Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cognitive Effects of Late Life Depression: Review of Neuropsychological Findings

Normal aging and depression both slow information processing speed which leads to poorer attentional control, shallower inhibition monitoring, poorer encoding, poorer updating of short term memory, and subsequent poorer learning, set-shifting, error monitoring, inhibition control, and cognitive planning. A combination of aging and depression amplifies these cognitive effects. Deterioration in frontal brain functioning in normal aging is irreversible, but altering of frontal brain function due to depression may be reversible. Since the symptoms are indistinguishable, it is difficult to separate effects of depression and aging with use of neuropsychological tests, even when premorbid history is known. Statistical group effects show more severe cognitive effects in late life depression than in normal aging or depression in younger persons, but no particular cognitive markers of depression in older subjects have been identified. Attention and inhibition are closely related, but their relationship needs to be studied further. It is not clear, whether a problem with inhibition of irrelevant stimuli occurs because of attentional deficits due to late life depression, or if it is a primary consequence of the depression. Further studies on the relationship between inhibition, attention and processing speed involving homogeneous depressed and non-depressed groups of different age may help disentangle this relationship.
Phenotypic Shifts in the L 5178 Y Lymphoma Population during Progression of the Tumor-dormant State in DBA / 2 Mice 1

We evaluated the phenotypic changes that take place in the L5178Y tumor cell population during the establishment, mainte nance, and termination of the L5178Y tumor-dormant state in DBA/2 mice. Since there is considerable variation among DBA/ 2 mice in the course of the L5178Y tumor-dormant state, analysis of these phenotypic changes required prospective studies on individual mice. Therefore, we developed a partial peritoneal lavage technique which could be performed repeatedly on an individual mouse without killing the mouse and without terminat ing the tumor-dormant state. The partial peritoneal lavage tech nique provided cell samples that were quantitatively represent ative of the entire peritoneal cell contents without altering the relative proportions or total number of host peritoneal cell subpopulations. Tumor cell clones were isolated from the uncloned L5178Y cell inoculum that was used to initiate the tumor-dormant state, and from the partial peritoneal lavage performed on indi vidual mice at regular intervals throughout the tumor-dormant state until each mouse developed an ascitic tumor. We found that the uncloned L5178Y cell population is heterogeneous, with the majority of the cells [approximately 80% of the clonal popu lations ("original" phenotype)] able to compete as well as the uncloned L5178Y cell population for immune cytolytic T-lymphocyte activity, and a smaller percentage [approximately 20% of the clones ("emergent" phenotype)] competing significantly less but similar to the tumor cell population which grows out as an ascitic tumor at the termination of the tumor-dormant state. However, both "original" and "emergent" phenotypes encompass a range of subpopulations which have the respective character istics. There was a progressive enrichment in the tumor cell population for "emergenf'-phenotype cells as mice progressed through the tumor-dormant state. In the 30-day period prior to tumor emergence, only "emergent"-phenotype cell clones were isolated. These data indicate that, during the course of the tumordormant state, there is continual selection by immune cytolytic T-lymphocytes for "emergenf'-phenotype cells, which preexist in the L5178Y cell population used to initiate the tumor-dormant state, and that the progressive enrichment of "emergent"-phenotype cells in the peritoneal cavity is associated with and may be responsible for termination of the tumor-dormant state.
Mothers' sense of coherence and oral health related quality of life of preschool children in Udupi Taluk.

OBJECTIVE To assess the relationship between mothers' Sense of Coherence (SOC) and oral health related quality of life (OHRQoL) of 3-5 year old preschool children in Udupi Taluk. PARTICIPANTS 388 mothers aged 24-48 years old and their preschool children. BASIC RESEARCH DESIGN A cross sectional study of mother-child pairs, randomly selected from 8 preschools. METHOD Information was obtained about mothers' sociodemographic factors along with the short version (SOC 13) of Antonovsky's sense of coherence scale and children's OHRQoL using the early childhood oral health impact scale (ECOHIS). Chi-square tests and multivariate logistic regression were used for analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Mothers' SOC and children's OHRQoL. RESULTS Mothers' SOC and fathers' education were significantly associated with children's OHRQoL in multivariate analysis. Children of mothers with high SOC were 12.9 times as likely to have high OHRQoL as mothers with low SOC (p < 0.01). Children of fathers with college/university education were twice as likely to have high OHRQoL as those with primary education (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Our results suggest that mother's SOC could be a psychosocial determinant of the OHRQoL of their preschool children. Family environment should be considered when designing interventions to promote or improve the oral health as well as OHRQoL of preschool children.
omparisons of plastic responses to irradiance and physiological traits by nvasive Eupatorium adenophorum and its native congeners u -

To explore the traits contributing to invasiveness of Eupatorium adenophorum and to test the relationship between plasticity of these traits and invasiveness, we compared E. adenophorum with its two native congeners at four irradiances (10%, 23%, 40%, and 100%). The invader showed constantly higher performance (relative growth rate and total biomass) across irradiances than its native congeners. Higher light-saturated photosynthetic rate (Pmax), respiration efficiency (RE), and nitrogen (PNUE) and water (WUE, at 40% and 100% irradiances only) use efficiencies contributed directly to the higher performance of the invader. Higher nitrogen allocation to, stomatal conductance, and the higher contents of leaf nitrogen and pigments contributed to the higher performance of the invader indirectly through increasing Pmax, RE, PNUE and WUE. The invader had consistently higher plasticity only in carotenoid content than its native congeners in ranges of low (10–40%), high (40–100%) and total (10–100%) irradiances, contributing to invasion success in high irradiance by photo protection. In the range of low irradiances, the invader had higher plasticity in some physiological traits (leaf nitrogen content, nitrogen contents in bioenergetics, carboxylation and in light-harvesting components, and contents of leaf chlorophylls and carotenoids) but not in performance, while in the ranges of high or total irradiances, the invader did not show higher plasticity in any variable (except Car). The results indicated that the relationship between invasiveness and plasticity of a specific trait was complex, and that a universal generalization about the relationship might be too simplistic. © 2012 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.
Efficient Algorithms for Neighbor Node Discovery in Wireless Sensor Networks

Neighbor Discovery (ND) is a basic and crucial step for initializing wireless ad hoc networks. A fast, precise, and energy-efficient ND protocol has significant importance to subsequent operations in wireless networks. However, many existing protocols have high probabilities to generate idle slots in their neighbor discovering processes, which prolongs the executing duration, and thus compromises their performance. In this paper, we propose a novel randomized protocol FRIEND, a pre-handshaking neighbor discovery protocol, to initialize synchronous full duplex wireless ad hoc networks. By introducing a pre-handshaking strategy to help each node be aware of activities of its neighborhood, we significantly reduce the probabilities of generating idle slots and collisions. Moreover, with the development of single channel full duplex communication technology [1, 2], we further decrease the processing time needed in FRIEND, and construct the first full duplex neighbor discovery protocol. Our theoretical analysis proves that FRIEND can decrease the duration of ND by up to 48% in comparison to the classical ALOHA-like protocols [3, 4]. In addition, we propose HD-FRIEND for half duplex networks and variants of FRIEND for multi-hop networks and duty cycled networks. Both theoretical analysis and simulation results show that FRIEND can adapt to various scenarios, and significantly decrease the duration of ND.
Specificity of LIM Domain Interactions with Receptor Tyrosine Kinases*

LIM domains, Cys-rich motifs containing approximately 50 amino acids found in a variety of proteins, are proposed to direct protein·protein interactions. To identify structural targets recognized by LIM domains, we have utilized random peptide library selection, the yeast two-hybrid system, and glutathione S-transferase fusions. Enigma contains three LIM domains within its carboxyl terminus and LIM3 of Enigma specifically recognizes active but not mutant endocytic codes of the insulin receptor (InsR) (Wu, R. Y., and Gill, G. N. (1994)J. Biol. Chem. 269, 25085-25090). Interaction of two random peptide libraries with glutathione S-transferase-LIM3 of Enigma indicated specific binding to Gly-Pro-Hyd-Gly-Pro-Hyd-Tyr-Ala corresponding to the major endocytic code of InsR. Peptide competition demonstrated that both Pro and Tyr residues were required for specific interaction of InsR with Enigma. In contrast to LIM3 of Enigma binding to InsR, LIM2 of Enigma associated specifically with the receptor tyrosine kinase, Ret. Ret was specific for LIM2 of Enigma and did not bind other LIM domains tested. Mutational analysis indicated that the residues responsible for binding to Enigma were localized to the carboxyl-terminal 61 amino acids of Ret. A peptide corresponding to the carboxyl-terminal 20 amino acids of Ret dissociated Enigma and Ret complexes, while a mutant that changed Asn-Lys-Leu-Tyr in the peptide to Ala-Lys-Leu-Ala or a peptide corresponding to exon16 of InsR failed to disrupt the complexes, indicating the Asn-Lys-Leu-Tyr sequence of Ret is essential to the recognition motif for LIM2 of Enigma. We conclude that LIM domains of Enigma recognize tyrosine-containing motifs with specificity residing in both the LIM domains and in the target structures.
Treatment of Patients with Obese Type 2 Diabetes with Tantalus-DIAMOND® Gastric Electrical Stimulation: Normal Triglycerides Predict Durable Effects for at Least 3 Years

Abstract The objectives of the present work are to evaluate long-term benefit of nonexcitatory gastric electrical stimulation (GES) by the DIAMOND® device on glycemic control and body weight in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with oral agents and to determine the magnitude of the modulating effects of fasting plasma triglyceride (FTG) levels on these effects of GES. Sixty one patients with type 2 diabetes [HbA1c>7.0% (53 mmol/mol) to<10.5% (91 mmol/mol)] were implanted with the DIAMOND® GES device and treated with meal-mediated antral electrical stimulation for up to 36 months. The effects of baseline HbA1c and FTG on glycemic control, body weight, and systolic blood pressure were measured. GES reduced mean HbA1c by 0.9% and body weight by 5.7%. The effects were greater in patients with normal fasting plasma triglycerides (NTG) as compared to those with hypertriglyceridemia. The mean decrease in HbA1c in patients with NTG averaged 1.1% and was durable over 3 years of follow-up. ANCOVA indicated that improvement in HbA1c was a function of both baseline FTG group (p=0.02) and HbA1c (p=0.001) and their interaction (p=0.01). Marked weight loss (≥ 10%) was observed in a significant proportion of NTG patients by 12 months of treatment and persisted through the 3 years. GES improves glycemic control and reduces body weight by a triglyceride-dependent mechanism in patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled on oral agents. It is postulated that this is through a gut-brain interaction that modulates effects on the liver and pancreatic islets.
Reduced deadtime and higher rate photon-counting detection using a multiplexed detector array

We present a scheme for a photon-counting detection system that can be operated at incident photon rates higher than otherwise possible by suppressing the effects of detector deadtime. The method uses an array of N detectors and a 1-by-N optical switch with a control circuit to direct input light to live detectors. Our calculations and models highlight the advantages of the technique. In particular, using this scheme, a group of N detectors provides an improvement in operation rate that can exceed the improvement that would be obtained by a single detector with deadtime reduced by 1/N, even if it were feasible to produce a single detector with such a large improvement in deadtime. We model the system for continuous and pulsed light sources, both of which are important for quantum metrology and quantum key distribution applications.
Increased cytolytic T lymphocyte activity and decreased B7 responsiveness are associated with CD28 down‐regulation on CD8+ T cells from HIV‐infected subjects

The CD28 receptor on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells interacts with B7 molecules on antigen‐presenting cells (APC) to generate essential costimulatory signals. The cytolytic potential of CD8+ T cells could be linked to CD28 expression. Since HIV induces dysfunction of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, we evaluated CD28 expression and function in both subsets during HIV infection. CD28 expression on CD8+ T cells from HIV+ subjects was strongly reduced in a disease stage‐related fashion. CD28‐CD8+ T cells preferentially expressed CD57 and CD11b, but lacked CD26 and IL‐2Rα. The CD8+ T cells from the patients showed a significantly reduced proliferative response to co‐stimulation with cell‐bound anti‐CD3 and B7. Nevertheless, when stimulated with plate‐fixed anti‐CD3, CD8+ T cells from HIV‐infected subjects proliferated normally, and normal levels of IL‐2Rα nod transferrin‐receptor could be induced on CD28‐CD8+ T cells from the patients. In addition, stimulation with plate‐fixed anti‐CD3 induced proliferative responses in highly purified CD28‐CD8+ T cells from both HIV‐ and HIV+ persons. Furthermore, the increased cytotoxic activity of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from HIV+ subjects, measured in an anti‐CD3 redirected assay, was predominantly exerted by CD28‐CD57+ T cells. CD4+ T cells from the patients showed a slight but significant CD28 down‐regulation and were slightly hyporesponsive to B7 co‐stimulation. Decrease of CD28 on CD8+ T cells from HIV+ subjects is associated with an impaired response to co‐stimulation via B7. CD28‐CD8+ T cells from seropositives, however, are not completely inert, since they contain in vivo activated CTL and they can be additionally activated through a B7‐independent stimulation.
Postnatal Quality of Life, Depressive Symptoms, and Social Support Among Women in Southern India

Evaluation of postnatal quality of life (QOL) has remained a poorly researched area in India. The present cross-sectional study assessed postnatal QOL, using the Mother Generated Index (MGI) and its associated risk factors, and was conducted during January–March 2013 among 274 mothers, 6–8 weeks postnatally. A semi-structured questionnaire was used to evaluate sociodemographic and obstetric characteristics and social support. Depressive symptoms were assessed by the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and QOL using the MGI. The vast majority (90.1 percent) of respondents in our study had a primary MGI score <5, those with significantly higher prevalence of physical problems and psychological distress. A total of 39.8 percent of respondents were screened as having other (not major) depressive symptoms and 4.7 percent as having major depressive symptoms. Multiple regression analysis revealed that age (β = 0.033, p = .018) and socioeconomic status (β = 0.156, p < .001) were significantly positively associated with QOL, while increased depressive symptom scores (β = −0.075, p < .001) were significantly negatively associated with QOL. A wide spectrum of QOL aspects were reported, including physical, emotional, social, and economic concerns by the mothers. Prevention, evaluation, and treatment of postnatal depressive symptoms and impaired QOL are warranted, taking into account the role of various biopsychosocial risk factors and specific concerns raised by the mothers.
[Ambulatory care-sensitive conditions in Germany: a small area analysis (2006-2009)].

PURPOSE The paper aims (1) to identify and depict cartographically ambulatory care-sensitive conditions in Germany (based on data for the years 2006-2009) and (2) to discuss the implications. METHOD The selection of ambulatory care-sensitive conditions (ACSC) was based on a literature review by Purdy et al. (2009) because a German catalogue of ACSC does not yet exist. Five of these indications were excluded due to limited data -access or a low number of cases. Additionally, 2 -diagnoses that are potentially relevant for Germany were included. Subsequently, diagnosis-specific hospitalisation rates were calculated for each of the 412 counties (Stadtkreise and Landkreise). The spatial distribution of 6 selected diag-noses (heart failure, diabetes, dehydration and gastroenteritis, ENT infections, influenza and pneumonia as well as schizophrenia) was depicted and discussed. Furthermore, an overall analysis of diagnoses analysis was performed. RESULTS Based on the overall analysis, counties with high hospitalisation rates were identified in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Saxony-Anhalt and Thuringia as well as to a lesser degree in Brandenburg, Saarland, Rhineland Palatinate and North Rhine-Westphalia (for men and women). Low hospitalisation rates were often present in counties in Baden-Wuerttemberg. Based on the diagnosis-specific analysis, some regional clusters could be identified. Thus, high hospitalisa-tion rates for heart failure, diabetes, ENT infections were especially present in Eastern Germany. In contrast, there were no distribution patterns for high hospitalisation rates due to influenza and pneumonia. However, differences could be also identified between rural and urban regions: while hospitalisations due to dehydration and gastroenteritis were more often in rural -districts, hospitalisations due to schizophrenia occurred more frequently in urban regions. CONCLUSION Knowledge of the spatial distribution of ACSC -rates serves as an important indicator for the identification of districts where health-care quality and access (structural--related) can be optimised. The analysis of hospitalisation rates for 6 selected indications showed that for some indications there were clear regional differences in the distribution of ACSCs in -Germany.
β-glucan antigenemia anticipates diagnosis of blood culture-negative intraabdominal candidiasis.

RATIONALE Life-threatening intraabdominal candidiasis (IAC) occurs in 30 to 40% of high-risk surgical intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Although early IAC diagnosis is crucial, blood cultures are negative, and the role of Candida score/colonization indexes is not established. OBJECTIVES The aim of this prospective Fungal Infection Network of Switzerland (FUNGINOS) cohort study was to assess accuracy of 1,3-β-d-glucan (BG) antigenemia for diagnosis of IAC. METHODS Four hundred thirty-four consecutive adults with abdominal surgery or acute pancreatitis and ICU stay 72 hours or longer were screened: 89 (20.5%) at high risk for IAC were studied (68 recurrent gastrointestinal tract perforation, 21 acute necrotizing pancreatitis). Diagnostic accuracy of serum BG (Fungitell), Candida score, and colonization indexes was compared. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Fifty-eight of 89 (65%) patients were colonized by Candida; 29 of 89 (33%) presented IAC (27 of 29 with negative blood cultures). Nine hundred twenty-one sera were analyzed (9/patient): median BG was 253 pg/ml (46-9,557) in IAC versus 99 pg/ml (8-440) in colonization (P < 0.01). Sensitivity and specificity of two consecutive BG measurements greater than or equal to 80 pg/ml were 65 and 78%, respectively. In recurrent gastrointestinal tract perforation it was 75 and 77% versus 90 and 38% (Candida score ≥ 3), 79 and 34% (colonization index ≥ 0.5), and 54 and 63% (corrected colonization index ≥ 0.4), respectively. BG positivity anticipated IAC diagnosis (5 d) and antifungal therapy (6 d). Severe sepsis/septic shock and death occurred in 10 of 11 (91%) and 4 of 11 (36%) patients with BG 400 pg/ml or more versus 5 of 18 (28%, P = 0.002) and 1 of 18 (6%, P = 0.05) with BG measurement less than 400 pg/ml. β-Glucan decreased in IAC responding to therapy and increased in nonresponse. CONCLUSIONS BG antigenemia is superior to Candida score and colonization indexes and anticipates diagnosis of blood culture-negative IAC. This proof-of-concept observation in strictly selected high-risk surgical ICU patients deserves investigation of BG-driven preemptive therapy.
Management of the Tinnitus Patient

At the Otologic Medical Group, we see many patients complaining of tinnitus. Because tinnitus is a symptom the underlying cause and disease process must be identified and evaluated. Most patients complaining of tinnitus will not require special treatment. In this paper we discuss the treatment of patients who are severely disturbed by their tinnitus. We also discuss the effects of surgery on tinnitus. This surgical treatment includes stapedectomies, translabyrinthine eighth nerve sections and translabyrinthine removal of acoustic neuromas. In patients with tinnitus as a primary complaint, stapedectomy can be expected to improve the tinnitus in 50%. In patients undergoing translabyrinthine section of the vestibular nerve, 45% reported improvement and 55% reported the tinnitus to be the same or worse. Following translabyrinthine removal of acoustic tumors, 40% felt that their tinnitus was better, 50% said it was worse and only 10% felt it was the same preoperatively. When the patients' symptoms are severe, we have recommended biofeedback training, tinnitus maskers, and, when appropriate, hearing aids. Of 132 patients undergoing biofeedback training, 77% of the patients reported some degree of relief. No patients were worse. Our acceptance and utilization of the tinnitus maskers has not been as successful. Of 42 patients undergoing tinnitus masker evaluations, only 17% eventually purchased the maskers. We have found that patients with some degree of hearing loss benefit greatly from the use of hearing amplification.