Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prospective Study of Topical 5-Aminolevulinic Acid Photodynamic Therapy for the Treatment of Moderate to Severe Acne Vulgaris in Chinese Patients

Background: Topical photodynamic therapy (PDT) mediated with 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) offers an alternative option for the treatment of acne vulgaris. Objective: To study the effects of ALA dose, incubation time, and lesion type on protoporphyrin IX (PpIX) production and treatment outcomes. Methods: To examine the time course of PpIX production, 10% ALA was applied to inflammatory papules for 1 to 5 hours and followed by in situ fluorescence examination. To determine the effects of ALA dose and lesion type, 3, 5, and 10% ALA was applied to acne lesions in split-face fashion for 3 hours followed by whole-face light irradiation at 633 nm and 30 to 70 J/cm2. Treatment was repeated twice at 2-week intervals. Results: PpIX reached a stable level after 3 hours of incubation. Similar PpIX levels were seen in areas receiving 3, 5, and 10% ALA. Poisson regression analyses indicated that lesion counts decreased by 0.791 times for a one-unit increase in treatment times (95% CI 0.782–0.799, p< .0001) but only by 0.999 times for a one-unit increase in ALA dose (95% CI 0.998–1.000, p = .22). Conclusion: The combination of low-dose ALA and a red light is a safe and effective option for the treatment of moderate to severe acne. Renseignements de base: La thérapie photodynamique topique (TPD) suivant l'administration de l'acide 5-aminolévulinique (ALA) représente une autre possibilité pour le traitement de l'acné vulgaire. Objectif: Étudier les effets de la dose d'ALA, la durée d'incubation, le type de lésion sur la production de PpIX, et les résultats du traitement. Méthodes: Pour examiner l'évolution temporelle de la production de PpIX, de l'ALA 10 % a été appliqué sur des papules inflammatoires pendant 1 à 5 heures et a été suivi d'un examen in situ en fluorescence. Afin de déterminer les effets de la dose d'ALA et le type de lésion, de l'ALA 3, 5, et 10 % a été appliqué sur les lésions d'acné sur une moitié du visage pendant 3 heures, suivi d'une irradiation de lumière de tout le visage à 633 nm et 30 à 70 J/cm2. Le traitement a été répété deux fois à 2 semaines d'intervalle. Résultats: La PpIX a atteint un niveau stable après 3 heures d'incubation. Des taux de PpIX semblables ont été observés dans les parties ayant reçu de l'ALA 3, 5, et 10 %. Des analyses de régression de Poisson ont indiqué que le nombre de lésions a diminué de 0,791 fois pour une augmentation d'une unité de temps de traitement (IC 95 % 0,782 à 0,799, p <,0001), mais seulement par 0,999 fois pour un accroissement d'une unité de dose d'ALA (CI 95 % 0,998 à 1,000, p =, 22). Conclusion: La combinaison d'une faible dose d'ALA et de la lumière rouge est une option sûre et efficace pour traiter l'acné modérée à sévère.
Dysmorphophobia and the search for cosmetic surgery.

may have been zinc deficient, though none had features attributable to zinc depletion. Again, these results might be explained by a diminished amount of zinc binder in the leucocytes. A cellular effect of a low plasma concentration of zinc has recently been found by Patrick and his colleagues,10 who showed that the zinc is an important controller of the sodium pump in leucocytes. More recently Patrick et all' have reported an effect of zinc supplements on sodium transport in children with protein-energy malnutrition. They suggest that there may be a causal relation between the low plasma concentration of zinc and the impaired sodium transport seen, for example, in trauma and malnutrition. Our knowledge of the chemical anatomy of zinc in health and disease is increasing rapidly. What we know so far suggests that low concentrations of zinc in plasma or cells are not adequate evidence of a primary zinc depletion. The cornerstone of the definition and detection of nutritional deficiencies is a therapeutic test. Prasad AS. Clinical, biochemical and pharmacological role of zinc. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 1979;19:393-426. 2 Klevay LM, Reck SJ, Barcome DF. Evidence of dietary copper and zinc deficiencies. _JAMA 1979;241 :1916-8. 3 Aggett PJ, Harries JT. Current status of zinc in health and disease states. Arch Dis Child 1979;54:909-17. 4 Walker BE, Dawson JB, Kelleher J, Losowsky MS. Plasma and urinary zinc in patients with malabsorption syndromes or hepatic cirrhosis. Gut 1973 ;14 :943-8. 5 Walker BE, Bone I, Mascie-Taylor BH, Kelleher J. Is plasma zinc a useful investigation ? IntJ7 Vitam Nutr Res 1979 ;49 :413-8. 6 Lekakis J, Kalofoutis A. Zinc concentrations in serum related to myocardial infarction. Clin Chem 1980;26:1660-1. 7 Balogh Z, El-Ghobarey AF, Fell GS, Brown DH, Dunlop J, Dick WC. Plasma zinc and its relationship to clinical symptoms and drug treatment in rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis 1980;39:329-32. 8 Swaminathan R, Chapman C, Segall NH, Morgan DB. Red-blood-cell composition in thyroid disease. Lancet 1976;ii :1382-5. 9 Keeling PWN, Jones RB, Hilton PJ, Thompson RPH. Reduced leucocyte zinc in liver disease. Gut 198021:561-4. 0 Patrick J, Michael J, Golden MN, Golden BE, Hilton PJ. Effect of zinc on leucocyte sodium transport in vitro. Clinical Science and Molecular Medicine 1978 ;54 :585-7. 11 Patrick J, Golden BE, Golden MHN. Leucocyte sodium transport and dietary zinc in protein energy malnutrition. Am Jf Clin Nutr 1980;33: 617-20.
Biochemical and molecular features of LRRK 2 and its pathophysiological roles in Parkinson ’ s disease

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease, and 5-10% of the PD cases are genetically inherited as familial PD (FPD). LRRK2 (leucine-rich repeat kinase 2) was first reported in 2004 as a gene corresponding to PARK8, an autosomal gene whose dominant mutations cause familial PD. LRRK2 contains both active kinase and GTPase domains as well as protein-protein interaction motifs such as LRR (leucine-rich repeat) and WD40. Most pathogenic LRRK2 mutations are located in either the GTPase or kinase domain, implying important roles for the enzymatic activities in PD pathogenic mechanisms. In comparison to other PD causative genes such as parkin and PINK1, LRRK2 exhibits two important features. One is that LRRK2’s mutations (especially the G2019S mutation) were observed in sporadic as well as familial PD patients. Another is that, among the various PDcausing genes, pathological characteristics observed in patients carrying LRRK2 mutations are the most similar to patients with sporadic PD. Because of these two observations, LRRK2 has been intensively investigated for its pathogenic mechanism (s) and as a target gene for PD therapeutics. In this review, the general biochemical and molecular features of LRRK2, the recent results of LRRK2 studies and LRRK2’s therapeutic potential as a PD target gene will be discussed. [BMB reports 2010; 43(4): 233-244]
Re-Evaluation of Heterozygous Carriers of Mucopolysaccharidoses*

Urinary acid glycosaminoglycans (AMPS) from 10 fami lies with children suffering from mucopolysaccharidoses (MP) have been fractionated by column chromatography. C1inically healthy heterozygous carriers revealed patholo gical AMPS patterns comparable to the ones from their diseased homozygous relatives. The total urinary AMPS excretion in heterozygotes was within normal limits. The findings were most consistent in heterozygous carriers of MP type I (Hurler) and type III (Sanfilippo) , while families with MP 11 (Hunter) showed some erratic results. Horm. Metab. Res. 1: 78-79 (1969)
Effects of mitotane on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in patients with adrenocortical carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE Mitotane, a drug used to treat adrenocortical cancer (ACC), inhibits multiple enzymatic steps of adrenocortical steroid biosynthesis, potentially causing adrenal insufficiency. Recent studies in vitro have also documented a direct inhibitory effect of mitotane at the pituitary level. The present study was aimed to assess the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in patients with ACC receiving mitotane. DESIGN AND METHODS We prospectively enrolled 16 patients on adjuvant treatment with mitotane after radical surgical resection of ACC, who underwent standard hormone evaluation and h-CRH stimulation. A group of 10 patients with primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) served as controls for the CRH test. RESULTS We demonstrated a close correlation between cortisol-binding globulin (CBG) and plasma mitotane levels, and a non-significant trend between mitotane dose and either serum or salivary cortisol in ACC patients. We did not find any correlation between the dose of cortisone acetate and either ACTH or cortisol levels. ACTH levels were significantly higher in patients with PAI than that in patients with ACC, both in baseline conditions (88.99 (11.04-275.00) vs 24.53 (6.16-121.88) pmol/L, P = 0.031) and following CRH (158.40 (34.32-275.00) vs 67.43 (8.8-179.52) pmol/L P = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS The observation of lower ACTH levels in patients with ACC than that in patients with PAI, both in basal conditions and after CRH stimulation, suggests that mitotane may play an inhibitory effect on ACTH secretion at the pituitary levels. In conclusion, the present study shows that mitotane affects the HPA axis at multiple levels and no single biomarker may be used for the assessment of adrenal insufficiency.
Cardiopulmonary insufficiency i myotonic and progressive muscular dystrophy.

DESPITE the frequent occurrence of ventilatory insufficiency and congestive heart failure in myotonic and progressive muscular dystrophy,1 2 3 the cardiac and pulmonary disturbances in these disorders have rarely been evaluated. In myotonic dystrophy particularly, symptoms of acrocyanosis, hypersomnolence and lethargy have been noted for many years,4 5 6 but no physiologic explanation has been offered. An appraisal of the cardiopulmonary functions in muscular dystrophy was stimulated by our observations on a young man with nondisabling myotonic dystrophy who showed marked somnolence, hypercapnia, hypoxemia and Cheyne–Stokes respiration.7 This report describes the ventilatory functions, blood gas concentrations, effects of carbon dioxide and oxygen inhalation and .
Clinical characteristics, differential diagnosis, and treatment outcome of subcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma: a literature review of published Japanese cases

BackgroundSubcutaneous panniculitis-like T-cell lymphoma (SPTCL) is a rare subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that shows phenotypic features of cytotoxic T cells and preferentially involves subcutaneous tissue. SPTCL is believed to show an indolent clinical course, unless patients develop haemophagocytic syndrome. Various reported therapies include corticosteroids, immunosuppressive drugs, and chemotherapies. The use of chemotherapy as a first-line treatment remains controversial, and treatment approaches for SPTCL have not been established yet.ObjectivesTo investigate the clinicopathological features, treatment modalities, and outcomes of Japanese patients with SPTCL.Materials & methodsWe performed a literature review of Japanese cases of SPTCL.ResultsTwenty-two cases have been reported in the English and Japanese literature. Six cases were excluded due to a lack of sufficient clinical and immunohistological data, and treatment modalities and outcome were available in 16 cases. Clinical characteristics of the Japanese cases were generally similar to those of Western countries. Approximately half of the Japanese patients were treated initially with corticosteroids. Among them, more than half subsequently received chemotherapies due to a lack of response or recurrence of the disease. Overall, chemotherapy was used for approximately 80% of reported cases as a primary or secondary therapy.ConclusionsOur findings suggest that corticosteroids may be beneficial for some SPTCL patients, but most patients required chemotherapy during the course of their disease. Further investigations are needed to both establish appropriate treatment strategies for SPTCL and clarify predictive factors in order to identify patients who may benefit from corticosteroid therapy as a primary treatment.
Change in Trend in Various Clinico-Pathological Factors and Treatment Profile of Breast Cancer Patients: a Tertiary Cancer Centre Experience.

BACKGROUND Breast cancer is by far the most frequent cancer of women (23% of all cancers), ranking second overall when both sexes are considered together. Since there has been change in clinico-pathological factors and treatment profiles for breast cancer patients over the years, the present study to evaluate the change trends in India. MATERIALS AND METHODS A detailed analysis was carried out with respect to age, menopausal status, family history, disease stage, surgery performed, histopathology, hormone receptor status, and use of chemotherapy or hormonal therapy. Change in various clinico-pathological factors and treatments of breast cancer cases was recorded and analysed. RESULTS Mean age at presentation was found to be earlier in 2005-2006 compared with 1997-98 (p value: 0.046). More premenopausal women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005-2006 when this was compared with initial years of assessment (p value ≤0.001). When change in the receptor status was evaluated, we observed that there was a decrease in cases of ER and PR receptor positivity which was significant (p value: 0.007). Over the period of time, more f patients were not offered surgery initially in view of advanced disease when the two time periods were compared (p value: ≤0.001). There was a significant increase in patients who were initially offered neo-adjuvant chemotherapy in view of advanced disease at presentation (p value: ≤0.001). There was increasing number of patients who received palliative treatment for symptoms in 2005-2006 when compared to patients treated in 1997-98((p value: ≤0.001). CONCLUSIONS Changes in mean age at presentation, premenopausal status, and stage at presentation have occurred over the years. More aggressive patterns of disease have become more common with early age at presentation and aggressive biological behaviour with receptor negative tumours.
Tapping into the Collective Creativity of the Crowd: The Effectiveness of Key Incentives in Fostering Creative Crowdsourcing

To better understand the conditions that most effectively stimulate creative participation online, a crowdsourcing project was implemented on Amazon’s Mechanical Turk, collecting 4200 written and visual submissions from online participants. An experimental research design tested the impact of specific incentive structures (i.e. financial rewards, bonuses, specification of project purpose, attribution of authorship credit) on the outcomes of creative participation (quantity of submissions, quality of submissions, time spent on task). The study found that extrinsic rewards (i.e. higher pay and bonuses) are effective in encouraging participants to accept the creative task, whereas the strategies that boost the creativity of the submissions are: offering a bonus, mentioning a charitable purpose, and giving contributors authorship credit. These findings help illuminate the factors that have the greatest impact on the quality and quantity of online creative participation, thus making a vital contribution to our understanding of digital creativity.
On the pH‐optimum of activity and stability of proteins

Biological macromolecules evolved to perform their function in specific cellular environment (subcellular compartments or tissues); therefore, they should be adapted to the biophysical characteristics of the corresponding environment, one of them being the characteristic pH. Many macromolecular properties are pH dependent, such as activity and stability. However, only activity is biologically important, while stability may not be crucial for the corresponding reaction. Here, we show that the pH‐optimum of activity (the pH of maximal activity) is correlated with the pH‐optimum of stability (the pH of maximal stability) on a set of 310 proteins with available experimental data. We speculate that such a correlation is needed to allow the corresponding macromolecules to tolerate small pH fluctuations that are inevitable with cellular function. Our findings rationalize the efforts of correlating the pH of maximal stability and the characteristic pH of subcellular compartments, as only pH of activity is subject of evolutionary pressure. In addition, our analysis confirmed the previous observation that pH‐optimum of activity and stability are not correlated with the isoelectric point, pI, or with the optimal temperature. Proteins 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cigarette smoking exacerbates chronic alcohol-induced brain damage: a preliminary metabolite imaging study.

BACKGROUND Cigarette smoking is common among alcohol-dependent individuals. Nevertheless, previous research has typically not accounted for the potential independent or compounding effects of cigarette smoking on alcohol-induced brain injury and neurocognition. METHODS Twenty-four 1-week-abstinent recovering alcoholics (RAs; 14 smokers and 10 nonsmokers) in treatment and 26 light-drinking controls (7 smokers and 19 nonsmokers) were compared on measures of common brain metabolites in gray matter and white matter of the major lobes, basal ganglia, midbrain, and cerebellar vermis, obtained via multislice short-echo time proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging. Smoking and nonsmoking RAs were also contrasted on measures of neurocognitive functioning, as well as laboratory markers of drinking severity and nutritional status. RESULTS Chronic alcohol dependence, independent of smoking, was associated with lower concentrations of frontal N-acetylaspartate (NAA) and frontal choline-containing compounds, as well as lower parietal and thalamic choline. Smoking RAs had lower NAA concentrations in frontal white matter and midbrain and lower midbrain choline than nonsmoking RAs. A four-group analysis of covariance also demonstrated that chronic cigarette smoking was associated with lower midbrain NAA and choline and with lower vermian choline. In smoking RAs, heavier drinking was associated with heavier smoking, which correlated with numerous subcortical metabolite abnormalities. The 1-week-abstinent smoking and nonsmoking RAs did not differ significantly on a brief neurocognitive battery. In smoking RAs, lower cerebellar vermis NAA was associated with poorer visuomotor scanning speed and incidental learning, and in nonsmoking RAs lower vermis NAA was related to poorer visuospatial learning and memory. CONCLUSIONS These human in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging findings indicate that chronic cigarette smoking exacerbates chronic alcohol-induced neuronal injury and cell membrane damage in the frontal lobes of RAs and has independent adverse effects on neuronal viability and cell membranes in the midbrain and on cell membranes of the cerebellar vermis. Higher smoking levels are associated with metabolite concentrations in select subcortical structures. Greater consideration of the potential effects of comorbid cigarette smoking on alcohol-induced brain damage and other diseases affecting the central nervous system is warranted.
Irritable bowel syndrome: is the search for lactose intolerance justified?

Objectives To determine if confirmation of hypolactasia offers any benefit to the dietary treatment of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Methods One hundred and twenty-two consecutive IBS patients (37 male, 85 female) were given lactose hydrogen breath tests (LHBT). Those with positive LHBT followed a low lactose diet for 3 weeks. Those improving on the diet were given double-blind, placebo-controlled challenges (DBPCC) with 5 g, 10 g and 15 g of lactose and a placebo, to confirm lactose intolerance. Those who did not respond to the low lactose diet followed either an exclusion or low fibre diet. Symptoms scores were kept prior to the LHBT, 8 h post-LHBT and daily whilst following any dietary change. Patients with negative LHBT returned to clinic and subsequent dietary interventions were recorded. Results LHBT was positive in 33/122 (27%) IBS patients. Symptom scores prior to LHBT were not significantly different between the two groups, but after LHBT the symptoms in the positive group were significantly worse. Twenty-three patients followed a low-lactose diet of which only nine (39%) improved. Six who did not improve followed an exclusion diet, three improved and all were intolerant of milk. Three tried a low fibre diet with two improving. DBPCC were inconclusive. In the negative LHBT group 35 agreed to try a diet and 24 improved (69%). Eight were intolerant of cow's milk. Conclusions Use of a low lactose diet was disappointing in IBS patients with lactose malabsorption. Food intolerance was demonstrated in IBS patients with positive or negative LHBT and milk was identified as a problem in both groups. DBPCC were inconclusive. There appears to be little advantage in trying to separate patients who malabsorb lactose from others with IBS.
Can Investment Shocks Explain Value Premium and Momentum Profits?∗

In this paper we assess whether investment-specific technology (IST) shocks can explain the value premium and momentum profits. Using proxies of IST shocks based on both macroeconomic and financial market data from 1930 to 2012, we find that: (i) IST risk premium estimates are positive; (ii) the evidence that exposures to IST shocks can explain the value premium is weak; and (iii) exposures to IST shocks cannot explain the large magnitude of momentum profits. We further show that the IST risk premium estimates are sensitive to the sample period, the test assets representing the cross-section, and the data frequency. We find that the sensitivity of IST risk premium estimates also affects the ability of IST shocks to explain the value and momentum effects. JEL Classification Codes : G12; O30
MASS MEASUREMENTS IN PROTOPLANETARY DISKS FROM HYDROGEN DEUTERIDE

The total gas mass of a protoplanetary disk is a fundamental, but poorly determined, quantity. A new technique has been demonstrated to assess directly the bulk molecular gas reservoir of molecular hydrogen using the HD J = 1–0 line at 112 μm. In this work we present a Herschel Space Observatory survey of six additional T Tauri disks in the HD line. Line emission is detected at >3σ significance in two cases: DM Tau and GM Aur. For the other four disks, we establish upper limits to the line flux. Using detailed disk structure and ray-tracing models, we calculate the temperature structure and dust mass from modeling the observed spectral energy distributions, and we include the effect of UV gas heating to determine the amount of gas required to fit the HD line. The ranges of gas masses are 1.0–4.7 × 10−2 for DM Tau and 2.5–20.4 × 10−2 for GM Aur. These values are larger than those found using CO for GM Aur, while the CO-derived gas mass for DM Tau is consistent with the lower end of our mass range. This suggests a CO chemical depletion from the gas phase of up to a factor of five for DM Tau and up to two orders of magnitude for GM Aur. We discuss how future analysis can narrow the mass ranges further.
The effect of migration on the risk of nasopharyngeal cancer among Chinese.

Summary The Chinese in California have an incidence of nasopharyngeal cancer roughly of the order of magnitude of the very high rate in Southeast Asia. Filipino migrants to California have a nasopharyngeal cancer risk intermediate to the high risk for Chinese and the low risk for Caucasians. A study of nasopharyngeal cancer mortality over the period 1958 to 1972 shows a gradient of lower risk of the disease in the second and third generation of Chinese in California. While a genetic explanation of the racial susceptibility cannot entirely be ruled out, it can be said that the Chinese are at a very high risk of the disease, partly because of unusual exposure to an environmental agent.