Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An investigation of the impact of facial affect recognition impairments in moderate to severe TBI on fatigue, depression, and quality of life

ABSTRACT Individuals with moderate to severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) have been shown to experience significant problems in facial affect recognition (FAR). However, it is not known how these impairments relate to overall functioning and quality of life (QoL) following TBI. The aim of the current study was to test the hypothesis that worse performance on an FAR task would be associated with reduced QoL (related to social and emotional functioning), worse mood, and increased fatigue. Forty-seven individuals with TBI and 27 healthy controls (HCs) completed the facial emotion identification task (FEIT), as well as questionnaires assessing social and emotional QoL, mood, and fatigue. The TBI group performed significantly worse than HCs on the FEIT. A significant relationship between FAR and fatigue and QoL related to social and emotional functioning was documented, but in an unexpected direction: individuals who performed better on the FEIT reported poorer QoL and greater fatigue. Individuals who have better FAR may require increased effort to perform this task, and thus experience greater fatigue and poorer social and emotional QoL.
Functional connectivity associated with social networks in older adults: A resting-state fMRI study

ABSTRACT Poor social networks and decreased levels of social support are associated with worse mood, health, and cognition in younger and older adults. Yet, we know very little about the brain substrates associated with social networks and social support, particularly in older adults. This study examined functional brain substrates associated with social networks using the Social Network Index (SNI) and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Resting-state fMRI data from 28 non-demented older adults were analyzed with independent components analyses. As expected, four established resting-state networks—previously linked to motor, vision, speech, and other language functions—correlated with the quality (SNI-1: total number of high-contact roles of a respondent) and quantity (SNI-2: total number of individuals in a respondent’s social network) of social networks: a sensorimotor, a visual, a vestibular/insular, and a left frontoparietal network. Moreover, SNI-1 was associated with greater functional connectivity in the lateral prefrontal regions of the left frontoparietal network, while SNI-2 was associated with greater functional connectivity in the medial prefrontal regions of this network. Thus, lateral prefrontal regions may be particularly linked to the quality of social networks while medial prefrontal regions may be particularly linked to the quantity of social networks.
Empathy for pain influences perceptual and motor processing: Evidence from response force, ERPs, and EEG oscillations

ABSTRACT In the present study we investigated the nature and chronometry of empathy for pain influences on perceptual and motor processes. Thus, event-related brain potentials (ERPs), response force (RF) and oscillatory electroencephalography (EEG) activity were measured while participants were presented with pictures of body parts in painful or neutral situations. Their task consisted in either judging the painfulness of the stimuli or counting the body parts displayed. ERP results supported the assumption of an early automatic component of empathy for pain, as reflected by the early posterior negativity (EPN), and of a late controlled component, as reflected by the late posterior positivity (P3). RF indicated that empathy-evoking stimuli facilitate motor responses if attention is directed toward the pain dimension, whereas EEG oscillations in the mu-and beta-band revealed, independent of the task, an enhanced activation of the sensorimotor cortex after the response to painful compared to neutral stimuli. In conclusion, present findings indicate that empathy-evoking stimuli produce automatic and controlled effects on both perceptual and motor processing.
Modulation of reward in a live social context as revealed through interactive social neuroscience

ABSTRACT Social neuroscience research investigating autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has yielded inconsistent findings, despite ASD being well-characterized by difficulties in social interaction and communication through behavioral observation. In particular, specific etiologies and functional and structural assays of the brain in autism have not been consistently identified. To date, most social neuroscience research has focused on a single person viewing static images. Research utilizing interactive social neuroscience featuring dual-brain recording offers great promise for the study of neurodevelopmental disabilities. Reward processing has been implicated in the pathology of ASD, yet mixed findings have brought uncertainty about the role reward processing deficits may play in ASD. The current study employed dual-brain EEG recording to examine reward processing during live interaction and its relation to autistic traits. Sixteen typically developing (TD) adults played a competitive treasure-hunt game against a computer and against a human partner. EEG results revealed enhanced neural sensitivity to reward outcome during live interaction with a human competitor. Further, individuals with higher levels of autistic traits demonstrated reduced sensitivity to reward outcome during live interaction. These findings provide novel insight into reward processing mechanisms associated with autistic traits, as well as support the necessary utility of interactive social neuroscience techniques to study developmental disorders.
Crohn's disease‐associated Escherichia coli LF82 aggravates colitis in injured mouse colon via signaling by flagellin

Background: Ileal lesions in Crohn's disease patients are colonized by pathogenic adherent‐invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) that harbor various virulence factors involved in adhesion to and invasion of intestinal epithelial cultured cells. We investigated in a mouse model of colonic inflammation the behavior of virulent AIEC reference bacteria LF82 compared to that of nonflagellated LF82 mutants. Methods: BALBc/J mice with intact or dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)‐injured colon were orally challenged daily with 108 bacteria. The severity of colitis was assessed by determining disease activity index, colonic histological score, and myeoloperoxidase activity. Flagellin receptor and cytokine expression was measured by reverse‐transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) in colonic tissue. Results: In contrast to nonpathogenic E. coli, virulent LF82 bacteria exacerbated colitis in DSS‐treated mice, substantially reducing survival rate, greatly lowering stool consistency, inducing marked weight loss and increased rectal bleeding, and significantly increasing erosive lesions and mucosal inflammation. Nonflagellated LF82 mutants behaved like nonpathogenic E. coli K‐12. Interestingly, oral infection with LF82 virulent bacteria, but not with a nonvirulent LF82 mutant, induced a 7.0‐fold increase in the levels of TLR5 and a 3.1‐fold increase in those of ipaf mRNA, which encode respectively membrane and cytosolic receptors involved in the recognition of flagellin. Hence, a 5.6‐fold increase in IL‐1&bgr; and a 5.3‐fold increase in mRNA of IL‐6 were observed in mice challenged with AIEC LF82 bacteria. Conclusions: Crohn's disease‐associated virulent AIEC LF82 bacteria, via expression of flagella, are able to potentiate an inflammatory mucosal immune response involving increased expression of TLR5 and IPAF flagellin receptors.
Multiple myeloma: disease response assessment

ABSTRACT Precise assessment of response to therapy is of high importance in every phase of multiple myeloma (MM). In addition to the well-established role of monoclonal protein for clinical monitoring, several methods of minimal residual disease evaluation, both inside and outside the bone marrow (BM), are to date available. Next generation flow cytometry and sequencing are probably the best approaches at the BM level, being highly sensitive and uniformly applied. FDG PET/CT is the best imaging technique for evaluating and monitoring response to therapy outside the BM. Functional whole-body MRI techniques (DCE and DWI) seem promising for response evaluation and need further studies. Standardization of most of these techniques is in progress.
Lymphocyte homing and its role in the pathogenesis of IBD.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an idiopathic disorder of chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Experimental models of IBD and results from human genomewide linkage studies suggest that the primary defect that leads to IBD is an inappropriate mucosal immune response to normal intestinal microbes. Genetic alterations not only confer increased susceptibility to IBD but also appear to determine the nature and location of the intestinal inflammation, as is evident in patients with genetic alterations of NOD2 and their susceptibility for ileal Crohn's disease. IBD has traditionally been classified into 2 subtypes, namely, ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), based on histological appearance and anatomical distribution. However, an increasing body of data supports the concept that IBD is an umbrella diagnosis encompassing a variety of disorders with distinct genetic, microbial, and environmental determinants that cluster either into a UC or CD phenotype. The shared common pathway is uncontrolled intestinal inflammation. A key element in the pathogenesis of intestinal inflammation in both UC and CD is increased leukocyte recruitment from the circulation, and this provides a potential target for pharmaceutical inhibition. In this article we review the current understanding of the molecules that determine leukocyte trafficking to the gut and highlight opportunities where their inhibition could be exploited to treat IBD. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2008).
EXPERIENCES AND VIEWS OF PREGNANT WOMEN ON SMOKING

Backround: Worldwide, approximately 1 billion people, from which 200-250 million are women, smoke. Based on the Estonian Medical Birth Register data, in 2010, 7,5% of pregnant women were smokers, and in 2012, 7% of pregnant women were smoking during their pregnancy. Thus, smoking rates among pregnant women fell only 0,5%. The objective of the research was to find out the views of pregnant women who were smoking during pregnancy of the effect of smoking on the health of them and their babies, and experiences in quitting smoking, changing indicators, e.g. smoking and socioeconomical status (initial exposure to smoking, employment, long-term partnerships etc.) in 2009-2013. Methods: This research is a phenomenological study, which was being carried out from October 2009 until January 2013. Data collection methods were semi-structured interviews with 45 pregnant women smoking during their pregnancy and being registered for antenatal care in three health care institutions of Republic of Estonia. An inductive approach for qualitative analysis was used. Results: Most women smoking during pregnancy started smoking in their teens, their parents smoked, they were under 30 years old housewives or unemployed. On an average of 11-20 cigarettes were consumed each day, the pregnancy of the research group did not influence frequency and tobacco intake. The participants in the research group reported that tobacco consumption helped them relax, gave them a chance to spend time in a good company, and it was not regarded as a bad habit but a social addiction, being caused by availability of tobacco products. Although most of them had an opinion about harmful effects of smoking, e.g. a cough, asthma and rapid fatigue, on the health of them and less on their expected babies, they continued smoking. Conclusions: The smoking and socioeconomical status of women smoking during pregnancy in 2009-2013 has not changed, health awareness of them is low and has not improved. Support groups with close relatives are needed to motivate cessation. In the first place, prevention needs a good example, purposeful cooperation, which starts in daily life context – at homes, in educational institutions and in the community. Limiting the availability of tobacco products, postponing and preventing an initial exposure to smoking are thought to be of great importance. The results of the research will be introduced in health care institutions and they can be used in the health promotion process.
Enhancing acute myeloid leukemia therapy - monitoring response using residual disease testing as a guide to therapeutic decision-making

ABSTRACT Introduction: Current standards for monitoring the response of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) are based on morphologic assessments of the bone marrow and recovery of peripheral blood counts. A growing experience is being developed to enhance the detection of small amounts of AML, or minimal residual disease (MRD). Areas covered: Available techniques include multi-color flow cytometry (MFC) of leukemia associated immunophenotypes (LAIP), quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) for detecting fusion and mutated genes (RUNX1-RUNX1T1, CBFB-MYH11, and NPM1), overexpression of genes such as WT1, and next generation sequencing (NGS) for MRD. Expert commentary: While MRD monitoring is standard of care in some leukemia subsets such as acute promyelocytic leukemia, this approach for the broader AML population does not universally predict outcomes as some patients may experience relapse in the setting of undetectable leukemia while others show no obvious disease progression despite MRD positivity. However, there are instances where MRD can identify patients at increased risk for relapse that may change recommended therapy. Currently, prospective investigations to define clinically relevant MRD thresholds are ongoing. Risk-adapted trials are needed to best define the use of MRD in the follow up of AML patients after initial induction therapy.
Observer variability in the histologic diagnosis of microscopic colitis

Background: Microscopic colitis is diagnosed based on histologic criteria. There has been no investigation of the reproducibility of the histologic diagnosis of microscopic colitis. Our aim was to evaluate interobserver and intraobserver variation in this diagnosis. Methods: Colonic biopsies from 90 subjects (20 lymphocytic colitis, 20 collagenous colitis, 20 inflammatory bowel disease, and 30 normal) were blindly and independently reviewed by 4 gastrointestinal pathologists. The biopsies were classified by each pathologist into 1 of 6 diagnostic categories: lymphocytic colitis, collagenous colitis, active chronic colitis, focal active colitis, normal, or other. The slides were then relabeled and blindly reinterpreted 3 months later. The degree of agreement was determined using kappa statistics (&lgr;). Results: Interobserver agreement with the 6 diagnostic categories was 69% (&kgr; = 0.76, 95% CI 0.69, 0.83) and 70% (&kgr; = 0.71, 95% CI 0.61, 0.79) for the first and second observations, respectively. Interobserver agreement with final diagnostic categories of microscopic colitis versus nonmicroscopic colitis was 91% (&kgr; = 0.90, 95% CI 0.82, 0.96) and 88% (&kgr; = 0.83, 95% CI 0.73, 0.92), respectively. Mean intraobserver agreement with the 6 diagnostic categories was 83% (&kgr; = 0.77). Mean intraobserver agreement with the final diagnostic categories of microscopic colitis versus nonmicroscopic colitis was 95% (&kgr; = 0.89). Conclusions: Both interobserver and intraobserver agreement were good in distinguishing among the 6 diagnostic categories, and excellent in distinguishing between microscopic colitis and nonmicroscopic colitis diagnoses. The histologic criteria for microscopic colitis provide for consistent and reproducible interindividual and intraindividual diagnoses in the evaluation of colonic biopsies.
Comparison of the solar photocatalytic activity of ZnO-Fe_2O_3 and ZnO-Fe^0 on 2,4-D degradation in a CPC reactor

In this work a comparative study of the catalytic activity of ZnO-Fe_2O_3 and ZnO-Fe^0 0.5 wt% materials was carried out in the degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) as a commercial formulation Hierbamina®, using a compound parabolic collector (CPC) reactor. The catalysts were synthesized by the sol-gel method and characterized by X-ray diffraction, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy. The textural properties of solids were determined from N_2 adsorption isotherms using the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) method. The incorporation of Fe^0 onto ZnO was demonstrated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis. The photocatalytic tests were performed at pH 7, using 10 mg L^−1 of herbicide and 0.5 g L^−1 of catalyst loading. The decay in herbicide concentration was followed by reversed-phase chromatography. A complete degradation of 2,4-D was achieved using ZnO-Fe^0 while 47% of herbicide removal was attained with ZnO-Fe_2O_3 mixed oxide for an accumulated energy Q _UV ≈ 2 kJ L^−1. The removal percentage of total organic carbon (TOC) during the solar photocatalytic process was superior using ZnO-Fe^0, achieving 45% compared to the 15% obtained with the mixed oxide catalyst.
Mechanisms of action of probiotics: Recent advances

&NA; The intestinal microbiota plays a fundamental role in maintaining immune homeostasis. In controlled clinical trials probiotic bacteria have demonstrated a benefit in treating gastrointestinal diseases, including infectious diarrhea in children, recurrent Clostridium difficile‐induced infection, and some inflammatory bowel diseases. This evidence has led to the proof of principle that probiotic bacteria can be used as a therapeutic strategy to ameliorate human diseases. The precise mechanisms influencing the crosstalk between the microbe and the host remain unclear but there is growing evidence to suggest that the functioning of the immune system at both a systemic and a mucosal level can be modulated by bacteria in the gut. Recent compelling evidence has demonstrated that manipulating the microbiota can influence the host. Several new mechanisms by which probiotics exert their beneficial effects have been identified and it is now clear that significant differences exist between different probiotic bacterial species and strains; organisms need to be selected in a more rational manner to treat disease. Mechanisms contributing to altered immune function in vivo induced by probiotic bacteria may include modulation of the microbiota itself, improved barrier function with consequent reduction in immune exposure to microbiota, and direct effects of bacteria on different epithelial and immune cell types. These effects are discussed with an emphasis on those organisms that have been used to treat human inflammatory bowel diseases in controlled clinical trials.
Vitamin D: Bone Health and Beyond

The “sunshine vitamin” or vitamin D has long been known to play an important role in the promotion and maintenance of strong, healthy bones. Vitamin D status has generally not been a focus of public health concern for many years; reasons include our endogenous manufacture of vitamin D in the skin, fortification of some foods, and the rarity of overt childhood vitamin D deficiency (“rickets”) in the United States and Europe. However, recent evidence suggests that the vitamin D status of many Americans may, in fact, be reason for significant concern. And it is not just bone health that is affected. Research indicates that vitamin D has many nonskeletal functions. Epidemiologic associations have linked vitamin D with the risk of developing a host of health conditions, including multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, some cancers, and forms of depression. At the same time, questions remain about the risks and benefits of exposure to sunlight, supplement use, and food fortification. Worldwide vitamin D insufficiency has been termed a “pandemic” by some experts. Yet most experts agree that, to date, insufficient data exist to support reliable assessment and supplementation guidelines for most subpopulations. This article describes the state of knowledge about vitamin D, clinical implications, screening criteria, dietary and supplemental sources, and recommendations.
Early Experience of Laparoscopic Partial Nephrectomy for Renal Tumor

Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for patients with renal tumors from our early experiences. Materials and Methods: Between February 2004 and February 2006, 20 patients with renal tumors underwent a laparoscopic partial nephrectomy, and of these, 15 were enrolled in our study. The mean age and body mass index of 6 male and 9 female were 55.2 years and 23.9, respectively. The mean tumor size was 4.2 cm. The operation was performed with a 4 trocar system through a transperitoneal approach. Bleeding from the renal parenchyme was controlled using sutures, argon beam coagulation, fibrin glue and cellulose meshes. Results: The laparoscopic partial nephrectomies were successfully performed in all patients. The mean operative time and transfusion rate were 180.7 minutes and 60%, respectively. In 6 patients, vascular bulldog clamps were used to remove the tumor mass, with a mean warm ischemic time of 32.5 minutes. The initiation of the postoperative oral intake and ambulation were 1.6 and 2.7 days, respectively, with a mean hospital stay of 8.8 days. Complications were detected in 2 patients, one case each of urinary leakage and an incisional hernia. Pathological examinations revealed renal cell carcinomas with negative surgical margins in 9 patients and angiomyolipomas in a further 6. There was no recurrence during the mean follow-up of 11.4 months. Conclusions: A laparoscopic partial nephrectomy for a renal tumor can be safely performed. Although excellent perioperative outcomes were observed, long-term follow-up is still necessary to confirm theist effect on cancer control. (Korean J Urol 2007;48:1-5) ꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏꠏ
The management of ‘hard-to-prepare’ colonoscopy patients

ABSTRACT Introduction: Effective bowel cleansing is crucial for high quality colonoscopy. A notable portion of patients still present with low quality bowel preparation prior to their colonoscopy, compromising the overall quality of their colonoscopy. Areas covered: This review focuses on the main strategies that can improve the cleansing quality with a special interest on those clinical conditions that have been associated with a poor bowel preparation quality, such as patients with chronic constipation, history of bowel resection, liver cirrhosis, diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease. The review provides a practical and evidence-based approach to help clinicians in the management of ‘hard-to-prepare’ patients. Expert commentary: In the past few years, the quality of colonoscopy has become a hot topic and bowel cleansing is a crucial part of it; however, the approach to patients with an increased risk of poor bowel preparation quality is still not always supported by high-quality evidence, since most of these patients are routinely excluded from the clinical studies. Trials focused on this subgroup of patients are recommended to provide tailored bowel preparation regimens and guarantee high-quality procedures.