Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Range of Impaired Functioning Tool (LIFE–RIFT): a brief measure of functional impairment

Background. The literature documents that functional impairment is associated with affective disorders. Nevertheless, the choice among thorough, yet brief, well-validated assessments of functional impairment is limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of a brief scale of functional impairment, the Range of Impaired Functioning Tool (LIFE–RIFT). Method. The study sample included subjects who presented with major depressive disorder at intake into the NIMH Collaborative Depression Study (CDS). The LIFE–RIFT is composed of items that are included in the Longitudinal Interval Follow-up Evaluation (LIFE). The reliability and validity were examined using data from LIFE–RIFT assessments conducted at four points in time: 6, 12, 18 and 24 months after intake into the CDS. Results. Cross-sectional one factor models accounted for the covariance structure among the four scale items. A longitudinal factor model, with an invariant factor structure over time, also fitted the data well and indicated that the scale items are measures of one construct, namely functional impairment. The internal consistency reliability of the scale was supported with alpha coefficients ranging from 0·81 to 0·83. The inter-rater reliability intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was 0·94. Mixed-effect linear regression models showed that those in episode were significantly more impaired than those in recovery. Furthermore, in analyses of predictive validity, impairment was positively associated with subsequent recurrence and negatively associated with subsequent recovery. Conclusions. This psychometric evaluation provides empirical support for the reliability and validity of the LIFE–RIFT, a brief measure of functional impairment.
Very Low Birth Weight Preterm Infants With Surgical Short Bowel Syndrome: Incidence, Morbidity and Mortality, and Growth Outcomes at 18 to 22 Months

OBJECTIVES. The objective of this study was to determine the (1) incidence of short bowel syndrome in very low birth weight (<1500 g) infants, (2) associated morbidity and mortality during initial hospitalization, and (3) impact on short-term growth and nutrition in extremely low birth weight (<1000 g) infants. METHODS. Infants who were born from January 1, 2002, through June 30, 2005, and enrolled in the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Neonatal Research Network were studied. Risk factors for developing short bowel syndrome as a result of partial bowel resection (surgical short bowel syndrome) and outcomes were evaluated for all neonates until hospital discharge, death, or 120 days. Extremely low birth weight survivors were further evaluated at 18 to 22 months' corrected age for feeding methods and growth. RESULTS. The incidence of surgical short bowel syndrome in this cohort of 12316 very low birth weight infants was 0.7%. Necrotizing enterocolitis was the most common diagnosis associated with surgical short bowel syndrome. More very low birth weight infants with short bowel syndrome (20%) died during initial hospitalization than those without necrotizing enterocolitis or short bowel syndrome (12%) but fewer than the infants with surgical necrotizing enterocolitis without short bowel syndrome (53%). Among 5657 extremely low birth weight infants, the incidence of surgical short bowel syndrome was 1.1%. At 18 to 22 months, extremely low birth weight infants with short bowel syndrome were more likely to still require tube feeding (33%) and to have been rehospitalized (79%). Moreover, these infants had growth delay with shorter lengths and smaller head circumferences than infants without necrotizing enterocolitis or short bowel syndrome. CONCLUSIONS. Short bowel syndrome is rare in neonates but has a high mortality rate. At 18 to 22 months' corrected age, extremely low birth weight infants with short bowel syndrome were more likely to have growth failure than infants without short bowel syndrome.
Expression of tumor suppressor p53 facilitates DNA repair but not UV‐induced G2/M arrest or apoptosis in Chinese hamster ovary CHO‐K1 cells

Tumor suppressor p53 is an essential regulator in mammalian cellular responses to DNA damage including cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Our study with Chinese hamster ovary CHO‐K1 cells indicates that when p53 expression and its transactivation capacity was inhibited by siRNA, UVC‐induced G2/M arrest or apoptosis were unaffected as revealed by flow cyotmetric analyses and other measurements. However, inhibition of p53 rendered the cells slower to repair UV‐induced damages upon a plasmid as shown in host cell reactivation assay. Furthermore, the nuclear extract (NE) of p53 siRNA‐treated cells was inactive to excise the UV‐induced DNA adducts as analyzed by comet assay. Consistently, the immunodepletion of p53 also deprived the excision activity of the NE in the similar experiment. Thus, tumor suppressor p53 of CHO‐K1 cells may facilitate removal of UV‐induced DNA damages partly via its involvement in the repair mechanism. J. Cell. Biochem. 103: 528–537, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Desulfofrigus sp. prevails in sulfate-reducing dilution cultures from sediments of the Benguela upwelling area.

Sediments of coastal upwelling areas are generally characterized by a high content of organic carbon that is mainly degraded via anaerobic microbial processes including sulfate reduction as a major terminal oxidation step. Despite the high importance of sulfate reduction in these sediments, the identity of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) has remained almost unknown. Here, we applied a cultivation-based approach using selective enrichment conditions to study the diversity and distribution of active SRB in sediments along a transect perpendicular to the continental slope off the coast of Namibia (Meteor-cruise M76/1). To promote growth of the most abundant SRB, dilution series were prepared and amended with hydrogen, acetate, or a mixture of monomers representing typical substrates for SRB. Growth of SRB could be detected in the presence of all electron donors and from sediment down to 4 m depth. 16S rRNA gene-based DGGE analysis and sequencing revealed the predominance of SRB related to psychrophiles in particular to the genus Desulfofrigus, which made up 1 % of the total microbial community, accounting for an absolute abundance of up to 4.8 × 10(7) cells mL(-1) . In general, the abundance of cultured SRB changed with depth and between the different sampling sites and correlated with the content of organic carbon as previously reported. Growth of chemolithotrophic SRB in relatively high dilution steps and the enrichment of methanogens as well as acetogens from deeper sediment point to a competition between hydrogen-utilizing microbial processes and their biogeochemical significance in deep sediment layers of the Benguela upwelling area.
Enlarged perivascular spaces and small diffusion-weighted lesions in intracerebral hemorrhage

Objective: To examine the association between enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS) and the prevalence and extent of small acute diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) lesions (SA-DWIL) in patients with spontaneous supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of a consecutive cohort of 201 patients with spontaneous supratentorial ICH who had brain MRI with DWI within 1 month of ICH onset. We compared the clinical and imaging characteristics, including EPVS, of patients with and without SA-DWIL. We used univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses to determine the variables associated with SA-DWIL. Results: Small acute DWI lesions were detected in 27.9% (n = 56) of patients. Intraventricular and subarachnoid extension of ICH (p ≤ 0.001), high centrum semiovale (CSO)–EPVS (p < 0.001), high basal ganglia–EPVS (p = 0.007), overall extent of white matter hyperintensity (p = 0.018), initial ICH volume (p < 0.001), and mean change in mean arterial blood pressure (δ MAP = MAP at admission − the lowest MAP before MRI scan) (p = 0.027) were associated with SA-DWIL on univariate analyses. On multivariate logistic regression analyses, larger ICH volume (odds ratio [OR] 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01–1.06; p = 0.006) and high CSO-EPVS (OR 12.56; 95% CI 4.40–35.85; p < 0.001) were independently associated with the presence of SA-DWIL. Conclusions: In our cohort, high EPVS, in particular CSO-EPVS, and larger hematoma volume emerged as independent predictors for SA-DWIL after ICH. Our findings might provide a new explanation for the pathophysiologic mechanisms predisposing to SA-DWIL after ICH.
Facility with the English Language and problem‐based learning group interaction: findings from an Arabic setting

The Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences (FMHS), United Arab Emirates (UAE) University is in a unique position to explore issues related to English language proficiency and medical student performance. All students entering the FMHS have English as a second language. This study focused on the issues of students' proficiency in English as measured by the TOEFL test, student background factors and interaction in problem‐based learning (PBL) groups. Using a modification of Bales Interaction Process Analysis, four problem‐based learning groups were observed over four thematic units, to measure the degree of student interaction within PBL groups and to compare this to individual TOEFL scores and key background variables. The students' contributions correlated highly with TOEFL test results in the giving of information (range r = 0·67–0·74). The female students adhered to interacting in English during group sessions, whereas the male students were more likely to revert to using Arabic in elaborating unclear phenomena (p < 0·01). The educational level of the student's mother was highly predictive of TOEFL scores for the male students, but not for female students. Multivariate analysis was undertaken to analyse the relative contribution of the TOEFL, parental education and years of studying in English. The best predictor of students' contributions in PBL groups was identified as TOEFL scores. The study demonstrates the importance of facilitating a locally acceptable level of English proficiency prior to admission to the FMHS. However, it also highlights the importance of not focusing only on English proficiency but paying attention to additional factors in facilitating medical students in maximizing benefits from interactions in PBL settings.
K252a Prevents Nigral Dopaminergic Cell Death Induced by 6-Hydroxydopamine through Inhibition of Both Mixed-Lineage Kinase 3/c-Jun NH2-Terminal Kinase 3 (JNK3) and Apoptosis-Inducing Kinase 1/JNK3 Signaling Pathways

It is well documented that the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway plays a pivotal role in rats with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced unilateral lesion in the nigrostriatal system. Our recent studies have shown that mixed-lineage kinase 3 (MLK3) and apoptosis-inducing kinase 1 (ASK1) are all involved in neuronal cell death induced by ischemia, which is mediated by the MLK3/c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase 3 (JNK3) and ASK1/JNK signaling pathway. To investigate whether these pathways are correlated with 6-OHDA-induced lesion as well, we examined the phosphorylation of MLK3, ASK1, and JNK3 in 6-OHDA rats. The results showed that both MLK3 and ASK1 could activate JNK3 and then subsequently enhance the neuronal death through its downstream pathways (i.e., nuclear and non-nuclear pathway). K252a have wide-range effects including Trk inhibition, MLK3 inhibition, and activation of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase signaling pathways through interactions with distinct targets and is a well known neuroprotective compound. We found that K252a could protect dopaminergic neurons against cell program death induced by 6-OHDA lesion, and the phenotypes of 6-OHDA rat model treated with K252a were partial rescued. The inhibition of K252a on the activation of MLK3/JNK3 and ASK1/JNK3 provided a link between 6-OHDA lesion and stress-activated kinases. It suggested that both proapoptotic MLK3/JNK3 and ASK1/JNK3 cascade may play an important role in dopaminergic neuronal death in 6-OHDA insult. Thus, the JNK3 signaling may eventually emerge as a prime target for novel therapeutic approaches to treatment of Parkinson disease, and K252a may serve as a potential and important neuroprotectant in therapeutic aspect in Parkinson disease.
Changing patterns of clinical events in perinatally HIV-1-infected children during the era of HAART

Background:The introduction of HAART has decreased mortality and progression to AIDS in perinatally HIV-1-infected children, but information on modification of the rate of specific clinical events is limited. Method:An observational population study on changes in HIV-1-related morbidity was conducted on 1402 perinatally HIV-1-infected children enrolled in the Italian Register for HIV Infection in Children and prospectively followed in the pre-HAART (1985–1995) and post-HAART periods (1996–2000, and 2001–2005). Of this group, 773 children (55.1%) were followed from birth. Median observation time was 8.58 years (interquartile range, 3.71–13.72). Results:Overall, 666 (47.5%) children developed AIDS and 420 (29.9%) died. Improved survival over time was evidenced at Kaplan–Meier analysis (P < 0.0001). Poisson regression analysis indicated that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention class B and C clinical event rates and most of the HIV-1-related organ complication rates significantly decreased starting from 1996–2000. Significant reductions in rates of cancer and opportunistic infections were evidenced after 2000. Nevertheless, opportunistic infections still occurred at high rates (6.09/100 person-years) in 2001–2005, with high rate of bacterial infections (3.55/100 person-years), particularly pneumonia (1.66/100 person-years), in this period. CD4 cell percentage was > 15% in 58.5% children with pneumonia. Conclusions:Progressive reductions of both mortality and rates of class B and C clinical events, including organ complications, were evidenced in the HAART era. Nevertheless, severe bacterial infections, particularly pneumonia, still occurred at considerable high rates, even in the absence of a severe CD4 cell depletion.
To master or perform? Exploring relations between achievement goals and conceptual change learning.

BACKGROUND Research is needed to explore conceptual change in relation to achievement goal orientations and depth of processing. AIMS To address this need, we examined relations between achievement goals, use of deep versus shallow processing strategies, and conceptual change learning using a think-aloud protocol. SAMPLE AND METHOD Seventy-three undergraduate students were assessed on their prior knowledge and misconceptions about Newtonian mechanics, and then reported their achievement goals and participated in think-aloud protocols while reading Newtonian physics texts. RESULTS A mastery-approach goal orientation positively predicted deep processing strategies, shallow processing strategies, and conceptual change. In contrast, a performance-approach goal orientation did not predict either of the processing strategies, but negatively predicted conceptual change. A performance-avoidance goal orientation negatively predicted deep processing strategies and conceptual change. Moreover, deep and shallow processing strategies positively predicted conceptual change as well as recall. Finally, both deep and shallow processing strategies mediated relations between mastery-approach goals and conceptual change. CONCLUSION Results provide some support for Dole and Sinatra's (1998) Cognitive Reconstruction of Knowledge Model of conceptual change but also challenge specific facets with regard to the role of depth of processing in conceptual change.
Association of Vitamin D Receptor Gene Polymorphisms with Hypercalcemia in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients

♦ Background Some polymorphisms at the human vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene locus may influence calcium and bone metabolism. We investigated the roles of the BsmI and TaqI VDR gene polymorphisms in the development of hypercalcemia in Turkish peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients. ♦ Methods We enrolled 132 PD patients treated with dialysate containing 1.75 mmol/L calcium. Serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, albumin, and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH), and the cumulative doses of calcium-based phosphate binders and calcitriol were recorded every 3 months. The VDR BsmI and TaqI genotypes were determined by polymerase chain reaction. ♦ Results When the patients were categorized according to these VDR genotypes, serum levels of phosphorus and iPTH and cumulative doses of calcium-based phosphate binders and calcitriol were similar across groups. The corrected serum calcium levels tended to increase in the patients with BsmI non-BB (Bb + bb) variants, but were significantly decreased in the BB variants (9.9 ± 0.7 vs 9.1 ± 0.6 mg/dL, p < 0.05). Hypercalcemia appeared in 21.2% of the patients during the follow-up period. The hypercalcemic patients had a significantly higher prevalence of the BsmI non-BB genotype than the normocalcemic patients (85.7% vs 59.6%, p < 0.007). On the contrary, the serum calcium levels were not affected by the TaqI VDR gene polymorphism (p > 0.05). ♦ Conclusions These findings suggest that the non-BB variants of the BsmI VDR gene polymorphism are associated with increased risk of developing hypercalcemia in PD patients.
Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus: Another Zoonotic Betacoronavirus Causing SARS-Like Disease

SUMMARY The source of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) epidemic was traced to wildlife market civets and ultimately to bats. Subsequent hunting for novel coronaviruses (CoVs) led to the discovery of two additional human and over 40 animal CoVs, including the prototype lineage C betacoronaviruses, Tylonycteris bat CoV HKU4 and Pipistrellus bat CoV HKU5; these are phylogenetically closely related to the Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) CoV, which has affected more than 1,000 patients with over 35% fatality since its emergence in 2012. All primary cases of MERS are epidemiologically linked to the Middle East. Some of these patients had contacted camels which shed virus and/or had positive serology. Most secondary cases are related to health care-associated clusters. The disease is especially severe in elderly men with comorbidities. Clinical severity may be related to MERS-CoV's ability to infect a broad range of cells with DPP4 expression, evade the host innate immune response, and induce cytokine dysregulation. Reverse transcription-PCR on respiratory and/or extrapulmonary specimens rapidly establishes diagnosis. Supportive treatment with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and dialysis is often required in patients with organ failure. Antivirals with potent in vitro activities include neutralizing monoclonal antibodies, antiviral peptides, interferons, mycophenolic acid, and lopinavir. They should be evaluated in suitable animal models before clinical trials. Developing an effective camel MERS-CoV vaccine and implementing appropriate infection control measures may control the continuing epidemic.
Event‐related potentials in patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder

Twenty‐three unmedicated patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) were compared with 12 unmedicated patients with social phobia (SP) and 18 age‐matched normal controls (C) using a two‐tone auditory oddball event‐related potentials (ERP) paradigm. The OCD group showed significantly shorter P300 latencies and shorter N200 latencies for target stimuli than the SP and the C groups. The OCD patients also tended to have greater N200 negativity compared with normal controls. However, there were no significant relationships between these ERP abnormalities in OCD patients and the type or severity of their OCD symptoms. In the mean ERP waveforms, increased N200 negativity for target stimuli, as well as the provocation in the later part of N200 for non‐target stimuli, were more commonly observed in the OCD and the SP groups compared with the C group. These results raise the possibility that the shorter N200 and P300 latencies in OCD patients may be an OCD‐specific phenomenon that is more closely related to the biological basis for OCD, rather than the characteristics of their OCD symptoms. On the other hand, increased negativity in the N200 region, even for non‐target stimuli, may represent the common abnormalities among anxiety disorders.
Family Presence During Resuscitation: A Double‐Edged Sword

PURPOSE To illuminate the meaning of the lived experiences of resuscitation team members with the presence of the patient's family during resuscitation in the cultural context of Iran. DESIGN An interpretative phenomenology was used to discover the lived experiences of the nurses and physicians of Tabriz hospitals, Iran, with family presence during resuscitation (FPDR). A total of 12 nurses and 9 physicians were interviewed over a 6-month period. METHODS The interviews were audio recorded and semistructured, and were transcribed verbatim. Van Manen's technique was used for data analysis. FINDINGS Two major themes and 10 subthemes emerged, including destructive presence (cessation of resuscitation, interference in resuscitation, disruption to the resuscitation team's focus, argument with the resuscitation team, and adverse mental image in the family) and supportive presence (trust in the resuscitation team, collaboration with the resuscitation team, alleviating the family's concern and settling their nerves, increasing the family's satisfaction, and reducing conflict with resuscitation team members). CONCLUSIONS Participants stated that FPDR may work as a double-edged sword for the family and resuscitation team, hurting or preserving quality. It is thus recommended that guidelines be created to protect patients' and families' rights, while considering the positive aspects of the phenomenon for hospitals. CLINICAL RELEVANCE A liaison support person would act to decrease family anxiety levels and would be able to de-escalate any potentially aggressive or confrontational events during resuscitation. Well-trained and expert cardiopulmonary resuscitation team members do not have any stress in the presence of family during resuscitation. Resuscitation events tend to be prolonged when family members are allowed to be present.
A Quantitative Examination of the Sources of Speech Discrimination Test Score Variability

Several sources of variability inherent in any speech discrimination measurement are outlined. Limitations of the use of the binomial theorem to predict intrasubject (test-retest) variability are examined. First, the underestimation of variability that is caused by the inclusion of items of different degrees of difficulty is quantified by a reanalysis of published data. Second, it is shown that variability will be larger than expected if the subject's ability is different during test and retest sessions. Fortuitously, these two deviations from the model have opposing effects on the score variability. The estimates provided by the binomial theorem are thus better than if only one effect was present. The need for a clear distinction to be maintained between inter- and intrasubject variability and the effect of list differences on test-retest variability are also discussed.