Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The epidemiology of invasive pneumococcal disease in Alaska, 1986-1990--ethnic differences and opportunities for prevention.

To assess prevention strategies for pneumococcal disease in Alaska, prospective surveillance during 1986-1990 identified 672 invasive pneumococcal infections, including 315 among Alaska Natives. Age-adjusted annual incidence was 74 per 100,000 for Alaska Natives and 16 per 100,000 for nonnatives. The annual incidence in Alaska Native children < 2 years old was 624 per 100,000; rates of 84 per 100,000 for meningitis and 290 per 100,000 for bacteremic pneumonia were 8-10 times higher than for other US groups. By age 75, cumulative incidence (7%) and mortality (1%) in Alaska Natives were almost 4 times higher than for nonnatives. Only 17% of Alaska Native adults with predisposing conditions and invasive infections previously received pneumococcal vaccine. For Alaska Natives, a proposed heptavalent conjugate pneumococcal vaccine will include serotypes responsible for 85% of invasive isolates from children < 2 years but only 32% of those from adults. The 23-valent polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine, which contains > 94% of serotypes identified in Alaska Native toddlers and adults, should be used more widely.
Arteriovenous malformations of the cerebral circulation that rupture in pregnancy

Arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) have a poorly defined natural history, more so in the pregnant population. Presentation during the pregnancy is usually as a result of haemorrhage following rupture. Whether pregnancy alters the natural tendency to rupture remains controversial, but empirical data suggest that this is the case. The most important complication following rupture in pregnancy is the possibility of a subsequent re-haemorrhage. In those patients with high operative risk or inoperable lesions, a conservative management course should be adopted during the pregnancy allowing stereotactic radiosurgery or embolisation options to be pursued after delivery (see Management algorithm). Precautions during labour are recommended, biased towards caesarean section. In those patients in whom a lesion is deemed operable (low risk), surgery may improve the risks of poor outcome provided treatment risks are low. Factors such as AVM morphology, local expertise and support facilities (including those for endovascular therapy) are essential considerations if outcome is to improve on the natural history of the condition. Preoperative endovascular embolisation can be included when considering surgical excision.
Acarbose Treatment and Diabetic Nephropathy in the Cohen Diabetic Rat

Groups of Cohen diabetic rats, aged 30 days were treated with Acarbose (40 mg per 100 g sucrose diet) for 3, 5 and 7 months. Siblings of the same sex were used as controls and fed the sucrose diet alone. The dose of Acarbose was adjusted in a preliminary study and found to be tolerated by the animals. Acarbose treatment resulted in a significant reduction of the 2 hr postprandial blood glucose. No elevation of the plasma insulin was noted. A significant decreased incidence and severity of glomerulosclerosis was not in the 3 months Acarbose treated groups (P less than 0.05) and in the 5 and 7 months (P less than 0.01) in comparison with the controls. In the 7 months Acarbose treated group the longevity was significantly longer than in the control (P less than 0.05). In the 3 and 5 months groups, increased longevity was not apparent as the animals were sacrificed before having the opportunity to manifest the difference.
Immunotherapy: is a minor god yet in the pantheon of treatments for lung cancer?

Immunotherapy has been studied for many years in lung cancer without significant results, making the majority of oncologists quite skeptical about its possible application for non-small cell lung cancer treatment. However, the recent knowledge about immune escape and subsequent ‘cancer immunoediting’ has yielded the development of new strategies of cancer immunotherapy, heralding a new era of lung cancer treatment. Cancer vaccines, including both whole-cell and peptide vaccines have been tested both in early and advanced stages of non-small cell lung cancer. New immunomodulatory agents, including anti-CTLA4, anti-PD1/PDL1 monoclonal antibodies, have been investigated as monotherapy in metastatic lung cancer. To date, these treatments have shown impressive results of efficacy and tolerability in early clinical trials, leading to testing in several large, randomized Phase III trials. As these results will be confirmed, these drugs will be available in the near future, offering new exciting therapeutic options for lung cancer treatment.
The role of the cervical spine in post-concussion syndrome

Abstract While much is known regarding the pathophysiology surrounding concussion injuries in the acute phase, there is little evidence to support many of the theorized etiologies to post-concussion syndrome (PCS); the chronic phase of concussion occurring in ∼10–15% of concussed patients. This paper reviews the existing literature surrounding the numerous proposed theories of PCS and introduces another potential, and very treatable, cause of this chronic condition; cervical spine dysfunction due to concomitant whiplash-type injury. We also discuss a short case-series of five patients with diagnosed PCS having very favorable outcomes following various treatment and rehabilitative techniques aimed at restoring cervical spine function.
Relationship between serum leptin and insulin resistance among obese Nigerian women

Background: Leptin is a hormone produced directly from adipocytes and has been associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) which is characterized by insulin resistance (IR). Due to the increasing prevalence of obesity in sub-Saharan Africa, serum leptin can be explored as a predictive risk factor for T2DM. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the relationship between serum leptin and IR among obese women. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of obese, adult Nigerian females. Participants with body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2 and nondiabetic were recruited as subjects. Fasting serum leptin, insulin, and plasma glucose were determined. IR was calculated using the formula: Homeostatic model assessment-IR (HOMA-IR) = (glucose × insulin)/22.5. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS and P < 0.05 was considered to be significant. Results: Eighty obese females with mean ± standard deviation BMI 39.1 ± 7.2 kg/m2 and serum leptin level 48.4 ± 24.4 ng/ml participated in study. Prevalence of hyperleptinemia was 92.5% (confidence interval: 87.3–97.7%). The relationship between leptin and HOMA-IR among the subjects was: BMI 30–34.9 kg/m2: n = 27, r = 0.18, P = 0.42; BMI 35–39.9 kg/m2: n = 24, r = 0.36, P = 0.11; BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2: n = 29, r = 0.52, P = 0.004*; and after controlling for BMI (n = 29, r = 0.46, P = 0.014*). Multiple linear regression showed that leptin did not predict for IR (P = 0.837). Conclusion: Serum leptin levels were positively correlated with IR, which was significant among the Class III (morbid) obesity class. However, leptin was not a predictive factor for IR in obese Nigerian women.
Prevalence and Characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus Colonization among Healthcare Professionals in an Urban Teaching Hospital

Objective. To determine the prevalence of asymptomatic carriage of Staphylococcus aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) among healthcare professionals (HCPs) who experience varying degrees of exposure to ambulatory patients and to genetically characterize isolates. Methods. This single-center, cross-sectional study enrolled 256 staff from the intensive care units, emergency department, and prehospital services of an urban tertiary care university hospital in 2008. Occupational histories and nasal samples for S. aureus cultures were obtained. S. aureus isolates were genetically characterized with the use of spa typing and screened for mecA. MRSA isolates underwent further characterization. Results. S. aureus was isolated from 112 of 256 (43.8%) HCPs, including 30 of 52 (57.7%) paramedics, 51 of 124 (41.1%) nurses, 11 of 28 (39.3%) clerical workers, and 20 of 52 (38.5%) physicians. MRSA was isolated from 17 (6.6%) HCPs, including 1 (1.9%) paramedic, 13 (10.5%) nurses, 1 (3.6%) clerical worker, and 2 (3.8%) physicians. Among S. aureus isolates, 15.2% were MRSA. MRSA prevalence was 9.6% (12/125) in emergency department workers, 5.1% (4/79) in intensive care unit workers, and 1.9% (1/52) in emergency medical services workers. Compared with paramedics, who had the lowest prevalence of methicillin resistance among S. aureus isolates (1 of 30 [3.3%] isolates), nurses, who had the highest prevalence (13 of 51 [25.4%] isolates), had an odds ratio of 9.92 (95% confidence interval, 1.32-435.86; P = .02) for methicillin resistance. Analysis of 15 MRSA isolates revealed 7 USA100 strains, 6 USA300 strains, 1 USA800 strain, and 1 EMRSA-15 strain. All USA300 strains were isolated from emergency department personnel. Conclusions. The observed prevalence of S. aureus and MRSA colonization among HCPs exceeds previously reported prevalences in the general population. The proportion of community-associated MRSA among all MRSA in this colonized HCP cohort reflects the distribution of the USA300 community-associated strain observed increasingly among US hospitalized patients.
Stillbirth: Correlations between Brain Injury and Placental Pathology

Chronic placental pathologic processes such as fetal thrombotic vasculopathy have been linked to brain injury in neonates. We hypothesize that using stillbirth as a model, placental pathology can predict risk for hypoxic-ischemic brain injury. From a single institutional database of stillbirths ≥23 weeks' gestational age, we included cases with full autopsy and neuropathology examination. Bivariable analyses were performed to identify whether there was an association between placental pathologic findings and neuropathologic findings. Logistic regression was used to control for potential confounders. Among 97 potential cases, adequate tissue was analyzable from 79 cases (mean gestational age = 33 weeks). Acute central nervous system hemorrhage and acute neuronal necrosis were the most common neuropathologic processes seen in this cohort (57% for each). Maternal vascular underperfusion was the most common placental pathology but was not significantly associated with a specific neuropathologic finding. High-grade chronic villitis (HGCV) and fetal thrombotic vasculopathy (FTV) were significantly associated with increased risk for pontosubicular necrosis (odds ratios, 15.73 and 3.79, respectively). These associations persisted after controlling for potential confounders. Chronic placental pathologies, specifically HGCV and FTV, were associated with pontosubicular necrosis, suggesting that placental pathology involving the fetal vasculature and altered fetoplacental blood flow carry the greatest likelihood of hypoxic/ischemic brain injury.
The Wear and Tear of Daily Stressors on Mental Health

Researchers assert that affective responses to seemingly minor daily events have long-term implications for mental health, yet this phenomenon has rarely been investigated. In the current study, we examined how levels of daily negative affect and affective reactivity in response to daily stressors predicted general affective distress and self-reported anxiety and depressive disorders 10 years after they were first assessed. Across eight consecutive evenings, participants (N = 711; age = 25 to 74 years) reported their daily stressors and their daily negative affect. Increased levels of negative affect on nonstressor days were related to general affective distress and symptoms of an affective disorder 10 years later. Heightened affective reactivity to daily stressors predicted greater general affective distress and an increased likelihood of reporting an affective disorder. These findings suggest that the average levels of negative affect that people experience and how they respond to seemingly minor events in their daily lives have long-term implications for their mental health.
Consequences of retirement activities for distress and the sense of personal control.

We compare retirement with full-time employment on four forms of engaging activity and examine the consequences of retirement activities for the sense of control and psychological distress. We use a 1995 U.S. national telephone probability sample of 2,592 respondents with an oversample of persons aged sixty and older. In comparison to the activities of full-time employees, those of retirees are more alienating on some aspects but more engaging on others. Retiree activities are more routine, provide less of a chance to learn new things, provide less positive social interaction with others, and they are especially unlikely to involve problem-solving. However, retirees' activities are also equally enjoyable and more autonomous compared to those of full-time workers. Autonomous activities, fulfilling activities which are enjoyable and provide the opportunity to learn new things, and integrated activities are all positively associated with a sense of control and negatively associated with psychological distress. However, solving problems is associated with both high levels of control and high levels of distress. Retirees have a significantly lower sense of control than do full-time employees, in large part because of the characteristics of their daily activities. At the same time, retirees do not have significantly higher levels of psychological distress.
Experiences of daily life and life quality in men with prostate cancer. An explorative study. Part I.

Eleven men with prostate cancer were randomly chosen and interviewed during an in-patient period at a southern Swedish hospital. The interview focused on functional health status in relation to daily life and life quality. In addition the sense of coherence scale was used, as well as the European Organization or Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ C-30 questionnaire. The interview findings were analysed from a phenomenological-hermeneutic perspective and interpreted within the concept of transition. The entry to transition was marked by the men when experiencing an altered life continuum in terms of physical and existential fatigue, pain, micturition problems and an altered sex life. The passage phase was marked by descriptions of a new lifestyle where hope was a central internal resource, creating a positive illusion of life in order to endure. Their external resources were wives and family who supported physically (household matters, gardening) and psycho-logically (comfort, encouragement). The exit phase meant continuously adapting to a new life style, living with a slowly deteriorating functional health status, a new sense of dependency on others, daily life routine broken by in-patient hospital periods and contacts with primary health care. Thus the findings pointed more at continuously facing new passages than a stable exit, i.e. an ongoing transition. The areas of life imbalance described may serve as a basis for care assessment and intervention as well as supplying support of the transitional process.
Assessment of Genes Associated with Streptococcus mutans Biofilm Morphology

ABSTRACT Streptococcus mutans, the major pathogen responsible for dental caries in humans, is a biofilm-forming bacterium. In the present study, 17 different pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns of genomic DNA were identified in S. mutans organisms isolated clinically from whole saliva. The S. mutans isolates showed different abilities to form biofilms on polystyrene surfaces in semidefined minimal medium cultures. Following cultivation in a flow cell system in tryptic soy broth with 0.25% sucrose and staining using a BacLight LIVE/DEAD system, two strains, designated FSC-3 and FSC-4, showed the greatest and least, respectively, levels of biofilm formation when examined with confocal laser scanning microscopy. Further, image analyses of spatial distribution and architecture were performed to quantify the merged green (live cells) and red (dead cells) light. The light intensity of the FSC-3 biofilm was greater than that of the FSC-4 biofilm in the bottom area but not in the top area. S. mutans whole-genome array results showed that approximately 3.8% of the genes were differentially expressed in the two strains, of which approximately 2.2%, including bacitracin transport ATP-binding protein gene glrA and a BLpL-like putative immunity protein gene, were activated in FSC-3. In addition, about 1.6% of the genes, including those associated with phosphotransferase system genes, were repressed. Analyses of the glrA-deficient strains and reverse transcription-PCR confirmed the role of the gene in biofilm formation. Differential assessment of biofilm-associated genes in clinical strains may provide useful information for understanding the morphological development of streptococcal biofilm, as well as for colonization of S. mutans.
In vivo effects of human recombinant transforming growth factor β on bone turnover in normal mice

Reports of the effects of TGF‐β on bone cells are conflicting and controversial. Different cell culture and organ culture models for both osteoblasts and osteoclasts have given different responses. In some the effects are dependent on prostaglandin synthesis, and in others they are prostaglandin independent. To determine the effects of TGF‐β on osteoblasts and osteoclasts in vivo and the role of prostaglandins in mediating these effects, we injected 2.5–5 μg TGF‐β into the subcutaneous tissue overlying the calvariae of normal mice for 2–5 days and compared the morphologic responses in underlying calvarial bone with those in mice injected with vehicle alone. TGF‐β treatment had no effect on plasma calcium concentration. However, TGF‐β caused a marked increase in periosteal thickness (fivefold) and cellularity, morphologic changes in osteoblasts, and new mineralized bone formation. These effects were localized to the site of injection and were partially inhibited by concomitant indomethacin treatment. There was a parallel increase in osteoclast numbers in adjacent marrow spaces, and the osteoclasts formed were unusually large. In contrast, no increase in the numbers of osteoclasts was seen in indomethacin‐treated animals. These data show that TGF‐β has powerful effects on local bone cell function in vivo and that these effects may be mediated, in part, by prostaglandin generation.
Cisapride stimulates motility of the intestine via the 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors.

The effects of cisapride on intestinal contractility and on release of acetylcholine (ACh) were examined using the longitudinal muscle with the myenteric plexus preparation from the guinea pig ileum, as related to the 5-hydoxytryptamine (5-HT) receptor. 5-HT exerted a dual effect, transient increase in ACh release (EC50 = 2 X 10(-6)M) via the 5-HT3 receptor, followed by inhibition (EC50 = 5 X 10(-9)M) via the 5-HT1 receptor. Cisapride at low concentrations (10(-9)M to 10(-8)M) enhanced electrical stimulation -evoked contraction and ACh release. The effect of cisapride was mimicked by methysergide and was not altered by ICS 205-930. Cisapride antagonized the 5-HT (5 X 10(-9) M)-induced inhibitory effect and the IC50 of cisapride was 1.5 X 10(-9) M. These findings indicate that enhancement by low concentrations of cisapride may be due to a block of the inhibitory 5-HT1 receptor. Cisapride at medium concentrations (10(-8) M to 3 X 10(-7) M) induced enhancement of electrical stimulation-evoked twitch contractions and ACh release evoked by electrical stimulation which were antagonized by 10(-6) M ICS 205-930, while this compound antagonized the 5-HT (2 X 10(-6) M)-and 2-methyl-5-HT-induced excitatory effects, and the IC50 of cisapride was 5.2 X 10(-8) M. Thus, cisapride acts on the putative 5-HT4 receptor as an agonist and the 5-HT3 receptor as an antagonist. Cisapride at high concentrations (10(-6) M to 10(-5) M) evoked contraction and the release of ACh, and these effects were antagonized by ICS 205-930 (10(-6) M). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A High Resolution Clique-based Overlapping Community Detection Algorithm for Small-world Networkss

In this paper we propose a clique-based high-resolution overlapping community detection algorithm. The hub percolation method is able to find a large number of highly overlapping communities. Using different hub-selection strategies and parametrization we are able to fine tune the resolution of the algorithm. We also propose a weighted hub-selection strategy, allowing the algorithm to handle weighted networks in a natural way, without additional filtering. We will evaluate our method on various benchmarks, and we will also demonstrate the usefulness of our algorithm on a real-life economic case-study.
Change of Diffusion Tensor Imaging Parameters in Articular Cartilage With Progressive Proteoglycan Extraction

Objective:To investigate changes of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters (mean apparent diffusion coefficient [ADC], fractional anisotropy [FA], and first eigenvector) with increasing proteoglycan (PG) extraction of articular cartilage. Material and Methods:Twelve cylindrical cartilage-on-bone samples were drilled from 4 human patellae (3 per patella). Each sample was divided into 2 pieces. One piece underwent histologic examination to assess the PG content of the native sample by safranin-O staining and its collagen architecture by polarized light microscopy. The other underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 17.6 T for DTI measurement. After MRI, 2 of the 3 samples from each patella were immersed in a dilute trypsin solution (0.1 mg/mL), whereas the third sample was kept as a negative control in physiological saline. After incubation (6, 48, 72, and 96 hours), the samples were reimaged, stained for PG content and for the collagen orientation. Maps of ADC, FA, and the orientation of the first eigenvector as well as histology were available for each sample before and after incubation. Results:PG loss led to increased ADC and reduced safranin-O staining from the articular surface to the bone-cartilage interface. A significant correlation (r2 = 0.86, P < 0.01) was observed between the change in bulk ADC and PG loss. Regional analysis from the articular surface to the tide mark demonstrated depth dependent significant correlations of ADC and PG loss. FA and first eigenvector as well as polarized light microscopy showed only small changes in the order of magnitude of measurement errors, not correlating with PG loss. Conclusion:Mean diffusivity evidence by the ADC is linearly correlated to progressive PG extraction in articular cartilage. FA and the first eigenvector seem to be specific to the collagen architecture of cartilage. DTI has the potential to become a valuable biomarker for the workup of cartilage degeneration in osteoarthritis, since evaluation of the PG content and collagen architectural properties of cartilage can be performed with a single, non–contrast-enhanced proton-based MRI measurement.