Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of isotretinoin on obsessive compulsive symptoms, depression, and anxiety in patients with acne vulgaris

Abstract Background: Depression, anxiety, and obsessive compulsive symptoms are known to be common among patients with acne vulgaris. In contrast to earlier reports, a number of recent studies suggested isotretinoin to be beneficial for depression and anxiety symptoms in acne patients. Moreover, its effects on obsessive compulsive symptomatology are still widely unknown. Objectives:To examine the effects of isotretinoin treatment on obsessive compulsive symptoms, depression, and anxiety in acne vulgaris patients. Methods: The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Maudsley Obsessive Compulsive Questionnaire, and Sheehan Disability Scale were administered to 43 patients with acne vulgaris who accepted isotretinoin treatment and agreed to participate in the study. Severity of acne was evaluated with Global Acne Grading System. Thirty-three patients completed 6 months treatment with oral isotretinoin at 0.5–1.0 mg/kg daily doses. Measurements were repeated at the end of 6 months. Results:Depression, anxiety, and obsessive rumination symptoms were significantly improved after isotretinoin treatment. On the other hand, obsessive doubting of acne patients was worse at the end of the treatment. There was no significant change in disease related disability of patients. Conclusion:Besides worsening of obsessive doubting, successful treatment with oral isotretinoin seems to be related with improvement in depression, anxiety, and obsessive rumination symptoms in acne vulgaris patients. These changes were not reflected in the disability level that acne patients have reported.
Is electroweak baryogenesis dead?

Electroweak baryogenesis is severely challenged in its traditional settings: the minimal supersymmetric standard model, and in more general two Higgs doublet models. Fine tuning of parameters is required, or large couplings leading to a Landau pole at scales just above the new physics introduced. The situation is somewhat better in models with a singlet scalar coupling to the Higgs so as to give a strongly first-order phase transition due to a tree-level barrier, but even in this case no UV complete models had been demonstrated to give successful baryogenesis. Here, we point out some directions that overcome this limitation, by introducing a new source of particle–antiparticle (CP) violation in the couplings of the singlet field. A model of electroweak baryogenesis requiring no fine tuning and consistent to scales far above 1 TeV is demonstrated, in which dark matter plays the leading role in creating a CP asymmetry that is the source of the baryon asymmetry. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue ‘Higgs cosmology’.
Efficient gene delivery to the inflamed colon by local administration of recombinant adenoviruses with normal or modified fibre structure

BACKGROUND/AIMS Replication deficient recombinant adenoviruses represent an efficient means of transferring genes in vivo into a wide variety of dividing and quiescent cells from many different organs. Although the gastrointestinal tract is a potentially attractive target for gene therapy approaches, only a few studies on the use of viral gene transfer vehicles in the gut have been reported. The prospects of using recombinant adenoviruses for gene delivery into epithelial and subepithelial cells of the normal and inflamed colon are here analysed. METHODS An E1/E3 deleted recombinant adenovirus (denoted AdCMVβGal) and an adenovirus with modified fibre structure (denoted AdZ.F(pk7)) both expressing the bacterial lacZ gene under the control of a human cytomegalovirus promoter were used for reporter gene expression in vitro and in vivo. β-Galactosidase activity was determined by specific chemiluminescent reporter gene assay. RESULTS Intravenous or intraperitoneal injection of AdCMVβGal into healthy Balb/c mice caused strong reporter gene expression in the liver and spleen but not in the colon. In contrast, local administration of AdCMVβGal resulted in high reporter gene expression in colonic epithelial cells and lamina propria mononuclear cells. A local route of adenovirus administration in mice with experimental colitis induced by the hapten reagent trinitrobenzenesulphonic acid was next evaluated. Interestingly, rectal administration of AdCMVβGal caused a higher β-galactosidase activity in isolated lamina propria cells from infected mice with experimental colitis than in those from controls. Furthermore, isolated lamina propria cells from mice with colitis infected in vitro showed a significant increase in reporter gene activity compared with controls. Finally, AdZ.F(pk7) adenoviruses with modified fibre structure produced 10- to 40-fold higher reporter gene activity in spleen T cells and lamina propria mononuclear cells of colitic mice compared with standard AdCMVβGal vectors. CONCLUSIONS Local administration of recombinant adenoviruses with normal or modified fibre structure could provide a new reliable method for targeted gene expression in the inflamed colon. Such gene delivery could be used to specifically express signal transduction proteins with therapeutic potential in inflamed colonic tissue. In particular, adenoviruses with modified fibre structure may be useful in T cell directed therapies in intestinal inflammation.
A Study of Leprosy Reactions in a Tertiary Hospital in Delhi

A retrospective study of 531 leprosy patients was undertaken to study the profile of reactions in the post Multi‐Drug‐Therapy period in a tertiary hospital in Delhi. BT was the most common group. The prevalence of reactions was found to be 8.09% for the Type 1 and 4.70% for the Type 2 reactions for a male:female ratio of 2.2. The Type 1 reaction was most frequently observed in the BB group followed by BL, BT and LL groups respectively. More than half of the patients had reactions at the time of presentation. In only 39.8% of the patients did reaction follow Multi‐Drug‐Therapy. In 4.5% of the patients with Type 1 reactions (T1R), concomitant infections were noted. The most common presentation of T1R was cutaneous lesions (74.41%) followed by cutaneous lesions and neuritis (53.6%), neuritis alone (12.1%), and only edema of hands and feet (7.31%) respectively. The Type 2 reactions (T2R) presented chiefly as papulo‐nodular (92%) lesions followed by pustulonecrotic (8%) lesions. Associated neuritis was found in 40% and periosteitis and iritis in 8% and 4%, respectively. In 8.6% of the patients with T2R, precipitating factors could be observed. The prevalence of deformities in patients with reaction was 25%, and was more common in females. Deformities were observed in 23.25% of the T1R patients and 28% of the T2R patients.
The diet of free-roaming Australian Central Bearded Dragons (Pogona vitticeps).

The central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) is one of the most popular pet lizards. However, little is known regarding their nutrient requirement, or their natural diet. Therefore, the stomach contents of 14 free-roaming P. vitticeps were determined by flushing. These stomach contents were described taxonomically, and analyzed for crude protein content as well as fatty acid content and composition. Most of the dry matter intake was in the form of animal material (61%) stemming from nine arthropod orders. The most abundant were alates of the termite Drepanotermes sp. , accounting for 95% of the total number of prey items and more than half of the total dry matter (DM) intake. Plant material contributed 16% of the total DM intake. The diets were high in crude protein (41-50% DM) and the total fatty acid content was 14-27% of the DM intake. The main fatty acid was C18:1n9c (51-56% of total fatty acids), and polyunsaturated fatty acids (n3 and n6) comprised 6-8% of the total fat intake. Our data suggest that P. vitticeps is an opportunistic predator, which exploits the seasonal availability of prey. Based on our data and other studies, a diet consisting of several insect species, supplemented with leafy vegetables, rich in n3 FA's, would best resemble the expected natural diet of P. vitticeps.
Assessment of body mass index and blood pressure among university students in, Enugu, South East, Nigeria.

BACKGROUND Body Mass Index (BMI) has been described as a significant predictor of Blood Pressure (B.P) but few studies have demonstrated this association in our environment. The study aims to determine the pattern of relationship between BMI and blood pressure in our environment. METHODOLOGY Two thousand and ninety six (2096) students in two Universities located in Enugu, South East Nigeria completed the study. The blood pressure, weight and height were measured. Body mass index was calculated as weight in Kilograms divided by height in meters square (kg/m2). RESULTS More females than males were underweight (9.4% versus 4.7%). More males than females were overweight (8% versus 4%). Obesity occurred more in males than females (7% versus 0.9%). Blood pressure parameters increased significantly with BMI (p < 0.0001) with higher values in males than in females; (the mean systolic blood pressure 124.88 +/- 10.97 mmHg versus 114.93 +/- 6.82 mmHg, P < 0.0001; the mean diastolic blood pressure was 80.1 +/- 7.2 mmHg versus 73.36 +/- 6.82 mmHg, p = 0.035 and the mean arterial Pressure (MAP) 95.02 +/- 7.78 mmHg versus 87.2 +/- 9.58 mmHg, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION A significant relationship between BMI and Blood pressure was demonstrated among university students in South East Nigeria.
Mechano‐electrical transduction currents in isolated vestibular hair cells of the chick.

Properties of a mechano‐electrical transduction channel were studied in enzymatically dissociated chick vestibular hair cells by using a whole‐cell recording variation of the patch voltage‐clamp technique. The apical hair bundle was stimulated by a glass rod which moved along a one‐dimensional axis when stimulated by either a triangular or a trapezoidal command voltage. The motion of the glass rod was monitored optically using a photodiode. In response to triangular stimuli, the hair cell generated a current of triangular wave form with occasional step‐like spiky or zigzag‐appearing events. Control experiments confirmed that the current was generated only when the hair bundle was displaced towards the tallest stereocilium. The mechano‐sensitive current was blocked by streptomycin and by neomycin. The blockage by streptomycin was clearly voltage dependent: the reduction of the current became larger with hyperpolarization of the membrane. This suggests that the positively charged antibiotic molecules plug the mechanically gated channels. From the evidence presented in 3 and 4 above, the mechano‐sensitive current recorded here was identified as the mechano‐electrical transduction (m‐e.t.) current. The permeability of the m‐e.t. channel to various monovalent cations was determined from reversal potential measurements. Since a CsCl‐EGTA intracellular medium was used, all the permeabilities were calculated relative to PCs. The sequence of permeabilities was Li greater than Na greater than or equal to K greater than or equal to Rb greater than Cs greater than choline greater than TMA greater than TEA. External Ca ions were indispensable for the recording of transduction current and Sr ions could replace Ca ions without loss of the transduction activity. The minimum [Ca]o for stable generation of the m‐e.t. current was 20 microM in Cs saline. The addition of 50‐200 microM‐Ca to the isotonic Ba saline could maintain the m‐e.t. current. The m‐e.t. current was observed in isotonic Ca and in Sr salines. Isotonic Ba, Mg and Mn salines were enriched with 1‐2 mM‐Ca in order to generate the m‐e.t. current. The permeabilities of the divalent cations relative to Cs were calculated from the reversal potentials, and the sequence of permeabilities among divalent cations was Ca greater than Sr greater than Ba greater than Mn greater than Mg. Step‐like m‐e.t. currents were observed in Cs saline. The smallest step amplitude with clear resolution had a conductance of 49.7 +/‐ 4.5 pS (mean +/‐ S.D., n = 7 cells). This is likely to be an elementary m‐e.t. channel conductance. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Evidence that the reduced surface antigenicity of developing Schistosoma mansoni schistosomula is due to antigen shedding rather than host molecule acquisition

Summary Antibody and lectin binding characteristics of Schistosoma mansoni schistosomula maturing in vivo and in vitro were quantitatively assessed and compared in order to investigate the basis of the reduced surface antigenicity of host derived larval schistosomes. Quantitative indirect immunofluorescence assays showed that schistosomula recovered from mice at 24 h and 5–10 days post infection bound low or insignificant amounts of a variety of anti‐schistosome antibodies including those from chronically infected and radiation attenuated cercariae‐vaccinated mice, a vaccinated rabbit and rabbits hyper‐immunized with non‐living larval and adult schistosome antigen preparations. In contrast, parasites maturing in vitro continued to bind highly significant levels of each of these antibody preparations until at least 10 days post transformation. To investigate the basis of the decreased surface antigenicity of parasites maturing in vivo, 6‐day‐cultured parasites were injected intravenously into mice and recovered from the lungs at various times thereafter and examined for their ability to bind both anti‐parasite and anti‐host antibodies. After 30 min in vivo, cultured schistosomula exhibited a significantly decreased capacity to bind anti‐parasite antibodies and concanavalin A (Con A), and by 16 h had lost their binding sites for fucose binding protein (FBP) as well. That this reduction in antigenicity was due to shedding of surface antigens was suggested by the observation that the reduced ability of these parasites to bind anti‐parasite antibodies coincided closely with the loss of 125I‐labelled surface proteins. Furthermore unlike 6 day schistosomula which had developed wholly in vivo, 6‐day‐cultured parasites recovered after 30 min in vivo failed to bind anti‐host antibodies suggesting that in these organisms parasite antigens were not masked by host molecules. These data argue that surface antigen shedding may explain the reduced surface antigenicity of schistosomula developing in vivo. While this surface modulation apparently independently of host antigen uptake, it is dependent upon an as yet unindentified host factor.
Patients' preferences for biopsy result notification in an era of electronic messaging methods.

IMPORTANCE Effective patient-physician communication is essential for optimal health care. Recent introduction of online patient portals to access test results are changing the communication landscape, but regulatory guidelines for the online release of biopsy results vary from state to state. OBJECTIVES To assess patient preferences for receiving skin biopsy results to rule out melanoma and to compare those preferences to current physicians' practices for notification. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS English-speaking individuals 18 years or older were recruited consecutively from melanoma clinics at 3 academic tertiary referral medical centers: University of California, San Francisco, University of Pennsylvania, and Duke University. Patients were surveyed from July 1, 2012, through July 31, 2013. A second survey of physicians at these institutions was conducted to assess physician notification practices. RESULTS A total of 301 of 305 patients agreed to participate (98.7 response rate). Most of the patients (67.1%) preferred to speak directly with their physician by telephone to receive their skin biopsy results, followed by a distant second choice (19.5%) of being notified in person at a clinic visit. Voice message or online patient portal were each the preferred method of communication for 5.1% of patients. The most important consideration for patients was a communication modality that provided test results in the most rapid manner; 51.7% wanted a method that was rapid, and 7.8% preferred a method that was not only speedy but also allowed them an opportunity to ask questions. A total of 59.5% of the study participants would choose the same communication method regardless of the biopsy results, but 40.5% preferred a different mode of notification if their biopsy results revealed a malignant tumor. Younger and more highly educated patients favored the online portal. Of 84 physicians surveyed, 47 responded (56% response rate). Physicians' overall preferred method of contacting patients aligned with patient preference for speaking by telephone (56.5%). However, for benign results, 31.2% of physicians chose to speak by telephone, whereas patients preferred voicemail (32.1%). There was physician uncertainty as to guidelines regarding communication of test results. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Patient preference has shifted from face-to-face visit to discussion over the telephone because of a desire for rapid notification. Experience with online portal delivery of results favorably inclined patients toward that modality. We recommend that patients be queried regarding their notification preference on the biopsy consent form.
Intraventricular administration of BDNF increases neuropeptide expression in newborn rat brain

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) specifically enhances and maintains the expression of neuropeptide Y (NPY) and somatostatin (SOM) in cultured neocortical neurons (Nawa et al., 1993). In this article, we examined its effects in vivo on neuropeptide expression in various brain regions by injecting BDNF into the cerebroventricle of newborn rats. Repeated administration (2x) of BDNF increased contents of NPY- like immunoreactivity (NPY-LI) and substance P (SP)-LI most markedly in the anterior neocortex by 11- and 24-fold, respectively, in comparison to values in the animals receiving control injection. A smaller but significant increase was also observed in immunoreactivity for somatostatin (SOM), enkephalin (ENK), and cholecystokinin (CCK). mRNA for NPY, SP, and SOM was similarly upregulated in the anterior neocortex, suggesting that BDNF enhances peptide synthesis rather than inhibiting peptide release or degradation. Among the brain regions examined, however, peptidergic responses to BDNF were different with respect to their spatial distribution and time course. Induction of SP- LI, NPY-LI, and SOM-LI around the injection site was most pronounced in cortical layers II/III, layers IV-VI, and layer VI, respectively. Peptidergic immunoreactivity was also enhanced in other brain regions ipsilateral to the injection site, for example, NPY-LI in the hippocampus, thalamic nuclei, and striatum, and SOM-LI in the striatum. A single injection of BDNF elevated SP-LI to a plateau level within 12 hr while NPY-LI and SOM-LI reached maximum levels at 48 hr, and then all returned to control levels at 68 hr. In contrast, the same dose of NGF had no influences on the neuropeptide levels at 48 hr. These observations suggest that BDNF regulates the development of neuropeptide expression in the CNS in a plastic manner.
Oral health of monozygotic twins with and without coronary heart disease: a pilot study.

AIM The purpose of this study was to investigate the oral health in monozygotic twins where one twin had coronary heart disease (CHD) and the other twin had no clinical signs of the disease. METHODS Ten monozygotic twin pairs (age 55-81 years, eight male, and two female pairs) were recruited from the Swedish twin register. The inclusion criterion for participation was discordance regarding the presence of CHD within every twin pair. All participants underwent a full dental clinical examination including a panoramic radiograph. RESULTS Twins with CHD had 51.5% bleeding on probing compared with 21.1% without CHD (p=0.01), and more pathological pockets (> or = 4 mm) were detected among those with CHD (20+/-15 versus 8+/-5), p=0.047). Twins with CHD had a reduced horizontal bone level in comparison with the healthy group (73%versus 78%, p=0.03). Logistic analyses using odds ratio (OR) showed that an increase of one periodontal pocket (> or = 4 mm) resulted in an increased risk for the actual twin of belonging to the CHD group (OR 1.17, p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS This study indicates worsened periodontal conditions among twins with CHD compared with their siblings with no history of CHD. This strengthens the association between periodontal inflammation and the presence of atherosclerosis.
Complications of Acetabular Fracture Surgery in Morbidly Obese Patients

Objectives: To compare the early complications with operative treatment of acetabular fractures in morbidly obese (body mass index ≥40) patients when compared with all other patients. Design: Retrospective review. Setting: University medical center. Patients/Participants: Four hundred thirty-five consecutive patients with acetabular fractures operatively treated by a single surgeon. Forty-one of these patients were morbidly obese (group 1) and were compared with the remaining patients (group 2). Group 2, therefore, included patients who were clinically overweight and obese. Intervention: Operative repair of acetabular fracture. Main Outcome Measurements: Outcome variables included patient positioning time, total operative time, estimated intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay, perioperative complications, and late complications. Results: The average total operative time was 293 minutes for group 1 and 250 minutes (P = 0.008) for group 2. The hospital stay for group 1 averaged 26 days versus 15 days in group 2 (P < 0.01). There were 19 (46%) wound complications in group 1 compared with 49 (12%) in group 2 (P < 0.0001). Overall, there were complications in 26 of the 41 patients (63%) in group 1 and in 96 of the 394 patients (24%) in group 2. Group 1's relative risk of having a complication was 2.6 (95% confidence interval = 2.4-2.8) when compared with group 2. Conclusions: Our morbidly obese population had a statistically higher complication rate, longer operative times, and greater estimated intraoperative blood loss. The majority of complications were related primarily to wound healing problems and successfully controlled with aggressive approach to surgical debridement.
ANTI-CANCER ACTIVITY OF NIGELLA SATIVA

An extract of Smilax china, Hemidesmus indicus and Nigella Sativa on the ratio 3:2:1, prepared by boiling in water and concentrated could completely cure cases of oral canger diagnosed by modern methods. Cytotoxic studies with the three components showed activity in Nigella sativa at a concentration of 25 microgram equivalent of the dry powder against Dalton's lymphoma ascites cells. Animal experiments indicated the retarded growth of ascites as compared to the controls with a longivity of 90%.
Robot‐assisted laparoscopic hiatal hernia and antireflux surgery

Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a common disorder of the GE‐junction that allows gastric acid to enter the esophagus. Surgery is indicated when the presence of the disease is objectively documented. The laparoscopic Toupet fundoplication is the preferred treatment of GERD. There is no clear advantage in robotic assistance for primary antireflux surgery. In our center we find the robot to be of added value for redo surgery or large and giant hiatal repair. J. Surg. Oncol. 2015; 112:266–270. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.