Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Associations Between Intake of Folate and Related Micronutrients with Molecularly Defined Colorectal Cancer Risks in the Iowa Women's Health Study

Folate and related micronturients may affect colorectal cancer (CRC) risk, but the molecular mechanism(s) remain incompletely defined. We analyzed associations between dietary folate, vitamin B6, vitamin B12, and methionine with incident CRC, overall and by microsatellite instability (MSS/MSI-L or MSI-H), CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP-negative or CIMP-positive), BRAF mutation (negative or positive), and KRAS mutation (negative or positive) status in the prospective, population-based Iowa Women's Health Study (IWHS; 55–69 years at baseline; n = 41,836). Intake estimates were obtained from baseline, self-reported food frequency questionnaires. Molecular marker data were obtained for 514 incident CRC cases. Folate intake was inversely associated with overall CRC risk in age-adjusted Cox regression models, whereas methionine intake was inversely associated with overall CRC risk in multivariable-adjusted models [relative risk (RR) = 0.81; 95% CI = 0.69–0.95; P trend = 0.001 and RR = 0.72; 95% CI = 0.54–0.96; P trend = 0.03 for highest vs. lowest quartiles, respectively]. None of the dietary exposures were associated with MSI, CIMP, BRAF, or KRAS defined CRC subtypes. These data provide minimal support for major effects from the examined micronutrients on overall or molecularly defined CRC risks in the IWHS cohort.
Relationship between glomerulomegaly and clinicopathologic findings in IgA nephropathy.

BACKGROUND Large glomeruli are a common finding in the early stages of progressive renal disease. We studied the relationship between glomerular surface area (GSA) and clinicopathologic features of IgA nephropathy (IgAN), including renal outcome, to better understand the role of GSA in IgAN. METHODS We analyzed renal biopsy specimens and clinical information from 34 patients with IgAN. Mean and maximal GSA were determined using a computed imaging analyzer. RESULTS Mean GSA was 16,811 ± 4,671 μ2 in IgAN patients (n = 34). When we analyzed various clinical parameters of IgAN patients, there were significant correlations between mean or maximal GSA and age, body mass index (BMI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and pathologic findings including H.S. Lee' grades, interstitial fibrosis, and tubular atrophy. GSA did not show any relationship with the degree of hematuria and proteinuria. By multivariate regression analysis of age, BMI, blood pressure, H.S. Lee' grades, and eGFR as independent variables, mean GSA was associated with H.S Lee' grades and initial eGFR. The results for maximal GSA were the same as those for mean GSA. When we divided IgAN patients according to their mean levels of GSA, the group with larger GSA had higher blood pressure and H.S. Lee' grades and lower initial and final eGFR. More patients in the larger GSA group showed the decline in eGFR of more than 15 ml/min/1.73 m2 during the followup period compared with the smaller group. CONCLUSION These results suggest that glomerular size, estimated by measuring GSA, is related to pathologic findings and renal function in IgAN. However, further investigation is required to determine if GSA can be used as a prognostic indicator of IgAN.
Ablation of residual Barrett’s epithelium after endoscopic resection: a randomized long-term follow-up study of argon plasma coagulation vs. surveillance (APE study)

Background and study aim: It is commonly assumed that ablation of any remaining Barrett’s epithelium after endoscopic resection of early Barrett’s neoplasia improves outcome by reducing the rate of metachronous lesions, but this has not yet been evaluated in a randomized trial. The aim of this study was to compare argon plasma coagulation (APC) with surveillance only for the management of residual Barrett’s epithelium following endoscopic resection. Patients and methods: Patients in whom focal early Barrett’s neoplasia (high grade intraepithelial neoplasia [HGIN] or mucosal cancer) had been curatively resected by endoscopy were randomly assigned to undergo ablation of the residual Barrett’s segment by APC or surveillance only; pH-metry-adjusted proton pump inhibitor therapy was administered in both groups. The main outcome parameter was recurrence-free survival. Follow-up endoscopies with biopsies in cases of further residual Barrett’s epithelium were carried out at 6-monthly intervals in both groups. Results: A total of 63 patients (57 male [90.5 %]) were included in the study (ablation group n = 33; surveillance group n = 30). For complete Barrett’s ablation, a mean number of 4 ± 1.6 APC sessions were required (range 2 – 7). The mean follow-up duration did not differ significantly between ablation (28.2 ± 13.7 months, range 0 – 44) and surveillance patients (24.7 ± 14.8 months, range 0 – 45; P = 0.159). The number of secondary lesions was 1 in the ablation group (3 %), and 11 in the surveillance group (36.7 %), leading to significantly higher recurrence-free survival for the patients undergoing ablation (P = 0.005). Conclusions: Thermal ablation of residual Barrett’s epithelium leads to a significant reduction in neoplasia recurrence rate compared with a surveillance strategy during a limited follow-up of 2 years. A longer follow-up duration may have led to a relatively higher rate of secondary neoplasia in both groups of patients.
Sublethal concentrations of the platinum(II) complex [Pt(O,O′‐acac)(γ‐acac)(DMS)] alter the motility and induce anoikis in MCF‐7 cells

Background and purpose: We showed previously that a new Pt(II) complex ([Pt(O,O′‐acac)(γ‐acac)(DMS)]) exerted high and fast apoptotic processes in MCF‐7 cells. The objective of this study was to investigate the hypothesis that [Pt(O,O′‐acac)(γ‐acac)(DMS)] is also able to exert anoikis and alter the migration ability of MCF‐7 cells, and to show some of the signalling events leading to these alterations.
Stroke risk factors and development of collateral flow in carotid occlusive disease

Background and purpose – Blood flow through collateral vessels compensates for reduced blood flow through stenotic or occluded extracranial carotid arteries. Previous studies have shown that extent of collateral flow influences likelihood of stroke and its outcome. Here we analyzed the relationship between stroke risk factors (hypertension, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, tobacco smoking and hypercholesterolemia) and number of patent intracranial collaterals detected by transcranial Doppler ultrasonography. Subjects and methods – We studied 182 patients with various degrees of angiography proven unilateral stenosis of the internal carotid artery. Contribution of the anterior and posterior communicating arteries to the perfusion of the cerebral hemisphere on the side of the stenosis or occlusion was evaluated by a series of compression tests performed during continuous insonation of the middle cerebral artery. The number of detected collateral vessels was correlated with analyzed stroke risk factors. Results – Subjects with stenosis more than 75% or occlusion of the internal carotid artery had a higher frequency of two major intracranial collateral vessels (P0.01 and P0.001, respectively). Hypertensive patients with stenosis more than 75% or total carotid occlusion were more likely to have only a single collateral vessel than patients without hypertension (P0.01 and P0.05, respectively). Other risk factors did not influence the patency of preformed collateral vessels. Conclusions – Hypertension hindered the development of preformed intracranial collateral vessels in our patients with carotid occlusive disease.
Titan Cell Production Enhances the Virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans

ABSTRACT Infection with Cryptococcus neoformans begins when desiccated yeast cells or spores are inhaled and lodge in the alveoli of the lungs. A subset of cryptococcal cells in the lungs differentiate into enlarged cells, referred to as titan cells. Titan cells can be as large as 50 to 100 μm in diameter and exhibit a number of features that may affect interactions with host immune defenses. To characterize the effect of titan cell formation on the host-pathogen interaction, we utilized a previously described C. neoformans mutant, the gpr4Δ gpr5Δ mutant, which has minimal titan cell production in vivo. The gpr4Δ gpr5Δ mutant strain had attenuated virulence, a lower CFU, and reduced dissemination compared to the wild-type strain. Titan cell production by the wild-type strain also resulted in increased eosinophil accumulation and decreased phagocytosis in the lungs compared to those with the gpr4Δ gpr5Δ mutant strain. Phagocytosed cryptococcal cells exhibited less viability than nonphagocytosed cells, which potentially explains the reduced cell survival and overall attenuation of virulence in the absence of titan cells. These data show that titan cell formation is a novel virulence factor in C. neoformans that promotes establishment of the initial pulmonary infection and plays a key role in disease progression.
A controversial issue: Power components in nonsinusoidal single-phase systems

This paper presents a numerical comparison and a discussion on apparent power decompositions in single phase circuits with sinusoidal/nonsinusoidal voltages and/or currents for the purpose of understanding the debate on the interpretation of power components. The scope of this study is limited to the apparent power decompositions of IEEE Std. 1459–2010 and C. I. Budeanu who is the owner of the first three dimensional approach. The points which are in common and separated from each other are given by numerical analysis. In addition, the content of IEEE's harmonic distortion power (DH) is introduced in terms of power components.
Molecular dosimetry of aflatoxin-N7-guanine in human urine obtained in The Gambia, West Africa.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the major human cancers, causing at least 250,000 deaths each year. Two of the major risk factors for this disease are aflatoxin exposure and hepatitis B virus. This study was undertaken to explore the relationship between dietary exposure to aflatoxins and the excretion of the major aflatoxin-DNA adduct and other metabolites into the urine of chronically exposed people who were either hepatitis B virus surface antigen-positive or -negative. The diets of 20 individuals, 10 males and 10 females, with ages ranging from 15 to 56 years, were monitored for 1 week, and aflatoxin intake levels were determined for each day. Starting on the fourth day, total 24-h urines were consecutively obtained for 4 days. The subjects were generally paired for hepatitis B virus status. Preparative monoclonal antibody affinity chromatography/high-performance liquid chromatography and competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were carried out on each of the urine samples, and the relationship between aflatoxin intake values and the excretion of (a) total aflatoxin metabolites and (b) aflatoxin-N7-guanine (AFB-N7-guanine) was determined. The average intake of total aflatoxins was 12.0 micrograms for the entire study group during the 1-week collection period. However, there was considerable day-to-day variation in exposures, from a low of zero to a high of 29.6 micrograms total aflatoxins/day. Initial efforts to characterize total aflatoxin metabolites in the urine samples were made by competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The correlation coefficient for the analysis was 0.65, with P < 0.001. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Screening for founder mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 in unselected Jewish women.

PURPOSE There are two mutations in BRCA1 and one mutation in BRCA2 that are present in up to 2.5% of Ashkenazi Jewish women. Current guidelines for testing stipulate that a personal or family history of cancer be present to be eligible for testing. To date, population screening in this population has not been suggested. However, this may be rational. Little is known about the appropriateness of testing guidelines for the Jewish population or the level of interest in testing. METHODS Eligible subjects were women who self-identified as Jewish, who were between the ages of 25 and 80 years, and who resided in Ontario. Subjects were recruited through an article in a national newspaper. Women were asked to complete a study questionnaire and a family history questionnaire and to provide a blood or saliva sample. The risk of carrying a BRCA mutation was estimated for each woman. Results A total of 2,080 women were enrolled onto the study. The overall mutation prevalence was 1.1% (0.5% for BRCA1 and 0.6% for BRCA2). Among the 22 mutation carriers, the mean estimate of carrying a BRCA mutation was 3.9%. Ten (45%) of the 22 women met the current Ontario Ministry of Health Guidelines criteria for testing. CONCLUSION There is considerable interest for genetic testing among Jewish women at low risk of carrying a mutation. However, many women with mutations are ineligible for genetic testing under current guidelines. Approximately 1% of Jewish women carry a BRCA mutation, and these women should be considered to be candidates for genetic testing.
Hippocampal volume in women victimized by childhood sexual abuse

Background. Several prior studies have found reduced hippocampal volume in victims of psychological trauma with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We were interested to determine if this finding was evident in women who were victimized by severe sexual abuse in childhood. Methods. In this study, hippocampal volume was measured using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 21 women who reported being severely sexually abused in childhood and 21 socio-demographically similar women without abuse histories. Results. Women who reported sexual victimization in childhood had significantly reduced (5% smaller) left-sided hippocampal volume compared to the non-victimized women. Hippocampal volume was also smaller on the right side, but this failed to reach statistical significance. Left-sided hippocampal volume correlated highly (rs=−0·73) with dissociative symptom severity, but not with indices of explicit memory functioning. Conclusions. These findings, which are generally consistent with prior reports of reduced hippocampal volume in combat veterans with PTSD, suggest that diminished hippocampal size may be either a consequence of trauma exposure or a risk factor for the development of psychiatric complications following trauma exposure. The observed relationship between symptom severity and hippocampal volume suggests that mesial temporal lobe dysfunction may directly mediate certain aspects of PTSD and dissociative disorder symptomatology.
Overweight and health problems of the lower extremities: osteoarthritis, pain and disability

Abstract Aim To examine the association between overweight and health problems of the lower extremities, i.e. osteoarthritis (OA), pain and disability. Methods Cross-sectional data from the Dutch population-based Musculoskeletal Conditions & Consequences Cohort (DMC3), comprising a random sample from the Dutch population aged >25 years (n 3664), were analysed using multivariate logistic regression. Overweight was defined as BMI ≥ 25·0 kg/m2, moderate overweight as 25·0 kg/m2 ≤ BMI < 30·0 kg/m2 and obesity as BMI ≥ 30·0 kg/m2. Health problems of the lower extremities were: (i) self-reported OA of the hip or knee as told by a doctor; (ii) presence of self-reported chronic pain (>3 months) of the lower extremities; and (iii) disabilities in mobility as measured by the Euroqol questionnaire (EQ-5D). Results Moderate overweight was associated with self-reported OA of the hip or knee (OR = 1·7; 95 % CI 1·4, 2·1), chronic pain of the lower extremities at one or more location(s) (OR = 1·6; 95 % CI 1·3, 1·9) and disability in mobility (OR = 1.7; 95 % CI 1·4, 2·0). For obesity these odds were higher: 2·8 (95 % CI 2·1, 3·7), 2·5 (95 % CI 1·9, 3·2) and 3·0 (95 % CI 2·3, 3·9), respectively. Also, among those with OA, moderate overweight and obesity were associated with disability in mobility. Conclusion There is a strong association between overweight/obesity and health problems of the lower extremities, i.e. OA, pain and disability. The increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity worldwide urges for public health action not only for diabetes and heart disease, but also OA.
Impact of Time Between Collection and Collection Method on Human Tear Fluid Osmolarity

Abstract Aim: To generate data on the variability of tear osmolarity in a control (normal, non-dry eye) and symptomatic dry eye population (Ocular Surface Disease Index: OSDI ≥20). A secondary outcome is the determination of the effect that tear collection technique has on the osmolarity of the sample. Materials and methods: This was a two-phase study that recruited 20 subjects (n = 10 normal, n = 10 dry eye) to evaluate the influence of time between measurements (Phase I) and 30 subjects (n = 15 normal, n = 15 dry eye) to evaluate the influence of collection technique (Phase II). As part of Phase I, serial tear osmolarity measurements were performed on each eye; four separated by 15 min followed by four separated by 1 min, at each of three visits. Phase II compared the consecutive measurement of four in vivo tear samples to four in vitro measurements on tears collected and dispensed from a glass capillary tube. Results: During Phase I, the dry eye group had a significantly higher maximum osmolarity (334.2 ± 25.6 mOsm/L) compared to the normal group (304.0 ± 8.4 mOsm/L, p = 0.002). No significant differences were observed whether collections were performed at 15 or 1 min intervals. During Phase II, the in vivo osmolarity was equivalent to in vitro measurements from glass capillary tube samples for both the dry eye group (323.0 ± 16.7 mOsm/L versus 317.7 ± 24.8, p = 0.496), and for the normal subjects (301.2 ± 7.2 mOsm/L versus 301.9 ± 16.0 mOsm/L, p = 0.884). Conclusion: Symptomatic dry eye subjects exhibited a significantly higher tear osmolarity and variation over time than observed in normal subjects, reflecting the inherent tear film instability of dry eye disease. There was no change in the distribution of tear osmolarity measurements whether tears were collected in rapid succession or given time to equilibrate, and collection method had no impact on tear osmolarity.
Regurgitation of bile acids from leaky bile ducts causes sclerosing cholangitis in Mdr2 (Abcb4) knockout mice.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Because the mechanisms leading to bile duct damage in sclerosing cholangitis are unknown, we aimed to determine the pathogenesis of bile duct injury in multidrug resistance gene (Mdr2) (Abcb4) knockout mice (Mdr2(-/-)) as a novel model of the disease. METHODS Mdr2(-/-) and wild-type controls (Mdr2(+/+)) were studied at 2, 4, and 8 weeks of age. Liver histology, ultrastructure, immunofluorescence microscopy (to study inflammatory cells, tight junction protein ZO-1, basement membrane protein laminin, fluorescence-labeled ursodeoxycholic acid), immunohistochemistry (for alpha-smooth muscle actin, nitrotyrosine), sirius red staining, bacterial cultures of intra-abdominal organs, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for Helicobacter bilis DNA were compared between both genotypes. Hepatic cytokine expression was determined by reverse-transcription PCR. RESULTS Bile ducts of Mdr2(-/-) showed disrupted tight junctions and basement membranes, bile acid leakage into portal tracts, induction of a portal inflammatory (CD11b, CD4-positive) infiltrate, and activation of proinflammatory (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-alpha, interleukin [IL]-1beta) and profibrogenic cytokines (transforming growth factor [TGF]-beta1). This resulted in activation of periductal myofibroblasts, leading to periductal fibrosis, separating the peribiliary plexus from bile duct epithelial cells and, finally, causing atrophy and death of the bile duct epithelium. Bacterial translocation was not increased and H. bilis was not detectable in Mdr2(-/-). CONCLUSIONS Sclerosing cholangitis in Mdr2(-/-) mice is a multistep process with regurgitation of bile from leaky ducts into the portal tracts, leading to induction of periductal inflammation, followed by activation of periductal fibrogenesis, finally causing obliterative cholangitis owing to atrophy and death of bile duct epithelial cells.
Health and exposures of United Kingdom Gulf war veterans. Part II: The relation of health to exposure

OBJECTIVES To investigate whether, in personnel who served with the United Kingdom forces in the Gulf war, self reported exposures were related to symptoms in a way that was consistent, specific, and credible. METHODS Responses to symptom and exposure questionnaires, completed 7 or more years after the war, were collected from 7971 subjects deployed in the Gulf, from two exposed cohorts, in a study with an overall response rate of 85.5%. Exposures were considered in three groups, those outside the control of the subjects, the use of prophylaxis, and indicators of susceptibility. Health indices derived from symptom questionnaires were related to reports of 14 exposures in these three groups in a series of multiple regression analyses to allow for confounding. The relation of exposure to complaints of widespread pain and to symptoms suggesting peripheral neuropathy were examined by logistic regression. RESULTS Consistent but weak correlations between exposures and with health effects were found in independent analyses of the two (main and validation) cohorts. Three exposures outside the control of the subject, the number of inoculations, the number of days handling pesticides, and the days exposed to smoke from oil fires, were consistently and independently related to severity. The number of inoculations was also associated with higher scores on a factor weighted on symptoms associated with skin and musculoskeletal complaints. The number of days handling pesticides related particularly to scores on a neurological factor and to symptoms consistent with toxic neuropathy. CONCLUSION The relations between exposures and ill health were generally weak. Consistent, specific, and credible relations, warranting further investigation, were found between health indices and two exposures, the reported number of inoculations and days handling pesticides.