Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prospective Study of Pregnancy Outcomes After Parental Cell Phone Exposure: The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study

Background: Research about prenatal exposure to electromagnetic fields from cell phones among expectant parents and reproductive outcome is limited. The aim of this article is to investigate the association between pregnancy outcome and parental cell phone exposure in a large prospective study. Methods: The study was based on the Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study conducted during the decade 1999–2009. In that study, pregnant women were recruited before a routine ultrasound examination during gestational week 15; they answered a questionnaire at that time and again around gestational week 30. The expectant father was invited to answer a questionnaire during gestational week 15 (2001–2009). The forms contained questions regarding cell phone use. The response rate was 38.7% and the cohort comprised 100,730 singleton births. Pregnancy outcomes were obtained by linkage to the Medical Birth Registry of Norway. Results: The risk of preeclampsia was slightly lower among women with medium and high cell phone exposure compared with low exposure after adjusting for potential confounders. Fathers with testis exposure when using cell phones had a borderline increased risk of perinatal mortality among offspring and a slightly decreased risk of partner developing preeclampsia during pregnancy compared with no cell phone exposure of head or testis. None of the other pregnancy outcomes was associated with cell phone exposure. Conclusions: We found no association between maternal prenatal or paternal preconceptional cell phone exposure and any of the studied pregnancy outcomes. The only risk estimate suggesting a potential increased risk was not consistent with other findings.
Breastfeeding, PAM50 tumor subtype, and breast cancer prognosis and survival.

BACKGROUND Breastfeeding is associated with decreased breast cancer risk, yet associations with prognosis and survival by tumor subtype are largely unknown. METHODS We conducted a cohort study of 1636 women from two prospective breast cancer cohorts. Intrinsic tumor subtype (luminal A, luminal B, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 [HER2]-enriched, basal-like) was determined by the PAM50 gene expression assay. Breastfeeding history was obtained from participant questionnaires. Questionnaires and medical record reviews documented 383 recurrences and 290 breast cancer deaths during a median follow-up of nine years. Multinomial logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) between breastfeeding and tumor subtype. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for breast cancer recurrence or death. Statistical significance tests were two-sided. RESULTS Breast cancer patients with basal-like tumors were less likely to have previously breastfed than those with luminal A tumors (OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.39 to 0.80). Among all patients, ever breastfeeding was associated with decreased risk of recurrence (HR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.53 to 0.93), especially breastfeeding for six months or more (HR = 0.63, 95% CI = 0.46 to 0.87, P trend = .01). Similar associations were observed for breast cancer death. Among women with luminal A subtype, ever breastfeeding was associated with decreased risks of recurrence (HR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.31 to 0.89) and breast cancer death (HR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.29 to 0.93), yet no statistically significant associations were observed among the other subtypes. Effects appeared to be limited to tumors with lower expression of proliferation genes. CONCLUSIONS History of breastfeeding might affect prognosis and survival by establishing a luminal tumor environment with lower proliferative activity.
Randomized controlled trial of colestipol in antibiotic‐associated colitis

Thirty‐eight patients with severe antibiotic‐associated postoperative diarrhoea were entered into a randomized controlled trial to compare colestipol (an ion exchange resin) in 17 patients with placebo (sherbet) in 21 patients. Clostridium difficile or its toxin was present before treatment in 12 of the colestipol group, compared with only 5 in the placebo group. Because of the low incidence of Cl. difficile or its toxin, the placebo group data from 22 patients receiving placebo in a previous trial (9 of whom had Cl. difficile or toxin) were included for comparison. Neither colestipol nor placebo had any influence on the faecal excretion of Cl. difficile or its toxin. Colestipol was clinically no better than placebo. In view of the persistent faecal excretion of Cl. difficile toxin, ion exchange resins cannot be recommended for the treatment of antibiotic‐associated colitis.
Drought tolerance as predicted by leaf water potential at turgor loss point varies strongly across species within an Amazonian forest

Summary Amazonian droughts are predicted to become increasingly frequent and intense, and the vulnerability of Amazonian trees has become increasingly documented. However, little is known about the physiological mechanisms and the diversity of drought tolerance of tropical trees due to the lack of quantitative measurements. Leaf water potential at wilting or turgor loss point (πtlp) is a determinant of the tolerance of leaves to drought stress and contributes to plant-level physiological drought tolerance. Recently, it has been demonstrated that leaf osmotic water potential at full hydration (πo) is tightly correlated with πtlp. Estimating πtlp from osmometer measurements of πo is much faster than the standard pressure–volume curve approach of πtlp determination. We used this technique to estimate πtlp for 165 trees of 71 species, at three sites within forests in French Guiana. Our data set represents a significant increase in available data for this trait for tropical tree species. Tropical trees showed a wider range of drought tolerance than previously found in the literature, πtlp ranging from −1·4 to −3·2 MPa. This range likely corresponds in part to adaptation and acclimation to occasionally extreme droughts during the dry season. Leaf-level drought tolerance varied across species, in agreement with the available published observations of species variation in drought-induced mortality. On average, species with a more negative πtlp (i.e. with greater leaf-level drought tolerance) occurred less frequently across the region than drought-sensitive species. Across individuals, πtlp correlated positively but weakly with leaf toughness (R2 = 0·22, P = 0·04) and leaf thickness (R2 = 0·03, P = 0·03). No correlation was detected with other functional traits (leaf mass per area, leaf area, nitrogen or carbon concentrations, carbon isotope ratio, sapwood density or bark thickness). The variability in πtlp among species indicates a potential for highly diverse species responses to drought within given forest communities. Given the weak correlations between πtlp and traditionally measured plant functional traits, vegetation models seeking to predict forest response to drought should integrate improved quantification of comparative drought tolerance among tree species.
Obesity - A Promoter of Allergy?

The prevalence of both obesity and allergy has been increasing throughout the world, leading to the hypothesis that the two are linked to one another. This overview summarizes the results of 34 studies from 2002 to 2012 that investigated a possible contributing effect of increasing body mass on the development and prevalence of various atopic diseases. Obesity was found to clearly affect bronchial asthma. However, the correlation was stronger in the nonatopic asthma phenotype. Obesity was found to be associated with the development of atopic dermatitis in children only. No clear association was found between obesity and the prevalence of allergic rhinitis or allergic conjunctivitis or increased sensitization to food allergens. This review sums up our study results and discusses a possible role of obesity in the promotion of allergy and asthma.
Healthcare utilization and costs associated with cholangiocarcinoma

Abstract Background and aims. Cholangiocarcinoma is a rare but devastating malignancy associated with a poor prognosis and a high mortality rate. With the recent advances in detection and treatment, it is unclear if the incidence and outcomes of cholangiocarcinoma are improving in the United States. The aim of this study was to evaluate the trends in the incidence, costs and mortality rates of cholangiocarcinoma- related hospital admissions in the USA. Methods. We utilized the National Inpatient Sample Database (NIS) from 1997–2012 for all patients in whom cholangiocarcinoma (ICD-9 code 155.1, 156) was the principal discharge diagnosis. The temporal trends in the number of hospital admissions, length of stay and, hospitalization costs along with mortality rates over the study period were determined by using regression analysis for trends. Results. There was a significant increase in the number of hospital admissions for cholangiocarcinoma as the principal diagnosis from 1997 to 2012 (10 357 vs 11 970, P<0.001). The mean length of stay for cholangiocarcinoma decreased by 17 % between 1997 and 2012 from 9.5 days to 7.9 days (P<0.001). However, during the same period, the mean hospital charges per patient (adjusted for inflation) increased 113.25% from $36 460 in 1997 to $77 753 in 2012. The in-hospital mortality rate decreased from 9.3% in 1997 to 6.4% in 2012 (P<0.001). Conclusions. There was a significant increase in the number of hospital admissions and associated costs from cholangiocarcinoma in the USA between 1997 and 2012. However, this was accompanied by a decrease in the inpatient mortality rates from cholangiocarcinoma.
Normal splenic volume in adults by computed tomography.

BACKGROUND/AIMS The purpose of the present study was to examine variations in spleen size in adults. METHODOLOGY The spleen volume was measured by computed tomography in 150 healthy donors for liver transplantation. The correlations between spleen volume and age, gender, body weight and body surface area were analyzed. RESULTS The mean volume of the spleen was 112 cm3, ranging from 32 to 209 cm3. The spleen volume significantly correlated with age (R = 0.36, p = 0.0002), but not with body weight or surface area. Gender did not influence the variation in spleen size. CONCLUSIONS A crude normal range stratified by age should provide useful information in the diagnosis of splenomegaly.
A slab in depth: Three‐dimensional geometry and evolution of the Indo‐Australian plate

Geoscientists use plate tectonics to explain many aspects of both continental evolution and evolution of the planet as a whole. The subduction of material at convergent plate boundaries forms a fundamental component to the theory of plate tectonics. Plates, continents, subduction zones, and spreading centers all exhibit motion and geometric evolution, so to try and resolve the past geometries of the planet, geologists have utilized plate tectonic reconstructions. Here we present a three‐dimensional image of the subducted Indo‐Australian plate below southeast Asia and show that the geometry of the subducted slab at depth is intimately related to the geometric evolution of SE Asia over the past 50 Ma, including the collision of India with the Asian continent. We show how the once semicontinuous subducting Indo‐Australian plate has been segmented during collision between India, Australian, and the subduction margin to the north. Thus we have found that the geometry of the subducted plate should form a key component to the interpretation of the evolution of Earth's surface, as complexities and evolution of the subducted plate are manifest in the evolution of the overriding plate.
Influence of sampling time and ultrafiltration coefficient of the dialysis membrane on cardiac troponin I and T.

CONTEXT The measurement of cardiac troponin I (TnI) and T (TnT) is essential to diagnose, guide therapy, and predict outcomes of the acute coronary syndrome. Increased levels of troponins, especially TnT, are frequently observed in patients on chronic hemodialysis (HD), reflecting ongoing and subclinical myocardial damage. OBJECTIVE Because these markers are increasingly used for stratification of cardiac risk in these patients, their behavior during HD should be acknowledged to optimize their clinical usefulness. DESIGN TnI and TnT were measured in 34 patients pre-HD and post-HD by either high- or low-flux membranes. The post-HD concentrations were corrected for hemoconcentration. RESULTS Pre-HD levels above the 99th percentile reference limits of the general population of TnI (>0.06 ng/ mL) and TnT (>0.01 ng/mL) were observed in 9% (13% high-flux, 6% low-flux membranes) and 88% (94% high-flux; 83% low-flux membranes) of the patients, respectively. No significant difference was observed in mean pre-HD values between patients dialyzed by low- and high-flux membranes. The overall decrease post-HD of both troponins (-21% and -17% for TnI and TnT, respectively) only reached statistical significance in patients dialyzed by low-flux membranes (-27% and -37% for TnI and TnT, respectively). A significant correlation was observed between absolute variations of TnI and TnT pre-HD to post-HD. CONCLUSIONS Results of our investigation attest that high-flux membranes clear both troponins more efficiently from circulation than low-flux membranes. Therefore, sampling time and ultrafiltration coefficient of the HD membrane should be regarded as potential sources of variability in the clinical interpretation of troponin measurement in HD patients.
Modelling of growth curves and estimation of genetic parameters for growth curve parameters in Peruvian young llamas ( Lama glama )

The objectives of this study were to describe the growth of young llamas by the application of four non-linear functions (Gompertz, Logistic, Von Bertalanffy and Brody), evaluate the importance of fixed (environmental) effects (sex, type of llama, month and year of birth) on growth curve parameters and finally estimate the genetic parameters for growth curve parameters (A: asymptotic body weight and k: specific growth rate). A total of 35,691 monthly body weight records from birth up to 16 months of age from 2675 young llamas, collected from 1998 to 2008 in the Quimsachata Experimental Station of the Instituto Nacional de Innovación Agraria (INIA) in Peru were used. Growth curve parameters were estimated by non-linear procedures while genetic parameters were estimated by application of a bivariate animal model and the restricted maximum likelihood (REML) method. All non-linear functions closely fitted actual body weight measurements, while the Gompertz function provided the best fit in describing the growth data of young llamas. All environmental effects significantly influenced the asymptotic weight (A), while the specific growth rate (k) was only affected by the month and year of birth. Heritability estimates for parameters A and k were 0.10 and 0.01, respectively. Genetic correlation between A and k was high and negative (−0.82), indicating that a rapid decrease in growth rate after inflection point is associated with higher mature weight. Despite the low heritability estimates obtained herein, slight genetic gain(s) were observed in the current study suggesting that a selection program to change the slope of the growth curve of llamas may be feasible. © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Effects of Combustor Rig Exposure on a Porous‐Matrix Oxide Composite

The present study explores the effects of exposure in a laboratory combustor on microstructural stability and property retention of an all-oxide fiber-reinforced ceramic composite. The material consists of a porous mullite–alumina matrix and Nextel 720 fibers in an eight-harness satin weave. To assess the effects of matrix strength, two matrix conditions are used, distinguished from one another by the amount of alumina added through precursor impregnation and pyrolysis (1.8% and 4.8%). In both cases, the dominant damage mode upon exposure involves interply delamination along the panel midplane. However, significant reductions in the rate and extent of cracking are obtained in the material with higher alumina content: a result of the higher delamination resistance. Mechanical tests performed on exposed specimens reveal a slight (10–20%) reduction in tensile strength along the fiber direction and a comparable increase in shear strength. These trends suggest some sintering of the matrix upon exposure. Examinations of fracture surfaces provide additional supporting evidence. Implications for long-term performance and strategies for imparting improvement in microstructural stability and delamination resistance are discussed.
Frequency of delayed‐type hypersensitivity to contact allergens in psoriatic patients

Patients and Methods A cohort of 55 hospitalized psoriatic patients aged between 9 and 83 years (mean 53) were studied. 43 (23 male and 20 female) had diffuse psoriasis vulgaris and 12 (11 female and 1 male) palmoplantar psoriasis, of which 1 had the pustular form. Patients with erythrodermal and generalized psoriasis, and those on systemic corticosteroids or immunosuppressants, were excluded. Particular regard was paid in the history to previous topical treatment. Disease severity was evaluated on a psoriasis area severity index (PASI) scale. Patch tests were performed with the 1996 GIRDCA standard series and a series of topical treatments for psoriasis (6 galenic and 10 commercial) (Table 1), readings being made at D2 and D3.
Concurrent and Sustained Cumulative Effects of Adolescent Marijuana Use on Subclinical Psychotic Symptoms.

OBJECTIVE Adolescents who regularly use marijuana may be at heightened risk of developing subclinical and clinical psychotic symptoms. However, this association could be explained by reverse causation or other factors. To address these limitations, the current study examined whether adolescents who engage in regular marijuana use exhibit a systematic increase in subclinical psychotic symptoms that persists during periods of sustained abstinence. METHOD The sample comprised 1,009 boys who were recruited in 1st and 7th grades. Self-reported frequency of marijuana use, subclinical psychotic symptoms, and several time-varying confounds (e.g., other substance use, internalizing/externalizing problems) were recorded annually from age 13 to 18. Fixed-effects (within-individual change) models examined whether adolescents exhibited an increase in their subclinical psychotic symptoms as a function of their recent and/or cumulative history of regular marijuana use and whether these effects were sustained following abstinence. Models controlled for all time-stable factors (default) and several time-varying covariates as potential confounds. RESULTS For each year adolescent boys engaged in regular marijuana use, their expected level of subsequent subclinical psychotic symptoms rose by 21% and their expected odds of experiencing subsequent subclinical paranoia or hallucinations rose by 133% and 92%, respectively. The effect of prior regular marijuana use on subsequent subclinical psychotic symptoms persisted even when adolescents stopped using marijuana for a year. These effects were after controlling for all time-stable and several time-varying confounds. No support was found for reverse causation. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that regular marijuana use may significantly increase the risk that an adolescent will experience persistent subclinical psychotic symptoms.
Efficacy of high-dose methotrexate, ifosfamide, etoposide and dexamethasone salvage therapy for recurrent or refractory childhood malignant lymphoma.

BACKGROUND Children with recurrent or refractory malignant lymphoma generally have a poor prognosis. There is a need for new active drug combinations for this high-risk group of patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS This study evaluated the activity and toxicity of the methotrexate, ifosfamide, etoposide and dexamethasone (MIED) regimen for childhood refractory/recurrent non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) or Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). From 1991 through 2006, 62 children with refractory/recurrent NHL (n = 24) or HL (n = 38) received one to six cycles of MIED. Based on MIED response, intensification with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) was considered. RESULTS There were 10 complete (CR) and 5 partial responses (PR) among the 24 children with NHL [combined response rate, 63%; 95% confidence interval (CI) 38% to 73%]. There were 13 CR and 18 PR among the 37 assessable children with HL (combined response rate, 84%; 95% CI, 68% to 94%). Although 59% courses were associated with grade IV neutropenia, treatment was well tolerated and without toxic deaths. CONCLUSIONS MIED is an effective regimen for refractory/recurrent childhood malignant lymphoma, permitting a bridge to intensification therapy with HSCT.
Elastic Fibers in Scars and Alopecia.

REFERENCES 1. McGregor MW, O’connor GB, Saffier S. Complications of rhinoplasty. I. Skin and subcutaneous tissues. J Int Coll Surg. 1958; 30:179–185. 2. Tracy LE, Badran K, Siaghani P, et al. Dorsal nasal mucocele: a delayed complication of rhinoplasty. Aesthetic Plast Surg. 2014;38:100–103. 3. Chang DY, Jin HR. Foreign body inclusion cyst of the nasal radix after augmentation rhinoplasty. J Korean Med Sci. 2008;23:1109–1112. 4. Bassichis BA, Thomas JR. Foreign-body inclusion cyst presenting on the lateral nasal sidewall 1 year after rhinoplasty. Arch Facial Plast Surg. 2003;5:530–532. 5. Sandberg T, Carlsson J, Karlsson Ott M. Interactions between human neutrophils and mucincoated surfaces. J Mater Sci Mater Med. 2009; 20:621–631. Elastic Fibers in Scars and Alopecia
Cloning and Sequence Analysis of Two Copies of a 23 S rRNA Gene from Helicobacter pylori and Association of Clarithromycin Resistance with 23 S rRNA Mutations

In this study, two identical copies of a 23S-5S gene cluster, which are separately situated within the Helicobacter pylori UA802 chromosome, were cloned and sequenced. Comparison of the DNA sequence of the H. pylori 23S rRNA gene with known sequences of other bacterial 23S rRNA genes indicated that the H. pylori UA802 23S rRNA genes are closely related to those of Campylobacter spp. and therefore belong in the proposed Proteobacteria subdivision. The 5*-terminal nucleotide T or A of the 23S rRNA is close to a Pribnow box which could be a 210 region of the transcription promoter for the 23S rRNA gene, suggesting that a posttranscriptional process is likely not involved in the maturation of the H. pylori 23S rRNA. Clinical isolates of H. pylori resistant to clarithromycin were examined by using natural transformation and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. Cross-resistance to clarithromycin and erythromycin, which was transferred by natural transformation from the Cla Ery donor strain H. pylori E to the Cla Ery recipient strain H. pylori UA802, was associated with an single A-to-G transition mutation at position 2142 of both copies of the 23S rRNA in UA802 Cla Ery mutants. The transformation frequency for Cla and Ery was found to be approximately 2 3 10 transformants per viable cell, and the MICs of both clarithromycin and erythromycin for the Cla Ery mutants were equal to those for the donor isolate. Our results confirmed the previous findings that mutations at positions 2142 and 2143 of the H. pylori 23S rRNA gene are responsible for clarithromycin resistance and suggest that acquisition of clarithromycin resistance in H. pylori could also result from horizontal transfer.