Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Non‐linear models for the relation between cardiovascular risk factors and intake of wine, beer and spirits

It is generally accepted that moderate consumption of alcohol is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). It is not clear however whether this benefit is derived through the consumption of a specific beverage type, for example, wine. In this paper the associations between known CHD risk factors and different beverage types are investigated using a novel approach with non‐linear modelling. Two types of model are proposed which are designed to detect differential effects of beverage type. These may be viewed as extensions of Box and Tidwell's power‐linear model. The risk factors high density lipoprotein cholesterol, fibrinogen and systolic blood pressure are considered using data from a large longitudinal study of British civil servants (Whitehall II). The results for males suggest that gram for gram of alcohol, the effect of wine differs from that of beer and spirits, particularly for systolic blood pressure. In particular increasing wine consumption is associated with slightly more favourable levels of all three risk factors studied. For females there is evidence of a differential relationship only for systolic blood pressure. These findings are tentative but suggest that further research is required to clarify the similarities and differences between the results for males and females and to establish whether either of the models is the more appropriate. However, having clarified these issues, the apparent benefit of consuming wine instead of other alcoholic beverages may be relatively small. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparative effect of protein binding on the killing activities of teicoplanin and vancomycin

The effect of protein binding on the activity of teicoplanin against Staphylococcus aureus was evaluated. Bactericidal rates of teicoplanin in cation-supplemented Mueller-Hinton broth (SMHB) and in a 1:1 mixture of pooled human serum and cation-supplemented Mueller-Hinton broth (PHS-SMHB) were compared with those of vancomycin. Eight concentrations of each drug ranging from 15 to 150 micrograms/ml were studied in two series which correspond to the concentrations in serum achieved with low- (6 mg/kg of body weight once daily) and high-dose (30 mg/kg once daily) teicoplanin. Overall, the bactericidal rate of teicoplanin was lower than that of vancomycin. In the presence of serum, the bactericidal rate of teicoplanin in PHS-SMHB was lower than that in SMHB, often resulting in only one log10 drop in CFU over a 24-h period. There was no statistical difference in the bactericidal rates of high- and low-concentration teicoplanin in either medium. Additionally, concentration-dependent killing in SMHB was not evident with either agent. The bactericidal rates of teicoplanin and vancomycin in a 1:1 mixture of serum ultrafiltrate and SMHB at 60 micrograms/ml were also studied. It was noted that the bactericidal rate of neither agent was affected by the presence of serum ultrafiltrate. This finding is consistent with teicoplanin's high degree of protein binding (reported to be greater than 90% in undiluted serum) and further substantiates the hypothesis that only the free drug is active against microorganisms. These data support protein binding as being a factor in teicoplanin activity against S. aureus.
Surgical removal vs observation for idiopathic or ocular histoplasmosis syndrome-associated subfoveal choroidal neovascularization: Vision Preference Value Scale findings from the randomized SST Group H Trial: SST Report No. 17.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether patients receiving observation vs surgery for subfoveal choroidal neovascularization that was idiopathic or associated with histoplasmosis differed in preference values assigned to their health and vision status. METHODS Before and after enrollment, patients rated their current vision on a scale from 0 (blind) to 100 (perfect vision) and rated blindness and perfect vision on a scale from 0 (dead) to 100 (perfect health and vision). Scores for current vision were converted to a preference value scale (0 represents death; 100, perfect health and vision). RESULTS In 170 patients, no significant difference existed between the observation and surgery arms in median vision preference values at baseline (74 vs 70) or at the 12- (74 vs 78) or 24-month follow-up (77 vs 73) (P > .05). Preference values did not differ between arms for subgroups defined by age, unilateral vs bilateral choroidal neovascularization, or good vs poor baseline visual acuity. CONCLUSIONS Submacular surgery was no better than observation in the preference values patients assigned to their health status, despite previously reported improvements in vision-specific quality of life. TRIAL REGISTRATION (clinicaltrials.gov) Identifier: NCT00000150. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Ophthalmologists should consider the effects on different measures of quality of life when determining treatment for patients similar to those in the Submacular Surgery Trials Group H Trial.
Lipid Profile During Pregnancy in HIV-Infected Women

Abstract Purpose: We investigated the evolution of serum lipid levels in HIV-infected pregnant women and the potential effect of antiretroviral treatment during pregnancy using data from a national surveillance study. Method: Fasting lipid measurements collected during routine care in pregnancy were used, analyzing longitudinal changes and differences in lipid values at each trimester by protease inhibitors (PIs) and stavudine use. Multivariate analyses were used to control for simultaneous factors potentially leading to hyperlipidemia. Study population included 248 women. Results: Lipid values increased progressively and significantly during pregnancy: mean increases between the first and third trimesters were 141.6 mg/dL for triglycerides (p .001), 60.8 mg/dL for total cholesterol (p .001), 13.7 mg/dL for HDL cholesterol (p .001), and 17.8 mg/dL for LDL cholesterol (p = .001). At all trimesters, women on PIs had significantly higher triglyceride values compared to women not on PIs. The effect of PIs on cholesterol levels was less consistent. Stavudine showed a dyslipidemic effect at first trimester only. Multivariate analyses confirmed these observations and suggested a potential role of other cofactors in the development of hyperlipidemia during pregnancy. Conclusion: The changes observed point to the need to further explore the causes and the clinical correlates of hyperlipidemia during pregnancy in women with HIV.
On The Welfare Costs Of Unemployment Fluctuations

The paper investigates the welfare losses created by ﬂuctuations in the labor markets. The framework is a model of heterogeneous workers who are subject to ﬂuctuations in the probability of ﬁnding employment. They can self-insure against unemployment through saving in a riskless asset. It is explained how ﬂuctuations increase the probability of long unemployment spells, which are hard to insure against for the workers. Numerically, it turns out that the welfare gains from completely eliminating the ﬂuctuations in the labor market are either small or tiny, depending on whether stabilization policy is supposed to keep the average job ﬁnding rate or the average unemployment rate unchanged. In either case, the welfare gain in a heterogeneous agent model is not much higher than in a representative agent model, or even smaller.
CD44v6 may influence ovarian cancer cell invasion and migration by regulating the NF-κB pathway

Ovarian cancer (OC) has the worst prognosis among all malignancy types in females worldwide according to epidemiological studies in 2017. Although radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgical treatment are the most common treatment methods, their curative effects are not satisfactory. The present study aimed to examine the role of cluster of differentiation 44 variant 6 (CD44v6) in the molecular mechanism of the proliferation and tumorigenicity of OC cells, and provide a novel target for the clinical treatment of OC. A total of 46 clinical samples were collected, including 24 malignant ovarian tumor tissue samples and 22 benign ovarian tissue samples. Expression of CD44v6 and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in these samples was detected by reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and immunohistochemistry. The A2780 OC cell line was used to establish a normal control group, a negative control group and a CD44v6-small interfering (si)RNA transfection group. The expression of CD44v6 and NF-κB mRNA was detected in each group by RT-qPCR. The proliferation, invasion and migration abilities of the cells were then assessed by Transwell and colony formation assays. Additionally, immunofluorescence was used to detect nuclear NF-κB expression. CD44v6 and NF-κB mRNA expression levels were significantly increased in malignant ovarian tumor tissues, compared with normal ovarian tissues (P<0.01), and immunohistochemistry demonstrated similar results. In the CD44v6-siRNA group, NF-κB mRNA expression was significantly reduced, compared with the control and negative control (both P<0.01) groups. Transwell and colony formation assays demonstrated that the migration, invasion and colony formation abilities of OC cells in the CD44v6-siRNA group were significantly reduced, compared with the control and negative control (both P<0.01) groups. Immunofluorescence results demonstrated that the expression of NF-κB in the cytoplasm and nucleus of the CD44v6-siRNA group was also markedly reduced, compared with the other two groups. In conclusion, CD44v6 may participate in the proliferation of OC cells through activation of the NF-κB pathway and these observations may provide a novel therapeutic target for the clinical treatment of OC.
Dictyostelium Myosin-5b Is a Conditional Processive Motor*

Dictyostelium myosin-5b is the gene product of myoJ and one of two closely related myosin-5 isoenzymes produced in Dictyostelium discoideum. Here we report a detailed investigation of the kinetic and functional properties of the protein. In standard assay buffer conditions, Dictyostelium myosin-5b displays high actin affinity in the presence of ADP, fast ATP hydrolysis, and a high steady-state ATPase activity in the presence of actin that is rate limited by ADP release. These properties are typical for a processive motor that can move over long distances along actin filaments without dissociating. Our results show that a physiological decrease in the concentration of free Mg2+-ions leads to an increased rate of ADP release and shortening of the fraction of time the motor spends in the strong actin binding states. Consistently, the ability of the motor to efficiently translocate actin filaments at very low surface densities decreases with decreasing concentrations of free Mg2+-ions. In addition, we provide evidence that the observed changes in Dd myosin-5b motor activity are of physiological relevance and propose a mechanism by which this molecular motor can switch between processive and non-processive movement.
Prognostic value of funisitis and/or chorionic vasculitis compared to histologic chorioamnionitis in full-term infants

Abstract Aim: To compare pathological findings in the placenta and cord with the prognosis of full-term infants in cases of neonatal infection and microbial analyses. Methods: The pathological findings in the placenta and cord and microbial analyses of amniotic fluid and neonatal samples based on culture or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were observed in 1208 full-term mother–infant pairs at our center. We also collected neonatal clinical infection data, such as the occurrence of septicemia and other infectious diseases. Results: Neonatal infection and positive identification of microorganisms were more common in the funisitis and/or chorionic vasculitis group than in the histologic chorioamnionitis group. Conclusion: Funisitis and/or chorionic vasculitis is a valuable pathological marker for assessing the comparison between intrauterine infection and neonatal inflammatory conditions in infants delivered at full-term.
Oral lesions in kidney transplant patients.

INTRODUCTION Oral hygiene in kidney transplant recipients contributes to maintenance of the transplanted organ and its function. Thus, an investigation of oral lesions could be counted as a notable work. These patients have the potential to be involved with lesions developed as a result of the administration of immunosuppressive drugs. The aim of this study was to investigate oral lesions in a group of kidney transplant recipients. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present study was a cross-sectional research on 100 patients with a kidney transplant for at least 3 months. Oral mucosa was assessed clinically for any lesion. Additional data on systemic diseases, transplant duration, and medications were recorded. RESULTS Twenty-four percent of the patients had at least 1 oral lesion. The most common lesion was oral candidiasis in 16% of the participants (13 cases of acute pseudomembranous and 3 cases of chronic oral candidiasis). Gingival enlargement was seen in 7% of the kidney transplant recipients, and 2% had a coated tongue. CONCLUSIONS Elimination of oral fungal lesions in kidney transplant recipients is highly recommended. We hope this study can shed light on this particular aspect of healthcare in kidney transplant recipients.
Post-partum mental disorders: pattern and problems of management in Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa, Nigeria

Sixty-seven consecutive women who presented with postpartum mental disorder within 1 year after delivery over a 5-year period in a teaching hospital serving rural and semi-urban communities were evaluated. All patients were followed-up until they defaulted or for a maximum period of 1 year after presentation. There were more primiparous women (43·3%) than women of other parities. In 16·4%, a previous history of mental disorder was elicited. Family history of mental disorder was present in 13·4%. Premorbidly, marital disharmony was present in 23·9%, obstetric complications in 22·4%, neonate/infant mortality in 19·4% and unwanted pregnancy in 16·4%. Onset of illness occurred during the peurperium in majority of cases (58·2%). Schizophrenia topped the list of clinical types. Short-term prognosis was good but defaulting rate was high. Breastfeeding was stopped permanently by nine patients and two babies died. Ten husbands deserted their wives. The pattern of postpartum mental disorders has remained stable in the past two decades. Although the cause and effect relationship is difficult to establish in our study, the relative stability of some sociocultural factors suggests their usefulness in planning preventive strategies. A multidisciplinary approach is essential.
Current status of the genetics and molecular taxonomy of Echinococcus species

SUMMARY The taxonomy of Echinococcus has long been controversial. Based mainly on differences in morphology and host-parasite specificity characteristics, 16 species and 13 subspecies were originally described. Subsequently, most of these taxa were regarded as synonyms for Echinococcus granulosus and only 4 valid species were recognised: E. granulosus; E. multilocularis; E. oligarthrus and E. vogeli. But, over the past 50 years, laboratory and field observations have revealed considerable phenotypic variability between isolates of Echinococcus, particularly those of E. granulosus, which include differences in: morphology in both larval and adult stages, development in vitro and in vivo, host infectivity and specificity, chemical composition, metabolism, proteins and enzymes, pathogenicity and antigenicity. The application of molecular tools has revealed differences in nucleic acid sequences that reflect this phenotypic variation and the genetic and phenotypic characteristics complement the previous observations made by the descriptive parasitologists many years ago. The fact that some of these variants or strains are poorly or not infective to humans has resulted in a reappraisal of the public health significance of Echinococcus in areas where such variants occur. A revised taxonomy for species in the Echinococcus genus has been proposed that is generally accepted, and is based on the new molecular data and the biological and epidemiological characteristics of host-adapted species and strains.
Bilateral Bone-Anchored Hearing Aids for Bilateral Permanent Conductive Hearing Loss

Objective To systematically review the outcomes of bilateral versus unilateral bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHA) for individuals with bilateral permanent conductive hearing loss (CHL) with the goal of (1) deriving clinically oriented insights into the advantages and disadvantages of bilateral fitting and (2) identifying gaps in knowledge to stimulate future research. Data Sources Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were searched for studies of all languages published between 1977 and July 2011. Review Methods Studies were included if subjects of any age had permanent bilateral CHL and bilateral implanted BAHAs. Outcome measures of interest were any subjective or objective audiologic measures, quality of life indicators, or reports of adverse events. Results In all, 628 abstracts were generated from the literature searches; 11 studies met the criteria for data extraction and analysis. All 11 studies were observational. In most studies, comparisons between unilateral and bilateral BAHA were intra-subject. Bilateral BAHA provided audiologic benefit compared to unilateral BAHA (improved thresholds for tones [2 studies], speech in quiet [5 studies] and in noise [3 studies], and improved localization/lateralization [3 studies]) and patients’ perceived subjective benefit from bilateral BAHA (3 studies). Disadvantages of bilateral BAHAs included listening in noise in some conditions (3 studies), presumed additional cost, and presumed increase in adverse event risk. Conclusion Bilateral BAHA provided additional objective and subjective benefit compared to unilateral BAHA; however, there was a limited number of studies available with good quality evidence. Aspects of bilateral BAHA that would benefit from further investigation are described, and recommendations for bilateral BAHA candidacy criteria are provided.
Dengue induces platelet activation, mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death through mechanisms that involve DC‐SIGN and caspases

Worldwide, dengue is the most prevalent human arbovirus disease. Dengue infection may cause a range of clinical manifestations from self‐limiting febrile illness through to a life‐threatening syndrome accompanied by both bleeding and shock. Thrombocytopenia is frequently observed in mild and severe disease; however, the mechanisms involved in DENV‐induced platelet activation and thrombocytopenia are incompletely understood.
Multicenter randomized trial of adjuvant fluorouracil and folinic acid compared with surgery alone after resection of colorectal liver metastases: FFCD ACHBTH AURC 9002 trial.

PURPOSE Complete resection of liver metastases of colorectal origin is the only potentially curative treatment. In order to decrease recurrences, the use of adjuvant systemic chemotherapy after liver resection is controversial because no randomized study demonstrated its benefit. PATIENTS AND METHODS In a multicenter trial, we randomly assigned 173 patients with completely resected (R0) hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer to surgery alone and observation (87 patients) or to surgery followed by 6 months of systemic adjuvant chemotherapy with a fluorouracil and folinic acid monthly regimen (86 patients). The main outcome criterion was disease-free survival. Secondary outcome measures were overall survival and treatment-related toxicity. RESULTS The intention-to-treat analysis was based on 171 patients, after a median follow-up of 87 months (SE = 5.8). The 5-year disease-free survival rate, after adjustment for major prognostic factors, was 33.5% for patients in the chemotherapy group and 26.7% for patients in the control group (Cox multivariate analysis: odds ratio for recurrence or death = 0.66; 95% CI, 0.46 to 0.96; P = .028). With regard to secondary outcome measures, a trend towards increased overall survival was observed but did not reach statistical significance (5-year overall survival: chemotherapy group, 51.1% v control group, 41.1%; odds ratio for death, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.48 to 1.10; P = .13). CONCLUSION Despite a suboptimal regimen, which was the standard at the beginning of the study, adjuvant intravenous systemic chemotherapy provided a significant disease-free survival benefit for patients with resected liver metastases from colorectal cancer.
Clinicopathological significance of wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIM Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common malignant tumors. It has been reported that Wnt signaling pathway plays an important role in Esophageal Cancer progression, metastasis and invasion. However the clinicopathological significance of Wnt2, GSK3β, and β-catenin in ESCC has been little reported. In the present study, the aim of this study was to investigate the clinicopathologic and prognosis roles of Wnt2, GSK3β, and β-catenin in ESCC tissue. METHODS 265 ESCC samples were analyzed by immunohistochemistry using Wnt2, GSK3β, and β-catenin antibodies. Then, correlation of Wnt2, GSK3β, and β-catenin expression with clinicopathological features and prognosis of ESCC patients was statistically analyzed. RESULTS Cytoplasmic Wnt2 overexpression was detected in 55.5% (147 of 265) ESCCs, which was significantly correlated with the degree of differentiation (P=0.031). Cytoplasmic GSK3β overexpression was detected in 7.2% (19 of 265) ESCCs, and aberrant β-catenin expression was identified in 54.3% (144 of 265) of ESCCs. The positive rate of Wnt2 significantly increased with the malignant degree of Kazak ESCC patients. The aberrant β-catenin expression in GSK3β-negative ESCC was significantly associated with the ethnic, tumor size, tumor location, degree of differentiation, AJCC stage, lymph node status. Furthermore, the expression of β-catenin implicated the ethnic difference (P=0.019). In Kaplan-Meier curve analysis, no significant correlation was observed between the expression of Wnt2, GSK3β, β-catenin and the poor prognosis of ESCCs. CONCLUSION The aberrant β-catenin expression could be an adverse underlying factor in carcinogenesis and progression of ESCC. There was a different statistical signification for β-catenin in Kazakhs to compare with Hans.
Effects of HIV disease on lipid, glucose and insulin levels: results from a large antiretroviral‐naïve cohort

With the use of potent antiretroviral therapy in patients with HIV disease, changes in lipid parameters and glucose homeostasis have been noted. However, these effects have been difficult to interpret because of the varied demographic and treatment characteristics of the cohorts and the complexity of differentiating the effect of HIV disease from that of the drugs used in its treatment. This study was designed to explore these issues.