Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Efficacy and safety of creatine supplementation in juvenile dermatomyositis: A randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled crossover trial

Introduction: It has been suggested that creatine supplementation is safe and effective for treating idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, but no pediatric study has been conducted to date. The objective of this study was to examine the efficacy and safety of creatine supplementation in juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) patients. Methods: In this study, JDM patients received placebo or creatine supplementation (0.1 g/kg/day) in a randomized, crossover, double‐blind design. Subjects were assessed at baseline and after 12 weeks. The primary outcome was muscle function. Secondary outcomes included body composition, aerobic conditioning, health‐related quality of life, and muscle phosphocreatine (PCr) content. Safety was assessed by laboratory parameters and kidney function measurements. Results: Creatine supplementation did not affect muscle function, intramuscular PCr content, or any other secondary outcome. Kidney function was not affected, and no side effects were reported. Conclusions: Twelve weeks of creatine supplementation in JDM patients were well‐tolerated and free of adverse effects, but treatment did not affect muscle function, intramuscular PCr, or any other parameter. Muscle Nerve 53: 58–66, 2016
Increased Ambulatory Arterial Stiffness Index Is Associated With Target Organ Damage in Primary Hypertension

Increased arterial stiffness has been shown to predict cardiovascular mortality in patients with primary hypertension. Asymptomatic organ damage is known to precede cardiovascular events. We investigated the relationship between a recently proposed index of stiffness derived from ambulatory blood pressure (BP) and target organ damage in 188 untreated patients with primary hypertension. Ambulatory arterial stiffness index was defined as 1 minus the regression slope of diastolic over systolic BP readings obtained from 24-hour recordings. Albuminuria was measured as the albumin:creatinine ratio, left ventricular mass index was assessed by echocardiography, and carotid abnormalities were evaluated by ultrasonography. The prevalence of microalbuminuria, left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH), and carotid abnormalities was 12%, 38%, and 19%, respectively. Ambulatory arterial stiffness index was positively related to age, triglycerides, office and 24-hour systolic BP, 24-hour pulse pressure, urinary albumin excretion, and carotid intima-media thickness. Patients with microalbuminuria, carotid abnormalities, or LVH showed higher ambulatory arterial stiffness index as compared with those without it. After adjusting for confounding factors, each SD increase in ambulatory arterial stiffness index entails an ≈2 times higher risk of microalbuminuria, carotid abnormalities, and LVH and doubles the risk of the occurrence of ≥1 sign of organ damage. Ambulatory arterial stiffness index is associated with organ damage in patients with primary hypertension. These data strengthen the role of this index as a marker of risk and help to explain the high cardiovascular mortality reported in patients with high ambulatory arterial stiffness index.
Infants Born Preterm Exhibit Different Patterns of Center-of-Pressure Movement Than Infants Born at Full Term

Background Infants born preterm are at risk for developmental impairments related to postural control. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine whether infants born preterm and infants born at full term differed in postural control at 1 to 3 weeks after term age. Design This study included 17 infants born preterm (mean gestational age=31.9 weeks, range=25.0–34.6) and 15 infants born at full term (mean gestational age=38.9 weeks, range=37.3–40.6). All infants were without diagnosed neurological or genetic conditions. Measurement Center-of-pressure (COP) data were recorded at 5 Hz while each infant was positioned supine on a pressure-sensitive mat in an alert behavioral state. Root mean square (RMS) displacement and approximate entropy (ApEn) were used to describe the COP movement variability in the time series. Differences between groups were identified using independent t tests. Results The COP time series were found to be deterministic, suggesting order in the time series. Infants born preterm exhibited significantly larger RMS values in the caudal-cephalic direction than infants born at full term (1.11 and 0.83 cm, respectively; t=−2.6, df=30, P=.01). However, infants born at full term had significantly larger ApEn values in the caudal-cephalic direction (1.19 and 1.11, respectively; t=2.4, df=30, P=.02). The 2 groups did not differ in RMS or ApEn values in the medial-lateral direction or the resultant. Conclusions Infants born at full term exhibited COP displacements in the caudal-cephalic direction that were smaller in amplitude, but may be considered more complex or less predictable, than those of infants born preterm. One explanation is that infants born preterm exhibited more stereotypic patterns of movement, resulting in large, but repetitive, COP excursions. A combination of linear and nonlinear measures may provide insight into the control of posture of young infants.
Isolation and characterization of the spermatid‐specific Smrp1 gene encoding a novel manchette protein

The manchette, which is the structure that appears around the nuclei of elongated spermatids, is assumed to be involved in nuclear shaping during spermiogenesis and the transport of various proteins between the nucleus and sperm tail. In this report, we describe the molecular cloning and characterization of a mouse spermatid‐specific manchette‐related protein 1 (Smrp1) from a spermatid‐specific subtracted mouse testis cDNA library. The isolated Smrp1 cDNA clones could be divided into three variants based on sequence analysis. Computer‐assisted analysis showed that these variants were splice variants from a single locus of the mouse genome. The three putative proteins consisted of 296, 260, and 175 amino acids, respectively. Although 155 amino acids of the N terminus were common to the three proteins, they were distinguished by their C‐terminal regions. Western blot analyses using specific antisera showed that SMRP1 expression was specific to the testes and that only the 261‐amino‐acid form was translated into protein. Immunohistochemistry revealed that SMRP1 was localized to the cytoplasm of step 9–12 elongated spermatids. The protein appeared in a cap formation that covered the caudal sides of the elongated nuclei. This localization pattern coincided with that of the manchette. SMRP1 may play an important role as a functional protein that co‐operates with manchette proteins. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 75: 967–975, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Origin and role of social networks : a Comparative study of Born Global Firms of France and Pakistan

Network approach is more appropriate measure to describe the early internationalization of born global firms. The focus of our research is to investigate the origin, structure and role of social networks in the early internationalization of born global firms. We intend to investigate the structure of networks which is considered pre-requisite to study the other dimensions of network ties. Many researchers directly jump to study the role networks play without paying any attention from where these ties originate. Furthermore, much of the literature has connected the born global firms with high technology sector however, there are many examples of born global firms in traditional sectors. Similarly, very little is known about how various national context influence the internationalization process of firms. Therefore, we also intend to investigate network ties in the context of different industrial sectors and different level of country’s institutional development by comparing born global firms from France and Pakistan.Our results reveal that these small born global firms use their networks to overcome the constraints to rapid internationalization which has been supported by previous empirical findings. The results also reveal that origin of ties is in both business-social or non-business social settings. Both weak and strong ties are found to have positive impact on the early internationalization; however composition of ties is different in low-tech and high-tech firms. We also argue that instead of country‘s level of institutional development, composition of ties is moderated by the industrial sector in which firm is operating.
A Hybrid Epidemic Model: Combining The Advantages Of Agent-Based And Equation-Based Approaches

Agent-based models (ABMs) are powerful in describing structured epidemiological processes involving human behavior and local interaction. The joint behavior of the agents can be very complex and tracking the behavior requires a disciplined approach. At the same time, equation- based models (EBMs) can be more tractable and allow for at least partial analytical insight. However, inadequate representation of the detailed population structure can lead to spurious results, especially when the epidemic process is beginning and individual variation is critical. In this paper, we demonstrate an approach that combines the two modeling paradigms and introduces a hybrid model that starts as agent-based and switches to equation-based after the number of infected individuals is large enough to support a population-averaged approach. This hybrid model can dramatically save computational times and, more fundamentally, allows for the mathematical analysis of emerging structures generated by the ABM.
Rate of Convergence of the Short Cycle Distribution in Random Regular Graphs Generated by Pegging

The pegging algorithm is a method of generating large random regular graphs beginning with small ones. The ǫ-mixing time of the distribution of short cycle counts of these random regular graphs is the time at which the distribution reaches and maintains total variation distance at most ǫ from its limiting distribution. We show that this ǫ-mixing time is not o(ǫ −1 ). This demonstrates that the upper bound O(ǫ −1 ) proved recently by the authors is essentially tight.
Unconscious and Conscious Processing of Negative Emotions Examined Through Affective Priming

This study investigated unconscious and conscious processes by which negative emotions arise. Participants (26 men, 47 women; M age = 20.3 yr.) evaluated target words that were primed with subliminally or supraliminally presented emotional pictures. Stimulus onset asynchrony was either 200 or 800 msec. With subliminal presentations, reaction times to negative targets were longer than reaction times to positive targets after negative primes for the 200-msec. stimulus onset asynchrony. Reaction times to positive targets after negative or positive primes were shorter when the stimulus onset asynchrony was 800 msec. For supraliminal presentations, reaction times were longer when evaluating targets that followed emotionally opposite primes. When emotional stimuli were consciously distinguished, the evoked emotional states might lead to emotional conflicts, although the qualitatively different effects might be caused when subliminally presented emotion evoking stimulus was appraised unconsciously; that possibility was discussed.
Evidence for basophilic differentiation of acute promyelocytic leukaemia cells during arsenic trioxide therapy

(1990) Enhancement of anthracycline and alkylator cytotoxicity by ethacrynic acid in primary cultures of human tissues. Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology, 26, 318–322. Sukhdeo, K. , Mani, M. , Zhang, Y. , Dutta, J., Yasui, H. , Rooney, M.D., Carrasco, D.E. , Zheng, M. , He, H. , Tai, Y.T. , Mitsiades, C. , Anderson, K.C. & Carrasco, D.R. (2007) Targeting the beta-catenin/TCF transcriptional complex in the treatment of multiple myeloma. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 104, 7516–7521. You, Z. , Saims, D. , Chen, S. , Zhang, Z. , Guttridge, D.C., Guan, K.L. , MacDougald, O.A. , Brown, A.M., Evan, G. , Kitajewski, J. & Wang, C.Y. (2002) Wnt signalling promotes oncogenic transformation by inhibiting c-Myc-induced apoptosis. Journal of Cell Biology, 157, 429–440.
The Dynamics of Known Centaurs

We have numerically investigated the long-term dynamical behavior of known Centaurs. This class of objects is thought to constitute the transitional population between the Kuiper belt and the Jupiter-family comets (JFCs). In our study, we find that over their dynamical lifetimes these objects diffuse into the JFCs and other sinks, and they also make excursions into the scattered disk, but (not surprisingly) do not diffuse into the parameter space representing the main Kuiper belt. These Centaurs spend most of their dynamical lifetimes in orbits of eccentricity 0.2–0.6 and perihelion distance 12–30 AU. Their orbital evolution is characterized by frequent close encounters with the giant planets. Most of these Centaurs will escape from the solar system (or enter the Oort cloud), while a fraction will enter the JFC population and a few percent will impact a giant planet. Their median dynamical lifetime is 9 Myr, although there is a wide dispersion in lifetimes, ranging from less than 1 Myr to more than 100 Myr. We find the dynamical evolution of this sample of Centaurs to be less orderly than the planet-to-planet "handoff" described in previous investigations. We discuss the implications of our study for the spatial distribution of the Centaurs as a whole.
Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Synaptic Pathways and Inhibitory Gates in the Spinal Cord Dorsal Horn

Disinhibition in the dorsal horn accompanies peripheral nerve injury and causes the development of hypersensitivity to mild stimuli. This demonstrates the critical importance of inhibition in the dorsal horn for maintaining normal sensory signaling. Here we show that disinhibition induces a novel polysynaptic low-threshold input onto lamina I output neurons, suggesting that inhibition normally suppresses a preexisting pathway that probably contributes to abnormal pain sensations such as allodynia. In addition, we show that a significant proportion of superficial dorsal horn inhibitory neurons are activated by low-threshold input. These neurons are well situated to contribute to suppressing low-threshold activation of pain output neurons in lamina I. We further discuss several aspects of inhibition in the dorsal horn that might contribute to suppressing pathological signaling.
Differential Effects of ATP- and 2‐MethylthioATP-Induced Relaxation in Guinea Pig Coronary Vasculature

Summary: The Langendorff heart preparation was used to investigate the mechanism of action of vasodilatation evoked by ATP and its analogues in guinea pig coronary vasculature. The relative order of potency of ATP and its analogues in causing a reduction in perfusion pressure was 2-methylthioATP (2-meSATP) > ATP > β,γ-methyleneATP (β,γ-meATP) ≥ α,β-methyleneATP (α,β-meATP), thus establishing the presence of P2y-purinoceptors in this preparation. L-NG-nitroarginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 3 × 10-5M) significantly attenuated both the area under the flow-time curve and the maximum decrease in perfusion pressure of the vasodilatation produced in response to 2-meSATP (5 × 10-12-5 × 10-9 mol). However, for ATP (5 × 10-7-5 × 10-10 mol), L-NAME 3 × 10-5 M significantly attenuated the area under the flow-time curve of the response but did not reduce the maximum decrease in perfusion pressure except at one low dose (5 × 10-10 mol). L-Arginine 1.5 × 10-3 M significantly reversed inhibition of the area under the flow-time curve of the response to 2-meSATP 5 × 10-10 mol and ATP 5 × 10-8 mol by L-NAME 3 × 10-5M. The maximum decrease in perfusion pressure of the response to ATP 5 × 10-10-5 × 10-7 mol was significantly attenuated in the presence of indomethacin 10-6 M. In contrast, indomethacin 10-6 M did not reduce the response to 2-meSATP and adenosine except at low doses (5 × 10-11 and 5 × 10-11-5 × 10-10 mol, respectively). 8-(p-Sulfophenyl)theophylline (8-PSPT, 3 × 10-5M), a nonselective P1-purinoceptor antagonist, did not affect the response to ATP except at low doses (5 × 10-10 mol). 8-PSPT 3 × 10-5 M significantly reduced the vasodilatation produced in response to adenosine 5 × 10-10-5 × 10-8 mol without having any effect on the response to 2-meSATP. It is concluded that in the guinea pig coronary vasculature, 2-meSATP acts at P2y-purinoceptors to induce relaxation through production or release of nitric oxide (NO). ATP is less potent than 2-meSATP at this receptor, but has an additional vasodilator action through prostanoids.
Beyond Classroom Walls: Students' Out‑of‑class Peer Experiences and Implications for Teaching and Learning

�>�>�>�>�>�> ＜Abstract＞ Students=m engagement with learning is closely connected to their participation in learning communities within and beyond the class‑ room. This paper examines the nature of students=m out‑of‑class peer experiences. It reports on a study of Australian undergraduate stu‑ dents across three year levels in a research‑led university. The most common reason for making contact with peers was to discuss as‑ signments. There was a strong connection between satisfaction levels and frequency of peer interaction. The study contributes to an un‑ derstanding of the changing nature of the student experience beyond formal classroom contexts. The paper concludes by considering im‑ plications for teaching and learning in higher education.
Does smoking reduction worsen mental health? A comparison of two observational approaches

Objectives The association between smoking reduction and mental health is of particular interest given that many smokers report that smoking offers mental health benefits. We aimed to assess the association between smoking reduction and change in mental health using two different analytical approaches to determine if there was any evidence of an association. There were no prior hypotheses. Design A secondary analysis of prospective individual level patient data from 5 merged placebo-controlled randomised trials of nicotine replacement therapy for smoking reduction. Participants All participants were adult smokers, selected because they wanted to reduce but not stop smoking, and had smoked for at least 3 years. Participants were excluded if they were pregnant, breastfeeding, under psychiatric care, deemed to be unfit by a general practitioner, or part of a cessation programme. 2066 participants were enrolled in the trials, 177 participants were biologically validated as prolonged reducers, and 509 as continuing smokers at both 6-week and 18-week follow-ups. Primary outcome Change in mental health from baseline to an 18-week follow-up was measured using the emotional well-being subscale on the Short Form Health Survey-36. Results After adjustment for confounding variables, the differences for reducers compared with continuing smokers were: regression modelling −0.6 (95% CI −4.4 to 3.2) and propensity score matching 1.1 (95% CI −2.0 to 4.1). Conclusions Smoking reduction, sustained for at least 12 weeks, was not associated with change in mental health, suggesting that reducing smoking was no better or worse for mental health than continuing smoking. Clinicians offering smoking reduction as a route to quit can be confident that, on average, smoking reduction is not associated with negative change in mental health.
Implementing video compression algorithms on reconfigurable devices

The increasing density offered by Field Programmable Gate Arrays(FPGA), coupled with their short design cycle, has made them a popular choice for implementing a wide range of algorithms and complete systems. In this thesis the implementation of video compression algorithms on FPGAs is studied. Two areas are specifically focused on; the integration of a video encoder into a complete system and the power consumption of FPGA based video encoders. Two FPGA based video compression systems are described, one which targets surveillance applications and one which targets video conferencing applications. The FPGA video surveillance system makes use of a novel memory format to improve the efficiency with which input video sequences can be loaded over the system bus. The power consumption of a FPGA video encoder is analyzed. The results indicating that the motion estimation encoder stage requires the most power consumption. An algorithm, which reuses the intra prediction results generated during the encoding process, is then proposed to reduce the power consumed on an FPGA video encoder’s external memory bus. Finally, the power reduction algorithm is implemented within an FPGA video encoder. Results are given showing that, in addition to reducing power on the external memory bus, the algorithm also reduces power in the motion estimation stage of a FPGA based video encoder.
Evolution of Centrality Measurements for the Detection of Essential Proteins in Biological Networks

Current breakthroughs in high-throughput technologies have propelled the development of databases that systematically store knowledge of how genes, proteins, and metabolites interact. To elucidate the mechanisms of molecular interaction, such data can be represented through networks where nodes are biological entities (e.g., gene, protein, miRNA, transcription factor, and metabolites) and edges are associations/interactions between them (e.g., co-expression, signaling, regulation, and physical interaction). One approach to use such networks is to analyze their topological structure and try to relate this to biological function. Topological analysis hints at the possible behavior of a network in the regulation of biological processes or phenotypes and help in unveiling the core mechanisms. Broadly speaking, topological parameters can be used to explore: (1) collective behaviors (global properties such as diameter, small-world and scale-free properties of a network), (2) subnetwork behaviors (functional motif discovery), and (3) individual behaviors (prioritization of important nodes by centrality indices) of various network components (Ma and Gao, 2012). One of the first attempts found in the literature considered centrality related to lethality, and is known as the centrality–lethality rule proposed by Jeong et al. indicating a positive correlation between connectivity and indispensability in the yeast protein-protein interaction map (Jeong et al., 2001). Similarly, Wagner and Fell analyzed the structure of a large metabolic network of E. coli using metabolite node degree and shortest mean path length and observed small world like properties that follow power-law distributions (Wagner and Fell, 2001). In these two comprehensive studies, an old metric system (centrality index) was applied with different strategies, aiming to answer the following question: Do centrality indices predict the essential nodes in the biological networks? Remarkably, topological analyses carried out in transcriptional regulatory (TR) and metabolic networks have been a valuable guide to identify those biological components, called essential nodes, that play a major role in vital functional activities for some microorganisms (Resendis-Antonio et al., 2005, 2012). The relationship between nodes topological features, such as their degree, and their essentiality remains however debated (Coulomb et al., 2005). Prediction of essential proteins is a challenging task because it needs experimental approaches that are expensive, time-consuming, and laborious (Zhong et al., 2013; Li et al., 2014). To optimize the search of essential nodes in biological networks, a series of computational methods that include topological criteria have been proposed. In this paper, we review the cutting edge computational methods by categorizing them according to their underlying strategies to identify essential components. In each case, we discuss their predictive experimental power and identify shortcomings.