Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Correlation of inflammatory and proangiogenic cytokines from undiluted vitreous samples with spectral domain OCT scans, in untreated branch retinal vein occlusion

Purpose To assess the levels of inflammatory and angiogenic cytokines in undiluted vitreous from treatment-naïve patients with macular edema secondary to nonischemic branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO), with flow cytometric bead array (CBA) and to correlate the results with subjective and multiple spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) parameters. Methods A total of 43 eyes from 43 patients (mean age 69.7 years, 23 male) were divided into groups of new, “fresh” (n = 28; mean duration after onset 4.1 months) and older BRVO (n = 15; 11.6 months). Because of macular edema, these patients underwent an intravitreal therapy combining a single-site 23 g core vitrectomy with bevacizumab and dexamethasone. Undiluted vitreous was then analyzed for interleukin-6 (IL-6), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and vascular endothelial growth factor isoform A (VEGF-A) levels with CBA and correlated with visual acuity (VA), clinical parameters of BRVO (type and perfusion status), and morphologic parameters, such as central macular thickness, central retinal thickness, thickness of the neurosensory retina, thickness of the serous retinal detachment, and the disruption of the ellipsoid line (photoreceptor inner and outer segments) and the external limiting membrane, as measured with SD-OCT. Twenty-eight undiluted vitreous samples from patients with idiopathic, nonuveitis vitreous floaters served as the controls. Results The mean IL-6 was 23.2 pg/mL (standard deviation, ±48.8), MCP-1 was 602.6 (±490.3), and VEGF-A was 161.8 (±314.3), and this was higher than in the control group, which had a mean IL-6 of 6.2 ± 3.4 pg/mL (P = 0.17), MCP-1 of 253.2 ± 73.5 (P < 0.0000001), and VEGF-A of 7.0 ± 4.9 (P < 0.003). In all BRVO samples, IL-6 correlated positively with MCP-1 and VEGF-A (correlation coefficient r = 0.79 and r = 0.46, respectively). VEGF-A was the only cytokine to correlate significantly with SD-OCT parameters (thickness of the neurosensory retina r = 0.31; disruption of the ellipsoid line r = 0.33). In the older BRVO group, there was a positive correlation between cytokines (IL-6 with MCP-1, r = 0.77; Il-6 with VEGF-A, r = 0.68; MCP-1 and VEGF-A, r = 0.68), whereas only IL-6 correlated with MCP-1 in the fresh group (r = 0.8). Conclusion The inflammatory markers and VEGF-A were elevated in the vitreous fluid of patients with BRVO, and these correlated with one another. VEGF-A was more often correlated with the morphologic changes assessed by SD-OCT, whereas the inflammatory markers had no significant influence on SD-OCT changes.
Fixed Points of Multivalued Maps in Modular Function Spaces

The purpose of this paper is to study the existence of fixed points for contractive-type and nonexpansive-type multivalued maps in the setting of modular function spaces. We also discuss the concept of -modular function and prove fixed point results for weakly-modular contractive maps in modular function spaces. These results extend several similar results proved in metric and Banach spaces settings.
Lower capacity bound for MIMO correlated fading channels with keyhole

It is well known that the existence of spatial fading correlation and keyhole effects severely reduces the capacity of multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) channels. In this letter, for correlated Rayleigh frequency-flat fading channels with keyholes, a tight lower capacity bound is given in a closed form. For the uncorrelated case, the lower bound can be proved to be tight asymptotically. The tightness of this bound for both correlated and uncorrelated channels is demonstrated by numerical examples.
Conserving approximations for strongly correlated electron systems: Bethe-Salpeter equation and dynamics for the two-dimensional Hubbard model.

In this Letter we describe a new technique for investigating phase transitions and dynamics in interacting electron systems. This technique is based on the derivation and self-consistent solution of infinite-order conserving approximations. It provides a new approach to the study of two-particle correlations with strong frequency and momentum dependence. We use this technique to derive a low-temperature phase diagram and dynamic correlation functions for the two-dimensional Hubbard model.
Inhaled Nitric Oxide Attenuates Reperfusion Inflammatory Responses in Humans

Background:Reduced bioavailability of endothelium-derived nitric oxide associated with reperfusion could potentially exacerbate the inflammatory response during reperfusion. Evidence suggests the pharmacologic effects of inhaled nitric oxide may extend beyond the pulmonary vasculature, and this is attributed to nitric oxide–derived complexes in blood that ultimately orchestrate antiinflammatory effects. In this study, the authors evaluated the potential for inhaled nitric oxide (80 ppm) to attenuate inflammation instigated by ischemia–reperfusion in a human model using patients undergoing knee surgery where a tourniquet was used to produce a bloodless surgical field. Methods:Inhaled nitric oxide (80 ppm) was administered before tourniquet application and continued throughout reperfusion until the completion of surgery. Venous blood samples were collected before and after reperfusion, for the measurements of nitrate and nitrite, CD11b/CD18, soluble P-selectin, and lipid hydroperoxide. Muscle biopsies were obtained from the quadriceps muscle before skin closure and analyzed for myeloperoxide, conjugated dienes, and nuclear factor-&kgr;B translocation. Results:Administration of inhaled nitric oxide (80 ppm) significantly attenuated the inflammatory response characterized by reduced expression of CD11b/CD18, P-selectin, and nuclear factor &kgr;B compared with the control group. This was accompanied by increased plasma levels of nitrate and nitrite and reduced oxidative stress. Conclusions:Administration of inhaled nitric oxide at 80 ppm significantly reduces inflammation in lower extremity ischemia–reperfusion in humans. This observation supports the concept that during diseases characterized by dysfunction in nitric oxide metabolism, inhaled nitric oxide may be an effective therapy to replenish systemic nitric oxide, thus retarding inflammatory-mediated injury.
Blood Pressure and Risk of Cancer Incidence and Mortality in the Metabolic Syndrome and Cancer Project

Observational studies have shown inconsistent results for the association between blood pressure and cancer risk. We investigated the association in 7 cohorts from Norway, Austria, and Sweden. In total, 577799 adults with a mean age of 44 years were followed for, on average, 12 years. Incident cancers were 22184 in men and 14744 in women, and cancer deaths were 8724 and 4525, respectively. Cox regression was used to calculate hazard ratios of cancer per 10-mmHg increments of midblood pressure, which corresponded with 0.7 SDs and, for example, an increment of systolic/diastolic blood pressure of 130/80 to 142/88 mmHg. All of the models used age as the time scale and were adjusted for possible confounders, including body mass index and smoking status. In men, midblood pressure was positively related to total incident cancer (hazard ratio per 10 mmHg increment: 1.07 [95% CI: 1.04–1.09]) and to cancer of the oropharynx, colon, rectum, lung, bladder, kidney, malignant melanoma, and nonmelanoma skin cancer. In women, midblood pressure was not related to total incident cancer but was positively related to cancer of the liver, pancreas, cervix, uterine corpus, and malignant melanoma. A positive association was also found for cancer mortality, with HRs per 10-mmHg increment of 1.12 (95% CI: 1.08–1.15) for men and 1.06 (95% CI: 1.02–1.11) for women. These results suggest a small increased cancer risk overall in men with elevated blood pressure level and a higher risk for cancer death in men and women.
Event-based formalization of safety-critical operating system standards: An experience report on ARINC 653 using Event-B

Standards play the key role in safety-critical systems. Errors in standards could mislead system developer's understanding and introduce bugs into system implementations. In this paper, we present an Event-B formalization and verification for the ARINC 653 standard, which provides a standardized interface between safety-critical real-time operating systems and application software, as well as a set of functionalities aimed to improve the safety and certification process of such safety-critical systems. The formalization is a complete model of ARINC 653, and provides a necessary foundation for the formal development and verification of ARINC 653 compliant operating systems and applications. Three hidden errors and three cases of incomplete specification were discovered from the verification using the Event-B formal reasoning approach.
ON THE VIRTUAL TOPOLOGY OF LOOSELY COUPLED MULTI-COMPUTERS French Investigators

The proposed research addresses the use of networked computers as a large-scale multicomputer, that is, a tool for parallel and distributed computing. Informally speaking, it deals with realizing the vision “The network is the computer” (McNealy, Sun Microsystems). We intend to address a broad definition, whereby a multicomputer is a generalization of a single computer, namely, a general purpose machine that performs scientific computations but can also be used as part of an information system, or as a communication unit, or for control and alerting (when certain events happen), or for obtaining, managing and presenting video data, and so on. Just as parallelism is an essential prerequisite without which supercomputing becomes infeasible, we argue that the use of both parallelism and distribution enables multicomputers to perform tasks that would be infeasible or impossible using a single traditional (say, multi-terminal) computer. We intend to address all principal components of the multicomuter architecture, including storage, computing, data flow, and communication. To handle the topology of a large-scale distributed multicomputer, we borrow and adapt a rather recent concept from the field of networking, namely, overlay networks, which are virtual higher layer networks. The design of the multicomputer, then, involves the design of the virtual topology of its overlay network, including placing resources (e.g., specific files), distributed assignment of tasks (scheduling, load balancing), defining virtual links (e.g., for routing the multicomputation tasks), and adapting to topological changes (e.g., components joining and leaving). We intend to design a collection of algorithms for these tasks, that will complement each other cooperatively, so as to support the creation of a distributed multicomputer.
Diaphragm thickness and inspiratory strength in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

BACKGROUND: There is little information on the morphometric characteristics of the diaphragm in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. METHODS: The thickness of the diaphragm was measured at the zone of apposition using B mode ultrasonography in 10 boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy of mean (SD) age 10.3 (1.3) years and 12 normal controls of mean (SD) age 11.3 (2.0) years during relaxation (DiTrelax) and during maximum effort inspiratory manoeuvres (DiTPimax) at functional residual capacity. RESULTS: DiTrelax was greater in the patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (1.74 (0.21) mm) than in controls (1.48 (0.20) mm), mean difference (95% CI) 0.26 (0.08 to 0.44), despite considerable impairment of maximum effort inspiratory mouth pressure (Pimax) (patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy -37 (8) cm H2O, controls -80 (33) cm H2O), mean difference (95% CI) 43 (65 to 20). During a Pimax manoeuvre, compared with measurements taken during relaxation, the diaphragm thickened 1.6 times in patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and 2.3 times in controls (DiTPimax 2.62 (0.7) mm and 3.5 (0.85) mm, respectively), mean difference (95% CI) -0.88 (-1.58 to -0.18). CONCLUSIONS: Resting diaphragm thickness is increased in young patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy with impaired respiratory muscle force. This finding could be analogous to the pseudo-hypertrophy that is observed in some limb muscle groups.
Weak CSS Sources from the FIRST Survey

Abstract We report early results of an observational campaign targeted on a sample of compact steep spectrum sources selected from the FIRST survey which are significantly weaker than those investigated before. The selection criteria and procedure are given in detail. We present here an assortment of MERLIN and VLBI observations and make some general comments based on the morphologies of the sources presented.
Comparison of the Associations of Apolipoprotein B and Non–High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol With Other Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients With the Metabolic Syndrome in the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study

Background—The metabolic syndrome (MetS) as defined by the National Cholesterol Education Panel definition has been proposed as an indicator of cardiovascular disease risk. Both apolipoprotein (apo)B and non–HDL cholesterol (NHDLC) have been proposed as an additional indicator to identify patients at higher risk in MetS patients. Methods and Results—We studied 1522 individuals in the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study (IRAS) who were 40 to 69 years of age and from 3 ethnic groups. Their anthropometric measures, lipids, apoB, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, fasting and post–glucose load glucose, and insulin concentrations were measured, and insulin sensitivity was determined by intravenous glucose tolerance test. Differences in risk parameters in individuals with hyper-apoB/normo-NHDLC, and normo-apoB/hyper-NHDLC were compared in all IRAS subjects and again in those with MetS. In both cases, despite anticipated lower LDL cholesterol, the hyper-apoB/normo-NHDLC group had elevated risk indicated by greater waist circumference (both P<0.05) and fasting insulin (P<0.01) and lower insulin sensitivity (P<0.001). They also had higher C-reactive protein (P<0.05). Moreover, the Spearman correlation of apoB was significantly stronger (P<0.05) in the direction of greater associated risk than that of NHDLC with body mass index, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, 2-hour glucose, fasting glucose, fasting insulin, 2-hour insulin, insulin sensitivity, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. Conclusions—In conclusion, apoB is more closely associated with central adiposity, insulin resistance, thrombosis, and inflammation than NHDLC. Our data suggest that apoB is a better candidate risk parameter than NHDLC for identifying a subgroup of individuals with or without MetS with elevated cardiovascular risk.
Methylphenidate Redistributes Vesicular Monoamine Transporter-2: Role of Dopamine Receptors

It is well accepted that methylphenidate (MPD) inhibits dopamine (DA) transporter function. In addition to this effect, this study demonstrates that MPD increases vesicular [3H]DA uptake and binding of the vesicular monoamine transporter-2 (VMAT-2) ligand dihydrotetrabenazine (DHTBZ) in a dose- and time-dependent manner in purified striatal vesicles prepared from treated rats. This change did not result from residual MPD introduced by the originalin vivo treatment, because application of MPD in vitro (≤1 μm) was without effect, and higher concentrations decreased vesicular [3H]DA uptake. In addition, MPD treatment increased and decreased VMAT-2 immunoreactivity in striatal vesicle subcellular and plasmalemmal membrane fractions, respectively. The MPD-induced increase in both VMAT-2 immunoreactivity and DHTBZ binding was attenuated by pretreatment in vivo with either the DA D1receptor antagonist SCH23390 or the DA D2 receptor antagonist eticlopride. Coadministration of these antagonists in vivo inhibited completely the MPD-induced increase in DHTBZ binding in the purified vesicular preparation. These observations suggest a role for DA in the MPD-induced redistribution of VMAT-2. The implications of this phenomenon will be discussed.
Effect of tooth age on bond strength to dentin.

This in vitro study evaluated the effect of tooth age on the tensile bond strength of Prime & Bond NT adhesive system to dentin. Human third molars from the five age groups were analyzed: A- 17 to 20yrs, B- 21 to 30yrs, C- 31 to 40yrs, D- 41 to 50yrs and E- 51 to 63yrs. The occlusal enamel was removed using a diamond saw under water cooling and the dentin surface was wet-ground with 600-grit SiC paper to obtain flat surfaces. The adhesive system was applied according to the manufacturer's instructions and a 6-mm high resin "crown" was built-up with resin composite. Teeth were stored for 24 hours in distilled water at 37ºC and prepared for micro-tensile testing. Each specimen was mounted in a testing jig attached to a universal testing machine and stressed in tension at a crosshead speed of 0.5mm/min until failure. The means of tensile bond strength were (MPa): A- 21.42 ± 7. 52ª; B- 30.13 ± 10. 19ª; C- 31.69 ± 11. 78ª; D- 30.69 ± 8. 47ª and E- 35.66 ± 9. 54ª. No statistically significant difference was observed among the age groups (p > 0.05). The results suggested that the tensile bond strength of the adhesive system was not significantly affected by dentin aging.
Effect of Magnetic Salinated Water on some Morphological and Biochemical Characteristics of Artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) Leaves

Plants for optimal growth requires absorb water and nutrients absorption from the soil. Magnetic Water downward movement of minerals and makes it easy for plants to absorb nutrients and water. This study was designed to investigate the effect of magnetic salt water on some quantity and quality characteristics of artichoke leaves. The experiment was factorial based on completely randomized design with four levels of magnetic field [0, 3000, 6000 and 10000 gauss] and four levels of salinity [0 , 3, 6 and 12 ds/m sodium chloride]. Results showed that the magnified water affected plant growth parameters. Fresh and dry weight of leaves and roots of plants increased as irrigated by magnified water. A significant interaction of salinity and magnetism was observed on mentioned parameters.Salinity and electromagnetic had significant effects on the most measured biochemical parameters. The highest amounts of phenolic and flavonoid contents were observed in the plants treated with magnified and saline water at medium level. The maximum antioxidant activity was observed in plant grown under 6 ds/m salinity. The highest and lowest amount s of chlorogenic acid was observed in plants irrigated with 6 ds/m saline water in which magnified fewer than 3000 gauss. The highest amount of caffeic acid [0/0044 mg/g] was recorded under 6 ds/m salinity and 3000 gauss electromagnetic conditions. Based on the results, it can be stated that the magnification increases efficiency of salty water and improve the performance and quality of the artichoke leaves.
Vlgr1 knockout mice show audiogenic seizure susceptibility

Susceptibility to audiogenic seizures, which are reflex seizures provoked by loud noise, can be induced in rodents by acoustic priming (exposing animals to strong auditory stimuli at an early developmental stage). Some strains of mice and rats are susceptible to audiogenic seizures without priming and these have been used as good experimental models with which to study epilepsies. Here we identified Vlgr1d and Vlgr1e, novel alternatively‐spliced variants of Vlgr1b/MGR1, which, upon sequence analysis, were shown to be transcripts from a locus previously characterized as mass1. Vlgr1 (Vlgr1b, Vlgr1d and Vlgr1e) mRNA is expressed predominantly in the neuroepithelium of the developing mouse brain. Our protein‐tagged experiment suggested that Vlgr1d and Vlgr1e are secretory molecules, while Vlgr1b is a receptor. Knockout mice lacking exons 2–4 of Vlgr1 were susceptible to audiogenic seizures without priming, although there were no apparent histological abnormalities in their brains. Ninety‐five percent of these knockout mice exhibited wild running, a feature typical of the preconvulsive phase of audiogenic seizures triggered by loud noise (11 kHz, 105 dB), and 68% exhibited tonic convulsions at 3 weeks after birth. Our monogenic mice, which have a unique genetic background, serve as a useful tool for further studies on seizures.
Cytoplasmic PML: From Molecular Regulation to Biological Functions

The tumor suppressor promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML) is predominantly localized in the nucleus, where it is essential for the formation and stabilization of the PML nuclear bodies (PML‐NBs). PML‐NBs are involved in the regulation of numerous cellular functions, such as tumorigenesis, DNA damage and antiviral responses. Despite its nuclear localization, a small portion of PML has been found in the cytoplasm. A number of studies recently demonstrated that the cytoplasmic PML (cPML) has diverse functions in many cellular processes including tumorigenesis, metabolism, antiviral responses, cell cycle regulation, and laminopothies. In this prospective, we will summarize the current viewpoints on the regulation and biological significance of cPML and discuss the important questions that still need to be further answered. J. Cell. Biochem. 115: 812–818, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Qualitative Investigation of the Wellness Recovery Action Plan in a UK NHS Crisis Care Setting

ABSTRACT Crisis theory suggests that in addition to presenting a threat to mental well-being, crises are also opportunities where successful interventions can lead to successful outcomes. UK mental health crisis teams aim to reduce hospital admission by treating people at home and by building resilience and supporting learning from crisis, yet data on repeat crisis episodes suggest this could be improved. This qualitative study sought to explore the Wellness Recovery Action Plan (WRAP) as a means of supporting resilience-building and maximising the opportunity potential of crisis. The following themes emerged: The meaning of crisis; Engaging with the WRAP process; WRAP and self-management; and Changes and transformations. This research suggests that WRAP has potential in supporting recovery from crisis, revealing insights into the nature of crisis which can inform the further development of crisis services.