Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Targeting Residual Risk: The Rationale for the Use of Non-HDL Cholesterol

There is a wealth of epidemiological and clinical data linking low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDLc) with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Numerous primary and secondary prevention trials have demonstrated that reduction in LDLc leads to significant decrease in cardiovascular event rates. However, patients continue to be at significant risk for recurrent events despite aggressive LDLc lowering, reflecting a substantial residual risk. Numerous parameters like apolipoprotein B, LDL particle size, number and non-high density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDLc) measurement have been used to assess and address this high residual risk. Herein, we discuss the rationale and the evidence supporting the use of non-HDLc. We also discuss therapeutic options and provide a practical approach to residual risk reduction from a primary care perspective.
Identification of Genomic Binding Sites for Candida glabrata Pdr1 Transcription Factor in Wild-Type and ρ0 Cells

ABSTRACT The fungal pathogen Candida glabrata is an emerging cause of candidiasis in part owing to its robust ability to acquire tolerance to the major clinical antifungal drug fluconazole. Similar to the related species Candida albicans, C. glabrata most typically gains azole tolerance via transcriptional induction of a suite of resistance genes, including a locus encoding an ABCG-type ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter that is referred to as CDR1 in Candida species. In C. glabrata, CDR1 expression is controlled primarily by the activity of a transcriptional activator protein called Pdr1. Strains exhibiting reduced azole susceptibility often contain substitution mutations in PDR1 that in turn lead to elevated mRNA levels of target genes with associated azole resistance. Pdr1 activity is also induced upon loss of the mitochondrial genome status and upon challenge by azole drugs. While extensive analyses of the transcriptional effects of Pdr1 have identified a number of genes that are regulated by this factor, we cannot yet separate direct from indirect target genes. Here we used chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) coupled with high-throughput sequencing (ChIP-seq) to identify the promoters and associated genes directly regulated by Pdr1. These genes include many that are shared with the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae but others that are unique to C. glabrata, including the ABC transporter-encoding locus YBT1, genes involved in DNA repair, and several others. These data provide the outline for understanding the primary response genes involved in production of Pdr1-dependent azole resistance in C. glabrata.
Congenital lobar emphysema: Challenges in diagnosis and ventilation

Congenital lobar emphysema (CLE) is a rare congenital anomaly of lung causing over aeration of one or more lobes of a histologically normal lung. It presents in infancy with respiratory distress due to compression atelectasis and often associated with mediastinal shift and hypotension. CLE poses a challenge in diagnosis and positive pressure ventilation due to air trapping. We report a case of 8-week-old infant with CLE posted for right lobectomy. Strategies to prevent misdiagnosis, over aeration and use of IPPV have been reviewed.
Effects of herbal and non-herbal toothpastes on plaque and gingivitis: A clinical comparative study

Background: Presence of plaque may be the culprit for dental caries, gingivitis, periodontal problems, and halitosis. Many mechanical aids are practiced worldwide to remove or control plaque, including tooth brushes, dental floss, mouth rinses, and dentifrices. The objective of this clinical study was to investigate the effectiveness of herbal toothpaste (Dabur Red) in controlling plaque and gingivitis, as compared to conventional (non-herbal) dentifrice (Pepsodent). Materials and Methods: In this study, 30 subjects aged 35–43 years with established gingivitis and at least 20 natural teeth, and having a probing depth <3 mm were investigated. After the washout period, plaque and gingival index (PI and GI, respectively) scores were assessed at days 0 and 30. Differences between groups were compared with Mann–Whitney U test and the mean scores of PI and GI by Wilcoxon test. Statistical difference between the weights of dentifrices tubes on days 0 and 30 was evaluated by Student's t-test. Results: At the end of 30 days of the study, there was statistically significant difference between both the groups for plaque and gingival scores. Conclusion: After 30 days of trial, both test and control groups showed effective reduction of plaque and gingivitis, which was statistically significant. No adverse reactions to dentifrices products were observed during the trial. It was concluded that herbal dentifrice was as effective as non-herbal dentifrices in the control of plaque and gingivitis.
Aortic valve allografts in sheep

Some of the mechnical and biological problems surrounding the use of fresh allograft inverted aortic valves as mitral valve substitutes are described. Certain aspects of the problem have been studied experimentally. In three sheep `fresh' aortic valve allografts were inserted, using cardiopulmonary bypass, into the main pulmonary artery, and were observed from 5 to 7 months after operation. The animals survived normally. Their normal pulmonary valves remained in situ. The technique is described. At subsequent necropsy, macroscopically the valves were found to be free from vegetation, and the cusps were pliable and apparently normal. Microscopically, the supporting allograft myocardium showed necrosis and early calcification. The valve cusp showed hyalinization of collagen, although beneath the endocardium this hyalinized collagen contained moderate numbers of fibroblasts with no evidence of proliferation. The endocardium and arterial intima of the allograft showed evidence of ingrowth from adjacent normal host endocardial tissues. The allograft itself was invested in a loose layer of fibro-fatty tissue, which, in view of the necrotic state of the graft myocardium, could well have been a reparative reaction rather than a homograft reaction. It is concluded that, although the cusps could function normally, the necrosis of the myocardium might in time lead to late failure of the graft. Further studies with the valve inserted at mitral level are indicated.
Octahedron Environment Maps

In this paper, we examine the octahedron as a parameterization scheme to represent environment maps in real-time rendering applications. We discuss two projection schemes and show two convenient unfold mappings to pack the platonic solid into quadratic or rectangular textures. We carry out an analysis and consider rendering performance for interactive applications as well as the quality of representation. We further discuss applications and scenarios which benefit from this parameterization.
Optically Identified BL Lacertae Objects from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

We present a sample of 386 BL Lacertae candidates identified from 2860 deg2 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) spectroscopic database. The candidates are primarily selected to have quasi-featureless optical spectra and low proper motions as measured from SDSS and USNO-B positions; however, our ability to separate Galactic from extragalactic quasi-featureless objects (QFOs) on the basis of proper motion alone is limited by the lack of reliable proper motion measurements for faint objects. Fortunately, high proper motion QFOs, mostly DC white dwarfs, populate a well-defined region of color space, approximately corresponding to blackbodies with temperatures in the range 7000–12,000 K. QFOs with measurable redshifts or X-ray or radio counterparts (i.e., evidence of an extragalactic/active galactic nucleus nature) loosely follow a track in color space that corresponds to power-law continua plus host galaxy starlight, with typical power-law slopes in the range 1 < αopt < 2 (fν ∝ ν-α). Based largely on this remarkably clean color separation, we subdivide the sample into 240 probable candidates and 146 additional less probable (likely stellar) candidates. The probable BL Lac candidates have multiwavelength properties consistent with the range of previously known BL Lac objects, with an apparent preponderance of objects with synchrotron peaks at relatively high energies (HBL/XBL type). The majority of the 154 objects with measurable redshifts have z < 1, with a median of 0.45; there are also a handful of high-redshift objects extending up to z = 5.03. We identify a small number of potential radio-quiet BL Lac candidates, although more sensitive radio observations are needed to confirm their radio-quiet nature.
Systemic considerations for orofacial neuropathy

Patients with orofacial neuropathic pain typically present with symptoms first hand to their general dental practitioner. It is important dental practitioners recognise the clinical presentations of these conditions for prompt diagnosis and appropriate management. This review will focus on the systemic causes of orofacial neuropathy. Infectious and autoimmune diseases with orofacial neuropathic manifestations such as post-herpetic neuralgia, paroxysmal neuralgias, painful trigeminal sensory neuropathies, peripheral neuritis and oral dysaesthesia will be discussed. Specifically, the prevalence, pathophysiology, clinical presentations and management of these conditions will be reviewed.
Evaluation of the Osteoporosis Health Belief Scale in Korean Women

Background The Osteoporosis Health Belief Scale (OHBS) is a 42-item questionnaire designed to assess susceptibility, seriousness, calcium benefits, calcium barriers, exercise benefits, exercise barriers, and health motivation related to osteoporosis. We aimed to evaluate its psychometric properties to enable the provision of educational tips regarding osteoporosis. Methods All women who had visited the department of obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) and whose bone mineral density was measured from January 2010 to December 2011 were enrolled by interview using the OHBS. We also evaluated the women's general clinical characteristics. Results One hundred seventy-seven women were enrolled in the present study. In the present study, the barriers to calcium intake subscale had the lowest mean score (15.03±3.02), and the Benefit of Exercise subscale had the highest (23.02±3.03). The scores for participants in their 20s were significantly higher than scores for those in their 70s on the Benefits of Exercise subscale and Barriers to Exercise subscale (P=0.014 and P=0.022, respectively). Conclusions Education for health motivation to prevent osteoporosis is important for young women. Additional systematic education programs are needed for the general population.
Dewetting mechanisms and their exploitation for the large-scale fabrication of advanced nanophotonic systems

Recent progress in submicron- and nano-fabrication technologies has led to the emergence of novel photonic structures such as optical nanoantennas and metasurfaces. Real-life applications of these advanced photonic structures still require substantial improvement of the fabrication processes, in terms of their throughput and cost-effectiveness. Because of its simplicity and effectiveness, dewetting of a thin film has attained increasing attention as a feasible process for improving the scalability and productivity. Here, we provide an overview of the mechanisms and phenomenologies of dewetting to foster an improved fundamental understanding necessary for the optimisation of the dewetting process condition and template design. We then review the strategies demonstrating the use of templated-dewetting for producing well-aligned arrays of submicron- and nanostructures with great control over their size, shape and arrangement. Recent applications of dewetted structures in advanced nanophotonics are reviewed with an emphasis on the exploitation of dewetting mechanisms. Special attention is given to the fabrication of resonant optical nanoantennas and nanophotonic applications in which high repeatability and throughput are important parameters: sensing, colourisation, photovoltaics and nonlinear light frequency conversion. We expect this review to provide a basis for the use of thin-film dewetting to realise the industrial-level fabrication of various practical advanced photonic systems.
Concealment of lung cancer diagnosis: prevalence and correlates

Lung cancer has a commonly understood behavioral etiology. Thus, lung cancer patients are often blamed for their illness and may seek to avoid this blame by concealing their diagnosis from others. This study sought to determine the prevalence of concealment and identify demographic, clinical, and psychosocial correlates of concealment among lung cancer patients.
Extracorporeal shockwave therapy for the treatment of chronic wound of lower extremity: current perspective and systematic review

The purpose of this study was to provide an up‐to‐date review for the accurate estimation of the efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) on the healing of chronic wounds on the lower extremity (CWLE). A systematic review of 10 databases for clinical trials about ESWT in the management of CWLE published between 2000 and 2016 was performed. A total of 11 studies with 925 patients were found. Expert therapists assessed the methodological qualities of the selected studies using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale and categorised each study according to Sackett's levels of evidence. Eight studies were categorised as level II; two studies were categorised as level III and one study was categorised as level V. In conclusion, this review demonstrated mild to moderate evidence to support the use of ESWT as an adjuvant therapy with a standardised wound care programme. However, it is difficult to draw firm conclusions about the efficacy of ESWT. So, future researches with high methodological quality are required to assess the efficacy and cost‐effectiveness of this relatively new physical therapy application.
Severity scores, itch scores and plasma substance P levels in atopic dermatitis treated with standard topical therapy with oral olopatadine hydrochloride

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic or chronically relapsing, severely pruritic, eczematous skin disease. Recently, substance P (SP) has been demonstrated to be one of the important neuropeptides for mediating itch–scratch and stress–scratch cycles. In this study, we examined the severity scores, itch scores and plasma SP levels in 19 patients with AD treated with standard topical therapy with or without an oral antihistamine, olopatadine hydrochloride, for 4 weeks. The standard therapy decreased SCORAD scores, itch behavioral rating scores and plasma SP levels at post‐treatment in the mass, but the topical therapy with olopatadine was more effective than the topical therapy alone, suggesting a potential additive effect.
Effects of polyphenol‐rich plant products from grape or hop as feed supplements on the expression of inflammatory, antioxidative, cytoprotective and endoplasmic reticulum stress‐related genes and the antioxidative status in the liver of piglets

Recent studies have shown that supplementation of plant products rich in polyphenols exerts anti-inflammatory effects in the small intestine and improves feed conversion in piglets. This study aimed to investigate whether dietary polyphenols have also anti-inflammatory and cytoprotective effects in the liver of piglets. For this end, relative mRNA concentrations of eight genes involved in proinflammatory pathways, eight genes involved in the antioxidative and cytoprotective system, six genes of phase I and phase II metabolism and 15 genes of the unfolded protein response (triggered by stress of the endoplasmic reticulum) in the liver of pigs fed diets supplemented with either 1% of grape seed and grape marc meal extract (GME) or 1% spent hops (SH) as sources of polyphenols were determined. Relative mRNA concentrations of almost all these genes, with few exceptions, in the liver of pigs supplemented with GME or SH did not differ from those in the liver of control piglets. Gene expression data were validated by consideration of concentrations of some selected proteins of these pathways which also did not differ between piglets supplemented with GME or SH and control piglets. Moreover, concentrations of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and tocopherols as well as the total antioxidant capacity in liver and plasma did not differ between pigs supplemented with either GME or SH and control piglets. Overall, this study shows that supplementation of GME or SH as sources of polyphenols does not influence hepatic pathways linked to inflammation, the antioxidant and cytoprotective system, stress of the endoplasmic reticulum and the xenobiotic system in healthy piglets.
Explorations in Hubble Space: A Quantitative Tuning Fork

In order to establish an objective framework for studying galaxy morphology, we have developed a quantitative two-parameter description of galactic structure that maps closely onto Hubble's original tuning fork. Any galaxy can be placed in this "Hubble space," where the x-coordinate measures position along the early-to-late sequence while the y-coordinate measures in a quantitative way the degree to which the galaxy is barred. The parameters defining Hubble space are sufficiently robust to allow the formation of Hubble's tuning fork to be mapped out to high redshifts. In the present paper, we describe a preliminary investigation of the distribution of local galaxies in Hubble space based on the CCD imaging atlas published by Frei et al. in 1996. We find that barred, weakly barred, and unbarred galaxies are remarkably well separated on this diagnostic diagram. The spiral sequence is clearly bimodal and indeed approximates a tuning fork: strongly barred and unbarred spirals do not simply constitute the extrema of a smooth unimodal distribution of bar strength but, rather, populate two parallel sequences. Strongly barred galaxies lie on a remarkably tight sequence, strongly suggesting the presence of an underlying unifying physical process. Rather surprisingly, weakly barred systems do not seem to correspond to objects bridging the parameter space between unbarred and strongly barred galaxies but, instead, form an extension of the regular spiral sequence. This relation lends support to models in which the bulges of late-type spirals originate from secular processes driven by bars.
Enhanced photoresponsivity of the GOQDs decorated WS2 photodetector

The two-dimensional WS2 material with the capability of achieving high photoelectric characteristics has attracted more and more attention. However, it still suffers from the limited optical absorption and the lower photogenerated carrier lifetime. Here, we report a WS2 photodetector decorated by the environment-friendly and stabilized graphene oxide quantum dots (GOQDs) as hole harvesting media. Through introducing GOQDs by a simple solution method, the photoelectric performances of the photodetector are improved efficiently. The photoresponsivity of the photodetector is increased to 12.5 mA W−1, and the detectivity is also improved to about 2.01 × 1010 Jones. The enhanced photoresponsivity is attributed to the GOQDs-WS2 heterostructure and photogating effect of GOQDs, which can promote the separation of the photogenerated electron-hole pairs and the hole carriers trapped in GOQDs, respectively. These reasons also extend the recombination time between them. This work may provide a new approach for preparing green and environment friendly photodetector with enhanced performance.
Bifurcation in vehicle dynamics and robust front wheel steering control

A control strategy is proposed for designing a steering control for automotive vehicles to protect the vehicle from spin and to realize the improved cornering performance. The saturation characteristics of rear tires are modeled by a linear function with uncertainty terms of a special structure. The nonlinearity of the saturation is included in the part of uncertainty. The linear H/sup /spl infin// control theory is applied to the design of a front wheel steering controller which compensates the instability against the nonlinear uncertainty. The designed controller is shown to work quite well for nonlinear systems in achieving robust stability and protecting the vehicle from spin. Furthermore, the computer simulations show that the control improves cornering performance in critical motions. The motion realized by the controller resembles the one known as a counter steering which skilful drivers often use.
17 Separation Anxiety in Children and Adolescents

Anxiety disorders are among the most common psychological disorders in younger patients, affecting 6% to 20% of developed countries children and adolescents (Walkup et al. 2008). Separation anxiety is the only anxiety disorder restricted to infancy, childhood, or adolescence (APA, 2000). Separation anxiety disorder (SAD) is defined by developmentally inappropriate, excessive, persistent, and unrealistic worry about separation from attachment figures, most commonly parents or other family members. Youths with SAD display distress before separation or during attempts at separation. These children worry excessively about their own or their parents' safety and health when separated, have difficulty sleeping alone, experience nightmares with themes of separation, frequently have somatic complaints, and may exhibit school refusal. Children with separation anxiety disorder exhibit varying degrees of avoidant behaviour that correlate with the severity of their symptoms (Albano et al. 2003). This kind of anxiety in adolescents and schoolchildren significantly interferes with daily activities and developmental tasks. Children with separation anxiety disorder are usually brought to the clinician when SAD results in school refusal or embarrassing somatic symptoms. When analyzing responses to shown images, relative to controls, children with anxiety disorders experience greater negative emotional responses to the presented images, are less successful at applying reappraisals, but show intact ability to reduce their negative emotions following reappraisal. They also may report less frequent use of reappraisal in everyday life (Carthy et al, 2010).
Stellar contributors to the hard X‐ray background?

We use simple energetic arguments to estimate the contribution of massive X-ray binaries and supernova remnants to the cosmic X-ray background (XRB) at energies in excess of 2 keV. Recent surveys have shown that active galactic nuclei (AGN) probably account for most of the hard XRB (E>2 keV), but there have been many suggestions that star-forming galaxies could emerge at fainter fluxes and perhaps account for a significant fraction of the soft and hard X-ray energy density. Assuming that the formation rate of massive X-ray binaries (MXRBs) traces the global star-formation rate, we find that their integrated contribution to the hard XRB can be estimated and is shown to be small (at less than the 1 per cent level). Similarly, the integrated flux of supernovae (SN) is also shown to be insignificant, or at most comparable to MXRBs. AGN therefore remain the most viable candidates for producing the hard XRB, unless additional processes can be shown to dominate the global hard X-ray emission in distant starburst galaxies.