Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cytokine polymorphisms in Th1/Th2 pathway genes, body mass index, and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

We conducted a population-based, case-control study in Connecticut women to test the hypothesis that genetic variations in Th1 and Th2 cytokine genes modify the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Compared with those with BMI less than 25 kg/m(2), women with BMI more than or equal to 25 kg/m(2) had 50% to 90% increased risk of NHL among women who carried IFNGR2 (rs9808753) AA, IL5 (rs2069812) CT/TT, IL7R (rs1494555) AA, and TNF (rs1799724) CC genotypes, but no increased risk among women with IFNGR2 AG/GG, IL5 CC, IL7R AG/GG, and TNF CT/TT genotypes. A significant interaction with BMI was only observed for IFNGR2 (rs9808753 P(forinteraction) = . 034) and IL7R (rs1494555 P(forinteraction) = . 016) for NHL overall; IL7R (rs1494555 P(forinteraction) = . 016) and TNF (1799724 P(forinteraction) = . 031) for B-cell lymphoma; and IL5 (rs2069812 P(forinteraction) = . 034) for T-cell lymphoma. After stratification by common B-cell lymphoma subtypes, a significant interaction was observed for IFNGR2 (rs9808753 P(forinteraction) = . 006), IL13 (rs20541 P(forinteraction) = . 019), and IL7R (rs1494555 P(forinteraction) = . 012) for marginal zone B-cell lymphoma; IL7R (rs1494555 P(forinteraction) = . 017) for small lymphocytic lymphoma/chronic lymphocytic leukemia; and IL12A (rs568408 P(forinteraction) = . 013) and TNF (1799724 P(forinteraction) = . 04) for follicular lymphoma. The results suggest that common genetic variation in Th1/Th2 pathway genes may modify the association between BMI and NHL risk.
Hyperhomocysteinaemia as a Risk Factor for Venous Thrombosis: An Update of the Current Evidence

Abstract Classical homocystinuria is associated with arterial vascular diseases and venous thrombosis. In the last decade, many studies, including some prospective studies, have been published indicating that moderate hyperhomocysteinaemia is also a risk factor for venous thrombosis. The 677C>T mutation in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene is an important cause of mild hyperhomocysteinaemia. Recent meta-analyses show an elevated risk of venous thrombosis for subjects with the TT-genotype. Based on the concept of ‘Mendelian randomisation’, this observation supports the hypothesis that hyperhomocysteinaemia is a causal risk factor for venous thrombosis. The results of one homocysteine-lowering trial regarding venous thrombosis are awaited at the end of 2003. In this paper the current evidence for hyperhomocysteinaemia as a risk factor for venous thrombosis is being discussed.
EVIDENCES OF VASCULAR OCCLUSION IN MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS AND ENCEPHALOMYELITIS

Recent experimental work1has made it seem probable that the lesions of multiple sclerosis and also those of the forms of "disseminated encephalomyelitis" which seem to represent a more acute stage of the same process2are produced by a local circulatory disturbance, apparently of the nature of an obstruction on the venous side. According to this point of view, there must be a primary change in the contents of the vessels of the central nervous system, or possibly of the intimal lining, which leads to thrombosis of venules. This produces local passive congestion and a mild degenerative process which affects myelin sheaths more than other structures. The myelin degenerates and is phagocytosed. The "inflammatory" phenomena would then be regarded as secondary or symptomatic and the gliosis as reparative or reactive. This hypothesis obviously must remain largely a speculation as long as it rests on the results of experimentation
Views and experiences of men who have sex with men on the ban on blood donation: a cross sectional survey with qualitative interviews

Objective To explore compliance with the UK blood services’ criterion that excludes men who have had penetrative sex with a man from donating blood, and to assess the possible effects of revising this policy. Design A random location, cross sectional survey followed by qualitative interviews. Setting Britain. Participants 1028 of 32 373 men in the general population reporting any male sexual contact completed the survey. Additional questions were asked of a general population sample (n=3914). Thirty men who had had penetrative sex with a man participated in the qualitative interviews (19 who had complied with the blood services’ exclusion criterion and 11 who had not complied). Main outcome measure Compliance with the blood services’ lifetime exclusion criterion for men who have had penetrative sex with a man. Results 10.6% of men with experience of penetrative sex with a man reported having donated blood in Britain while ineligible under the exclusion criterion, and 2.5% had donated in the previous 12 months. Ineligible donation was less common among men who had had penetrative sex with a man recently (in previous 12 months) than among men for whom this last occurred longer ago. Reasons for non-compliance with the exclusion included self categorisation as low risk, discounting the sexual experience that barred donation, belief in the infallibility of blood screening, concerns about confidentiality, and misunderstanding or perceived inequity of the rule. Although blood donation was rarely viewed as a “right,” potential donors were seen as entitled to a considered assessment of risk. A one year deferral since last male penetrative sex was considered by study participants to be generally feasible, equitable, and acceptable. Conclusions A minority of men who have sex with men who are ineligible to donate blood under the current donor exclusion in Britain have nevertheless done so in the past 12 months. Many of the reasons identified for non-compliance seem amenable to intervention. A clearly rationalised and communicated one year donor deferral is likely to be welcomed by most men who have sex with men.
The Pattern of Admissions in the Medical Wards of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Nnewi

Objective: To determine the pattern of admissions in the adult medical wards of the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) Nnewi from December 1990 to December 1992 with particular focus on age, sex ratio, prevalence of local illnesses and duration of sojourn in hospital. Method: A retrospective analysis was done using the admissions register and folders of patients seen during the period. Results have been presented in tables and histograms. Results: The mean age at admission was 39 years, while 14.4% of cases were in the age group of 41 – 50 years and 61 – 70 years. Diabetes was the commonest indication for admission followed by congestive cardiac failure. The mean duration of sojourn in hospital was 12 days, while most (20.8%) cases were admitted for 11 –15 days followed by 20.3% of cases for 6 – 10 days. Despite the fact that the analysis spanned for only 2 years compared with longer duration in other studies, our findings were similar to those from other centres. Conclusion: In Nnewi, South-East of Nigeria, almost half (46.9%) of all medical admissions were due to chronic medical illnesses namely Diabetes, CCF, hypertension and CVA. This may reflect the fact that most cases of infections are treated at the primary and secondary care levels. Key Words: Medical Admission, Diseases Pattern, Age and Sex Distribution Orient Journal of Medicine Vol.16(1) 2004: 11-15
Variance and potential niche separation of microbial communities in subseafloor sediments off Shimokita Peninsula, Japan.

Subseafloor pelagic sediments with high concentrations of organic matter form habitats for diverse microorganisms. Here, we determined depth profiles of genes for SSU rRNA, mcrA, dsrA and amoA from just beneath the seafloor to 363.3 m below the seafloor (mbsf) using core samples obtained from the forearc basin off the Shimokita Peninsula. The molecular profiles were combined with data on lithostratigraphy, depositional age, sedimentation rate and pore-water chemistry. The SSU rRNA gene tag structure and diversity changed at around the sulfate-methane transition zone (SMTZ), whereas the profiles varied further with depth below the SMTZ, probably in connection with the variation in pore-water chemistry. The depth profiles of diversity and abundance of dsrA, a key gene for sulfate reduction, suggested the possible niche separations of sulfate-reducing populations, even below the SMTZ. The diversity and abundance patterns of mcrA, a key gene for methanogenesis/anaerobic methanotrophy, suggested a stratified distribution and separation of anaerobic methanotrophy and hydrogenotrophic or methylotrophic methanogensis below the SMTZ. This study provides novel insights into the relationships between the composition and function of microbial communities and the chemical environment in the nutrient-rich continental margin subseafloor sediments, which may result in niche separation and variability in subseafloor microbial populations.
Prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria in students of University of Port Harcourt Demonstration Secondary School.

This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic bacteriuria among the students of University of Port Harcourt Demonstration, Secondary School. Urine samples were collected from 50 males and 50 females. The samples were cultured on CLED and MacConkey agar. Growth was observed in 89 (89%) of the samples while there was no growth in 11 (11%) of the samples. Of the 89 samples with growth 59 (66%) had no significant bacteriuria, 10 (11%) had significant growth and 20 (22%) had mixed culture growth. Prevalence of significant asymptomatic bacteriuria was higher in females 6 (60%) than males 4 (40%). The organisms isolated were S. aureus; S. epidermidis; E. coli; Pseudomonas spp and Proteus spp. The antibiotic sensitivity of the isolates was also determined
A Scottish audit of laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy

Objective To evaluate the use of laparoscopically assisted vaginal hysterectomy (LAVH) by a cross-section of gynaecologists in Scotland. Design A prospective registration of cases of LAVH carried out by gynaecologists. Case-note review was also performed in selected hospitals. Setting 13 hospitals in seven Scottish Health Boards. Subjects Women undergoing an LAVH. Results 505 LAVHs were reported between April 1994 and March 1996. Of these, 463 (91.7%) were successfully carried out laparoscopically. The uptake of laparoscopic surgery in Scotland overall is low, with a handful of surgeons performing the majority of procedures. Patient satisfaction with the procedure was high. Complication rates were high at 18.2% but this was mostly on account of postoperative infection. Only 34% of surgeons had any formal training in laparoscopic techniques, but this had increased to 55% by the end of the audit. Conclusions Complication rates in the present study were higher than those reported by expert laparoscopic surgeons, but perhaps reflect more accurately those expected from a cross-section of gynaecologists in current practice.
Trends in socioeconomic inequalities in risk of sudden infant death syndrome, other causes of infant mortality, and stillbirth in Scotland: population based study

Objectives To compare changes in inequalities in sudden infant death syndrome with other causes of infant mortality and stillbirth in Scotland, 1985-2008. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Scotland 1985-2008, analysed by four epochs of six years. Participants Singleton births of infants with birth weight >500 g born at 28-43 weeks’ gestation. Main outcome measures Sudden infant death syndrome, other causes of postneonatal infant death, neonatal death, and stillbirth. Odds ratios expressed as the association across the range of seven categories of Carstairs deprivation score. Results The association between deprivation and the risk of all cause stillbirth and infant death varied between the four epochs (P=0.04). This was wholly explained by variation in the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (P<0.001 for interaction). Among women living in areas of low deprivation, there was a sharp decline in the rate of sudden infant death syndrome from 1990 to 1993. Among women living in areas of high deprivation, there was a slower decline in sudden infant death syndrome rates between 1992 and 2004. Consequently, the odds ratio for the association between socioeconomic deprivation and sudden infant death syndrome increased from 2.04 (95% confidence interval 1.53 to 2.72) in 1985-90, to 7.52 (4.62 to 12.25) in 1991-6, and 9.50 (5.46 to 16.53) in 1997-2002 but fell to 1.78 (0.87 to 3.65) in 2002-8. The interaction remained significant after adjustment for maternal characteristics. Conclusion The rate of sudden infant death syndrome declined throughout Scotland in the early 1990s. The decline had a later onset and was slower among women living in areas of high deprivation, probably because of slower uptake of recommended changes in infant sleeping position. The effect was to create a strong independent association between deprivation and sudden infant death syndrome where one did not exist before.
Characterization of Some Spelt Wheat Starches as a Renewable Biopolymeric Material

The aim of this work was to analyze selected physical, chemical, thermal, and rheological properties of starches isolated from different spelt wheat varieties. The analyzed starches contained from 22.5 to 24.6 g/100 g of amylose and from 45.9 to 50.6 mg/100 g of phosphorus. Ranges of characteristic gelatinization temperatures, , , and , were 55.7–58.5°C, 61.1–62.6°C, and 67.4–68.2°C, respectively, while gelatinization enthalpy ranged from 8.87 to 9.96 J/g. The pasting curves showed significant differences in pasting characteristics of the starches. The values of maximum viscosity () and viscosity after cooling () determined for the starch pastes were in the range of 82.3–100.7 B.U. and 149.3–172.7 B.U. , respectively. The starch pastes demonstrated non-Newtonian, shear thinning flow behaviour and thixotropy phenomenon. After cooling the resulting starch gels were characterized by different viscoelastic properties, with a dominance of elastic features (). The starches exhibited different tendency to retrogradation, with its degree () in the range of 21.1–37.4%.
Clinical Characteristics of Endobronchial Tuberculosis that Develops in Patients over 70 Years of Age

Background: The possibility of developing pulmonary tuberculosis usually increases with increasing age. Therefore, the incidence of endobronchial tuberculosis in older people may increase. We evaluated the clinical characteristics in patients with endobronchial tuberculosis above the age of 70 years. Methods: We enrolled 74 patients (12 males and 62 females; mean age years) that were diagnosed with endobronchial tuberculosis from March 2003 to July 2006 at Gyeongsang University Hospital. We retrospectively evaluated the clinical characteristics of endobronchial tuberculosis for patients 70 years or older (older group) and for patients below the age of 70 years (younger group). Results: The number of patients in the older group was 41 (55%). Cough was the most common symptom in the two groups of patients and dyspnea on exertion was more common in the older group of patients than in the younger group of patients (31.7% vs. 12.1%). The actively caesating type of disease was more common in the younger group of patients than in the older group of patients (66.7% vs. 39%). The edematous type of disease was more common in the older group of patients than in the younger group of patients (53.7% vs. 27.2%) (p
Patient-Centered Medicine: Transforming the Clinical Method

Moira Stewart, Judith Belle Brown, W Wayne Weston, Ian R MacWhinney, Carol L McWilliam, Thomas R Freeman Sage, pounds sterling19.50, pp 267 ISBN 0 8039 5689 4 Many of the successes of modern medicine have been based on our understanding of the nature, classification, and causes of diseases and our ability to diagnose and treat them. Many of our continued problems are due, however, to the limitations of this approach, and doctors sometimes find it difficult to understand why patients often do not choose to continue the treatments that we prescribe or to adopt healthy lifestyles, sometimes seek alternative medical or non-medical care, and even occasionally complain about …
Alterations and correlations of the gut microbiome, metabolism and immunity in patients with primary biliary cirrhosis.

We selected 42 early-stage primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) patients and 30 healthy controls (HC). Metagenomic sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was used to characterize the fecal microbiome. UPLC-MS/MS assaying of small molecules was used to characterize the metabolomes of the serum, urine and feces. Liquid chip assaying of serum cytokines was used to characterize the immune profiles. The gut of PBC patients were depleted of some potentially beneficial bacteria, such as Acidobacteria, Lachnobacterium sp. , Bacteroides eggerthii and Ruminococcus bromii, but were enriched in some bacterial taxa containing opportunistic pathogens, such as γ-Proteobacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, Neisseriaceae, Spirochaetaceae, Veillonella, Streptococcus, Klebsiella, Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae, Anaeroglobus geminatus, Enterobacter asburiae, Haemophilus parainfluenzae, Megasphaera micronuciformis and Paraprevotella clara. Several altered gut bacterial taxa exhibited potential interactions with PBC through their associations with altered metabolism, immunity and liver function indicators, such as those of Klebsiella with IL-2A and Neisseriaceae with urinary indoleacrylate. Many gut bacteria, such as some members of Bacteroides, were altered in their associations with the immunity and metabolism of PBC patients, although their relative abundances were unchanged. Consequently, the gut microbiome is altered and may be critical for the onset or development of PBC by interacting with metabolism and immunity.
Prognostic Factors of Short-Term Outcome of Low Back Pain in Patients Attending Health Insurance Clinics in Sharkia Governorate, Egypt

Objectives. This study aimed to determine the predictors of short-term outcome of low back pain (LBP) in a cohort of LBP patients. Subjects and Methods. A prospective cohort of 400 LBP patients who attending the health insurance clinics at Al-Hussinia city, Sharakia governorate, Egypt, were the subjects of this study. The data were collected by using a predesigned questionnaire at the index consultation. The outcome variable (good versus bad outcome), in terms of return to work, was collected one/two weeks later on the next consultation or by telephone. Statistical analyses including predictive regression analysis was done. Results. Out of the analysed 349 patients, there have been 202 patients (58%) with good back pain outcome. Logistic regression analyses showed that the factors most significantly associated with good back pain outcome were the recency of pain (OR = 4.85; 95% CI = 2.88–8.17), patient's occupation (OR = 2.11; 95% CI = 1.33–3.35) and absence of obesity (OR = 2.70; 95% CI = 1.15–5.22). Other significant less important factors were age of the patient, and site of pain. Conclusions. Reliable information on back pain related history, patient's occupation, body mass index and age of the patient at the index consultation are important to assess short-term prognosis in LBP patients.
Biologically Based Prediction of Empirical Nonlinearity in Lung Cancer Risk vs. Residential/ Occupational Radon Exposure

Ecologic U.S. county data suggest negative associations between residential radon exposure and lung cancer mortality (LCM) that are inconsistent with clearly positive ones revealed by individual data on underground miners. If this inconsistency is due to competing effects of induced cell killing vs. mutations in alpha-radiation exposed bronchial epithelium, then linear extrapolation from miner data may overestimate typical residential radon risks. To investigate the plausibility of this hypothesis, a biologically based “cytodynamic 2-stage” (CD2) cancer-risk model was fit to combined 1950 to 1954 age-specific person-year data on white females of age 40+ y in 2821 U.S. counties (∼90% never-smokers), and on five cohorts of underground miners who never smoked, conditional on a realistic rate of alpha-radiation-induced killing of human lung cells, and on linear-no-threshold dose-response relations for both processes assumed to affect cancer risk (alpha-induced mutations and cell killing). As summarized previously (Bogen, K.T., Hum. Exper. Toxicol. 17:691-6, 1998), a good CD2 fit was obtained that involved biologically plausible parameter values and (without further optimization) also predicted inverse dose-rate effects observed in the nonsmoking miners. The present paper reports mathematical details of the CD2 model used, as well as additional modeling results involving the same combined data set. The results obtained are consistent with the hypotheses that low-level radon exposure is nonlinearly related to LCM risk, and that current linear no-threshold extrapolation models overestimate LCM risk associated with relatively low residential radon concentrations (<∼200 Bq m−3). Testing this hypothesis would require more extensive individual-level epidemiological data relating residential radon exposures to LCM than are currently available.
Genome‐wide association of functional traits linked with Campylobacter jejuni survival from farm to fork

Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, primarily associated with the consumption of contaminated poultry. C. jejuni lineages vary in host range and prevalence in human infection, suggesting differences in survival throughout the poultry processing chain. From 7343 MLST-characterised isolates, we sequenced 600 C. jejuni and C. coli isolates from various stages of poultry processing and clinical cases. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) in C. jejuni ST-21 and ST-45 complexes identified genetic elements over-represented in clinical isolates that increased in frequency throughout the poultry processing chain. Disease-associated SNPs were distinct in these complexes, sometimes organised in haplotype blocks. The function of genes containing associated elements was investigated, demonstrating roles for cj1377c in formate metabolism, nuoK in aerobic survival and oxidative respiration, and cj1368-70 in nucleotide salvage. This work demonstrates the utility of GWAS for investigating transmission in natural zoonotic pathogen populations and provides evidence that major C. jejuni lineages have distinct genotypes associated with survival, within the host specific niche, from farm to fork.