Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Extrafine inhaled corticosteroid therapy in the control of asthma

Small airways disease plays an important role in the pathogenesis of asthma, but assessment of small airways impairment is not easy in everyday clinical practice. The small airways can be examined by several invasive and noninvasive methods, most of which can at present be used only in the experimental setting. Inhalers providing extrafine inhaled corticosteroid particle sizes may achieve sufficient deposition in the peripheral airways. Many studies have reported the beneficial effects of extrafine inhaled corticosteroids on inflammation, ie, on dysfunction in both the central and distal airways in asthmatics, and there are some data on asthma phenotypes in which the small airways seem to be affected more than in other phenotypes, including nocturnal asthma, severe steroid-dependent or difficult-to-treat asthma, asthma complicated by smoking, elderly asthmatic patients and/or patients with fixed airflow obstruction, and asthmatic children. The relevant randomized controlled clinical trials indicate that the efficacy of extrafine and nonextrafine inhaled corticosteroid formulations is similar in terms of primary endpoints, but there are certain clinically important endpoints for which the extrafine formulations show additional benefits.
Electrophysiological evidence of intuition: Part 2. A system-wide process?

OBJECTIVES This study aims to contribute to a scientific understanding of intuition, a process by which information normally outside the range of conscious awareness is perceived by the body's psychophysiological systems. The first objective, presented in two empirical reports (Part 1 and Part 2), was to replicate and extend the results of previous experiments demonstrating that the body can respond to an emotionally arousing stimulus seconds before it is actually experienced. The second objective, to be presented in a forthcoming publication (Part 3), is to develop a theory that explains how the body receives and processes information involved in intuitive perception. DESIGN The study used a counterbalanced crossover design, in which 30 calm and 15 emotionally arousing pictures were presented to 26 participants under two experimental conditions: a baseline condition of "normal" psychophysiologic function and a condition of physiological coherence. Primary measures included: skin conductance; the electroencephalogram (EEG), from which cortical event-related potentials (ERP) and heartbeatevoked potentials (HBEP) were derived; and the electrocardiogram (ECG), from which cardiac decelerations/ accelerations were derived. These measures were used to investigate where and when in the brain and body intuitive information is processed. RESULTS The main findings presented here are: (1) surprisingly, both the heart and brain appear to receive and respond to intuitive information; (2) even more surprisingly, there is compelling evidence that the heart appears to receive intuitive information before the brain; (3) there were significant differences in prestimulus ERPs for calm versus emotional stimuli; (4) the frontal cortex, temporal, occipital, and parietal areas appear to be involved in the processing of prestimulus information; (5) there were significant differences in prestimulus calm/emotional HBEPs, primarily in the coherent mode; (6) there were significant gender differences in the processing of prestimulus information. Especially noteworthy is the apparent interaction between the HBEPs and ERPs in the females, which suggests that the heart modulates the ERP and that females are more attuned to intuitive information from the heart. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our data suggest that the heart and brain, together, are involved in receiving, processing, and decoding intuitive information. On the basis of these results and those of other research, it would thus appear that intuitive perception is a system-wide process in which both the heart and brain (and possibly other bodily systems) play a critical role. To account for the study's results, Part 3 will develop a theory based on holographic principles explaining how intuitive perception accesses a field of energy into which information about "future" events is spectrally enfolded.
Writing out a temporal signal of chunks: patterns of pauses reflect the induced structure of written number sequences

Writing may be an effective approach to the study of cognitive phenomena that involve the processing of chunks. This paper provides evidence for the existence of a substantial and robust temporal signal in the process of writing that reveals information about the structure of chunks in working memory. Specifically, it is demonstrated that in the writing of simple number sequences the duration of pauses between written elements (digits) that are within a chunk are shorter than the pauses between elements across the boundary of chunks. This temporal signal is apparent in un-aggregated data for individual participants in single trials.
Contrasting ocean changes between the subpolar and polar North Atlantic during the past 135 ka

Variations in the poleward‐directed Atlantic heat transfer was investigated over the past 135 ka with special emphasis on the last and present interglacial climate development (Eemian and Holocene). Both interglacials exhibited very similar climatic oscillations during each preceding glacial terminations (deglacial TI and TII). Like TI, also TII has pronounced cold–warm–cold changes akin to events such as H1, Bølling/Allerød, and the Younger Dryas. But unlike TI, the cold events in TII were associated with intermittent southerly invasions of an Atlantic faunal component which underscores quite a different water mass evolution in the Nordic Seas. Within the Eemian interglaciation proper, peak warming intervals were antiphased between the Nordic Seas and North Atlantic. Moreover, inferred temperatures for the Nordic Seas were generally colder in the Eemian than in the Holocene, and vice versa for the North Atlantic. A reduced intensity of Atlantic Ocean heat transfer to the Arctic therefore characterized the Eemian, requiring a reassessment of the actual role of the ocean–atmosphere system behind interglacial, but also, glacial climate changes.
Identification of K most vulnerable nodes in multi-layered network using a new model of interdependency

The critical infrastructures of a nation including the power grid and the communication network are highly interdependent. Recognizing the need for a deeper understanding of the interdependency in a multi-layered network, significant efforts have been made by the research community in the last few years to achieve this goal. Accordingly a number of models have been proposed and analyzed. Unfortunately, most of the models are over simplified and, as such, they fail to capture the complex interdependency that exists between entities of the power grid and the communication networks involving a combination of conjunctive and disjunctive relations. To overcome the limitations of existing models, we propose a new model that is able to capture such complex interdependency relations. Utilizing this model, we provide techniques to identify the K most “vulnerable” nodes of an interdependent network. We show that the problem can be solved in polynomial time in some special cases, whereas for some others, the problem is NP-complete. We establish that this problem is equivalent to computation of a fixed point of a multilayered network system and we provide a technique for its computation utilizing Integer Linear Programming. Finally, we evaluate the efficacy of our technique using real data collected from the power grid and the communication network that span the Maricopa County of Arizona.
Metabolic effects of a growth hormone-releasing factor in patients with HIV.

BACKGROUND Visceral adipose tissue accumulates during antiretroviral therapy in many patients who are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV); this process is associated with an increased cardiovascular risk. We assessed the use of a growth hormone-releasing factor analogue, tesamorelin, to decrease visceral adiposity. METHODS We randomly assigned 412 patients with HIV (86% of whom were men) who had an accumulation of abdominal fat to receive a daily subcutaneous injection of either 2 mg of tesamorelin or placebo for 26 weeks. The primary end point was the percent change from baseline in visceral adipose tissue as shown on computed tomography. Secondary end points included triglyceride levels, the ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the level of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), and self-assessed body image. Glycemic measures included glucose and insulin levels. RESULTS The measure of visceral adipose tissue decreased by 15.2% in the tesamorelin group and increased by 5.0% in the placebo group; the levels of triglycerides decreased by 50 mg per deciliter and increased by 9 mg per deciliter, respectively, and the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol decreased by 0.31 and increased by 0.21, respectively (P<0.001 for all comparisons). Levels of total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol also improved significantly in the tesamorelin group. Levels of IGF-I increased by 81.0% in the tesamorelin group and decreased by 5.0% in the placebo group (P<0.001). Adverse events did not differ significantly between the two study groups, but more patients in the tesamorelin group withdrew from the study because of an adverse event. No significant differences were observed in glycemic measures. CONCLUSIONS Daily tesamorelin for 26 weeks decreased visceral fat and improved lipid profiles, effects that might be useful in HIV-infected patients who have treatment-associated central fat accumulation. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00123253 [ClinicalTrials.gov] .).
Phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-Trisphosphate Directs Association of Src Homology 2-containing Signaling Proteins with Gelsolin*

Podosomes are adhesion structures in osteoclasts and are structurally related to focal adhesions mediating cell motility during bone resorption. Here we show that gelsolin coprecipitates some of the focal adhesion-associated proteins such as c-Src, phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), p130Cas, focal adhesion kinase, integrin αvβ3, vinculin, talin, and paxillin. These proteins were inducibly tyrosine-phosphorylated in response to integrin activation by osteopontin. Previous studies have defined unique biochemical properties of gelsolin related to phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate in osteoclast podosomes, and here we demonstrate phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate/gelsolin function in mediating organization of the podosome signaling complex. Overlay and GST pull-down assays demonstrated strong phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate-PI3K interactions based on the Src homology 2 domains of PI3K. Furthermore, lipid extraction of lysates from activated osteoclasts eliminated interaction between gelsolin, c-Src, PI3K, and focal adhesion kinase despite equal amounts of gelsolin in both the lipid-extracted and unextracted experiment. The cytoplasmic protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP)-proline-glutamic acid-serine-threonine amino acid sequences (PEST) was also found to be associated with gelsolin in osteoclast podosomes and with stimulation of αvβ3-regulated phosphorylation of PTP-PEST. We conclude that gelsolin plays a key role in recruitment of signaling proteins to the plasma membrane through phospholipid-protein interactions and by regulation of their phosphorylation status through its association with PTP-PEST. Because both gelsolin deficiency and PI3K inhibition impair bone resorption, we conclude that phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate-based protein interactions are critical for osteoclast function.
Tensile strength and toughness of acetylated pine and lime flakes

Thin strips of pine, Pinus sylvestris, and lime, Tilia vulgaris, were acetylated with acetic anhydride to various levels of acetyl weight gains. Increase in thickness, due to the bulking effect of acetylation, and increase in equilibrium moisture content at 65% relative humidity were determined. Equilibrium moisture content decreased as the degree of acetylation increased for both pine and lime. Finite span tensile strength was determined on thin control and acetylated pine and lime strips. No significant loss of tensile strength was found in either species due to acetylation. Total work expended in fracturing the specimens (work-to-failure) was slightly decreased for acetylated pine but remained essentially unchanged for acetylated lime as compared to controls. This indicates that the toughness of the material is only slightly reduced by the acetylation process.
Endogenous Spatial Attention: Evidence for Intact Functioning in Adults With Autism

Rapid manipulation of the attention field (i.e. the location and spread of visual spatial attention) is a critical aspect of human cognition, and previous research on spatial attention in individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has produced inconsistent results. In a series of three psychophysical experiments, we evaluated claims in the literature that individuals with ASD exhibit a deficit in voluntarily controlling the deployment and size of the spatial attention field. We measured the spatial distribution of performance accuracies and reaction times to quantify the sizes and locations of the attention field, with and without spatial uncertainty (i.e. the lack of predictability concerning the spatial position of the upcoming stimulus). We found that high‐functioning adults with autism exhibited slower reaction times overall with spatial uncertainty, but the effects of attention on performance accuracies and reaction times were indistinguishable between individuals with autism and typically developing individuals in all three experiments. These results provide evidence of intact endogenous spatial attention function in high‐functioning adults with ASD, suggesting that atypical endogenous attention cannot be a latent characteristic of autism in general. Autism Res 2013, 6: 108–118. © 2013 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Understanding the associations between psychosocial factors and severity of crime in juvenile delinquency: a cross-sectional study

Purpose Juvenile delinquency is a serious and common problem. To date, several studies have focused on possible psychosocial risk factors for delinquency among youths and on the implications of childhood mental illness on child criminality. However, the literature on prevalence of psychopathology and predictors of crime severity among delinquent youths in Turkey is sparse. Therefore, the aim of this study was to show the associations between crime severity and psychosocial factors such as gender, age, criminal history, concomitant attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other comorbid psychiatric conditions, along with behavioral problem domains of Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). Participants and methods This analytical cross-sectional study sample consisted of 52 individuals (30 females and 22 males) who were sent to a pilot detention facility in Istanbul, Turkey. The participants’ age ranged from 8 to 18 years (M =13.4; SD =2.9). Self-rating scales were administered in an interview format, and the crime severity information was provided by participants’ admission documents. Results No differences were found in terms of gender, age, children’s past history of crime and substance abuse. However, family crime history was significantly higher in the high severity crime group (P=0.026). Having one or more comorbid psychiatric disorder was associated with high crime severity (P=0.018). The most common psychiatric disorders were found to be ADHD, oppositional defiant disorder, conduct disorder (CD) and anxiety disorder. Conclusion Findings suggest that a family history of crime comes across as a very strong predictor of severity of crime. Among psychiatric factors, ADHD and CD were associated with commitment of more severe crimes in delinquent youths in our sample. Anxious/depressed traits as depicted by CBCL are found to be associated with less severe crimes.
Does high serum progesterone level on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin administration affect pregnancy rate after intracytoplasmic sperm injection and embryo transfer?

Objective. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of serum progesterone (P) levels on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration on embryo quality and pregnancy rate in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. Design and setting. This was a retrospective analysis conducted in the in vitro fertilization (IVF) unit of a tertiary hospital. Patients. Two hundred and one patients who underwent a total of 280 IVF treatment cycles allocated to ICSI during routine IVF/embryo transfer treatment. Results. In cycles with elevated serum P, higher estradiol levels were noted (1915 pg/ml vs. 1256 pg/ml; p<0.05), more oocytes were retrieved and manipulated, and more embryos were available for transfer. Embryo grading was comparable between the two groups. The average age was lower in the group with elevated P; but the pregnancy rate was significantly lower (16.4% vs. 27.6%, p = 0.03). Conclusions. Our data demonstrate no deleterious effect of elevated P on embryo quality. However, high serum P adversely affects implantation and pregnancy rates.
Numerical Simulation of the Vegetation Effect on Tailing Sand Atmospheric Transport in Uranium Tailing Impoundment

For two conditions of (non-) vegetation cover in uranium tailings beach face, the concentration distribution and settlement regularity of tailing sand with diameter of 10μm at speed of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 m/s was studied by numerical simulation method. Results shows, with the increase of wind speed and migration distance, particle concentration decreases. Compared with the non-vegetation cover condition, particles concentration in the condition of with vegetation cover is significantly higher than the condition that without vegetation cover; but along with the increase of horizontal distance, the concentration lowers than the latter gradually.
Retinal protection from acute glaucoma-induced ischemia-reperfusion injury through pharmacologic induction of heme oxygenase-1.

PURPOSE To investigate the protective effects of cobalt protoporphyrin (CoPP), a potent heme oxygenase (HO)-1 inducer, in a rat model of ischemia-reperfusion injury and to document the possible antiapoptotic and anti-inflammatory mechanisms underlying the protection. METHODS Rats pretreated with intraperitoneal injection of CoPP (5 mg/kg) were subjected to retinal ischemia by increases in intraocular pressure to 130 mm Hg for 60 minutes. The protective effects of CoPP were evaluated by determining the morphology of the retina, counting the survival of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), and measuring apoptosis in retinal layers. In addition, expressions of HO-1, caspase-3, p53, Bcl-xL, monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were documented by Western blot analysis. Detection of HO-1, NF-kappaB, and CD68 protein in the retina was performed by immunohistochemistry or immunofluorescence. RESULTS Pharmacologic induction of HO-1 by CoPP led to HO-1 expression in the full retinal layer. HO-1 overexpression alleviated apoptosis in the retina, preserved RGCs, and attenuated the reduction of inner retinal thickness after ischemia-reperfusion injury. Concurrently, overexpression of HO-1 was associated with inhibition of caspase-3, p53, NF-kappaB, and iNOS and with increased expression of Bcl-xL. Meanwhile, the anti-inflammatory effect of HO-1 was related to reduction in the recruitment of macrophage infiltration in the retina through the suppression of MCP-1. These beneficial effects of HO-1 induced by CoPP were diminished by the HO-1 inhibitor ZnPP. CONCLUSIONS Overexpression of HO-1 by pharmacologic induction protected the retina from subsequent cellular damage caused by ischemia-reperfusion injury through antiapoptotic and anti-inflammatory effects.
The Ups and Downs of Tannins as Inhibitors of Poly(ADP-Ribose)glycohydrolase

DNA damage to cells activates nuclear poly(ADP-ribose)polymerases (PARPs) and the poly(ADP-ribose) (PAR) synthesized is rapidly cleaved into ADP-ribose (ADPR) by PAR glycohydrolase (PARG) action. Naturally appearing tannin-like molecules have been implicated in specific inhibition of the PARG enzyme. This review deals with the in vitro and in vivo effects of tannins on PAR metabolism and their downstream actions in DNA damage signaling.
Effect of spatial structure on the evolution of cooperation

Spatial structure is known to have an impact on the evolution of cooperation, and so it has been intensively studied during recent years. Previous work has shown the relevance of some features, such as the synchronicity of the updating, the clustering of the network, or the influence of the update rule. This has been done, however, for concrete settings with particular games, networks, and update rules, with the consequence that some contradictions have arisen and a general understanding of these topics is missing in the broader context of the space of 2x2 games. To address this issue, we have performed a systematic and exhaustive simulation in the different degrees of freedom of the problem. In some cases, we generalize previous knowledge to the broader context of our study and explain the apparent contradictions. In other cases, however, our conclusions refute what seems to be established opinions in the field, as for example the robustness of the effect of spatial structure against changes in the update rule, or offer new insights into the subject, e.g., the relation between the intensity of selection and the asymmetry between the effects on games with mixed equilibria.
The investigation of some bioactive compounds and antioxidant properties of hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna subsp. monogyna Jacq)

Aim: The antioxidant and pharmacological effects of hawthorn have mainly been attributed to the polyphenolic contents. The aim of this research is to determine some bioactive compounds and antioxidant properties of hawthorn aqueous and ethanol extracts of leaves, flowers, and ripened fruits. Materials and Methods: For this purpose, antioxidant activities of extracts were assessed on DPPH•, ABTS•+, superoxide scavenging, reducing power and ferrous metal chelating activity assays and phenolic content of extracts was determined by Folin—Cioacalteu’s reagent. Results: The flavonoids including rutin, apigenin, myricetin, quercetin, naringenin and kaempferol, were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography in the hawthorn extract. Conclusion: It was observed the aqueous and ethanol extracts of Crataegus monogyna subsp. monogyna fruits showed the highest activity in reducing power and metal chelating activity assays. In addition, it was determined that the aqueous flower extract showed higher flavonoid content than aqueous leaves extract. The antioxidant and pharmacological effects of hawthorn have mainly been attributed to the polyphenolic contents.
Integrating the Spiralog File System into the OpenVMS Operating System

Digital’s Spiralog file system is a log-structured file system that makes extensive use of writeback caching. Its technology is substantially different from that of the traditional OpenVMS file system, known as Files-11. The integration of the Spiralog file system into the OpenVMS environment had to ensure that existing applications ran unchanged and at the same time had to expose the benefits of the new file system. Application compatibility was attained through an emulation of the existing Files-11 file system interface. The Spiralog file system provides an ordered write-behind cache that allows applications to control write order through the barrier primitive. This form of caching gives the benefits of write-back caching and protects data integrity.