Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Unwanted Behaviors and Nuisance Behaviors Among Neighbors in a Belgian Community Sample

Unwanted behaviors between (ex-)intimates have been extensively studied, while those behaviors within other contexts such as neighbors have received much less scientific consideration. Research indicates that residents are likely to encounter problem behaviors from their neighbors. Besides the lack of clarity in the conceptualization of problem behaviors among neighbors, little is known on which types of behaviors characterize neighbor problems. In this study, the occurrence of two types of problem behaviors encountered by neighbors was explored within a Belgian community sample: unwanted behaviors such as threats and neighbor nuisance issues such as noise nuisance. By clearly distinguishing those two types of behaviors, this study aimed at contributing to the conceptualization of neighbor problems. Next, the coping strategies used to deal with the neighbor problems were investigated. Our results indicated that unwanted behaviors were more frequently encountered by residents compared with nuisance problems. Four out of 10 respondents reported both unwanted pursuit behavior and nuisance problems. It was especially unlikely to encounter nuisance problems in isolation of unwanted pursuit behaviors. While different coping styles (avoiding the neighbor, confronting the neighbor, and enlisting help from others) were equally used by the stalked participants, none of them was perceived as being more effective in reducing the stalking behaviors. Strikingly, despite being aware of specialized help services such as community mediation services, only a very small subgroup enlisted this kind of professional help.
Evaluation of knowledge, awareness, and attitude toward emergency dental trauma management among the school teachers of Kolkata

Introduction: Traumatic dental injuries (TDIs) are very common in childhood. Majority of TDI occur at home followed by schools. The prognosis of TDIs to a great extent is dependent on prompt emergency measures taken at the site of accident. Hence, it is of paramount importance to assess the knowledge of people present at the site of accident that generally includes parents, teachers, and sports coaches. Aim of Study: The aim of the study was to assess the knowledge, attitude, and awareness of school teachers of Kolkata regarding management of TDIs. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 400 school teachers of Kolkata over a period of 2 months using a pretested close-ended questionnaire. The questionnaire had three parts: Part 1 contained questions on personal information, Part 2 contained questions based on two imaginary cases of trauma, and Part 3 related to their attitude toward dental trauma education. Chi-square test was done to describe the strength of the associations. Results: : The overall knowledge of school teachers regarding management of TDIs was not found to be satisfactory. It was observed that most of the teachers were in favor of taking immediate professional consultation for the emergency management, but most of them were unaware of the steps to be taken on their part to minimize complications and improve prognosis. Conclusion: Despite the lack of knowledge and awareness regarding management of dental trauma, school teachers of Kolkata had a good attitude toward management of dental trauma and its education.
Thrombospondin 2 Deficiency in Pregnant Mice Results in Premature Softening of the Uterine Cervix1

Abstract The gradual disorganization of collagen fibers in the stromal connective tissue of the uterine cervix is characteristic of progressive cervical softening during pregnancy. A lack of thrombospondin (TSP) 2 has been shown to be associated with altered collagen fibril morphology of connective-tissue-rich organs such as skin and tendon. The goal of this study was to determine the role of TSP2 in cervical softening by studying a TSP2-null mouse line. Creep testing showed that, in the nonpregnant animal and on Day 10 of pregnancy, there was no difference between the cervical extensibility of the wild-type and the TSP2-deficient mice. However, by Day 14 of pregnancy, the TSP2-null mice showed 4.5-fold increase in cervical extensibility, and by Day 18, a 6.1-fold increase, when compared with wild-type mice. A further indicator of compromised cervical integrity was that, on Days 14 and 18 of pregnancy, the cervix of TSP2-null mice broke rapidly under standard loading conditions that did not break the cervix of wild-type mice. Western blotting showed that TSP2 was expressed in the cervix of mice on Days 14 and 18 of pregnancy but not on Day 10 or in the nonpregnant animal. As determined by immunohistochemistry, the amount of matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2) in the cervix of TSP2-null mice increased 11-fold on Day 14 of pregnancy and 19-fold on Day 18. Thus, TSP2-null mice provide an animal model to assist in the understanding of the molecular basis of spontaneous, premature softening of the uterine cervix.
Cells en route to apoptosis are characterized by the upregulation of c‐fos, c‐myc, c‐jun, cdc2, and RB phosphorylation, resembling events of early cell‐cycle traverse

Density‐arrested quiescent murine Balb/c‐3T3 cells are dependent upon growth factors for their survival. Withdrawal of serum from their medium induces rapid cell death, the mechanism of which is not yet fully understood. We have studied the effect of serum deprivation on density‐inhibited quiescent Swiss 3T3 cells and found that they undergo rapid cell death upon total withdrawal of serum. The nature of this cell death is similar to apoptosis, as shown by cellular and nulear morphology and DNA fragmentation into oligonucleosomal fragments. Investigating the regulation of early cell‐cycle genes during this process, we found that c‐myc, c‐jun, c‐fos, and cdc2, protein presence is induced after serum deprivation, when the phosphorylated form of the RB protein also appears. The upregulation of these genes' protein products is coupled with the appearance of PCNA, a proliferation‐specific nuclear antigen, as well as significant incorporation of BrdU, which may reflect DNA repair activity; in situ analysis shows that BrdU‐positive cells are also positive for DNA fragmentation. These results suggest that en route to apoptosis, cells undergo events typical of early cell‐cycle traverse by expressing early G1 genes and may even experience the late G1/S phase boundary, as shown by the presence of PCNA. However, the demonstrated ability of these cells to traverse the G1 phase of the cell cycle seems to be an abortive event, since they die shortly afterwards.
Omnibus permutation tests of the association of an ensemble of genetic markers with disease in case‐control studies

An omnibus permutation test of the overall null hypothesis can be used to assess the association of an entire ensemble of genetic markers with disease in case‐control studies. In this approach, p‐values for univariate marker‐specific Armitage trend tests are combined to form a scalar statistic, which is then used in a permutation test to determine an overall p‐value. Two previously described competing methods utilize either a standard two‐sample Hotelling's T2 statistic or a global U statistic that is a weighted sum of univariate U statistics. In contrast to Hotelling's test, omnibus tests are much less sensitive to missing data, and utilize all available data. In contrast to the global U test, omnibus tests do not require that the direction of the effects of the individual markers on the risk of disease be correctly specified in advance; in fact, any combination of one‐ and two‐sided univariate tests can be used. Simulations show that, even under circumstances favoring the competing tests (no missing data; direction of effects known), omnibus permutation tests based on Fisher's combining function or the Anderson‐Darling statistic typically have power comparable to or greater than Hotelling's and the global U tests. Genet. Epidemiol. 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Off-pump versus on-pump coronary artery bypass surgery in patients with triple-vessel disease and enlarged ventricles

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) is a popular treatment for patients with ischemic heart disease, especially for high-risk patients. However, whether OPCAB can lead to better clinical outcomes than on-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (ONCAB) in patients with enlarged ventricles remains controversial. This prospective randomized study was designed to characterize comparison of early clinical outcome and mid-term follow-up following ONCAB versus OPCAB in patients with triple-vessel disease and enlarged ventricles. DESIGN AND SETTINGS Prospective randomized trial of patients treated at The First Affiliated Hospital, China Medical University, over a 3-year period (2007–2010). METHODS A total of 102 patients with triple-vessel disease and enlarged ventricles (end-diastolic dimension ≥6.0 cm) were randomized to OPCAB or ONCAB between July 2007 and December 2010. The in-hospital outcomes were analyzed. The study included a mid-term follow-up, with a mean follow-up time of 49.40 (12.88 months). RESULTS No significant differences were recorded in the baseline clinical characteristics of ONCAB and OPCAB groups. A statistical difference was found between the two groups at the time of extubation, intensive care unit stay, hospital stay, blood requirements, incidence of intra-aortic balloon pump support, pulmonary complications, stroke, reoperation for bleeding, and inotropic requirements >24 hours (P<.05). The number of anastomoses performed per patient, the incidence of postoperative ventricular arrhythmia, myocardial infarction, new-onset atrial fibrillation, hemodialysis, infective complications, recurrent angina, and percutaneous reintervention were similar between the 2 groups (P>.05). The left ventricular end-diastolic dimension was significantly smaller at 6 months’ follow-up in the 2 groups than it was before operation (<.05). No differences in hospital mortality and mid-term mortality between OPCAB and ONCAB groups were found. During the follow-up, no patient in either group had undergone repeat coronary artery bypass grafting. CONCLUSION No differences in early and mid-term mortality were found between OPCAB and ONCAB in patients with triple-vessel disease and enlarged ventricles. However, OPCAB seems to have a beneficial effect on postoperative complications.
An Empirical Assessment of REBT Models of Psychopathology and Psychological Health in the Prediction of Anxiety and Depression Symptoms

Aims: This study aimed to assess the validity of two models which integrate the cognitive (satisfaction with life) and affective (symptoms of anxiety and depression) aspects of subjective well-being within the framework of rational emotive behaviour therapy (REBT) theory; specifically REBT's theory of psychopathology and theory of psychological health. Method: 397 Irish and Northern Irish undergraduate students completed measures of rational/irrational beliefs, satisfaction with life, and anxiety/depression symptoms. Structural equation modelling techniques were used in order to test our hypothesis within a cross-sectional design. Results: REBT's theory of psychopathology (χ2 = 373.78, d.f. = 163, p < .001; comparative fit index (CFI) = . 92; Tucker Lewis index (TLI) = . 91; root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = . 06 (95% CI = .05 to .07); standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) = . 07) and psychological health (χ2 = 371.89, d.f. = 181, p < .001; CFI = .93; TLI = .92; RMSEA = .05 (95% CI = .04 to .06); SRMR = . 06) provided acceptable fit of the data. Moreover, the psychopathology model explained 34% of variance in levels of anxiety/depression, while the psychological health model explained 33% of variance. Conclusions: This study provides important findings linking the fields of clinical and positive psychology within a comprehensible framework for both researchers and clinicians. Findings are discussed in relation to the possibility of more effective interventions, incorporating and targeting not only negative outcomes, but also positive concepts within the same model.
Prevalence of parietal cell antibodies in a large cohort of patients with autoimmune thyroiditis.

BACKGROUND Autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) may be associated with other organ-specific autoimmune disorders, including autoimmune gastritis, but the prevalence of this association is not entirely quantified. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of parietal cell antibodies (PCA) in a large cohort of consecutive patients with AIT. METHODS We retrospectively studied 2016 consecutive women and 258 men with AIT seen at our referral center in the period from 2004 to 2008. All patients were screened for the presence of PCA in the serum. RESULTS The prevalence of serum PCA in female patients was 29.7% and progressively increased from 13% in the first-second decade of life to peak at 42% in the ninth decade. During follow up, 21.1% of the PCA-positive patients converted to PCA-negative status. Mean (±standard deviation) basal PCA levels in this group were significantly lower (32 ± 28 U/mL) compared with those remaining PCA positive (129 ± 200 U/mL). A similar prevalence (29.8%) with a similar age-dependency was found in male patients. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, our study demonstrates a high, age-dependent prevalence of PCA in an unselected large population of patients with AIT.
The Effect of HIV-1 on the Central Nervous System HIV-1 is a neurotrophic virus

Previous studies have reported that Human Immunodeficiency Virus type 1 (HIV-1) directly affects the nervous system and the brain, and subsequently, it compromises patients’ cognitive ability which in turn decreases their functional status and survival time. Using a variety of neuropsychological tests, the aim of this study was to investigate the impact of HIV-1 on neurocognitive ability of HAART-naive young adults in Cape Town, South Africa, where clade C of the virus prevails. HAART-naive individuals are people who are not taking antiretroviral treatment (ARVs). Participants were 24 HIV seropositive (HIV+) and 24 HIV seronegative (HIV-) individuals recruited from a clinic in Khayelitsha. They were matched on age, gender, socio-economic status (SES), language, and education. Those who had a history of substance use and pre-existing mental illness were excluded from the study. Results were similar to the previous findings from both developing and developed countries. Participants in the HIV+ group performed more poorly on some tests of motor functioning, attention, processing speed, and executive functioning. The findings reflected that subtle cognitive impairment is present in South African HAART-naive individuals.
Origin of archosaurian integumentary appendages: the bristles of the wild turkey beard express feather-type beta keratins.

The discovery that structurally unique "filamentous integumentary appendages" are associated with several different non-avian dinosaurs continues to stimulate the development of models to explain the evolutionary origin of feathers. Taking the phylogenetic relationships of the non-avian dinosaurs into consideration, some models propose that the "filamentous integumentary appendages" represent intermediate stages in the sequential evolution of feathers. Here we present observations on a unique integumentary structure, the bristle of the wild turkey beard, and suggest that this non-feather appendage provides another explanation for some of the "filamentous integumentary appendages. " Unlike feathers, beard bristles grow continuously from finger-like outgrows of the integument lacking follicles. We find that these beard bristles, which show simple branching, are hollow, distally, and express the feather-type beta keratins. The significance of these observations to explanations for the evolution of archosaurian integumentary appendages is discussed.
Mitochondrial DNA density homeostasis accounts for a threshold effect in a cybrid model of a human mitochondrial disease

Mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in a wide array of devastating diseases, but the heterogeneity and complexity of the symptoms of these diseases challenges theoretical understanding of their causation. With the explosion of omics data, we have the unprecedented opportunity to gain deep understanding of the biochemical mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction. This goal raises the outstanding need to make these complex datasets interpretable. Quantitative modelling allows us to translate such datasets into intuition and suggest rational biomedical treatments. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, we use a recently published large-scale dataset and develop a descriptive and predictive mathematical model of progressive increase in mutant load of the MELAS 3243A>G mtDNA mutation. The experimentally observed behaviour is surprisingly rich, but we find that our simple, biophysically motivated model intuitively accounts for this heterogeneity and yields a wealth of biological predictions. Our findings suggest that cells attempt to maintain wild-type mtDNA density through cell volume reduction, and thus power demand reduction, until a minimum cell volume is reached. Thereafter, cells toggle from demand reduction to supply increase, up-regulating energy production pathways. Our analysis provides further evidence for the physiological significance of mtDNA density and emphasizes the need for performing single-cell volume measurements jointly with mtDNA quantification. We propose novel experiments to verify the hypotheses made here to further develop our understanding of the threshold effect and connect with rational choices for mtDNA disease therapies.
The Relationship Between Dry Eye Symptoms and Lipid Layer Thickness

Purpose: (1) To investigate the relationship between dry eye symptoms and lipid layer thickness (LLT) in patients presenting for routine eye examination and (2) to consider the practicality of interferometry in a clinical practice. Methods: Patients presenting consecutively for routine eye examinations were recruited (n = 137, age range = 18-60 years, mean = 41.7 ± 15.5 years, 102 females and 35 males). Patients were required to complete the Standard Patient Evaluation of Eye Dryness (SPEED) questionnaire after which their LLT was evaluated using a new interferometer (Ocular Surface Interferometer). Patients were assigned to 1 of 3 symptom categories: no symptoms (SPEED = 0), mild to moderate symptoms (SPEED = 1-9), and severe symptoms (SPEED ≥ 10). Categorical analysis (contingency table) and linear regression were performed on the data. Results: For patients with severe dry eye symptoms, 74% had an LLT ≤60 nm. Conversely, 72% of patients with no dry eye symptoms had an LLT of ≥75 nm (contingency table, χ2 = 12.63, df = 2, p = 0.0018). Furthermore, a linear regression of LLT and SPEED score reveal a significant linear relationship (as LLT increases, SPEED score decreases; p = 0.0014). Conclusions: (1) The data indicate that approximately 3 of 4 patients reporting severe symptoms have relatively thin lipid layers of 60 nm or less, whereas approximately 3 of 4 patients without symptoms have relatively thick lipid layers of 75 nm or more. Thus, the presence of dry eye symptoms significantly increases the likelihood of a relatively thin lipid layer. LLT seems to correlate better to symptoms, especially severe symptoms, than other reported correlations with objective clinical tests for dry eye disease. (2) Interferometry has the potential to be a practical and useful addition to clinical practice.
Activity against Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1, Intracellular Metabolism, and Effects on Human DNA Polymerases of 4′-Ethynyl-2-Fluoro-2′-Deoxyadenosine

ABSTRACT We examined the intracytoplasmic anabolism and kinetics of antiviral activity against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) of a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, 4′-ethynyl-2-fluoro-2′-deoxyadenosine (EFdA), which has potent activity against wild-type and multidrug-resistant HIV-1 strains. When CEM cells were exposed to 0.1 μM [3H]EFdA or [3H]3′-azido-2′,3′-dideoxythymidine (AZT) for 6 h, the intracellular EFdA-triphosphate (TP) level was 91.6 pmol/109 cells, while that of AZT was 396.5 pmol/109 cells. When CEM cells were exposed to 10 μM [3H]EFdA, the amount of EFdA-TP increased by 22-fold (2,090 pmol/109 cells), while the amount of [3H]AZT-TP increased only moderately by 2.4-fold (970 pmol/109 cells). The intracellular half-life values of EFdA-TP and AZT-TP were ∼17 and ∼3 h, respectively. When MT-4 cells were cultured with 0.01 μM EFdA for 24 h, thoroughly washed to remove EFdA, further cultured without EFdA for various periods of time, exposed to HIV-1NL4-3, and cultured for an additional 5 days, the protection values were 75 and 47%, respectively, after 24 and 48 h with no drug incubation, while those with 1 μM AZT were 55 and 9.2%, respectively. The 50% inhibitory concentration values of EFdA-TP against human polymerases α, β, and γ were >100 μM, >100 μM, and 10 μM, respectively, while those of ddA-TP were >100 μM, 0.2 μM, and 0.2 μM, respectively. These data warrant further development of EFdA as a potential therapeutic agent for those patients who harbor wild-type HIV-1 and/or multidrug-resistant variants.
Protracted Maturation of Pancreatic-Specific Elastase 1 Excretion in Preterm Infants of Extremely Low Gestational Age

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to better understand the exocrine pancreatic function of extremely preterm infants. Methods: Pancreatic-specific elastase 1 (PSE1) activity was determined in spot stool samples of 69 preterm infants of gestational age <32 weeks and birth weight <1250 g. Assays were conducted on samples collected at 2 (N = 56), 4 (N = 46), and 6 weeks of age (N = 23). Results: PSE1 activity increased from week 2 (median [interquartile range] 84 [48–187] &mgr;g/g) to week 4 (164 [87–251 &mgr;g/g; P < 0.001) but not thereafter (169 [82–298] &mgr;g/g at week 6). The maturational increase in PSE1 activity was observed only in infants of gestational age <28 weeks (P < 0.001). At 2 weeks after birth, PSE1 levels were lower in infants of gestational age <28 weeks than in infants of gestational age ≥28 weeks (77 [43–110] vs 165 [56–300] &mgr;g/g; P = 0.019), but this difference was less pronounced at 4 weeks (153 [77–226] vs 230 [108–503] &mgr;g/g; P = 0.070) and had disappeared by 6 weeks (163 [76–258] vs 175 [85–418] &mgr;g/g; P = 0.576). In infants on full enteral feeding regimens 4 weeks after birth, PSE1 levels were associated with weight gain per unit of energy intake (Rs = 0.431; P = 0.005). This measure of weight gain was lower (P = 0.040) in infants with PSE1 levels <200 &mgr;g/g (0.110 [0.081–0.139] g/kcal, N = 25) than in those with PSE1 levels ≥200 &mgr;g/g (0.139 [0.117–0.157] g/kcal, N = 15). Administration of pancreatic enzymes to infants showing PSE1 excretion levels <200 &mgr;g/g did not enhance weight gain. Conclusions: Extremely preterm infants have limited exocrine pancreatic function during the first weeks of life, which may contribute to growth failure.