Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mindfulness and psychologic well-being: are they related to type of meditation technique practiced?

OBJECTIVES This study examined whether practitioners of two meditation types differ on self-reported mindfulness skills and psychologic well-being. DESIGN This was a cross-sectional study comparing two convenience meditation groups drawn from local meditation centers, one group practicing mindfulness meditation (MM), and the other practicing transcendental meditation (TM). SETTINGS/LOCATION The study was conducted at several meditation centers in southern Netherlands. SUBJECTS Thirty-five (35) participants practiced MM (69% women) and 20 practiced TM (42% women). OUTCOME MEASURES Participants completed questionnaires on mindfulness skills (Mindful Attention Awareness Scale and two subscales from Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills), psychologic well-being (perceived stress, global mood, and quality of life), and meditation duration and frequency. RESULTS All self-reported mindfulness facets correlated with almost all measures of well-being across groups, but no differences were evident between meditation types regarding mindfulness or well-being. Days per week spent on meditation was the only multivariable predictor of both higher mindfulness and lower perceived stress. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that self-reported mindfulness and psychologic well-being may be associated with meditation frequency rather than any potential differences when comparing MM and TM in this study. Note that substantial differences between MM and TM groups were present on basic demographics, which were controlled statistically.
Small intragenic deletion in FOXP2 associated with childhood apraxia of speech and dysarthria

Relatively little is known about the neurobiological basis of speech disorders although genetic determinants are increasingly recognized. The first gene for primary speech disorder was FOXP2, identified in a large, informative family with verbal and oral dyspraxia. Subsequently, many de novo and familial cases with a severe speech disorder associated with FOXP2 mutations have been reported. These mutations include sequencing alterations, translocations, uniparental disomy, and genomic copy number variants. We studied eight probands with speech disorder and their families. Family members were phenotyped using a comprehensive assessment of speech, oral motor function, language, literacy skills, and cognition. Coding regions of FOXP2 were screened to identify novel variants. Segregation of the variant was determined in the probands' families. Variants were identified in two probands. One child with severe motor speech disorder had a small de novo intragenic FOXP2 deletion. His phenotype included features of childhood apraxia of speech and dysarthria, oral motor dyspraxia, receptive and expressive language disorder, and literacy difficulties. The other variant was found in a family in two of three family members with stuttering, and also in the mother with oral motor impairment. This variant was considered a benign polymorphism as it was predicted to be non‐pathogenic with in silico tools and found in database controls. This is the first report of a small intragenic deletion of FOXP2 that is likely to be the cause of severe motor speech disorder associated with language and literacy problems. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Dark Side of Transparency: How and When Pay Administration Practices Affect Employee Helping

This study examines a long-standing contention of practitioners and scholars alike, namely that pay transparency may adversely affect employees’ tendency to offer assistance to coworkers. Drawing from research on social comparison, information vividness, and envy, we develop and test a moderated-mediation model positing that transparency adversely affects the amount of help individuals afford to peers who, based on pay for performance, are paid more than them. Testing our hypotheses in the context of a multiround simulation-based laboratory experiment, we find that this adverse effect of pay transparency on helping is largely explained by transparency’s positive association with episodic envy, but only when individual differences grounded in differential social value orientations, specifically those regarding individualism beliefs and prosocial motivation, are taken into consideration. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.
Ongoing monoclonal B-cell proliferation is not common in gastric B-cell lymphoma after combined radiochemotherapy.

PURPOSE Gastric marginal-zone B-cell lymphoma (MZBCL) of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) is associated with chronic Helicobacter pylori gastritis. Stable complete remission (CR) can be induced by H pylori eradication. Whether this is paralleled by cure of the lymphoma remains unclear. Persisting monoclonal bands for immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region (VH) representing the lymphoma clone have been described in up to 50% of patients in CR. This retrospective study investigated whether this phenomenon also occurs after radiochemotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS Biopsy samples of 20 patients receiving chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone and irradiation were analyzed before and after therapy. Study patients had Ann Arbor stage I/II primary gastric cancer, including four cases of MZBCL of MALT type, 12 cases of diffuse large-cell lymphomas (DLCL), and four cases of mixed MALT type/DLCL. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for VH rearrangement was performed. Monoclonal PCR products were cloned and sequenced. RESULTS Fourteen of 20 patients had a monoclonal or oligoclonal band distribution at diagnosis converted into polyclonal pattern after radiochemotherapy. Of the remaining six patients, two were lost to follow-up. One patient did not respond and died of progressive disease. PCR in this patient showed persistent B-cell clonality. In three patients, the initial PCR showed a polyclonal pattern and thus could not be evaluated during follow-up. CONCLUSION In contrast with H pylori eradication alone, radiochemotherapy results in clearing of monoclonal cells during follow-up. This may result in better elimination of residual lymphoma cells. Further study is needed to determine whether this translates into lower risk of relapse.
A 10-YEAR REVIEW OF OPEN-GLOBE TRAUMA IN ELDERLY PATIENTS AT AN URBAN HOSPITAL

Background: To describe the demographics, characteristics, and outcomes of open-globe injuries (OGIs) in elderly patients. Methods: Retrospective chart review. Results: Ninety cases (26 men) were identified. The average age was 80 years (range, 65–96 years). The types of OGIs included rupture (83.3%) and penetrating (16.7%) injuries. The causes of trauma were falls (64.4%), accidents (20%), motor vehicle accidents (5.5%), and assault (3.33%). Types of lacerations included corneal (44.4%), corneoscleral (26.7%), and scleral (28.9%). Forty-six cases were OGIs because of dehiscence of previous ocular surgical wound. Ten eyes had concurrent orbital fractures. Approximately 81.1% of cases underwent primary OGI repair within 24 hours of injury, and all cases underwent primary OGI repair within 24 hours of admission. The average visual acuity at presentation was 20/4,375 (SD, 0.64). Although 22 patients presented with no light perception, only 10 remained no light perception after OGI repair. Complications at presentation included uveal prolapse (70%), hemorrhagic choroidal detachment (37.8%), vitreous hemorrhage (51.1%), retinal detachment (20%), and afferent pupillary defect (42.2%). Three patients (3.33%) underwent primary pars plana vitrectomy for retinal detachment and vitreous hemorrhage. Three patients developed endophthalmitis. Overall, retinal attachment was achieved in all eyes that underwent primary pars plana vitrectomy. Primary enucleations were performed in 4 cases (4.44%) for nonsalvageable no light perception eyes. Conclusion: The visual prognosis of OGIs in the elderly population is poor; only 14.4% achieved 20/200 or better visual acuity. Precautionary measures should be taken to prevent OGIs in the elderly population.
Receptor‐responses in fresh human ciliary muscle

1 The physiological and pharmacological properties of ciliary muscle isolated from fresh human eyes were investigated. 2 The muscle exhibited no spontaneous activity. Concentration‐dependent contractions in response to carbachol were competitively antagonized by atropine (pA2 = 8.95). 3 The muscle, precontracted by carbachol (2.7 × 10−4 M), responded to the application of isoprenaline by concentration‐dependent relaxation blocked by propranolol (3.5 × 10−9 M to 3.5 × 10−8 M; pA2 = 9.15). 4 Angiotensin‐evoked contractions were antagonized by 8‐Ala‐angiotensin II (4.5 × 10−8 M) in a competitive manner, but were not inhibited by phentolamine or propranolol. 5 Contractions generated by electrical stimulation of the muscle (30 ms, 20 Hz, 60 pulses) were antagonized by atropine (10−7 M) and tetrodotoxin (6.3 × 10−7 M). Phentolamine and propranolol did not influence these responses. 6 An increase of the external potassium concentration ([K+]o) from 5.4 to 158.8 mM produced a mechanical response, antagonized by atropine, but not influenced by tetrodotoxin, phentolamine or propranolol. 7 The human ciliary muscle appears to carry muscarinic and angiotensin receptors and β2‐adrenoceptors. The estimate of Katropine for muscarinic receptors mediating carbachol‐induced contractions agrees with estimates of Katropine reported for human and rabbit iris.
Serum lipid levels and in-hospital mortality in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage

Objective: To test the hypothesis that low serum cholesterol and low serum triglyceride levels at admission are related to an increase of in-hospital mortality in patients with first-ever supratentorial spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Methods: The authors obtained the serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels during the first 48 hours after first-ever ICH in 184 patients. They analyzed the impact of serum cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations on the in-hospital mortality after adjustment for possible confounding variables according to the results of the univariate analysis (age, hemorrhage volume, intraventricular extension, glycemia, serum albumin, and Glasgow Coma Scale score at admission) using the Cox proportional hazards model. They also analyzed the survival curves according to the cholesterol and triglyceride quartiles. Results: Low serum cholesterol (p = 0.002; hazard ratio [HR] 0.988 [95% CI 0.979 to 0.997] mg/dL) and low serum triglyceride (p = 0.011; HR 0.986 [95% CI 0.976 to 0.997] mg/dL) concentrations were independently associated with increased in-hospital mortality after ICH. Analyzed by quartiles, the HR of in-hospital mortality was 3.136 (95% CI 0.833 to 11.087) for patients in the lowest cholesterol quartile (<166 mg/dL) and 3.484 (95% CI 1.088 to 11.155) for patients in the lowest triglyceride quartile (<74 mg/dL). Conclusions: Low serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels obtained during the first hours after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) are strong independent predictors of in-hospital mortality in patients with spontaneous supratentorial ICH.
Ricin Triggers Apoptotic Morphological Changes through Caspase-3 Cleavage of BAT3*

Ricin, one of type II ribosomal inactivating proteins, inhibits protein biosynthesis by its RNA N-glycosidase activity. By yeast two-hybrid screening, the human BAT3 (HLA-B-associated transcript 3) was isolated as a ricin A-chain interacting protein. A canonical caspase-3 cleavage site, DEQD1001 was found at the C-terminal region of BAT3. Ricin induced the apoptosis by activating caspase-3 and leading to the cleavage of BAT3 at 4 h after treatment while DNA laddering at 24 h. The cleavage is completely inhibited by zDEVD-fmk, a caspase-3 specific inhibitor. In addition, cleavage of BAT3 is blocked in caspase-3-deficient MCF-7 cells, indicating that BAT3 is a novel caspase-3 substrate. Evidence indicates that caspase-3 activated by ricin acts on BAT3 at the caspase cleavage site, DEQD1001 to release a C-terminal fragment designated CTF-131. The CTF-131 induces phosphatidylserine exposure, cell rounding, and chromatin condensation as ricin does. Moreover, silencing expression of endogenous BAT3 concomitantly suppresses ricin-induced apoptosis. Together, our results suggest a model that ricin triggers morphological changes of apoptosis by caspase-3-mediated proteolytic activation of BAT3.
Olfactory cues are more effective than visual cues in experimentally triggering autobiographical memories

ABSTRACT Folk wisdom often refers to odours as potent triggers for autobiographical memory, akin to the Proust phenomenon that describes Proust’s sudden recollection of a childhood memory when tasting a madeleine dipped into tea. Despite an increasing number of empirical studies on the effects of odours on cognition, conclusive evidence is still missing. We set out to examine the effectiveness of childhood and non-childhood odours as retrieval cues for autobiographical memories in a lab experiment. A total of 170 participants were presented with pilot-tested retrieval cues (either odours or images) to recall childhood memories and were then asked to rate the vividness, detail, and emotional intensity of these memories. Results showed that participants indeed reported richer memories when presented with childhood-related odours than childhood-related images or childhood-unrelated odours or images. An exploratory analysis of memory content with Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count did not reveal differences in affective content. The findings of this study support the notion that odours are particularly potent in eliciting rich memories and open up numerous avenues for further exploration.
Knee cartilage topography, thickness, and contact areas from MRI: in-vitro calibration and in-vivo measurements.

OBJECTIVE This study assessed the three-dimensional accuracy of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for measuring articular surface topographies and cartilage thicknesses of human cadaveric knee joints, by comparison with the calibrated stereophotogrammetric (SPG) method. METHODS Six fresh frozen cadaveric knees and the knees of four volunteers were imaged with a three-dimensional spoiled gradient-recalled acquisition with fat suppression using a linear extremity coil in a 1.5 T superconducting magnet. The imaging voxel size was 0.47 x 0.47 x 1.0 mm. Both a manual and a semi-automated segmentation method were employed to extract topographic measurements from MRI. Following MRI, each of the six cadaveric knees was dissected and its articular surfaces quantified using stereophotogrammetry. The MRI surface measurements were compared numerically with the SPG measurements. RESULTS For six cadaveric knees, the average accuracies of cartilage and subchondral bone surface measurements were found to be 0.22 mm and 0.14 mm respectively and the thickness measurements demonstrated an average accuracy of 0.31 mm. It was found that while most of the error may be attributed to random measurement error, the accuracy was somewhat affected by systematic errors. For each bone of the knee, accuracies were most favorable in the patella, followed by the femur and then the tibia. The more efficient semi-automated method provided equally good and sometimes better accuracies than manual segmentation. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that clinical MRI can provide accurate measurements of cartilage topography, thickness, contact areas and surface curvatures of the knee.
Responsiveness and Clinically Meaningful Improvement, According to Disability Level, of Five Walking Measures After Rehabilitation in Multiple Sclerosis

Background. Evaluation of treatment effects on walking requires appropriate and responsive outcome measures. Objectives. To determine responsiveness of 5 walking measures and provide reference values for clinically meaningful improvements, according to disability level, in persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). Methods. Walking tests were measured pre- and postrehabilitation in 290 pwMS from 17 European centers. Combined anchor- and distribution-based methods determined responsiveness of objective short and long walking capacity tests (Timed 25-Foot Walk [T25FW] and 2- and 6-Minute Walk Tests [2MWT and 6MWT] and of the patient-reported Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale–12 [MSWS-12]). A global rating of change scale, from patients’ and therapists’ perspective, was used as external criteria to determine the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), minimally important change (MIC), and smallest real change (SRC). Patients were stratified into disability subgroups (Expanded Disability Status Scale score ≤4 [n = 98], >4 [n = 186]). Results. MSWS-12, 2MWT, and 6MWT were more responsive (AUC 0.64-0.73) than T25FW (0.50-0.63), especially in moderate to severely disabled pwMS. Clinically meaningful changes (MICs) from patient and therapist perspective were −10.4 and −11.4 for MSWS-12 (P < .01), 9.6 m and 6.8 m for 2MWT (P < .05), and 21.6 m (P < .05) and 9.1 m (P = .3) for 6MWT. In subgroups, MIC was significant from patient perspective for 2MWT (10.8 m) and from therapist perspective for MSWS-12 (−10.7) in mildly disabled pwMS. In moderate to severely disabled pwMS, MIC was significant for MSWS-12 (−14.1 and −11.9). Conclusions. Long walking tests and patient-reported MSWS-12 were more appropriate than short walking tests in detecting clinically meaningful improvement after physical rehabilitation, particularly the MSWS-12 for moderate to severely disabled pwMS.
SPECIATION THROUGH COMPETITION: A CRITICAL REVIEW

Abstract We examined causes of speciation in asexual populations in both sympatry and parapatry, providing an alternative explanation for the speciation patterns reported by Dieckmann and Doebeli (1999) and Doebeli and Dieckmann (2003). Both in sympatry and parapatry, they find that speciation occurs relatively easily. We reveal that in the sympatric clonal model, the equilibrium distribution is continuous and the disruptive selection driving evolution of discrete clusters is only transient. Hence, if discrete phenotypes are to remain stable in the sympatric sexual model, there should be some source of nontransient disruptive selection that will drive evolution of assortment. We analyze sexually reproducing populations using the Bulmer's infinitesimal model and show that cost-free assortment alone leads to speciation and disruptive selection only arises when the optimal distribution cannot be matched—in this example, because the phenotypic range is limited. In addition, Doebeli and Dieckmann's analyses assumed a high genetic variance and a high mutation rate. Thus, these theoretical models do not support the conclusion that sympatric speciation is a likely outcome of competition for resources. In their parapatric model (Doebeli and Dieckmann 2003), clustering into distinct phenotypes is driven by edge effects, rather than by frequency-dependent competition.
In vivo lumbar erector spinae oxygenation and blood volume measurements in healthy men during seated whole‐body vibration

Exposure to whole‐body vibration is implicated as one of the occupational risk factors for lower back disorders; however, its influence on the lumbar muscle physiology is still poorly understood. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of backrest support and hand grip contractions on lumbar muscle oxygenation and blood volume responses during seated whole‐body vibration using continuous dual‐wave near‐infrared spectroscopy. Thirteen healthy men were exposed to frequencies of 3, 4.5 and 6 Hz on a vibration simulator, in randomized order on separate days. Each day the duration of the protocol was 30 min. During the fifth minute of vibration ‘with’ and ‘without’ backrest support, participants performed maximal rhythmic hand grip contractions for 1 min. In general, erector spinae oxygenation and blood volume showed a trend to decrease with vibration exposure compared to the control condition. However, these responses were not influenced by the change in vibration frequency (P > 0.05). Sitting without backrest resulted in a greater decrease in oxygenation (by 27%, P= 0.02) and blood volume (by 11%, P= 0.05) than with backrest, implying a deficiency in oxygen supply owing to the sitting posture. Compared to the vibration‐only condition, hand grip work decreased both oxygenation (by 22%, P= 0.003) and blood volume responses (by 13%, P= 0.04), suggesting that postural load due to prolonged sitting combined with physical activity during vibration might further burden paraspinal muscles. The influence of adipose tissue thickness of the lumbar muscle on optically derived oxygenation and blood volume changes was inconclusive.
The Effects of Dichloroacetate on Lactate Accumulation and Endurance in an Exercising Rat Model

Severe lactic acidosis usually accompanies intense endurance exercise. It has been postulated that glycogen depletion working in concert with elevated muscle and plasma lactate levels lead to a concomitant reduction in pH. Their cumulative effect during prolonged physical exertion now leads to muscular fatigue and eventually limit endurance capacity. Therefore in the present study, dichloroacetate (DCA), a compound which enhances the rate of pyruvate oxidation thus reducing lactate formation, has been evaluated in a validated rat model of sub-maximal exercise performance. Male rats (350 g) were divided into two groups (control-saline, i.v. and DCA 5 mg/kg, i.v.) and were exercised to exhaustion in a chamber (26 degrees C) on a treadmill (11 m/min, 6 degrees incline). When compared to controls, the DCA-treated rats had longer run times (169 vs 101 min) and a decreased heating rate (0.020 vs 0.029 degrees C/min). In addition, DCA attenuated the increase in plasma lactate (28 vs 40 mg/dl) and significantly reduced both the rate and absolute amount of depletion of muscle glycogen stores. These results suggest that the activation of pyruvate dehydrogenase activity by DCA resulted in a reduction in the rate of glycogenolysis in addition to decreasing lactate accumulation by presumably limiting the availability of pyruvate for conversion to lactate, therefore increasing muscle carbohydrate oxidation via the TCA cycle. Thus DCA effected a significant delay in muscle fatigue.
High Mean Fluorescence Intensity Donor‐Specific Anti‐HLA Antibodies Associated With Chronic Rejection Postliver Transplant

In contrast to kidney transplantation where donor‐specific anti‐HLA antibodies (DSA) negatively impact graft survival, correlation of DSA with clinical outcomes in patients after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) has not been clearly established. We hypothesized that DSA are present in patients who develop chronic rejection after OLT. Prospectively collected serial serum samples on 39 primary OLT patients with biopsy‐proven chronic rejection and 39 comparator patients were blinded and analyzed for DSA using LABScreen® single antigen beads test, where a 1000 mean fluorescence value was considered positive. In study patients, the median graft survival was 15 months, 74% received ≥ one retransplant, 20% remain alive and 87% had ≥ one episode of acute rejection. This is in contrast to comparator patients where 69% remain alive, and no patient needed retransplant or experienced rejection. Thirty‐six chronic rejection patients (92%) and 24 (61%) comparator patients had DSA (p = 0.003). Chronic rejection versus comparator patients had higher mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) DSA. Although a further study with larger numbers of patients is needed to identify clinically significant thresholds, there is an association of high‐MFI DSA with chronic rejection after OLT.