Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Psychiatric comorbidity in treatment-seeking alcoholics: the role of childhood trauma and perceived parental dysfunction.

BACKGROUND This study among treatment-seeking alcoholics examined the relationship between childhood abuse (sexual abuse only [CSA], physical abuse only [CPA], or dual abuse [CDA]) and the presence of comorbid affective disorders, anxiety disorders, and suicide attempts, controlling for the potential confounding effects of other childhood adversities (early parental loss, witnessing domestic violence, parental alcoholism, and/or dysfunction) and adult assault histories. METHOD We assessed 155 (33 females, 122 males) treatment-seeking alcoholics using the European Addiction Severity Index, the Structured Trauma Interview, and the Composite International Diagnostic Interview. RESULTS The severity of childhood abuse was associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide attempts in females and with PTSD, social phobia, agoraphobia, and dysthymia in males. Among men, multiple logistic regression models showed that CPA and CDA were not independently associated with any of the examined comorbid disorders or with suicide attempts. However, CSA independently predicted comorbid social phobia, agoraphobia, and PTSD. For the presence of comorbid affective disorders (mainly major depression) and suicide attempts, maternal dysfunctioning was particularly important. CSA also independently contributed to the number of comorbid diagnoses. For females, small sample size precluded the use of multivariate analyses. CONCLUSION Childhood abuse is an important factor in understanding clinical impairment in treated alcoholics, especially regarding comorbid phobic anxiety disorders, PTSD, and suicidality. These findings underline the importance of routine assessment of childhood trauma and possible trauma-related disorders in individuals presenting to alcohol treatment services. More studies with bigger samples sizes of female alcohol-dependent patients are needed.
Emergence of tics in children with ADHD: impact of once-daily OROS methylphenidate therapy.

OBJECTIVES While stimulants are the recognized first-line choice of pharmacotherapy for ADHD, reports that they may induce or exacerbate tics have tended to limit their use in ADHD children who have a history of tics or a family history of Tourette's syndrome. This study analyzes the incidence of tics reported across five studies of children with ADHD who received methylphenidate (MPH)-based therapy as part of the clinical development program for once-daily OROS MPH (CONCERTA McNeil Consumer & Specialty Pharmaceuticals, Fort Washington, PA). METHODS Data were analyzed from three placebo-controlled, active-controlled studies (studies 1-3) lasting 1-4 weeks, and two open-label studies lasting 2 years (study 4) and 9 months (study 5), respectively. During the course of the studies, parents were asked at the end of each week of treatment (studies 1 and 2), biweekly (study 3), or monthly (for the first year of study 4, then at 3-month intervals thereafter) whether their child had experienced tics. Tics could also be reported as adverse events in the two open-label studies. RESULTS Pooled data from the three placebo-controlled studies showed that the incidence of tics was not significantly different across all three treatment groups (OROS MPH, 4.0%; MPH tid, 2.3%; placebo, 3.7%, p = 0.5249). During the first year of the 2-year open-label study, the monthly incidence of tics remained constant, at approximately 5%. Analysis of tic episodes per patient in this study found no correlation between an OROS MPH dose and the frequency of tic episodes. The risk of tic episodes was higher in patients with a history of tics than in those with no history of tics (33% versus 7%, p < 0.0001). However, only 2 children with a history of tics (4%) withdrew from therapy because of their tics. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that MPH-based therapy does not significantly induce or exacerbate tics in children with ADHD.
A Pilot Study on Screening of BRCA1 Mutations (185delAG, 1294del40) in Nepalese Breast Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND Breast cancer is the second most common malignancy among Nepalese women, accounting for 60% of the total cancer cases in females. Women diagnosed with germline mutations in BRCA1 like 185delAG, 1294del40 develop breast and/or ovarian cancer with a lifelong likelihood of up to 85% whereas presence of a mutation increases the risk for mutations to occur in other genes. The major objective of this study was to find the prevalence of these mutations in Nepalese cancer patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS This prospective study was carried out at two cancer hospitals in the Kathmandu valley over a period of 11 months. Irrespective of age group and stage of canceran appropriate amount of blood was withdrawn from 50 breast cancer patients and 20 controls. DNA was extracted manually and subjected to PCR using primers for 185delAG and 1294del40 mutations. PCR products were then digested with restriction enzyme (DdeII) followed by electrophoresis. RESULTS Prevalence of 185delAG in reference breast cancer patients was found to be 4/50 (8%) but no 1294del40 was apparent. CONCLUSIONS Several mutations occurring in different exons of BRCA1 as well as mutations in other genes like BRCA2, for example, should also be taken in account.
Campylobacter jejuni prevalence and hygienic quality of retail bovine ground meat in Finland

Detection of common genotypes of Campylobacter jejuni among Finnish human and bovine isolates, suggested that bovines may be a source for zoonotic Camp. jejuni infection. In addition, a Finnish epidemiological study implied the tasting and eating raw or undercooked beef as risk factors for acquiring campylobacteriosis. We therefore performed a study on the occurrence of Camp. jejuni in retail bovine ground meat in Helsinki by the use of both cultivation and PCR. During 2011 and 2012, 175 bovine ground meat samples were collected. None of the samples were Campylobacter positive by cultivation, and only one sample (0·6%) was Camp. jejuni positive by the use of PCR on template extracted directly from ground meat. According to our findings, Finnish bovine ground meat is an unlikely source for human campylobacteriosis. Additionally, the hygienic quality of bovine ground meat at retail level was screened and found to be good when monitored by aerobic micro‐organisms, total thermotolerant coliforms and Eshericha coli.
Diffusion/perfusion MR imaging of acute cerebral ischemia

In vivo echo‐planar MR imaging was used to measure apparent diffusion coefficients (ADC) of cerebral tissues in a comprehensive noninvasive evaluation of early ischemic brain damage induced by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) in a cat model of acute regional stroke. Within 10 min after arterial occlusion, ADC was significantly lower in tissues within the vascular territory of the occluded MCA than in normally perfused tissues in the contralateral hemisphere. Sequential echo‐planar imaging was then used in conjunction with bolus injections of the magnetic susceptibility contrast agent, dysprosium DTPA‐BMA, to characterize the underlying cerebrovascular perfusion deficits. Normally perfused regions of brain were identified by a dose‐dependent 35–70% loss of signal intensity within 6–8 s of contrast administration, whereas ischemic regions appeared relatively hyperintense. These data indicate that sequential diffusion/perfusion imaging may be diagnostically useful in differentiating permanently damaged from reversibly ischemic brain tissue. © 1991 Academic Press, Inc.
The Effects of Bariatric Procedures versus Medical Therapy for Obese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objective. To assess the effects of bariatric surgery versus medical therapy for type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods. The Cochrane library, PubMed, Embase, Chinese biomedical literature database, and Wanfang database up to February 2012 were searched. The literature searches strategies contained terms (“diabetes∗”, “surg∗”, and “medic∗” were used), combined with the medical subject headings. Randomized controlled trails (RCTs) of frequently used bariatric surgery for obese patients with type 2 diabetes were included. Study selection, data extraction, quality assessment, and data analyses were performed according to the Cochrane standards. Results. Three randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving 170 patients in the bariatric surgery groups and 100 patients in the medical therapy group were selected. Compared with medical therapy, bariatric surgery for type 2 diabetes can significantly decrease the levels of HbA1c, FBG, weight, triglycerides, and the dose of hypoglycemic, antihypertensive, and lipid-lowering medicine, while increasing the rate of diabetes remission (RR = 9.74, 95%CI, (1.36, 69.66)) and the levels of high-density lipoprotein. However, there are no statistical differences in serious adverse events between the surgical and medical groups (RR = 1.23, 95%CI, (0.80, 1.87)). Conclusions. Surgical procedures were more likely to help patients achieve benefits than medical therapy alone. Further intensive RCTs of high-quality, multiple centers and long-term followup should be carried out to provide more reliable evidence.
A Comparison of the Construct Validity of Two Alternative Approaches to the Assessment of Psychopathy in the Community

This study compared the validity of 2 different self-report approaches to the assessment of psychopathy in nonforensic samples: the Psychopathy Resemblance Index (PRI), derived from a measure of normal personality functioning, and the Self-Report Psychopathy Scale (SRP), developed specifically to assess the maladaptive traits associated with psychopathy. In 2 adult samples (n 1 = 260, n2 = 250), the PRI and the SRP were positively correlated with each other and with measures of maladaptive personality traits related to Machiavellianism and narcissism. However, unlike the SRP, the PRI was independent of trait empathy and general psychopathology and was positively associated with trait emotional intelligence. These results suggest that the PRI captures a more adaptive variant of psychopathy than does the SRP.
An immunofiltration device for the simultaneous detection of non-treponemal and treponemal antibodies in patients with syphilis

Objective The development of a rapid immunofiltration (flow-through) test for the simultaneous detection of non-treponemal and treponemal antibodies in the serum of patients with syphilis. Methods The assay is rapid, inexpensive, and requires limited expertise in interpreting the results. The test is based on the principle of immunofiltration, with two antigens and control material spotted on the membrane of a through-flow device. A positive test is characterised by the appearance of three red/magenta spots within 2–10 min. Results A total of 376 banked serum samples obtained from the Georgia Public Health Laboratory was examined by the flow-through test, the rapid plasma reagin (RPR) test and the Treponema pallidum passive particle agglutination assay (TPPA). The sensitivity and specificity of the non-treponemal spot were 96.5% and 97.7%, respectively, when compared with the RPR test, and the sensitivity and specificity of the treponemal test spot were 97.3% and 99.1% when compared with the TPPA test. In addition, the test yielded equivalent results to those obtained in comparator tests when 104 sera from cases of syphilis of known stage, 49 sera from diseases other than syphilis and 23 sera known to exhibit biological false-positive reactions were tested in parallel. Conclusions These results indicate that the dual treponemal and non-treponemal assay could be used as a screen and confirmatory test for the serological diagnosis of syphilis in remote or resource-poor settings where there is a need to provide counselling and treatment at the initial consultation.
The Relation Between Symptoms, Viral Load, and Viral Load Set Point in Primary HIV Infection

Objectives:To examine the relation between symptoms, initial viral load, and viral load set point in primary HIV infection (PHI). Design:Prospective cohort of patients with preseroconversion or recent seroconversion HIV infection (typically <60 days) in San Francisco. Methods:Subjects were questioned about 21 potential PHI symptoms at enrollment and were subsequently followed with viral load measures. Results:The analysis included 57 subjects with preseroconversion HIV infection and 120 with recent seroconversion. In univariate analysis, most symptoms and the total number of symptoms were each associated with a significantly higher initial viral load. In stepwise multiple linear regression, however, only the number of symptoms was independently associated with a higher initial viral load, with an increase in the initial viral load of 0.08 log10 per additional symptom (P < 0.001). In univariate analysis, more PHI symptoms were associated with a higher viral load set point, but in a multivariable mixed-effects model, this association was accounted for by the initial viral load, which was strongly correlated with viral load set point (R = 0.44, P < 0.001). Conclusions:A high initial viral load was associated with more symptoms during PHI. The strong correlation between initial HIV-1 RNA viral load levels and viral load set point suggests that early interactions between the HIV-1 virus and a new host, even before fully developed adaptive immune responses, are important in establishing viral load set point.
Culture of human gingival fibroblasts on a biodegradable scaffold and evaluation of its effect on attached gingiva: a randomized, controlled pilot study.

BACKGROUND An adequate width of attached gingiva is necessary to maintain healthy periodontium, especially in orthodontics or restorative treatments in periodontics. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the width of attached gingiva after clinical application of a cultured gingival graft compared to a periosteal fenestration technique. METHODS This study was conducted on nine patients (18 sites) with insufficient attached gingiva adjacent to at least two teeth in contralateral quadrants of the same jaw. A small portion (approximately 3 x 2 x 1 mm) of attached gingiva (epithelial + connective tissue) was removed with a surgical blade. After culture of gingival fibroblasts, 2 x 10(5) cells in 250 microl nutritional medium were added to 250 microl collagen gel. One tooth in each patient was randomized to receive a periosteal fenestration technique for gingival augmentation (control) or a tissue-engineered mucosal graft (test). Clinical parameters measured at baseline and 3 months included width of keratinized tissue, probing depth, and width of attached gingiva. RESULTS An increased amount of keratinized tissue was seen at all treated sites after 3 months. The mean increased amount of attached gingiva was 2.8 mm at test sites and 2 mm at control sites; this difference was significant (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Based on the results of this investigation, the tissue-engineered mucosal graft is safe and capable of generating keratinized tissue.
COFFEE INTAKE AND OTHER FACTORS IN RELATION TO MULTIPLE DELIVERIES: A STUDY IN GREECE

We conducted a case-control study of factors that may be related to the prevalence of multiple births with at least one liveborn. Over a period of 15 months during 1991–1992 in Athens, Greece, we identified 380 women who had a multiple birth that was delivered in one of the six larger maternity hospitals in the area. We selected as controls 380 livebirth singleton pregnancies delivered at the same hospitals immediately following a multiple pregnancy. All mothers were interviewed in the maternity wards or at home, and zygosity was ascertained through the similarity method. The odds ratio for ovulation-inducing drugs was not elevated for monozygotic twins, but it was 9-fold for dizygotic twins and 90-fold for triplets or quadruplets. We excluded drug-induced pregnancies, twins of indeterminable zygosity, and all triplets from further analyses. We found no remarkable association between any of the study variables and the occurrence of monozygotic twins, with the exception of an increasing trend with age. For dizygotic twins, we found weak associations in the expected directions with maternal age (positive) and height (positive) as well as with parity and number of induced abortions (positive). A history of oral contraceptive use was inversely, but weakly, associated with dizygotic twinning. Each cup of coffee per day was associated with an increment in the odds ratio of 1.23-fold (95% confidence interval = 1.05–1.43). Restriction of the analysis to dizygotic twins of different gender increased the point estimate of the odds ratio to 1.31 for each cup of coffee consumed daily. There was no association of tobacco smoking with dizygotic twinning, after controlling for coffee intake.
Work Status as a Predictor of Surgical Outcome of Discogenic Low Back Pain

Study Design. Prospective observational study. Objectives. To evaluate the role of work status as a predictor of outcome from anterior lumbar fusion. Summary of Background Data. Many psychosocial factors have been identified as predictors of chronic disability and of outcomes of surgery. Workers' Compensation and job satisfaction are two of the strongest and most evaluated factors. Work status at the time of intervention may also be relevant but has rarely been studied independently in patients having lumbar fusion. Methods. A total of 106 patients with discogenic low back pain were treated by anterior lumbar interbody fusion. Patients were prospectively monitored by VAS, Roland Morris score, and work status. The influence of preoperative work status on outcome variables was assessed using odds ratios. A multivariate analysis was performed to assess influence of other confounding variables. Follow-up was a mean 29.7 months with 95% greater than 1 year. Results. Patients working at the time of surgery had a 10.5 times greater likelihood of working at follow-up. Overall, only 43% of nonworkers were working at follow-up compared with 90% of patients who were working before surgery. This association was independent of Workers' Compensation, number of levels treated, and other demographic variables. A greater degree of pain relief was seen in patients working before surgery but not in function as measured by the Roland Morris score. Conclusion. These results show that patients with chronic low back pain should be encouraged to continue working up until surgery.
Molecular genetics of mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA and IIIB: Diagnostic, clinical, and biological implications

Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) types IIIA, B, C, and D are a group of autosomal recessive lysosomal storage diseases caused by mutations in one of four genes which encode enzyme activities required for the lysosomal degradation of heparan sulfate. The progressive lysosomal storage of heparan sulfate eventually results in the clinical onset of disease, which is predominantly characterized by severe central nervous system degeneration. MPS‐IIIA and MPS‐IIIB involve deficiencies of heparan sulfate sulfamidase (SGSH) and α‐N‐acetylglucosaminidase (NAGLU), respectively. Both the SGSH and NAGLU genes have been cloned and characterized, thereby permitting mutation analysis of MPS‐IIIA and MPS‐IIIB patients. A total of 62 mutations have now been defined for MPS‐IIIA consisting of 46 missense/nonsense mutations, 15 small insertions/deletions, and one splice site mutation. A total of 86 mutations have been identified in the NAGLU gene of MPS‐IIIB patients; 58 missense/nonsense mutations, 27 insertions/deletions, and one splice site mutation. Most of the identified mutations in the SGSH and NAGLU genes are associated with severe clinical phenotypes. Many of the missense, nonsense, and insertion/deletion mutations have been expressed in mammalian cell lines to permit the characterization of their effects on SGSH and NAGLU activity and intracellular processing and trafficking. For MPS‐IIIA and MPS‐IIIB many of the reported mutations are unique making screening the general population difficult. However, molecular characterization of MPS‐IIIA patients has revealed a high incidence of particular mutations of different geographical origins, which will be beneficial for the molecular diagnosis of MPS‐IIIA. Hum Mutat 18:264–281, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Site-Specific Cleavage of the Host Poly(A) Binding Protein by the Encephalomyocarditis Virus 3C Proteinase Stimulates Viral Replication

ABSTRACT Although picornavirus RNA genomes contain a 3′-terminal poly(A) tract that is critical for their replication, the impact of encephalomyocarditis virus (EMCV) infection on the host poly(A)-binding protein (PABP) remains unknown. Here, we establish that EMCV infection stimulates site-specific PABP proteolysis, resulting in accumulation of a 45-kDa N-terminal PABP fragment in virus-infected cells. Expression of a functional EMCV 3C proteinase was necessary and sufficient to stimulate PABP cleavage in uninfected cells, and bacterially expressed 3C cleaved recombinant PABP in vitro in the absence of any virus-encoded or eukaryotic cellular cofactors. N-terminal sequencing of the resulting C-terminal PABP fragment identified a 3Cpro cleavage site on PABP between amino acids Q437 and G438, severing the C-terminal protein-interacting domain from the N-terminal RNA binding fragment. Single amino acid substitution mutants with changes at Q437 were resistant to 3Cpro cleavage in vitro and in vivo, validating that this is the sole detectable PABP cleavage site. Finally, while ongoing protein synthesis was not detectably altered in EMCV-infected cells expressing a cleavage-resistant PABP variant, viral RNA synthesis and infectious virus production were both reduced. Together, these results establish that the EMCV 3C proteinase mediates site-specific PABP cleavage and demonstrate that PABP cleavage by 3C regulates EMCV replication.
Involvement of cell‐mediated killing in apoptosis in histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis (Kikuchi‐Fujimoto disease)

Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, also called Kikuchi‐Fujimoto (KF) disease, is a benign disorder characterized histologically by paracortical necrotic foci surrounded by histiocytic aggregates. We analysed affected lymph node tissues from 34 patients with the disease in an attempt to elucidate its histogenesis. The ‘necrotizing’ cells showed typical apoptotic changes, including cell shrinkage and condensed and fragmented nuclei. Apoptotic bodies with a peculiar ultrastructure were demonstrated, and DNA fragmentation was detected in these cells by in situ end labelling. Immunostaining for the apoptosis‐regulating proteins bcl‐2, bax, c‐myc and p53 failed to show their involvement in KF disease. However, perforin, a killer cell‐specific cytolytic protein essential for provoking apoptosis in target cells, was found to be expressed abundantly by the infiltrating cells, which were thought to be cytotoxic T‐lymphocytes. Perforin‐expressing cells were present in the apoptotic foci of 28 of the 34 patients (82.4%). Virtually no cells containing perforin granules were present in non‐pathological regions, lymph node tissues from control subjects with reactive or tuberculous lymphadenitis or those from patients with KF disease with negligible apoptosis. Therefore, the ‘necrosis’ associated with KF disease appears to be attributable to trans apoptotic death of the killer cell target in the affected nodes. We propose that KF disease should be called apoptotic lymphadenitis.