Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Measuring pyrethroids in sediment pore water using matrix‐solid phase microextraction

Pyrethroids are hydrophobic insecticides commonly used in both agricultural and urban environments. Their high toxicity to aquatic organisms, including benthic invertebrates, and detection in the sediment at many locations in California, USA, have spawned interest in understanding their bioavailability in bed sediments. A recent study showed good correlation between uptake of 14C‐permethrin in Chironomus tentans and solid‐phase microextraction (SPME) fibers in sediments. The present study was directed at the development of an SPME technique applicable to trace levels of nonlabeled pyrethroids in sediment. Disposable polydimethylsiloxane fibers were used to detect freely dissolved pore‐water concentrations of bifenthrin, fenpropathrin, cis‐per‐methrin, trans‐permethrin, cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, and esfenvalerate under agitated and static conditions. Partition equilibrium between fiber and sediment was reached in <5 d when the samples were agitated on a shaker at low speed, while much longer times (>23 d) were needed without agitation. Polydimethylsiloxane to water partition ratios (KPDMS) of the seven pyrethroids were measured separately and ranged from 2.83 × 105 to 1.89 × 106. When applied to field‐contaminated sediments, agitated matrix‐SPME was able to detect pore‐water concentrations as low as 0.1 ng/L. The method developed in the present study may be coupled with bioassays to gain mechanistic understanding of factors affecting pyrethroid toxicities, and applied to field samples to better predict sediment toxicities from pyrethroid contamination.
CVB1 Cost of Italian Hypertensive Patient: A Feasibility Study from the Pandora Project

The Pandora study is a General Practitioners' (GPs) project, whose aim is to establish an epidemiological database in order to describe and follow up hypertensive patients in the Ravenna area. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the feasibility of a cost of illness of the hypertensive patient in terms of health care resource use, and to produce an average cost per patient. METHODS: Retrospective cost-of-illness analysis based on records of 209 hypertensive patients followed by five GPs. This preliminary analysis has been performed in the perspective of the community (including both direct and indirect costs). Patients analyzed were enrolled between April and November 1996 and followed up at least for 6 months. Hospital admissions, GP, specialist, and emergency room visits, instrumental and laboratory tests, drugs, and productivity losses due to visits and hospitalizations were analyzed; each cost variable was valued in Italian Liras 1996 (1,548 Lit = 1 US$) using published regional or national tariffs and market prices for drugs. RESULTS: The average cost per patient per 6 months was Lit 732,404. Direct cost accounted for 77.6% of the total value, while the remaining 22.4% was due to indirect costs (i.e., productivity losses). The major cost driver was drugs (35.1%) (26% was the share of antihypertensive drugs), followed by visits (21.4%), hospitalizations (16.0%), and tests (5.1%) CONCLUSION: Collection of cost data at the General Practitioner's level is very effective as it allows a precise and appropriate analysis; only a few studies document the cost of the hypertensive patient and non has been done in Italy: our study creates the foundation for further in-depth analysis.
Aquatic toxicity of sertraline to Pimephales promelas at environmentally relevant surface water pH

Researchers recognize that ionization state may influence the biological activity of weak acids and bases. Dissociation in aqueous solutions is controlled by the pKa of a compound and the pH of the matrix. Because many pharmaceuticals are implicitly designed as ionizable compounds, site‐specific variability in pH of receiving waters may introduce uncertainty to ecological risk assessments. The present study employed 48‐h and 7‐d toxicity tests with Pimephales promelas exposed to the model weak base pharmaceutical sertraline over a gradient of environmentally relevant surface water pHs. The 48‐h experiments were completed in triplicate, and the average lethal concentration values were 647, 205, and 72 μL sertraline at pH 6.5, 7.5, and 8.5, respectively. Survivorship, growth, and feeding rate (a nontraditional endpoint linked by other researchers to sertraline's specific mode of action) were monitored during the 7‐d experiment. Adverse effects were more pronounced when individuals were exposed to sertraline at pH 8.5 compared to pH 7.5 and 6.5. The pH‐dependent toxicological relationships from these studies were related to in‐stream pH data for two streams in the Brazos River basin of central Texas, USA. This predictive approach was taken because of the scarcity of environmental analytical data for sertraline. The results of this study emphasized temporal variability associated with in‐stream pH linked to seasonal differences within and between these spatially related systems. Relating site‐specific pH variability of surface waters to ionization state may allow researchers to reduce uncertainty during ecological risk assessment of pharmaceuticals by improving estimates of biological effects associated with exposure.
El consumo de tabaco y alcohol en jóvenes de zonas urbanas marginadas de México. Un análisis de decisiones relacionadas

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to: identify the economic and sociodemographic factors that influence the decisions made by youth in poor urban areas in Mexico to consume tobacco and alcohol; test the hypothesis that both decisions are mutually related and; demonstrate the influence of social interactions within the household on the consumption of both substances. Material and Methods. This cross-sectional study analyzed information from the Urban Household Evaluation Survey (Encelurb 2002, per its acronym in Spanish), which constitutes the baseline measurement for a follow-up survey to evaluate the impact of a social program in urban areas of Mexico. The Encelurb 2002 is a multi-issue survey that collected information from 17 207 households, including data on alcohol and tobacco consumption from 15 181 youth ranging in age from 12 to 21 years old. The estimation method used was a bivariate probit model. The entire sample was analyzed as well as the subsample of youth 12 to 15 years old. Results. The joint estimation of the two propensities for consumption confirmed that both decisions are closely related. The presence of older youth who smoked or consumed alcohol was positively and significantly associated with the probability of tobacco and alcohol use among youth 12 to 15 years old. The probability of consuming both addictive substances increased with age, principally among men. On the other hand, youth who lived with both parents had lower probabilities of tobacco and alcohol consumption than those living without any parent. Conclusions. The results indicate that alcohol and tobacco consumption decisions are mutually related, which allows for better identification of family and
Health Care of Pregnant Women in U.S. State Prisons

Background. Although standards for pregnancy-related health care in correctional facilities have been established, there is no mandatory accreditation that requires adherence to these standards. Furthermore, this information has been difficult to access from correctional facilities across the country. Methods. To examine the health care practices of pregnant women in state prisons, a survey with 62 multiple choice questions and four open-ended questions was developed. Wardens of 50 women's state correctional facilities were contacted to describe the study and request participation. Nineteen facilities completed the survey, for a 38% response rate. Results. The findings of this study provide further evidence of the substandard care that pregnant incarcerated women receive in correctional facilities. In many state prisons, nutritional recommendations for a healthy pregnancy are not met, adequate rest is compromised and lower bunks are not required. Psychosocial support and education are minimal at best. The use of restraints, which can compromise the health and safety of the woman and her baby, continues as a matter of procedure in many facilities even during labor and delivery. Conclusions. The providers of health care for pregnant women fail to use best practices and established standards in many women's state prisons. A concerted effort is urgently needed to address the unmet health care needs of this marginalized population and support legislation to limit the use of restraints with pregnant incarcerated women in all states.
Balancing risk and choice in childbirth after caesarean section

Despite a consensus that rates of caesarean section are too high and should be reduced, the rate of vaginal birth after caesarean (VBAC) appears to be declining. This article explores the possible reasons for this, as well as examining the factors that may influence a woman's decision about future mode and place of birth following a previous caesarean section. There is a need for research exploring women's reasons for choosing VBAC or elective repeat caesarean section and the way in which risk is communicated.
Incarceration, Community Health, and Racial Disparities

Several recent studies have shown that the racial disparities in U.S. mortality nearly disappear in prisons. We review the social determinants of the recent epidemic of incarceration, especially the war on drugs, and describe inmate morbidity and mortality within the context of U.S. health disparities. Incarceration provides an important public health opportunity to address health disparities by accessing a high-need, medically-underserved, largely non-White population, but it has also been associated with poor long-term health outcomes. Viewing incarceration within the context of community health and community life shows that the more equitable mortality rates among inmates are not evidence of the beneficial effects of incarceration so much as an indictment of disparities in the community at large. Because people of color are incarcerated far more frequently than Whites, the experience may ultimately exacerbate rather than mitigate health disparities.
Rosuvastatin in older patients with systolic heart failure.

BACKGROUND Patients with systolic heart failure have generally been excluded from statin trials. Acute coronary events are uncommon in this population, and statins have theoretical risks in these patients. METHODS A total of 5011 patients at least 60 years of age with New York Heart Association class II, III, or IV ischemic, systolic heart failure were randomly assigned to receive 10 mg of rosuvastatin or placebo per day. The primary composite outcome was death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal myocardial infarction, or nonfatal stroke. Secondary outcomes included death from any cause, any coronary event, death from cardiovascular causes, and the number of hospitalizations. RESULTS As compared with the placebo group, patients in the rosuvastatin group had decreased levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (difference between groups, 45.0%; P<0.001) and of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (difference between groups, 37.1%; P<0.001). During a median follow-up of 32.8 months, the primary outcome occurred in 692 patients in the rosuvastatin group and 732 in the placebo group (hazard ratio, 0.92; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83 to 1.02; P=0.12), and 728 patients and 759 patients, respectively, died (hazard ratio, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.86 to 1.05; P=0.31). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the coronary outcome or death from cardiovascular causes. In a prespecified secondary analysis, there were fewer hospitalizations for cardiovascular causes in the rosuvastatin group (2193) than in the placebo group (2564) (P<0.001). No excessive episodes of muscle-related or other adverse events occurred in the rosuvastatin group. CONCLUSIONS Rosuvastatin did not reduce the primary outcome or the number of deaths from any cause in older patients with systolic heart failure, although the drug did reduce the number of cardiovascular hospitalizations. The drug did not cause safety problems. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00206310.)
Serum/plasma DNA methylation pattern and early detection of breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. With its fatality rate reduced significantly if diagnosed early, developing cost-effective, noninvasive methods of early detection is highly investigated. Currently, mammography with magnetic resonance imaging is considered the optimal method of early detection in women who are at a significantly raised risk of developing breast cancer. Due to environmental effects and life-style changes in recent years, elevation of the risk of cancer incidents in lower risk populations is observed and therefore, the development of a relatively easy-performed and low-cost method for early detection of cancer in general and breast cancer in particular is needed. Serum-based analysis techniques have been quite popular subject of research recently as they can be performed with low technical knowledge, become automated and are cheap. In the present article, we have reviewed the literature related to the use of DNA methylation-detection based techniques for diagnosis of early-stage breast cancer using serum or plasma circulating tumor DNA and their power as a future biomarker. A reference to all genes that is reported to be differentially methylated in breast cancer accompanies the article.
Dengue: Overview and History

Dengue fever is a benign syndrome caused by several arthropod-borne viruses and characterized by biphasic fever, myalgia or arthralgia, rash, leukopenia and lymphadenopathy. Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) is a severe, often fatal, febrile disease caused by dengue viruses characterized by abnormalities of hemostasis and capillary permeability that leads, in severe cases, to a protein-losing shock syndrome (dengue shock syndrome, DSS). It is thought to have an immunopathological basis. There are no synonyms for dengue viruses in current use in the English language. There is general agreement that there are four antigenically distinct members of the dengue subgroup of the genus Flavivirus. 1,2 These are named dengue types 1 through 4. Historical synonyms for the dengue fever syndrome are bilious remitting fever, la dengue, dandy fever, breakbone fever and breakheart fever. Synonyms for DHF include infectious thrombocytopenic purpura, dengue shock syndrome, and Philippine, Thai or Singapore hemorrhagic fever.
Updated overall survival (OS) results for BRIM-3, a phase III randomized, open-label, multicenter trial comparing BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib (vem) with dacarbazine (DTIC) in previously untreated patients with BRAFV600E-mutated melanoma .

Background: We previously reported results of the planned OS interim analysis for BRIM-3 (50% of the planned 196 deaths required for final analysis) at which time the independent Data Safety Monitoring Board recommended release of results due to compelling efficacy (hazard ratio [HR] for death, 0.37 [95% CI 0.26? 0.55]); p<0.0001 and PFS HR 0.26 [95% CI 0.20? 0.33]; p<0.0001) and that DTIC-treated patients be permitted to cross over to receive vem. Median follow-up for vem patients was 3.75 months, and longer follow-up would estimate median OS more reliably. Updated OS with median 6.2 months follow-up and 199 total deaths showed HR for death 0.44 (95% CI 0.33? 0.59) favoring vem and median OS for vem not reached. We report here the results of an updated OS analysis performed in Nov 2011 with ~10 months median follow-up on vem. Methods: 675 patients with previously untreated, unresectable Stage IIIC or IV melanoma that tested positive for BRAFV600E mutation by the cobas� 4800 BRAF V600 Mutation Test were randomized (1:1) from Jan to Dec 2010 to vem (960 mg po bid) or DTIC (1000 mg/m2 IV q3w). Co-primary endpoints were OS and PFS. OS data for DTIC patients who crossed over to vem were censored at the time of crossover. Results: Median lengths of follow-up on vem and DTIC were 10.5 months (range 0.4? 18.1) and 8.4 months (range <0.1? 18.3), respectively. There were 334 deaths. Median OS rates with vem and DTIC were 13.2 months (95% CI 12.0? 15.0) and 9.6 months (95% CI 7.9? 11.8), respectively. 12-month OS rates were 55% for vem and 43% for DTIC. HR for death was 0.62 (95% CI 0.49? 0.77) in favor of vem. 81 DTIC patients crossed over to vem. 44 (13%) vem and 65 (19%) DTIC patients received ipilimumab post-progression. Conclusions: With longer follow-up, vem treatment continues to be associated with improved OS in the BRIM-3 study. An updated analysis, with estimated median follow-up of ~13 months and including response data, will be conducted in Apr 2012 and presented at the meeting.
Prevalence and Factors of Domestic Violence among Unmarried Mothers with a Young Child

Using the first 3 waves of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, this article examines the prevalence and factors of domestic violence among unmarried mothers with a young child. The findings indicate that the prevalence of domestic violence for mothers increased substantially in the first 3 years after the child's birth. Findings from regression analyses show that mothers who lived with the father, either as a wife or cohabiting partner, had significantly lower odds of domestic violence in the study measures than mothers who did not live with the father. However, the odds of domestic violence were not significantly different between married and cohabiting mothers. Policy implications are discussed.
Breast cancer risk scores in a standard screening population

SUMMARY Aim: Information regarding the characteristics and breast cancer risk factors of British women in the standard population attending breast cancer screening is limited. Such information could be useful in personalizing screening and care, and informing and educating women about their risk. Materials & methods: Information about various breast cancer risk factors was obtained from 355 women aged between 46 and 74 years at a UK inner-city breast cancer screening clinic using questionnaires. The risk of breast cancer was calculated using the modified Gail model and analyzed using descriptive and regression statistics. Results: There were 26 women recalled for further assessment and two cases confirmed as invasive breast cancer. Forty-seven women reported first-degree relatives with breast cancer. A total of 58% of our sample was overweight or obese, although 84% reported meeting the recommended target of ≥150 min of exercise per week. A total of 44% were smokers and 23% reported consuming alcohol on a.
The marmoset brain in stereotaxic coordinates

The Marmoset Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates is the most comprehensive atlas of the brain of this animal available. The atlas is constructed in the style of The Rat Brain in Stereotaxic Coordinates, the most-cited book in neuroscience. It represents a collaboration between world leaders in neuroanatomy of the primate cortex and subcortex. It will be an indispensible tool for neuroanatomists, behavioral neuroscientists, and molecular biologists trying to understand the primate brain. Endorsed by Society for Brain Mapping and Therapeutics (SBMT) - SBMT is a non-profit society organized for the purpose of encouraging basic and clinical scientists who are interested in areas of Brain Mapping, engineering, stem cell, nanotechnology, imaging and medical device to improve the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of patients afflicted with neurological disorders. This society promotes the public welfare and improves patient care through the translation of new technologies/therapies into life saving diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The Society is focused in breaking boundaries of science, technology, medicine, art and healthcare policy. 97 coronal diagrams and 97 accompanying photographic plates spaced at regular intervals and stained alternately for either Nissl or calbindin. Features: 100 fully labeled photographic plates of acetylcholinesterase and SMI32 sections at regular stereotaxic intervals; complete and up-to-date delineation of all areas of cortex and subcortex; stereotaxically accurate. Endorsed by Society for Brain Mapping and Therapeutics (SBMT) - SBMT is a non-profit society organized for the purpose of encouraging basic and clinical scientists who are interested in areas of Brain Mapping, engineering, stem cell, nanotechnology, imaging and medical device to improve the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of patients afflicted with neurological disorders. This society promotes the public welfare and improves patient care through the translation of new technologies/therapies into life saving diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The Society is focused in breaking boundaries of science, technology, medicine, art and healthcare policy.
Client Goals for Participating in VHA Vocational Rehabilitation

Research into vocational rehabilitation (VR) consumer service preferences has been limited. The current study describes the self-reported goals of 228 applicants to a VR program sponsored by the Veterans Administration (VA) and documents the relationship of those goals to participant background variables and outcomes. Participants endorsed a wide variety of goals for participation, including clinical and practical goals. Competitive employment was a goal of only 53% and was the primary goal of only 5%. The apparent contrast between the diversity of VA participant goals and the growing focus by VA rehabilitation professionals on competitive employment suggests that greater dialogue is needed between providers and consumers.
High Lactose Tolerance in North Europeans: A Result of Migration, Not In Situ Milk Consumption

The main carbohydrate in milk is lactose, which must be hydrolyzed to glucose and galactose before the sugars can be digested. While 65% or more of the total human population are lactose intolerant, in some human populations lactase activity commonly persists into adulthood. Lactose tolerance is exceptionally widespread in Northern European countries such as Sweden and Finland, with tolerance levels of 74% and 82%, respectively. Theoretically, this may result either from a strong local selection pressure for lactose tolerance, or from immigration of lactose tolerant people to Northern Europe. We provide several lines of archaeological and historical evidence suggesting that the high lactose tolerance in North Europeans cannot be explained by selection from in situ milk consumption. First, fresh cow milk has not belonged to the traditional diet of Swedes or Finns until recent times. Second, not enough milk has been available for adult consumption. Cattle herding has been neither widespread nor productive enough in Northern Europe to have provided constant access to fresh milk. We suggest that the high prevalence of lactose tolerance in Finland in particular may be explained by immigration of people representing so-called Corded Ware Culture, an early culture representing agricultural development in Europe.