Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Maternal smoking and drinking during pregnancy and the risk for child and adolescent psychiatric disorders.

OBJECTIVE To examine the relative importance of prenatal exposure to cigarettes and alcohol and familial/genetic susceptibility for alcohol dependence in the etiology of childhood psychopathology. METHOD A longitudinal prospective study of 150 children/adolescents (51.3% male), who were at either high or low risk for developing alcohol dependence because of their familial loading for alcoholism, provided multiple diagnostic assessments (N = 318) of these subjects. High-risk families were identified through the presence of two adult alcoholic sisters; low-risk control families were selected from the community. Annual assessments of offspring from these families included an in-depth psychiatric interview of each child and his/her parent to determine the presence or absence of childhood disorders. Mothers were interviewed concerning their prenatal use of substances, and information was gathered concerning their personal and familial loading for psychiatric disorders. RESULTS Using conventional logistic regression analyses, internalizing and externalizing disorders were found to be associated with familial loading for alcoholism and prenatal exposure to cigarettes and alcohol. In addition, a specialized statistical analysis, a multivariate confounder score approach, was conducted using familial risk status and the child's exposure to maternal prenatal use of alcohol and cigarettes. This analysis demonstrated that only one relationship between a single variable and a childhood disorder was significant while controlling for the other two variables: Oppositional disorder remained significant in association with familial risk status. Three additional analyses were performed to evaluate the effects of familial risk status, prenatal alcohol exposure and prenatal cigarette exposure on childhood psychopathology while controlling for two known risk factors (SES and parental ASPD) for externalizing disorders. Results of these analyses revealed that the only childhood disorder that was elevated was ADHD, and that this was the result of the familial risk variable only. CONCLUSIONS Familial loading for alcohol dependence is an important risk factor for the development of childhood psychopathology and may account for the previously reported associations between prenatal exposure to nicotine and alcohol. Studies of substance abuse/dependence etiology and childhood psychopathology need to include consideration of both prenatal exposures and familial loading for alcohol dependence and other psychiatric disorders.
Gastroesophageal reflux in patients with subglottic stenosis.

OBJECTIVES To determine the incidence of gastroesophageal reflux in patients with subglottic stenosis (SGS) and to determine if upper esophageal reflux occurs in addition to lower esophageal reflux in these patients. DESIGN Esophageal pH probe studies were reviewed in patients diagnosed as having SGS. SETTING A tertiary care pediatric medical center. PATIENTS All patients diagnosed as having SGS between January 1990 and July 1996 who had undergone monitoring with an overnight esophageal pH probe. Seventy-four patients qualified for the study. All 74 patients underwent lower probe testing, and 55 of the 74 underwent dual (upper and lower) probe testing. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The percent of time a pH measurement of less than 4.0 was recorded in the upper and lower esophagus. A lower probe pH measurement of less than 4.0 more than 10% of the study time was considered high risk for developing reflux-associated pathologic symptoms. A lower probe pH measurement of less than 4.0 for 5% to 10% of the study time was considered a marginal risk for developing reflux-associated pathologic symptoms. Upper probe criteria for reflux-associated symptoms have not been established. Therefore, patients were grouped as having a pH of less than 4.0 in the upper esophagus for 0%, 0.1% to 0.9%, 1.0% to 1.9%, 2.0% to 3.0%, or more than 3% of the study time. RESULTS Thirty-seven of the 74 patients who underwent lower probe testing had a pH of less than 4.0 more than 5% of the study time, and 24 had a pH of less than 4.0 more than 10% of the study time. Twelve of the 55 patients who underwent upper probe testing had no measurable reflux; 27 of the 55 had a pH of less than 4.0 more than 1% of the study time; 14 had a pH of less than 4.0 more than 2% of the study time, and 11 had a pH of less than 4.0 more than 3% of the study time. CONCLUSIONS Gastroesophageal reflux is frequently present in patients with SGS. Gastric contents frequently reach the upper and lower esophagus in these patients. In addition, the high incidence of gastroesophageal reflux in these patients suggests that it may play a role in the development of SGS. The possible effect of gastroesophageal reflux on the surgical repair of SGS requires further study.
New classification of HLA-DRB1 alleles supports the shared epitope hypothesis of rheumatoid arthritis susceptibility.

OBJECTIVE The shared epitope hypothesis was formulated to explain the involvement of HLA-DRB1 in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, several studies, which considered only the HLA-DRB1 alleles shown to be associated with RA risk, rejected this hypothesis. In this report, we propose that a different classification of HLA-DRB1 alleles be considered, based on the amino acid sequence at position 70-74. METHODS The fit of both HLA-DRB1 classifications was tested in 2 groups of RA patients. All subjects were recruited through the European Consortium on Rheumatoid Arthritis Families, and included 100 patients with isolated RA and 132 patients with at least 1 affected sibling. RESULTS The new classification produced risk estimates that fit all of the observed data, i.e., the distribution of the HLA-DRB1 genotype in the 2 patient groups, and the distribution of parental alleles shared by affected sibpairs. The risk of developing RA under this new classification depends on whether the RAA sequence occupies position 72-74 but is modulated by the amino acid at position 71 (K confers the highest risk, R an intermediate risk, A and E a lower risk) and by the amino acid at position 70 (Q or R confers a higher risk than D). CONCLUSION A new classification based on amino acid sequence allows us to show that the shared epitope RAA sequence at position 72-74 explains the data, with the risk of developing RA modulated by the amino acids at positions 70 and 71.
Factors associated with outcomes 3 months after implantable cardioverter defibrillator insertion.

BACKGROUND Adjustment to living with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) is a dynamic process that varies among individuals. The purpose of this study was to describe patterns of recovery and to examine the relationships among demographic and clinical factors, illness appraisal and coping behaviors, and outcomes of physical and emotional function in the early recovery period of the first 3 months after initial ICD insertion. METHODS Data were collected in the acute care setting and again at 1 and 3 months after ICD insertion. Subjects were 213 patients (83% men), ages 24-85 (mean 59.6) years. Demographic and clinical variables representing personal and situational factors, illness appraisal, and coping variables were examined using hierarchical multiple-regression analyses to predict outcomes of mood disturbance and functional status. RESULTS The data revealed that symptoms, illness appraisal, and coping behaviors significantly explained additional variance in both functional status and mood disturbance above that accounted for by the less modifiable demographic and clinical variables. CONCLUSIONS Symptoms, illness appraisal, and coping behaviors were predictors of outcomes in ICD patients. These factors are modifiable aspects of the recovery process, and interventions aimed at symptom management, appraisal reframing, and coping training should be tested to improve mood and functional outcomes for ICD patients.
Effects of Enterococcus faecium supplementation and floor type on performance, morphology of erythrocytes and intestinal microbiota in broiler chickens

1. The experiment was to study the effects of floor type and probiotic supplementation (Enterococcus faecium) on performance, morphology of erythrocytes and intestinal microbiota of male Ross 308 broiler chickens. 2. The experimental design was a factorial 2 × 2 with 6 replicates. The factors were floor type (wire floor versus wood shaving litter) and the presence or absence of probiotic. 3. Birds housed on wood shavings exhibited significantly improved weight gain and food intake. 4. Addition of E. faecium led to significantly decreased food intake and gizzard weight. Supplementation with E. faecium positively influenced the ileal and caecal microbiota, with a significant decrease in the population of Escherichia coli. 5. Erythrocyte length decreased and erythrocyte width increased in the birds housed on wood shavings.
Effects of Metals within Ambient Air Particulate Matter ( PM ) on Human Health

We review literature providing insights on health-related effects caused by inhalation of ambient air particulate matter (PM) containing metals, emphasizing effects associated with in vivo exposures at or near contemporary atmospheric concentrations. Inhalation of much higher concentrations, and high-level exposures via intratracheal (IT) instillation that inform mechanistic processes, are also reviewed. The most informative studies of effects at realistic exposure levels, in terms of identifying influential individual PM components or source-related mixtures, have been based on (1) human and laboratory animal exposures to concentrated ambient particles (CAPs), and (2) human population studies for which both health-related effects were observed and PM composition data were available for multipollutant regression analyses or source apportionment. Such studies have implicated residual oil fly ash (ROFA) as the most toxic source-related mixture, and Ni and V, which are characteristic tracers of ROFA, as particularly influential components in terms of acute cardiac function changes and excess short-term mortality. There is evidence that other metals within ambient air PM, such as Pb and Zn, also affect human health. Most evidence now available is based on the use of ambient air PM components concentration data, rather than actual exposures, to determine significant associations and/or effects coefficients. Therefore, considerable uncertainties about causality are associated with exposure misclassification and measurement errors. As more PM speciation data and more refined modeling techniques become available, and as more CAPs studies involving PM component analyses are performed, the roles of specific metals and other components within PM will become clearer.
Mycobacteria Modify Their Cell Size Control under Sub-Optimal Carbon Sources

The decision to divide is the most important one that any cell must make. Recent single cell studies suggest that most bacteria follow an “adder” model of cell size control, incorporating a fixed amount of cell wall material before dividing. Mycobacteria, including the causative agent of tuberculosis Mycobacterium tuberculosis, are known to divide asymmetrically resulting in heterogeneity in growth rate, doubling time, and other growth characteristics in daughter cells. The interplay between asymmetric cell division and adder size control has not been extensively investigated. Moreover, the impact of changes in the environment on growth rate and cell size control have not been addressed for mycobacteria. Here, we utilize time-lapse microscopy coupled with microfluidics to track live Mycobacterium smegmatis cells as they grow and divide over multiple generations, under a variety of growth conditions. We demonstrate that, under optimal conditions, M. smegmatis cells robustly follow the adder principle, with constant added length per generation independent of birth size, growth rate, and inherited pole age. However, the nature of the carbon source induces deviations from the adder model in a manner that is dependent on pole age. Understanding how mycobacteria maintain cell size homoeostasis may provide crucial targets for the development of drugs for the treatment of tuberculosis, which remains a leading cause of global mortality.
Hybrid Honey Bees Mating Optimisation algorithm to assign terminals to concentrators

In this paper we propose a new approach to assign terminals to concentrators using a Hybrid Honey Bees Mating Optimisation algorithm. Honey Bees Mating Optimisation (HBMO) algorithm is a swarm-based optimisation algorithm, which simulates the mating process of real honey bees. We apply a hybridisation of HBMO to solve a combinatorial optimisation problem known as Terminal Assignment Problem (TAP). The purpose is to connect a given set of terminals to a given set of concentrators and minimise the link cost to form a communication network. The feasibility of Hybrid HBMO is demonstrated and compared with the solutions obtained by other algorithms from literature over different TAP instances.
Most patients with cancer-associated dermatomyositis have antibodies to nuclear matrix protein NXP-2 or transcription intermediary factor 1γ.

OBJECTIVE Since dermatomyositis (DM) is associated with an increased risk of malignancy, accurate identification of patients likely to harbor cancers is important. Using immunoprecipitations from radiolabeled cell lysates, several groups recently showed that anti-transcription intermediary factor 1γ (anti-TIF-1γ) antibodies are associated with malignancy in DM. We undertook this study to develop sensitive, specific assays to detect antibodies against TIF-1γ and nuclear matrix protein NXP-2 and to evaluate their association with malignancy in DM. METHODS To detect anti-TIF-1γ antibodies, immunoprecipitations were performed using lysates made from HeLa cells overexpressing TIF-1γ, with detection by immunoblotting. Anti-NXP-2 antibodies were assayed by immunoprecipitation using (35) S-methionine-labeled NXP-2 generated by in vitro transcription/translation. We analyzed patient sera from DM cohorts seen at the Stanford University Dermatology Clinic (n = 111) and the Johns Hopkins Myositis Center (n = 102). RESULTS A total of 17% and 38% of patients had antibodies against NXP-2 and TIF-1γ, respectively. Reactivity against either NXP-2 or TIF-1γ identified 83% of patients with cancer-associated DM. In addition to older age and male sex, cancer was associated with antibodies to NXP-2 or TIF-1γ on multivariate analysis (odds ratio 3.78 [95% confidence interval 1.33-10.8]). Stratification by sex revealed that anti-NXP-2 was specifically associated with cancer in males (odds ratio 5.78 [95% confidence interval 1.35-24.7]). CONCLUSION These studies demonstrate that anti-NXP-2 and anti-TIF-1γ antibodies are frequent DM specificities (found in 55% of patients) and are present in most patients with cancer-associated DM.
Functional status transitions and survival in HIV disease: evidence from the AIDS Costs and Service Utilization Survey.

OBJECTIVE The authors examined the prevalence of limitations in physical functioning in a large sample of people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and the patterns of change in their functional status with time. METHODS Patients receiving treatment for HIV infection were sampled from 26 providers in 10 cities across the United States; the analytic sample included 1,784 adults with HIV infection. Functional status was measured three times during a 12-month period. Respondents indicated whether they were limited in their ability to perform six activities, ranging from vigorous activities to bathing and dressing. Responses to the six items were combined to form an index of physical functioning. Medical records were used to determine stage of HIV infection, and death records were used to determine vital status. Changes in functional status during a 1-year period were assessed; correlates of change were examined using multinomial logistic regression, with "deceased" included as an outcome state. RESULTS Limitation was most prevalent for vigorous activities (55%) and least prevalent for activities of daily living (12%). For each activity, the prevalence of limitations rose with increasing disease severity. During 1 year, 43% of respondents did not change in functional status, whereas 42% became worse and 15% reported improved functioning. Controlling for prior functional status, multivariate analyses showed that declines in functioning were related to developing acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), to prior reports of fatigue, and to poor self-rated health. These same variables also predicted mortality. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that the most prevalent types of home care assistance needed by those with HIV disease involve help with energy-demanding activities, such as shopping, and that nonuniform patterns of change in functioning necessitate flexible programs to meet frequently changing needs.
Altered cortical network dynamics: a potential intermediate phenotype for schizophrenia and association with ZNF804A.

CONTEXT Studies have shown patterns of abnormal dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) functional connectivity with other brain areas in schizophrenia and association of these patterns with a putative susceptibility gene (ZNF804A). However, whether these patterns are trait phenomena linked to genetic risk for illness is unclear. OBJECTIVE To test the hypotheses that altered DLPFC connectivity is (1) a familial, likely heritable feature of genetic risk for schizophrenia, (2) a novel intermediate phenotype independent of altered DLPFC engagement, and (3) selectively modulated by a polymorphism in ZNF804A. DESIGN Cross-sectional case-control study using blood oxygen level-dependent functional magnetic resonance imaging during a working memory task and genotyping of rs1344706 in ZNF804A. SETTING Research center. PARTICIPANTS A total of 402 subjects (153 cognitively normal controls, 171 healthy siblings of patients with schizophrenia, and 78 patients). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Task-independent and task-dependent physiologic coupling between the DLPFC and other brain "target" regions investigated with (1) seeded connectivity and (2) psychophysiological interaction analysis. RESULTS Siblings and patients showed greater DLPFC "inefficiency" than controls. Abnormal DLPFC functional coupling with the hippocampus and, to a lesser degree, the rest of the prefrontal cortex, was observed in patients and siblings when compared with controls using both connectivity analyses. Prefrontal activation and connectivity measures within siblings did not correlate, implying that they were independent phenomena. The ZNF804A genotype significantly modulated DLPFC coupling with the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex but not DLPFC activity in the control group. Similarly, ZNF804A genotype modulated right DLPFC-hippocampal formation coupling in siblings and patients. CONCLUSIONS Coupling between the DLPFC and hippocampus is compromised in siblings of patients with schizophrenia and is independent of DLPFC engagement. The selective association with a single-nucleotide polymorphism in ZNF804A suggests that this intermediate phenotype proxies a distinct neural system mechanism related to genetic risk for schizophrenia and the biology of this gene.
Professionalism of Civil Servants as the Factor of Public Administration Efficiency Growth

The problems of efficiency growth of state run public authorities and governmental authorities are considered in the article. Professionalism of civil servants is the focus of the authors. Based on an analysis of the current practice of public administration they come to the conclusion that the human resource –knowledge and skills of management activity parties – is in the basis of its performance. The experience of using the competency approach in civil service in the Republic of Tatarstan is summarized in the article. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015. v6n1s3p481
Radioisotope albumin flux measurement of microvascular lung permeability: an independent parameter in acute respiratory failure?

Summary Aim: To evaluate the extent to which single measurements of microvascular lung permeability may be relevant as an additional parameter in a heterogenous clinical patient collective with Acute Lung Injury (ALI) and Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Methods: In 36 patients with pneumonia (13), non pneumogenic sepsis (9) or trauma (14) meeting the consensus conference criteria of ALI or ARDS double-isotope protein flux measurements (51Cr erythrocytes as intravascular tracer, Tc-99m human albumin as diffusible tracer) of microvascular lung permeability were performed using the Normalized Slope Index (NSI). The examination was to determine whether there is a relationship between the clinical diagnosis of ALI/ARDS, impaired permeability and clinical parameters, that is the underlying disease, oxygenation, duration of mechanical ventilation and mean pulmonary-artery pressure (PAP). Results: At the time of study, 25 patients presented with increased permeability (NSI > 1 × 10-3 min1) indicating an exudative stage of disease, and 11 patients with normal permeability. The permeability impairment correlated with the underlying disease (p >0.05). With respect to survival, there was a negative correlation to PAP (p <0.01). Apart from that no correlations between the individual parameters were found. Especially no correlation was found between permeability impairment and oxygenation, duration of disease or PAP. Conclusion: In ALI and ARDS, pulmonary capillary permeability is a diagnostic parameter which is independent from clinical variables. Permeability measurement makes a stage classification (exudative versus non exudative phase) of ALI/ARDS possible based on a measurable pathophysiological correlate.
Juvenile Antarctic rockcod (Trematomus bernacchii) are physiologically robust to CO2-acidified seawater

ABSTRACT To date, numerous studies have shown negative impacts of CO2-acidified seawater (i.e. ocean acidification, OA) on marine organisms, including calcifying invertebrates and fishes; however, limited research has been conducted on the physiological effects of OA on polar fishes and even less on the impact of OA on early developmental stages of polar fishes. We evaluated aspects of aerobic metabolism and cardiorespiratory physiology of juvenile emerald rockcod, Trematomus bernacchii, an abundant fish in the Ross Sea, Antarctica, to elevated partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2) [420 (ambient), 650 (moderate) and 1050 (high) μatm PCO2] over a 1 month period. We examined cardiorespiratory physiology, including heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output and ventilation rate, whole organism metabolism via oxygen consumption rate and sub-organismal aerobic capacity by citrate synthase enzyme activity. Juvenile fish showed an increase in ventilation rate under high PCO2 compared with ambient PCO2, whereas cardiac performance, oxygen consumption and citrate synthase activity were not significantly affected by elevated PCO2. Acclimation time had a significant effect on ventilation rate, stroke volume, cardiac output and citrate synthase activity, such that all metrics increased over the 4 week exposure period. These results suggest that juvenile emerald rockcod are robust to near-future increases in OA and may have the capacity to adjust for future increases in PCO2 by increasing acid-base compensation through increased ventilation. Summary: Juvenile Antarctic emerald rockcod are robust to projected ocean acidification scenarios and may have the capacity to adjust for future increases in PCO2 by increasing acid-base compensation through increased ventilation.