Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nonacid reflux in patients with chronic cough on acid-suppressive therapy.

BACKGROUND It is generally accepted that extraesophageal gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms and their persistence despite acid-suppressive therapy are poor prognostic factors for antireflux surgery. Recent studies indicating that cough can be temporally associated with reflux episodes of pH 4 to 7 (ie, nonacid reflux) reinvigorates the need for a more careful workup in patients with cough suspected to be due to GERD. AIM To evaluate the frequency of chronic cough associated with nonacid reflux and the response of these patients to laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed data from patients with persistent cough despite twice-daily proton pump inhibitor (PPI) with or without the use of nighttime regimens of histamine-2 receptor antagonist (H2RA), who had undergone combined multichannel intraluminal impedance and pH monitoring. The association of cough and reflux was evaluated by calculating the symptom index (SI) [positive if > or = 50%]. A subset of patients with positive SI values for impedance-detected reflux with therapy was referred for laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication. RESULTS Of 50 patients (38 female patients; mean age, 43 years; age range, 6 months to 84 years) who were monitored while receiving therapy, 13 patients (26%) had a positive SI for cough. The SI-positive group had a lower percentage of female patients and patients of younger age compared to the SI-negative group. Laparoscopic Nissen fundoplication was performed in six SI-positive patients who became asymptomatic and stopped receiving acid-suppressive therapy during follow-up evaluations (median time, 17 months; range, 12 to 27 months). CONCLUSION Impedance pH monitoring should be performed while receiving therapy in patients with persistent symptoms who are receiving PPI therapy. A positive SI for nonacid reflux may be helpful in selecting patients who will benefit from antireflux surgery.
Motor vehicle occupant deaths among Hispanic and black children and teenagers.

OBJECTIVE To determine the risk of motor vehicle occupant deaths per unit of travel for Hispanic, non-Hispanic black, and non-Hispanic white children (aged 5-12 years) and teenagers (aged 13-19 years). DESIGN Comparison of 1989 to 1993 motor vehicle occupant death rates of children and teenagers by race, ethnicity, and sex by using data on mortality from the National Center for Health Statistics, travel data from the 1990 Nationwide Personal Transportation Survey, and 1990 US census data. RESULTS Among children 5 to 12 years old, race/ ethnicity differences per 100000 persons were unremarkable, but per billion vehicle-miles of travel, the rates were 14 for non-Hispanic blacks, 8 for Hispanics, and 5 for non-Hispanic whites. Among teenagers aged 13 to 19, the rates per 100000 persons were highest for non-Hispanic whites; however, the rates per billion vehicle-miles were 45 for Hispanics, 34 for non-Hispanic blacks, and 30 for non-Hispanic whites. Black and Hispanic male teenagers had substantially higher death rates per billion vehicle-miles of travel than either white male teenagers or female teenagers in any racial/ethnic group. CONCLUSIONS Black and Hispanic children and teenagers are at higher risk of dying in motor vehicle crashes when they travel. Greater public health attention is needed to address these increased risks.
A Duplex Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay for Differentiation between Bolbophorus Damnificus and Bolbophorus Type II Species Cercariae

A duplex quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay was developed to differentiate between Bolbophorus damnificus and Bolbophorus type II species cercariae. Both trematode species are prevalent throughout the commercial catfish industry, as both infect the ram's horn snail, Planorbella trivolvis, which is commonly found in catfish ponds. Identification of cercaria to species is important in catfish disease challenge experiments, as only B. damnificus has been shown to have negative impacts on channel catfish. Oligonucleotide primers and fluorescence resonance energy transfer hydrolysis probes were designed to amplify the 18S small subunit ribosomal DNA gene of each species. The quantification cycle indicative of the number of cercariae in the sample prep was determined, and standard curves correlating to cercaria numbers were established. For both species, the assay was found to be highly repeatable and reproducible, with a linear dynamic range covering 7 orders of magnitude. The sensitivity limit of the assay was ∼1/256th of a cercaria, regardless of species, and there was no remarkable interference between the 2 assays when run simultaneously within the same reaction. In a field study, identification of cercaria by the duplex real-time qPCR assay was in complete agreement with previously established end-point PCR protocols, demonstrating the assay to be a more rapid, quantifiable means of parasite identification.
Sensitivity and Specificity of Long Wave Infrared Imaging for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective: This study was the first to investigate the efficacy of long wave infrared (LWIR) imaging as a diagnostic tool for ADHD. Method: This study was conducted to assess the sensitivity and specificity of LWIR imaging as a method of diagnosis among 190 patients (ages 4.4-57 years) with various diagnoses, including ADHD, who came into our office for neuropsychological evaluation. Results: LWIR imaging demonstrated a moderate level of sensitivity (65.71%) in identifying patients with ADHD and a high level of specificity (94%) in discriminating those with ADHD from those with other diagnoses. The overall classification rate was 73.16%. This was indicative of a high level of discriminant validity in distinguishing between patients with and without ADHD. There was a moderate level of agreement between LWIR imaging and multiple other diagnostic tests for ADHD. Conclusions: LWIR imaging demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity as a diagnostic tool for ADHD. These results provide evidence for the efficacy of a novel, quick, and effective way to investigate the physiological basis of one of the most prevalent childhood psychiatric disorders.
Push and pull factors in international nurse migration.

PURPOSE To describe the push and pull factors of migration in relation to international recruitment and migration of nurses. ORGANIZING CONSTRUCT Review of literature on nurse migration, examination of effects of donor and receiving countries, and discussion of ethical concerns related to foreign nurse recruitment. FINDINGS The primary donor countries are Australia, Canada, the Philippines, South Africa, and the United Kingdom (UK); the primary receiving countries are Australia, Canada, Ireland, the UK, and the United States (US). The effects of migration on donor countries include the loss of skilled personnel and economic investment; receiving countries receive skilled nurses to fill critical shortages with less economic investment. Ethical concerns include the potential for exploitation of foreign nurses. CONCLUSIONS Nurses migrate to seek better wages and working conditions than they have in their native countries. Given the current conditions, developed countries continue to actively recruit foreign nurses to fill critical shortages. Migration is predicted to continue until developed countries address the underlying causes of nurse shortages and until developing countries address conditions that cause nurses to leave.
A further look at non-metropolitan population growth since 1970.

The fact that the trend of population growth in the United States had turned toward rural and small town areas began to become public knowledge late in 1973. It took a while for the information to be widely distributed and to be accepted, for it went against the grain of much that economists and others in research or policy positions believed probable. By now it has been widely reported in the news media and seems to be part of the public's general stock of information. The purpose of this presentation is to give an updated assessment of the trend and of the circumstances that are associated with it. (For an earlier and fuller discussion of the subject, see Beale 1975.) The simplest way to show the trend is to compare growth and migration rates for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. From April 1970 to July 1974, the nonmetropolitan counties of the United States increased in population by 5.6%, while metropolitan counties grew by 3.4% (table 1). Neither of these rates is especially high, for the birth rate has been low almost everywhere. But with the possible exception of a brief period during the heart of the Great Depression, we do not appear in the modern history of our country ever to have had a previous time when nonmetropolitan population growth rates exceeded metropolitan rates. From 1970 to 1974, a net of 1.6 million people moved into nonmetropolitan counties. By contrast, 3.0 million net outmigration took place from these counties in the 1960s, and an even larger number in the 1950s. County population estimates for 1975 are available for thirty-two states at the time of writing and show a continuation of the 1970-74 pattern (U.S. Dep. Commerce 1975a). I expect the net movement nationally into nonmetropolitan areas to be about 1.9 million for 1970-75.
Three-weekly s-1 monotherapy as first-line treatment in elderly patients with recurrent or metastatic gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIMS Elderly patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC) have generally been excluded from clinical trials, and there are few data available on the treatment of these patients. The efficacy of palliative S-1 monotherapy as a first-line treatment regimen for elderly patients has not been well elucidated. METHODS For this study, 25 AGC patients were enrolled between January 1, 2007 and March 31, 2009; 4 cases were recurrent AGC and 21 cases were metastatic AGC at the time of diagnosis. These patients received S-1 therapy at a dose of 40 mg/m(2) twice daily for 14 days every 3 weeks. All of the patients were older than 70 years. RESULTS The median follow-up duration, the median progression-free survival, and the overall survival time were 8.7 months (range, 4.9 to 12.5 months), 4.9 months (range, 3.5 to 6.3 months), and 10.8 months (range, 6.6 to 15.0 months), respectively. Grade 3/4 nonhematologic toxicities were rare. Grade 3/4 neutropenia was noted in two patients. The partial response rate was 21.7% and stable disease was observed in 34.8% of the patients. Two patients (8%) died due to chemotherapy-associated toxicity during treatment (septic shock/intracranial hemorrhage). CONCLUSIONS Oral S-1 chemotherapy seems to be effective as a first-line treatment regimen for elderly patients with metastatic or recurrent AGC. However, elderly patients receiving S-1 treatment should undergo continuous toxicity monitoring, since they are highly susceptible to adverse effects.
Identification of single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the human N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit NR2D gene, GRIN2D, and association study with schizophrenia

Objectives The glutamatergic dysfunction is one of the main hypotheses for the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors are of major interest because phencyclidine, a non-competitive antagonist of N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors, produces a schizophrenia-like psychosis. Therefore, the genes encoding N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunits are strong candidates for schizophrenia susceptibility genes. We focused on the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit NR2D gene in the case–control study of schizophrenia. Methods We screened for polymorphisms in exons, exon–intron boundaries and the 5′ upstream region of GRIN2D by direct sequencing in 32 Japanese patients. Out of the total 13 single-nucleotide polymorphisms identified, we genotyped 200–201 Japanese patients and 219–221 controls for nine common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (minor allele frequency over 0.05). Results None of the nine single-nucleotide polymorphisms showed significant differences in genotype and allele frequencies between cases and controls. We observed significant associations of pairwise haplotypes in three combinations of four single-nucleotide polymorphisms, INT10SNP–EX13SNP2, EX13SNP2–EX13SNP3 and EX6SNP–EX13SNP2, with the disease even after the Bonferroni correction (P=1.094×10−6, Pcorrected=2.297×10−5, P=2.825×10−6, Pcorrected=5.933×10−5 and P=2.02×10−4, Pcorrected=4.242×10−3, respectively). The same results were also obtained using the false discovery rate (BL) method at the threshold P value, 2.908×10−3. Conclusions We conclude that the GRIN2D locus is a possible genomic region contributing to schizophrenia susceptibility in the Japanese population.
Cyr61, a Matricellular Protein, Is Needed for Dendritic Arborization of Hippocampal Neurons*

Background: Cyr61 is an angiogenic protein with unknown neuronal function expressed in the developing nervous system. Results: Knockdown and overexpression of Cyr61 affect dendritic arbor morphology. Conclusion: Cyr61 is necessary to control dendritic morphology. Significance: The function of Cyr61 in neurons has been identified for the first time. The shape of the dendritic arbor is one of the criteria of neuron classification and reflects functional specialization of particular classes of neurons. The development of a proper dendritic branching pattern strongly relies on interactions between the extracellular environment and intracellular processes responsible for dendrite growth and stability. We previously showed that mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) kinase is crucial for this process. In this work, we performed a screen for modifiers of dendritic growth in hippocampal neurons, the expression of which is potentially regulated by mTOR. As a result, we identified Cyr61, an angiogenic factor with unknown neuronal function, as a novel regulator of dendritic growth, which controls dendritic growth in a β1-integrin-dependent manner.
Sense of Coherence – A Mediator between Disability and Handicap?

Background: The aim of this study was first to analyze the associations between disability and handicap and Antonovsky’s concept of sense of coherence (SOC); secondly, to find out how the SOC concept could be integrated in the WHO model of impairments, disabilities, and handicaps (ICIDH). Methods: Data from two studies were used: one on patients with rheumatoid arthritis, one on severely injured accident victims. Objective measures of the illness or the injury were conceptualized as indicator variables for disability, whereas variables related to the patients’ subjective judgement were conceptualized as indicator variables for handicap. Correlations were calculated between both sets of variables and the SOC scale total score. Results: SOC showed no significant correlation with ‘disability variables’ (rheumatoid arthritis: HAQ, SF36 physical functioning; accidental injuries: ISS, GCS). However, significant correlations were found between SOC and all ‘handicap variables’ (rheumatoid arthritis: HAD, SF36 social functioning; accidental injuries: CAPS-2, IES, SCL-90-R depression subscale). Conclusions: SOC is related to the psychosocial effects of health problems. It may be understood as a mediator between disability and handicap. Prospective studies are needed to clarify whether the SOC scale can be used as an outcome predictor with regard to psychosocial adaptation, in acute as well as in chronic health problems.
Association between arsenic exposure and thyroid function: data from NHANES 2007–2010

The association of arsenic variables in urine, total arsenic (UAS), arsenobetaine (UAB), dimethylarsinic acid (UDMA), and arsenic adjusted for arsenobetaine (UAAS) with thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), free and total serum thyroxine (FT4, TT4), free and total triiodothyronine (FT3, TT3), and thyroglobulin (TGN) was evaluated by analyzing data from 2007–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. For iodine deficient males, there was a positive association between TSH and UDMA (p < 0.01) and a negative association between the levels of TT4 and UDMA (p < 0.01). Levels of UAAS were inversely associated with the levels of TT4 for both iodine-deficient (p = 0.054) and iodine-replete females (p < 0.01). For iodine-replete females, levels of both TSH and TGN increased with decrease in the levels of both UAB (p < 0.01) and UAS (p < 0.01). There was also a negative association between TSH and UAB as well as UAS (p < 0.01). For iodine-replete males, increased levels of UDMA were associated with decreasing levels of FT4 (p = 0.03).
Advances Knowledge in Education

Research in special education has yielded beneficial outcomes for students with disabilities as well as typical achieving students. The authors provide examples of the valuable knowledge special education research has generated, including the elements of response to intervention (e.g., screening and progress monitoring), instructional practices such as systematic instruction and feedback, and intensive interventions designed to meet the specific learning needs of students with disabilities. They present the importance of maintaining an appropriate funding stream for research in special education to ensure that robust research findings continue to be available to the educational community to improve outcomes for students with disabilities as well as typical learners. at COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN (CEC) on November 25, 2015 ecx.sagepub. com Downloaded from 12 Exceptional Children 82(1) with disabilities, served in the general education classroom. This emphasis is a result of initiatives (e.g., regular education initiative, inclusive schools movement) that entitled students with disabilities to be included in the general education setting aimed at promoting interaction between general and special education as a unified system. With this shift toward the expectation that all educators have responsibility for serving students with disabilities (Harkins, 2012; Will, 1986) came greater need for instructional techniques effective for a wide range of learners that could be feasibly implemented in the general education setting. As a result, instructional methods effective for students with disabilities were adopted and tested for efficacy in general education settings. Perhaps one of the most successful examples of special education research influencing general education organization, instruction, and practice has been RTI (L. S. Fuchs & Vaughn, 2012). It was included in the most recent reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act in 2004 as an approved method for identifying learning disabilities and has laid the groundwork for enhancing the performance of all students—with and without disabilities—through a common system where classroom teachers, special education teachers, and other specialists work together (D. Fuchs, Fuchs, & Compton, 2012; D. Fuchs, Fuchs, & Vaughn, 2014). RTI has yielded a network of changes in screening, assessment, and intervention that relate to both prevention and remediation of students at risk for academic and behavioral difficulties. [RTI is] an approved method for identifying learning disabilities and has laid the groundwork for enhancing the performance of all students—with and without disabilities—through a common system where classroom teachers, special education teachers, and other specialists
Low Rate of Methicillin‐resistant Coagulase‐positive Staphylococcal Colonization of Veterinary Personnel in Hong Kong

Elevated rates of methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) carriage have been reported in veterinary personnel, suggesting an occupational colonization risk. Hong Kong veterinary personnel (n = 150) were sampled for coagulase‐positive staphylococci (CPS) nasal colonization. Risk factors for colonization were assessed by questionnaire. Isolates were identified and antibiotic susceptibility determined. All CPS isolates were investigated for mecA carriage, SCCmec type and PVL genes. Two subjects were colonized with methicillin‐resistant CPS: one with MRSA (spa type t002 (CC5), SCCmec type II) and one with methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (MRSP) (MLST type ST71, SCCmec type II‐III). MLST type ST71 S. pseudintermedius strain is the predominant MRSP clone circulating in dogs in Europe and in Hong Kong. The low MR‐CPS colonization rate may be associated with low levels of large animal exposure or low rates of MRSA colonization of companion animals in Hong Kong. Colonization with non‐aureus CPS, which may cause human infection, must also be considered in veterinary personnel.
Loss of Atg12, but not Atg5, in pro-opiomelanocortin neurons exacerbates diet-induced obesity

The autophagy-related proteins ATG12 and ATG5 form a covalent complex essential for autophagy. Here, we demonstrate that ATG12 has distinct functions from ATG5 in pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC)-expressing neurons. Upon high-fat diet (HFD) consumption, mice lacking Atg12 in POMC-positive neurons exhibit accelerated weight gain, adiposity, and glucose intolerance, which is associated with increased food intake, reduced ambulation, and decreased LEP/leptin sensitivity. Importantly, although genetic deletion of either Atg12 or Atg5 renders POMC neurons autophagy-deficient, mice lacking Atg5 in POMC neurons do not exhibit these phenotypes. Hence, we propose nonautophagic functions for ATG12 in POMC neurons that counteract excessive weight gain in response to HFD consumption.
The C‐terminal domain of biotin protein ligase from E. coli is required for catalytic activity

Biotin protein ligase of Escherichia coli, the BirA protein, catalyses the covalent attachment of the biotin prosthetic group to a specific lysine of the biotin carboxyl carrier protein (BCCP) subunit of acetyl‐CoA carboxylase. BirA also functions to repress the biotin biosynthetic operon and synthesizes its own corepressor, biotinyl‐5′‐AMP, the catalytic intermediate in the biotinylation reaction. We have previously identified two charge substitution mutants in BCCP, E119K, and E147K that are poorly biotinylated by BirA. Here we used site‐directed mutagenesis to investigate residues in BirA that may interact with E119 or E147 in BCCP. None of the complementary charge substitution mutations at selected residues in BirA restored activity to wild‐type levels when assayed with our BCCP mutant substrates. However, a BirA variant, in which K277 of the C‐terminal domain was substituted with Glu, had significantly higher activity with E119K BCCP than did wild‐type BirA. No function has been identified previously for the BirA C‐terminal domain, which is distinct from the central domain thought to contain the ATP binding site and is known to contain the biotin binding site. Kinetic analysis of several purified mutant enzymes indicated that a single amino acid substitution within the C‐terminal domain (R317E) and located some distance from the presumptive ATP binding site resulted in a 25‐fold decrease in the affinity for ATP. Our data indicate that the C‐terminal domain of BirA is essential for the catalytic activity of the enzyme and contributes to the interaction with ATP and the protein substrate, the BCCP biotin domain.