Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anticoagulants for preventing recurrence following ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack.

BACKGROUND After a first stroke, further vascular events (especially myocardial infarction and recurrent stroke) are common and often fatal. OBJECTIVES The objective of this review was to assess the effect of prolonged anticoagulant therapy following presumed non-embolic ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack. SEARCH STRATEGY We searched the Cochrane Stroke Group trials register. We contacted companies marketing anticoagulant agents. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomised and quasi-randomised trials comparing anticoagulant therapy, for at least one month, with control in people with previous non-embolic presumed ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two reviewers independently selected trials for inclusion, assessed trial quality and extracted the data. MAIN RESULTS Nine trials involving 1214 patients were included. The quality of all trials was poor. All pre-dated routine computerised tomography scanning and use of the International Normalised Ratio to monitor anticoagulation. Anticoagulant therapy did not significantly reduce the odds of death or dependency (two trials, odds ratio 0.83, 95% confidence interval 0.52 to 1.34). Death from any cause (odds ratio 0.95, 95% confidence interval 0.72 to 1.23), and death from vascular causes (odds ratio 0.86, 95% confidence interval 0.66 to 1.13) were not significantly different between treatment and control across all nine trials. Anticoagulant therapy did not reduce the risk of recurrent stroke (odds ratio 0.79, 95% confidence interval 0.56 to 1.13). However, fatal intracranial haemorrhage increased (odds ratio 2.54, 95% confidence interval 1.19 to 5.45), as did major extracranial haemorrhage (odds ratio 4.87, 95% confidence interval 2.50 to 9.49). This means anticoagulant therapy caused 11 additional fatal intracranial haemorrhages and 25 additional major extracranial haemorrhages per year for every 1000 patients given anticoagulant therapy. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS There appears to be no clear benefit from long-term anticoagulant therapy in people with non-embolic presumed ischaemic stroke or transient ischaemic attack. There appears to be a significant bleeding risk associated with anticoagulant therapy.
Cancer Patients' Perceptions of Positive and Negative Illness-related Changes

We assessed perceived cancer-related change in 153 recently diagnosed patipents. High levels of social support and optimism at the start of chemotherapy predicted higher numbers of perceived positive changes and lower numbers of negative changes nine months later. Higher numbers of perceived gains predicted an increase in positive affect, and higher numbers of negative changes predicted an increase in negative affect at follow-up. We conclude that finding positive consequences of cancer promotes psychological well-being, but patients with low levels of psychosocial resources are at risk for finding nothing beneficial in adversity.
Distribution and abundance of migratory shorebirds in Darwin Harbour, “Northern Territory, Australia

Here we report the results of an aerial survey of migratory shorebirds in Darwin Harbour, Northern Territory, Australia, as part of a new project on strategic planning for the Far Eastern Curlew ('Numenius madagascarensis'). On one day in January 2017 we surveyed the intertidal zone of a large part of upper and middle Darwin Harbour at low tide and counted all shorebirds and waterbirds present, and then we also surveyed all saltpans and potential roosting areas at high tide. There were 724 birds of 19 species recorded during the low tidal survey and 789 birds from 13 species recorded during the high tidal survey (i.e. a total of 24 species for the day). We found a total of 329 Far Eastern Curlews during the high tide survey, an increase in the Darwin Harbour maximum previously recorded. We will use these results to guide future monitoring work on the Far Eastern Curlew in Darwin Harbour, and to help mitigate the effects of coastal developments on shorebirds.
Rapid evolution of the neutralizing antibody response to HIV type 1 infection

A recombinant virus assay was used to characterize in detail neutralizing antibody responses directed at circulating autologous HIV in plasma. Examining serial plasma specimens in a matrix format, most patients with primary HIV infection rapidly generated significant neutralizing antibody responses to early (0–39 months) autologous viruses, whereas responses to laboratory and heterologous primary strains were often lower and delayed. Plasma virus continually and rapidly evolved to escape neutralization, indicating that neutralizing antibody exerts a level of selective pressure that has been underappreciated based on earlier, less comprehensive characterizations. These data argue that neutralizing antibody responses account for the extensive variation in the envelope gene that is observed in the early months after primary HIV infection.
Psychometric properties of the PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (PCL-5) in veterans.

This study examined the psychometric properties of the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (PCL-5; Weathers, Litz, et al., 2013b) in 2 independent samples of veterans receiving care at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center (N = 468). A subsample of these participants (n = 140) was used to define a valid diagnostic cutoff score for the instrument using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5 (CAPS-5; Weathers, Blake, et al., 2013) as the reference standard. The PCL-5 test scores demonstrated good internal consistency (α = .96), test-retest reliability (r = .84), and convergent and discriminant validity. Consistent with previous studies (Armour et al., 2015; Liu et al., 2014), confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the data were best explained by a 6-factor anhedonia model and a 7-factor hybrid model. Signal detection analyses using the CAPS-5 revealed that PCL-5 scores of 31 to 33 were optimally efficient for diagnosing PTSD (κ(.5) = . 58). Overall, the findings suggest that the PCL-5 is a psychometrically sound instrument that can be used effectively with veterans. Further, by determining a valid cutoff score using the CAPS-5, the PCL-5 can now be used to identify veterans with probable PTSD. However, findings also suggest the need for research to evaluate cluster structure of DSM-5. (PsycINFO Database Record
THE CAUSALITY BETWEEN FINANCIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH IN TURKEY

Finansal sistemin gelisimi ile ekonomik buyume iliskisi uzun yillardir tartisilmaktadir. Genel ekonomik basari, finans sisteminin etkinligine buyuk olcude bagli gorunmektedir. Diger yandan, ekonomik buyume ortalama gelir duzeyinde artisa, yasal duzenlemelerde ve uluslararasi butunlesme duzeyinde gelismeye neden olmakta, finansal sistemin gelisimi icin uygun ortam yaratmaktadir. Bu calisma Turkiye'de finansal gelisme ile ekonomik buyume arasindaki nedensellik iliskisini analiz etmektedir. Bu amacla buyume ve finansal gelisme arasindaki nedenselligin varligi ve yonu ile ilgili hipotezleri test etmek icin Granger nedensellik testi kullanilmistir. Calismamizda finansal gelisme ve ekonomik buyume arasindaki nedensellik analizi sonuclari celiskili olmakla birlikte, Turkiye ekonomisi acisindan ekonomik buyumenin finansal gelismeye neden oldugu dusuncesi agir basmaktadir.
Non-random distribution of extensive chromosome rearrangements in Brassica napus depends on genome organization.

Chromosome rearrangements are common, but their dynamics over time, mechanisms of occurrence and the genomic features that shape their distribution and rate are still poorly understood. We used allohaploid Brassica napus (AC, n = 19) as a model to analyze the effect of genomic features on the formation and diversity of meiotically driven chromosome rearrangements. We showed that allohaploid B. napus meiosis leads to extensive new structural diversity. Almost every allohaploid offspring carried a unique combination of multiple rearrangements throughout the genome, and was thus structurally differentiated from both its haploid parent and its sister plants. This large amount of genome reshuffling was remarkably well-tolerated in the heterozygous state, as neither male nor female fertility were strongly reduced, and meiosis behavior was normal in most cases. We also used a quantitative statistical model, which accounted for 75% of the observed variation in rearrangement rates, to show that the distribution of meiotically driven chromosome rearrangements was not random but was shaped by three principal genomic features. In descending order of importance, the rate of marker loss increased strongly with genetic distance from the centromere, the degree of collinearity between chromosomes, and the genome of origin (A < C). Overall, our results demonstrate that B. napus accumulates a large number of genetic changes, but these rearrangements are not randomly distributed in the genome. The structural genetic diversity produced by the allohaploid pathway and its role in the evolution of polyploid species compared to diploid meiosis are discussed.
Brain [U‐13C]glucose metabolism in mice with decreased α‐ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex activity

The activity of the α‐ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (KGDHC), a mitochondrial enzyme complex that mediates the oxidative decarboxylation of α‐ketoglutarate in the TCA cycle, is reduced in Alzheimer's disease. We investigated the metabolic effects of a partial KGDHC activity reduction on brain glucose metabolism using mice with disrupted expression of dihydrolipoyl succinyltransferase (DLST; gene encoding the E2k subunit of KGDHC). Brain tissue extracts from cortex and cerebellum of 6‐week‐old heterozygote DLST knockout mice (DLST+/−) and corresponding wild‐type mice injected with [U‐13C]glucose and decapitated 15 min later were analyzed. An increase in the concentration of glucose in cortex suggested a decrease in the cortical utilization of glucose in DLST+/− mice. Furthermore, the concentration and 13C labelling of aspartate in cortex were reduced in DLST+/− mice. This decline was likely caused by a decrease in the pool of oxaloacetate. In contrast to results from cell culture studies, no indications of altered glycolysis or GABA shunt activity were found. Glucose metabolism in the cerebellum was unaffected by the decrease in KGDHC activity. Among metabolites not related to glucose metabolism, the concentration of taurine was decreased in the cortex, and that of tyrosine was increased in the cerebellum. These results imply that diminished KGDHC activity has the potential to induce the reduction in glucose utilization that is seen in several neurodegenerative diseases. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Immunoglobulin A against viral capsid antigen of Epstein‐Barr virus and indirect mirror examination of the nasopharynx in the detection of asymptomatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma

To evaluate the efficacy of population screening for early stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in southern China, the authors recruited 42,048 and 10,402 apparently healthy subjects residing in a high incidence and a low incidence area, respectively; all subjects were between the ages of 30 and 59 years. The subjects' serum specimens were tested for immunoglobulin (Ig) A antibody against viral capsid antigen (IgA/VCA) of Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV). Of the subjects from the high incidence area, 2823 were found to be seropositive. In follow‐up, they had yearly examinations of the nasopharynx by indirect mirror with or without biopsy; 41 were found to have histologically confirmed asymptomatic NPC during the first 2 years of follow‐up. The tumors in most of these cases were localized and were at earlier stages than tumors of symptomatic cases of NPC seen in the same region before the screening. The yearly indirect mirror examination of the nasopharynx seems to have effectively identified most of the tumors at the stage of asymptomatic disease. The risk of harboring NPC was found to be different among the different sex and age subgroups of seropositive individuals. By limiting such screening to those who are at exceedingly high risk, the cost of the screening can be kept within the spending of the public health authority, and the effectiveness of the screening also is improved.
Relationship between brain tissue oxygen tension and CT perfusion: feasibility and initial results.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Monitoring of intraparenchymal brain tissue oxygen tension (P(br)O(2)) is an emerging tool in neurocritical care. The purpose of this study was to determine if there is a relationship between CT perfusion (CTP) imaging parameters and P(br)O(2). METHODS Nineteen patients underwent continuous P(br)O(2) monitoring with probes placed to target white matter in the cerebral hemisphere. Twenty-two CTP studies were performed at the level of the oxygen electrode, as identified on concurrent nonenhanced CT. CTP analysis software was used to measure mean transit time (MTT) and cerebral blood volume (CBV) and to derive cerebral blood flow (CBF) for a region of interest (ROI) surrounding the oxygen probe. For correlation, P(br)O(2) levels and other physiologic parameters were recorded at the time of CTP. RESULTS P(br)O(2) values at the time of CTP were 2.7-54.4 mm Hg, MTT was 1.86-5.79 seconds, CBV was 1.18-8.76 mL/100 g, and CBF was 15.2-149.2 mL/100 g/min. MTT but not CBV or CBF was correlated with P(br)O(2) (r = -0.50, P = .017). MTT, CBV, or CBF were not correlated with other physiologic parameters, including mean arterial pressure, cerebral perfusion pressure, intracranial pressure, and fraction of inspired oxygen. On multivariable analysis, only P(br)O(2) was independently associated with MTT. CONCLUSION CTP assessment of ROI surrounding an oxygen probe in the intraparenchymal brain tissue is feasible and showed a significant correlation between P(br)O(2) and MTT. Further studies are warranted to determine the role of CTP in assessing acute brain injury and whether it can be used to prospectively identify brain regions at risk for tissue hypoxia that should be targeted for advanced neuromonitoring.
A role for a leaky gut and the intestinal microbiota in the pathophysiology of myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS)

The field of ME/CFS research is challenged by many often confusing and conflicting reports of immune, neuroendocrine, autonomic, neurological dysfunction. During the prodromal phase of this condition patients often report flu-like symptoms, persistent chronic fatigue and gastro-intestinal symptoms including abdominal pain and discomfort. Its study is complicated by the lack of specific biomarkers and criteria to accurately define the illness, relying on the exclusion of other fatiguing illnesses. Recent publications suggest an altered intestinal microbiota and increased intestinal permeability are associated with ME/CFS. Further evidence is accumulating for dysfunctional energy, lipid and amino acid metabolism that may indicate oxidative stress and/or immune-mediated damage to mitochondria, disrupting the efficiency of aerobic respiration, explaining the effect of postexternal malaise (PEM), a unique characteristic for the diagnosis of ME. In this study, Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy probed the composition of the intestinal microbiota and faecal and serum microbiomes in 17 severe, house-bound patients and house-hold healthy controls (HHC). Severe, house-bound patients account for 0.5% of all ME/CFS research, yet it is estimated they represent 25% of the patient population. We found Faecalibacterium prausnitzii was significantly reduced in severe patients (p = 0.018) but did not replicate individual differences in faecal and serum metabolites that others have previously reported. We further enhanced a flow cytometry technique for detecting IgA coated bacteria in faecal suspensions and analysed the proportional differences between patients and HHCs. This demonstrated a trend for increased IgA-coated bacteria in most patients; however, this trend was reversed when repeated with a second sample produced a year on. Since the initial concept for this study, several advances have been made in sequencing methods and quality control standards for metagenomic and metabolomic studies. Based on these, we conclude further investigations are warranted using whole genome sequencing and targeted metabolomics to address the emerging hypotheses in ME/CFS research, with an emphasis on the study of severe, house-bound ME patients.
[The effect of chronic alcohol use on heart rate variability].

A long lasting alcohol intake causes, amongst numerous systemic damages, also the autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction, which causes the autonomic heart rate regulation disorders. The aim of the study was to evaluate the autonomic regulation of the circulation in chronic alcoholism. Seventeen alcoholics, 24-55 years of age (mean 43 +/- 5.2 years) were examined. They have been abstainers for 2-6 years. The cardiac ANS function was evaluated using the HRV measurement. The HRV was registered using V6 EKG lead. The recording was performed through the 15 min of resting conditions and 5 min of the deep breathing test. A group containing healthy volunteers, matched for age and gender, for the comparison of the HRV results was recruited. In the examined group, during the resting conditions, the significant RR period changes weren't observed (999.7 +/- 139.2 vs. 967 +/- 144.9; p > 0.05). The nonsignificant lower values of the spectral analysis parameters of HRV: LF (954.1 +/- 1162.6 vs. 1456.4 +/- 1327.1; p > 0.05) and HF (676.4 +/- 414.2 vs. 1557 +/- 1854.4; p > 0.05) and LF/HF ratio (1.5 +/- 1.14 vs. 1.38 +/- 1.28; p > 0.05) were also noticed. In response to the DB test, the mean value of the RR period wasn't significantly changed (921.4 +/- 152.3 vs. 930.6 +/- 137.8; p > 0.05). In DB test the significant decrease of LF (3465.8 +/- 2750.1 vs. 11558.6 +/- 7902.5; p < 0.001) and HF (406.1 +/- 366.8 vs. 1665 +/- 1757.1; p < 0.01) was observed. No significant change of LF/HF mean ratio (11.6 +/- 6.97 vs. 14.7 +/- 11.6; p > 0.05) was noticed. The results of our study indicate on the maintenance of the HRV disorders in chronic alcoholics, during the abstinence.
The circadian cycle of mPER clock gene products in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the Siberian hamster encodes both daily and seasonal time

The circadian clock in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) regulates the pattern of melatonin secretion from the pineal gland such that the duration of release reflects the length of the night. This seasonally specific endocrine cue mediates annual timing in photoperiodic mammals. The aim of this study was to investigate how changes in photoperiod influence the cyclic expression of recently identified clock gene products (mPER and mTIM) in the SCN of a highly seasonal mammal, the Siberian hamster (Phodopus sungorus). Immunocytochemical studies indicate that the abundance of both mPER1 and mPER2 (but not mTIM) in the SCN exhibits very pronounced, synchronous daily cycles, peaking approximately 12 h after lights‐on. These rhythms are circadian in nature as they continue approximately under free‐running conditions. Their circadian waveform is modulated by photoperiod such that the phase of peak mPER expression is prolonged under long photoperiods. mPER1 protein is also expressed in the pars tuberalis of Siberian hamsters. In hamsters adapted to long days, the expression of mPER1 is elevated at the start of the light phase. In contrast, there is no clear elevation in mPER1 levels in the pars tuberalis of hamsters held on short photoperiods. These results indicate that core elements of the circadian clockwork are sensitive to seasonal time, and that encoding and decoding of seasonal information may be mediated by the actions of these transcriptional modulators.
Cooperative Signaling for Angiogenesis and Neovascularization by VEGF and HGF Following Islet Transplantation

Background. Delayed angiogenesis remains a significant challenge to the survival of transplanted islets. In this study, using a murine model of subcutaneous islet transplantation with matrigel basement membrane matrix, we determined the role of the proangiogenic growth factors in enhancing the islet engraftment. Methods. BALB/c islets were transplanted subcutaneously in growth factor reduced (GFR) or growth factor supplemented (GFS) matrigel into diabetic severe combined immunodeficient mice. GFS matrigel was prepared by supplementing GFR with proangiogenic factors, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). The functioning grafts were harvested at 15 days and vessel formation was analyzed histopathologically. Results. Our results demonstrate that suboptimal (250) islet equivalents in GFS-VEGF+HGF were able to restore normoglycemia, whereas those transplanted in GFR failed to reverse diabetes. Histopathology of the GFS-VEGF+HGF graft revealed 12±3 blood vessels per field, whereas GFR, GFS-VEGF, and GFS-HGF grafts had only 3±1, 6±2, and 4±1 blood vessels, respectively. Insulin staining demonstrated increased number of islets in matrigel supplemented with VEGF and HGF. Protein and mRNA analysis demonstrated enhanced intercellular adhesion molecule and vascular cell adhesion molecule within the islets when supplemented with both VEGF+HGF suggesting stable blood vessel formation. Transcription factors focal adhesion kinase phosphorylation and extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 phosphorylation were also increased (8-fold and 4.6-fold, respectively) when both the growth factors were present. There was weak expression of transcription factors when VEGF or HGF were supplemented alone. Conclusion. We conclude that proangiogenic growth factors, VEGF and HGF, synergistically enhance angiogenesis after islet transplantation leading to stable engraftment.
Neuroprotective Effects of Dexmedetomidine in the Gerbil Hippocampus after Transient Global Ischemia

Background: Cerebral ischemia induces a massive release of norepinephrine associated with neuronal death in the brain. It has been demonstrated that alpha2 ‐adrenoceptor agonists decrease the release and turnover of noradrenaline, and this might prove advantageous in counteracting the neurodegeneration in ischemic brain. Therefore, in the present study, the authors tested whether dexmedetomidine, a selective alpha2 ‐receptor agonist, has neuroprotective effects in a gerbil transient global ischemia model. Methods: Ischemia was induced by bilateral carotid occlusion for 5 min in diethylether‐anesthetized normothermic gerbils. Dexmedetomidine was administered subcutaneously in four different treatment paradigms (6–8 animals/group): 3 or 30 micro gram/kg 30 min before and thereafter at 3, 12, 24, and 48 h after the occlusion, or 3 or 30 micro gram/kg at 3, 12, 24, and 48 h after the occlusion. Control animals were subjected to forebrain ischemia but received only saline injections. One week after occlusion, animals were transcardially perfused for histochemistry. Neuronal death in the CA1 and CA3 regions of the hippocampus and in the hilus of the dentate gyrus was evaluated in silver‐stained 60‐micro meter coronal sections. Results: Compared with saline‐treated ischemic animals, dexmedetomidine at a dose of 3 micro gram/kg given before and continued after the induction of ischemia reduced the number of damaged neurons in the CA3 area (2 +/‐ 3 vs. 17 +/‐ 20 degenerated neurons/mm2; P <0.05). Also in the dentate hilus, the number of damaged neurons was reduced by dexmedetomidine (3 micro gram/kg) given before and continued after ischemia (5 +/‐ 7 vs. 56 +/‐ 42 degenerated neurons/mm2; P <0.01). Conclusions: The present data demonstrate that dexmedetomidine effectively prevents delayed neuronal death in CA3 area and in the dentate hilus in gerbil hippocampus when the management is started before the onset of ischemia and continued for 48 h after reperfusion. Inhibition of ischemia‐induced norepinephrine release may be associated with neuroprotection by dexmedetomidine.