Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Significantly Higher Prevalence Rate of Asthma and Bipolar Disorder Co-Morbidity

AbstractAsthma and bipolar disorder (BD) are 2 distinct diseases that share similar pathophysiology. This study aimed to determine their relationship thorough a meta-analysis of articles on their comorbidity rate.The aim of the study is to examine the overall prevalence rate of BD in asthmatic patients and of asthma in BD patients compared to healthy controls.Electronic research of PubMed and ClinicalTrials.gov was performed.Articles discussing the prevalence rate of BD in patients with/without asthma and the prevalence rate of asthma in those with/without BD, as well as clinical trials in humans and case-controlled trials or cohort studies, were all included. Case reports or series and nonclinical trials were excluded.Through a random-effects model, a meta-analysis of the results of 4 studies comparing the prevalence rate of BD in patients with/without asthma, and in 6 studies comparing the prevalence rate of asthma in subjects with/without BD were performed.There were significantly higher prevalence rates of BD in asthmatic patients than in healthy controls (P < 0.001) and of asthma in BD patients than in healthy controls (P < 0.001). Only the patient's mean age significantly modulated the odds ratio of the prevalence rate of asthma in BD patients (slope = 0.015, P < 0.001). Only 10 studies were included and most were cross-sectional studies. The possible confounding effect of medication on BD or asthma onset was not investigated. Any possible etiology of the comorbidity was also not determined.This meta-analysis highlights the importance of the significantly high comorbid rate of BD and asthma, and the positive association with age. Special attention must be given to the comorbidity of asthma and BD, especially in older patients.
Elastic and fracture properties of free-standing amorphous ALD Al2O3 thin films measured with bulge test

We have investigated elastic and fracture properties of amorphous Al2O3 thin films deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) with bulge test technique using a free-standing thin film membrane and extended applicability of bulge test technique. Elastic modulus was determined to be 115 GPa for a 50 nm thick film and 170 GPa for a 15 nm thick film. Residual stress was 142 MPa in the 50 nm Al2O3 film while it was 116 MPa in the 15 nm Al2O3 film. Density was 3.11 g cm−3 for the 50 nm film and 3.28 g cm−3 for the 15 nm film. Fracture strength at 100 hPa s−1 pressure ramp rate was 1.72 GPa for the 50 nm film while for the 15 nm film it was 4.21 GPa, almost 2.5-fold. Fracture strength was observed to be positively strain-rate dependent. Weibull moduli of these films were very high being around 50. The effective volume of a circular film in bulge test was determined from a FEM model enabling future comparison of fracture strength data between different techniques.
Development of Coronary Atherosclerosis in Swine with Severe Hypercholesterolemia: Lack of Influence of von Willebrand Factor or Acute Intimal Injury

The development of coronary atherosclerosis in response to acute intimal injury and severe hypercholesterolemia was studied in 18 swine, nine normal and nine with von Willebrand's disease, an inherited disorder affecting platelet-vessel wall interactions. The left anterior descending coronary artery was denuded of endothelium by balloon catheterization, while the circumflex and right coronary arteries served as nonballooned controls. All swine were maintained on a 2% cholesterol diet for 4 months. The extent of atherosclerotic involvement was evaluated from four indices: percent intimal area, percent luminal narrowing, ratio of intimal to medial area, and luminal form. No differences in coronary atherosclerosis were observed between phenotypes in either ballooned or nonballooned vessels, nor were there any differences between ballooned and nonballooned vessels within either phenotype (p > 0.05). The major variable affecting coronary atherosclerosis was serum cholesterol. There was a significant positive relationship between serum cholesterol concentration and the extent of intimal lesions (r = 0.62, p = 0.006) that was independent of plasma von Willebrand factor concentration. These findings suggest that severe hypercholesterolemia promotes the development of porcine coronary atherosclerosis through a mechanism(s) that is independent of acute intimal injury or von Willebrand factor-mediated platelet response to injury.
Color-Magnitude Diagrams and Luminosity Functions Down to the Hydrogen-Burning Limit. III. A Preliminary Hubble Space Telescope Study of NGC 6791

Using Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys Wide Field Channel images, we derive the color-magnitude diagram of the old, metal-rich open cluster NGC 6791 to nearly 29th magnitude in V, which is the neighborhood of the hydrogen-burning limit. Comparison with isochrones leads to a discussion of the distance modulus, the reddening, and the age of the cluster. By making a statistical correction for field stars, we derive a preliminary luminosity function and a very tentative mass function. The white dwarf sequence is clearly shown and has been discussed in a separate paper.
Value of Tumor Size as a Prognostic Variable in Colorectal Cancer: A Critical Reappraisal

Objectives: Vertical tumor growth, reflected by T classification, represents the most important prognostic variable in colorectal cancer. Our study aimed to investigate the impact of tumor size, particularly the maximum tumor diameter, on outcome of affected patients. Methods: A total of 381 colorectal cancer specimens were re-evaluated. Tumor size and location were extracted from the medical history and were known for 359 patients (94%). Receiver-operator characteristic analysis was applied to identify the optimal (maximum of sum of sensitivity and specificity) cut-off values with respect to prognostic impact. Results: Median tumor size was 4.5 cm (range, 0.6–15). Tumor size exceeding 4.5 cm was observed in 159 patients (44%) and was associated with high T and N classification, UICC stage, and tumor grade. At median follow-up of 45 months (range, 0–180), 141 patients (40%) showed tumor progression. Although 4.5 cm was identified as the optimal cut-off value within the whole group of patients, receiver-operator characteristic analysis restricted to different parts of the large bowel determined 5 cm, 5.3 cm, 3.9 cm, and 3.4 cm as cut-off values with the strongest discriminatory capacity in colon, right-sided colon, left-sided colon, and rectum cancers, respectively. Applying these cut-off values, tumor size was significantly associated with progression-free and cancer-specific survival in univariate and multivariate analyses in colon, yet not in rectum cancers. Conclusions: Tumor size proved to be an independent prognostic parameter for patients with colorectal cancer. Optimal cut-off values vary among different parts of the large bowel. Whereas prognostic significance is strong within the colon, it appears to be of minor value within the rectum.
High IQ May “Mask” the Diagnosis of ADHD by Compensating for Deficits in Executive Functions in Treatment-Naïve Adults With ADHD

Objective: To evaluate and compare the performance of adults with ADHD with high and standard IQ in executive functions (EF) tasks. Method: We investigated the neuropsychological performance of 51 adults with ADHD, compared with 33 healthy controls (HC) while performing a wide battery of neuropsychological tests that measure executive functioning. Adults with clinical diagnosis of ADHD were divided into two groups according to their IQ level (IQ ≥ 110—ADHD group with more elevated IQ, and IQ < 110—ADHD group with standard IQ). Results: The ADHD group with standard IQ presented a worse executive functioning compared with the HC group in the following measures: Stroop 2 (p = .000) and 3 (p = .000), Trail Making Test (TMT) B (p = .005), Wisconsin Card-Sorting Test (WCST)—perseverative errors (p = .022) and failures to maintain set (p = .020), Continuous Performance Test (CPT)—omission errors (p = .005) and commission errors (p = .000), and Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB)—conceptualization (p = .016). The ADHD group with more elevated IQ presented only impairments in the CPT—commission errors (p = .019) when compared with the control group. Conclusion: Adults with ADHD and more elevated IQ show less evidence of executive functioning deficits compared with those with ADHD and standard IQ, suggesting that a higher degree of intellectual efficiency may compensate deficits in executive functions, leading to problems in establishing a precise clinical diagnosis.
Sleep for cognitive enhancement

Sleep is essential for effective cognitive functioning. Loosing even a few hours of sleep can have detrimental effects on a wide variety of cognitive processes such as attention, language, reasoning, decision making, learning and memory. While sleep is necessary to ensure normal healthy cognitive functioning, it can also enhance performance beyond the boundaries of the normal condition. This article discusses the enhancing potential of sleep, mainly focusing on the domain of learning and memory. Sleep is known to facilitate the consolidation of memories learned before sleep as well as the acquisition of new memories to be learned after sleep. According to a widely held model this beneficial effect of sleep relies on the neuronal reactivation of memories during sleep that is associated with sleep-specific brain oscillations (slow oscillations, spindles, ripples) as well as a characteristic neurotransmitter milieu. Recent research indicates that memory processing during sleep can be boosted by (i) cueing memory reactivation during sleep; (ii) stimulating sleep-specific brain oscillations; and (iii) targeting specific neurotransmitter systems pharmacologically. Olfactory and auditory cues can be used, for example, to increase reactivation of associated memories during post-learning sleep. Intensifying neocortical slow oscillations (the hallmark of slow wave sleep (SWS)) by electrical or auditory stimulation and modulating specific neurotransmitters such as noradrenaline and glutamate likewise facilitates memory processing during sleep. With this evidence in mind, this article concludes by discussing different methodological caveats and ethical issues that should be considered when thinking about using sleep for cognitive enhancement in everyday applications.
Reconciling user and project manager perceptions of IT project risk: a Delphi study 1

Abstract. In an increasingly dynamic business environment characterized by fast cycle times, shifting markets and unstable technology, a business organization’s survival hinges on its ability to align IT capabilities with business goals. To facilitate the successful introduction of new IT applications, issues of project risk must be addressed, and the expectations of multiple stakeholders must be managed appropriately. To the extent that users and developers may harbour different perceptions regarding project risk, areas of conflict may arise. By understanding the differences in how users and project managers perceive the risks, insights can be gained that may help to ensure the successful delivery of systems. Prior research has focused on the project manager’s perspective of IT project risk. This paper explores the issue of IT project risk from the user perspective and compares it with risk perceptions of project managers. A Delphi study reveals that these two stakeholder groups have different perceptions of risk factors. Through comparison with a previous study on project manager risk perceptions, zones of concordance and discordance that must be reconciled are identified.
Influence of melamine formaldehyde microsphere on the vulcanization kinetics and mechanical properties of nitrile butadiene rubber

The melamine formaldehyde (MF) microsphere/nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) vulcanizates were prepared by adding MF into NBR through mechanical mixing, followed by a vulcanization process. The influences of MF on the vulcanization characteristics, vulcanization kinetics, and mechanical properties were investigated. The results showed that MF interacted with NBR through hydrogen bonds. In addition, parameter b calculated by the ratio of modulus and strains also demonstrated the strong interaction between MF and NBR. Adding MF into NBR would reduce the curing time of NBR compounds, and increase the curing rate, as well as the cross-linked density. The vulcanization kinetics of MF/NBR compounds could be simulated accurately by Ghoreishy’s model. The mechanical properties of MF/NBR increased with the incorporation of MF. The modulus at 100%, modulus at 300%, and tensile strength of NBR vulcanizates with 20 parts per hundred rubber MF had 155, 90, and 110% increment, respectively, compared with those of neat NBR. The MF also enhanced the tear strength of NBR by 80% with a rough tear-fractured surface of NBR recorded by scanning electron microscope.
Swift follow-up observations of 17 INTEGRAL sources of uncertain or unknown nature

Context. The positional accuracy of the IBIS telescope on-board INTEGRAL , albeit unprecedented in the >20 keV range, is still not good enough to identify many hard X-ray sources discovered by INTEGRAL . This indeed prevents counterparts from being found at other wavelengths, which is the only way to unveil the true nature of these sources. Aims. We continue the work of trying to reveal the nature of these hard X-ray sources. This is done by analysing X-ray data collected via focusing X-ray telescopes, with the primary goal of discovering soft X-ray counterparts of the INTEGRAL sources to provide an accurate X-ray position. With a few arcsec accuracy, we can identify counterparts at infrared and optical wavelengths. Methods. We analysed data from observations of 17 INTEGRAL sources made with the Swift satellite. The X-ray images obtained by the X-ray Telescope instrument allowed us to refine the position of the hard X-ray sources to an accuracy of a few arcsec. We then browsed the online catalogues (e.g., NED, SIMBAD, 2MASS, 2MASX, USNO) to search for counterparts at other wavelengths. We also made use of the X-ray spectral parameters to further distinguish between the various possibilities. Results. For 13 sources, we find the X-ray counterpart without any ambiguity. For these, we provide the position with arcsec accuracy, identify possible infrared and optical counterparts (when found), give the magnitudes in those bands and in the optical and UV as seen with the Swift UVOT telescope when observations are available. We confirm the previously suggested associations and source types for IGR J03532-6829, J05346-5759, J10101-5654, J13000+2529, J13020-6359, J15479-4529, J18214-1318, and J23206+6431. We identify IGR J09025-6814 as an AGN for the first time, and we suggest that it may be a Seyfert 2. We suggest that IGR J05319-6601, J16287-5021, J17353-3539, and J17476-2253 are X-ray binaries, with J05319-6601 located in the LMC and the other three possibly being HMXBs in our Galaxy. For IGR J15161-3827 and J20286+2544, we find several possible X-ray counterparts in the IBIS error region, and we discuss which, if any, are the likely counterparts. Both are likely AGNs, although the latter could be a blend of two AGNs. For IGR J03184-0014 and J19267+1325, we find X-ray sources slightly outside the IBIS error circle. In the former, we do not favour an association of the Swift and INTEGRAL source, while it is very likely that IGR J19267+1325 and the Swift source are the same.
US obstetrician-gynaecologist's prevention and management of obesity in pregnancy

Summary A survey regarding management of obesity in pregnancy was mailed to 787 practising members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG); 433 responded of whom 353 practised obstetrics. Most (79.2%) had read ACOG Committee Opinion, ‘Obesity in Pregnancy,’ and rated it helpful (68.6%) or very helpful (17.2%). Most responding physicians (91.2%) use BMI to assess their patients weight status; fewer (63.4%) use pre-pregnancy BMI to modify their pregnancy weight gain recommendation. Having read the Committee Opinion and being a woman were independent factors associated with using pre-pregnancy BMI. Responding physicians that had read the Committee Opinion were more knowledgeable about obesity-related pregnancy complications; but even among those physicians, only 32.2% were aware that maternal obesity is a risk factor for fetal neural tube defects. The responding physicians appeared well-versed on appropriate practice for caesarean delivery for obese patients whether they had read the Committee Opinion or not.
What Does Ipsilateral Delay Activity Reflect? Inferences from Slow Potentials in a Lateralized Visual Working Memory Task

In the lateralized change detection task, two item arrays are presented, one on each side of the display. Participants have to remember the items in the relevant hemifield and ignore the items in the irrelevant hemifield. A difference wave between contralateral and ipsilateral slow potentials with respect to the relevant items, the contralateral delay activity, can be calculated. As its amplitude varies with the number of items held in working memory (WM) and reaches its asymptote with WM capacity, it is considered a pure neural correlate of visual WM load. However, in addition to this contralateral delay activity, load-dependent activity has also been observed over the hemisphere ipsilateral to the relevant hemifield, suggesting that the ipsilateral hemisphere is also involved in memory-related processes. This ipsilateral activity might either reflect a bilateral processing of relevant or else a lateralized processing of irrelevant, to-be-filtered-out items. As in the lateralized change detection task, the number of items on both sides of the display is typically identical, it was not possible to decide between these alternatives yet. To disentangle the influence of relevant and irrelevant items, we orthogonally varied the number of both types of items. Processing of relevant items caused purely contralateral load-dependent activity. Ipsilateral slow potentials were influenced by the number of irrelevant items only if visual WM load was low, but not if it was high. This suggests that whether irrelevant items are processed or filtered out depends on visual WM load.
From symmetric spaces to buildings, curve complexes and outer spaces

In this article, we explain how spherical Tits buildings arise naturally and play a basic role in studying many questions about symmetric spaces and arithmetic groups, why Bruhat-Tits Euclidean buildings are needed for studying S-arithmetic groups, and how analogous simplicial complexes arise in other contexts and serve purposes similar to those of buildings. We emphasize the close relationships between the following: (1) the spherical Tits building ∆Q(G) of a semisimple linear algebraic group G defined over Q, (2) a parametrization by the simplices of ∆Q(G) of the boundary components of the Borel-Serre partial compactification X BS of the symmetric space X associated with G, which gives the Borel-Serre compactification of the quotient of X by every arithmetic subgroup Γ of G(Q), (3) and a realization of X BS by a truncated submanifold XT of X. We then explain similar results for the curve complex C(S) of a surface S, Teichmüller spaces Tg, truncated submanifolds Tg(ε), and mapping class groups Modg of surfaces. Finally, we recall the outer automorphism groups Out(Fn) of free groups Fn and the outer spaces Xn, construct truncated outer spaces Xn(ε), and introduce an infinite simplicial complex, called the core graph complex and denoted by CG(Fn), and we then parametrize boundary components of the truncated outer space Xn(ε) by the simplices of the core graph complex CG(Fn). This latter result suggests that the core graph complex is a proper analogue of the spherical Tits building. The ubiquity of such relationships between simplicial complexes and structures at infinity of natural spaces sheds a different kind of light on the importance of Tits buildings.
Evaluation of UV-C Mutagenized Scheffersomyces stipitis Strains for Ethanol Production

We evaluated fermentation capabilities of five strains of Scheffersomyces stipitis (WT-2-1, WT-1-11, 14-2-6, 22-1-1, and 22-1-12) that had been produced by UV-C mutagenesis and selection for improved xylose fermentation to ethanol using an integrated automated robotic work cell. They were incubated under both facultative and anaerobic conditions to evaluate ethanol production on glucose, xylose, cellobiose, and a combination of all three sugars. The medium contained 50 g/L total sugar and 5 g/L yeast extract. The strains performed significantly better under facultative compared with anaerobic conditions. As expected, glucose was the most readily fermented sugar with ~100% fermentation efficiency (FE) under facultative conditions but only 5% to 16% FE anaerobically. Xylose utilization was 20% to 40% FE under facultative conditions but 9% to 25% FE anaerobically. Cellobiose was the least fermented sugar, at 18% to 27% FE facultatively and 8% to 11% anaerobically. Similar trends occurred in the sugar mixture. Under facultative conditions, strain 22-1-12 produced 19.6 g/L ethanol on glucose, but strain 14-2-6 performed best on xylose (4.5 g/L ethanol) and the sugar combination (8.0 g/L ethanol). Ethanol titers from glucose under anaerobic conditions were again highest with strain 22-1-12, but none of the strains produced ethanol from xylose. Future trials will evaluate nutrient addition to boost microaerophilic xylose fermentation.
Effect of rifampicin on liver function in man

Liver function and serum concentrations of rifampicin, a highly cholephilic antibiotic, have been studied after ingestion of a single dose of 600 mg of rifampicin in 12 patients, six of them having a normal liver and six a cirrhotic, and during treatment with 600 mg of rifampicin per day for 17 days in eight patients, four of them having a normal liver and four a cirrhotic. Rifampicin produced competition for the elimination of bilirubin and bromsulphalein by the liver. This competition, which seemed to involve mainly the uptake by the liver cell, was always rapidly reversible when treatment was discontinued. It makes it impossible, however, to interpret a bromsulphalein test during treatment with rifampicin. In the eight patients treated for 17 days, apart from the competition already mentioned, no clinical, biological, or morphological abnormalities of the liver were ascertained. But in this limited number of patients it is not possible to exclude the fact that rifampicin could provoke jaundice by idiosyncrasy in a small percentage of cases. The serum concentrations of rifampicin were higher in cirrhotic patients than in patients with normal livers, especially after one or two weeks of treatment. It is suggested that efficient blood concentrations of rifampicin would be achieved with small doses in case of previous hepatocellular insufficiency.