Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigating the Perceived Feasibility of Integrative Medicine in a Conventional Oncology Setting

Background. A majority of cancer survivors experience debilitating effect(s) related to their cancer diagnosis and treatments across physical, psychological, social, and spiritual domains. Timely and innovative solutions are needed to address the adverse treatment-related effects and often disjointed services that breast cancer patients face. Recent studies suggest that the majority of breast cancer survivors are using complementary and alternative medicine at some point along their cancer trajectory. In recent years, scientists and clinicians have examined the effects of yoga therapy among cancer patients and survivors. The current study examined the perceived feasibility of implementing yoga therapy as a treatment service for breast cancer patients at a large urban cancer center in Canada. Methods. A mixed-methods approach that included focus groups and self-reported surveys with health care providers (HCPs) and breast cancer patients was used in this research. Results. Overall, results indicated that breast cancer patients and HCPs were supportive and eager for the implementation of a yoga therapy program. Six themes emerged from the analysis of the focus group and the survey data: (1) the availability of resources and accessibility of yoga therapy, (2) the credibility and transparency of yoga therapy, (3) the understanding of yoga therapy, (4) an educational component, (5) the therapeutic context, and (6) the integration of yoga therapy. Specific facilitators and barriers became evident within these themes. Conclusions. Although enthusiasm for the implementation of an integrative yoga therapy program was apparent among both breast cancer survivors and HCPs, barriers were also identified. The findings of this study are currently being used to inform a large-scale program of research aimed at developing integrative treatment services for breast cancer patients, beginning with yoga therapy.
Gender differences in development of mental well-being from adolescence to young adulthood: An eight-year follow-up study

Background: The transition from adolescence to young adulthood is marked by many changes. Mental well-being plays an important role in how individuals deal with these changes and how they develop their lifestyle. The goal of this study was to examine gender differences in the long-term development of self-esteem and other mental well-being variables from the age of 15 to the age of 23. Methods: A baseline measurement was performed in a nationwide sample of 385 Icelandic adolescents aged 15, and a follow-up measurement was conducted eight years later, when participants had reached the age of 23. Standardized questionnaires were used to measure self-reports of self-esteem, life satisfaction, body image, anxiety, depression and somatic complaints. Results: Women improved their self-esteem significantly more than men from the age of 15 to 23 (p=0.004). Women were more satisfied with their life than men at the age of 23 (p=0.009). Men had a better body image, less anxiety, less depression and fewer somatic complaints than women, independent of age. Across gender, anxiety declined and somatic complaints became fewer (p<0.05). Conclusions: These findings suggest that gender differences in mental well-being factors, favouring men, found in adolescents, are not as long-lasting as previously thought. Women improve their mental well-being from adolescence to young adulthood while men’s mental well-being does not change.
First Feline Case of Otodectosis in the Republic of Korea and Successful Treatment with Imidacloprid/Moxidectin Topical Solution

In April 2010, pruritic symptoms were recognized in 3 privately-owned Siamese cats raised in Gwangju, Korea. Examination of ear canals revealed dark brown, ceruminous otic exudates that contain numerous live mites at various developmental stages. Based on morphological characteristics of adult mites in which caruncles were present on legs 1 and 2 in adult females and on legs 1, 2, 3, and 4 in adult males while the tarsus of leg 3 in both sexes was equipped with 2 long setae, the mite was identified as Otodectes cynotis. Ten ear mite-free domestic shorthaired cats were experimentally infected with O. cynotis to evaluate the efficacy of 10% imidacloprid/1% moxidectin spot-on. Live mites were recovered from 1 of 10 treated cats on day 9 post-treatment (PT) while no live mites were observed from the ear canals of treated cats on days 16 and 30 PT. The efficacy of 10% imidacloprid/1% moxidectin spot-on on O. cynotis in cats was, therefore, 90% on day 9 and 100% on days 16 and 30 PT. This is the first report of otodectosis in 3 cats naturally infested with O. cynotis in Gwang-ju, Korea. Both natural and experimental infestations were successfully treated with 10% imidacloprid/1% moxidectin spot-on.
Targeted therapies for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer: Monoclonal antibodies and biological inhibitors

ABSTRACT The usual treatments for patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), such as advanced lung adenocarcinoma, are unspecific and aggressive, and include lung resection, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Recently, treatment with monoclonal antibodies and biological inhibitors has emerged as an effective alternative, generating effective results with few side effects. In recent years, several clinical trials using monoclonal antibodies presented potential benefits to NSCLC, and 4 of them are already approved for the treatment of NSCLC, such as cetuximab, bevacizumab, nivolumab and pembrolizumab. Also, biological inhibitors are attractive tolls for biological applications. Among the approved inhibitors are crizotinib, erlotinib, afatinib and gefitinib, and side effects are usually mild to intense. Nevertheless, biological molecule treatments are under development, and several new monoclonal antibodies and biological inhibitors are in trial to treat NSCLC. Also under trial study are as follows: anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibodies (nimotuzumab and ficlatuzumab), anti-IGF 1 receptor (IGF-1R) monoclonal antibody (figitumumab), anti-NR-LU-10 monoclonal antibody (nofetumomab) as well as antibodies directly affecting the cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) molecule (ipilimumab and tremelimumab), to receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappa B ligand (RANKL) (denosumab) or to polymerase enzyme (veliparib and olaparib). Among new inhibitors under investigation are poly-ADP ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitors (veliparib and olaparib) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor (buparlisib). However, the success of immunotherapies still requires extensive research and additional controlled trials to evaluate the long-term benefits and side effects.
National Trends in the Use of Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy With or Without Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator

Background— Candidates for cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) receive either a biventricular pacemaker or a biventricular pacemaker with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (CRT-D). Optimal device selection remains challenging because the benefit of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy may not be uniform, particularly in patients at competing risk of nonsudden death. Methods and Results— In this serial cross-sectional study using the National Inpatient Sample database, we identified 311 086 admissions associated with CRT implant between 2006 to 2012. CRT-D was the most common device type (86.1%), including in patients ≥75 years of age with ≥5 Elixhauser comorbidities (75.5%). Multivariate predictors of CRT-D implant included demographic, clinical, and geographic factors: prior ventricular arrhythmia (rate ratio [RR], 1.14; 95% CI, 1.13–1.14), ischemic heart disease (RR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.10–1.11), male sex (RR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.09–1.10), black race (RR, 1.06; 95% CI: 1.04–1.07), and Northeast geographic region (RR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.04–1.09). There was significant interhospital variation in the use of CRT-D (10–90 percentile range, 72.9%–98.0% CRT-D). Conclusions— The majority of patients in this contemporary US cohort underwent implantation of CRT-D. Predictors of CRT-D implant included demographic, clinical, and geographic factors. In patient subgroups predicted to have an attenuated benefit from implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy (older adults with multiple comorbidities), CRT-D remained the dominant device type. An improved understanding of the determinants of device selection may aid in decision making and ultimately better align patient risk with device benefit at the time of CRT implantation.
Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists in End-Stage Renal Disease: Efficacy and Safety

Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) that block aldosterone's effects on both epithelial and non-epithelial receptors have become a mainstay of therapy for chronic heart failure. Given that cardiovascular events remain the leading cause of death for patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD), the question of whether these MRAs can be employed in dialysis patients arises. This review summarizes the rationale for blocking aldosterone in patients with chronic and end-stage kidney disease and surveys the data on both the efficacy and safety of using MRAs in the ESRD population. A small but growing body of literature suggests that use of MRAs by ESRD patients is associated with lower blood pressure, reduced left ventricular (LV) mass, and improved LV ejection fraction. Recently, a large randomized trial found an overall 3-year mortality rate of 6.4% in ESRD patients on spironolactone 25 mg daily vs. 19.7% in ESRD patients on no MRA therapy (p = 0.002), without a significantly increased risk of hyperkalemia.
The emergence of power-law distributions of inter-spike intervals characterizes status epilepticus induced by pilocarpine administration in rats

Objective. To ascertain the existence of power-law distributions of inter-spike intervals (ISI) occurring during the progression of status epilepticus (SE), so that the emergence of critical states could be reasonably hypothesized as being part of the intrinsic nature of the SE. Methods. Status epilepticus was induced by pilocarpine administration in post-natal 21-day rats (n=8). For each animal, 24 hours of EEG from the onset of the SE were analyzed according to the analytical procedure suggested by Clauset et al. (2009) which combines maximum-likelihood fitting methods with goodness-of-fit tests based on the Kolmogorov-Smirnov statistics and likelihood ratios. The analytical procedure was implemented by the freely available R software package "poweRlaw". Time of calculations was considerably shorten by the exploitation of High-Throughput Computing technology, a.k. a. Grid Computing technology. Results. The progression of the SE is characterized by the emergence of power-law correlations of ISI whose likelihood of occurrence increases the more the time from the onset of the SE elapses. Log-normal distribution of ISI is however widely represented. Additionally, undetermined distributions of ISI are represented as well, although confined within a restricted temporal window. The final stage of SE appears dominated only by power-law and log-normal distributions of ISI. Significance. The emergence of power-law correlations of ISI concretely supports the concept of the occurrence of critical states during the progression of SE. It is reasonably speculated, as a working hypothesis, that the occurrence of power-law distributions of ISI within the early stages of the SE could be a hallmark of the establishment of the route to epileptogenesis.
DNA ploidy, proliferative index, and epidermal growth factor receptor: expression and prognosis in patients with gastric cancers.

BACKGROUND The 5-year survival rate of patients with stomach cancer is usually around 20%. The clinico-pathological features that are presently used to assess patient prognosis are not sufficient to define gastric tumor behavior. Therefore, an accurate analysis of different biological characteristics of gastric cancer cells could allow the course of disease to be predicted and may help to improve treatment strategies. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN The prognostic values of DNA ploidy, proliferative activity and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) expression were studied in gastric tumors from a series of 63 patients. DNA ploidy and proliferative activity, evaluated in terms of DNA index (DI) and proliferative index (PI), respectively, were determined by flow cytometry on paraffin-embedded tumor tissues. EGF-R expression was detected by immunohistochemistry on paraffin-embedded tumor sections of the same specimens. The clinico-pathological and the biological parameters were then correlated, and the patients overall survival was calculated using a chi-square test and the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS DNA ploidy abnormal cell clones were found in 44% of cases (median DI = 1.4, range 1.04-2.5). Aneuploid tumors showed high PI more frequently than diploids (71% versus 36%, p = 0.01). The analysis of the expression of EGF-R revealed that 88% of aneuploid tumors were positive for receptor expression. On the contrary, diploid tumors showed the presence of EGF-R only in 56% of cases (p = 0.01). DI, PI, and EGF-R expression were not related to histological grade. Conversely, the three biological parameters were significantly correlated to clinical stage and tumor invasion. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed a 73% 5-year survival rate in patients with diploid tumors whereas only 33% of patients with aneuploid lesions had a good prognosis (p = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that DNA ploidy, PI, and EGF-R expression are closely related to some pathological and clinical characteristics in gastric cancer. The close relationship between aneuploidy, EGF-R positive expression, node involvement, and tumor invasion suggests that these parameters may be indicators of high malignancy. Finally, the results also show that aneuploidy and EGF-R-positive expression are indicative of a worse prognosis in gastric cancer patients. The study of these parameters might allow a more accurate stratification of patients, so that a targeted therapeutic protocol may be defined.
A critical review of current evidence, perspectives and research implications of diet-related traditions of the Eastern Christian Orthodox Church on dietary intakes and health consequences

Certain dietary guidelines that provide for a type of periodic vegetarianism, during a total period of 180–200 days in a year, are prescribed for symbolic and spiritual reasons in the Eastern Christian Orthodox Church (ECOC); however, its potential implication on health has only recently begun to be investigated. We aimed to review evidence on the potential association of ECOC's dietary guidelines to health and disease indices, and to explore research and dietetics' practice perspectives. Eleven publications were identified, providing data from prospective, cross-sectional, and case–control studies conducted among adults, and from one cross-sectional study among children. Data retrieved suggest that, compared with non-fasters, adult and child fasters enjoy better dietary quality and have healthier blood lipid profiles. The available evidence, however, is very limited and further investigation is warranted. It is being deemed important that dieticians and health professionals are able to exploit this dietary scheme of periodic vegetarianism and advise the ECOC adherents on how to further improve their meal planning.
Intensity of drug injection as a determinant of sustained injection cessation among chronic drug users: the interface with social factors and service utilization.

AIMS The objective of this study was to identify factors associated with sustained injection cessation and to examine further the relationship between the occurrence of sustained injection cessation of injection drug users (IDUs) and prior injection frequency. DESIGN AND SETTING IDUs in the Montreal St Luc Cohort who had at least three consecutive interviews between 1995 and 1999 were included. Sustained injection cessation was defined as a period of at least 7 consecutive months without injection. All IDUs completed interview-administered questionnaires on socio-demographic characteristics, drug and sexual behaviours and health-related issues. Logistic regression was used for analyses. FINDINGS A total of 186/1004 (18.5%) IDUs reported a period of sustained injection cessation during the study period. In multivariate analysis, HIV-positive status, 'booting' and cumulative time spent in prison were negatively associated with injection cessation, while injection initiation after 35 years of age and frequent crack use were positively associated with injection cessation. We found a negative association between the occurrence of injection cessation and the frequency of injection; the odds ratios (OR) for cessation were 0.49 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.03, 0.78] for IDUs who injected 30-100 times and 0.21 (95% CI: 0.10, 0.46) for IDUs who injected more than 100 times in the previous month. Attending needle exchange programmes (NEPs) or pharmacies appeared to be a modifier of the relation between cessation and prior injection frequency. The OR was 0.68 (95% CI: 0.42, 1.12) for IDUs who injected 30-100 times prior to injection and attended NEPs or pharmacies and was 0.07 (0.01, 0.30) for IDUs who did not use these services. CONCLUSIONS Overall, a fifth of IDUs experienced at least one episode of injection cessation of 7 months or more during a period of 4.5 years. Our data suggest that NEPs and pharmacies may have played a role in inducing injection cessation episodes in a subgroup of IDUs. Research is needed to better identify the characteristics of IDUs who could benefit from an injection cessation intervention strategy. This information is important for social and health policy planning.
Anesthetic and cardiorespiratory effects of a 1:1 mixture of propofol and thiopental sodium in dogs.

OBJECTIVE To compare anesthetic and cardiorespiratory effects of a 1:1 (vol:vol) mixture of propofol and thiopental sodium with either drug used alone in dogs. DESIGN Randomized crossover study. ANIMALS 10 healthy Walker Hounds. PROCEDURE Dogs received propofol (6 mg/kg [2.7 mg/lb] of body weight), thiopental (15 mg/kg [6.8 mg/lb]), or a mixture of propofol (6 mg/kg) and thiopental (15 mg/kg) at 1-week intervals. Drugs were slowly administered i.v. over 90 seconds or until dogs lost consciousness. Increments of 10% of the initial dose were administered until intubation was possible. Amount of drug required for intubation, quality of induction and recovery, times from induction to intubation and to walking with minimal ataxia, and duration of intubation and lateral recumbency were recorded. Heart and respiratory rates, mean, systolic, and diastolic blood pressure, hemoglobin saturation of oxygen (SpO2), and end-tidal CO2 concentration (ETCO2) were determined before and after intubation. RESULTS Amounts of propofol and thiopental required to permit intubation were less, but not significantly so, when administered in combination than when administered alone. Duration of lateral recumbency and time from induction to walking were greater and recovery quality was worse in the thiopental group, compared with the other groups. Dogs in all groups remained normotensive. Respiratory rate, heart rate, ETCO2, and SpO2 did not differ among groups. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE A 1:1 mixture of propofol and thiopental induced anesthesia of similar quality to propofol or thiopental alone. Recovery quality and recovery times were similar to those of propofol and superior to those of thiopental.
Immunopathogenesis and diagnosis of tuberculosis and tuberculosis-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome during early antiretroviral therapy.

BACKGROUND In many settings, the benefits of antiretroviral therapy (ART) are reduced by the high early incidence of tuberculosis and tuberculosis-associated immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (TB-IRIS). METHODS We used tuberculin skin testing and the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube assay to investigate cellular immune responses to purified protein derivative (PPD) and region of difference 1 (RD1) antigens during the first 24 weeks of ART. RESULTS TB-IRIS and ART-associated tuberculosis occurred in 15 of 75 (20%) and 11 of 231 (4.8%) participants at risk, respectively. Greater increases in interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) and skin test responses to PPD were seen at week 24 and 12 in participants with TB-IRIS (P< or = .04), respectively. Raw IFN-gamma responses to RD1 antigens and PPD corrected for pre-ART CD4(+) T cell counts were higher at all time points in individuals with ART-associated tuberculosis (P<.001) and were associated with areas under receiver operator characteristic curves of 0.90 for RD1 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.78-1.00) and 0.92 for PPD (95% CI, 0.83-1.00) for the diagnosis of ART-associated tuberculosis. Pre-ART IFN-gamma responses enabled stratification of participants into groups with risks of subsequent tuberculosis of 0.7%, 9.3%, and 30.0%. CONCLUSIONS Type 1 effector T cell responses are prominent in ART-associated tuberculosis, but additional immune defects may be more important in paradoxical TB-IRIS. IFN-gamma release assays may contribute to the prediction and diagnosis of tuberculosis during early ART.
Social problem solving and autobiographical memory in non-clinical depression.

OBJECTIVES We examine the proposal that specific autobiographical memories may play a major role in successful social problem solving (SPS). DESIGN AND METHODS Depressed and control students report on the types of memories they retrieve while performing an SPS task and a cueing task. RESULTS The retrieval of specific memories on the cueing task and during SPS was found to be positively related to SPS skill. CONCLUSIONS Specific memories are important for successful SPS. However, the relationship between a specific memory deficit and poor SPS is mediated by severity of depression.
Heart rate variability during sleep in detoxified alcohol-dependent males: A comparison with healthy controls

Context: Alcohol dependence can lead to autonomic neuropathy resulting in increased cardiac morbidity and mortality. This has previously been evaluated using heart-rate variability. Aims: We compared sleep heart-rate variability of alcohol-dependent patients with that of healthy controls in this study. Settings and Design: This study was conducted at NIMHANS, Bangalore. A case control study design was adopted. Materials and Methods: Sleep heart-rate variability of 20 male alcohol-dependent inpatients was recorded on the 5th day after detoxification. Sleep heart-rate variability was also recorded in 18 age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Statistical Analysis: The groups were compared using t-test for continuous variables and Chi-squared test for discrete variables. Results: Both time and frequency domain measures were significantly lower in the patients as compared to the controls, indicating decreased HRV in alcohol-dependent individuals. Conclusions: Decreased HRV in alcohol dependence indicates potential autonomic neuropathy.
Republished research: Effectiveness of intervention on physical activity of children: systematic review and meta-analysis of controlled trials with objectively measured outcomes (EarlyBird 54)

Study question How effective are physical activity interventions at increasing the activity of children? Summary answer Physical activity interventions achieve a small to negligible increase in total activity, with a small improvement in the time spent at moderate or vigorous intensities amounting to around four more minutes walking or running per day. What is known and what this paper adds Physical activity interventions have little effect on the prevention of childhood obesity, but the reasons for this have been unclear. The finding that physical activity interventions have little …