Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mobile phone-based behavioural interventions for health: A systematic review

Objective: To perform a systematic review of the literature concerning behavioural mobile health (mHealth) and summarize points related to heath topic, use of theory, audience, purpose, design, intervention components, and principal results that can inform future health education applications. Design: A systematic review of the literature. Method: Thirty-four interventions published in peer-reviewed journals before July 2010, employing a short message service (SMS) and/or multimedia message service to address health-related behavioural change, were reviewed. Results: Five interventions utilized SMS alone, 18 employed SMS/Internet, and 11 utilized SMS, Internet, and other strategies. Intervention length ranged from four weeks to one year. Twenty interventions (59%) were evaluated using experimental designs, and most resulted in statistically significant health behavioural changes. Conclusion: Surveillance of mHealth interventions’ role in facilitating behavioural change is a judicious parallel activity for health education and health behaviour authorities.
Collaboration of MLLT1/ENL, Polycomb and ATM for transcription and genome integrity

SUMMARY Polycomb group (PcG) repress, whereas Trithorax group (TrxG) activate transcription for tissue development and cellular proliferation, and misregulation of these factors is often associated with cancer. ENL (MLLT1) and AF9 (MLLT3) are fusion partners of Mixed Lineage Leukemia (MLL), TrxG proteins, and are factors in Super Elongation Complex (SEC). SEC controls transcriptional elongation to release RNA polymerase II, paused around transcription start site. In MLL rearranged leukemia, several components of SEC have been found as MLL-fusion partners and the control of transcriptional elongation is misregulated leading to tumorigenesis in MLL-SEC fused Leukemia. It has been suggested that unexpected collaboration of ENL/AF9-MLL and PcG are involved in tumorigenesis in leukemia. Recently, we found that the collaboration of ENL/AF9 and PcG led to a novel mechanism of transcriptional switch from elongation to repression under ATM-signaling for genome integrity. Activated ATM phosphorylates ENL/AF9 in SEC, and the phosphorylated ENL/AF9 binds BMI1 and RING1B, a heterodimeric E3-ubiquitin-ligase complex in Polycomb Repressive complex 1 (PRC1), and recruits PRC1 at transcriptional elongation sites to rapidly repress transcription. The ENL/AF9 in SEC- and PcG-mediated transcriptional repression promotes DSB repair near transcription sites. The implication of this is that the collaboration of ENL/AF9 in SEC and PcG ensures a rapid response of transcriptional switching from elongation to repression to neighboring genotoxic stresses for DSB repair. Therefore, these results suggested that the collaboration of ENL/AF9 and PcG in transcriptional control is required to maintain genome integrity and may be link to the MLL-ENL/AF9 leukemia.
Determining the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire Minimal Clinically Important Difference by Means of Three Methods

Background: To interpret patient-rated outcome measures, clinicians rely on the minimal clinically important difference. The authors studied the range of minimal clinically important difference scores for the overall Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire score its and subscales in a population with various diagnoses and treatments. Methods: Patients with a single, unilateral, atraumatic hand/forearm diagnosis completed the Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire before treatment and at 4 ± 1 weeks and 12 ± 2 weeks after treatment. Three methods were used to calculate the minimal clinically important difference: two anchor question methods based on satisfaction (mean change and receiver operating characteristic) and a statistical distribution method. Results: One hundred eighty-six patients were enrolled, with a baseline median overall questionnaire score of 60.7. Using the mean change method, a minimal clinically important difference of 13 was calculated for the overall questionnaire score. Using a receiver operating characteristic curve (0.8 effect size), the minimal clinically important difference was 9, with an area under the curve of 0.92. When receiver operating characteristic analysis was based on dichotomization of reported satisfaction, the minimal clinically important difference was 12, with an area under the curve of 0.85. Calculating the difference by statistical distribution gave a value of 8. For the subscales, by all methods, triangulated minimal clinically important difference estimates ranged from 10.9 to 14.4. Conclusions: The minimal clinically important difference for the overall Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire score in atraumatic hand/forearm conditions falls between 8 and 13. Multiple analytic methods produce nonidentical but similar minimal clinically important differences. The authors recommend using difference estimates in these ranges when planning a clinical trial to investigate hand/forearm function across a range of diagnoses and treatments.
Risk stratification and long‐term risk prediction of E6 oncoprotein in a prospective screening cohort in China

E6 oncoprotein is a necessary agent of HPV driven oncogenic transformation. This study is aimed at evaluating the risk stratification potency of HPV 16/18 E6 oncoprotein (E6) as a triage method for HPV positivity. Moreover, it also acts as a predictor of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 3 or worse (CIN3+). The screening cohort of 1,997 women was followed for a 15 year period in approximate five‐year intervals. Participants were concurrently screened by HPV DNA testing (HC2), liquid based cytology (LBC), visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) and were referred to colposcopy and biopsy if any tests reflected positive. E6 was performed on cervical samples collected from this cohort in 2005 and 2014. The ability of E6 to predict CIN3+ risk after the five‐ and ten‐year interval was evaluated. Among HPV positive women in 2005, E6 indicated the lowest positive rate (9.9%) compared to LBC (48.4%) and VIA (28.0%), however, a higher prevalence rate (10.3%) and 10‐year cumulative incidence rate (53.0%) of CIN3+ were detected among women who were E6 positive. Meanwhile, only 4.2% and 2.9% of women with abnormal LBC and positive VIA were diagnosed as prevalent CIN3+ in 2005, 23.0% and 16.5% developed to CIN3+ after year 10, respectively. Strong associations were found between precedent and subsequent HPV persistence and E6 oncoprotein expression (ORadjusted = 40.0 and 21.2, respectively). E6 oncoprotein could serve as a low‐cost, highly specific, strongly indicative point‐of‐care method in the triage and treatment of HPV positive women.
Occupational solvent exposure and adult chronic lymphocytic leukemia: No risk in a population‐based case–control study in four Nordic countries

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of occupational solvent exposure on the risk of adult chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The current case–control study was nested in the Nordic Occupational Cancer Study (NOCCA) cohort. 20,615 CLL cases diagnosed in 1961–2005 in Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, and 103,075 population‐based controls matched by year of birth, sex, and country were included. Occupational histories for cases and controls were obtained from census records in 1960, 1970, 1980/1981, and 1990. Exposure to selected solvents was estimated by using the NOCCA job‐exposure matrix (NOCCA‐JEM). Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were estimated by using conditional logistic regression models. Overall, nonsignificant CLL risk elevations were observed for methylene chloride, perchloroethylene, and 1,1,1‐trichloroethane. Compared to unexposed, significantly increased risks were observed for cumulative perchloroethylene exposure ≤13.3 ppm‐years (OR = 1.85, 95% CI 1.16–2.96) and average life‐time perchloroethylene exposure ≤2.5 ppm (1.61, 95% CI 1.01–2.56) among women, and cumulative methylene chloride exposure ≤12.5 ppm‐years (OR = 1.19, 95% CI 1.01–1.41) and 12.5–74.8 ppm‐years (OR = 1.23, 95% CI 1.01–1.51) among men in an analysis with 5 years lag‐time, though without dose–response pattern. Decreased CLL risk was observed for aliphatic and alicyclic hydrocarbon solvents and toluene. This study did not support associations for solvent exposure and CLL. Observed weak associations for methylene chloride, perchloroethylene, 1,1,1‐trichloroethane exposures, aliphatic and alicyclic hydrocarbons and toluene were not consistent across sexes, and showed no gradient with amount of exposure.
A classifier integrating plasma biomarkers and radiological characteristics for distinguishing malignant from benign pulmonary nodules

Lung cancer is primarily caused by cigarette smoking and the leading cancer killer in the USA and across the world. Early detection of lung cancer by low‐dose CT (LDCT) can reduce the mortality. However, LDCT dramatically increases the number of indeterminate pulmonary nodules (PNs), leading to overdiagnosis. Having a definitive preoperative diagnosis of malignant PNs is clinically important. Using microarray and droplet digital PCR to directly profile plasma miRNA expressions of 135 patients with PNs, we identified 11 plasma miRNAs that displayed a significant difference between patients with malignant versus benign PNs. Using multivariate logistic regression analysis of the molecular results and clinical/radiological characteristics, we developed an integrated classifier comprising two miRNA biomarkers and one radiological characteristic for distinguishing malignant from benign PNs. The classifier had 89.9% sensitivity and 90.9% specificity, being significantly higher compared with the biomarkers or clinical/radiological characteristics alone (all p < 0.05). The classifier was validated in two independent sets of patients. We have for the first time shown that the integration of plasma biomarkers and radiological characteristics could more accurately identify lung cancer among indeterminate PNs. Future use of the classifier could spare individuals with benign growths from the harmful diagnostic procedures, while allowing effective treatments to be immediately initiated for lung cancer, thereby reduces the mortality and cost. Nevertheless, further prospective validation of this classifier is warranted.
Activation of the B‐cell receptor successively activates NF‐κB and STAT3 in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells

In chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells, both interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and the B‐cell receptor (BCR) activate Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) and induce the phosphorylation of signal transduction and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) on tyrosine 705 residues. However, whereas IL‐6 phosphorylates STAT3 within 15 min, stimulation of the BCR with anti‐immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies phosphorylates STAT3 in 2–4 hr. Here, we show that this process takes longer because it requires transcriptional activity of NF‐κB. Using an electromobility shift assay, we found that incubation with IgM antibodies for 4 or 18 hr, but not 15 min, increased NF‐κB DNA‐binding of CLL cells and increased binding was translated to increased transcriptional activity. Hence, 42% of the 83 NF‐κB target genes were constitutively expressed in all CLL cells prior to any inducible stimuli. However, activation of the BCR increased the number of NF‐κB target genes with detectable expression by 23%. Remarkably, prolonged incubation with anti‐IgM antibodies induced a time‐dependent transcription, production and secretion of IL‐6 protein. The IgM‐induced production of IL‐6 prompted the phosphorylation of STAT3 on tyrosine residues. This effect was inhibited by the JAK1/2 inhibitor of the JAK/STAT3 pathway ruxolitinib. Taken together, these results suggest that in CLL cells, constitutive tonic activation of NF‐κB can be further enhanced by the BCR and that the BCR‐induced activation of the JAK/STAT3 pathway depends on the NF‐κB induced production of IL‐6.
Randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioural therapy for smokers living in a deprived area of London: Outcome at one-year follow-up

In order to reach the smoking prevalence targets set by the UK government, it is necessary to increase the adult quit rates, especially among smokers on low incomes. One way of increasing quit rates is to provide cost-effective smoking cessation therapy within the National Health Service (NHS). This paper compares the efficacy of smoking cessation advice in a health promotion campaign with that of an alternative intervention consisting of a cognitive behavioural therapy for smokers, the QUIT FOR LIFE Programme. Two hundred and sixty self- and GP-referred smokers took part in a randomized controlled trial with follow-up at 12 months. All lived in an economically deprived area of north London. At a 12-month follow-up, 23 of 116 participants (19.8%) receiving therapy were abstinent and ten (8.6%) had reduced cigarette consumption by at least 25% of the pre-treatment level. Six (5.8%) of 104 participants in the control group were abstinent and none had reduced consumption. Cognitive behavioural therapy can provide a cost-effective intervention for low-income smokers and should be available within the NHS in addition to nicotine replacement therapy.
Timing of births and oral contraceptive use influences ovarian cancer risk

Increasing parity and duration of combined oral contraceptive (COC) use provide substantial protection against ovarian carcinoma (cancer). There are limited data on the impact of the age of the births or age of COC use on reducing ovarian cancer risk. Here, we examined the effects of age at first and last births and age at use of COCs using data from studies conducted in Los Angeles County, California, USA (1,632 cases, 2,340 controls). After adjusting for the number of births, every 5 years that a first birth was delayed reduced the risk of ovarian cancer by 13% (95% CI 5–21%; p = 0.003); a first birth after age 35 was associated with a 47% lower risk than a first birth before age 25. COC use before age 35 was associated with greater protection per year of use than COC use at older ages. Considering previously published results as well as the results presented here, increasing parity and a later age at births are both important protective factors against ovarian cancer and the protection extends over 30 or more years from last birth. Current models of the etiology of ovarian cancer do not encompass an effect of late age at births. Our result of an attenuation of the protective effect with COC use after around age 35 needs further investigation as it has not been seen in all studies.
Type I Chiari Malformation: A Review of the Literature

More than 100 years after its identification, type I Chiari malformation remains poorly understood. Despite impressive advances in clinical diagnosis, neuroradiology, and neurosurgery, central questions about the pathogenesis, natural history, and prevalence of this condition remain unanswered. Although not common, Chiari malformation should be considered in any patient with signs and symptoms localized to the brain stem or cerebellum, particularly if signs and symptoms coexist with headache and signs of central cord involvement. More importantly, tonsillar ectopia always must be considered in the context of a thorough history and patient evaluation, with recognition that even patients with significant degrees of tonsillar ectopia may remain asymptomatic for extended periods. Craniocervical decompression is the preferred surgical treatment in most cases of type I Chiari malformation with or without syringohydromyelia.
Cancer survival in people with AIDS: A population‐based study from São Paulo, Brazil

Cancer survival among people with AIDS (PWA) has been described in developed countries, but there is lack of data from developing countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate survival after cancer diagnosis in PWA and compare it with people without AIDS (non‐PWA) in São Paulo, Brazil. A probabilistic record linkage was carried out between the databases of the Population‐based Cancer Registry of São Paulo (PBCR‐SP) and the AIDS registry of SP (SINAN) to identify PWA who developed cancer. For comparison, non‐PWA were frequency matched from the PBCR‐SP by cancer site/type, sex, age, and period. Hazard ratio (HR) stratified by matching variables was estimated using a Cox proportional hazards model. A total of 1,294 PWA (20 patients with two primary site tumors) were included in the site/type‐specific analyses. AIDS‐defining cancers (ADC) comprised 51.9% of cases assessed. The all‐cancer 5‐year overall survival in PWA was 49.4% versus 72.7% in non‐PWA (HR = 2.64; 95%CI = 2.39–2.91). Survival was impaired in PWA for both ADC (HR = 2.93; 95%CI = 2.49–3.45) and non‐ADC (HR = 2.51; 95%CI = 2.21–2.84), including bladder (HR = 8.11; 95% CI = 2.09–31.52), lung (HR = 2.93; 95%CI = 1.97–4.36) and anal cancer (HR = 2.53; 95%CI = 1.63–3.94). These disparities were seen mainly in the first year after cancer diagnosis. The overall survival was significantly lower in PWA in comparison with non‐PWA in São Paulo, as seen in high‐income countries. Efforts to enhance early diagnosis and ensure proper cancer treatment in PWA should be emphasized.
The prevalence of intestinal parasites in paediatric diarrhoeal and non-diarrhoeal patients in Addis Ababa hospitals, with special emphasis on opportunistic parasitic infections and with insight into the demographic and socio-economic factors

Background : Opportunistic intestinal parasitic infections cause severe diarrhoea specially in infants and in immunocompromised people world wide. Objective : The objective of this study was to assess and determine the prevalence of opportunistic intestinal parasites in paediatric patients with and without diarrhoea in selected hospitals in Addis Ababa. Methods : A cross-sectional study was conducted on 222 children under five years of age who had diarrhoea and on 74 children who had no diarrhoea in selected Hospitals in Addis Ababa. Single stool specimens were collected and screened for intestinal parasitic infections by using direct and concentrated methods. The Modified Ziehl-Neelsen Staining and Modified Water-Ether Sendimentaion methods were used for detecting Coccidial parasites. Results : Of the 222 paediatric diarrhoeal patients, 61(27.5%) were found to be infected with a variety of intestinal parasites and out of 74 children without diarrhoea 11(14.9%) were found to be infected. Among the emerging opportunistic parasites detected in diarrhoeal children were Cryptosporidium parvum (8.1%), Isospora belli (2.3%) and Enterocytozoon bieneusi/ Encephalitozoon intestinalis (0.5%). Other common intestinal parasites detected were Ascaris lumbricoides (0.5%), Trichuris trichiura (0.9%), Giardia lamblia (6.3%), Entamoeba histolytica/ E. dispar (1.4%), Blastocystis hominis (5.9%) and Hymnolepis nana (0.5%). Opportunistic parasites were found to be significantly associated with diarrhoeal and non-breastfed children (p C. parvum and I. belli respectively were isolated from 83.3% and 80% of diarrhoeal children aged less than 12 months. C. paravum and I. belli infections were also higher in male children, with a prevalence of 72.2% for C. paravum and 80% for I. belli . Conclusion : This study re-affirms and confirms the previously held view that opportunistic parasites can cause diarrhoea in paediatric patients and that it is more prevalent in male, non-breastfed children. The cause of diarrhoea in paediatrics in the absence of identifiable parasitic infections suggests that other infectious agents might be responsible for the diarrhoea. The Ethiopian Journal of Health Development Vol. 20(1) 2006: 39-46
Clinical characteristics and spatial distribution of Visceral leishmaniasis in children in São Paulo state: an emerging focus of Visceral leishmaniasis in Brazil

Abstract Background: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an emerging zoonosis, and Brazil harbors about 90% of those infected in Latin America. Since 1998, the disease has been spreading quickly in São Paulo state, and the western region is considered an emerging focus of VL in Brazil. Our aim was to evaluate the clinical characteristics and spatial distribution of VL in children referred to a public tertiary hospital located in the western region of São Paulo state, Brazil. Methods: Medical records of children up to 18 years of age who were diagnosed with VL between January 2006 and December 2010 were reviewed. Geospatial analysis was performed using the ArcGIS 10.2 platform. Results: Sixty-three patients were enrolled in the study; the median age was 3.3 ± 3.3 years. The median time interval between the onset of clinical symptoms and diagnosis was 16.1 ± 11.1 days, and the median time in the pediatric ward was 18.0 ± 9.4 days. Liposomal amphotericin B was the first-line treatment in 90.5% of the patients and 9.6% relapsed. One patient died (1.6%), and 19% were submitted to the pediatric intensive care unit. Conclusion: The short interval between the onset of symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment and the reduced number of days of hospitalization certainly influenced the small number of deaths, relapses, and severity among the children infected with VL. However, the disease is spreading fast in the western region of São Paulo state. Thus, integrated actions and effective monitoring of the disease are needed to complement curative practices.
The Monitoring of Weight Fluctuation and Hydration Status in Cadet Wrestlers (Ages 14–17) During a Training Camp Period Leading up to Competition

ABSTRACT This study aims to determine the body weight and hydration levels of wrestlers within the cadet super league and to investigate their affects upon performance. Measurements were recorded four times: on the first day of training, which is 17 days prior to competition, three days out from weigh ins, immediately prior to weigh-in and immediately before the competition. During these study periods, body weight and urine specific gravity (Usg) were measured. Body composition was measured in the first round of testing. Results of these measurements were compared to competition results. Body weight and hydration levels did not change significantly until the third day before weigh in (P> 0.05). A significant level of weight loss (% 3.9 ± 2, 7) and an increase in Usg levels (1.024-1.028 g/cm3) were discovered in the last three days before official weigh-ins. However, no significant change in Usg values (P> 0.05) were observed between weigh in and the competition, although a significant weight gain (P< 0.05) was observed. Consequently, it can be shown that although the rapid weight loss and dehydration observed in cadet wrestlers just prior to weigh-ins was followed by a rapid weight gain between weigh-ins and the competition; there was no improvement in the hydration status.