Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Single-pass carbon dioxide laser skin resurfacing combined with cold-air cooling: efficacy and patient satisfaction of a prospective side-by-side study.

BACKGROUND Ablative skin resurfacing with carbon dioxide (CO(2)) and erbium:YAG lasers is still considered the gold standard for treating rhytides, photodamage, and acne scars. However, the prolonged downtime and undesired concomitant effects that are involved have sent dermatologists looking for less invasive nonablative laser techniques to rejuvenate skin. OBJECTIVE To combine cold-air cooling with single-pass CO(2) laser skin resurfacing to generate as much benefit as possible while minimizing the spectrum of adverse effects. STUDY DESIGN The efficacy of single-pass CO(2) laser skin resurfacing on perioral and periorbital wrinkles was examined prospectively during a 6-month follow-up period. In a side-by-side comparison, the influence of simultaneous cold-air cooling on concomitant effects, pain tolerance, therapeutic success, and patient satisfaction was also studied. Eight patients with perioral and/or periorbital wrinkles underwent the procedure. During laser treatment, only the right half of each face was cooled using a cold-air system. RESULTS Six months after treatment, a mild improvement of the wrinkles was observed in all cases. The use of cold-air cooling did not have any impact on the long-term results, although in a direct comparison between sides, it was observed that cooling reduced the recovery period from 3.9 +/- 1.5 (mean +/- SD) days to 3.5 +/- 1.4 days (P = .09) and helped postoperative erythema fade more quickly, from an average of 21.3 +/- 17.9 days to 11.7 +/- 3.9 days (P = .17). The reduction of pain was significant, which led to a much higher level of patient acceptance: on a numerical analog scale of 1 to 10, the rate decreased from an average of 6.8 +/- 1.8 (mean +/- SD) to 3.6 +/- 1.7 (P = .006). CONCLUSIONS Given the clear decline in demand for invasive laser technologies, single-pass CO(2) laser skin resurfacing in conjunction with cold-air cooling is a worthwhile alternative both to conventional resurfacing and to conventional subsurfacing. The use of cold-air cooling not only minimizes intraoperative and postoperative adverse effects, it also contributes strongly to patient satisfaction.
Detection of Vasospasm by Transcranial Doppler Sonography

Little information exists on the utility of transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) in detecting anterior (ACA) and posterior cerebral artery (PCA) vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage. During the period at risk for vasospasm, 53 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage who had technically adequate TCD performed within 24 hours of cerebral angiography, allowing evaluation of 87 ACAs and 84 PCAs, were studied. ACA and PCA vasospasm were defined by mean blood flow velocities of at least 120 cm/ sec and at least 90 em/sec, respectively. For detection of ACA vasospasm, sensitivity was 18% and specificity was 65%. For PCA vasospasm, sensitivity was 48% and specificity was 69%. False‐positive findings for occlusion accounted for 12 (92 %) of 13 ACA false‐positive results and 7 (37%) of 19 PCA false‐positive results, and were most often due to anatomical factors and operator error or inexperience. After exclusion of both true‐positive and false‐positive findings for occlusion and changes in the diagnostic criterion to at least 130 cm/sec for ACA vasospasm and at least 110 cm/sec for PCA vasospasm, specificity improved for both types of vasospasms (100 and 93%, respectively). However, the sensitivity of TCD to detect ACA and PCA vasospasm is limited by a variety of anatomical, technical, and other factors. It is concluded that TCD is highly specific in detecting both ACA and PCA vasospasm in arteries that can be insonated.
Measuring functional health among the elderly: development of the Japanese version of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II

The Japanese version of the World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule II (WHODAS II-J) was developed and its psychometric properties were evaluated, and then used to determine the influence of disability on quality of life among the elderly in Japan. The study included three phases: qualitative, preliminary and field. For the qualitative portion of the study, six key informants were interviewed before the translation/back-translation procedure. For the preliminary study, 17 healthy elderly individuals were interviewed using the 12-item interview version of the WHODAS II-J. For the field study, different versions of the WHODAS II-J and the Japanese version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) were tested with different participants (the 36-item interview version with 30 participants living in a nursing home, the 36-item proxy version with 30 caregivers working in the nursing home, and the 12-item and 36-item self-report versions with 132 and 129 healthy elderly living in Kanto and Kinki regions, respectively). In total, 321 elderly individuals participated in the field study. Of these participants, physical or mental disabilities were present in 47. Cronbach’s &agr; scores calculated for each of six domains of the WHODAS II ranged from 0.67 to 0.98. A significant correlation was observed between the results of the WHODAS II-J and the degree of disability (P<0.01), and a negative correlation was observed between WHOQOL-BREF and WHODAS II-J scores (P<0.01). A significant difference was found between healthy elderly individuals and those with disabilities in three domains: getting around, self-care, and life activities (P<0.01). In conclusion, the WHODAS II-J is a reliable and valid instrument for assessment of function in the elderly population in Japan.
The MMP-2 -735 C allele is a risk factor for susceptibility to breast cancer.

BACKGROUND The expression of MMP genes has been demonstrated to be associated with tumor invasion, metastasis and survival rate for a variety of cancers. The functional promoter polymorphism MMP-2 C-735T is associated with decreased expression of the MMP-2 gene. The aim of present study was to detect any association between MMP-2 C-735T and susceptibility to breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS The MMP-2 C-735T polymorphism was studied in 233 women (98 with breast cancer and 135 healthy controls). All studied women were from Kermanshah and Ilam provinces of Western Iran. The MMP-2 C-735T polymorphism was detected using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. RESULTS The frequencies of MMP-2 CC, CT and TT genotypes in healthy individuals were 59.3, 38.5 and 2.2%, respectively. However, in breast cancer patients, only CC (71.4%) and CT (28.6%) genotypes were observed (p=0.077). In patients the frequency of the MMP-2 C allele was significantly higher (85.7%) compared to that in controls (78.5 %, p=0.048). The presence of C allele of MMP-2 increased the risk of breast cancer by 1.64-fold [OR=1.64 (95%CI 1.01-2.7, p=0.049)]. The frequency of MMP-2 C allele was also higher in patients≤40 years (88.9%) than those aged ≥41 years (67.5%, p=0.07). In addition, the frequency of MMP-2 C allele tended to be higher in patients with a family history of cancer in first-degree relatives (76.6%) compared to that without a family history of cancer (67.3%, p=0.31). CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that the C allele of MMP-2 C-735T polymorphism is associated with increased risk of breast cancer. Also, the MMP-2 C allele might increase the risk of young onset breast cancer in our population.
Quality of life of seniors living in the community and in long term care facilities: a comparative study.

OBJECTIVES to compare the perceptions of quality of life (QOL) and to identify factors associated with QOL among seniors living in the community in Porto Alegre, RS and institutionalized seniors from the countryside of Minas Gerais, Brazil. METHOD this study used secondary data from two cross-sectional epidemiological studies. The sample consisted of 288 seniors living in the community and 76 institutionalized seniors. An instrument addressing socio-demographic data and the WHOQOL-BREF were administered. RESULTS bivariate analysis showed that age, gender, schooling, self-reported health, and leisure presented statistically significant differences between institutionalized and non-institutionalized seniors. The Psychological and Social Relationships domains also presented statistically significant differences. The variables that presented significant correlation in multivariate analysis in relation to the Psychological domain were education, assessments of health, leisure and in relation to the Social domain, education and age. CONCLUSION being institutionalized did not influence the older adults' perceptions of QOL, but the socio-demographic characteristics and self-assessments of health did.
Correlates of inconsistent condom use among youth aged 18–24 years in South Africa

This paper examines the correlates of inconsistent condom use with most recent sexual partner among sexually experienced youth (N = 2 138) in South Africa. A cross-sectional population based survey with youth aged 18 to 24 years was conducted in 4 provinces (Eastern Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga). More women than men (57.7% vs. 25.8%) reported inconsistent condom use with their most recent partner. Multivariate analysis indicated that for males, not having talked with a partner about condoms in the past 12 months, having 2 or more sexual partners in the past 12 months, having ever had a transactional sex partner and alcohol use before sex in the past 3 months were associated with inconsistent condom use with their most recent sexual partner. In females multivariate analysis showed that lack of self-efficacy, not having talked with a partner about condoms in the past 12 months, having ever had or been subjected to forced sex and hazardous or harmful alcohol use were found to be associated with inconsistent condom use with their most recent sexual partner in multivariate analysis.
Recovery room incidents: a review of 419 reports from the Anaesthetic Incident Monitoring Study (AIMS)

Summary Four hundred and nineteen incidents that occurred in the recovery room were extracted from the Anaesthetic Incident Monitoring Study database, representing 5% of the total database of 8372 reports. Incidents were reported mainly in daylight hours, with over 50% occurring in ASA 1–2 patients. The most common presenting problems related to respiratory/airway issues (183; 43%), cardiovascular problems (99; 24%) and drug errors (44; 11%). One hundred and twenty‐two events (29%) led to a major physiological disturbance and required management in the High Dependency Unit or Intensive Care Unit. Contributing factors cited included error of judgement (77; 18%), communication failure (57; 14%) and inadequate pre‐operative preparation (29; 7%), whilst factors minimising the incident included previous experience (97; 23%), detection by monitoring (72; 17%) and skilled assistance (54; 13%). Staffing and infrastructure of the recovery room needs to be supported, with ongoing education and quality assurance programmes developed to ensure that such events can be reduced in the future.
Composition of humic acid-degrading estuarine and marine bacterial communities.

We examined the bacterial decomposition of humic acids (HA) in two flow-through culture experiments, one inoculated by marine and one by estuarine bacterial communities. In both experiments, the cultures were fed with HA media of salinities of 28 and 14, close to their ambient and a distinctly different, foreign salinity. HA were decomposed to > 60% of the initial concentration within 70 days, and the foreign salinity yielded the highest decomposition. A detrended correspondence analysis of denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) banding patterns showed that during incubation, the bacterial community composition underwent distinct changes. A phylogenetic analysis of DGGE bands excised and bacteria isolated at the end on HA as the sole carbon source showed that Alphaproteobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria largely dominated the communities in the marine flow-through cultures, whereas Gammaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Alphaproteobacteria dominated the estuarine communities. Eleven of 13 isolates obtained from both experiments were able to grow on HA as the sole carbon source, seven on phenol and three, affiliated to the Roseobacter clade, on various aromatic acids. The bacteria retrieved from the flow-through cultures were closely (96-99%) affiliated to organisms capable of degrading humic matter, aromatic and aliphatic compounds and also to other bacteria reported previously from the Wadden Sea and Weser estuary.
Comparison between Cultured Small-Intestinal and Fecal Microbiotas in Beagle Dogs

ABSTRACT The microbiota of the small intestine is poorly known because of difficulties in sampling. In this study, we examined whether the organisms cultured from the jejunum and feces resemble each other. Small-intestinal fluid samples were collected from 22 beagle dogs with a permanent jejunal fistula in parallel with fecal samples. In addition, corresponding samples from seven of the dogs were collected during a 4-week period (days 4, 10, 14, and 28) to examine the stability of the microbiota. In the jejunal samples, aerobic/facultative and anaerobic bacteria were equally represented, whereas anaerobes dominated in the fecal samples. Despite lower numbers of bacteria in the jejunum (range, 102 to 106 CFU/g) than in feces (range, 108 to 1011 CFU/g), some microbial groups were more prevalent in the small intestine: staphylococci, 64% versus 36%; nonfermentative gram-negative rods, 27% versus 9%; and yeasts, 27% versus 5%, respectively. In contrast, part of the fecal dominant microbiota (bile-resistant Bacteroides spp., Clostridium hiranonis-like organisms, and lactobacilli) was practically absent in the jejunum. Many species were seldom isolated simultaneously from both sample types, regardless of their overall prevalence. In conclusion, the small intestine contains a few bacterial species at a time with vastly fluctuating counts, opposite to the results obtained for the colon, where the major bacterial groups remain relatively constant over time. Qualitative and quantitative differences between the corresponding jejunal and fecal samples indicate the inability of fecal samples to represent the microbiotas present in the upper gut.
Lymphatic Vascular Invasion in Ovarian Serous Tumors of Low Malignant Potential With Stromal Microinvasion: A Case Control Study

Stromal microinvasion in ovarian serous tumors of low malignant potential (S-LMP) stratifies patients at long-term risk for disease progression independent of stage and primary ovarian histology. Despite the histologic impression and often-quoted incidence of lymphatic vascular invasion (LVI) in S-LMP with stromal microinvasion, there has been no formal evaluation in a case control series of S-LMP. The presence and extent of (LVI) was assessed in 20 S-LMP with stromal microinvasion and 20 S-LMP case controls without stromal microinvasion and compared with a series of low-grade and high-grade serous carcinomas using D2-40 monoclonal antibody recognizing podoplanin, a novel lymphatic endothelial marker. S-LMP case controls were matched for primary ovarian histology (usual vs. micropapillary), International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) stage, and age (best possible match). The patterns of stromal microinvasion included individual eosinophilic cells and cell clusters, cribriform, simple and noncomplex branching papillae, and inverted macropapillae. Immunohistologic staining with D2-40 monoclonal antibody clearly identified intratumoral LVI in 12/20 (60%) S-LMP with stromal microinvasion and 0/20 S-LMP without stromal microinvasion. Although only 4/13 (31%) low-grade serous carcinomas and 7/20 (35%) high-grade serous carcinomas had intratumoral LVI, hilar LVI was more common in the carcinomas (15% low-grade; 69% high-grade). Intratumoral LVI in S-LMP ranged from focal (6 cases) to multifocal (6 cases, maximum of 5 discrete foci) in any 1 section and included isolated single cells, simple papillae, and in 1 case, cribriform glands. Multifocal LVI was identified in 1 study patient who was pregnant. One of the 12 S-LMP patients with LVI had an intra-abdominal recurrence with high-grade disease at 16 months; whereas all other patients with follow-up were free of disease. LVI in ovarian S-LMP was significantly associated with the presence of stromal microinvasion (P<0.0001) and is independent of age, stage, primary ovarian histology, and pattern or extent of microinvasion. The presence of LVI in microinvasive S-LMP corroborates the view that microinvasion represents an early, but very low risk, invasive process that morphologically links S-LMP and low-grade serous carcinoma.
Adult Celiac Disease Followed by Onset of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Background Celiac disease has been associated with autoimmune disease (eg, autoimmune thyroiditis) and the appearance of different autoantibodies (eg, antidouble-stranded DNA). Conversely, tissue transglutaminase antibodies have been detected in autoimmune disorders, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but cases of celiac disease with SLE have been only rarely recorded. Methods In this study, 246 patients with biopsy-defined celiac disease were evaluated for a prior diagnosis of SLE on the basis of American Rheumatological Association-defined clinical and serologic parameters. Results There were 6 patients with celiac disease and SLE, or 2.4%, including 4 females and 2 males. Their mean age at diagnosis of celiac disease was 44.7 years and SLE 50 years. In all patients, the diagnosis of SLE was established from 2 years to more than 10 years after the diagnosis of celiac disease, with a mean of 5.3 years. The celiac disease in all 6 patients responded to a gluten-free diet with histologic normalization of the small intestinal biopsies. Despite this small bowel biopsy response, SLE appeared later in the clinical course of the celiac disease. Conclusions This study suggests that SLE occurs far more frequently in biopsy-defined celiac disease than is currently appreciated, and detection may be more likely if the period of clinical follow-up of the celiac disease is prolonged.
Ca2+/Calmodulin Kinase Kinase α Is Dispensable for Brain Development but Is Required for Distinct Memories in Male, though Not in Female, Mice

ABSTRACT In neurons, the Ca2+/calmodulin (CaM) kinase cascade transduces Ca2+ signaling into gene transcription. The CaM kinase cascade is known to be important for brain development as well as memory formation in adult brain, although the functions of some cascade members remain unknown. Here we have generated null and hypomorphic mutants to study the physiological role of CaM kinase kinase α (CaMKKα), which phosphorylates and activates both CaM kinase I (CaMKI) and CaMKIV, the output kinases of the cascade. We show that CaMKKα is dispensable for brain development and long-term potentiation in adult hippocampal CA1 synapses. We find that CaMKKα is required for hippocampus-dependent contextual fear memory, but not spatial memory, formation. Surprisingly, CaMKKα is important for contextual fear memory formation in males but not in females. We show that in male mice, contextual fear conditioning induces up-regulation of hippocampal mRNA expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in a way that requires CaMKKα, while in female mice, contextual fear conditioning induces down-regulation of hippocampal BDNF mRNA expression that does not require CaMKKα. Additionally, we demonstrate sex-independent up-regulation in hippocampal nerve growth factor-inducible gene B mRNA expression that does not require CaMKKα. Thus, we show that CaMKKα has a specific complex role in memory formation in males.
Hormonal changes in 3-month-old cryptorchid boys.

CONTEXT Hormonal dysregulation has been suggested to be one of many etiological factors of cryptorchidism. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to assess the hypothalamic-pituitary-testicular axis in cryptorchid boys during the postnatal hormonal surge. DESIGN This was a prospective, longitudinal, population-based study. SETTING The study was performed at two primary obstetric centers. PARTICIPANTS Study participants included 388 Finnish and 433 Danish boys (88 and 34 with cryptorchidism, respectively). INTERVENTIONS Clinical examinations were performed at 0 and 3 months. Blood samples were taken at 3 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The main outcome measures were testis position and reproductive hormone levels. RESULTS Finnish cryptorchid boys had significantly higher FSH [1.59 (0.50-3.53) vs. 1.30 (0.49-2.92) IU/liter; P < 0.0001] and lower inhibin B [426 (254-770) vs. 459 (266-742) pg/ml; P < 0.015] levels than Finnish control boys [median (2.5th-97.5th percentiles)]. Danish cryptorchid boys had higher FSH levels than controls [1.47 (0.54-3.89) vs. 1.18 (0.41-3.04) IU/liter; P = 0.018]. Inhibin B levels in healthy Danish boys were lower than those in Finnish boys [380 (233-637) pg/ml; P < 0.0001] and were not reduced in Danish crypt-orchid boys [392 (236-672) pg/ml; P = 0.851]. Changes in hormone levels were strongest in boys with severe, persistent cryptorchidism, but were also detectable in mild and transient cryptorchidism. Effects on Leydig cell function were subtle, with an increase in LH in Finnish (but not Danish) cryptorchid boys vs. controls [1.97 (0.77-5.91) vs. 1.75 (0.58-4.04) IU/liter; P < 0.021], but testosterone levels remained within the normal range. CONCLUSIONS Our results support the hypothesis that cryptorchidism is associated with a primary testicular disorder, which could be a cause or a consequence of cryptorchidism. This malfunction is reflected by low inhibin B production in the Finnish cohort and high gonadotropin drive in both the Finnish and Danish cohorts.
In vivo formation of benzo (a) pyrene diol epoxide‐deoxyadenosine adducts in the skin of mice susceptible to benzo (a) pyrene‐induced carcinogenesis

The hydrocarbon‐deoxyribonucleoside adducts formed in mouse skin DNA have been determined following topical application of an initiating dose of benzo(a)pyrene to Swiss mice, a strain shown to be susceptible to benzo(a)pyrene‐induced skin carcinogenesis. Several DNA‐bound products were formed, of which the major one (60 % of total adducts), in agreement with other workers' findings, was derived from reaction of (±) 7β, 8α‐dihydroxy‐9α, 10α‐epoxy‐7,8,9,10‐tetrahy‐drobenzo(a)pyrene (BPDE) with the exocyclic amino group of deoxyguanosine. A further product (9–10% of total adducts), previously observed only after microsomal activation of benzo(a)pyrene, was observed and co‐chromatographed with a further metabolite of 9‐hydroxybenzo(a)pyrene bound to an uncharacterized base in the DNA. Two other products (2–3 % of total adducts) were also found in the in vivo studies which co‐chromatographed with BPDE‐deoxyadenosine adducts and arose from cis and trans addition of the exocyclic amino group of deoxyadenosine to the 7R form, but not the 7S form, of BPDE. In contrast to this, the major in vitrodeoxyadenosine‐bound products, formed following reaction of BPDE with calf‐thymus DNA, were derived from the 7S form of BPDE, suggesting either stereo‐selective formation or reaction of the 7R form of BPDE in mouse skin in vivo. Similar amounts of BPDE‐deoxy‐guanosine and BPDE‐deoxyadenosine adducts, as well as those derived from further metabolism of 9‐hydroxy‐benzo(a)pyrene, were formed in three strains of mice reported to have widely differing susceptibilities to polycyclic hydrocarbon‐induced skin carcinogenesis. The relevance of these different hydrocarbon‐DNA adducts to carcinogenesis requires further investigation.