Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sweet’s syndrome associated with clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential responsive to 5-azacitidine

Sweet’s syndrome (SS) is a rare condition characterized by the abrupt appearance of painful skin lesions due to neutrophilic dermal infiltration. Hematologic neoplasms, particularly acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs), have been commonly reported in association with SS. Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) is an emerging entity that is a precursor state to myeloid neoplasms. CHIP has not been previously associated with SS. We report the case of a 71-year-old man who presented with recurrent, painful edematous and erythematous papules and nodules for 18 months despite treatment with corticosteroids. He had normal blood counts, but a macrocytosis was noted (110 fl). Alternative causes of macrocytosis were ruled out. A skin biopsy confirmed a diagnosis of SS. Bone marrow biopsy specimen yielded a normal karyotype except for loss of the Y chromosome and equivocal morphologic findings. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of selected genes from the peripheral blood demonstrated a mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) partial tandem duplication (PTD) and sequence variant in CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (CEBPA). These findings were consistent with a diagnosis of CHIP. The patient was treated with 5-azacitidine and achieved a complete remission of his skin lesions and was able to discontinue corticosteroids. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a patient with recurrent SS associated with CHIP. In addition to other myeloid neoplasms like AML and MDS, CHIP should be considered as a potential etiology in cases of recurrent SS. Treatment with a hypomethylating agents such as azacitidine could also serve as an alternative to systemic corticosteroid therapy.
Anatomical substrates of cholinergic‐autonomic regulation in the rat

Acetylcholine (ACh) plays a major role in central autonomic regulation, including the control of arterial blood pressure (AP). Previously unknown neuroanatomic substrates of cholinergic ‐ autonomic control were mapped in this study. Cholinergic perikarya and bouton‐like varicosities were localized by an immunocytochemical method empolying a monoclonal antiserum against choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), the enzyme synthesizing ACh.
Active ingredient consistency of commercially available glucosamine sulfate products.

OBJECTIVE To assess the content of active ingredient in over-the-counter (OTC) glucosamine sulfate (GLS) preparations. METHODS We analyzed in a coded, blind manner 14 commercially available capsules or tablets of GLS, plus one herbal mixture as a control. We used a high performance liquid chromatography system as described. RESULTS The amount of free base varied from 41 to 108% of the mg content stated on the label; the amount of glucosamine varied from 59 to 138% even when expressed as sulfate. CONCLUSION If GLS is used as a therapeutic agent, it is important that the products conform to a standard in their description. The content is probably best expressed in terms of free base.
Comparison of enamel and dentin microshear bond strengths of a two-step self-etching priming system with five all-in-one systems.

Data on the adhesive strength of new all-in-one adhesives are still relatively limited. This study compared the microshear bond strengths of five recent all-in-one self-etching priming systems (G-Bond, One-Up Bond-F Plus, Clearfil S3 Bond, Adper Prompt L-Pop and Go! ) with a widely used two-step self-etching priming system (Clearfil SE Bond). Human molars were sectioned and finished with 600-grit SiC paper. Both enamel and dentin were bonded using adhesives with a 0.7 mm bonding diameter. Bond strengths were tested using a microshear bond test method at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/minute. The mean bond strengths and standard deviations were calculated and analyzed using ANOVA and the Tukey's HSD test. Results showed the two-step self-etching system had significantly higher bond strengths to dentin. However, for enamel bond strength, Clearfil SE Bond showed no statistical difference to G-Bond and Go! ; however, all of the other materials were statistically lower. It is necessary to examine these new materials clinically to determine their efficacy.
Potential degradation in image quality due to selective averaging of phase‐encoding lines in Fourier transform MRI

The properties of the image noise for selective averaging of phase‐encoding lines have been investigated. For a given acquisition time, selective averaging results in a signal‐to‐noise ratio penalty compared to averaging all lines equally. In addition, selective averaging yields a non uniform distribution of noise characteristics in spatial frequency space, which can result in a change in the texture of the image noise. © 1991 Academic Press, Inc.
Sporadic Amplification of the MYC Gene in Human Osteosarcomas

The MYC proto-oncogene has been shown to be overexpressed in several types of sarcomas, including some osteosarcomas. In most cases, the overexpression is due to gene amplification. The total number of osteosarcoma patients studied, however, remains too small to derive any conclusions regarding the true prevalence and the possible clinical significance of MYC gene amplification. To address the issue more thoroughly, we studied 27 specimens from 25 patients with high-grade osteosarcoma (16 primary, 11 metastatic: 11 adult, 14 pediatric) for MYC gene alterations by Southern blot analysis. Two of 27 specimens (7%) showed MYC gene amplification: a primary fibrohistiocytic osteosarcoma of the femur in a 37-year-old man showed threefold amplification, and a primary Paget's osteosarcoma of the tibia in a 60-year-old man showed fourfold amplification. None of the specimens tested showed MYC gene rearrangement (zero of 27) or activating point mutations at the Pvu II site in MYC exon-1 (zero of 26). Hence, the MYC gene is amplified in a subset of osteosarcomas. The possible clinical or biological significance of MYC gene amplification in osteosarcoma may warrant further investigation.
Optimization of spatial aperture-sampled mode multiplexer for a few mode fiber

An optimization procedure for spatial mode multiplexing from individual single mode fibers into a few mode fiber based on a spatial aperture sampling concept has been developed. By placing space-variant imaging elements between the single mode and few mode fibers, each beam aperture can be shaped for lower loss coupling and low mode dependent losses. The optimization achieves a record theoretical -1.5 dB insertion loss for a three mode fiber (improving on the previous theoretical -2 dB record), and an insertion loss of -1.59 dB for a six mode fiber.
Abundance trends in kinematical groups of the Milky Way's disk

We have compiled a large catalogue of metallicities and abundance ratios from the literature in order to investigate abundance trends of several alpha and iron peak elements in the thin disk and the thick disk of the Galaxy. The catalogue includes 743 stars with abundances of Fe, O, Mg, Ca, Ti, Si, Na, Ni and Al in the metallicity range -1.30 < [Fe/H] < +0.50. We have checked that systematic differences between abundances measured in the different studies were lower than random errors before combining them. Accurate distances and proper motions from Hipparcos and radial velocities from several sources have been retreived for 639 stars and their velocities (U, V, W) and galactic orbits have been computed. Ages of 322 stars have been estimated with a Bayesian method of isochrone fitting. Two samples kinematically representative of the thin and thick disks have been selected, taking into account the Hercules stream which is intermediate in kinematics, but with a probable dynamical origin. Our results show that the two disks are chemically well separated, they overlap greatly in metallicity and both show parallel decreasing alpha elements with increasing metallicity, in the interval -0.80 < [Fe/H] < -0.30. The Mg enhancement with respect to Fe of the'thick disk is measured to be 0.14 dex. An even larger enhancement is observed for Al. The thick disk is clearly older than the thin disk with tentative evidence of an AMR over 2-3 Gyr and a hiatus in star formation before the formation of the thin disk. We do not observe a vertical gradient in the metallicity of the thick disk. The Hercules stream has properties similar to that of the thin disk, with a wider range of metallicity. Metal-rich stars assigned to the thick disk and super-metal-rich stars assigned to the thin disk appear as outliers in all their properties.
Profile of Epilepsy in a Developing Country: A Study of 1,000 Patients Based on the International Classification

Este estudio prospectivo realizado en un centro neurológico especializado de un pais en desarrollo, se centra en 1,000 enfermos epilópticos de acuerdo con la C)asificación Internacional. Un 81% de los enfermos pudo ser clasificado con menor incidencia en el grupo más joven. La epilepsia parcial fue mucho más comun que la generalizada (80% versus 20%). La epilepsia generalizada primaria se observ6 en el 15% de los enfermos y la secundaria en un 5%. La epilepsia parcial con sintomatologia simple apareci6 en un 58% y con sintomatologia compleja en un 7%. Las convulsiones generalizadas se observaron en el 15% restante. La epilepsia generalizada primaria y la parcial con sintomatologia compleja fueron más comunes en los adultos. Por el contrario la epilepsia generalizada secundaria y la parcial con ataques generalizados secun‐darios fueron más frecuentes en los ninos. La epilepsia parcial con sintomatología elemental no varió de modo significativo con la edad. La mayor incidencia de epilepsia parcial en nuestros pacientes, comparadola con los paises occidentales puede ser debida a la mayor frecuencia de infecciones cérébrales y traumatismos obstetricos existente en los paises en vias de desarrollo.
Bacteriophage T4 endonuclease II: concerted single‐strand nicks yield double‐strand cleavage

In vivo, endonuclease II (EndoII) of coliphage T4 cleaves sites with conserved sequence elements (CSEs) to both the left and the right of the cleaved bonds, 16 bp altogether with some variability tolerated. In vitro, however, single‐strand nicks in the lower strand predominate at sites containing only the left‐side CSE that determines the precise position of lower strand nicks. Upper strand nick positions vary both in vivo and in vitro. A 24 bp substrate was nicked with the same precision as in longer substrates, showing that the conserved sequence suffices for precise nicking by EndoII. Using DNA ligase in vitro, we found that EndoII nicked both strands simultaneously at an in vivo‐favoured site but not at an in vitro‐favoured site. This indicates that the right‐side CSE at in vivo‐favoured sites is important for simultaneous nicking of both strands, generating double‐strand cleavage. Separate analysis of the two strands following in vitro digestion at two in vitro‐favoured sites showed that EndoII nicked the lower strand about 1.5‐fold faster than the upper strand. In addition, the upper and lower strands were nicked independently of each other, seldom resulting in double‐strand cleavage. Thus, cleavage by EndoII is the fortuitous outcome of two separate nicking events.
Developmental Disabilities: Effects on Well Siblings

Background: Forty studies performed between 1970 and 1995 indicated that 60% of parents with children with developmental disabilities reported manifestations of increased risk or negative effects on the well siblings. Method: A secondary data analysis was performed using qualitative data gathered during the baseline of a randomized controlled clinical trial of an intervention for siblings/families of children with long-term conditions, including developmental disabilities. Content analysis was used to identify themes from responses of 151 parents to an open-ended question on their perceptions of the effects on well siblings of living at home with a brother/sister with developmental disabilities. Results: Of 363 themes identified, 61.1% reflected negative manifestations of increased risk in well siblings; 1.7% indicated no risk; and 37.2% reflected positive outcomes, suggesting the continued need for potential interventions. Conclusion: Contemporary family life in these families, as portrayed by parents' descriptions, reflects need in child health care for more intervention research on this vulnerable population.
Duration of Untreated Psychosis: Are We Ignoring the Mode of Initial Development?

Duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) might affect the course and treatment outcome in schizophrenia significantly. Looking for potential determinants of DUP, researchers have mostly assessed the initial untreated psychosis in terms of plain duration, not developmental content. The present study provides empirical contributions to the discussion of phenomenal continuity throughout the entire untreated illness by pointing out continuous trajectories from prodrome to psychosis. In a series of 19 first-episode DSM-IV schizophrenia patients, we explore prodromal and untreated psychotic phenomena, and the data indicate that symptoms considered intrinsic to core psychosis phenomenology had attenuated antecedents in the prodromes, increasing continuously until treatment, whereas symptoms considered not intrinsic to core psychosis were characterized by fluctuations. Mode of initial psychosis development is proposed as a tentatively informative concept, comprising duration and content aspects of the initial prodrome and untreated psychosis.
Homocysteine in Postmenopausal Women and the Importance of Hormone Replacement Therapy

Abstract Homocysteine (Hcy) has been shown to damage the vascular endothelial cells, contributing to atherothrombosis. The increase in plasma Hcy levels with natural menopause suggests a close relationship between Hcy metabolism and estrogen status and proposes one of the mechanisms through which menopause unfavorably affects cardiovascular disease risk in women. In addition to the prevention of osteoporosis, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) lowers Hcy levels in postmenopausal women. The first report by van der Mooren et al., demonstrated in an uncontrolled study a significant reduction (11%) in fasting serum Hcy level after 6 months of treatment with sequentially combined estradiol-dydrogesterone therapy in 21 healthy postmenopausal women. This effect was particularly evident in women with initially elevated baseline serum Hcy concentrations. Similar results were found in other studies in which women were treated with various transdermal as well as oral HRT regimens, although two studies could not confirm these findings. All these studies were uncontrolled, and three of them consisted of a relatively small number of participants. Therefore, they remained inconclusive. Three randomized controlled trials on HRT and Hcy were published to date, confirming that postmenopausal HRT reduces circulating levels of Hcy. Current and recent HRT use is associated with a slight increased risk of breast cancer. As a result of this, research has centered on finding compounds that can prevent the consequences of estrogen deficiency, without the potential risk of HRT. Raloxifene, referred to as a Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator (SERM), has the potential as a viable alternative to HRT. Recently, two randomized controlled trials demonstrated that raloxifene lowers plasma Hcy levels in postmenopausal women, similar to the reduction obtained with HRT. Little is known about the mechanisms underlying the HRT-associated lowering of plasma Hcy. Proposed mechanisms relate to an increase in kidney methionine synthase activity or may be related to the transamination of methionine. We conclude that HRT decreases plasma Hcy levels in postmenopausal women and that the strongest reductions can be achieved in women with the highest concentrations.
Evaluating a unique, specialist psychiatric genetic counseling clinic: uptake and impact

People with psychiatric disorders and their family members have expressed interest in receiving genetic counseling (GC). In February 2012, we opened the first (to our knowledge) specialist psychiatric GC clinic of its kind, for individuals with non‐syndromic psychiatric disorders and their families. Prior to GC and at a standard 1‐month follow‐up session, clinical assessment tools are completed, specifically, the GC outcomes scale (GCOS, which measures empowerment, completed by all clients) and the Illness Management Self Efficacy scale (IMSES, completed by those with mental illness). Consecutive English‐speaking clients attending the clinic between 1 February 2012 and 31 January 2013 who were capable of consenting were asked for permission to use their de‐identified clinical data for research purposes. Descriptive analyses were conducted to ascertain demographic details of attendees, and paired sample t‐tests were conducted to assess changes in GCOS and IMSES scores from pre‐ to post‐GC. Of 143 clients, seven were unable to consent, and 75/136 (55.1%) consented. Most were female (85.3%), self‐referred (76%), and had personal experience of mental illness (65.3%). Mean GCOS and IMSES scores increased significantly after GC (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.011, respectively). In a naturalistic setting, GC increases empowerment and self‐efficacy in this population.
Efectos Moderadores de la Habilidad de Solución de Problemas Sociales en la Relación entre Factores de Riesgo y Victimización en Adolescentes Colombianos

* This research project was financed through fellowships awarded to the first author by the Departamento Administrativo de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación-Colciencias and the Universidad de los Andes, and to the third author by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada and the Fonds Québécois de la Recherche sur la Société et la Culture, and through a Concordia University Research Chair awarded to the second author. Abstract
Is the Rat Pancreas an Appropriate Model of the Human Pancreas?

During my lifetime in pancreatic research, rat and mouse have largely replaced dog and cat in experimental studies. However, as this review clearly demonstrates, the anatomy, physiology and molecular cell biology of the rat pancreas (and also probably the mouse pancreas) differ substantially from those in humans. Indeed, they differ more in rat/mouse than any other common laboratory species. These differences may be irrelevant if one is using the pancreas as a generic model in which to study, say, acinar cell exocytosis or signalling. But if one is interested in more specific aspects of human pancreatic function, especially ductal function, in health and disease, in my opinion the simple answer to the question posed by the title of this article is no: other species are more appropriate.
Neuroscience of Reward: Implications for Food Addiction and Nutrition Policy

According to the World Health Organization, unhealthy diet is one key contributor to the development of noncommunicable diseases. The global response to this problem has primarily involved the implementation of nutritional policies intended on raising public awareness, and providing information through nutritional guidelines and product labels. However, there is experimental evidence suggesting that certain foods may promote addictive processes and consequent unhealthy dietary choices. This review discusses neurobiological mechanisms of reward involved in the consumption of refined sugars and fats, and the aforementioned indicators of their addictive characteristics. By acknowledging that these foods can act on brain reward systems to promote excessive or addictive consumption, policy makers may need to address issues of unhealthy diets by considering approaches that target availability, regulations within the food industry, taxation and advertising.
GSTM1 and GSTP1 Genetic Polymorphisms and Their Associations With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Susceptibility in a Jordanian Population

The genetic variations between different individuals in the xenobiotic detoxifying enzyme activity were shown to change susceptibility to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). The current study aimed to assess the association of GSTM1 and GSTP1 genetic polymorphisms with the susceptibility of ALL. This case-control study (N=264) involved 88 Jordanian ALL children and 176 healthy controls from an ethnically homogenous Jordanian children population. The polymerase chain reaction assay was used to genotype GSTM1 (null/present) and the polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism technique was also applied to detect the genetic polymorphisms of GSTP1 (Ile105Val) at the rs1695 position. The biallelic analysis revealed that there was no association between GSTM1 double-null genotype and ALL (P=0.57). However, there was a strong association between GSTP1 (Ile105Val) polymorphism genotypes and alleles within GSTP1 gene and ALL (P=0.00049 and 0.000044, respectively). A combination between GSTM1 double-null genotype and rs1695 also showed an association with ALL (P=0.042). This study showed that the rs1695 single nucleotide polymorphism within the GSTP1 gene is strongly implicated in ALL among Jordanian children with ALL. These results indicate that genetic variants of GSTP1 gene influence the risk of developing ALL in the Jordanian children of Arab ancestry.
Analytic model of the cathode region of a short glow discharge in light gases.

A self-consistent analytic model of the cathode region of a dc glow discharge is suggested. The description is based on the division of the discharge gap into a space-charge sheath and a plasma region and on an approximate kinetic analysis of different groups of electrons. A one-dimensional short discharge is considered for which the positive column is absent and the energy relaxation length ${\ensuremath{\lambda}}_{\mathrm{\ensuremath{\varepsilon}}}$ of slow untrapped electrons exceeds the gap length L. In this case, a point exists in the negative glow (NG) region where the plasma density has a maximum and the electric field changes sign. Three groups of electrons are treated separately. The first of them includes fast electrons with energies exceeding the first excitation potential ${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\varepsilon}}}^{\mathrm{*}}$. They are emitted by the cathode surface (primaries) or generated in the cathode fall region. These electrons are responsible for ionization and excitation processes and electron-current transport in the sheath and in the immediately adjacent plasma. The field reversal is caused by the nonlocal ionization in the plasma part of the NG, which is determined by the fast electrons. The slow electrons are subdivided into trapped and intermediate ones. The full energy \ensuremath{\varepsilon} (kinetic plus potential) of the trapped electrons is less than the anode potential e${\mathrm{\ensuremath{\varphi}}}_{\mathit{a}}$. These electrons determine the plasma density but give no contribution to the electron current.
Optimal deployment of third‐generation stents: An intravascular ultrasound assessment

Third‐generation intracoronary stents allow deployment at higher pressures, possibly obviating the need for high‐pressure postdilations and also possibly reducing restenosis. This study evaluated the ability of the Tristar Coronary Stent System to produce optimal stent deployment as measured by intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) and quantitative coronary angiography in 46 patients. Optimal stent deployment was defined as minimal luminal area > 80% of the average of the proximal and distal reference luminal areas. After initial deployment, 74.5% of stents met criteria for optimal stent deployment by IVUS, with an average stent expansion ratio of 89.6%. Ten stents (18.2%) were postdilated. Four patients (8.7%) had a major adverse cardiac event, one patient died, one patient had a myocardial infarction, and two patients had target vessel revascularization at 6 months. The Tristar stent system produces optimal deployment without the need for routine postdilation and results in optimal clinical outcomes. Cathet Cardiovasc Intervent 2002;57:142–147. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.