Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relatively Preserved Hippocampal Glucose Metabolism in Mild Alzheimer’s Disease

The purpose of this study was to clarify the changes in hippocampal glucose metabolism in mild Alzheimer’s disease (AD) using positron emission tomography (PET) and 2-(18F)fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG). Forty-one patients with probable mild AD (age: 69.0 ± 8.0 years; MMSE: 22.6 ± 2.1) and 22 normal volunteers (age: 67.7 ± 7.1 years) were studied. The regional cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (CMRglc) was measured using FDG and PET. Although the mean CMRglc in the parietal region was significantly lower in the AD group (right: 6.35 ± 1.26 mg/100 g/min; left: 6.37 ± 1.21 mg/100 g/min) than in the control group (right: 7.73 ± 1.02 mg/100 g/min; left: 7.63 ± 0.95 mg/100 g/min), the mean CMRglc in the hippocampus did not show a significant difference between the AD group (right: 4.58 ± 0.70 mg/100 g/min; left: 4.63 ± 0.67 mg/100 g/min) and the control group (right: 5.22 ± 0.65 mg/100 g/min; left: 5.22 ± 0.67 mg/100 g/min) by analysis of variance and post-hoc Tukey’s test. The magnitude of the hippocampal CMRglc reduction was not as large as that of parietal CMRglc reduction. Statistical parametric maps (SPM) analysis also did not significantly demonstrate reduced hippocampal CMRglc in AD patients, although it did show a significant reduction in parietal CMRglc in AD patients. Hippocampal CMRglc was not significantly decreased in mild AD. This was unexpected in view of previous studies that have shown atrophy and clinical dysfunction concerning hippocampus in AD, and suggests that the pathophysiology of the hippocampus in AD may be more complex than was previously thought.
PROFILING GREEN CONSUMERS THROUGH CULTURE, BELIEFS AND DEMOGRAPHICS: AN INDIAN STUDY

Consumers today not only view companies as profit centres, but also as institutions that should be sensitive to social problems such as environmental degradation. As a result, organisations have started considering the environmental needs of consumers by focusing on 'sustainability as a business goal'. Green products may help companies to improve their bottom line and brand image. This paper forms green consumer segments on the basis of cultural values, psychographics, and demographics. Demographics include income, gender and education. Cultural values include collectivism and long-term orientation (LTO) from Hofstede and man-nature orientation (MNO) from a value orientation model by Kluckhohn and Strodtbeck (1961). Psychographics are derived from theory of planned behaviour (TPB). The results indicate that there are four distinct segments. Two of these segments 'female green activists' and 'green outlook male activists' are identified as the groups that are more willing to buy green products. Finally, implications from the results are derived for practitioners and policy-makers to develop targeting strategies for these segments.
Hyperthermia after cardiac arrest is associated with an unfavorable neurologic outcome.

BACKGROUND Moderate elevation of brain temperature, when present during or after ischemia, may markedly worsen the resulting injury. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of body temperature on neurologic outcome after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation. METHODS In patients who experienced a witnessed cardiac arrest of presumed cardiac cause, the temperature was recorded on admission to the emergency department and after 2, 4, 6, 12, 18, 24, 36, and 48 hours. The lowest temperature within 4 hours and the highest temperature during the first 48 hours after restoration of spontaneous circulation were recorded and correlated to the best-achieved cerebral performance categories' score within 6 months. RESULTS Over 43 months, of 698 patients, 151 were included. The median age was 60 years (interquartile range, 53-69 years); the estimated median no-flow duration was 5 minutes (interquartile range, 0-10 minutes), and the estimated median low-flow duration was 14.5 minutes (interquartile range, 3-25 minutes). Forty-two patients (28%) underwent bystander-administered basic life support. Within 6 months, 74 patients (49%) had a favorable functional neurologic recovery, and a total of 86 patients (57%) survived until 6 months after the event. The temperature on admission showed no statistically significant difference (P =.39). Patients with a favorable neurologic recovery showed a higher lowest temperature within 4 hours (35.8 degrees C [35.0 degrees C-36.1 degrees C] vs 35.2 degrees C [34.5 degrees C-35.7 degrees C]; P =.002) and a lower highest temperature during the first 48 hours after restoration of spontaneous circulation (37.7 degrees C [36.9 degrees C-38.6 degrees C] vs 38.3 degrees C [37.8 degrees C-38.9 degrees C]; P<.001) (data are given as the median [interquartile range]). For each degree Celsius higher than 37 degrees C, the risk of an unfavorable neurologic recovery increases, with an odds ratio of 2.26 (95% confidence interval, 1.24-4.12). CONCLUSION Hyperthermia is a potential factor for an unfavorable functional neurologic recovery after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Clinical and subclinical effects of power brushing following experimental induction of biofilm overgrowth in subjects representing a spectrum of periodontal disease.

AIM Investigate short-term effects of power brushing following experimental induction of biofilm overgrowth in periodontal disease states. MATERIALS AND METHODS Overall, 175 subjects representing each of five biofilm-gingival interface (BGI) periodontal groups were enrolled in a single-blind, randomized study. After stent-induced biofilm overgrowth for 21 days subjects received either a manual or a power toothbrush to use during a 4 weeks resolution phase. At baseline and during induction and resolution, standard clinical parameters were measured. Subclinical parameters included multikine analysis of 13 salivary biomarkers and 16s Human Oral Microbe Identification Microarray (HOMIM) probe analysis of subgingival plaque samples. RESULTS All groups exhibited significantly greater reductions in bleeding on probing (BOP) (p = 0.002), gingival index (GI) (p = 0.0007), pocket depth (PD) (p = 0.04) and plaque index (p = 0.001) with power brushing compared to manual. When BGI groups were combined to form a shallow PD (PD ≤ 3 mm) and a deep PD group (PD > 4 mm) power brushing reduced BOP and GI in subjects with both pocket depths. Power brushing significantly reduced IL-1β levels at resolution while changes in bacterial levels showed non-significant trends between both brushing modalities. CONCLUSIONS Short-term changes in select clinical parameters and subclinical salivary biomarkers may be useful in assessing efficacy of power brushing interventions in a spectrum of periodontal disease states.
Sustainable Financing through Crowdfunding

The phenomenon of crowdfunding has been widely studied, while the sustainability of crowdfunded ventures is attracting growing interest from academia and society. In light of this interest, we conducted bibliometric analysis to study the relationship between crowdfunding and crowdfunded ventures’ sustainability orientation. We analyzed the number of publications, type of publications, and most productive countries, journals, and authors. We also analyzed the most cited articles and examined their approach to sustainability and crowdfunding. The results suggested that a sustainability orientation could bring about change in the current financial and environmental system.
Effects of estroprogestins containing natural estrogen on vaginal flora

Abstract Estroprogestins with “natural oestrogen” has represented a new option in terms of combined hormonal contraception. So, the aim of this study is to investigate how estroprogestins with natural estrogen may modify the vaginal niche. In literature, very few studies focused on the interaction between hormonal contraception and vaginal milieu. This is a prospective comparative study. We enrolled 60 women from January 2013 to September 2013, 30 of them were administered estradiol valerate dienogest (E2V+DNG – Klaira®) in a quadriphasic regimen, while the other 30 women were administered 17-β estradiol with nomestrol acetate (EV+NOMAC – Zoely®) in a monophasic regimen. After a baseline study of vaginal milieu at recruitment of patients (Gram stain with Nugent score, vaginal pH, vaginal wet mount for the quantification of leukocytes, Lactobacilli and/or presence of Candida), we performed the same follow-up after six months of estroprogestin therapy. Our results showed that the women treated with E2V+DNG had a trend of an improvement of vaginal health in terms of increase of lactobacillar flora and reduction of vaginal pH in place of women treated with EV+NOMAC that showed a reduction of cervical mucus. Finally, our data about the effects on vaginal flora exerted by two estroprogestin pills (EPs) containing a natural estrogen suggest slight, but interesting differences in terms of vaginal ecology. These differences could be related to the type of estrogen, type of progestin, regimen of administration and, after all, to the net balance between estrogenic and progestin component of the EPs. Chinese abstract 含有天然雌激素的避孕药是复合激素避孕药的一种新选择。 本研究的目的在于了解含有天然雌激素的避孕药可能对阴道微环境改变的程度。 现有的文献很少研究激素避孕药和阴道环境的相互作用。 这是一项前瞻性的对照研究。 2013年1月至2013年9月我们募集了60名女性，其中30名女性口服四相的戊酸雌二醇地诺孕素复合制剂（E2V+DNG-Klaira），另外30名女性口服单相的17-β雌二醇和醋酸诺美孕酮复合制剂（EV+NOMAC –Zoely）。 对研究对象的阴道环境（革兰染色Nugent评分，阴道PH值，阴道湿涂片行白细胞及乳酸杆菌计数，是否合并念珠菌）做基线研究，口服避孕药6个月后对上述指标再次进行测量。 我们的结果显示：口服E2V+DNG的女性通过增加乳酸杆菌、降低阴道PH值有改善阴道健康的趋势，而口服EV+NOMAC的女性宫颈粘液减少。 最终，我们的资料显示：两种含有天然雌激素的避孕药对阴道菌群的影响在阴道生态方面有细小的、有趣的差别。 这些差别可能与雌、孕激素的种类、时相相关，归根到底和避孕药中雌孕激素的组分有关。
Preclinical atherosclerosis in patients with prolactinoma.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of hyperprolactinemia on body fat, insulin sensitivity, inflammatory markers, and cardiovascular risk in patients with prolactinoma. METHODS The study included 35 untreated hyperprolactinemic patients with pituitary adenomas, and 36 age-, gender-, and body mass index (BMI)-matched healthy controls without any known disease. Serum glucose, insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR, lipid profile, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) levels were measured. Waist and hip circumference (WC and HC) were measured in all the participants. The body fat percentage was measured, and the visceral fat and abdominal fat percentages were measured via bioelectrical impedance (BIA). In addition, carotid intima media thickness (CIMT) was measured using high-resolution B-mode ultrasound. RESULTS The serum glucose level, HOMA-IR, triglyceride level, and SC were significantly higher in the patient group than in the control group. The hs-CRP level and CIMT were significantly higher in the hyperprolactinemic patients. Visceral and truncal fat percentages were significantly higher in the patients with prolactinoma. H-FABP levels were similar in the 2 groups, and there was a positive correlation between the prolactin (PRL) and H-FABP protein levels. CONCLUSIONS Based on the present findings, hyperprolactinemia is associated with preclinical atherosclerosis and metabolic abnormalities. Patients with hyperprolactinemia might experience cardiovascular disease in the long term. Metabolic control should be achieved in addition to the control of hyperprolactinemia in the clinical management of patients diagnosed with prolactinoma.
Toxic compounds in honey

There is a wealth of information about the nutritional and medicinal properties of honey. However, honey may contain compounds that may lead to toxicity. A compound not naturally present in honey, named 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), may be formed during the heating or preservation processes of honey. HMF has gained much interest, as it is commonly detected in honey samples, especially samples that have been stored for a long time. HMF is a compound that may be mutagenic, carcinogenic and cytotoxic. It has also been reported that honey can be contaminated with heavy metals such as lead, arsenic, mercury and cadmium. Honey produced from the nectar of Rhododendron ponticum contains alkaloids that can be poisonous to humans, while honey collected from Andromeda flowers contains grayanotoxins, which can cause paralysis of limbs in humans and eventually leads to death. In addition, Melicope ternata and Coriaria arborea from New Zealand produce toxic honey that can be fatal. There are reports that honey is not safe to be consumed when it is collected from Datura plants (from Mexico and Hungary), belladonna flowers and Hyoscamus niger plants (from Hungary), Serjania lethalis (from Brazil), Gelsemium sempervirens (from the American Southwest), Kalmia latifolia, Tripetalia paniculata and Ledum palustre. Although the symptoms of poisoning due to honey consumption may differ depending on the source of toxins, most common symptoms generally include dizziness, nausea, vomiting, convulsions, headache, palpitations or even death. It has been suggested that honey should not be considered a completely safe food. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Levofloxacin‐ vs. Ranitidine Bismuth Citrate‐Containing Therapy After H. pylori Treatment Failure

Aim: Ranitidine bismuth citrate and levofloxacin‐based regimen may be an alternative to quadruple therapy after Helicobacter pylori eradication failure. Our aim was to compare two 7‐day triple second‐line regimens containing ranitidine bismuth citrate or levofloxacin.
Spike timing‐dependent plasticity: a learning rule for dendritic integration in rat CA1 pyramidal neurons

Long‐term plasticity of dendritic integration is induced in parallel with long‐term potentiation (LTP) or depression (LTD) based on presynaptic activity patterns. It is, however, not clear whether synaptic plasticity induced by temporal pairing of pre‐ and postsynaptic activity is also associated with synergistic modification in dendritic integration. We show here that the spike timing‐dependent plasticity (STDP) rule accounts for long‐term changes in dendritic integration in CA1 pyramidal neurons in vitro. Positively correlated pre‐ and postsynaptic activity (delay: +5/+50 ms) induced LTP and facilitated dendritic integration. Negatively correlated activity (delay: −5/−50 ms) induced LTD and depressed dendritic integration. These changes were not observed following positive or negative pairing with long delays (> ±50 ms) or when NMDA receptors were blocked. The amplitude–slope relation of the EPSP was facilitated after LTP and depressed after LTD. These effects could be mimicked by voltage‐gated channel blockers, suggesting that the induced changes in EPSP waveform involve the regulation of voltage‐gated channel activity. Importantly, amplitude–slope changes induced by STDP were found to be input specific, indicating that the underlying changes in excitability are restricted to a limited portion of the dendrites. We conclude that STDP is a common learning rule for long‐term plasticity of both synaptic transmission and dendritic integration, thus constituting a form of functional redundancy that insures significant changes in the neuronal output when synaptic plasticity is induced.
The dynamics of sectoral labour reallocation: an agent-based model of structural change and growth

Economists still struggle to understand why some countries are so much richer than others. The shift of labour out of the agricultural sector into other such sectors as manufacturing and services is one important piece of this puzzle. Therefore, understanding not only the driving mechanisms and forces behind the process of structural change but also how these mechanisms interact and reinforce each other is crucial. In the present work we develop a parsimonious computational agent-based model (ABM) where structural change is driven by income and relative-price effects simultaneously. The income effect is generate by the assumption of a simple non-homothetic hierarchical demand structure where consumers spend their income according to a given priority. The relative price effect derives from different rates of sectoral productivity growth. Our objective is not to present a full picture of the process of structural change, but to demonstrate that, given certain assumptions regarding agents’ behaviour, the two effects proposed by the literature (income and relative-price) are not competing but actually complementary and mutually necessary to replicate the macroeconomic patterns observed in reality.
Silica- and zirconia-hybridized amorphous calcium phosphate: effect on transformation to hydroxyapatite.

The goal of this study was to determine the effect that silica and zirconia have on the stability of bioactive amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP) mineral, i.e., in retarding its transformation to hydroxyapatite (HAP). The glass-forming agents, tetraethoxysilane and zirconyl chloride, were introduced individually during the low-temperature preparation of ACP. These hybrid ACPs (Si-ACP and Zr-ACP, respectively) as well as the control, unhybridized ACP (u-ACP), were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, specific surface area measurements, and chemical analysis (Ca/PO(4) ratio of the solids) before being dispersed in one of the following four test solutions: N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES)-buffered (pH = 7.40) saline solutions with 0 microg/g fluoride (test solution A1), 1 microg/g fluoride (test solution A2), and 10 microg/g fluoride (test solution A3), or a lactic acid-containing solution (pH = 5.10, adjusted with NaOH; test solution B). Aliquots were taken at predetermined time intervals for solution Ca and PO(4) analysis. Solids isolated after 30 and 90 min exposure to solution B as well as the final dissolution/transformation products from all four solution experiments were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Regardless of the type of experimental solution used, slower conversion to HAP was observed with the hybrid ACPs compared with u-ACP. The retarding effect of the Si or Zr species in the hybridized ACPs is probably due to these ions specifically blocking, by adsorption, potential sites for HAP nucleation and growth. The stability of ACP toward HAP conversion increased in the following order: u-ACP < Si-ACP < Zr-ACP. Hybrid ACP fillers, especially Zr-ACP, could be utilized in applications in which it is desired to enhance performance of composites, sealants, and/or adhesives in preventing demineralization or actively promoting remineralization.
Inhibiting pro-death NMDA receptor signaling dependent on the NR2 PDZ ligand may not affect synaptic function or synaptic NMDA receptor signaling to gene expression

NMDA receptors (NMDARs) mediate ischemic brain damage, in part through interactions of the PDZ ligand of NR2 subunits with the PDZ domain proteins PSD-95 and neuronal nitric oxide synthase located within the NMDAR signaling complex. We have recently shown that this PDZ ligand-dependent pathway promotes neuronal death via p38 activation. A peptide mimetic of the NR2B PDZ ligand (TAT-NR2B9c) reduces p38-mediated death in vitro and p38-dependent ischemic damage in vivo. In the absence of the PDZ ligand-p38 pathway, such as in TAT-NR2B9c-treated neurons, or in NMDAR-expressing non-neuronal cells, NMDAR-dependent excitotoxicity is mediated largely by JNK and requires greater Ca2+ influx. A major reason for blocking pro-death signaling events downstream of the NMDAR as an anti-excitotoxic strategy is that it may spare physiological synaptic function and signaling. We find that neuroprotective doses of TAT-NR2B9c do not alter the frequency of spontaneous synaptic events within networks of cultured cortical neurons nor is mini-EPSC frequency altered. Furthermore, TAT-NR2B9c does not inhibit the capacity of synaptic NMDAR activity to promote neuroprotective changes in gene expression, including the up-regulation of PACAP via CREB, and suppression of the pro-oxidative FOXO target gene Txnip. Thus, while the NR2 PDZ ligand does not account for all the excitotoxic effects of excessive NMDAR activity, these findings underline the value of the specific targeting of death pathways downstream of the NMDAR.
The genetic basis of Brugada syndrome: A mutation update

Brugada syndrome (BrS) is a condition characterized by a distinct ST‐segment elevation in the right precordial leads of the electrocardiogram and, clinically, by an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmia and sudden death. The condition predominantly exhibits an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance with an average prevalence of 5:10,000 worldwide. Currently, more than 100 mutations in seven genes have been associated with BrS. Loss‐of‐function mutations in SCN5A, which encodes the α‐subunit of the Nav1.5 sodium ion channel conducting the depolarizing INa current, causes 15–20% of BrS cases. A few mutations have been described in GPD1L, which encodes glycerol‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase‐1 like protein; CACNA1C, which encodes the α‐subunit of the Cav1.2 ion channel conducting the depolarizing IL,Ca current; CACNB2, which encodes the stimulating β2‐subunit of the Cav1.2 ion channel; SCN1B and SCN3B, which, in the heart, encodes β‐subunits of the Nav1.5 sodium ion channel, and KCNE3, which encodes the ancillary inhibitory β‐subunit of several potassium channels including the Kv4.3 ion channel conducting the repolarizing potassium Ito current. BrS exhibits variable expressivity, reduced penetrance, and “mixed phenotypes,” where families contain members with BrS as well as long QT syndrome, atrial fibrillation, short QT syndrome, conduction disease, or structural heart disease, have also been described. Hum Mutat 30:1–11, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Consultations by Asylum Seekers: Recent Trends in the Emergency Department of a Swiss University Hospital

Background Large-scale war-related migration to Switzerland and other European countries is currently challenging European health systems. Little is known about recent patterns and trends in Emergency Department (ED) consultations by Asylum Seekers (AS). Methods A retrospective single-centre analysis was performed of the data from all adult patients with the official status of “Asylum Seeker” or “Refugee” who consulted the ED of Bern University Hospital, Switzerland, between June 2012 and June 2015. Patient characteristics and clinical information, such as triage category, type of referral and discharge, violence-related injury and diagnostic group on discharge, were extracted from the computerised database or determined from the medical reports. Changes in categorical variables between the three studied years were described. Results A total of 1,653 eligible adult patients were identified in the 3-year period. Between the first (06/12–06/13) and third periods (06/14–06/15), the number of presentations per year increased by about 45%. The AS came from 62 different nations, the most common countries being Eritrea (13%), Somalia (13%) and Syria (11%). The mean age was 33.3 years (SD 12.3) and two thirds (65.7%) were male. The proportion of women increased over time. Moreover the relative proportions shifted from patients between 20 and 50 years to patients of under 20 or over 60 years. Nearly two thirds of the patients were walk-in emergencies and this proportion increased over time. The mean triage score was 2.9 (SD 0.7), with more than 90% presenting as “urgent consultation”. About half of the patients were treated for trauma (17.2%), infections (16.8%) or psychiatric problems (14.2%). Trauma was seen in a higher proportion of male than female patients. About 25% of the patients were admitted for in-hospital treatment. Conclusions The recent rise in AS in the population has lead to an increase in AS presenting to EDs. This changes the composition of ED patients and should raise awareness that changes in procedures may be needed. Infectious diseases and psychiatric problems remain a heavy burden for AS presenting in the ED. A trend towards an increasing proportion of walk-in patients to the ED could not be explained by this study. Further studies and surveillance are needed to investigate this trend.