Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Caffeine Acetylator Phenotyping during Maturation in Infants

ABSTRACT: Caffeine acetylator phenotype was studied during maturation in 54 8− to 447-d-old children hospitalized for minor disease (group A) and in five 3− to 630-d-old children with Pierre Robin syndrome (group B). In group A, the children received 2.5 mg/kg caffeine orally once between birth and 15 mo. Group B patients were chronically treated with caffeine (2.3 to 15.8 mg/kg/d) for prevention of apneas, and the acetylator phenotype was serially determined. Phenotyping was performed on a spot urine sample collected 2–6 h after drug administration. Caffeine metabolites [5-acetylamino-6-formylamino-3-methyl uracil (AFMU), 1-methylxanthine, 1-methyluric acid, 1,7-methyluric acid, and 1,7-methylxanthine) were measured using HPLC. Acetylator phenotype was determined on the basis of AFMU/1-methylxanthine (ratio 1) and AFMU/AFMU + 1-methyluric acid + 1-methylxanthine + 1,7-methylxanthine + 1,7-methyluric acid (ratio 2) molar ratios. In group A, all children were slow acetylators before 83 d of age (ratio 1 < 0.4; ratio 2 < 0.08), whereas older children included slow and fast acetylators. The acetylation molar ratios differed significantly between age groups and increased with age. The cumulative percentage of fast acetylators increased with age but the plateau was not yet reached at 15 mo. In three children, the phenotyping was repeated after 15 mo: the second determination was consistent with the first one. In group B, all children appeared as slow acetylators on the first phenotyping. Four of them appeared subsequently as fast acetylators; one remained a slow acetylator until 11 mo. These results suggest that maturation of caffeine acetylation occurs during at least the first 15 mo of life for fast acetylators but is not detectable in slow acetylators. Acetylator status cannot reliably be determined before at least 15 mo.
ACCOMMODATING THE FETAL ALCOHOL SPECTRUM DISORDERS IN THE DIAGNOSTIC AND STATISTICAL MANUAL OF MENTAL DISORDERS (DSM V)

The umbrella term Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder embraces several mental and behavioral manifestations of prenatal alcohol exposure as its etiology. There is sufficient reason to involve a classification system like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in spite of technical and procedural difficulties. The significance of this inclusion would not only make the advantages of classification visible for clinical and research utility, it could shape the future of the DSM in adopting an etiology based classification system.
Apixaban Reduces Hospitalizations in Patients With Venous Thromboembolism: An Analysis of the Apixaban for the Initial Management of Pulmonary Embolism and Deep‐Vein Thrombosis as First‐Line Therapy (AMPLIFY) Trial

Background In the Apixaban for the Initial Management of Pulmonary Embolism and Deep‐Vein Thrombosis as First‐Line Therapy (AMPLIFY) trial, apixaban was noninferior to enoxaparin/warfarin in preventing recurrent symptomatic venous thromboembolism (VTE) or venous thromboembolism–related death, with significantly less bleeding. This analysis evaluated the effects of apixaban versus enoxaparin/warfarin on all‐cause hospitalizations during AMPLIFY. Methods and Results Of the 5365 patients included, 2676 received apixaban and 2689 received enoxaparin/warfarin. All‐cause hospitalizations during the treatment period after the index event were captured using dedicated case report forms. Outcomes included all‐cause hospitalizations and time from randomization to first hospitalization. Patients were censored at death, loss to follow‐up, or end of study, whichever came first. Treatment effects were assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression models. During the treatment period after the index event, 343 patients were hospitalized at least once: 153 (5.72%) in the apixaban group and 190 (7.07%) in the enoxaparin/warfarin group. Compared with enoxaparin/warfarin, apixaban significantly reduced all‐cause hospitalizations (hazard ratio 0.804, 95% CI=0.650–0.995, P=0.045). All‐cause hospitalization rates within the first 30 days after the index event were 2.28% and 3.35% in the apixaban and enoxaparin/warfarin groups, respectively (hazard ratio 0.676, 95% CI=0.488–0.935, P=0.018). For all patients, the average per‐patient estimated mean length of hospital stay was also shorter with apixaban than enoxaparin/warfarin (0.57 days versus 1.01 days, P<0.0001). Conclusions Apixaban significantly reduced all‐cause hospitalizations versus enoxaparin/warfarin, and shortened the length of hospital stay in patients with acute venous thromboembolism. Clinical Trial Registration URL: https://Clinicaltrials.Gov/. Unique identifier: NCT00643201.
An equivalent single-layer approach for free vibration analysis of smart laminated thick composite plates

An equivalent single-layer model for the free vibration analysis of smart laminated plates is presented. The electric and magnetic fields are assumed to be quasi-static, and third order in-plane kinematics is employed to adequately take the shear influence into account when the plate thickness increases. The model governing equations are the plate equations of motion written in terms of mechanical primary variables and effective stiffness coefficients, which take the multi-field coupling effects into account. The model shows that the surface magneto-electric boundary conditions enter the definitions of the laminate forces and moment resultants. Moreover, it reveals that new stiffness terms, which are related to the derivatives of the transverse displacement component and are exclusively associated with the piezoelectric and piezomagnetic couplings, are involved. Free vibration solutions for simply supported plates are presented to validate the model by comparing the present results with benchmark 3D solutions. Comparison of the results obtained by lower order models, namely zero and first order shear deformation theories, is presented and discussed, focusing on the adequateness of the obtained models with respect to the plate thickness. Some characteristic features of smart laminate behavior have also been addressed.
Safety and efficacy of regional citrate anticoagulation in continuous blood purification treatment of patients with multiple organ dysfunction syndrome

The aim of this study was to discuss the safety and efficacy of regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA) on continuous blood purification (CBP) during the treatment of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Thirty-five patients with MODS were divided into two groups: the local citrate anticoagulation (RCA) group, and the heparin-free blood purification (hfBP) group. The MODS severity was assessed according to Marshall’s MODS score criteria. Blood coagulation indicators, blood pressure, filter lifespan, filter replacement frequency, anticoagulation indicators, and main metabolic and electrolyte indicators were analyzed and compared between RCA and hfBP groups. RCA resulted in lower blood pressure than hfBP. The filter efficacy in RCA treatment was longer than in the hfBP group. The blood clearance of creatine, blood urea nitrogen and uric acid was better in the RCA group. RCA also led to higher pH than hfBP. Neither treatment resulted in severe bleeding events. In addition, MODS score was positively correlated with prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time but negatively correlated with platelet concentration. RCA is a safer and more effective method in CBP treatment; however, it could also lead to low blood pressure and blood alkalosis.
Superposition Coding Based User Combining Schemes for Non-Orthogonal Scheduling in a Wireless Relay System

We consider a wireless system where multiple users are served in Downlink (DL) by one Base Station (BS) and one Relay Station (RS). Previous research has shown that, combining two users' messages via Superposition Coding (SC) could enhance their achievable rate and fairness, in both two-user and multi-user systems. In this work, we propose two novel SC schemes referred as Relayed/Direct (RD-SC) and Relayed/Relayed SC (RR-SC) schemes, that combine the messages to a pair of Relayed/Direct users or Relayed/Relayed users into three or four SC layers, where the number of SC layers is equal to the number of available links. For each scheme, power allocation under sum-rate maximization is analyzed, enabling to derive the optimal power ratios to each SC layer numerically. Then, we design the non-orthogonal Max Rate-Two User-SC (MR-TU-SC) Scheduler and Proportional Fair-Two User-SC (PF-TU-SC) Scheduler where a pair of selected users are allocated simultaneously based on RD-SC and RR-SC schemes. The simulation results show that the proposed schedulers significantly outperform the conventional orthogonal schedulers where a single user is allocated on a unit resource block, in terms of system throughput, fairness and outage, while approaching the upper bound performance.
The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase alpha is required for DNA synthesis induced by some, but not all, growth factors.

The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-K) becomes activated when quiescent cells are stimulated with a variety of growth factors. We have microinjected antibodies specific for the p110 alpha subunit of the PI 3-K into quiescent fibroblasts and tested their effect on the ability of growth factors to stimulate exit from quiescence and entry into S phase. The antibodies inhibited platelet-derived growth factor-induced DNA synthesis, a result in keeping with previous studies using mutant platelet-derived growth factor receptors. Interestingly, functional PI 3-K was required for the first 6 hr of G1--i.e., until approximately 4 hr before the point at which the cells were committed to make DNA. A second tyrosine kinase receptor, the epidermal growth factor receptor, also required the PI 3-K for efficient signaling. However, colony-stimulating factor 1 (whose receptor is highly related to the platelet-derived growth factor receptor) could induce DNA synthesis in the absence of active PI 3-K, as could two growth factors (bombesin and lysophosphatidic acid) whose receptors are functionally coupled to G proteins. These data, therefore, demonstrate that some, but not all, growth factors require functional PI 3-K.
BAL induces an increase in peripheral blood neutrophils and cytokine levels in healthy volunteers and patients with pneumonia.

STUDY OBJECTIVES To examine the peripheral effects of BAL on the neutrophil counts and cytokine levels in the circulation. DESIGN AND METHODS WBC counts and plasma cytokines were measured before and 4 h after fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) without further interventions (n = 6), or combined with BAL in normal volunteer subjects (n = 6), and in patients with bacterial pneumonia (n = 4). The bronchus of the right middle lobe was wedged, and three 50-mL aliquots of sterile saline solution was instilled. There was no endotoxin contamination in the saline solution or the fluid obtained through the working channel of bronchoscope. RESULTS In volunteers, peripheral WBC counts and the number of nonsegmented and segmented neutrophils increased after the BAL procedure (p < 0.05) associated with the increase in plasma concentration (mean +/- SEM) of interleukin (IL)-6 (0.99 +/- 0.32 pg/mL before BAL and 20.38 +/- 13.42 pg/mL after BAL; p < 0.05) and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF; 14.1 +/- 1.7 pg/mL before BAL and 38.5 +/- 9.7 pg/mL after BAL; p < 0.05). The increase in WBC counts and neutrophil counts was positively correlated to the increase in IL-6 (p < 0.05) and the increase in G-CSF (p < 0.05). In patients with pneumonia, IL-6 and G-CSF levels were higher after BAL than in normal volunteer subjects (p < 0.05). There was no increase in plasma concentration of IL-1beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, or IL-8 after BAL in normal volunteer subjects or in patients with pneumonia. FOB without BAL did not increase the WBC count, neutrophil count, or plasma cytokine levels. CONCLUSION The BAL procedure increases the number of WBCs, and segmented and nonsegmented neutrophils in the peripheral circulation as well as circulating IL-6 and G-CSF levels.
Lipocortin 1 mediates the inhibition by dexamethasone of the induction by endotoxin of nitric oxide synthase in the rat.

Administration of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 10 mg/kg i.v.) to male Wistar rats caused within 240 min (i) a sustained fall (approximately 30 mmHg) in mean arterial blood pressure, (ii) a reduction (> 75%) in the pressor responses to norepinephrine (1 microgram/kg i.v.), and (iii) an induction of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) as measured in the lung. Dexamethasone (1 mg/kg i.p. at 2 h prior to LPS) attenuated the hypotension and the vascular hyporeactivity to norepinephrine and reduced (by approximately 77%) the expression of iNOS in the lung. These effects of dexamethasone were prevented by pretreatment of LPS-treated rats with a neutralizing antiserum to lipocortin 1 (anti-LC1; 60 mg/kg s.c. at 24 h prior to LPS) but not by a control nonimmune sheep serum. Stimulation of J774.2 macrophages with LPS (1 microgram/ml for 24 h) caused the expression of iNOS and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) protein and significantly increased nitrite generation; this was prevented by dexamethasone (0.1 microM at 1 h prior to LPS), which also increased cell surface lipocortin 1. Pretreatment of J774.2 cells with anti-LC1 (1:60 dilution at 4 h prior to LPS) also abolished the inhibitory effect of dexamethasone on iNOS expression and nitrite accumulation but not that on COX-2 expression. A lipocortin 1 fragment (residues 1-188 of human lipocortin 1; 20 micrograms/ml at 1 h prior to LPS) also blocked iNOS in J774.2 macrophages activated by LPS (approximately 78% inhibition), and this too was prevented by anti-LC1. We conclude that the extracellular release of endogenous lipocortin 1 (i) mediates the inhibition by dexamethasone of the expression of iNOS, but not of COX-2, and (ii) contributes substantially to the beneficial actions of dexamethasone in rats with endotoxic shock.
Anti-CD133 Antibody Immobilized on the Surface of Stents Enhances Endothelialization

Drug eluting stents successfully reduce restenosis at the cost of delayed reendothelialization. In recent years, a novel concept to enhance reendothelialization using anti-CD34 antibody coated stents which capture circulating progenitor cells (EPCs) has been developed with conflicting clinical results. CD133 is a glycoprotein expressed on circulating hematopoietic and putative endothelial-regenerating cells and may be superior to CD34 for EPCs capture stents. In the present study, anti-CD133 antibody has been successfully immobilized to the biodegradable polymeric coating material by covalent conjugation. We explore whether anti-CD133 antibody coated stents (CD133 stents) might accelerate reendothelialization in comparison with bare metal stents (BMS) through the superior ability to capture EPCs. The in vitro cell culture results indicate that anti-CD133 antibody functionalized polymer film significantly promotes CD133 positive cells attachment and growth compared with the unfunctionalized polymer film. In the semi-in vivo arteriovenous shunt model CD133 stents demonstrate much quicker specific capturing of EPCs from the blood stream than BMS within 6 hours. In a porcine coronary artery injury model CD133 stents show more effective reendothelialization in short term compared with BMS, while no significant difference in endothelial function recovery was observed between these two groups within 6-month followup.
Protective effects of curcumin against human immunodeficiency virus 1 gp120 V3 loop-induced neuronal injury in rats

Curcumin improves the learning and memory deficits in rats induced by the gp120 V3 loop. The present study cultured rat hippocampal neurons with 1 nM gp120 V3 loop and 1 μM curcumin for 24 hours. The results showed that curcumin inhibited the gp120 V3 loop-induced mitochondrial membrane potential decrease, reduced the mRNA expression of the pro-apoptotic gene caspase-3, and attenuated hippocampal neuronal injury.
Profile Orientation and Slope Stability Analysis

This paper presents an analysis of soil slope stability using a terrestrial laser scanner, particle swarm optimization, and the force equilibrium method. The aim of this study was to demonstrate that a slope needed to be analyzed in many different directions in order to assess its stability conclusively, rather than using just one cross-sectional profile to represent the entire slope. To achieve this purpose, this study illustrates how a particle swarm optimization algorithm can be successfully incorporated into the analysis with slope stability analysis software, STABL. This study compares results obtained with those of previous studies and makes important observations.
Quality of Life and NYHA Class 30 Years after Mechanical Aortic Valve Replacement

Objective (1) To evaluate the quality of life (QoL) scores, assessed with SF36 and EuroQol (EQ-5D), of long term survivors after mechanical aortic valve replacement (mAVR); (2) to study the association of QoL with NYHA score, number of major bleeding and thrombo-embolic events and follow-up time; (3) to compare QoL scores of long term mAVR survivors with QoL scores of other populations. Methods In total 312 patients had a mAVR between 1964 and 1974 at St. Antonius Hospital Nieuwegein (NL). Mean age at operation was 41 (sd = 12). Mean postoperative NYHA class at 1-year follow-up was 1.7 (sd = 0.7). In 2001 the survivors (n = 78; 25%) were followed-up for late events, NYHA class and QoL scores. 69 patients (93%) returned completed questionnaires. Results Mean duration of follow-up was 30 years (sd = 1.8). Mean age of responders was 65 years (sd = 10, range 47–93). In 2001, NYHA class of responders was 2 (sd = 0.9). The mean (sd) SF36 scores for responders were: 64 (29) for physical function. 64 (29) for role-physical, 80 (30) for bodily pain. 55 (25) for general health, 63 (23) for vitality. 73 (29) for social functioning, 70 (38) for role-emotional, 76 (18) for mental health. The mean EQ-5D score of responders was: 61 (13). These SF36 and EQ-5D scores are comparable to those of other populations (e.g. cancer, diabetes type-2, migraine, chronic liver disease and iliac artery occlusive disease and Dutch general population). For responders a moderate to high association of SF36 and EQ-5D scores and their NYHA scores(R2 = 0.36) was found. The number of major bleeding events, age, sex and survival time were not related to QoL. Conclusion At long term follow-up (mean 30 years) of patients who had mAVR, QoL was relatively high; it was moderately to highly associated with their NYHA class; bleeding and thromboembolic events seem to be of little importance for the QoL at long term follow-up. QoL at long term follow-up of patients who had mAVR is comparable to other cross sectional designed studies with short term follow-up and other population.
PlaNet: Combined Sequence and Expression Comparisons across Plant Networks Derived from Seven Species[W][OA]

Genes that are similarly expressed, or coexpressed, are often involved in related biological processes. Such coexpressed relationships also appear to be conserved across species. The PlaNet platform enables comparative analysis of genome-wide coexpression networks across seven plant species, thus enabling prediction of gene function and elucidation of the identity of functional homologs. The model organism Arabidopsis thaliana is readily used in basic research due to resource availability and relative speed of data acquisition. A major goal is to transfer acquired knowledge from Arabidopsis to crop species. However, the identification of functional equivalents of well-characterized Arabidopsis genes in other plants is a nontrivial task. It is well documented that transcriptionally coordinated genes tend to be functionally related and that such relationships may be conserved across different species and even kingdoms. To exploit such relationships, we constructed whole-genome coexpression networks for Arabidopsis and six important plant crop species. The interactive networks, clustered using the HCCA algorithm, are provided under the banner PlaNet (http://aranet.mpimp-golm.mpg.de). We implemented a comparative network algorithm that estimates similarities between network structures. Thus, the platform can be used to swiftly infer similar coexpressed network vicinities within and across species and can predict the identity of functional homologs. We exemplify this using the PSA-D and chalcone synthase-related gene networks. Finally, we assessed how ontology terms are transcriptionally connected in the seven species and provide the corresponding MapMan term coexpression networks. The data support the contention that this platform will considerably improve transfer of knowledge generated in Arabidopsis to valuable crop species.
Changes in Voice Quality after Speech-Language Therapy Intervention in Older Children with Cerebral Palsy

Objective: We examined whether perceived voice quality is altered in a group of children with cerebral palsy (CP) following an intervention focusing on respiration and phonation, and whether possible improvements might be associated with increased intelligibility levels. Methods: Sixteen individuals with CP and dysarthria (9 girls, mean age 14 years, SD = 2; 9 with spastic type CP, 2 dyskinetic, 4 mixed, 1 Worster-Drought syndrome) completed intelligibility assessments on separate days twice before intervention, at termination of treatment and at 6-week follow-up using 50 words from the Children's Speech Intelligibility Measure lists, and describing cartoon strips. Experienced speech-language pathologists rated voice quality employing GRBAS scales. Results: There was no clear evidence that change in voice quality pre-post intervention was large compared with change in the pre-intervention or post-intervention periods. Asthenia demonstrated largest improvement (effect size of 0.4). Intelligibility correlated weakly with Grade, Breathiness and Asthenia, but not with Roughness or Strain. A deterioration of 1 unit on the Grade and Asthenia scales was associated with an approximately 11% decrease in intelligibility. Conclusion: Perceived changes in voice quality were small compared to changes in intelligibility. Further investigations must examine other variables potentially associated with intelligibility gain to better understand the links between the respiratory-phonatory intervention and improved intelligibility.
Systematic review and meta‐analysis of vascular endothelial growth factor as a biomarker for malignant pleural effusions

Conventional methods may fail to identify the cause of pleural effusion (PE), thus establishing reliable biomarkers is deemed necessary. This study aimed at examining the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as a biomarker in the differentiation between malignant and benign PEs in adults. A comprehensive literature search in PubMed (Medline), Scopus (ELSEVIER), and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases was conducted using keywords. We included studies that evaluated pleural and/or serum levels of VEGF among patients presenting with undiagnosed PE and the association between these levels and the final diagnosis. We performed a meta‐analysis to calculate the summary effect using the random effects model. Statistical analysis was performed with the statistical package for meta‐analysis Comprehensive Meta‐Analysis. Twenty studies were included in the systematic review, while 11 of them in the meta‐analysis. Pleural fluid VEGF levels among patients with malignant PE were increased by 1.93 ng/mL as compared to patients with benign PE (95% CI: 1.32–2.54, Q = 173, df (Q): 10, I2 = 94.2%, P < 0.05). Serum VEGF levels among patients with malignant PE were increased respectively by 1.90 ng/mL (95% CI: 0.93–2.88, Q = 182, df (Q): 6, I2 = 96.7%, P < 0.05). This study showed that malignant PEs were associated with higher levels of both pleural fluid and serum VEGF. VEGF appears to represent a promising biomarker for the differential diagnosis between benign and malignant PEs.