Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cost-effectiveness of eszopiclone for the treatment of adults with primary chronic insomnia.

STUDY OBJECTIVE To assess the cost-effectiveness of treatment with eszopiclone for chronic primary insomnia in adults. METHODS A model using patient-level data from a 6-month, double-blind, placebo-controlled, clinical trial (n = 824), combined with data from a claims database and published literature, was used to assess the quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained and costs associated with eszopiclone versus placebo in adults with primary insomnia. Quality of life data were collected during the trial via the SF-36, from which preference-based utility scores were derived using published algorithms. Medical and absenteeism costs, estimated via a retrospective analysis of a claims and absenteeism database, were assigned to patients based on the degree of severity of their insomnia, assessed via the Insomnia Severity Index collected in the clinical trial. Presenteeism costs (lost productivity while at work) were estimated from responses to the Work Limitation Questionnaire collected during the trial. Six-month gains in QALYs and costs for each treatment group were calculated to derive cost-effectiveness ratios. Uncertainty was addressed via univariate and multivariate sensitivity analyses. RESULTS Over the 6-month period, eszopiclone use resulted in a net gain of 0.0137 QALYs over placebo at an additional cost of $67, resulting in an incremental cost per QALY gained of slightly less than $5,000. When absenteeism and presenteeism costs were excluded, the cost-effectiveness ratio increased to approximately $33,000 per QALY gained, which is below the commonly used threshold of $50,000 used to define cost-effectiveness. Extensive sensitivity analyses indicate the results are generally robust. CONCLUSION Our model, based on efficacy data from a clinical trial, demonstrated eszopiclone was cost-effective for the treatment of primary insomnia in adults, especially when lost productivity costs were included.
Evidence-based clinical practice in falls prevention: a randomised controlled trial of a falls prevention service.

AIMS Evidence-based guidelines recommend a range of treatments for falls and injury prevention. We undertook a randomised trial of a falls prevention service to screen for falls risk factors and recommend to GPs an evidenced base prescription for falls prevention. METHODS All patients who presented with a fall to the Emergency Department at Flinders Medical Centre over a 22-week period were considered for the study. We excluded patients with dementia, resident in high care or those transferred to other hospitals and outside our catchment area. Of those who consented, we randomised patients between usual care or to an intervention consisting of a falls risk assessment and writing of an evidence-based prescription faxed to their GP for action. Patients were followed for six months and uptake of advice and fall rates were monitored. RESULTS Four hundred and fifty patients presented with a fall-related attendance and of these 261 patients were eligible for inclusion in the trial. Of these 261 patients, 140 consented and were enrolled in the trial. Over the six months patients in the intervention group were more likely to uptake preventative advice (OR=12.3; 95%CI=4.2-35.9). We were unable to show a reduction in falls (OR= 1.7; 95%CI=0.7-4.4). CONCLUSIONS A patient centered evidence-based approach is feasible and effective in increasing uptake of falls prevention advice. Long term compliance with advice needs further exploration.
Ratings of physical attractiveness as a function of age.

Abstract Holmes and Hatch (1938) theorized that physical attractiveness is related to erotic desirability and to biological superiority with the result that through selective breeding, the species, Homo sapiens, is improved. Elaborating this theory, Symons (1979) suggested that over the life span of a single individual, the correlation between physical attractiveness, erotic desirability, and biological superiority would ensure that the individual would have children only during periods of superior fitness. He also suggested that physical attractiveness is more important to males in selecting sex partners than it is to females. To test the theorizing of Holmes, Hatch, and Symons, it was hypothesized that following puberty a negative relationship would be found between an individual's age and ratings of physical attractiveness by judges of the opposite sex. Furthermore, the relationship would be more negative for ratings of women by men than for ratings of men by women. The negative relationship was found .
Clustering of patients with intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma based on serum periostin may be predictive of prognosis

An effective serum biomarker may improve cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) management. Periostin (PN) has been demonstrated to be associated with aggressive CCA. The current study evaluated PN in blood serum for its diagnostic and prognostic potential in patients with CCA. Sera of 68 patients with CCA were collected prior to treatment, and PN levels were measured using an ELISA. Sera from 50 normal controls, 6 patients with benign liver diseases, 2 with hepatocellular carcinoma and 21 with breast cancer were analyzed. Immunohistochemistry of PN in CCA tissues was also investigated. The data were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test, Kaplan-Meier log rank tests, Cox proportional hazard regression models and Fisher's exact tests. The median serum PN level in patients with CCA was significantly increased compared with that in healthy controls, patients with benign liver diseases and patients with breast cancer (all P<0.05). Using an optimal threshold value of 94 ng/ml PN, the diagnostic values for CCA compared with other conditions demonstrated a sensitivity level of 0.38 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.27–0.51], specificity of 0.90 (95% CI, 0.81–0.96), accuracy of 0.66 (95% CI, 0.58–0.74), positive predictive value of 0.76 (95% CI, 0.59–0.89) and negative predictive value of 0.63 (95% CI, 0.53–0.72) (P<0.001). Furthermore, PN stain in stromal fibroblasts in CCA tissues was associated with serum PN levels (P=0.001), and patients with CCA were classified as low (≤94 ng/ml) or high PN (>94 ng/ml) accordingly. High serum and tissue PN levels were significantly associated with reduced survival rate (P<0.001 and P=0.033, respectively). Serum PN was an independent prognostic factor with a hazard ratio of 3.197 (P=0.001). In conclusion, serum PN may be used to divide patients with intrahepatic CCA into high and low PN groups. Elevated serum PN may be utilized as a marker of poor prognosis in patients with CCA.
Influence of Individualized Training on Psychomotor Performance of Young Soccer Players

Andrzejewski, M, Chmura, J, Wiacek, M, and Zubrzycki, IZ. Influence of individualized training on psychomotor performance of young soccer players. J Strength Cond Res 25(2): 374-378, 2011-The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of individualized training (IT) on psychomotor performance of young soccer players. Psychomotor performance was measured by means of differential response time and number of correct responses to audio and visual stimuli. Kinematic analysis allowing assessment of both the distances and the average speeds of young players during consecutive matches was also performed. For the data analysis, one-way analysis of variance, Friedman test, and t-test for dependent samples were used. The obtained results clearly indicate that IT during the preparation period increases specific psychomotor performance among young soccer players.
Exogenous high‐mobility group box 1 protein prevents postinfarction adverse myocardial remodeling through TGF‐β/Smad signaling pathway

High‐mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) has been reported to attenuate ventricular remodeling, but its mechanism remains mostly unresolved. Transforming growth factor‐beta (TGF‐β) is a crucial mediator in the pathogenesis of post‐infarction remodeling. Our study focused on the effects of HMGB1 on ventricular remodeling, and explored whether or not these effects were depended upon the TGF‐β signaling pathway. Rats underwent coronary artery ligation. An intramyocardium injection of phosphate buffered saline (PBS) with or without HMGB1 was administered 3 weeks after myocardial infarction (MI). At 4 weeks after the treatment, HMGB1 significantly increased the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (P < 0.05), decreased the left ventricular end diastolic dimension (LVEDD; P < 0.05), left ventricular end systolic dimension (LVESD) (P < 0.05) and the infarct size (P < 0.05) compared with control group. The expressions of collagen I, collagen III, and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP2) were also decreased, while the matrix metalloproteinases 2 (MMP2) and MMP9 expressions were upregulated by HMGB1 injection (P < 0.05) compared with control group. No effect on TIMP3 was observed. Furthermore, TGF‐β1 and phosphor‐Smad2 (p‐Smad2) were significantly suppressed and Smad7 was increased in HMGB1‐treated group (P < 0.05) compared with control group, no effects on p‐Smad3 and p‐p38 were observed. HMGB1 also upregulated Smad 7 expression and decreased the level of collagen I on cardiac fibroblasts (P < 0.05). Silencing of Smad7 gene by small interfering RNA abolished the fibrogenic effects of HMGB1 on cardiac fibroblasts (P < 0.05). These finding suggested that HMGB1 injection modulated ventricular remodeling may function through the possible inhibition of TGF‐β/Smad signaling pathway. J. Cell. Biochem. 114: 1634–1641, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Immunoglobulin G subclass concentrations and infections in children and adolescents with severe asthma

It was the aim of this study to investigate possible dysfunctions of the humoral immune system in asthmatic children with frequent respiratory infections. Forty‐one severe asthmatics (7–15 years of age), classified according to the Second Brazilian Consensus in Asthma (1998), were divided into two groups: group I (n = 12) had recurrent respiratory infections; and group II (n = 29) were without recurrent respiratory infections. Immunoglobulin (Ig)G, IgA and IgM levels (nephelometry), and IgE (radioimmunoassay) and IgG subclasses (enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay), were evaluated using standard methods. Asthmatics with recurrent infections presented with worse clinical evolution, an increased number of hospital admissions, and a higher need of medication than the children without recurrent infections. There were no significant differences between the mean values of IgG, IgA or IgM levels, or IgE or IgG subclasses, in patients of both groups. A complete IgA deficiency was detected in two patients of group I (one was associated with IgG subclass deficiency). Deficiency of one or more IgG subclasses was verified in eight of 12 (66%) children from group I and in 16/29 (55%) from group II. The following deficiencies were found in both groups: IgG3 (10/41), IgG4 (three of 41), IgG2 (two of 41), IgG1 (one of 41), IgG3‐IgG4 (four of 41), IgG1‐IgG3 (two of 41), and IgG1‐IgG3‐IgG4 (one of 41). There were a higher proportion of children with low IgG4 levels in group I than in group II (p = 0.01). To conclude, IgA and IgG subclass deficiencies were detected in both severely asthmatic groups, with a predominance of IgG3 subclass deficiency. However, low IgG subclass levels appear not to be a suitable predictor of the development of infections in asthmatic children.
Young Muslims Of Italy. Islam In The Everyday Life And The Public Visibility Of A New Generation Of Muslims

The latest report by Caritas/Migrantes (2008) tells us that most Muslims are immigrants primarily for economic reasons. The number of Italians who have converted to Islam, in contrast, is approximately 10,000. The majority of immigrants are of the Christian faith, and Muslims make up around a third of the total of 3,987,100 immigrants. In Islamic doctrine the prophet Mohammed is considered the seal of the prophecy and Islam the religion which comes after Judaism and Christianity to provide humans with the most exhaustive version of the divine message. New female Muslim figures are emerging in Italy, publicly claiming multiple belongings and capable of multiple loyalties and criticisms. Finally, there are the limitations of the Italian secular state model, in which the Catholic Church continues to be hegemonic and the restrictive Italian law regarding nationality based primarily on jus sanguinis continues to make immigrants' children "Italians with a residence permit". Keywords: Islamic doctrine; Muslim Italians
Hazardous Decibels

Noise-induced hearing loss ranks among the most significant occupational health problems. In the united states, more than 1 million firefighters are at risk for noise-induced hearing loss due to exposure to hazardous levels of intermittent noise from sirens, air horns, and engines of emergency vehicles and fire trucks. Although irreversible, noise-induced hearing loss is entirely preventable through both engineering controls and personal protective equipment. This article describes occupational noise exposure, hearing loss, and strategies to prevent noise-induced hearing loss among firefighters.
Tuberculous lymphadenitis in childhood: The significance of anonymous mycobacteria

TUBERCULOSIS in Victoria is steadily decreasing, but in the last 5 years there has been an increase in the incidence of tuberculous cervical adenitis among children in Melbourne. Concurrently, and apparently for the first time, anonymous chromogenic acidalcohol-fast Mycobacteria have been isolated from some of the affected lymph-nodes. These unexpected events have prompted an investigation to determine the significance of the organisms in the overall picture. This study has thrown some light on the pathogenesis, clinical features, and treatment of tuberculous lymphadenitis, on the morphology of the anonymous Mycobacteria which have been isolated, and on the pathology of the infections they produce. Evidence has emerged which raises doubts concerning the existence of ‘cat scratch disease’ as a distinct entity.
Occupational Risk Factors for Small Bowel Carcinoid Tumor: A European Population-Based Case-Control Study

Learning Objectives (1) Characterize small bowel carcinoid tumor (SBC) as to its clinical features and relationship to occupational exposures. (2) Identify specific industries and occupations that, in this case-control study, seem to confer an increased risk of SBC. (3) Give examples of common denominators that may connect identified types of work with an increased risk of SBC. Small bowel carcinoid tumor (SBC) is a rare disease of unknown etiology but with an age-, sex-, and place-specific occurrence that may indicate an occupational origin. A European multicenter population-based case-control study was conducted from 1995 through 1997. Incident SBC cases between 35 and 69 years of age (n = 101) were identified, together with 3335 controls sampled from the catchment area of the cases. Histological review performed by a reference pathologist left 99 cases for study; 84 cases and 2070 population controls were interviewed. The industries most closely associated (a twofold or more odds ratio [OR]) with SBC, taking into account a 10-year time lag after exposure were, among women, employment in wholesale industry of food and beverages (OR, 8.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.9 to 34.9]) and among men, manufacture of motor vehicle bodies (OR, 5.2; 95% CI, 1.2 to 22.4), footwear (OR, 3.9; 95% CI, 0.9 to 16.1), and metal structures (OR, 3.3; 95% CI, 1.0 to 10.4). The identified high-risk occupations with an OR above 2 were shoemakers, structural metal preparers, construction painters and other construction workers, bookkeepers, machine fitters, and welders (men). The OR for regular occupational use of organic solvents for at least half a year was 2.0 (95% CI, 1.0 to 4.2). Exposure to rust-preventive paint containing lead was suggested as another potential occupational exposure (OR, 9.1; 95% CI, 0.8 to 107). This explorative study suggests an association between certain occupational exposures and SBC, but some of these associations could be attributable to chance. All findings should be regarded as tentative.
Inhibitory and Stimulatory Interactions Between Endogenous Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormones in the African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus)1

Abstract In the brain of all vertebrate classes, chicken (c) GnRH-II ([His5,Trp7,Tyr8]GnRH, cGnRH-II) is expressed in the mesencephalon. In addition, at least one other form of GnRH is expressed in the preoptical area/hypothalamus. In the human pituitary stalk and the mouse median eminence, cGnRH-II is present together with mammalian GnRH. Similarly, in the pituitary of several teleost fish (e.g., goldfish and eel, but not salmon or trout), a teleost GnRH is found together with cGnRH-II. These GnRHs are not colocalized in the same cells. Hence, these GnRH peptides may differentially regulate gonadotropin secretion and, in addition, may exert their effects simultaneously. The current study therefore investigated the effects of combinations of the two forms of GnRH present in the African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) pituitary—cGnRH-II and catfish GnRH ([His5,Asn8]GnRH, cfGnRH)—on the cytosolic free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) in single, Fura-2-loaded catfish gonadotrophs, as well as their effects on both in vitro and in vivo LH secretion. Both inhibitory and stimulatory effects of combinations of cfGnRH and cGnRH-II on [Ca2+]i were observed, which were mirrored by their effects on both in vitro and in vivo LH secretion. The following pattern became apparent. The effect of intermediate or maximal effective cfGnRH doses was inhibited by the simultaneous presence of subthreshold or borderline effective cGnRH-II doses. Conversely, subthreshold or borderline effective concentrations of cfGnRH enhanced the effects of intermediate and maximal concentrations of cGnRH-II. In addition, combinations of cfGnRH and cGnRH-II concentrations that were equally active when tested separately showed an additive effect. The observed interactions between the two GnRHs may be of particular physiological relevance in the control of seasonal LH levels in the African catfish, as well as in other teleost species. Moreover, the occurrence of mutual inhibitory and stimulatory interactions between endogenous GnRHs may be a widespread aspect of GnRH action in vertebrates.
Febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions to platelets

&NA; Although febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions to erythrocytes and platelets are not life threatening, the clinical symptoms associated with them cause discomfort for the patient, result in the use of premedicative drugs, and utilize nursing and laboratory resources. For many years it was assumed that febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions were caused by an interaction between leukocyte antibody in the patient's plasma and leukocytes present in the transfused product. Thus prevention has focused on the removal of leukocytes from the blood product by centrifugation or filtration just prior to transfusion. Recent data suggest that most febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions to platelets do not involve an immune-mediated event but are caused by the accumulation of biologic response modifiers in the platelet product during storage. Potential biologic response modifiers that have been investigated include histamine, lipids, complement fragments, and cytokines. The concentrations of these substances have been shown to increase in erythrocytes or platelet products or both during storage, and there is some clinical evidence that supports an association between elevated cytokine levels and the risk of reaction. If biologic response modifiers play a major role in febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions to platelets, then interventions to prevent these reactions should focus on ways to stop production of these substances or on mechanisms to remove these substances from the platelet product before transfusion. Possible interventions include prestorage leukoreduction, plasma removal from the platelet product before transfusion, and reduction of the platelet storage period to 3 days. Clinical studies to identify the most effective approach for preventing febrile nonhemolytic transfusion reactions have not yet been reported.
Novel global asymptotic stability criteria for delayed cellular neural networks

This brief provides improved conditions for the existence of a unique equilibrium point and its global asymptotic stability of cellular neural networks with time delay. Both delay-dependent and delay-independent conditions are obtained by using more general Lyapunov-Krasovskii functionals. These conditions are expressed in terms of linear matrix inequalities, which can be checked easily by recently developed standard algorithms. Examples are provided to demonstrate the reduced conservatism of the proposed criteria by numerically comparing with those reported recently in the literature.
Understanding the Benefits of Musical Training

A number of studies suggest that musical training has benefits for other cognitive domains, such as language and mathematics, and studies of children and adults indicate structural as well as functional differences between the brains of musicians and nonmusicians. The induced gamma‐band response has been associated with attentional, expectation, memory retrieval, and integration of top‐down, bottom‐up, and multisensory processes. Here we report data indicating that the induced gamma‐band response to musical sounds is larger in adult musicians than in nonmusicians and that it develops in children after 1 year of musical training beginning at age 41/2 years, but not in children of this age who are not engaged in musical lessons. We conclude that musical training affects oscillatory networks in the brain associated with executive functions, and that superior executive functioning could enhance learning and performance in many cognitive domains.
Workplace Bullying, Mobbing and General Harassment: A Review

Research into workplace bullying has continued to grow and mature since emerging from Scandinavian investigations into school bullying in the late 1970s. Research communities now exist well beyond Scandinavia, including Europe, the UK, Australia, Asia and the USA. While the terms ‘harassment’ and ‘mobbing’ are often used to describe bullying behaviour, ‘workplace bullying’ tends to be the most consistently used term throughout the research community. In the past two decades especially, researchers have made considerable advances in developing conceptual clarity, frameworks and theoretical explanations that help explain and address this very complex, but often oversimplified and misunderstood, phenomenon. Indeed, as a phenomenon, workplace bullying is now better understood with reasonably consistent research findings in relation to its prevalence; its negative effects on targets, bystanders and organizational effectiveness; and some of its likely antecedents. However, as highlighted in this review, many challenges remain, particularly in relation to its theoretical foundations and efficacy of prevention and management strategies. Drawing on Affective Events Theory, this review advances understanding through the development of a new conceptual model and analysis of its interrelated components, which explain the dynamic and complex nature of workplace bullying and emphasize current and future debates. Gaps in the literature and future research directions are discussed, including the vexing problem of developing an agreed definition of workplace bullying among the research community, the emergence of cyberbullying, the importance of bystanders in addressing the phenomenon and the use of both formal and informal approaches to prevention and intervention.