Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The XIENCE nano™ everolimus eluting coronary stent system for the treatment of small coronary arteries: The SPIRIT small vessel trial

Objectives: The SPIRIT Small Vessel (SV) was designed to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the 2.25‐mm XIENCE V everolimus eluting coronary stent system (EECSS), known as the XIENCE nano EECSS, in subjects with SVs and ischemic heart disease. Background: The core sizes of XIENCE V EECSS are associated with low rates of restenosis and thrombosis in the general population, but the XIENCE nano EECSS has not been tested in the United States. Methods: This prospective, single‐arm, open‐label study was conducted at 33 centers and in 150 patients in the United States. The primary endpoint was the target lesion failure (TLF) rate at 1 year, required to meet the prespecified performance goal (PG) of 20.4%, derived from historical data. Results: The mean patient age was 63 years, 38% were women, 39.2% were diabetic, 49.3% had multivessel disease, and the reference vessel diameter was 2.13 ± 0.23 mm. The 1‐year TLF rate was 8.1% in with an upper limit of the one‐sided 95% confidence interval of 13.0%, which met the PG of 20.4% (P < 0.0001). At 1 year, the rate of cardiac death was 1.5%, the target vessel myocardial infarction rate was 1.5%, and clinically indicated target lesion revascularization rate was 5.1%. The 8‐month angiographic in‐stent late loss was 0.2 ± 0.4 mm, respectively. The 1‐year academic research consortium defined definite/probable stent thrombosis rate was 1.5%. Conclusions: Based on the 1‐year clinical and 8‐month angiographic SPIRIT SV data, the XIENCE nano EECSS is considered safe and effective in the treatment of SVs. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synthesis of an Endogenous Steroidal Na Pump Inhibitor Marinobufagenin, Implicated in Human Cardiovascular Diseases, Is Initiated by CYP27A1 via Bile Acid Pathway

Background—The bioactive steroid, marinobufagenin, is an endogenous Na/K-ATPase bufadienolide inhibitor that is synthesized by adrenocortical and placental cells. Marinobufagenin binding to Na/K-ATPase initiates profibrotic cell signaling, and heightened marinobufagenin levels are implicated in the pathogenesis of hypertension, preeclampsia, and chronic kidney disease. Steroids are derived from cholesterol through the traditional steroidogenesis pathway initiated by enzyme CYP11A1, and via the acidic bile acid pathway, which is controlled by enzyme CYP27A1. The mechanism of marinobufagenin biosynthesis in mammals, however, remains unknown. Methods and Results—Here, we show that post-transcriptional silencing of the CYP27A1 gene in human trophoblast and rat adrenocortical cells reduced the expression of CYP27A1 mRNA by 70%, reduced total bile acids 2-fold, and marinobufagenin levels by 67% when compared with nontreated cells or cells transfected with nontargeting siRNA. In contrast, silencing of the CYP11A1 gene did not affect marinobufagenin production in either cell culture, but suppressed production of progesterone 2-fold in human trophoblast cells and of corticosterone by 90% in rat adrenocortical cells when compared with cells transfected with nontargeting siRNA. In vivo, in a high-salt administration experiment, male and female Dahl salt-sensitive rats became hypertensive after 4 weeks on a high-NaCl diet, their plasma marinobufagenin levels doubled, and adrenocortical CYP27A1 mRNA and protein increased 1.6-fold and 2.0-fold. Conclusions—Therefore, the endogenous steroidal Na/K-ATPase inhibitor, marinobufagenin, is synthesized in mammalian placenta and adrenal cortex from cholesterol through the novel acidic bile acid pathway. These findings will help to understand the role of marinobufagenin in highly prevalent human cardiovascular diseases.
Study of active controlled monotherapy used for rheumatoid arthritis, an IL-6 inhibitor (SAMURAI): evidence of clinical and radiographic benefit from an x ray reader-blinded randomised controlled trial of tocilizumab

Objective: To evaluate the ability of tocilizumab (a humanised anti-IL-6 receptor antibody) monotherapy to inhibit progression of structural joint damage in patients with RA. Methods: In a multi-centre, x ray reader-blinded, randomised, controlled trial, 306 patients with active RA of <5 years’ duration were allocated to receive either tocilizumab monotherapy at 8 mg/kg intravenously every 4 weeks or conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) for 52 weeks. Radiographs of hands and forefeet were scored by the van der Heijde modified Sharp method. Results: Patients had a mean disease duration of 2.3 years and a disease activity score in 28 joints of 6.5 at baseline. Mean total modified Sharp score (TSS) was 29.4, which was very high despite the relatively short disease duration. At week 52, the tocilizumab group showed statistically significantly less radiographic change in TSS (mean 2.3; 95% CI 1.5 to 3.2) than the DMARD group (mean 6.1; 95% CI 4.2 to 8.0; p<0.01). Tocilizumab monotherapy also improved signs and symptoms. The overall incidences of AEs were 89% and 82% (serious AEs: 18% and 13%; serious infections: 7.6% and 4.1%) in the tocilizumab and DMARD groups, respectively. Conclusion: Tocilizumab monotherapy was generally well tolerated and provided radiographic benefit in patients with RA.
The impact of the asylum process on mental health: a longitudinal study of unaccompanied refugee minors in Norway

Objectives To examine the mental health of unaccompanied refugee minors prospectively during the asylum-seeking process, with a focus on specific stages in the asylum process, such as age assessment, placement in a supportive or non-supportive facility and final decision on the asylum applications. Design This was a2½ year follow-up study of unaccompanied minors (UM) seeking asylum in Norway. Data were collected within three weeks (n=138) and at 4 months (n=101), 15 months (n=84) and 26 months (n=69) after arrival. Setting Initially in an observation and orientation centre for unaccompanied asylum-seeking adolescents, and subsequently wherever the UM were located in other refugee facilities in Norway. Participants Male UM from Afghanistan, Somalia, Algeria and Iran. Main outcome measures Mental health symptoms assessed by Hopkins Symptom Checklist-25 and Harvard Trauma Questionnaire. Results At the group level, the young asylum seekers reported high levels of psychological distress on arrival and symptom levels that stayed relatively unchanged over time. According to age-assessment procedures, 56% of the population were not recognised as minors. Subsequent placement in a low-support facility was associated with higher levels of psychological distress in the follow-up period. Those who were placed in a reception centre for adults had higher levels of psychological distress symptoms both after 15 months and 26 months compared with the remaining participants who were placed in reception centres for youth. Refusal of asylum was highly associated with higher levels of psychological distress. Conclusion Mental health trajectory of young asylum seekers appears to be negatively affected by low support and refusal of asylum.
Association of socioeconomic status with functional capacity, heart rate recovery, and all-cause mortality.

CONTEXT Lower socioeconomic status (SES) confers heightened cardiovascular risk and mortality, although the mediating pathways are unclear. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the extent to which exercise physiologic characteristics account for the association between lower SES and mortality. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Prospective cohort study of 30 043 consecutive patients living in 7 counties in northeast Ohio referred between 1990 and 2002 for symptom-limited stress testing for evaluation of known or suspected coronary artery disease. Follow-up for mortality continued through February 2004. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Estimated functional capacity in metabolic equivalents and heart rate recovery, physiologic characteristics that are determined directly from exercise; testing and all-cause mortality during a median follow-up of 6.5 years. RESULTS Multivariable models adjusting for demographics, insurance status, smoking status, and clinical confounders demonstrated a strong association between a composite SES score based on census block data and functional capacity (adjusted odds ratio comparing 25th with 75th percentile values, 1.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.56-1.89; P<.001) as well as heart rate recovery (adjusted odds ratio comparing 25th with 75th percentile values, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.07-1.30; P<.001). There were 2174 deaths, with mortality risk increasing from 5% to 10% as SES decreased by quartile (P<.001). Cox proportional hazards models that included all confounding variables except exercise physiologic characteristics demonstrated increased mortality as SES decreased (adjusted hazard ratio comparing 25th with 75th percentile values, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.22-1.42; P<.001). After further adding functional capacity and heart rate recovery, the magnitude of this relationship was reduced (comparing 25th with 75th percentile values; adjusted hazard ratio, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.08-1.26; P<.001), with these variables explaining 47% of the association. CONCLUSIONS Impaired functional capacity and abnormal heart rate recovery were strongly associated with lower SES and accounted for a major proportion of the correlation between SES and mortality. Efforts to modify these clinical features among patients with low SES may narrow disparities in mortality.
The expression of hepatocyte nuclear factor‐4&agr;, a developmental regulator of visceral endoderm, correlates with the intestinal phenotype of gastric adenocarcinomas

Aims: Hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF)‐4&agr; is a developmental regulator of the visceral endoderm, which is expressed in the embryonic gut and later in the adult intestine and colon. However, adult gastric mucosa does not express HNF‐4&agr;. We investigated the possible involvement of HNF‐4&agr; in intestinal metaplasia and the intestinalisation of gastric adenocarcinomas. Methods: Thirty‐five cases of adenocarcinomas and 46 cases of adjacent non‐neoplastic mucosa with (22 lesions) or without (24 lesions) intestinal metaplasia were immunostained for HNF‐4&agr;. The gastric or the intestinal phenotype was also examined using immunohistochemistry for MUC5AC, MUC2, CD10, and gastric‐type mucin (GTM). Adenocarcinomas were classified into the gastric type (G‐type, 42.9%), the mixed gastric and intestinal type (GI‐type, 31.4%), and the intestinal type (I‐type, 25.7%). Results: The HNF‐4&agr; expression was exclusively seen in glandular cells with intestinal metaplasia, which was correlated with MUC2 expression (p<0.05) and inversely correlated with MUC5AC expression (p<0.05). All adenocarcinomas more or less expressed HNF‐4&agr;, with an intense expression being seen in the I‐type (p<0.01) and in well‐differentiated adenocarcinomas (p<0.03). Conclusions: HNF‐4&agr; expression is associated with the intestinal phenotype of non‐neoplastic and neoplastic gastric glandular cells, suggesting a possible involvement in the establishment and/or maintenance of the intestinal phenotype of the gastric mucosa and adenocarcinomas.
Edge disjoint graph spanners of complete graphs and complete digraphs

A spanning subgraph S=(V, E') of a connected simple graph (digraph)G=(V, E) is a f(x)-spanner if for any pair of nodes u and v, d/sub S/(u, v)/spl les/f(d/sub G/(u, v)) where d/sub G/ and d/sub S/ are the usual distance functions in graphs (digraphs) G and S, respectively. The delay of the f(x)-spanner is f(x)-x. The authors investigate the existence of multiple edge-disjoint spanners in complete graphs and complete digraphs.
Scalability study of the ad hoc on‐demand distance vector routing protocol

As mobile networking continues to experience increasing popularity, the need to connect large numbers of wireless devices will become more prevalent. Many recent proposals for ad hoc routing have certain characteristics that may limit their scalability to large networks. This paper examines five different combinations of modifications that may be incorporated into virtually any on‐demand protocol in order to improve its scalability. The scalability of current on‐demand routing protocols is evaluated through the selection of a representative from this class of protocols. The performance of the un‐modified on‐demand protocol is compared against that of it combined with each of the scalability modifications. Each scheme's behavior is analyzed in networks as large as 10,000 nodes through detailed simulation. Based on the observations, conclusions are drawn as to the expected scalability improvement that can be achieved by each modification. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On Privacy in Secure Biometric Authentication Systems

We focus here on two secure biometric systems (a common randomness based scheme and a fuzzy commitment scheme) and discuss their privacy preserving properties. We derive bounds on the privacy leakage in these schemes. We also show the relation between employed error-correction and leakage on biometric information, and between privacy and security for the fuzzy commitment scheme.
Dense molecular gas: a sensitive probe of stellar feedback models

We show that the mass fraction of GMC gas (n>100 cm^-3) in dense (n>>10^4 cm^-3) star-forming clumps, observable in dense molecular tracers (L_HCN/L_CO(1-0)), is a sensitive probe of the strength and mechanism(s) of stellar feedback. Using high-resolution galaxy-scale simulations with pc-scale resolution and explicit models for feedback from radiation pressure, photoionization heating, stellar winds, and supernovae (SNe), we make predictions for the dense molecular gas tracers as a function of GMC and galaxy properties and the efficiency of stellar feedback. In models with weak/no feedback, much of the mass in GMCs collapses into dense sub-units, predicting L_HCN/L_CO(1-0) ratios order-of-magnitude larger than observed. By contrast, models with feedback properties taken directly from stellar evolution calculations predict dense gas tracers in good agreement with observations. Changing the strength or timing of SNe tends to move systems along, rather than off, the L_HCN-L_CO relation (because SNe heat lower-density material, not the high-density gas). Changing the strength of radiation pressure (which acts efficiently in the highest density gas), however, has a much stronger effect on L_HCN than on L_CO. We predict that the fraction of dense gas (L_HCN/L_CO(1-0)) increases with increasing GMC surface density; this drives a trend in L_HCN/L_CO(1-0) with SFR and luminosity which has tentatively been observed. Our results make specific predictions for enhancements in the dense gas tracers in unusually dense environments such as ULIRGs and galactic nuclei (including the galactic center).
Homoeopathic Oscillococcinum for preventing and treating influenza and influenza-like syndromes.

BACKGROUND Influenza is a highly infectious viral disease that is particularly common in the winter months. Oscillococcinum is a patented, commercially available homoeopathic medicine. The rationale for its use in influenza comes from the homoeopathic principle of 'let like be cured by like'. This medicine is manufactured from wild duck heart and liver, which are said to be reservoirs for influenza viruses. OBJECTIVES To determine whether homoeopathic Oscillococcinum or similar medicines are more effective than placebo in the prevention and treatment of influenza and influenza-like syndromes. SEARCH STRATEGY We updated the electronic searches on the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library Issue 1, 2006); MEDLINE (January 1966 to February 2006) and EMBASE (1980 to February 2006). The manufacturers of Oscillococcinum were contacted for information. SELECTION CRITERIA Placebo-controlled trials of Oscillococcinum or homeopathically-prepared influenza virus, influenza vaccine or avian liver in the prevention and treatment of influenza and influenza-like syndromes. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two authors extracted data and assessed methodological quality independently. MAIN RESULTS Seven studies were included in the review, three prevention trials (number of participants (n) = 2265) and four treatment trials (n = 1194). Only two studies reported sufficient information to complete data extraction fully. There was no evidence that homoeopathic treatment can prevent influenza-like syndrome (relative risk (RR) 0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.28 to 1.43). Oscillococcinum treatment reduced the length of influenza illness by 0.28 days (95% CI 0.50 to 0.06). Oscillococcinum also increased the chances that a patient considered treatment to be effective (RR 1.08; 95% CI 1.17 to 1.00). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Though promising, the data were not strong enough to make a general recommendation to use Oscillococcinum for first-line treatment of influenza and influenza-like syndromes. Further research is warranted but the required sample sizes are large. Current evidence does not support a preventative effect of Oscillococcinum-like homeopathic medicines in influenza and influenza-like syndromes.
Surface mass balance of the Greenland icesheet in the regional climate model HIRHAM5:Present state and future prospects

Surface mass balance (SMB) is the builder of the Greenland ice sheet and the driver of ice dynamics. Quantifying the past, present and future state of SMB is important to understand the drivers and climatic processes that control SMB, and to both initialize and run ice sheet models which will help clarify sea level rise, and how likely changes in ice sheet extent feedback within the climate system. Regional climate models (RCMs) and climate reanalysis are used to quantify SMB estimates. Although different models have different spatial and temporal biases and may include different processes giving significant uncertainty in both SMB and the ice sheet dynamic response to it, all RCMs show a recent declining trend in SMB from the Greenland ice sheet, driven primarily by enhanced melt rates. Here, we present new simulations of the Greenland ice sheet SMB at 5 km resolution from the RCM HIRHAM5. The RCM is driven by the ERA-Interim reanalysis and the global climate model (GCM) EC-Earth v2.3 to make future projections for climate scenarios RCP8.5 and RCP4.5. Future estimates of SMB are affected by biases in driving global climate models, and feedbacks between the ice sheet surface and the global and regional climate system are neglected, likely resulting in significant underestimates of melt and precipitation over the ice sheet. These challenges will need to be met to better estimate the role climate change will have in modulating the surface mass balance of the Greenland ice sheet.
Changes in the plasma membrane in metabolic disease: impact of the membrane environment on G protein‐coupled receptor structure and function

Drug development targeting GPCRs often utilizes model heterologous cell expression systems, reflecting an implicit assumption that the membrane environment has little functional impact on these receptors or on their responsiveness to drugs. However, much recent data have illustrated that membrane components can have an important functional impact on intrinsic membrane proteins. This review is directed toward gaining a better understanding of the structure of the plasma membrane in health and disease, and how this organelle can influence GPCR structure, function and regulation. It is important to recognize that the membrane provides a potential mode of lateral allosteric regulation of GPCRs and can affect the effectiveness of drugs and their biological responses in various disease states, which can even vary among individuals across the population. The type 1 cholecystokinin receptor is reviewed as an exemplar of a class A GPCR that is affected in this way by changes in the plasma membrane.
Vascular quality of care pilot study: how admission to a vascular surgery service affects evidence-based pharmacologic risk factor modification in patients with lower extremity peripheral arterial disease

Background Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) guidelines recommend aggressive risk factor modification to improve cardiovascular outcomes. Recommended pharmacologic therapies include antiplatelets, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and HMG-CoA-reductase inhibitors (statins). Purpose We studied the degree to which patient admission to a vascular surgery service increased the use of these therapies. Patients and methods The authors conducted a retrospective chart review of 150 patients with PAD admitted to the vascular surgery service at a large Canadian tertiary care hospital. The use of recommended pharmacologic therapies at the time of admission and discharge were compared. A multidisciplinary clinical team established criteria by which patients were deemed ineligible to receive any of the recommended therapies. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) were considered an alternative to ACE inhibitors. Results Prior to hospital admission, 64% of patients were on antiplatelet therapy, 67% were on an ACE inhibitor or ARB, and 71% were on a statin. At the time of discharge, 91% of patients were on an antiplatelet (or not, with an acceptable reason), 77% were on an ACE inhibitor or an ARB (or not, with an acceptable reason), and 85% were on a statin (or not, with an acceptable reason). While new prescriptions were largely responsible for improved guideline adherence with antiplatelets and statins, most of the apparent improvement in ACE inhibitor and ARB use was the result of identifying an acceptable reason for not having them prescribed. Conclusion This hypothesis generating pilot study supports the findings of others that there is suboptimal prescription of pharmacologic risk reduction therapies in the PAD population. Admission to a vascular service increases these rates. Nevertheless, some patients are still not receiving evidence-based treatment at discharge even after consideration of acceptable reasons. Strategies are needed to improve PAD guideline adherence in both the community at large and the vascular surgery service.
Observability-based Mars Autonomous Navigation Using Formation Flying Spacecraft

This paper concentrates on designing an autonomous navigation scheme for Mars exploration. In this scheme, formation flying spacecraft are used to realise absolute orbit determination when orbiting around Mars. Inertial Line-Of-Sight (LOS) vectors from “deputy” spacecraft to the “chief” are measured using radio cross-link, optical devices and attitude sensors. Since the system's observability is closely related to the navigation performance, an analytical approach is proposed to optimise the observability. In this method, the gravity gradient tensor difference is chosen as the performance index to optimise two navigation scenarios. When there is one deputy flying around the chief, optimal parameters are obtained by solving the constrained optimisation problem. When a second deputy is added into the formation, the optimal configuration is also obtained. These results reveal that the observability is mainly determined by the magnitude of the in-track and cross-track distances in the configuration. An Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) is used to estimate the position and velocity of the chief. The results of a navigation simulation confirms that adding more deputies can significantly improve the navigational performance.