Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Safety and potential usefulness of liver biopsy in HIV‐seropositive haemophiliacs employing a transjugular venous approach

Summary. Chronic liver disease has affected a majority of haemophiliacs exposed to factor VIII and factor IX concentrates before effective viral attenuation techniques were introduced. Progressive hepatitis and liver failure have increasingly become causes of morbidity, especially in haemophilia patients also seropositive for HIV. Encouraging reports of recombinant alpha interferon to reverse the histological, laboratory and clinical deterioration of chronic active hepatitis justifies obtaining liver biopsies to assess the severity of liver damage; however, the percutaneous method carries a significant risk of bleeding. Therefore, we employed a transjugular venous approach for liver biopsies in six HCV‐, HBSAb‐ and HIV‐seropositive adults with severe haemophilia A (n = 5) or B (n = 1) with persistent liver function abnormalities. Adequacy of the specimens and lack of haemorrhagic complications leads us to conclude that this procedure appears to be safe and effective in individuals with severe haemophilia or other congenital or acquired coagulopathies.
Epidemiology of inhalant use

Purpose of review The aim of the present article is to review recent research on the prevalence and correlates of inhalant use. Recent findings During the review period more prevalence studies have been conducted in the developing world, adding information to the ongoing studies that are periodically undertaken in the more developed countries. These studies suggest that inhalant use is widespread among children and adolescents and is increasing among females in the developing and developed world. Not all surveys report inhalants as a separate group from other illegal substances; data by type of inhalants are even rarer, and few studies address abuse or dependence. New evidence suggests lower reliability rates for the diagnostic criteria of dependence as compared with other substances, suggesting the need for a review including the evidence of withdrawal. Studies conducted in the period identify vulnerable groups and suggest an increased risk of injecting drug use, HIV, suicidality and psychiatric disorders among inhalant users. Summary The extension of inhalant abuse and its adverse consequences argues for greater efforts to advance classification and to increase knowledge through research, including the evaluation of prevention and treatment models.
Consumption of Oat Milk for 5 Weeks Lowers Serum Cholesterol and LDL Cholesterol in Free-Living Men with Moderate Hypercholesterolemia

The aim of this study was to investigate whether consumption of a newly developed oat milk deprived of insoluble fiber would result in lower serum cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels in men with moderate hypercholesterolemia. The study had a randomized, controlled double-blind design, and oat milk was compared with an identically flavored control drink. Sixty-six men were recruited from a screening program and were randomly assigned to two groups. Each group took either oat milk or a control drink (rice milk) for 5 weeks (0.75 liters/day) and then switched to the other drink regimen for another 5-week period with a 5-week washout period between the test periods. The oat milk contained more dietary fiber, especially β-glucan (0.5 g/100 g), than the control drink (<0.02 g/100 g). Both drinks were well appreciated and got similar sensory evaluation, indicating that the double-blind design had been attained. In the final analysis 52 subjects remained. Compared with the control drink, intake of oat milk resulted in significantly lower serum total cholesterol (6%, p = 0.005) and LDL cholesterol (6%, p = 0.036) levels. The decrease in LDL cholesterol was more pronounced if the starting value was higher (r = –0.55, p < 0.001). The concentration of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was not significantly different after consumption of the two drinks. Serum triglycerides did not change significantly after intake of oat milk, but a significant increase was observed after intake of the control drink (p = 0.003). It is concluded that also oat milk deprived of insoluble fiber has cholesterol-reducing properties.
Exploring the Perceptions of Domestic Violence Service Providers in Rural Localities

This exploratory study uses a nonprobability purposive sample to investigate the perceptions of domestic violence service providers in rural regions of North Carolina and Virginia. Investigators gathered data incorporating both quantitative and qualitative methods. Quantitative data were retrieved through the development and distribution of a self-administered survey targeting service provider perceptions about the general public, consumers of services, self-perceptions, and perceptions related to inter- and intra-agency issues. Qualitative data were collected to provide further elaboration on the topic through the use of a focus group composed of rural service providers. The focus group was facilitated by the investigators. Findings identified deficits in public knowledge, agency resources, and community resources, and professional development as being the most problematic issues. Victims were perceived as having to face multiple issues and barriers when seeking services. Implications of these findings are discussed as well as the need for continued research efforts.
Can 401(K) Accumulations Generate Significant Income for Future Retirees?

This Issue Brief develops a model that project the proportion of an individual's preretirement income that might be replaced by 401(k) plan accumulations at retirement, under several different projected scenarios. The 401(k) participant behaviors in the model are based on the year-end 2000 database collected by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI) and the Investment Company Institute (ICI) in their collaborative effort known as the EBRI/ICI Participant-Directed Retirement Plan Data Collection Project. The most significant factor affecting projected replacement rates at retirement is having access to a 401(k) plan. Projected replacement rates from 401(k) accumulations at retirement are reduced significantly when participants are not offered a 401(k) plan in all portions of their careers. Most 401(k) participants tend to have contributions in any given year. Thus, projecting that participants always have contributions (their own and/or employer contributions) every year raises projected replacement rates, but not by much compared with the importance of being offered a plan to begin with. The model simulations show that participant activities such as taking loans, taking preretirement withdrawals, or cashing out account balances at job change reduce projected 401(k) accumulations and thus replacement rates at age 65. Because loans are forecast to be paid back to the account in full, their effect on replacement rates at retirement in the model is the smallest. Even if equity returns in the future are projected to replicate the worst 50-year segment in the Standard & Poor's (S&P) 500 history (1929 to 1978), 401(k) accumulations are still projected to replace significant proportions of projected preretirement income. Another projection scenario forecasts participants experiencing a simulated three-year bear market (negative equity returns) either early in their careers, near the middle of their careers, or at the end of their careers. Forecasts of the effects of bear markets on 401(k) balances show that a bear market in equities is projected to have the largest effect the closer it occurs to age 65 (retirement), even though older participants typically have diversified their portfolios away from equities. A three-year bear market for those early in their careers would reduce median replacement rates from 401(k) accumulations by an estimated 2.9-3.7 percentage points, compared with 13.4-17.7 percentage points for those immediately before retirement. Similarly, a simulated three-year bull market (positive equity returns) is projected to have a larger positive effect on projected account balances and replacement rates the closer it occurs to retirement.
The Ireland of Asia: trends in marriage timing in Sri Lanka.

This study examines marriage patterns among ever married women in Sri Lanka. Data are obtained from the 1987 and 1993 Sri Lanka Demographic and Health Surveys and population censuses during 1946-81. The greatest change in marriage patterns in Sri Lanka is the shift from arranged marriages to individual choice of partners. The individual attributes of the nuclear family have replaced household attributes, such the primacy of the family and hard work. Increased educational levels are desired for a marriage partner. Premarital sex behavior resulted in premarital first births among 1 in 6 married women 20-24 years old at the time of the survey. The singulate mean age of marriage increased from 18.3 years to 25.1 years during 1901-75, which means a long exposure to potential sexual activity. During 1975-80, SMAM has declined for both sexes, and then increased by 1 year. Rates of divorce and widowhood were quite low. The proportion of never married steadily increased over the decades. During 1946-93, the proportion of never married among women 15-19 years old increased from 75% to 93%. Among women 20-24 years old, the proportion increased from 29% to 61%. Marriage timing patterns in Sri Lanka are dissimilar to other South Asian countries and similar to Ireland's patterns. The age at first marriage increased from 20.8 years in the oldest cohort to 24.3 years in the cohort 35-39 years old. Cohorts younger than 35 years show a declining trend in marriage age. It is argued that marriage was delayed during the mid-1970s due to dowry, housing, and wedding expenses. Late marriage was due to the marriage squeeze and socioeconomic change. Mortality declined during the anti-malarial campaign of the late 1940s, with the result that more females were born during 1947-51 than males were born during 1942-46. First marriage ages range from 15 to 29 years for females and from 20 to 34 years for males.
Acute toxicity to freshwater organisms of antiparasitic drugs for veterinary use

The acute toxicity of five antiparasitic drugs used in the veterinary field—amprolium hydrochloride (APH), bithionol (BT), levamisole hydrochloride (LVH), pyrimethamine (PYM) and trichlorfon (TRC)—to the aquatic organisms Oryzias latipes, Daphnia magna, and Brachionus calyciflorus was examined. The toxicity test with O. latipes was conducted in accordance with the OECD Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals (1993) to determine the 24‐, 48‐, 72‐, and 96‐h LC50 values. In addition, 24‐ and 48‐h EC50 values for D. magna and a 24‐h EC50 for B. calyciflorus were determined with the DAPHTOXKIT F™ magna (Creasel, Belgium) and the ROTOXKIT F™ (Creasel, Belgium), respectively. High‐performance liquid chromatographic analysis revealed that APH, LVH, and PYM were stable in water, but BT was unstable, decreasing by 84% on average at 24 h. TRC rapidly decomposed, with only 0.7% of the initial concentration remaining after 96 h, forming dichlorvos. The toxicity of TRC to O. latipes was determined in two ways: exposure to the same medicated water for 96 h (static test) and exposure to medicated water replaced every 24 h (semistatic test). AMP, LVM, and PYM were tested in the static condition, and BT was tested in the semistatic condition. BT was most toxic to O. latipes, with a 96‐h LC50 of 0.24 mg L−1, followed by PYM, with a 96‐h LC50 of 5.6 mg L−1. The 24‐, 48‐, 72‐, and 96‐h LC50 values of TRC in the static test were 92.0, 45.2, 29.5, and 17.6 mg L−1, respectively, which tended to be lower than those in the semistatic test, especially late in the observation period. D. magna was the most susceptible to TRC, with a 48‐h EC50 as low as 0.00026 mg L−1. The 48‐h EC50 values of BT, PYM, and LVH for D. magna were 0.3, 5.2, and 64.0 mg L−1, respectively. B. calyciflorus was the most susceptible to BT, with an EC50 of 0.063 mg L−1, followed by PYM, with an EC50 of 15.0 mg L−1. Among the test compounds, APH was the least toxic to all the freshwater organisms tested, with a 96‐h LC50 of >600 mg L−1 for O. latipes, a 48‐h EC50 of 227 mg L−1 for D. magna, and an EC50 of 403 mg L−1 for B. calyciflorus. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 20: 60–66, 2005.
Prediction of the Energy Demand Trend in Middle Africa—A Comparison of MGM, MECM, ARIMA and BP Models

Africa has abundant energy resources, but African energy research level is relatively low. In response to this gap, this paper takes Middle Africa as an example to systematically predict energy demand to give support. In this paper, we utilize four models, metabolic grey model (MGM), modified exponential curve method (MECM), autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and BP neural network model (BP), to predict the energy consumption of Middle Africa in the next 14 years. Comparing four completely different types of predictive models can fully depict the characteristics of the predictive data and give an all-round analysis of the predicted results. These proposed models are applied to simulate Middle Africa’s energy consumption between 1994 and 2016 to test their accuracy. Among them, the mean absolute percent error (MAPE) of MGM, MECM, ARIMA and BP are 2.41%, 4.80%, 1.91%, and 0.88%. The results show that MGM, MECM, ARIMA, and BP presented in this paper can produce reliable forecasting results. Therefore, the four models are used to forecast energy demand in the next 14 years (2017–2030). Forecasts show that energy demand of Middle Africa will continue to grow at a rate of about 5.37%.
Proteins Specified by Herpes Simplex Virus VI. Viral Proteins in the Plasma Membrane

Previous papers in the series have shown that the surface membranes of herpesvirus-infected cells acquire new immunological specificities and that purified infected cell membrane preparations, characterized by their physical properties rather than topology in the cell, contain new glycoproteins genetically determined by the virus. In this study, we prepared purified plasma membrane identified by its 5′ nucleotidase, fucose, and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-diaphorase content. Analysis of the membrane proteins and glycoproteins by electrophoresis in acrylamide gels indicated the following. (i) Purified plasma membranes from infected cells contained two sets of proteins, i.e., host proteins were present both before and after infection and viral proteins were present only after infection. (ii) After infection, no appreciable selective or nonselective loss of host proteins from membranes was demonstrable. However, no new host proteins were made. (iii) Electropherograms of plasma membrane proteins from infected cells indicated the presence of at least 12 virus-specific proteins ranging in molecular weight from 25 × 103 to 126 × 103 daltons. Of these, at least nine were glycosylated. Proteins and glycoproteins with similar electrophoretic mobilities but in somewhat different ratios were also present in preparations of highly purified virions.
Selective Generation of Different Dendritic Cell Precursors from CD34+ Cells by Interleukin‐6 and Interleukin‐3

There is a growing interest in generating dendritic cells (DCs) for using as vaccines. Several cytokines, especially stem cell factor (SCF) and FLT3‐ligand (FL), have been identified as essential to produce large numbers of myeloid precursors and even to increase DC yield obtained by the action of granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α). However, there are few studies on the effect of the early‐acting cytokines, commonly used to expand CD34+ progenitor cells, on DC generation. We report here that in the absence of serum, SCF, FL, and thrombopoietin (TPO) plus interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and SCF, FL, and TPO plus IL‐3 were able to generate CD14+CD1a− and CD14− CD1a+ myeloid DC precursors from CD34+ cells, but IL‐6 had an inhibitory effect on the generation of CD14− CD1a+ cells. Both DC precursors differentiated into mature DCs by GM‐CSF, IL‐4, and TNF‐α, and DCs obtained from both types of culture exhibited equal allostimulatory capacity. CD1a+ DCs generated could be identified on the basis of DC‐specific intracellular adhesion molecule–grabbing nonintegrin (DC‐SIGN) expression, a novel C‐type lectin receptor expressed on dermal DCs but not on Langerhans cells. In addition, the inclusion of IL‐3 to the culture medium induced the appearance of CD13− cells that differentiated into plasmacytoid DC (DC2) on the addition of TNF‐α, allowing the identification of developmental stages of DC2. Like true plasmacytoid DCs, these cells secreted interferon‐α after TLR9‐specific stimulation with a specific CpG nucleotide.
[Abdominal wall endometriosis after gynecologic procedures: an under-appreciated diagnosis in general surgery].

UNLABELLED Incisional endometriosis is a clinical entity described in the gynecologic literature but it is not well recognized among general surgeons. The preoperative diagnosis is often mistaken for a suture granuloma, abscess, lipoma, cyst or incisional hernia. MATERIAL AND METHOD This is a retrospective review of six cases of incisional endometriosis in our hospital aimed at determining which, if any, factors would suggest the diagnosis preoperatively. All general surgery patients with a diagnosis of endometriosis in their pathology specimens from January 1990 to February 2006 were reviewed. RESULTS All six patients had previous cesarean sections through either a Pfannenstiel (n = 4) or lower midline (n = 2) incision. Ages ranged from 28 to 43 years (mean 34.3 years). All patients presented with a palpable painful lesion located in the area of cesarean section incision. Three of the patients had a change in symptoms with their menstrual cycle. The duration of symptoms ranged between 2 months to 6 years. All patients underwent surgical excision. The size of the excised endometrioma ranged from 3 cm to 9 cm (mean 5.3 cm). CONCLUSION Incisional endometriosis seems to be common in women with a history of cesarean section. Most patients presented with a painful abdominal mass. Three patients presented cyclic changes in pain and size of the mass with menses, but this may be due to physician's lack of awareness and questioning. The management of choice is to remove the lesion completely even if fascial excision is required.
Treatment of Grass Pollen‐Induced Hay Fever with Intranasal Budesonide

The clinical effects of intranasal budesonide (16α, 17α (22 R,S) propylmethylenedioxypre‐gana‐1‐4‐diene‐11β 21 diol‐3, 20 dione)) ‐ a new non‐halogenated glucocorticoid ‐ were evaluated in a double‐blind comparison with placebo, in patients with pronounced hay fever.
Effect of Cyclosporin on Pancreatic Events and Development of Diabetes in BB/Edinburgh Rats

The effect of cyclosporin administered from 30 to 100 days of age on pancreatic events and the development of insulin-dependent diabetes has been studied by serial pancreatic biopsy of individual diabetes-prone BB/Edinburgh rats. Cyclosporin completely prevented the development of diabetes up to 150 days of age and reduced the incidence to 50% of controls at 452 days of age. Islet cell surface antibodies paralleled the development of diabetes. Insulin autoantibodies were unrelated to diabetes and not affected by cyclosporin. Immunohistochemical analysis of pancreatic biopsies from untreated control diabetes-prone rats with monoclonal antibodies specific for rat MHC molecules and T- and B-lymphocyte and macrophage subsets showed that the first abnormality seen in rats that subsequently developed diabetes was hyperexpression of MHC class I molecules on vascular endothelium and islet cells. This was followed by accumulation of ED1 + macrophages at perivascular and periductal sites adjacent to noninfiltrated islets. Increased expression of MHC class II molecules on vascular endothelial cells was also noted. Most cells infiltrating the islets initially were also ED1+ macrophages, followed by increasing numbers of other activated effector cells including helper and cytotoxic-suppressor T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Obliteration of insulin-containing cells was associated with regression of the infiltrate. Treatment with cyclosporin had no effect on pancreatic hyperexpression of MHC class I molecules but markedly inhibited accumulation of ED1 + cells at extraislet sites, the subsequent recruitment of immune effector cells, and islet infiltration. This resulted in a delay of the onset of diabetes in some rats and prevention of diabetes in others.
Does Belief in Free Will Increase Support for Economic Inequality?

Does belief in free will increase support for economic inequality? Five studies using diverse measures and methods tested this question. Study 1 finds belief in free will is associated with increased support for inequality. Study 2 manipulates belief in free will and does not find evidence that this changes support for inequality. Studies 3 and 4 find that people are more willing to support inequality in a hypothetical universe where free will exists compared to one where it does not (dz = 0.10–0.13), indicating that people believe the existence of free will justifies inequality. However, a between-subjects design in Study 5 fails to replicate this finding. Overall, our results suggest that if belief in free will increases support for economic inequality, the effect is likely small and potentially sensitive to the methods used to detect it.
18F-GP1, a Novel PET Tracer Designed for High-Sensitivity, Low-Background Detection of Thrombi

Thromboembolic diseases such as myocardial infarction, stroke, transient ischemic attacks, and pulmonary embolism are major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (GPIIb/IIIa) is the key receptor involved in platelet aggregation and is a validated target for therapeutic approaches and diagnostic imaging. The aim of this study was to develop and characterize a specific small-molecule tracer for PET imaging that binds with high affinity to GPIIb/IIIa receptors and has suitable pharmacokinetic properties to overcome limitations of previous approaches. Methods: Binding of 18F-GP1 to GPIIb/IIIa receptors was investigated in competition binding assays and autoradiography using a fresh cardiac thrombus from an explanted human heart. The clot-to-blood ratio for 18F-GP1 was investigated by an in vitro blood flow model. Biodistribution and thrombus detection was investigated in cynomolgus monkeys after insertion of a roughened catheter into either the vena cava or the aorta. Results: 18F-GP1 is an 18F-labeled small molecule for PET imaging of thrombi. The half maximal inhibitory concentration of 18F-GP1 to GPIIb/IIIa was 20 nM. 18F-GP1 bound to thrombi with a mean clot-to-blood ratio of 95. Binding was specific and can be displaced by excess nonradioactive derivative. Binding was not affected by anticoagulants such as aspirin or heparin. 18F-GP1 showed rapid blood clearance and a low background after intravenous injection in cynomolgus monkeys. Small arterial, venous thrombi, thrombotic depositions on damaged endothelial surface, and small cerebral emboli were detected in vivo by PET imaging. Conclusions: 18F-GP1 binds specifically with high affinity to the GPIIb/IIIa receptor involved in platelet aggregation. Because of its favorable preclinical characteristics, 18F-GP1 is currently being investigated in a human clinical study.