Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Risk factors for age-related maculopathy in a 14-year follow-up study: the Copenhagen City Eye Study.

PURPOSE To examine the association between potential risk factors and the 14-year incidence of age-related maculopathy (ARM). DESIGN Population-based cohort study. PARTICIPANTS At baseline, 946 volunteers participated in the study during 1986--88. These subjects were between 60 and 80 years of age and lived in the Østerbro district of Copenhagen. Excluding participants who had died since baseline, 359 subjects (97.3% of survivors) were re-examined 14 years later, during 2000--2002. A total of 31.8% (301/946) of the original material was included in the risk factor analyses. METHODS Participants underwent an ophthalmological examination at Rigshospitalet, the National University Hospital of Copenhagen. Similar standardized protocols for physical examination were used at the baseline and follow-up examinations. Age-related maculopathy lesions were determined by the same grader grading colour fundus photographs from both examinations using a modification of the Wisconsin Age-related Maculopathy Grading System protocol. RESULTS Of the 359 participants, 94 had incident early ARM and 52 had incident late ARM at follow-up in either eye. In logistic regression, the risk factors for early ARM or worse were as follows: cataract (odds ratio [OR] 2.8, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2-6.2); family history of ARM (OR 4.5, 95% CI 1.3--15.5), and alcohol consumption >250 g/week (OR 4.6, 95% CI 1.1-19.2). High levels of apolipoprotein B (>100 mg/l) decreased the risk of development of early ARM or worse (OR 0.4, 95% CI 0.2-0.8), while high levels of apolipoprotein A1 (>or= 150 mg/l) increased the risk of late ARM (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.2-5.3). Advanced age at baseline was also associated with the incidence of late ARM (OR 2.0, 95% CI 1.4-2.9). CONCLUSIONS These findings indicate a direct correlation between age, cataract, family history, alcohol consumption, the apolipoproteins A1 and B and the 14-year incidence of ARM.
The ultraviolet properties of luminous infrared galaxies at z ~ 0.7 - Is there any evolution in their dust attenuation?

Aims. The total infrared (TIR: 8-1000 � m) and far-ultraviolet (FUV:∼ 1500A) luminosity functions of galaxies and the related luminosity densitiesρT IR andρFUV are known to evolve with redshift from z=0 to z∼1 but with a different rate: the galaxy populations appear brighter in the past at both wavelengths but the evolution in TIR is larger than in FUV. It leads to an increase of the ratio of TIR to FUV luminosity densitiesρT IR/ρFUV which can be interpreted as a global increase of the dust attenuation from z=0 to z∼1. Our aim is to understand the origin of this increase: is it ent irely due to a variation of the dust attenuation with the lumi nosity of the galaxies as seen as z=0 or are properties of galaxies evolving with the redshift? Methods. We focus on infrared galaxies more luminous than LTIR = 10 11 L⊙ at z∼0.7 observed by SPITZER/MIPS and we measure their ultraviolet emission at 2310 A from GALEX images. These Luminous InfraRed Galaxies (LIRGs) represent the bulk of the TIR luminosity density at intermediate redshift. The analysis of the ratio of TIR to FUV (rest-frame) luminosity (LTIR/LFUV) enables us to discuss their dust attenuation and to compare it to what is found in the nearby universe for galaxies of similar infrared l uminosity and selected in the same way Results. Some evolution of LTIR/LFUV and therefore of dust attenuation is found: LIRGs at z=0.7 span a larger range of LTIR/LFUV ratios than at z=0 and their mean dust attenuation at FUV wavelengths is found∼0.5 mag lower than for their local counterparts. The decrease of dust attenuation is found lower than that reported in other studies for bright galaxies selected in UV res t-frame at z=1 and 2. A semi-quantitative analysis is performed which accounts for the general increase of dust attenuation with the bolometric luminosity of galaxies: it is found that the slight decrease of dust attenuation for LIRGs at z=0.7 remains consistent with the increase ofρT IR/ρFUV with redshift.
Mean level signal crossing rate for an arbitrary stochastic process: comment.

In J. Opt. Soc. Am. A27, 797 (2010), Yura and Hanson derived what they claim to be "a general expression for the mean level crossing rate for an arbitrary" random process following any desired probability distribution function. On the other hand, the authors themselves assert that in some cases their results "differ somewhat from the result reported in the literature. " This discrepancy "remains unexplained" by the authors "and is laid open for future discussion. " In this note, we explain the reason for such discrepancy and show that the Yura-Hanson formula is indeed a special-case solution. A more general solution is then given that is applicable to arbitrary random processes and that is fully consistent with the Rice mean level crossing rate formula.
Evidence for a Pathogenic Role of Different Mutations at Codon 188 of PRNP

Clinical and pathological changes in familial Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) cases may be similar or indistinguishable from sporadic CJD. Therefore determination of novel mutations in PRNP remains of major importance. We identified two different rare mutations in codon 188 of the prion protein gene (PRNP) in four patients suffering from a disease clinically very similar to the major subtype of sporadic CJD. Both mutations result in an exchange of the amino acid residue threonine for a highly basic residue, either arginine (T188R) or lysine (T188K). The T188R mutation was found in one patient and the T188K mutation in three patients. The prevalence of mutations at codon 188 of PRNP was tested in 593 sporadic CJD cases and 735 healthy individuals. Neither mutation was found. The data presented here argue in favor of T188K being a pathogenic mutation causing genetic CJD. Since one individual with this mutation, who is the father of a clinically affected patient with T188K mutation, is now 79 years old and shows no signs of disease, this mutation is likely associated with a penetrance under 100%. Further observations will have to show whether T188R is a pathogenic mutation.
Selective Harmonic-Compensation Control for Single-Phase Active Power Filter With High Harmonic Rejection

This paper presents a linear current control scheme for single-phase active power filters. The approach is based on an outer voltage loop, an inner current loop, and a resonant selective harmonic compensator. The design of the control parameters is carried out using conventional linear techniques (analysis of loop gain and other disturbance-rejection transfer functions). The performance of the proposed controller is evaluated and compared with two reference controllers: a basic control and an advanced repetitive control. In comparison with these controllers, the proposed control scheme provides additional attenuation to the harmonics coming from the load current, the grid voltage, and the reference signal, resulting in a grid current with lower harmonic distortion. Experimental results are reported in order to validate this paper.
Gentian extract induces caspase-independent and mitochondria-modulated cell death

Extracts from the dried roots of gentian plant, Gentiana triflora, exhibit an antiproliferative activity against cultured and implanted tumor cells. However, the underlying mechanism has been unclear. In the present study, we show that the cell death induced by the extract occurs caspase-independently and depends on metabolic status of mitochondrial respiration. We observed that sensitivity to the extract was considerably lower in HeLa cells, which have a low rate of mitochondrial respiration, in comparison to Y3-Ag1.2. 3 cells, which have a higher rate of respiration. Furthermore, sensitivity of HeLa cells to the extract increased significantly when they were forced to switch their energy dependency from glycolysis to mitochondrial respiration. These results indicate that the gentian extract targets on mitochondrial respira-tion. Consequently, different respiratory activities in mitochondria confer cells to have different suscepti-bilities to the extract-induced cell death.
Role of 18F-FDG PET CT as an independent prognostic indicator in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Objectives The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET computed tomography (18F-FDG PET CT) as an independent prognostic indicator in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and methods PET contrast-enhanced CT scans of 100 consecutive patients with HCC were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were asked to fast for 6 h before the study and blood glucose levels were monitored and ensured to be less than 200 mg/dl before injection of 18F-FDG. After administering the 18F-FDG injection (370–550 MBq) patients were instructed to rest comfortably for 45–60 min. All images were acquired using a dedicated GE Discovery PET/CT scanner. The PET CT scans of all the patients were reported separately by two nuclear medicine physicians. A stage-wise analysis of the compiled data was carried out. Lesions that showed standardized uptake values greater than background activity (activity in adjacent normal liver tissue) were defined as having increased 18F-FDG uptake. Pearson’s &khgr; 2-test or the Kruskal–Wallis test was used to assess statistical significance. A P value less than 0.05 was taken as significant. Results In this retrospective study of 100 HCC patients, a radiologically higher-stage disease was found more commonly in patients with 18F-FDG-avid primary tumors (P<0.001), whereas a lower-stage disease was found in patients with non-18F-FDG-avid primary tumors. The non-18F-FDG-avid tumors also showed lower incidence of metastatic disease and portal vein thrombosis (P<0.001). The histopathological findings of the patients who underwent liver transplantation demonstrated that a higher-grade tumor was more common in the 18F-FDG-avid tumor group than in the non-18F-FDG-avid tumor group (P<0.05). Conclusion An 18F-FDG PET CT scan can be used not only for staging but also as a tool for preoperative prediction of cellular differentiation in patients with HCC. The 18F-FDG uptake seen on a PET scan can serve as a molecular signature for management decisions and can be used as an independent and significant prognostic factor in patients with HCC.
Ca2+ dynamics in salivary acinar cells: distinct morphology of the acinar lumen underlies near-synchronous global Ca2+ responses

In salivary acinar cells, the pattern of the Ca2+ signals that regulates fluid and enzyme secretion has yet to be resolved, as there are conflicting reports in the literature. We have used a two-photon technique to directly visualize the acinar cell lumen in living fragments of exocrine tissue and simultaneously recorded agonist-induced changes in intracellular Ca2+. We show near-synchronous global Ca2+ responses in submandibular acinar cells, distinct from the typical apical to basal Ca2+ wave usually seen in rodent pancreatic acinar cells. In an effort to explain the basis of these near-synchronous global Ca2+ responses we used immunocytochemical experiments to localize luminal proteins and inositol trisphosphate receptors (InsP3Rs) in tissue fragments. Zona occludens 1 (ZO-1), a tight junction protein, shows that individual submandibular acinar cells are often nearly completely encircled by a narrow luminal structure. By contrast, in pancreatic fragments, ZO-1 staining shows short luminal branches terminating abruptly at the apical pole of single acinar cells. Co-immunostaining of InsP3Rs type 2 and type 3 showed them in the same region as ZO-1 in both exocrine tissues. Functional experiments showed that the near-synchronous global Ca2+ responses were still observed in the absence of extracellular Ca2+ and also in the presence of ryanodine. We conclude that the elaborate luminal region of submandibular cells leads to a hitherto unrecognized extensive distribution of InsP3Rs in a band around the cell and that this underlies the near-synchronous global Ca2+ response to agonists. We suggest that this may be a structural adaptation in submandibular cells to support the copious amounts of fluid secreted.
Two Chlamydomonas CTR Copper Transporters with a Novel Cys-Met Motif Are Localized to the Plasma Membrane and Function in Copper Assimilation[W]

Inducible high-affinity copper uptake is key to copper homeostasis in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. We generated cDNAs and updated gene models for four genes, CTR1, CTR2, CTR3, and COPT1, encoding CTR-type copper transporters in Chlamydomonas. The expression of CTR1, CTR2, and CTR3 increases in copper deficient cells and in response to hypoxia or Ni2+ supplementation; this response depends on the transcriptional activator CRR1. A copper response element was identified by mutational analysis of the 5′ upstream region of CTR1. Functional analyses identify CTR1 and CTR2 as the assimilatory transporters of Chlamydomonas based on localization to the plasma membrane and ability to rescue a Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant defective in high-affinity copper transport. The Chlamydomonas CTRs contain a novel Cys-Met motif (CxxMxxMxxC-x5/6-C), which occurs also in homologous proteins in other green algae, amoebae, and pathogenic fungi. CTR3 appears to have arisen by duplication of CTR2, but CTR3 lacks the characteristic transmembrane domains found in the transporters, suggesting that it may be a soluble protein. Thus, Chlamydomonas CTR genes encode a distinct subset of the classical CTR family of Cu(I) transporters and represent new targets of CRR1-dependent signaling.
First-Trimester Diagnosis of Fetal Congenital Heart Disease by Transvaginal Ultrasonography

Objective To describe the feasibility of diagnosing fetal congenital heart defects by transvaginal ultrasonography during the first trimester of pregnancy. Methods Pregnant women presenting to the Ultrasonographic Unit at the Chaim Sheba Medical Center who had a diagnosis of fetal heart defects were reviewed retrospectively. Attention was paid to prenatal ultrasound studies, karyotype, and pathologic examinations. Results Using high-resolution transvaginal ultrasonography, we were able to detect fetal tachycardia (one case), ectopia cordis with ventricular septal defect (one case), atrioventricular septal defect (two cases), ventricular septal defect with persistent trnncus arteriosus (one case), tetralogy of Fallot (two cases), and large right atrium with unguarded tricuspid valve (Uhl disease) (one case). Seven of these fetuses had normal karyotypes and all showed additional sonographic abnormalities, including septated cystic hygroma (three cases), hydrops (ascites and pericardial effusions) (two cases), omphalocele (one case), and bilateral agenesis of kidneys (one case). Only one fetus with an abnormal karyotype (45,XO) showed a combination of septated cystic hygroma with hydrops. Conclusions High-resolution duplex Doppler transvaginal ultrasonography during the first trimester of pregnancy seems to be a useful diagnostic method for detecting some congenital heart diseases.
INSTITUTIONAL INVESTMENT FLOWS AND FUND MANAGER TURNOVER : EVIDENCE FROM PENSION PLAN MANDATE TERMINATIONS

We study the interaction of the internal control market and the external monitoring mechanism in the institutional investment industry. We investigate the role of managerial turnover in the termination of investment mandates by Australian pension plans. We also identify how mandate turnover contributes to the departure of top fund managers. Pension plans rescind the services provided by an investment management company as a result of the dismissal of a manager surprisingly, without considering improvements in fund post-replacement performance. The probability of mandate termination is greater for larger funds, those that do not have the highest fund rating, and who also generate lower gross returns. Terminations of pension plan mandates increase the probability of a fund company dismissing the responsible fund manager. Long term objective-adjusted returns and the investment style of the fund are also significant managerial dismissal considerations. These results illustrate the joint effectiveness of internal and external control markets in the pension fund industry. JEL Classification: G11, G23 Dishi gratefully acknowledges financial support from the University of New South Wales School of Banking and Finance. The authors thank InvestorInfo Limited, Mercer Investment Consulting and the Securities Industry Research Centre of Asia-Pacific for graciously providing data. * Corresponding author. Email: j.parwada@unsw.edu. au. Postal address: UNSW Sydney, N.S. W. 2052, Australia.
Neurovascular Manifestations of Heritable Connective Tissue Disorders: A Review

Background Heritable disorders of connective tissue are recognized in a small minority of patients with neurovascular diseases. In this report, we review the neurovascular manifestations of four heritable connective tissue disorders: Ehlers‐Danlos syndrome, Marfan's syndrome, osteogenesis imperfecta, and pseudoxanthoma elasticum, as well as two other systemic disorders with potential vascular manifestations: neurofibromatosis and polycystic kidney disease. Summary of Review Typical neurovascular complications of Ehlers‐Danlos syndrome are carotid‐cavernous fistulae, intracranial aneurysms, and cervical artery dissections. Arterial dissections and intracranial aneurysms cause the majority of neurovascular symptoms in Marfan's syndrome. Neurovascular disease is uncommon in osteogenesis imperfecta, although carotid‐cavernous fistulae and vertebral artery dissections have been reported. Neurovascular disease in pseudoxanthoma elasticum is characterized by intracranial aneurysms and cerebral ischemia caused by premature arterial occlusive disease. Intracranial occlusive arterial disease is the most common neurovascular manifestation of neurofibromatosis, followed by cervical arteriovenous fistulae and aneurysms and intracranial aneurysms. Intracranial aneurysms are the hallmark of polycystic kidney disease. Conclusions Recognition of an underlying generalized connective tissue disorder may be of considerable importance, although marked phenotypic heterogeneity often complicates the diagnosis of these disorders. Conversely, the association of certain neurovascular anomalies with generalized connective tissue disorders and recognition of their basic molecular defect may offer clues to the etiology and pathogenesis of these neurovascular diseases in general. (Stroke. 1994;25:889‐903.)
Experimental Investigation on the Leading Edge Film Cooling of Cylindrical and Laid-Back Holes With Different Hole Pitches

Experimental investigation has been performed to study the film cooling performance of cylindrical and laid-back film holes on the turbine blade leading edge. Four test models are measured for four blowing ratios to investigate the influence of film hole shape and hole pitch on the film cooling performance. Film cooling effectiveness and heat transfer coefficient are obtained using transient heat transfer measurement technique with double thermochromic liquid crystals. As the blowing ratio increases, the trajectory of jets deviates to the spanwise direction and lifts off gradually. However, more area can benefit from the film protection under large blowing ratio, while the heat transfer coefficient is also higher. The basic distribution features of heat transfer coefficient are similar for all the four models. Heat transfer coefficient in the region where the jet core flows through is relatively lower, while heat transfer coefficient in the jet edge region is relatively higher. For the models with small hole pitch, the laid-back holes only give better film coverage performance than the cylindrical holes under large blowing ratio. For the models with large hole pitch, the advantage of laid-back holes in film cooling effectiveness is more obvious in the upstream region relative to the cylindrical holes. For the cylindrical hole model and the laid-back hole model with the same hole pitch, the laterally averaged heat transfer coefficients are nearly the same with each other under the same blowing ratios. Compared with the models with large hole pitch, the laterally averaged film cooling effectiveness and the laterally averaged heat transfer coefficient are larger for the models with small hole pitch because of larger proportion of film covering area and strong heat transfer region.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
The burden of disease in Maputo City, Mozambique: registered and autopsied deaths in 1994.

OBJECTIVE To classify the causes of death in Maputo City, Mozambique, using the methods of the Global Burden of Disease study, in order to provide information for health policy-makers and to obtain a baseline for future studies in Maputo City and provincial capitals. METHODS Data were taken from the Maputo City death register and autopsy records for 1994. FINDINGS A total of 9011 deaths were recorded in the death register, representing a coverage of approximately 86%. Of these, 8114 deaths (92%) were classified by cause. Communicable, maternal, perinatal, and nutritional disorders accounted for 5319 deaths; noncommunicable diseases for 1834; and injuries for 961. The 10 leading causes of registered deaths were perinatal disorders (1643 deaths); malaria (928); diarrhoeal diseases (814); tuberculosis (456); lower respiratory infections (416); road-traffic accidents (371); anaemia (269); cerebrovascular diseases (269); homicide (188); and bacterial meningitis (178). CONCLUSIONS Infectious diseases of all types, injuries, and cerebrovascular disease ranked as leading causes of death, according to both the autopsy records and the city death register. AIDS-related deaths were underreported. With HIV infection increasing rapidly, AIDS will add to the already high burden of infectious diseases and premature mortality in Maputo City. The results of the study indicate that cause of death is a useful outcome indicator for disease control programmes.
Modeling of signaling crosstalk-mediated drug resistance and its implications on drug combination

The efficacy of pharmacological perturbation to the signaling transduction network depends on the network topology. However, whether and how signaling dynamics mediated by crosstalk contributes to the drug resistance are not fully understood and remain to be systematically explored. In this study, motivated by a realistic signaling network linked by crosstalk between EGF/EGFR/Ras/MEK/ERK pathway and HGF/HGFR/PI3K/AKT pathway, we develop kinetic models for several small networks with typical crosstalk modules to investigate the role of the architecture of crosstalk in inducing drug resistance. Our results demonstrate that crosstalk inhibition diminishes the response of signaling output to the external stimuli. Moreover, we show that signaling crosstalk affects the relative sensitivity of drugs, and some types of crosstalk modules that could yield resistance to the targeted drugs were identified. Furthermore, we quantitatively evaluate the relative efficacy and synergism of drug combinations. For the modules that are resistant to the targeted drug, we identify drug targets that can not only increase the relative drug efficacy but also act synergistically. In addition, we analyze the role of the strength of crosstalk in switching a module between drug-sensitive and drug-resistant. Our study provides mechanistic insights into the signaling crosstalk-mediated mechanisms of drug resistance and provides implications for the design of synergistic drug combinations to reduce drug resistance.