randomized studies of ITI outcome relative to factor VIII (FVIII) dose and purity for subjects with high titre inhibitors. Both trials will additionally provide platforms for translational study of the immunology of tolerance, a prelude to the next generation of safe and effective tolerizing strategies. For the less common problem of FIX inhibitor eradication, prospective randomized studies will not be a feasible way to confirm the NAITR observations. Coordinated international efforts will still be required to prospectively collect data on ITI outcome to document new potentially effective therapeutic strategies for inhibitor eradication. These registries will hopefully also serve to identify potential subjects for scientific studies of immunology of haemophilia B‐related allergic phenomena, a devastating complication of FIX antibody development.
Photobiology of Ocular Melanocytes and Melanoma¶

Abstract There are two different types of ocular melanocytes and melanomas. Conjunctival melanocytes are located on the surface of the eye and are exposed to visible light and UV radiation. Recently, epidemiological studies demonstrated that sunlight plays a definite role in the occurrence of conjunctival melanoma, as it does in cutaneous melanoma. Uveal melanocytes consist of the iridal melanocytes, which are exposed to visible light and UV radiation; and the ciliary body melanocytes and choroidal melanocytes, which are not exposed to light radiation. Epidemiological studies demonstrated that sunlight may play a role in the occurrence of iridal melanoma, but may not be a major factor in the etiology of ciliary body and choroidal melanomas. Uveal melanocytes differ from epidermal melanocytes in that epidermal melanocytes respond to UV radiation and skin color becomes darker after exposure to sunlight; but uveal melanocytes do not respond to UV radiation and the iris color remains stable after exposure to sunlight. Recently, in vitro studies indicate that this phenomenon is determined both by cellular factors and environmental factors.
Smoking During Pregnancy: Its Effect on Maternal Metabolism and Fetoplacental Function

The effects of smoking during pregnancy on maternal body composition and the fetoplacental unit were investigated serially in well-matched groups of 29 normal, healthy primigravid smokers and 31 nonsmokers. The babies of smokers were lighter by an average of 138 g, and there was a greater proportion of small-for-dates infants among smokers compared with nonsmokers. There was a failure in expansion of mean plasma volume and total body water in patients who smoked throughout pregnancy compared with nonsmokers. No differences were demonstrated in serum protein, intravascular protein mass, serum albumin, intravascular albumin mass, serum electrolytes, serum osmolality, urinary estriol excretion, fetal biparietal diameter, or weekly growth rate between the 2 groups. The concentration of serum heat-stable alkaline phosphatase at 34 and 38 weeks' gestation, during the second stage of labor, and in the early puerperium was significantly higher in smokers. It is postulated that smoking unfavorably alters maternal body composition which is manifested in poor overall performance with the consequent production of smaller infants. The effects of tobacco smoke on the fetus may possibly be mediated via the placenta.
From codeine to transdermal fentanyl for cancer pain control: a safety and efficacy clinical trial.

BACKGROUND Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, suitable for transdermal delivery, offering an interesting solution as a step 3 opioid in cancer pain treatment. The purpose of the study was to carefully investigate: 1) the feasibility of the direct conversion from codeine to TTS fentanyl, in patients already receiving codeine and requiring strong opioids for their analgesia; 2) the safety of 25 microg/hour incremental steps and at shorter than 72-hour intervals, if clinically required. PATIENTS AND METHODS 130 patients were judged eligible for the study. All the patients were receiving 280-360 mg or more of codeine and required strong opioid for their analgesia. The study lasted 56 days. The initial dose was 25 microg/hour. TTS fentanyl for all patients. Data assessments were made on baseline, day 1, day 2, day 3, in the hospital and thereafter on days 7, 14, 21, 28, 42 and 56. After the patch application, all the patients were given an immediate release oral morphine (5 mg) every 4-6 hours for the first 12 hours and then if needed only as rescue doses. The patients remained in the hospital for the first three days of the study where follow-up (pain score, satisfaction, side effects etc.). was recorded by the palliative care team and by daily cards. RESULTS The itnitial dose of fentanyl was 25 microg/hour while the mean dose on day 3 was 45.9 microg/hour. All the patients required upward titration of the study medication during follow-up visits. On day 56 the mean dose of fentanyl was 87.4 microg/hour. Mean pain intensity decreased from an initial 5.96 on the baseline to 0.83 on day 3. Karnofsky scale measurements between treatment phases revealed non-significant changes. The rate of overall satisfaction was quite high. Nine patients discontinued the study due to inadequate pain relief or side effects between day 7 and day 28, while five patients died between day 28 and day 56. Constipation, nausea and vomiting were the most common side effects. Skin reaction was relatively mild and acceptable during the study. CONCLUSION Under controlled conditions, TTS fentanyl seems to be feasible for direct conversion from mild to strong opioids and additionally, 25 microg/hour incremental steps day by day can be made by palliative care specialists, if clinically required for cancer pain management.
Infestation and biochemical content of Cysticercus tenuicollis cysts (Taenia hydatigena cysts) in sheep and goats

The present study was carried out in abattoirs at northeast Algeria and concerned 420 carcasses, including 256 sheep and 164 goats were examined for the presence of Cysticercus tenuicollis. Biochemical analysis was also conducted on ten C. tenuicollis cysts from each species and concerned: glucose, urea, creatinine, cholesterol, triglycerides, calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium. C. tenuicollis cysts were found in 24.21% of sheep and 43.90% of goats carcasses. Prevalence in goats was higher compared to sheep (P˂0.001). Biochemical parameters contents were very close between sheep and goats. Excepting for creatinine and calcium, contents in goats (52.30±0.88 µmol/l and 12.63±0.31 mmol/l, respectively) were higher than sheep (29.39±6.42 µmol/l and 4.46±1.76 mmol/l, respectively) (P˂0.0001). Infection by C. tenuicollis affects significantly the carcasses weight of sheep and goats. In weightier carcasses (31-40 kg), the prevalence of infestation (4.83% in sheep and 5.55% in goats) and the number of cysts isolated (4 in sheep and 12 in goats) were lowest (P˂0.0001). The present study represents the first report on Cysticercus tenuicollis infection in small ruminants and biochemical profile of cysts fluid, in Algeria. The results suggest that cysticercosis is common in Algeria, and that this may constitute economic and health problems in the meat industry.
Evaluating in vitro antioxidant activity and GC-MS analysis of Scoparia dulcis Linn (Scrophulariacae)

Article history: Received on: 09/04/2015 Revised on: 07/05/2015 Accepted on: 21/05/2015 Available online: 27/07/2015 Free radical scavenging activity was observed in both the methanol extract (M.E) and aqueous extract (A.E) of Scoparia dulcis respectively. In this study significant free radical scavenging activity was determined by evaluating the inhibition concentration (IC50) in each test. In 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) model the extract displayed potential free radicals scavenging activity with IC50 of M.E is 311. 13μg/mL and A.E is 441. 96μg/mL. Nitric oxide model displayed IC50 of 293. 77μg/mL in M.E and 434. 93μg/mL in A.E. While superoxide ion model showed IC50 of 281.02 μg/mL and 440. 14μg/mL respectively for both methanol and aqueous extract when compared to standard ascorbic acid. The presence of phenol, flavonoid and total antioxidant in both the extract justifies the antioxidant potential of the plant which brings about its free radicals scavenging potential. GC-MS analysis showed the presence of 6 different phytochemicals with (Z)-7Hexadecenyl acetate found to be the compound with maximum peak percentage 51.51% in M.E and βCyclocitral with 43.90% in A.E respectively. Thus we conclude that the antioxidant activities may be due to the cumulative effect of the phytochemicals present in the plant which genuinely designate them as free radical scavenger.
Diallyl Trisulfide Suppresses the Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis of Human Colon Cancer Cells through Oxidative Modification of β-Tubulin*

Allyl sulfides are characteristic flavor components obtained from garlic. These sulfides are thought to be responsible for their epidemiologically proven anticancer effect on garlic eaters. This study was aimed at clarifying the molecular basis of this anticancer effect of garlic by using human colon cancer cell lines HCT-15 and DLD-1. The growth of the cells was significantly suppressed by diallyl trisulfide (DATS, HCT-15 IC50 = 11.5 μm, DLD-1 IC50 = 13.3 μm); however, neither diallyl monosulfide nor diallyl disulfide showed such an effect. The proportion of HCT-15 and that of DLD-1 cells residing at the G1 and S phases were decreased by DATS, and their populations at the G2/M phase were markedly increased for up to 12 h. The cells with a sub-G1 DNA content were increased thereafter. Caspase-3 activity was also dramatically increased by DATS. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis performed on the cells arrested at the G1/S boundary revealed cell cycle-dependent induction of apoptosis through the transition of the G2/M phase to the G1 phase by DATS. DATS inhibited tubulin polymerization in an in vitro cell-free system. DATS disrupted microtubule network formation of the cells, and microtubule fragments could be seen at the interphase. Peptide mass mapping by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis for DATS-treated tubulin demonstrated that there was a specific oxidative modification of cysteine residues Cys-12β and Cys-354β to form S-allylmercaptocysteine with a peptide mass increase of 72.1 Da. The potent antitumor activity of DATS was also demonstrated in nude mice bearing HCT-15 xenografts. This is the first paper describing intracellular target molecules directly modified by garlic components.
Relationship of fibrinolytic system to postoperative thrombotic phenomena.

Preoperative and postoperative determinations of whole blood euglobulin clot lysis time (WBECLT) and fibrinogen level were performed in 121 patients undergoing major surgery. The purpose was to delineate the usual response of the fibrinolytic system to surgery and to determine whether changes could be predictive of postoperative thrombotic complications. The usual response is decreased fibrinolysis (increased WBECLT), maximal on first postoperative day with a concomitant marked increase in fibrinogen level, with values slowly returning to normal. A thrombotic complication occurred in seven patients. Six of seven were associated with abnormal postoperative fibrinolytic study results. A WBECLT over 131 minutes or a fibrinogen level over 400 mg/100 ml is abnormal on postoperative day 5. These tests may help clinicians choose patients for heparin sodium therapy.
Infection Control in a Country with Annual Inflation of 3,600%

Abstract The economic crisis that has been seen worldwide affects developing countries such as Brazil even more severely. Worsening budget shortfalls for the healthcare system progressively threaten patient care. Infection control programs also are affected, and basic preventive policies are not implemented. Infection control practitioners face lack of equipment and poor microbiological support. In contrast, the motivation of the infection control people can be maintained through training courses, conferences, and meetings. Administrative support may be the most important single factor determining success in decreasing the infection control rate and should be (but is not always) provided, given that several infection control measures are cost effective.
Radiation-induced CT number changes in GTV and parotid glands during the course of radiation therapy for nasopharyngeal cancer.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the changes in CT number (CTN) in gross tumour volume (GTV) and organs at risk (OARs) during the course of radiation therapy (RT) for nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). METHODS Daily megavoltage CT (MVCT) data collected from 30 patients with NPC treated with a prescription dose of 70 Gy in 30-33 fractions using helical tomotherapy were retrospectively analyzed. The contours of GTV and OARs on daily MVCTs were obtained by populating the planning contours from planning CT to daily MVCTs with manual editing, if necessary. The changes of GTV and OAR volumes and the histograms of CTN in the GTV and OARs during the course of RT delivery were analyzed. RESULTS Volumes of GTV and parotid glands were reduced during the course of radiation treatment, with an average shrinkage rate of 0.23% per day (range, 0.02-0.8%) and 1.2% per day (range, 0.2-2.3%), respectively. The mean CTN changes in GTV and ipsilateral and contralateral parotid glands were reduced by 52 ± 35 HU, 18 ± 20 HU and 17 ± 22 HU, respectively. For GTV, the CTN and GTV volume decreases were found to be correlated with each other (p < 0.0001). No noticeable CTN change was found in the spinal cord and non-specified tissue irradiated with low doses. CONCLUSION The CTN changes in GTV and parotids are measurable during the delivery of fractionated radiotherapy for NPC, were associated with the doses received (the number of fractions delivered) and were patient specific. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE The CTN change during radiotherapy is dose dependent and is measurable for NPC.
Prediction of Reduced Falloff Curves for Recombination Reactions at Low Temperatures

Abstract Strong collision falloff curves for barrierless recombination reactions at low temperatures are calculated taking into account transitional modes only. Specific rate constants k(E,J) from statistical adiabatic channel/classical trajectory (SACM/CT) calculations are used. Broadening factors of the falloff curves are found to depend only weakly on the temperature. A systematic analysis of the influence of the centrifugal barriers E0(J), which are governed by the potential energy surface of the bond energies E0, and of the number of transitional modes is made. Guidelines for estimating center broadening factors and shape functions for the broadening factors are given.
DIP AREA. A QUANTITATIVE MEASURE OF FETAL HEART RATE PATTERNS

Analysis of fetal heart rate records has shown that the frequency, duration and amplitude of transient episodes of fetal bradycardia, regardless of their relationship to uterine activity, are factors of great importance in assessing fetal condition. Dip area is a quantitative measure of these factors; it is easily communicated and avoids the present confusion of classification and nomenclature.
Differential Memory Test Sensitivity for Diagnosing Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment and Predicting Conversion to Alzheimer's Disease

ABSTRACT Episodic memory is the first and most severely affected cognitive domain in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and it is also the key early marker in prodromal stages including amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The relative ability of memory tests to discriminate between MCI and normal aging has not been well characterized. We compared the classification value of widely used verbal memory tests in distinguishing healthy older adults (n = 51) from those with MCI (n = 38). Univariate logistic regression indicated that the total learning score from the California Verbal Learning Test-II (CVLT-II) ranked highest in terms of distinguishing MCI from normal aging (sensitivity = 90.2; specificity = 84.2). Inclusion of the delayed recall condition of a story memory task (i.e., WMS-III Logical Memory, Story A) enhanced the overall accuracy of classification (sensitivity = 92.2; specificity = 94.7). Combining Logical Memory recognition and CVLT-II long delay best predicted progression from MCI to AD over a 4-year period (accurate classification = 87.5%). Learning across multiple trials may provide the most sensitive index for initial diagnosis of MCI, but inclusion of additional variables may enhance overall accuracy and may represent the optimal strategy for identifying individuals most likely to progress to dementia.