Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Atrial fibrillation burden: a 'hard' indicator of therapeutic efficacy and a prognostic marker to boot?

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with embolic accidents and heart failure as well as increased mortality.1 Associated heart disease is known to be an important factor determining mortality.1 On the other hand, the significance of the arrhythmia in patients with lone AF has been more difficult to prove perhaps because of the difficulty of measuring the time spent in AF, the burden of AF, and thus establishing a dose–effect relationship. Somewhat paradoxically, a recent consensus statement2 does not distinguish between the prognostic implications of paroxysmal vs long-standing chronic AF while at the same time recommending anticoagulation before cardioversion of long-lasting AF but not for AF of recent onset. From a mechanistic point of view, the longer the atria remain in fibrillation, the greater the stasis and the likelihood of stasis-generated thrombi. In experimental models, short durations of AF result in less electrical and structural atrial remodelling.3 The duration of atrial stunning following cardioversion may also be proportional to the duration of preceding AF,4 favouring continuing stasis despite the restoration of sinus rhythm. A systemic embolic accident also requires the ejection of left atrial thrombi into the systemic circulation, and reversion to sinus rhythm can provide a sufficiently powerful atrial appendage contraction. One possible reason why the AF burden is … *Corresponding author. Tel: +41 22 3727197, Fax: +41 22 3727229, Email: dipen.shah{at}hcuge.ch
SYSTEMIC VECTORS OF INDIVIDUAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL DIMENSIONS IN EMERGENCE OF MOBBING IN EMPLOYEE RELATIONS

ANNOTATION The purpose of this research article is pursued by analysing and systematising the results of the recent research, drawing the vectors of organizatio n l environment, the change in direction which woul d influence the phenomenon preventively. In this arti cle the causes of mobbing are analysed in two ways: in individual and organizational aspects, in order to answer the question of how to reduce the risk of mo bbing by managerial actions, taking into account these cr it ria. The role of organizational system is highli ted as a factor, determining the emergence of bullying in th e work environment. The analysis of individual caus es of mobbing reveals that the attacks related to bullyin g are more likely to occur on personalities with ex ceptional features. The dynamics of organizational and indivi dual factors, which affects bullying in organizatio n and escalation of mobbing, was determined. The systemat ised findings of the most recent and earlier resear ch suggest the topics for new studies of mobbing in re lations within work organizations.
Insomnia in Patients With Advanced Cancer

Introduction: Insomnia is underrecognized in patients with cancer. By identifying clinical correlations and predisposing factors of insomnia, interventions may be initiated to treat insomnia. Methods: Consecutive patients referred to palliative medicine services were screened with a single question. Patients answering affirmatively completed the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Patients were screened for depression, fatigue, and pain. Spearman correlation was performed for associations. Results: Of 715 consecutive patients, 102 had sleep problems and 64 had clinical insomnia by the ISI criteria. Insomnia correlated with depression (r = .32), pain (r = .29), and tiredness (r = .40) but not with age or precipitating factors. Discussion: Insomnia severity moderately correlates with depression, pain, and tiredness. We found no association of insomnia severity with age or medications. Conclusion: Insomnia, pain, depression, and tiredness are a symptom cluster.
Inversion of a glacier hydrology model

ABSTRACT The subglacial hydrologic system exerts strong controls on the dynamics of the overlying ice, yet the parameters that govern the evolution of this system are not widely known or observable. To gain a better understanding of these parameters, we invert a spatially averaged model of subglacial hydrology from observations of ice surface velocity and outlet stream discharge at Kennicott Glacier, Wrangell Mountains, AK, USA. To identify independent parameters, we formally non-dimensionalize the forward model. After specifying suitable prior distributions, we use a Markov-chain Monte Carlo algorithm to sample from the distribution of parameter values conditioned on the available data. This procedure gives us not only the most probable parameter values, but also a rigorous estimate of their covariance structure. We find that the opening of cavities due to sliding over basal topography and turbulent melting are of a similar magnitude during periods of large input flux, though turbulent melting also exhibits the greatest uncertainty. We also find that both the storage of water in the englacial system and the exchange of water between englacial and subglacial systems are necessary in order to explain both surface velocity observations and the relative attenuation in the amplitude of diurnal signals between input and output flux observations.
[Status of dietary calcium intake of Chinese residents].

OBJECTIVE To describe the calcium intake of different age and gender residents in different area in China. METHODS 68962 study' participants were came from 23,470 households who were randomly selected from 132 counties in 31 provinces, autonomous regions and the municipalities in China. The 24-hour dietary recall method for 3 consecutive days was used to collect food intake information, except for the condiment intake, which was collected by weighting method. RESULTS The average intakes of calcium were low in Chinese population. The average intake of calcium of male people were more higher than those of female people, while the intake level of urban residents were more higher than those of rural residents. The calcium intake of the most persons could reach 20%-60% of adequate intake (Al). Less than 5% person's calcium intake could reach AI. Only 1.1% to 1.7% adolescents aged 11 years to 13 years whose calcium intake level could reach AI. The main sources of calcium were vegetable, bean and bean product, wheat and rice, which provided 35.2%, 13.9%, 11.2% and 9.1% calcium respectively, only 4.3% calcium came from dairy products. CONCLUSION The deficiency of calcium is a common problem in Chinese residents. In particular, the adolescents are the most serious group.
Paying Research Participants: Regulatory Uncertainty, Conceptual Confusion, and a Path Forward.

The practice of offering payment to individuals in exchange for their participation in clinical research is widespread and longstanding. Nevertheless, such payment remains the source of substantial debate, in particular about whether or the extent to which offers of payment coerce and/or unduly induce individuals to participate. Yet, the various laws, regulations, and ethical guidelines that govern the conduct of human subjects research offer relatively little in the way of specific guidance regarding what makes a payment offer ethically acceptable-or not. Moreover, there is a lack of definitional agreement regarding what the terms coercion and undue inducement mean in the human subjects research context. It is, therefore, unsurprising that investigators and Institutional Review Boards (IRBs) experience confusion about how to evaluate offers of payment, and lean toward conservative approaches. These trends are exemplified by our pilot data regarding the ways in which some IRB members and investigators (mis)understand the concepts of coercion and undue inducement, as well as the ways in which certain research institutions oversee offers of payment at a local level. This article systematically examines the legal and ethical dimensions of offering payment to research participants. It argues that many concerns about offers of payment to research participants can be attributed to the misguided view that such offers ought to be treated differently than offers of payment in other contexts, a form of "research exceptionalism. " We show that rejection of research exceptionalism with respect to payment helps settle open debates about both how best to define coercion and undue influence, and how to understand the relation between these concepts and offers of payment. We argue for adoption of our preferred definitions, ideally by regulatory authorities, and against the conventional conservatism toward payment of research participants. Instead, we draw attention to the rarely asked, even radical, question: are research participants paid enough? We conclude by arguing that we ought to change the default to favor, rather than encourage suspicion of, offers of payment to research participants.
New observational evidence for global warming from satellite

Accurate measurements of surface radiative temperature, i.e. skin temperature, would be more directly interpretable in terms of the surface response to increase of greenhouse gases than the more conventional screen temperatures. Such measurements have not previously been attempted because of the difficulties of converting existing observations into a meaningful measurement. We have developed procedures for removing the effects of changing satellite orbits and cloud contamination from skin temperatures estimated from AVHRR channels 4 and 5, and so provide a first estimate of the trends of land surface skin temperature over the last two decades. The estimated land temperature increase is not only much greater than that for the atmosphere but also apparently somewhat larger than the estimates of surface air temperature increase from in situ measurement.
Inhibition of nitric oxide synthase does not prevent the induction of long-term potentiation in vivo

Nitric oxide (NO), a putative intercellular messenger in the CNS, may be involved in certain forms of synaptic plasticity and learning. This article reports a series of experiments investigating whether an inhibitor of NO synthase, N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L- NAME), affects long-term potentiation (LTP) in vivo, as the results of recent in vitro experiments would predict. L-NAME, given as an acute injection at a dose sufficient to inhibit hippocampal NO synthase (> 90%), had no effect on perforant path-dentate gyrus LTP induced by a strongly suprathreshold tetanus, but appeared to impair LTP induced by a weak near-threshold tetanus that may be more physiologically relevant. However, subsequent studies revealed that chronic L-NAME treatment (> 95% inhibition of NO synthase) had no effect upon LTP induction, and that acute (but not chronic) treatment resulted in a gradual but significant reduction in nontetanized baseline field potentials. The baseline shift appeared to be of a magnitude sufficient to account for the apparent impairment of weak tetanus-induced LTP. This possibility was further examined in a two-hemisphere experiment in which the time course of changes in the field EPSP of the nontetanized pathway served as the within-subject control for the tetanized pathway. No impairment of LTP induction was observed; indeed, if anything, there was a trend for greater potentiation with L-NAME. Because NO has also been implicated in the control of vasodilation, the effect of L-NAME on cerebrovascular function was also investigated. Peripheral blood pressure was significantly increased by L-NAME at the same dose that affected the field EPSP. Local cerebral glucose utilization was unchanged, while local cerebral blood flow decreased significantly in various brain regions, including the hippocampus, indicating an uncoupling of cerebral metabolism and blood flow. Thus, while NO synthase inhibition does not appear to limit the induction of LTP in vivo, it does reduce the size of baseline field EPSPs and affect local cerebrovascular function.
Sexual Identity and Substance Use Among Undergraduate Students

This study examined the association between sexual identity and use of alcohol and other drugs (AOD) among college undergraduate students. A survey regarding AOD use was administered to a random sample of 3607 undergraduate students. The sample included 65 self-identified lesbian or bisexual (LB) women and 54 self-identified gay or bisexual (GB) men. Multivariate logistic regression indicated that while alcohol use did not differ for LB and heterosexual women, LB women were significantly more likely to experience certain AOD-related consequences, smoke cigarettes, and use marijuana, ecstasy, and other drugs. GB men were significantly less likely than heterosexual men to drink heavily but were more likely to use some drugs. These findings provide evidence that sexual identity is an important predictor of AOD use among undergraduate students. These findings support the need for continued research and intervention efforts that target LGB collegians.
Lower Extremity Arterial Disease in Sports

The recent description of exercise-induced intimal fi brosis affecting mainly the iliac artery (and therefore usually described as external iliac artery endofibrosis) has dramatically changed the diagnostic approach of unexplained recurrent lower limb exercise pain, espe cially in cyclists. Because arterial disease is often as sociated with the aftereffect of various concomitant musculotendinous lesions, several months may pass before an arterial origin is suspected. The arterial origin of the pain must not be eliminated on normal ankle-to- arm index or normal Doppler velocity profiles at rest. Ultrasound examinations taken at rest may show the lesions in 80% of endofibrotic patients and allow for the diagnosis of popliteal entrapment syndrome during dorsiflexion of the foot. However, the hemodynamic consequences of a stenosis on the aortoiliofemoral axis can only be proved by measurement of the ankle- to-arm index after exercise. A cutoff of this index <0.5 provides an 85% sensitivity in the detection of endofi brosis. Invasive investigations (arteriography or an gioscopy) will confirm the diagnosis before surgery is discussed. Although long-term results in endofibrosis are unknown, most of the surgically treated patients return to competition.
Investigating Behavioral and Psychophysiological Reactions to Conflict-Related and Individualized Stimuli as Potential Correlates of Repression

Background: Repression is considered as a central defense mechanism in psychodynamic theory. It refers to the process by which “unbearable” mental contents (e.g., those related to internal conflicts) are kept out of consciousness. The process of repression is probably closely related to concepts of emotion regulation derived from a different theoretical background. This relationship is particularly relevant because it relates repression to current research in the affective neurosciences as well as to experimental studies on emotion regulation. Due to its complex and highly individual nature, repression has been notoriously difficult to investigate. We investigated repression with an individualized experiment in healthy subjects in order to establish methods to study repression in clinical populations. To this end we operationalized repression using individualized experimental conditions, and then studied potential behavioral [memory and reaction time (RT)] and psychophysiological correlates [skin conductance response (SCR)]. Method: Twenty-nine healthy female subjects were asked to freely associate to individualized cue sentences. Sentences were generated from individual psychodynamic interviews based on operationlized psychodynamic diagnosis (OPD), and were comprised of three different types: positive, negative non-conflictual, and negative conflict-related sentences. Subjects were asked to name the first three associations coming into their mind. Afterward, the remaining time was used for free association. SCR during each association trial and RT of the first given association were recorded. The memory for the first three associations was subsequently tested in an unexpected recall. Results: Associations to conflict-related cue sentences were associated with longer RTs and increased SCRs. Moreover, the unexpected recall task showed memory for these associations to be reduced. Conclusion: We interpret these findings as possible correlates of repression, in line with a history of experimental research into repression using non-individualized cues. Consequently, we suggest that this experimental paradigm could serve to investigate repression in clinical populations.
AraQTL – workbench and archive for systems genetics in Arabidopsis thaliana

Genetical genomics studies uncover genome-wide genetic interactions between genes and their transcriptional regulators. High-throughput measurement of gene expression in recombinant inbred line populations has enabled investigation of the genetic architecture of variation in gene expression. This has the potential to enrich our understanding of the molecular mechanisms affected by and underlying natural variation. Moreover, it contributes to the systems biology of natural variation, as a substantial number of experiments have resulted in a valuable amount of interconnectable phenotypic, molecular and genotypic data. A number of genetical genomics studies have been published for Arabidopsis thaliana, uncovering many expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs). However, these complex data are not easily accessible to the plant research community, leaving most of the valuable genetic interactions unexplored as cross-analysis of these studies is a major effort. We address this problem with AraQTL (http://www.bioinformatics.nl/Ara QTL/), an easily accessible workbench and database for comparative analysis and meta-analysis of all published Arabidopsis eQTL datasets. AraQTL provides a workbench for comparing, re-using and extending upon the results of these experiments. For example, one can easily screen a physical region for specific local eQTLs that could harbour candidate genes for phenotypic QTLs, or detect gene-by-environment interactions by comparing eQTLs under different conditions.
Treatment of lupus nephritis--a work in progress.

Until the pathogenesis of nephritis due to systemic lupus erythematosus has been unraveled, optimal treatment for patients with this disease will remain an elusive goal. When the causes of lupus nephritis become known, we should be able to design specific immunosuppressive and immunomodulating therapy. Genetic and environmental risk factors may be useful for identifying patients at risk and possibly preventing the development of nephritis. Optimal treatment would include reprogramming B- and T-cell immune responses to ignore nephritogenic antigens, thereby eliminating the elaboration of injurious inflammatory mediators and growth factors and promoting healing. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus often have inflammatory .
Epigenetic and gene expression changes related to transgenerational carcinogenesis

Transgenerational carcinogenesis refers to transmission of cancer risk to the untreated progeny of parents exposed to carcinogens before mating. Accumulated evidence suggests that the mechanism of this process is epigenetic, and might involve hormonal and gene expression changes in offspring. To begin to test this hypothesis, we utilized a mouse model (NIH Swiss) in which exposure of fathers to Cr(III) chloride 2 wk before mating can alter incidence of neoplastic and nonneoplastic changes in offspring tissues. Utilizing a MS‐RDA approach, we found that the sperm of these fathers had a significantly higher percentage of undermethylated copies of the 45S ribosomal RNA gene (rRNA); this finding was confirmed by bisulfite sequencing. Because gene methylation is a known mechanism of expression control in germ cells, and ribosomal RNA levels have been linked to cancer, these findings are consistent with the hypothesis. Secondly, we observed that offspring of Cr(III)‐treated fathers were significantly heavier than controls, and had higher levels of serum T3. Possible effects of T3 levels on gene expression in the offspring were examined by microarray analysis of cDNAs from liver. A total of 58 genes, including 25 named genes, had expression ratios that correlated significantly with serum T3 ratios at P ≤ 0.001. Some of these genes have potential roles in growth and/or tumor suppression. These results also support the hypothesis of an epigenetic and/or gene expression–based mechanism for transgenerational carcinogenesis. Published 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Esophageal and Gastric Cancers in Sub-Saharan Africa, Epidemiological and Clinical Review

The data on esophageal and gastric cancers in sub-Saharan Africa are fragmented and not numerous because of the rarity and of the inaccessibility of the diagnostic means. Esophageal cancer has very variable incidences according to the geographical zones there and nutritional and infectious factors are incriminated in its arisen. It reaches young subjects with a preferential siege the average esophagus with ascendancy of squamous cell carcinomas. For gastric cancer, its incidence there is low despite the strong prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection. As in Western countries, Helicobacter pylori’s gene Cag A is correlated in its arisen there but the low prevalence of strains with multiple EPIYA-C segments might contribute to its low incidence. It affects young subjects more often male with a big ascendancy of adenocarcinoma. The improvement of the diagnostic conditions and the financing of researches are necessary for a better knowledge of the risk and the protective factors of esophageal and gastric cancers in sub-Saharan Africa.
The Relation Between Evaluation and Racial Categorization of Emotional Faces

Prior research has found that indirectly measured preference for White people over Black people is positively related to categorizing angry racially ambiguous faces as Black. This past work found no evidence that directly measured racial preferences predict this racial categorization bias (RCB), suggesting that the RCB could be a unique and easily administered tool for investigating automatic evaluation and validating automatic evaluation measures. In two studies (total N > 7,000), using structural equation models that account for error variance, multiple indirect evaluation measures were uniquely related to the RCB, thus bolstering their predictive validity. However, the RCB also correlated with self-reported evaluation, leaving psychologists without a robust, replicable outcome uniquely related to automatic evaluation. The lack of such an outcome hinders theoretical and practical progress in research on implicit social cognition.