Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quality of Life of Short-Statured Children Born Small for Gestational Age or Idiopathic Growth Hormone Deficiency Within 1 Year of Growth Hormone Treatment

Aside from clinical endpoints like height gain, health-related quality of life has also become an important outcome indicator in the medical field. However, the data on short stature and health-related quality of life is inconsistent. Therefore, we examined changes in health-related quality of life in German children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency or children born small for gestational age before and after 12 months of human growth hormone treatment. Children with idiopathic short stature without treatment served as a comparison group. At baseline, health-related quality of life data of 154 patients with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency (n = 65), born small for gestational age (n = 58), and idiopathic short stature (n = 31) and one parent each was collected. Of these, 130 completed health-related quality of life assessments after 1-year of human growth hormone treatment. Outcome measures included the Quality of Life in Short Stature Youth questionnaire, as well as clinical and sociodemographic data. Our results showed that the physical, social, and emotional health-related quality of life of children treated with human growth hormone significantly increased, while untreated patients with idiopathic short stature reported a decrease in these domains. Along with this, a statistically significant increase in height in the treated group can be observed, while the slight increase in the untreated group was not significant. In conclusion, the results showed that human growth hormone treatment may have a positive effect not only on height but also in improving patient-reported health-related quality of life of children with idiopathic growth hormone deficiency and children born small for gestational age.
Improved physical performance after orthotopic liver transplantation.

Orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) has become a frequently used treatment for end-stage liver disease and acute liver failure, and liver function is markedly improved after transplantation. However, no studies have investigated the development in physical capacity after OLT. On this basis, the aim of the present study is to study the influence of OLT on physical fitness during the first postoperative year. Twenty-three men with a mean age of 45.1 years (range, 24 to 62 years) and 15 women with a mean age of 44.6 years (range, 21 to 62 years) were included in the study. Preoperative maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) during graded ergometer bicycling, isokinetic knee extension/flexion moments, and functional performance (i.e., 6-minute walking distance and standardized transfers and squats) was measured. Preoperative fitness and strength was 40% to 50% less than expected in the age-matched general population. Post-OLT, all patients underwent a supervised exercise program for 8 to 24 weeks. Follow-up data showed a significant increase in all tested physical performance parameters after OLT. Six months post-OLT, VO2max had increased 43%; knee strength, 60% to 100%; and functional performance, 22% to 27%. One year postsurgery, general health was improved and perceived as excellent or good in all patients. All patients were independent in activities of daily living, and the level of physical activity increased after OLT. No further improvement in either physical performance parameters or self-assessed parameters was seen beyond 6 months after OLT. In conclusion, these findings indicate that OLT combined with a supervised post-OLT exercise program improves physical fitness, muscle strength, and functional performance in individuals with chronic liver disease.
Epigenome-wide analysis of neonatal CD4+ T-cell DNA methylation sites potentially affected by maternal fish oil supplementation

Supplementation of fish oil rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) during pregnancy has been shown to confer favorable health outcomes in the offspring. In a randomized controlled trial, we have previously shown that n-3 PUFA supplementation in pregnancy was associated with modified immune responses and some markers of immune maturation. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these heritable effects are unclear. To determine whether the biological effects of maternal n-3 PUFA supplementation are mediated through DNA methylation, we analyzed CD4+ T-cells purified from cryo-banked cord blood samples from a previously conducted clinical trial. Of the 80 mother-infant pairs that completed the initial trial, cord blood samples of 70 neonates were available for genome-wide DNA methylation profiling. Comparison of purified total CD4+ T-cell DNA methylation profiles between the supplement and control groups did not reveal any statistically significant differences in CpG methylation, at the single-CpG or regional level. Effect sizes among top-ranked probes were lower than 5% and did not warrant further validation. Tests for association between methylation levels and key n-3 PUFA parameters, docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), or total n-3 PUFAs were suggestive of dose-dependent effects, but these did not reach genome-wide significance. Our analysis of the microarray data did not suggest strong modifying effects of in utero n-3 PUFA exposure on CD4+ T-cell methylation profiles, and no probes on the array met our criteria for further validation. Other epigenetic mechanisms may be more relevant mediators of functional effects induced by n-3 PUFA in early life.
Accuracy of after-hour 'red dot' trauma radiograph triage by radiographers in a South African regional hospital.

BACKGROUND The global demand for diagnostic imaging exceeds the supply of radiologists and is of particular significance in poorly resourced healthcare environments where many radiographs are unreported. Delayed or absent reporting may negatively impact patient management. In well-resourced countries there is recognition that extending the role of radiographers to radiological reporting tasks helps meet service demands. Aim. To determine the accuracy of acute fracture detection by South African radiographers working in an after-hour setting. METHOD We performed a retrospective study of radiographers at a Western Cape Regional Hospital over 2 months in 2011. The sensitivity and specificity of radiographers' fracture detection were compared with that of a consultant radiologist. Differences were evaluated using the McNemar chi-squared test, with p<0.05 regarded as significant. RESULTS A total of 369 radiographs were analysed. The overall accuracy of reporting by radiographers was 93.7%, with 74.4% sensitivity for fracture detection. Experienced radiographers performed better than inexperienced radiographers; adult fractures were more consistently identified than paediatric fractures, and appendicular fractures were better visualised than axial fractures. In all instances there was a significant difference between fracture detection by radiographers and the radiologist. Experienced radiographers evaluating appendicular fractures in adults achieved the highest sensitivity (89.9%), which was not significantly different from that of a consultant radiologist (p=0.88). CONCLUSION The performance of experienced radiographers in our study is comparable with that of experienced radiographers internationally, who have no specific training in trauma radiograph reporting. However, additional training is required if role extension is to be considered.
Deng Xiaoping: The Social Reformer

Deng Xiaoping's legacy as a social reformer can be considered in the context of his ideas regarding the selection and promotion of human talent, and the implications of those ideas for the political and social order. Deng's ideas are contrasted primarily with those of Mao Zedong, even though at many times and in many of the utterances of both men there is little that can be distinguished.
Loss of functional beta 2-microglobulin in metastatic melanomas from five patients receiving immunotherapy.

BACKGROUND In a subset of patients with metastatic melanoma, T lymphocytes bearing the cell-surface marker CD8 (CD8+ T cells) can cause the regression of even large tumors. These antitumor CD8+ T cells recognize peptide antigens presented on the surface of tumor cells by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules. The MHC class I molecule is a heterodimer composed of an integral membrane glycoprotein designated the alpha chain and a noncovalently associated, soluble protein called beta2-microglobulin (beta 2m). Loss of beta 2m generally eliminates antigen recognition by antitumor CD8+ T cells. PURPOSE We studied the loss of beta 2m as a potential means of tumor escape from immune recognition in a cohort of patients receiving immunotherapy. METHODS We successfully grew 13 independent tumor cell cultures from tumor specimens obtained from 13 patients in a cohort of 40 consecutive patients undergoing immunotherapy for metastatic melanoma and for whom tumor specimens were available. These cell lines, as well as another melanoma cell line (called 1074mel) that had been derived from tumor obtained from a patient in a cytokine-gene therapy study, were characterized in vitro cytofluorometrically for MHC class I expression and by northern and western blot analyses for messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression, respectively, and ex vivo by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS After one melanoma cell line (1074mel) was found not to express functional beta 2m by cytofluorometric analysis, four (31%) of the 13 newly established melanoma cell lines were found to have an absolute lack of functional MHC class I expression. Northern blot analysis of RNA extracted from the five cell lines exhibiting no functional MHC class I expression showed that these cells contained normal levels of alpha-chain mRNA but variable levels of beta 2m mRNA. In addition, no immunoreactive beta 2m protein was detected by western blot analysis. When human beta 2m was transiently expressed with the use of a recombinant vaccinia virus, cell-surface MHC class I expression was reconstituted and the ability of these five cell lines to present endogenous antigens was restored. Immunohistochemical staining of tumor sections revealed a lack of immunoreactive MHC class I in vivo, supporting the notion that the in vitro observations were not artifactual. Furthermore, archival tumor sections obtained from patients prior to immunotherapy were available from three patients and were found to be beta 2m positive. This result was consistent with the hypothesis that loss of beta 2m resulted from immunotherapy. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that the loss of beta 2m may be a mechanism whereby tumor cells can acquire immunoresistance. This study represents the first characterization of a molecular route of escape of tumors from immune recognition in a cohort of patients being treated with immunotherapy.
The analysis of blood flow changes under local anesthetic input using non-contact technique

In this work photoplethysmography imaging (PPGI) technique was used to obtain blood flow changes in human skin under regional anesthesia (RA). PPGI was evaluated from video taken by video camera for 26 patients 2 minutes before and immediately after RA, using custom developed software. Results showed that blood flow obtained by PPGI increases immediately after RA effect and the amplitude of PPGI showed correlation with temperature changes in human skin (r=0.8±0.14, p<0.0001). We found that PPGI technique can be usable for non-contact monitoring of quality of RA.
J an 2 01 4 Exclusive Study of Bottomonium States in Radiative Υ ( 2 S ) Decays

A study of various bottomonium states, in Υ(2S) → γ(bb) decays, reconstructed exclusively in 26 hadronic final states is presented. The study is performed using a data sample recorded at the Υ(2S) resonance with the Belle detector at KEKB, that contains 157 . 8×106 Υ(2S) events. The χbJ(1P) states are found with their masses being consistent with the world average values. We find no evidence for the state claimed to have been observed ar ound 9975 MeV/c2 in an analysis based on a data sample of 9 . 3×106 Υ(2S) events collected with the CLEO III detector, and place an upper limit an order of magnitude lower than the latter res ult. In the same study, the ηb(1S) state is also searched for.
Intracellular labeling of auditory nerve fibers in guinea pig: central and peripheral projections

Auditory‐nerve fibers (ANFs) in the cat have been subdivided according to spontaneous rate (SR), with high‐SR fibers showing the lowest thresholds. Cochlear terminals of the three SR groups differ in caliber and synaptic position around the inner hair cell (Liberman [1982b] Science 216:1239–1241); central terminals differ in degree of branching and in which subregions of the cochlear nucleus (CN) are targeted (Liberman [1991] J. Comp. Neurol. 313:240–258). The present study investigates whether these SR‐based differences in ANF connections are unique to the cat. Thirty ANFs from 15 guinea pigs were intracellularly labeled after measuring characteristic frequency, threshold, and SR. Labeled cochlear projections showed significant SR‐based differences in axonal caliber, with low‐ and medium‐SR fibers 20–40% thinner than those of high‐SR fibers for both peripheral and central (modiolar) axons. Spatial segregation in the inner hair cell area could not be assessed; however, the peripheral axons in the osseous spiral lamina showed the same SR‐based organization reported for the cat (Kawase and Liberman [1992] J. Comp. Neurol. 319:312–318). Labeled central projections also showed significant SR‐based differences. Low‐ and medium‐SR fibers: 1) were more highly branched, 2) sent significantly more terminals to the small‐cell cap region of the CN, and 3) produced endbulb terminals (on spherical cells) that were significantly more complex than high‐SR fibers. All of these SR‐based trends for both central and peripheral projections are analogous to those reported in the cat, and, thus, may represent a fundamental organizational principle of the mammalian ear. J. Comp. Neurol. 381:188‐202, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The Impact and Mitigation of Ionosphere Anomalies on Ground-Based Augmentation of GNSS

This paper describes the impact that extreme ionospheric spatial gradients occurring during severe ionosphere storms have on GNSS Ground Based Augmentation Systems (GBAS) and how the U.S. Local Area Augmentation System (LAAS) mitigates the integrity risk due to these events. Gradients in slant ionosphere delay of as large as 425 mm/km over baselines of 40 – 100 km have been observed in CONUS during the ionosphere storms since April 2000 by both the U.S. Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) and the network of Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) reference receivers. Because ionosphere gradients affecting a LAAS site may not be observed by the LAAS Ground Facility (LGF) before users are affected, a simulation-based method has been developed to determine, in near-real-time, which potential LAAS user geometries would be unacceptably threatened by a hypothetical worst-case ionosphere gradient. Geometries of this type are made unavailable to LAAS users by having the LGF inflate the broadcast ionosphere-gradient sigma, which increases the Vertical Protection Level (VPL) of the unacceptable geometries so that they exceed the allowed Vertical Alert Limit (VAL).
No Effect of Ambient Odor on the Affective Appraisal of a Desktop Virtual Environment with Signs of Disorder

Background Desktop virtual environments (VEs) are increasingly deployed to study the effects of environmental qualities and interventions on human behavior and safety related concerns in built environments. For these applications it is essential that users appraise the affective qualities of the VE similar to those of its real world counterpart. Previous studies have shown that factors like simulated lighting, sound and dynamic elements all contribute to the affective appraisal of a desktop VE. Since ambient odor is known to affect the affective appraisal of real environments, and has been shown to increase the sense of presence in immersive VEs, it may also be an effective tool to tune the affective appraisal of desktop VEs. This study investigated if exposure to ambient odor can modulate the affective appraisal of a desktop VE with signs of public disorder. Method Participants explored a desktop VE representing a suburban neighborhood with signs of public disorder (neglect, vandalism and crime), while being exposed to either room air or subliminal levels of unpleasant (tar) or pleasant (cut grass) ambient odor. Whenever they encountered signs of disorder they reported their safety related concerns and associated affective feelings. Results Signs of crime in the desktop VE were associated with negative affective feelings and concerns for personal safety and personal property. However, there was no significant difference between reported safety related concerns and affective connotations in the control (no-odor) and in each of the two ambient odor conditions. Conclusion Ambient odor did not affect safety related concerns and affective connotations associated with signs of disorder in the desktop VE. Thus, semantic congruency between ambient odor and a desktop VE may not be sufficient to influence its affective appraisal, and a more realistic simulation in which simulated objects appear to emit scents may be required to achieve this goal.
PR ] 1 4 A pr 2 01 8 CONVERGENCE AND STATIONARY DISTRIBUTIONS FOR

A Walsh diffusion on Euclidean space moves along each ray from the origin, as a solution to a stochastic differential equation with certain drift and diffusion coefficients, as long as it stays away from the origin. As it hits the origin, it instantaneously chooses a new direction according to a given probability law, called the spinning measure. A special example is a realvalued diffusion with skew reflections at the origin. This process continuously (in the weak sense) depends on the spinning measure. We determine a stationary measure for such process, explore long-term convergence to this distribution and establish an explicit rate of exponential convergence.
A Measurement of Disk Ellipticity in Nearby Spiral Galaxies

We have measured the intrinsic disk ellipticity for seven nearby, nearly face-on spiral galaxies by combining Densepak integral-field spectroscopy with I-band imaging from the WIYN telescope. Initially assuming an axisymmetric model, we determine the kinematic inclinations and position angles from Hα velocity fields and the photometric axis ratios and position angles from imaging data. We interpret the observed disparities between kinematic and photometric disk parameters in terms of an intrinsic nonzero ellipticity ϵ. The mean ellipticity of our sample is 0.05. If the majority of disk galaxies have such intrinsic axis ratios, this would account for roughly 50% of the scatter in the Tully-Fisher relation. This result, in turn, places tighter constraints on other sources of scatter in this relation, the most astrophysically compelling of which is galaxy mass-to-light ratios.
Early detection of Ganoderma causing basal stem rot disease in coconut plantations.

Basal stem rot disease of coconut caused by Ganoderma lucidum (Leys) Karst is prevalent throughout the world, causing significant damage and losses to coconut plantations. The pathogen is soil-borne in nature. For early diagnosis, different techniques viz., enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, dot immunobinding assay and polymerase chain reaction have been used in modern era of plant pathology. In this study, we have tried ELISA and DIBA using the monospecific antibodies raised against a distinct common protein with a molecular weight of 62 kDa. The protein was observed in all the isolates of Ganoderma collected throughout Tamil Nadu, India, by the sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis and variations in the protein patterns were found between Ganoderma isolates. The polyclonal antisera were developed against the purified single protein of Ganoderma. The presence of the 62 kDa protein in the crude mycelial extract was confirmed by western blot analysis. Using the antisera, the pathogen was detected by Indirect ELISA and dot immuno binding assay (DIBA) which resulted in positive reactions for infected samples and negative reactions for apparently healthy palms. These serological techniques gave better results in early diagnosis of field samples, and it could be adopted for lar ge-scale application.
Isolation and characterization of the Escherichia coli htrD gene, whose product is required for growth at high temperatures

Those genes in Escherichia coli defined by mutations which result in an inability to grow at high temperatures are designated htr, indicating a high temperature requirement. A new htr mutant of E. coli was isolated and characterized and is designated htrD. The htrD gene has been mapped to 19.3 min on the E. coli chromosome. Insertional inactivation of htrD with a mini-Tn10 element resulted in a pleiotropic phenotype characterized by a severe inhibition of growth at 42 degrees C and decreased survival at 50 degrees C in rich media. Furthermore, htrD cells were sensitive to H2O2. Growth rate analysis revealed that htrD cells grow very slowly in minimal media supplemented with amino acids. This inhibitory effect has been traced to the presence of cysteine in the growth medium. Further studies indicated that the rate of cysteine transport is higher in htrD cells relative to the wild type. All of these results, taken together, indicate that the htrD gene product may be required for proper regulation of intracellular cysteine levels and that an increased rate of cysteine transport greatly affects the growth characteristics of E. coli.
Amyloidogenic Regions and Interaction Surfaces Overlap in Globular Proteins Related to Conformational Diseases

Protein aggregation underlies a wide range of human disorders. The polypeptides involved in these pathologies might be intrinsically unstructured or display a defined 3D-structure. Little is known about how globular proteins aggregate into toxic assemblies under physiological conditions, where they display an initially folded conformation. Protein aggregation is, however, always initiated by the establishment of anomalous protein-protein interactions. Therefore, in the present work, we have explored the extent to which protein interaction surfaces and aggregation-prone regions overlap in globular proteins associated with conformational diseases. Computational analysis of the native complexes formed by these proteins shows that aggregation-prone regions do frequently overlap with protein interfaces. The spatial coincidence of interaction sites and aggregating regions suggests that the formation of functional complexes and the aggregation of their individual subunits might compete in the cell. Accordingly, single mutations affecting complex interface or stability usually result in the formation of toxic aggregates. It is suggested that the stabilization of existing interfaces in multimeric proteins or the formation of new complexes in monomeric polypeptides might become effective strategies to prevent disease-linked aggregation of globular proteins.