Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fluorescence in situ hybridization is necessary to detect an association between chromosome aberrations and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure in utero and reveals nonrandom chromosome involvement

Chromosome aberrations are associated with environmental exposures in infants and children. Recently we reported that prenatal exposure to airborne polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was significantly (P < 0.01) associated with stable aberration frequencies in cord blood from a subset of 60 newborns from the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health Prospective Cohort Study (Bocskay K et al. [ 2005 ]: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 14:506–511). To determine whether the environmental exposures may be targeting specific chromosomes and to compare various methods for measuring chromosome aberrations, we further evaluated this same subset of subjects composed of African‐American and Dominican nonsmoking mother–newborn pairs residing in low‐income neighborhoods of New York City, and exposed to varying levels of airborne PAHs. Chromosome aberrations were measured in cord blood lymphocytes, both by whole chromosome probe (WCP) fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and traditional Giemsa‐staining. Prenatal exposures were assessed by personal air monitoring. Breaks in chromosomes 1–6, as detected by WCP FISH, were nonrandomly distributed, underscoring the importance of appropriate chromosome probe selection to capture cytogenetic damage in response to exposure. FISH for stable aberrations was found to be a more sensitive method for detecting aberration frequencies associated with environmental exposures, when compared with FISH for unstable aberrations or Giemsa‐staining for aberrations. Together, these results suggest that PAHs may be targeting specific chromosomes and highlight the importance of using the more sensitive detection methods to assess risk in populations with low levels of exposure. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. , 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Multiple Object Tracking Using Incremental Learning for Appearance Model Adaptation

Recently, much work has been devoted to multiple object tracking on the one hand and to appearance model adaptation for a single object tracker on the other side. In this paper, we do both tracking of multiple objects (faces of people) in a meeting scenario and on-line learning to incrementally update the models of the tracked objects to account for appearance changes during tracking. Additionally, we automatically initialize and terminate tracking of individual objects based on low-level features, i.e. face color, face size, and object movement. For tracking a particle filter is incorporated to propagate sample distributions over time. Numerous experiments on meeting data demonstrate the capabilities of our tracking approach. Additionally, we provide an empirical verification of appearance model learning during tracking of an outdoor scene which supports a more robust tracking.
Initiation, changes in use and effectiveness of highly active anti-retroviral therapy in a cohort of injecting drug users

The prevalence of anti-retroviral therapy (ART) use over time and the incidence of AIDS in a cohort of HIV-seroconverting injecting drug users (IDUs) were assessed by means of a hospital-based study of IDUs with a well documented date of HIV infection. Use of ART and clinical endpoints were assessed by hospital records. Three calendar periods (before 1992, 1992–6 and 1997–2000) were defined as corresponding to modalities of ART available. Prevalence of ART usage in each calendar period, changes in medication and, hazard of AIDS in patients reaching the same duration of HIV infection at different calendar periods were analysed. In total, 132 IDUs with a median age of 23 years at seroconversion were followed up for 6.8 years (median) (range 0.2–15.7). At the end of the study, 58 patients (44%) had developed AIDS. Before the introduction of highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) 12% of patients were on ART. Starting in 1997, an increasing proportion were receiving HAART with a prevalence of 39.5% by January 2000. Taking 1992–6 as the reference category the relative hazard of AIDS during 1997–2000 was 0.42 (95% CI, 0.1–1.1) (P = 0.09). A 40% penetration of HAART in a cohort of IDUs with known dates of seroconversion resulted in a 58% reduction of the hazard of AIDS.
Long‐term results of the cutting seton for high anal fistula

No single procedure for high anal fistula delivers a high cure rate while also completely protecting sphincter function. This paper reports our long‐term results with the cutting seton for high fistulae and draws comparisons with advancement flap and ligation of intersphincteric fistula track (LIFT) procedures.
Delayed internal fixation of femoral shaft fracture reduces mortality among patients with multisystem trauma.

BACKGROUND Fractures of the femoral shaft are common and have potentially serious consequences in patients with multiple injuries. The appropriate timing of fracture repair is controversial. The purpose of the present study was to assess the effect of timing of internal fixation on mortality in patients with multisystem trauma. METHODS We performed a retrospective cohort study with use of data from public and private trauma centers throughout the United States that were reported to the National Trauma Data Bank (version 5.0 for 2000 through 2004). The study included 3069 patients with multisystem trauma (Injury Severity Score, > or =15) who underwent internal fixation of a femoral shaft fracture. The time to treatment was defined in categories as the time from admission to internal fixation: t(0) (twelve hours or less), t(1) (more than twelve hours to twenty-four hours), t(2) (more than twenty-four hours to forty-eight hours), t(3) (more than forty-eight hours to 120 hours), and t(4) (more than 120 hours). The relative risk of in-hospital mortality when the four later periods were compared with the earliest one was estimated with inverse probability of treatment-weighted analysis. Subgroups with serious head or neck, chest, abdominal, and additional extremity injury were investigated. RESULTS When compared with that during the first twelve hours after admission, the estimated mortality risk was significantly lower in three time categories: t(1) (relative risk, 0.45; 95% confidence interval, 0.15 to 0.98; p = 0.03), t(3) (relative risk, 0.58; 95% confidence interval, 0.28 to 0.93; p = 0.03), and t(4) (relative risk, 0.43; 95% confidence interval, 0.10 to 0.94; p = 0.03). Patients with serious abdominal trauma (Abbreviated Injury Score, > or =3) experienced the greatest benefit from a delay of internal fixation beyond twelve hours (relative risk, 0.82 [95% confidence interval, 0.54 to 1.35] for patients with an Abbreviated Injury Score of <3, compared with 0.36 [95% confidence interval, 0.13 to 0.87] for those with an Abbreviated Injury Score of > or =3) (p value for effect modification, 0.09). CONCLUSIONS Delayed repair of femoral shaft fracture beyond twelve hours in patients with multisystem trauma, which may allow time for appropriate resuscitation, reduces mortality by approximately 50%. Patients with serious abdominal injury benefit most from delayed treatment. These results support delaying definitive treatment of long-bone injuries in patients with multisystem trauma as a means of so-called damage-control in order to reduce adverse outcomes.
Why do workaholics experience depression? A study with Chinese University teachers

This study focuses on the relationships of workaholism to job burnout and depression of university teachers. The direct and indirect (via job burnout) effects of workaholism on depression were investigated in 412 Chinese university teachers. Structural equation modeling and bootstrap method were used. Results revealed that workaholism, job burnout, and depression significantly correlated with each other. Structural equation modeling and bootstrap test indicated the partial mediation role of job burnout on the relationship between workaholism and depression. The findings shed some light on how workaholism influenced depression and provided valuable evidence for prevention of depression in work.
Molecular Determinants of Melatonin Signaling Dysfunction in Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

Presently, the genetic cause of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), the most common form of scoliosis, remains unclear. Among many hypotheses, the neuroendocrine hypothesis involving a melatonin deficiency as the source for AIS generated the greatest interest and controversy since no decrease in circulating melatonin level has been observed in a majority of studies. Previously, we have reconciled the role of melatonin in AIS by demonstrating a melatonin signaling dysfunction occurring in osteoblasts derived from AIS patients, which contrasted with similar cells isolated from healthy subjects. We found that this difference is caused in AIS cells by increased phosphorylation of serine residues affecting the activity of G inhibitory proteins normally associated with melatonin cell surface receptors. Here we propose a preliminary molecular classification of patients with AIS based on the cellular response to the melatonin (cAMP) and distinct protein-protein interactions. These interactions include those between protein kinase C delta (PKCδ) and MT2 melatonin receptors or PKCδ and the receptor for activated protein C kinase 1. This finding could help in future molecular classification of patients with AIS.
Leg fluid accumulation during prolonged sitting

The accumulation of fluid in the legs due to sedentariness can be a health risk in extreme cases. Negative health impacts associated with leg fluid accumulation include leg edema and risk of blood clots. Furthermore, fluid accumulating in the legs is accompanied by fluid shift into the upper body which is also associated with health risks such as: increased blood pressure when lying down, respiratory problems in people with heart failure, and increased sleep apnea. Understanding the pattern by which fluid accumulates in the legs can aid in the development of devices for reducing leg fluid accumulation. The purpose of this study was to characterize the time course of fluid accumulation over a two-and-half-hour seated period. Non-obese participants with sleep apnea and no other co-morbidities were included in the sample as part of a larger study. Leg fluid was measured continuously using a method of bioelectrical impedance. Participants were first asked to lie supine for 30 minutes as a washout, and then sat with their legs still for two and a half hours. The main finding of this study is that the pattern of leg fluid accumulation differed in the first 45 minutes compared to the latter 105 minutes. In the first 45 minutes, fluid accumulated according to first order exponential function. In the latter period, fluid accumulated according to a linear function. The initial exponential accumulation is likely due to the large increase in capillary pressure caused by rapid blood flow into the legs due to gravity, leading to substantial filtration of blood plasma into the tissue spaces. The latter linear portion likely represents continued slow filtration of fluid out of the vasculature and into the tissue spaces. This is the first study to show that fluid accumulation in the legs is a combination of an exponential and linear functions. The linear increase identifies that there is no foreseeable point in which leg fluid stops accumulating while sitting for prolonged periods.
Dementia and well-being: possibilities and challenges

This book is an insightful critique of the policy agenda in England and Scotland that aims to promote the well-being of users of health and social care services including people with dementia. Based on recent dementia care research, such as ethnographic studies, Ailsa Cook critiques this agenda in meeting the diverse and unique needs of people with dementia and their formal care providers and family caregivers.
Hospitalized ulcerative colitis patients have an elevated risk of thromboembolic events.

AIM To compare thromboembolism rates between hospitalized patients with a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis and other hospitalized patients at high risk for thromboembolism. To compare thromboembolism rates between patients with ulcerative colitis undergoing a colorectal operation and other patients undergoing colorectal operations. METHODS Data from the National Hospital Discharge Survey was used to compare thromboembolism rates between (1) hospitalized patients with a discharge diagnosis of ulcerative colitis and those with diverticulitis or acute respiratory failure, and (2) hospitalized patients with a discharge diagnosis of ulcerative colitis who underwent colectomy and those with diverticulitis or colorectal cancer who underwent colorectal operations. RESULTS Patients diagnosed with ulcerative colitis had similar or higher rates of combined venous thromboembolism (2.03%) than their counterparts with diverticulitis (0.76%) or respiratory failure (1.99%), despite the overall greater prevalence of thromboembolic risk factors in the latter groups. Discharged patients with colitis that were treated surgically did not have significantly different rates of venous or arterial thromboembolism than those with surgery for diverticulitis or colorectal cancer. CONCLUSION Patients with ulcerative colitis who do not undergo an operation during their hospitalization have similar or higher rates of thromboembolism than other medical patients who are considered to be high risk for thromboembolism.
Role of some Cytokines and Oxidative Stress enzymes in Iraqi Children infected with Visceral Leishmaniasis

A totals of 66 children whose ages range from seven month to six years, suspected to be infected with Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL), they were compared to fifty healthy subjects in the control group. The diagnosis was done by rKE16 dipstick test, and evaluating the level of cytokine IL-6, Intercellular Adhesion Molecule (ICAM-1) and Monokine induced by INF-ɣ (MIG-1), was evaluated. Stress biomarkers estimate including the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) as an index of free radicals induced lipid peroxidation and catalase as an index of antioxidant enzyme in the serum of patients infected
The potential impact of changes in lower stratospheric water vapour on stratospheric temperatures over the past 30 years

This study investigates the potential contribution of observed changes in lower stratospheric water vapour to stratospheric temperature variations over the past three decades using a comprehensive global climate model (GCM). Three case studies are considered. In the first, the net increase in stratospheric water vapour (SWV) from 1980–2010 (derived from the Boulder frost‐point hygrometer record using the gross assumption that this is globally representative) is estimated to have cooled the lower stratosphere by up to ∼0.2 K decade−1 in the global and annual mean; this is ∼40% of the observed cooling trend over this period. In the Arctic winter stratosphere there is a dynamical response to the increase in SWV, with enhanced polar cooling of 0.6 K decade−1 at 50 hPa and warming of 0.5 K decade−1 at 1 hPa. In the second case study, the observed decrease in tropical lower stratospheric water vapour after the year 2000 (imposed in the GCM as a simplified representation of the observed changes derived from satellite data) is estimated to have caused a relative increase in tropical lower stratospheric temperatures by ∼0.3 K at 50 hPa. In the third case study, the wintertime dehydration in the Antarctic stratospheric polar vortex (again using a simplified representation of the changes seen in a satellite dataset) is estimated to cause a relative warming of the Southern Hemisphere polar stratosphere by up to 1 K at 100 hPa from July–October. This is accompanied by a weakening of the westerly winds on the poleward flank of the stratospheric jet by up to 1.5 m s−1 in the GCM. The results show that, if the measurements are representative of global variations, SWV should be considered as important a driver of transient and long‐term variations in lower stratospheric temperature over the past 30 years as increases in long‐lived greenhouse gases and stratospheric ozone depletion.
Endotoxin and nanobacteria in polycystic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND Microbes have been suspected as provocateurs of polycystic kidney disease (PKD), but attempts to isolate viable organisms have failed. Bacterial endotoxin is the most often reported microbial product found in PKD fluids. We assessed potential microbial origins of endotoxin in cyst fluids from 13 PKD patients and urines of PKD and control individuals. METHODS Fluids were probed for endotoxin and nanobacteria, a new bacterium, by the differential Limulus Amebocyte Lysate assay (dLAL), genus-specific antilipopolysaccharide (LPS) antibodies, monoclonal antibodies to nanobacteria, and hyperimmune serum to Bartonella henselae (HS-Bh). Selected specimens were also assessed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and nanobacterial culture methods. RESULTS LPS or its antigenic metabolites were found in more than 75% of cyst fluids tested. Nanobacteria were cultured from 11 of 13 PKD kidneys, visualized in 8 of 8 kidneys by TEM, and immunodetected in all 13 PKD kidneys. By immunodetection, nanobacterial antigens were found in urine from 7 of 7 PKD males, 1 of 7 PKD females, 3 of 10 normal males, and 1 of 10 normal females. "Nanobacterium sanguineum" was dLAL positive and cross-reactive with antichlamydial LPS and HS-Bh. Some cyst fluids were also positive for LPS antigens from Escherichia coli, Bacteroides fragilis and/or Chlamydia, and HS-Bh, as were liver cyst fluids from one patient. Tetracycline and citrate inhibited nanobacterial growth in vitro. CONCLUSION Nanobacteria or its antigens were present in PKD kidney, liver, and urine. The identification of candidate microbial pathogens is the first step in ascertaining their contribution, if any, to human disease.
Hyperplane sections in arithmetic hyperbolic manifolds

We prove that the fundamental groups of ‘standard’ arithmetic hyperbolic manifolds virtually retract onto their geometrically finite subgroups. In particular, this implies that the homology groups of immersed totally geodesic hypersurfaces of compact arithmetic hyperbolic manifolds virtually inject in the homology groups of the ambient manifold.
Effects of Progressive Muscle Relaxation Training on Anxiety and Depression in Patients Enrolled in an Outpatient Pulmonary Rehabilitation Program

Background: This prospective, randomized controlled trial examined the effect of progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) training on anxiety and depression in patients with chronic breathing disorders receiving pulmonary rehabilitation (PR). Methods: Eighty-three subjects with chronic breathing disorders entering the 8-week PR program were randomly assigned to a standard care or intervention group. The standard program included 2 days per week of exercise, education and psychosocial support delivered by a multidisciplinary team. The intervention group received additional sessions of PMR training using a prerecorded tape for 25 min/week during weeks 2–8. Primary outcome measures were levels of anxiety and depression evaluated by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Results: For anxiety, there was an overall significant improvement within each group over time (p < 0.0001). There was no statistically significant group-time interaction (p = 0.17) and no statistically significant difference between the groups (p = 0.22), despite lower scores for every time point in the PMR group. For depression, there was an overall significant improvement within each group over time (p < 0.0001). Although the difference between the groups (p = 0.09) and group-time interaction (p = 0.07) did not reach statistical significance, the results again favored the PMR group for weeks 5–8. Depression scores were lower for the PMR throughout weeks 1–8. Conclusions: PR is effective in reducing anxiety and depressive level in chronic lung patients. Our findings suggest that adding structured PMR training to a well-established PR program may not confer additional benefit in the further reduction of anxiety and depression in patients receiving PR.
MicroRNA-26b regulates cancer proliferation migration and cell cycle transition by suppressing TRAF5 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND MicroRNAs have been identified to play important role in the development of human esophageal squamous carcinoma (ESCC). In this study, we examined the regulatory effects of microRNA-26b (miR-26b) on ESCC proliferation, cell-cycle transition and migration. METHODS Expressions of miR-26a and miR-2bb were analyzed in 8 ESCC cell lines, and 27 human ESCC tissues and paired adjacent non-tumor tissues. MiR-26a and miR-26b were either upregulated or downregulated in ESCC cell lines TE-1 and Kyse140 cells. Their effects on ESCC in vitro growth, cell-cycle transition and migration were analyzed by proliferation assay, cell-cycle assay and invasion assay, respectively. The association of miR-26b and its downstream target gene, tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 5 (TRAF5), was analyzed by luciferase reporter assay and qRT-PCR. TRAF5 was downregulated in TE-1 and Kyse140 cells to analyze its direct effect on miR-26b downregulation induced ESCC inhibition. RESULTS MiR-26b expression was aberrantly upregulated in ESCC cell lines and human ESCC tissues, whereas miR-26a expression was unchanged. In TE-1 and Kyse140 cells, miR-26b downregulation had tumor-suppressive effect, whereas miR-26b downregulation or miR-26a upregulation/downregulation had no significant effect, on ESCC proliferation, cell-cycle transition and migration. TRAF5 is confirmed to be the downstream target of miR-26b in ESCC. SiRNA-mediated TRAF5 downregulation inversely regulated the inhibition of miR-26b downregulation on ESCC proliferation, cell-cycle transition and migration. CONCLUSION our study demonstrates that miR-26b downregulation, through the inverse regulation on TRAF5, had tumor-suppressive effect on human ESCC.
5‐HYDROXYINDOLEACETIC ACID IN CEREBROSPINAL FLUID OF HYDROCEPHALIC CHILDREN

There was a significant increase in the level of 5‐HIAA in lumbar CSF of children with hydrocephalus compared with “non‐hydroce‐phalic” children. In “non‐hydrocephalic” children the values of 5‐HIAA were found to be highest in the newborn successively decreasing to the levels of adult persons at the age of about one year. Prematurely born children seemed to have relatively higher levels of 5‐HIAA in CSF compared with full‐term children. Adult persons were not included in the study.
Theiler’s Virus Infection of Perforin-Deficient Mice

ABSTRACT Theiler’s virus, a murine picornavirus, infects the central nervous systems of C57BL/6 mice and is cleared after approximately 10 days by a process which requires CD8+ cytotoxic T cells. We used perforin-deficient C57BL/6 mice to test the role of this protein in viral clearance. Perforin-deficient mice died from viral encephalomyelitis between days 12 and 18 postinoculation. They had high levels of viral RNA in their central nervous systems until the time of death. In contrast, viral RNA had disappeared by day 11 postinoculation in wild-type C57BL/6 mice. Cytotoxic T cells can kill infected cells by two main mechanisms: the secretion of the pore-forming protein perforin or the interaction of the Fas ligand with the apoptosis-inducing Fas molecule on the target cell. Our results demonstrate that clearance of Theiler’s virus from the central nervous system in C57BL/6 mice is perforin dependent.