Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A case control association study of ACE gene polymorphism (I/D) with hypertension in Punjabi population from Faisalabad, Pakistan

ABSTRACT Angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) is a key component of renin angiotensin aldosterone system. It converts angiotensin I to angiotensin II. Insertion/deletion (I/D) polymorphism of ACE gene is found associated with several complications. However, its association with hypertension and related metabolic diseases is still controversial. So, the aim of the present study was to check this association for Punjabi population from Faisalabad, Pakistan. For this purpose, blood samples (patients = 100, controls = 48) were collected and several biochemical parameters were measured. Genotyping for ACE (I/D) polymorphism was performed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. ID genotype is found prevalent in the studied population as 41% in control subjects and 61% in patients. Furthermore, chi-square analysis showed significant (p = 0.005) difference for genotypic frequencies between both groups. One-way ANOVA for association of II, ID, and DD genotypes with anthropometric, clinical, and biochemical parameters showed that in patient group, DD genotype is significantly (p = 0.041) associated with systolic blood pressure (SBP). Moreover, ID genotype is found associated with the presence of cardiovascular diseases. This study concludes that DD genotype is strongly associated with higher SBP in hypertensive patients.
Sex and Age Differences in Depression and Baseline Sport-Related Concussion Neurocognitive Performance and Symptoms

Objective To examine depression and baseline neurocognitive function and concussion symptoms in male and female high school and college athletes. Design Cross sectional. Setting Athletes completed testing at a designated computer laboratory at high schools and colleges. Participants Participants included 1616 collegiate (n = 837) and high school (n = 779) athletes from 3 states participating in a variety of competitive sports. Interventions Participants completed the baseline Immediate Postconcussion Assessment and Cognitive Test (ImPACT), symptom inventory, and Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI-II). Main Outcome Measures Between-group comparisons for depression groups on ImPACT composite scores (verbal and visual memory, reaction time, motor processing speed), total symptoms, and symptom cluster (sleep, cognitive, emotional, somatic/migraine) scores. Between-group comparisons for age and sex on BDI-II, ImPACT, total symptoms, and symptom cluster scores. Results The severe depression group scored worse on visual memory and reported more total, somatic/migraine, cognitive, emotional, and sleep symptoms than less depressed groups. High school athletes reported more somatic/migraine symptoms than collegiate athletes, whereas collegiate athletes reported more emotional and sleep symptoms than high school athletes. Women had higher verbal memory and reported more cognitive, emotional, and sleep symptom clusters compared with men. Women outperformed men on verbal memory, whereas collegiate athletes outperformed high school athletes on processing speed. Conclusions Athletes with severe depression scored lower on visual memory than those with minimal depression. Athletes with severe depression report more concussion symptoms than athletes with minimal and moderate depression scores. Symptoms of depression should be included in baseline assessments to help disentangle depression from concussion symptoms.
Five-Year Follow-up Investigation of Bone Mineral Density by Age in Premenopausal Elite-Level Long-Distance Runners

ObjectiveTo evaluate bone mineral density (BMD) by age in premenopausal elite long-distance runners at 2 time points, 5.02 ± 0.5 years apart. DesignFollow-up study. SettingUniversity Research Institute. ParticipantsTwenty-three elite-level distance runners (baseline age, 24.9 ± 3.9 years; body mass index, 18.7 ± 1.1; running distance, 89.3 ± 19.4 km/wk) participated in the study. Main Outcome MeasuresDual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (iDXA; GE Healthcare)–derived BMD z-scores for the total body (TB), lumbar spine (LS) (L2-L4), and proximal femur. A z-score of <-1.0 indicated low BMD by age. ResultsLumbar spine BMD z-scores had increased significantly by follow-up for all runners (baseline, -1.1 ± 0.9; follow-up, -0.7 ± 0.7; P = 0.04) and for formerly amenorrheic runners with restored menstruation (n = 10; baseline, -1.5 ± 0.9; follow-up, -0.9 ± 0.6; P = 0.03). Total body, but not proximal femur z-scores, had also increased (P < 0.05). Improvements in z-scores correlated with an increased body fat (LS: R2 = 0.27; TB: R2 = 0.35; P < 0.01) and menstrual history score (LS: R2 = 0.36; TB: R2 = 0.27; P < 0.05). There were no associations with lean mass or running volume at any skeletal site (P = 0.07-0.89). ConclusionsLow BMD by age in highly-trained female runners may be at least partially reversible before the age of 30 years, even when competitive running is continued. This seems to be related to restored menstruation and an increased body fat. Further larger studies are required to clarify our findings.
How a System Backfires: Dynamics of Redundancy Problems in Security

Increasing attention is being paid to reliability, safety, and security issues in social systems. Scott Sagan examined why more security forces (a redundancy solution) may lead to less security. ( 1) He discussed how such a solution can backfire due to three major issues (i.e., “common‐mode error,”“social shirking,” and “overcompensation”). In this article, using Sagan's hypotheses, we simulate and analyze a simple and generic security system as more guards are added to the system. Simulation results support two of Sagan's hypotheses. More specifically, the results show that “common‐mode error” causes the system to backfire, and “social shirking” leads to an inefficient system while exacerbating the common‐mode error's effect. Simulation results show that “overcompensation” has no effect of backfiring, but it leads the system to a critical state in which it can easily be affected by the common‐mode error. Furthermore, the simulation results make us question the importance of the initial power of adversaries (e.g., terrorists) as the results show that, for any exogenous level of adversary power, the system endogenously overcompensates to a level that makes the system more susceptible to being attacked.
Case study interpretation—Houston: Case 2

CASE HISTORY The patient is a 22-year-old Caucasian male presenting with chest tightness, cough, and dyspnea on exertion. He first noticed these symptoms 3 months prior to his current admission. A chest CT showed a large mediastinal mass (15 cm 11 cm 7 cm) with areas of central necrosis encasing the major central vessels and airways. In addition, he was found to have bulky supraclavicular, internal mammary, and cardiophrenic adenopathy. He subsequently underwent a supraclavicular lymph node excisional biopsy.
Taekwondo training reduces blood catecholamine levels and arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women with stage-2 hypertension: randomized clinical trial

ABSTRACT Objective: Menopause is associated with a progressive impairment of vascular function and muscular strength in women. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to determine if Taekwondo training could improve blood catecholamine levels, arterial stiffness, blood pressure (BP) and skeletal muscle strength in postmenopausal women with stage-2 hypertension. Methods: 20 postmenopausal women (70 ± 4 years old) with stage-2 hypertension were randomly assigned to a 1) Taekwondo training (TT; n = 10) or 2) Control (CON; n = 10) group. Taekwondo training was performed for 60 minutes/day, 3 days/week for 12-weeks. Results: There were significant (P < 0.05) group by time interactions for resting epinephrine (EP) and norepinephrine (NE) levels, with EP decreasing in the TT group and NE increasing in the CON group. Additionally, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, resting heart rate, and BP were significantly decreased, while hand grip and leg strength were significantly increased in the TT group compared to CON group. Conclusion: These results suggest that Taekwondo training can be a novel and beneficial mode of exercise for improving cardiovascular function and muscular strength in this population. Abbreviations: TT: Taekwondo training group; CON: control group; EP: epinephrine; NE: norepinephrine; ANS: autonomic nervous system; SNS: sympathetic nervous system; baPWV: brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity
Effects of Etiological Agent and Bather Shedding of Pathogens on Interpretation of Epidemiological Data Used to Establish Recreational Water Quality Standards

The overall goal of the study reported herein was to use techniques in the field of risk assessment (specifically a state‐space population dynamic model of disease transmission within recreational waters) to explore the relative significance of (1) active shedding of microorganisms from bathers themselves, and (2) the type and concentration of etiological agent on the observed heterogeneity of the incidence of illness in epidemiological studies that have been used to develop ambient water quality criteria. The etiological agent and corresponding dose ingested during recreational contact was found to significantly impact the observed incidence of illness in an epidemiological study conducted in recreational water. In addition, the observed incidence of illness was found not to necessarily reflect background concentrations of indicator organisms, but rather microorganisms shed during recreational contact. Future revisions to ambient water quality criteria should address the etiological agent, dose, and the significance of microbial shedding relative to background concentrations of pathogens and indicator organisms in addition to the incidence of illness and concentration of indicator organisms. Without a quantitative assessment of these additional variables, study findings may potentially be site specific and not representative of the health risks associated with specific indicator concentrations in all recreational waters.
Gaining Access with Social Engineering: An Empirical Study of the Threat

ABSTRACT Recently, research on information security has expanded from its purely technological orientation into striving to understand and explain the role of human behavior in security breaches. However, an area that has been lacking theory-grounded empirical study is in social engineering attacks. While there exists an extensive body of anecdotal literature, factors that account for attack success remains largely speculative. To better understand this increasing phenomenon, we developed a theoretical framework and conducted an empirical field study to investigate social engineering attacks, and from these results, we make recommendations for practice and further research.
Preseason Reports of Neck Pain, Dizziness, and Headache as Risk Factors for Concussion in Male Youth Ice Hockey Players

Objective:The objective of this study was to determine the risk of concussion in youth male hockey players with preseason reports of neck pain, headaches, and/or dizziness. Design:Secondary data analysis of pooled data from 2 prospective cohort studies. Setting:Ice hockey rinks in Alberta and Quebec, Canada. Participants:A total of 3832 male ice hockey players aged 11 to 14 years (280 teams) participated. Assessment of Risk Factors:Participants recorded baseline preseason symptoms of dizziness, neck pain, and headaches on the Sport Concussion Assessment Tool. Incidence rate ratios (IRR) were estimated using Poisson regression, adjusted for cluster by team, hours of exposure, and other covariates. Main Outcome Measures:Concussions that occurred during the season were recorded using a validated prospective injury surveillance system. Results:Preseason reports of neck pain and headache were risk factors for concussion (IRR = 1.67; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15–2.41 and IRR = 1.47; 95% CI, 1.01–2.13). Dizziness was a risk factor for concussion in the Pee Wee nonbody checking cohort (IRR = 3.11; 95% CI, 1.33–7.26). A combination of any 2 symptoms was a risk factor in the Pee Wee nonbody checking cohort (IRR = 3.65; 95% CI, 1.20–11.05) and the Bantam cohort (IRR = 2.40; 95% CI, 1.15–4.97). Conclusions:Male youth athletes reporting headache and neck pain at baseline were at an increased risk of concussion during the season. The risk associated with dizziness and any 2 of dizziness, neck pain, or headaches depended on age group and body checking. Clinical Relevance:Baseline testing may be of benefit to identify individuals with symptoms of dizziness, neck pain, and headaches who may be at a higher risk of concussion during the season.
Detection of B‐cell populations with monotypic light chain expression in cerebrospinal fluid specimens from patients with multiple sclerosis by polychromatic flow cytometry

Flow cytometric immunophenotyping is an established method for the detection of occult leptomeningeal disease in patients with aggressive B‐cell non‐Hodgkin lymphoma, and is increasingly being used in the evaluation of patients without an established diagnosis of lymphoma who present with signs and/or symptoms referable to the central nervous system. However, the specificity of flow cytometric immunophenotyping in the identification of monoclonal B‐cell populations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has not been systematically evaluated.
Concussion: purely a brain injury?

C oncussion is a diagnosis that is increasingly controversial in primary care. The pur-ported link to chronic traumatic encephalopathy 1 – 3 has heightened anxiety among patients, practitioners, and sports administrators. 4 Current accepted de ﬁ nitions of concussion characterize it as a brain injury. However, based on the current medical evidence, we would suggest that the constellation of symptoms presently de ﬁ ned as concussion does not have to involve the brain. The 2008 de ﬁ nition proposed in the Zurich Consensus Statement on Concussion in Sport de ﬁ nes concussion as “ a complex pathophysiological process affecting the brain ” with the “ onset of short-lived impairment of neurologic function that resolves spontane-ously. ” The de ﬁ nition allows for “ a graded set of clinical symptoms that may or may not involve loss of consciousness. ” However, the de ﬁ nition af ﬁ rms that standard brain imaging does not yield any abnormality and that neuropathological changes are not required to make a diagnosis. 5 Another guideline, such as that proposed by Veterans Affairs and the American Department of Defense (VA/DoD) in 2009, uses stricter criteria for the diagnosis of concussion, requiring confusion, immediate amnesia, and/or loss of consciousness at the time of impact. 6 Nonspeci ﬁ c symptoms such as headache, dizziness, or fatigue can be used to support the diagnosis but do not allow for a diagnosis to be made on their appearance alone. The VA/DoD de ﬁ nition goes on to reiterate that the “ symptoms associated with concussion/mTBI are not unique, ” “ occur frequently in day-to-day life among healthy indi-viduals, ” and are “ highly subjective in nature. ” However, within that de ﬁ nition is a founda-tional reference to the 1993 de ﬁ nition put forth by the American College of Rehabilitation Medicine that again refers to concussion as a “ disruption of brain function. ” The World Health Organization also offers a de ﬁ nition that characterizes concussion as a brain injury. 8 de
An abbreviated therapeutic neuroscience education session improves pain knowledge in first-year physical therapy students but does not change attitudes or beliefs

Objective: To determine if a 3-hour therapeutic neuroscience education session alters physical therapy student’s knowledge of pain and effects their attitudes and beliefs regarding treating chronic pain. Methods: Seventy-seven entry-level doctoral physical therapy students participated in the study. Following consent, demographic data were obtained and then the subjects completed the Neuroscience of Pain Questionnaire, the Health Care Provider’s Pain and Impairment Relationship Scale and an additional questionnaire designed by the researchers. The subjects then received a 3-hour educational session developed by the researchers, focusing on the neurobiology and physiology of pain. The questionnaires were re-administered immediately after the educational session and at 6 months post-education. Results: Seventy-seven subjects (mean age = 24.7 years, 57.1% female and 81.8% white) completed the questionnaires pre- and post-educational session with 75 completing the questionnaires at 6 months. To assess the effect of the education on the scores of the questionnaires, a repeated measures ANOVA was conducted. Students demonstrated significantly higher scores on the neuroscience of pain questionnaire (p < 0.001) with no significant effect found on the attitudes and beliefs questionnaire at any of the time points. There were significant differences found on some of the individual questions that were part of the additional questionnaire. Discussion: An educational session on the neuroscience of pain is beneficial for educating entry-level doctoral physical therapy students immediately post-education and at 6 months. This educational session had no effect on the student’s attitudes and beliefs regarding treating the chronic pain population. There were additional significant findings regarding individual questions posed to the subjects.
Spinal mobilization vs conventional physiotherapy in the management of chronic low back pain due to spinal disk degeneration: a randomized controlled trial

Abstract Objectives: The aim of the study was to examine the efficacy of spinal mobilization in subjects with low back pain (LBP) and associated spinal disk degeneration. Methods: Seventy-five subjects suffering from chronic LBP (>3 months) were randomly allocated into 3 groups of 25 subjects each. Each group received five treatment sessions with the first group receiving manual therapy (MT) (spinal mobilization), the second a sham treatment, and the third conventional physiotherapy (CP) (stretching exercises, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, and massage). Subjects were assessed for their pain intensity using the numerical pain rating scale and for their self-reported disability using the Oswestry and Roland-Morris Questionnaire at baseline and after the completion of the five treatment sessions. Results: Paired t-tests showed a significant improvement for all outcome measures in the MT and CP group (p < 0.05). Analysis of covariance revealed that the MT group had significant improvement in all outcome measures in comparison with the sham and CP group (p < 0.05), whereas no significant difference was observed between the sham and CP group (p > 0.05). Discussion: MT is preferable to CP in order to reduce the pain intensity and disability in subjects with chronic LBP and associated disk degeneration. The findings of this study may lead to the establishment of spinal mobilization as one of the most preferable approaches for the management of LBP due to disk degeneration. Level of evidence: 1b.
Now What Do People Know About Global Climate Change? Survey Studies of Educated Laypeople

In 1992, a mental‐models‐based survey in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, revealed that educated laypeople often conflated global climate change and stratospheric ozone depletion, and appeared relatively unaware of the role of anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions in global warming. This study compares those survey results with 2009 data from a sample of similarly well‐educated laypeople responding to the same survey instrument. Not surprisingly, following a decade of explosive attention to climate change in politics and in the mainstream media, survey respondents in 2009 showed higher awareness and comprehension of some climate change causes. Most notably, unlike those in 1992, 2009 respondents rarely mentioned ozone depletion as a cause of global warming. They were also far more likely to correctly volunteer energy use as a major cause of climate change; many in 2009 also cited natural processes and historical climatic cycles as key causes. When asked how to address the problem of climate change, while respondents in 1992 were unable to differentiate between general “good environmental practices” and actions specific to addressing climate change, respondents in 2009 have begun to appreciate the differences. Despite this, many individuals in 2009 still had incorrect beliefs about climate change, and still did not appear to fully appreciate key facts such as that global warming is primarily due to increased concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and the single most important source of this carbon dioxide is the combustion of fossil fuels.
Predicting the Outcome of Antidepressants and Psychotherapy for Depression: A Qualitative, Systematic Review

&NA; As treatment outcome in depression varies widely, it is important to understand better the predictive value of particular patient characteristics. However, qualitative systematic reviews of the association between easily identifiable patient characteristics and outcome for commonly used treatment options have been unavailable. This article provides an overview of the consistency of findings on the association between sociodemographic factors and depression characteristics, on the one hand, and outcomes of pharmacotherapy, cognitive‐behavioral therapy, and interpersonal/psychodynamic psychotherapy for major depression, on the other. There were no findings indicating that gender was associated with treatment outcome in the case of tricyclic antidepressants. There are some indications that younger patients respond worse to tricyclics, whereas especially women appeared to have better outcomes with modern antidepressants (selective serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors). Marital status may be related to better outcome in the case of antidepressants and cognitive‐behavioral therapy. Longer duration of depression was identified as a negative predictor, most consistently in psychotherapy. In none of the treatment modalities was recurrence a negative predictor. The relation between severity of depression and outcome appeared to be complex, precluding any straightforward inferences.
The nutritional content of male prisoners' diet in the UK

The Prison Catering Service has changed from a Ration Scale to a pre-select menu system as the basis for providing prisoners' meals. The purpose of this research was to ascertain how this may have affected male prisoners' nutritional intake. Using a modified visual estimation technique, the dietary intake of 506 prisoners (mean age 35 years, height 1.77 m and weight 78.03 kg) in eight prisons was estimated for a 24-h period. Results show that overall, the mean nutrient intake from food provided by HM Prisons (2561 kcal; 10.77 MJ) fell within current recommendations. However, in four prisons, energy intake was below the recommendations as were a small number of micronutrients (vitamin A, vitamin B2, vitamin C and calcium, one prison each; and vitamin D, in all prisons) from the food provided. The mean percentage of energy provided from total fat (36%) was just in excess of the recommendation of 35% and similar to the National average. There is little evidence to suggest that the ‘new’ system has any detrimental effects on prisoners' nutritional intake.
Pharmacotherapy for Substance Use Disorders in Youths

ABSTRACT Despite recent advances in psychosocial treatments targeting adolescent substance use disorders (SUD), effect sizes generally remain small to modest, and few treatment-enrolled youths achieve sustained abstinence. Among adults, SUD-targeted pharmacotherapies have emerged as viable options to complement psychosocial treatments and enhance outcomes. Developmental differences exist in pharmacodynamics and treatment response, and comparatively little research has focused on SUD-targeted pharmacotherapies for youths. This article provides a review and synthesis of relevant published clinical trials focusing on youth SUDs and co-occurring/comorbid psychiatric and substance use disorders. It offers recommendations for clinical practice and further research based on the limited findings to date.