Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Psychological Issues in Genetic Testing for Breast Cancer Susceptibility

IT IS ESTIMATED that approximately 180 000 American women developed breast cancer in 1993, and 46 000 of these women died of this disease. 1 Recent work in molecular genetics has led to the identification of genes that confer susceptibility to breast cancer, including a major breast—ovarian cancer susceptibility gene on chromosome 17. 2-5 As many as one in 300 women may carry germline mutations on one or more breast cancer susceptibility genes. 6 These advances bring promise of clinical genetic testing for breast cancer susceptibility. In a few settings, this information already is being applied to identify gene carriers and noncarriers within families with hereditary breast cancer. 7,8 As yet, however, there are no guidelines for communicating genetic information about breast cancer susceptibility or for providing recommendations and follow-up care for identified gene carriers. This is a serious concern, as previous research suggests that cancer risk notification can have
Effectiveness and adverse effects of the use of apomorphine and 3% hydrogen peroxide solution to induce emesis in dogs.

OBJECTIVE To determine the effectiveness and adverse effects of apomorphine and 3% hydrogen peroxide solution used for emesis in dogs. DESIGN Prospective observational study. ANIMALS 147 dogs that received apomorphine (IV or placed in the conjunctival sac) or 3% hydrogen peroxide solution (PO) to induce emesis after exposure to toxic agents. PROCEDURES Data regarding signalment; agent information; type, dose, route, and number of emetic administrations; whether emesis was successful; number of times emesis occurred; percentage of ingested agent recovered; and adverse effects were collected via telephone during American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Animal Poison Control Center operations and stored in a database for analysis. Mann-Whitney and Fisher exact tests were used to evaluate emetic success rates. RESULTS Apomorphine and 3% hydrogen peroxide solution successfully induced emesis in 59 of 63 (94%) and 76 of 84 (90%) of dogs, respectively. Mean time to onset of emesis after the first dose of emetic was 14.5 and 18.6 minutes when hydrogen peroxide (n = 37) and apomorphine (31) were used, respectively, with mean durations of 42 and 27 minutes, respectively. Mean estimates for recovery of ingested agents were 48% for hydrogen peroxide and 52% for apomorphine. Adverse effects were reported in 16 of 112 (14%) dogs for which information was available. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE 3% hydrogen peroxide solution and apomorphine effectively induced emesis in dogs when used as directed. Emesis occurred within minutes after administration and helped recover substantial amounts of ingested agents. Adverse effects of both emetics were considered mild and self-limiting.
Toward a Pathophysiology of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivint Disorder

Converging insights into attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) support the notion that ADHD is best characterized behaviorally as a disorder of self-regulation or executive functioning. Anatomic neuroimaging studies suggest that the relevant regulatory circuits include the prefrontal cortex and the basal ganglia, which are modulated by dopaminergic innervation from the midbrain and by stimulant medications. The emerging model proposed in this review encompasses a developmental perspective into this common condition.
Use of Lactococcus lactis to enrich sourdough bread with γ-aminobutyric acid

Fried sourdough bread (bhatura) with an elevated amount of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was produced using lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The LAB starter was screened and isolated from pickled yam showing highest GABA content and was identified as Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis. The maximum GABA production in de Man Rogosa Sharpe (MRS) media supplemented with monosodium glutamate (MSG) was 110 mg/100 ml at pH 5, and 1–3% NaCl did not change the production of GABA significantly (p>0.05). When MSG was replaced with Vigna mungo in sourdough, the amount of GABA for bhatura was 226.22 mg/100 g representing about 10-fold increase. A sensory evaluation resulted as the overall general acceptability of bhatura to be 4.91 ± 0.03 on a five-point hedonic scale. Thus, the results indicated the potential of L. lactis as a LAB starter for the production of GABA-enriched bhatura. Although other physiological effects can be expected in the product, animal and clinical studies are mandatory prior to application of this food.
Sympathetic (electrodermal) activity during repeated maximal rectal distensions in patients with irritable bowel syndrome and constipation

Abstract Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is associated with visceral hypersensitivity, stress and autonomic dysfunction. Sympathetic activity during repeated events indicates excitatory or inhibitory mechanisms such as sensitization or habituation. We investigated skin conductance (SC) during repetitive rectal distensions at maximal tolerable pressure in patients with IBS and chronic constipation. Twenty‐seven IBS patients, 13 constipation patients and 18 controls underwent two sets of isobaric rectal distensions. First, maximal tolerable distension was determined and then it was repeated five times. Skin conductance was measured continuously. Subjective symptom assessment remained steady in all groups. The baseline values of SC were higher in IBS patients than in patients with constipation and significantly lower in constipation patients than in controls. The maximal SC response to repetitive maximal distensions was higher in IBS patients compared with constipation patients. The amplitude of the initial SC response decreased successively with increased number of distensions in patients with IBS and constipation but not in controls. Irritable bowel syndrome and constipation patients habituated to maximal repetitive rectal distensions with decreasing sympathetic activity. Irritable bowel syndrome patients had higher sympathetic reactivity and baseline activity than constipation patients. A lower basal SC in constipation patients compared with controls suggests an inhibition of the sympathetic drive in constipation patients.
Stock Options and Total Payout

Abstract In this paper, we examine how stock option usage affects total corporate payout. Using fixed-effects panel data estimators on various samples of ExecuComp firms from 1993 to 2005, we find the higher the executive stock options, the lower the total payout, ceteris paribus. We also find some evidence that firms increase payouts through repurchases in order to offset earnings per share dilution that occurs due to usage of executive and non-executive stock options. However, incentives from not having dividend protection for options appear to dominate those from antidilution, resulting in lower total payout for firms with higher options usage.
The activation of α2-adrenergic receptor in the spinal cord lowers sepsis-induced mortality

The effect of clonidine administered intrathecally (i.t.) on the mortality and the blood glucose level induced by sepsis was examined in mice. To produce sepsis, the mixture of D-galactosamine (GaLN; 0.6 g/10 ml)/lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 27 µg/27 µl) was treated intraperitoneally (i.p.). The i.t. pretreatment with clonidine (5 µg/5 µl) increased the blood glucose level and attenuated mortality induced by sepsis in a dose-dependent manner. The i.t. post-treatment with clonidine up to 3 h caused an elevation of the blood glucose level and protected sepsis-induced mortality, whereas clonidine post-treated at 6, 9, or 12 h did not affect. The pre-treatment with oral D-glucose for 30 min prior to i.t. post-treatment (6 h) with clonidine did not rescue sepsis-induced mortality. In addition, i.t. pretreatment with pertussis toxin (PTX) reduced clonidine-induced protection against mortality and clonidine-induced hyperglycemia, suggesting that protective effect against sepsis-induced mortality seems to be mediated via activating PTX-sensitive G-proteins in the spinal cord. Moreover, pretreatment with clonidine attenuated the plasma tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) induced by sepsis. Clonidine administered i.t. or i.p. increased p-AMPKα1 and p-AMPKα2, but decreased p-Tyk2 and p-mTOR levels in both control and sepsis groups, suggesting that the up-regulations of p-AMPKα1 and p-AMPKα2, or down-regulations of p-mTOR and p-Tyk2 may play critical roles for the protective effect of clonidine against sepsis-induced mortality.
Surgical effects of trabeculotomy ab externo on adult eyes with primary open angle glaucoma and pseudoexfoliation syndrome.

OBJECTIVES Retrospective and prospective studies examined the surgical effects in lowering intraocular pressure levels of trabeculotomy ab externo in adult eyes with either primary open angle glaucoma or pseudoexfoliation syndrome. We report the results of primary trabeculotomy as an intervention for glaucoma. PATIENTS Included in the retrospective study were 357 eyes of 227 patients with primary open angle glaucoma and 82 eyes of 65 patients with pseudoexfoliation syndrome, each of which underwent trabeculotomy ab externo alone and none of which had a history of laser or surgical treatment for ocular disease. Included in the prospective study were 33 eyes of 22 patients with primary open angle glaucoma and 17 eyes of 15 patients (older than 40 years) with pseudoexfoliation syndrome. RESULTS A life-table analysis for the retrospective study showed that the final success probability (mean +/- SE) at 5 years after surgery was 73.5% +/- 6.3% in eyes with pseudoexfoliation syndrome, which is significantly better than 58.0% +/- 3.1% in eyes with primary open angle glaucoma (P < .05). Also, the higher the preoperative intraocular pressure levels are, the less likely that the postoperative intraocular pressure levels will be brought under control (P < .01). Surgical outcome in the prospective study demonstrated success in 27 (79%) of 34 eyes after 3 years and in 16 (64%) of 25 eyes after 5 years, with medication. Complications included Descemet's membrane detachment (one eye), cyclodialysis (one eye), and decreased visual acuity due to progression of cataract (four eyes). CONCLUSION The surgical results of trabeculotomy ab externo remain effective in controlling intraocular pressure levels for a long time in selected patients. It thus appears that trabeculotomy ab externo can be considered as an alternative choice of surgical treatment in some cases of glaucoma.
The treatment of SSRI‐Resistant Depression in Adolescents (TORDIA): in search of the best next step

The Treatment of SSRI-Resistant Depression in Adolescents study (TORDIA) was designed to inform clinicians as to the best next step in the treatment after a depressed adolescent has not responded to an adequate trial with a selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor (SSRI). [1] In this six-site study, conducted from 2000 to 2006, 334 treatment-resistant adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD) were randomized to one of the four treatment strategies in a two-by-two balanced factorial design: (a) switch to another SSRI; (b) switch to venlafaxine; (c) switch to another SSRI and add cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT); or (d) switch to venlafaxine and add CBT. The SSRI switch options were fluoxetine, and for the first half of the trial (n = 181), paroxetine. Because of the concerns about the safety and efficacy of paroxetine, citalopram was used instead during the second half of the trial (n = 153). All enrolled youth had not responded to an “adequate trial” with an SSRI, defined as treatment for at least 8 weeks, with the last 4 weeks at a dosage that was the equivalent of 40 mg of fluoxetine. This communication focuses on acute treatment, which was 12 weeks in duration.
Paget's Disease of Bone and Genetic Disorders of RANKL/OPG/RANK/NF‐κB Signaling

Abstract: Identification of the RANKL/OPG/RANK/NF‐kB (receptor activator of nuclear factor κ‐B ligand / osteoprotegerin) signaling pathway as the major regulatory system for osteoclastogenesis began with discovery of these ligands and receptors in the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily. Subsequently, genetically altered mice revealed physiologic roles for these proteins in bone biology. However, full appreciation of their significance for the human skeleton came from clinical characterization of several extremely rare, heritable disorders followed by discovery of their genetic bases. Familial expansile osteolysis (FEO) is an autosomal dominant disorder featuring constitutive activation of RANK due to an 18‐bp tandem duplication in its gene (TNFRSF11A). A similar, 27‐bp duplication causes what has been called a familial form of early‐onset Paget's disease of bone (PDB2). Expansile skeletal hyperphosphatasia (ESH) is allelic to FEO and PDB2 and involves a 15‐bp tandem duplication in TNFRSF11A. Autosomal recessive inheritance of deactivating mutations of the gene encoding OPG (TNFRSF11B) causes most cases of juvenile Paget disease. These disorders feature high bone turnover, deafness during early childhood, “idiopathic external lysis” of adult teeth, and sometimes focal lesions in appendicular bones that mimic active PDB. Biochemical markers indicate rapid skeletal remodeling. In FEO, osteolysis progresses to fat‐filled bone rather than to osteosclerosis. Antiresorptive therapy with bisphosphonates can be effective for each disorder.
The Effect of Demand and Supply factors on the Affordability of Housing

This paper uses supply and demand analysis to examine the housing market within twenty-eight metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) in the Midwest. Examining trends of the housing market provides an opportunity to analyze which factors contribute to a shortage of affordable housing. Specifically, this paper focuses on factors contributing to a MSA’s housing market and the share of homes affordable to households of median income as measured by the Housing Opportunity Index. This article is available in The Park Place Economist: http://digitalcommons.iwu. edu/parkplace/vol11/iss1/15
Long‐term effects of immunotoxic cholinergic lesions in the septum on acquisition of the cone‐field task and noncognitive measures in rats

In rats, nonspecific mechanical or neurotoxic lesions of the septum impair spatial memory in, e.g., Morris water‐ and radial‐maze tasks. Unfortunately, the lack of specificity of such lesions limits inferences about the role of the cholinergic hippocampal projections in spatial cognition. We therefore tested the effects of septal lesions produced by 192 IgG‐saporin in rats, which is highly selective for basal forebrain cholinergic neurons, on home cage activity, noncognitive tests (modified Irwin test, open field and forced swimming tests, and various sensorimotor tasks), and the cone‐field spatial learning task. The immunotoxic lesion reduced acetylcholine (ACh) levels in the septum (−61%) and hippocampus (>−75%). Rats with lesions showed mild home‐cage hyperactivity at 4 weeks postlesion, but no noncognitive deficits at 13 weeks postsurgery. In the cone‐field task, rats with septal lesions made more working‐ and reference‐memory errors than the controls, but acquisition curves were parallel in both groups. The speed of visiting cones was faster in the rats with lesions, indicative of disturbed attention or increased motivation. These data support the growing evidence that involvement of the septohippocampal cholinergic system in spatial learning and memory may have been overestimated in studies that used lesions with poor selectivity. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Usability of Pictorial Assembly Instructions for Young Children

This human factors research demonstrated the importance of instruction design on assembly performance and self-efficacy in young children. The mixed-method usability study evaluated the effect of gender, age, toy, and experience on assembly performance, frequency and duration of instruction looks, subjective evaluations, and usability problems. A total of twenty-four boys and girls, sixand nine-year-olds, assembled K’NEX, LEGO, BIONICLE, and Lincoln Log toys using the accompanying pictorial assembly instructions. Other research objectives included recommending key usability measures for instruction designers, developing a model of assembly self-efficacy, and evaluating traditional usability methods for use with children. Not surprisingly, quantitative results revealed that the older children assembled the toys more quickly and accurately with fewer usability problems. Six-year-old girls had the highest rate of mistakes. The nine-year-olds required fewer instruction looks of shorter duration than the six-year-olds. With few exceptions, toy comparisons were similar across subjective and objective measures. Thirty-two instruction design usability problems were described and illustrated and resulted in twenty-seven design recommendations. For example, more than half of the children omitted components added to the main assembly in the presence of a subassembly construction suggesting that the subassembly should be in a separate frame. Principal components analysis of all quantitative measures revealed four key components for the usability testing of pictorial assembly instructions: performance, satisfaction, difficulty, and previous experience. A qualitative analysis of the think-aloud data and observations, using Grounded Theory, produced a model of assembly self-efficacy from child users’ psychosocial and cognitive perspectives that affirmed the importance of user-centered instruction design. Girls exhibited lower self-efficacy and a greater tendency toward internal attributions, which was exacerbated by assembly of a boy-oriented toy. Six-year-old children were more affected by excess extraneous cognitive load and inaccurate information, such as color mismatches between the instructions and object. Adaptations of traditional usability methods and instruments were effective with children. They included video training for thinking aloud, visual-analog rating scales, and pictorial ranking instruments. A small head-mounted camera provided an economic means for gathering gross instruction encoding times and for better understanding the user’s perspective.
The Agentive Modalities

A number of philosophical projects require a proper understanding of the modal aspects of agency, or of what I call ‘the agentive modalities. ’ I propose a general account of the agentive modalities, one which takes as its primitive the decision-theoretic notion of an option. I relate this account to the standard semantics for ‘can’ and to the viability of some positions in the free will debates.
Pharmacogenetic studies of change in cortisol on ecstasy (MDMA) consumption

In this study we investigate the association of cytochrome P450 enzyme CYP2D6, catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT, Val158Met) and serotonin transporter promoter (5-HTTLPR) genotypes on change in cortisol concentration following 3, 4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine (MDMA, ‘ecstasy’) consumption. Forty-eight subjects (30 males, mean age 23 years), self-nominating regular clubbers provided ‘in the field’ pre- and post-clubbing biological samples and associated information. Of the 39 subjects who provided a post-clubbing urine sample, 21 were positive for MDMA. Plasma cortisol concentrations increased in subjects (n = 48) tested for cortisol, with changes being significantly greater in the MDMA-positive group (736.9 ± 83.2 vs. 350.9 ± 34.5 mmol/l, p = 0.001). We found a positive association between the low activity COMT genotype (Met/Met) and MDMA-induced change in cortisol and also between this and change in cortisol in the whole sample (p = 0.039, Bonferroni corrected). For CYP2D6, there was an association between genotype and change in cortisol, confined to subjects with MDMA-positive urine post-clubbing (p = 0.003, Bonferroni corrected). There was no association with 5-HTTLPR genotype. These associations suggest that chronic use of MDMA may lead to HPA axis dysregulation and that the magnitude of this may be moderated by genetic polymorphism, and warrant further investigation in a larger sample of those who consume the drug on a regular basis.
Bestrophin 2: An anion channel associated with neurogenesis in chemosensory systems

The chemosensory neuroepithelia of the vertebrate olfactory system share a life‐long ability to regenerate. Novel neurons proliferate from basal stem cells that continuously replace old or damaged sensory neurons. The sensory neurons of the mouse and rat olfactory system specifically express bestrophin 2, a member of the bestrophin family of calcium‐activated chloride channels. This channel was recently proposed to operate as a transduction channel in olfactory sensory cilia. We raised a polyclonal antibody against bestrophin 2 and characterized the expression pattern of this protein in the mouse main olfactory epithelium, septal organ of Masera, and vomeronasal organ. Comparison with the maturation markers growth‐associated protein 43 and olfactory marker protein revealed that bestrophin 2 was expressed in developing sensory neurons of all chemosensory neuroepithelia, but was restricted to proximal cilia in mature sensory neurons. Our results suggest that bestrophin 2 plays a critical role during differentiation and growth of axons and cilia. In mature olfactory receptor neurons, it appears to support growth and function of sensory cilia. J. Comp. Neurol. 515:585–599, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Critical design parameters for engineering broadly tunable asymmetric multiple-quantum-well lasers

Asymmetric multiple-quantum-well (AMQW) lasers are MQW lasers with QW's of varying thickness and/or composition in a single active region. AMQW lasers can, if designed properly, exhibit broad spectral tuning ranges more than twice as large as those of conventional MQW lasers. In the paper, it is shown experimentally and theoretically that AMQW lasers only exhibit broad wavelength tuning ranges near a specific cavity length defined as the transition cavity length. The transition cavity length is a critical design parameter for engineering broadly tunable AMQW Lasers.
Correlates of parental antibiotic knowledge, demand, and reported use.

BACKGROUND Clinicians cite parental misconceptions and requests for antibiotics as reasons for inappropriate prescribing. AIMS To identify misconceptions regarding antibiotics and predictors of parental demand for antibiotics and to determine if parental knowledge and attitudes are associated with use. METHODS Survey of parents in 16 Massachusetts communities. Domains included antibiotic-related knowledge, attitudes about antibiotics, antibiotic use during a 12-month period, demographics, and access to health information. Bivariate and multivariate analyses evaluated predictors of knowledge and proclivity to demand antibiotics. A multivariate model evaluated the associations of knowledge, demand, and demographic factors with parent-reported antibiotic use. RESULTS A total of 1106 surveys were returned (response rates: 54% and 32% for commercially-insured and Medicaid-insured families). Misconceptions were common regarding bronchitis (92%) and green nasal discharge (78%). Two hundred sixty-five (24%) gave responses suggesting a proclivity to demand antibiotics. Antibiotic knowledge was associated with increased parental age and education, having more than 1 child, white race, and receipt of media information on resistance. Factors associated with a proclivity to demand antibiotics included decreased knowledge, pressure from day-care settings, lack of alternatives offered by clinicians, and lack of access to media information. Among all respondents, reported antibiotic use was associated with younger child age and day-care attendance. Among Medicaid-insured children only, less antibiotic knowledge and tendency to demand antibiotics were associated with higher rates of antibiotic use. CONCLUSIONS Misconceptions regarding antibiotic use are widespread and potentially modifiable by clinicians and media sources. Particular attention should be paid to Medicaid-insured patients in whom such misconceptions may contribute to inappropriate prescribing.