Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Global Improvement of Vascular Function and Redox State With Low-Dose Folic Acid: Implications for Folate Therapy in Patients With Coronary Artery Disease

Background— Although dietary folate fortification lowers plasma homocysteine and may reduce cardiovascular risk, high-dose folic acid therapy appears to not alter clinical outcome. Folic acid and its principal circulating metabolite, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, improve vascular function, but mechanisms relating folate dose to vascular function remain unclear. We compared the effects of folic acid on human vessels using pharmacological high-dose versus low-dose treatment, equivalent to dietary folate fortification. Methods and Results— Fifty-six non–folate-fortified patients with coronary artery disease were randomized to receive low-dose (400 &mgr;g/d) or high-dose (5 mg/d) folic acid or placebo for 7 weeks before coronary artery bypass grafting. Vascular function was quantified by magnetic resonance imaging before and after treatment. Vascular superoxide and nitric oxide bioavailability were determined in segments of saphenous vein and internal mammary artery. Low-dose folic acid increased nitric oxide–mediated endothelium-dependent vasomotor responses, reduced vascular superoxide production, and improved enzymatic coupling of endothelial nitric oxide synthase through availability of the cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin. No further improvement in these parameters occurred with high-dose compared with low-dose treatment. Whereas plasma 5-methyltetrahydrofolate increased proportionately with treatment dose of folic acid, vascular tissue 5-methyltetrahydrofolate showed no further increment with high-dose compared with low-dose folic acid. Conclusions— Low-dose folic acid treatment, comparable to daily intake and dietary fortification, improves vascular function through effects on endothelial nitric oxide synthase and vascular oxidative stress. High-dose folic acid treatment provides no additional benefit. These direct vascular effects are related to vascular tissue levels of 5-methyltetrahydrofolate rather than plasma levels. High-dose folic acid treatment likely confers no further benefit in subjects already receiving folate supplementation.
Transrectal ultrasound for monitoring murine orthotopic prostate tumor

The mouse orthotopic prostate tumor model has been recognized as an ideal preclinical animal model simulating the anatomical and biological milieu of the prostate. In comparison with the subcutaneous tumor model, the only disadvantage of this model is the difficulty of chronological tumor growth monitoring. We have applied recent endoluminal ultrasound technology, transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS), to the monitoring of mouse orthotopic prostate tumors.
A Bundle of Services Increased Ascertainment of Tuberculosis among HIV-Infected Individuals Enrolled in a HIV Cohort in Rural Sub-Saharan Africa

Objectives To report on trends of tuberculosis ascertainment among HIV patients in a rural HIV cohort in Tanzania, and assessing the impact of a bundle of services implemented in December 2012, consisting of three components:(i)integration of HIV and tuberculosis services; (ii)GeneXpert for tuberculosis diagnosis; and (iii)electronic data collection. Design Retrospective cohort study of patients enrolled in the Kilombero Ulanga Antiretroviral Cohort (KIULARCO), Tanzania. ) Methods HIV patients without prior history of tuberculosis enrolled in the KIULARCO cohort between 2005 and 2013 were included.Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate rates and predictors of tuberculosis ascertainment Results Of 7114 HIV positive patients enrolled, 5123(72%) had no history of tuberculosis. Of these, 66% were female, median age was 38 years, median baseline CD4+ cell count was 243 cells/µl, and 43% had WHO clinical stage 3 or 4. During follow-up, 421 incident tuberculosis cases were notified with an estimated incidence of 3.6 per 100 person-years(p-y)[95% confidence interval(CI)3.26-3.97]. The incidence rate varied over time and increased significantly from 2.96 to 43.98 cases per 100 p-y after the introduction of the bundle of services in December 2012. Four independent predictors of tuberculosis ascertainment were identified:poor clinical condition at baseline (Hazard Ratio (HR) 3.89, 95% CI 2.87-5.28), WHO clinical stage 3 or 4 (HR 2.48, 95% CI 1.88-3.26), being antiretroviralnaïve (HR 2.97, 95% CI 2.25-3.94), and registration in 2013(HR 6.07, 95% CI 4.39-8.38). Conclusion The integration of tuberculosis and HIV services together with comprehensive electronic data collection and use of GeneXpert increased dramatically the ascertainment of tuberculosis in this rural African HIV cohort.
Making RDF presentable: integrated global and local semantic Web browsing

This paper discusses generating document structure from annotated media repositories in a domain-independent manner. This approaches the vision of a universal RDF browser. We start by applying the search-and-browse paradigm established for the WWW to RDF presentation. Furthermore, this paper adds to this paradigm the clustering-based derivation of document structure from search returns, providing simple but domain-independent hypermedia generation from RDF stores. While such generated presentations hardly meet the standards of those written by humans, they provide quick access to media repositories when the required document has not yet been written. The resulting system allows a user to specify a topic for which it generates a hypermedia document providing guided navigation through virtually any RDF repository. The impact for content providers is that as soon as one adds new media items and their annotations to a repository, they become immediately available for automatic integration into subsequently requested presentations.
Vprop: Variational Inference using RMSprop

Many computationally-efficient methods for Bayesian deep learning rely on continuous optimization algorithms, but the implementation of these methods requires significant changes to existing code-bases. In this paper, we propose Vprop, a method for Gaussian variational inference that can be implemented with two minor changes to the off-the-shelf RMSprop optimizer. Vprop also reduces the memory requirements of Black-Box Variational Inference by half. We derive Vprop using the conjugate-computation variational inference method, and establish its connections to Newton's method, natural-gradient methods, and extended Kalman filters. Overall, this paper presents Vprop as a principled, computationally-efficient, and easy-to-implement method for Bayesian deep learning.
Spinophilin regulates Ca 2 + signalling by binding the N-terminal domain of RGS 2 and the third intracellular loop of G-protein-coupled receptors

Signalling by G proteins is controlled by the regulator of Gprotein signalling (RGS) proteins that accelerate the GTPase activity of Gα subunits and act in a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-specific manner1–4. The conserved RGS domain accelerates the Gα subunit GTPase activity5, whereas the variable amino-terminal domain participates in GPCR recognition6. How receptor recognition is achieved is not known. Here, we show that the scaffold protein spinophilin (SPL)7, which binds the third intracellualar loop (3iL) of several GPCRs8–10, binds the N-terminal domain of RGS2. SPL also binds RGS1, RGS4, RGS16 and GAIP. When expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, SPL markedly increased inhibition of α-adrenergic receptor (αAR) Ca2+ signalling by RGS2. Notably, the constitutively active mutant αARA293E (the mutation being in the 3iL) did not bind SPL and was relatively resistant to inhibition by RGS2. Use of βAR–αAR chimaeras identified the 288REKKAA293 sequence as essential for the binding of SPL and inhibition of Ca2+ signalling by RGS2. Furthermore, αAR-evoked Ca2+ signalling is less sensitive to inhibition by SPL in rgs2– /– cells and less sensitive to inhibition by RGS2 in spl–/– cells. These findings provide a general mechanism by which RGS proteins recognize GPCRs to confer signalling specificity.
.VO2 response in supramaximal cycling time trial exercise of 750 to 4000 m.

PURPOSE Limited research has been done on the . VO2 response to time trial exercise in the supramaximal domain or during free range exercise typical of competition. The present study was designed to measure and to model the . VO2 response during supramaximal time trial exercise. METHODS Well-trained cyclists (n = 9) performed a 1-min incremental exercise test to obtain maximal power output (P (.VO2max)) and four cycle ergometer time trials of different distances (750, 1500, 2500, and 4000 m). Athletes were instructed to finish in as little time as possible. VO2 was measured breath-by-breath and modeled monoexponentially over the first 54 s (750 m) or 114 s (1500, 2500, and 4000 m) of the time trials. RESULTS Mean P (.VO2max) in the incremental test was 383 +/- 28 W. Mean . VO(2max) was 4.5 +/- 0.2 L.min(-1). All time trials were characterized by an initial burst in power output during the first 15 s (175 +/- 23%, 149 +/- 14%, 145 +/- 14%, 139 +/- 10% P (.VO2max) being largest for 750 m. Simultaneously, the mean response time was significantly smaller in 750 m compared with all other trials (18.8 +/- 2.2, 20.9 +/- 1.9, 20.8 +/- 1.5, and 21.2 +/- 2.2 s). CONCLUSION Near maximal values of . VO2 can be reached within 2 min of strenuous exercise. The larger initial burst in power output in 750 m was accompanied by a faster . VO2 response and seems to be of importance to trigger the aerobic system maximally.
Exact synthesis of multi-qubit Clifford+T circuits

We prove that a unitary matrix has an exact representation over the Clifford+$T$ gate set with local ancillas if and only if its entries are in the ring $\mathbb{Z}[\frac{1}{\sqrt{2}},i]$. Moreover, we show that one ancilla always suffices. These facts were conjectured by Kliuchnikov, Maslov, and Mosca. We obtain an algorithm for synthesizing a exact Clifford+$T$ circuit from any such $n$-qubit operator. We also characterize the Clifford+$T$ operators that can be represented without ancillas.
Chronic inflammatory changes in the pouch mucosa are associated with cholangitis found on peroperative liver biopsy specimens at restorative proctocolectomy for ulcerative colitis.

BACKGROUND The clinical syndrome of primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), diagnosed in about 5% of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), has been shown to be associated with pouchitis after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis. The aim of this study was to ascertain whether UC patients with cholangitis on liver biopsy at proctocolectomy, with or without the clinical syndrome of PSC, have an increased risk of inflammatory changes in the ileal reservoir mucosa and clinical pouchitis. METHODS Of the consecutive 81 UC patients treated with restorative proctocolectomy with ileal J reservoir at Tampere University Hospital between 1985 and 1991, 73 with peroperative liver biopsy were included. A peroperative liver biopsy was obtained during proctocolectomy. After a median follow up of 64 months, pouch biopsy specimens were obtained. Periods of clinical pouchitis were diagnosed by means of clinical criteria alone or by clinical criteria combined with the results of previous pouch endoscopies in all patients. RESULTS Ten patients (14%) showed histologic features consistent with small-duct PSC on liver biopsy. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiography had previously been performed on four of these patients, and all four had large-duct PSC. Patients with cholangitis had significantly more severe chronic, but not acute, inflammation in the pouch mucosa than patients without cholangitis. At least one episode of pouchitis occurred in 30% of the patients without cholangitis as compared with 90% of the patients with cholangitis. Chronic pouchitis was more frequent in the group with cholangitis than in the group without it (70% versus 11%). CONCLUSIONS The only means of detecting all UC patients with cholangitis is a liver biopsy. Cholangitis, either with the clinical syndrome of PSC or found on liver biopsy, seems to be a risk factor for chronic-type inflammatory changes in the pouch mucosa and for the development of pouchitis.
IL-1β produced by aggressive breast cancer cells is one of the factors that dictate their interactions with mesenchymal stem cells through chemokine production

The aim of this work was to understand whether the nature of breast cancer cells could modify the nature of the dialog of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with cancer cells. By treating MSCs with the conditioned medium of metastatic Estrogen-receptor (ER)-negative MDA-MB-231, or non-metastatic ER-positive MCF-7 breast cancer cells, we observed that a number of chemokines were produced at higher levels by MSCs treated with MDA-MB-231 conditioned medium (CM). MDA-MB-231 cells were able to induce NF-κB signaling in MSC cells. This was shown by the use of a NF-kB chemical inhibitor or an IκB dominant negative mutant, nuclear translocation of p65 and induction of NF-κB signature. Our results suggest that MDA-MB-231 cells exert their effects on MSCs through the secretion of IL-1β, that activates MSCs and induces the same chemokines as the MDA-MB-231CM. In addition, inhibition of IL-1β secretion in the MDA-MB-231 cells reduces the induced production of a panel of chemokines by MSCs, as well the motility of MDA-MB-231 cells. Our data suggest that aggressive breast cancer cells secrete IL-1β, which increases the production of chemokines by MSCs.
Ventricular enlargement in schizophrenia related to volume reduction of the thalamus, striatum, and superior temporal cortex.

OBJECTIVE Enlargement of the lateral ventricles is among the most frequently reported macroscopic brain structural changes in schizophrenia, although variable in extent and localization. The authors investigated whether ventricular enlargement is related to regionally specific volume loss. METHOD High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging scans from 39 patients with schizophrenia were analyzed with deformation-based morphometry, a voxel-wise whole brain morphometric technique. RESULTS Significant negative correlations with the ventricle-brain ratio were found for voxels in the left and right thalamus and posterior putamen and in the left superior temporal gyrus and insula. CONCLUSIONS Thalamic shrinkage, especially of medial nuclei and the adjacent striatum and insular cortex, appear to be important contributors to ventricular enlargement in schizophrenia.
Which CT features help predict outcome after head injury?

Background: Information collected at baseline can be useful in predicting patient outcome after head injury. The appearance of the CT brain scan may add useful baseline information. The aim of this study was to evaluate which features on the admission CT scan might add significantly to other baseline clinical information for predicting survival in patients with head injury. Methods: Baseline CT scans were reviewed for patients with all grades of traumatic head injury in a head injury registry, in which baseline demographic and injury status and outcome at 1 year were recorded. Details from the CT scan on haemorrhage, brain swelling, and focal or diffuse damage were noted blind to clinical or outcome information and the scans classified according to the simple seven point grading (normal, mild, moderate, or severe focal injury, mild, moderate, or severe diffuse injury). An existing CT scoring system, the trauma coma databank (TCDB) classification, was also used. Logistic regression modelling was used to test the value of the CT appearance, in addition to the other baseline clinical characteristics, in predicting survival at 1 year. Results: 425 CT scans were read from patients with all severities of injury. Significant independent outcome predictors were age, Glasgow coma score (GCS), pupil reaction, presence of subarachnoid blood, and the simple grading of the overall appearance of the scan (all p<0.001). The TCDB classification was not a significant predictor of outcome. Conclusion: Age, GCS, and pupil reaction were all previously shown to be significant predictors of patient survival after head injury. A further two, easy to identify, CT scan variables are independent prognostic variables, and might help to identify patients at high risk of death at the time of admission.
Noninvasive diagnosis of mucopolysaccharidosis via depth-resolved optical spectroscopy of the outer ear

Current diagnostics for lysosomal storage disorders such as mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) rely on evaluation of ex vivo bodily fluids, which has several shortcomings. In this study, we evaluated whether Raman spectroscopy could noninvasively diagnose MPS in a murine model. Via confocal sampling of the murine outer ear, Raman spectra were obtained at multiple depths. Partial least-squares discriminant analysis of the processed Raman spectra showed a 93% sensitivity and 91% specificity for disease. The discriminant algorithm relied on several Raman bands related to glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) that typically accumulate in MPS. These findings indicate the possibility for a new, noninvasive diagnostic tool for MPS.
Quantitative Assessment of Iron Accumulation in the Deep Gray Matter of Multiple Sclerosis by Magnetic Field Correlation Imaging

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Deposition of iron has been recognized recently as an important factor of pathophysiologic change including neurodegenerative processes in multiple sclerosis (MS). We propose that there is an excess accumulation of iron in the deep gray matter in patients with MS that can be measured with a newly developed quantitative MR technique—magnetic field correlation (MFC) imaging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: With a 3T MR system, we studied 17 patients with relapsing-remitting MS and 14 age-matched healthy control subjects. We acquired MFC imaging using an asymmetric single-shot echo-planar imaging sequence. Regions of interest were selected in both deep gray matter and white matter regions, and the mean MFC values were compared between patients and controls. We also correlated the MFC data with lesion load and neuropsychologic tests in the patients. RESULTS: MFC measured in the deep gray matter in patients with MS was significantly higher than that in the healthy controls (P ≤ .03), with an average increase of 24% in the globus pallidus, 39.5% in the putamen, and 30.6% in the thalamus. The increased iron deposition measured with MFC in the deep gray matter in the patients correlated positively with the total number of MS lesions (thalamus: r = 0.61, P = .01; globus pallidus: r = 0.52, P = .02). A moderate but significant correlation between the MFC value in the deep gray matter and the neuropsychologic tests was also found. CONCLUSION: Quantitative measurements of iron content with MFC demonstrate increased accumulation of iron in the deep gray matter in patients with MS, which may be associated with the disrupted iron outflow pathway by lesions. Such abnormal accumulation of iron may contribute to neuropsychologic impairment and have implications for neurodegenerative processes in MS.
Central Corneal Thickness as a Predictor of Visual Field Loss in Primary Open Angle Glaucoma for a Hispanic Population

Background: Primary Open Angle Glaucoma is a multi-factorial disease with a devastating impact on the quality of life of the patient in the moderate and severe stages of the disease. Identifying risk factors for the development of moderate to severe visual field loss may decrease the proportion of patients that experience the severe forms of this disease. Purpose: To evaluate whether the central corneal thickness correlates inversely with the severity of visual field loss in Primary Open Angle Glaucoma. Methods: Retrospective review of 308 charts of patients seen during a six-week period by a glaucoma specialist in his community practice in a large Hispanic area. Patients were classified as normal, ocular hypertensive, and those with Primary Open Angle Glaucoma. Odds ratios and 95% confidence interval were calculated to evaluate risk factors associated to ocular hypertension and Primary Open Angle Glaucoma. Finally, a multivariate polytomous regression model was used to evaluate central corneal thickness as an independent predictor of outcome after adjustment for age and hypertension. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: Patients with Primary Open Angle Glaucoma show a statistically significant inverse correlation between central corneal thickness and the severity of the visual field damage. Conclusion: Thinner corneas could be considered a risk factor for the severity of visual field loss in Primary Open Angle Glaucoma.
Flow Algorithms for Parallel Query Optimization

We address the problem of minimizing the response time of a multi-way join query using pipelined (inter-operator) parallelism, in a parallel or a distributed environment. We observe that in order to fully exploit the parallelism in the system, we must consider a new class of ";interleaving"; plans, where multiple query plans are used simultaneously to minimize the response time of a query (or to maximize the tuple-throughput of the system). We cast the query planning problem in this environment as a ";flow maximization problem";, and present polynomial-time algorithms that (statically) find the optimal set of plans to use for a given query, for a large class of multi-way join queries. Our proposed algorithms also naturally extend to query optimization over web services. Finally we present an extensive experimental evaluation that demonstrates both the need to consider such plans in parallel query processing and the effectiveness of our algorithms.
Endometriosis and ovarian cancer: links, risks, and challenges faced

Endometriosis is a benign gynecological condition characterized by specific histological, molecular, and clinical findings. It affects 5%–10% of premenopausal women, is a cause of infertility, and has been implicated as a precursor for certain types of ovarian cancer. Advances in technology, primarily the ability for whole genome sequencing, have led to the discovery of new mutations and a better understanding of the function of previously identified genes and pathways associated with endometriosis associated ovarian cancers (EAOCs) that include PTEN, CTNNB1 (β-catenin), KRAS, microsatellite instability, ARID1A, and the unique role of inflammation in the development of EAOC. Clinically, EAOCs are associated with a younger age at diagnosis, lower stage and grade of tumor, and are more likely to occur in premenopausal women when compared with other ovarian cancers. A shift from screening strategies adopted to prevent EAOCs has resulted in new recommendations for clinical practice by national and international governing bodies. In this paper, we review the common histologic and molecular characteristics of endometriosis and ovarian cancer, risks associated with EAOCs, clinical challenges and give recommendations for providers.