Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reproducibility of ultrasound assessment of carotid plaque occurrence, thickness, and morphology. The Tromsø Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Ultrasonography is increasingly used in vascular research, but there is limited information about the reproducibility of the ultrasound method for screening purposes. In this study the reproducibility of ultrasound assessment of carotid plaque occurrence, thickness, and morphology was examined within the setting of a population health survey. METHODS In 1994/1995, 6720 participants in the Tromsø Study, Norway, underwent B-mode ultrasound scanning of the right carotid artery. The between- and within-sonographer reproducibility of ultrasound assessment of plaque occurrence and thickness was estimated by repeated scanning of a random sample of 107 participants. The between- and within-sonographer reproducibility of plaque morphology classification (echogenicity, four categories and heterogeneity, two categories) was determined by repeated reading of videotaped images of 119 randomly selected arteries with plaques. RESULTS Between- and within-sonographer agreement on plaque occurrence was substantial with kappa values (95% CI) of 0.72 (0.60 to 0.84) and 0.76 (0.63 to 0.89), respectively. Reproducibility of plaque thickness measurements was moderate, with mean absolute differences ranging between 0.25 and 0.55 mm (coefficients of variation between 13.8% and 22.4%). Agreement on plaque morphology classification was high, with kappa values ranging between 0.54 and 0.73. CONCLUSIONS Population screening using B-mode ultrasound provides a valuable means for the detection and morphological evaluation of carotid plaques, whereas measurements of plaque thickness are subject to considerable measurement error.
Social integration and suicide mortality among men: 24-year cohort study of U.S. health professionals.

BACKGROUND Suicide is a major public health problem. Current thinking about suicide emphasizes the study of psychiatric, psychological, or biological determinants. Previous work in this area has largely relied on surrogate outcomes or samples enriched for psychiatric morbidity. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the relationship between social integration and suicide mortality. DESIGN Prospective cohort study initiated in 1988. SETTING United States. PARTICIPANTS 34,901 men aged 40 to 75 years. MEASUREMENTS Social integration was measured with a 7-item index that included marital status, social network size, frequency of contact, religious participation, and participation in other social groups. Vital status of study participants was ascertained through 1 February 2012. The primary outcome of interest was suicide mortality, defined as deaths classified with codes E950 to E959 from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision. RESULTS Over 708,945 person-years of follow-up, there were 147 suicides. The incidence of suicide decreased with increasing social integration. In a multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model, the relative hazard of suicide was lowest among participants in the highest (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 0.41 [95% CI, 0.24 to 0.69]) and second-highest (AHR, 0.52 [CI, 0.30 to 0.91]) categories of social integration. Three components (marital status, social network size, and religious service attendance) showed the strongest protective associations. Social integration was also inversely associated with all-cause and cardiovascular-related mortality, but accounting for competing causes of death did not substantively alter the findings. LIMITATIONS The study lacked information on participants' mental well-being. Some suicides could have been misclassified as accidental deaths. CONCLUSION Men who were socially well-integrated had a more than 2-fold reduced risk for suicide over 24 years of follow-up. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE National Institutes of Health and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
by Exogenous or Endogenous Nitric Oxide Regulation of CD8 Expression in Mast Cells

We recently reported a novel CD8 molecule on rat alveolar macrophages and peritoneal mast cells (PMC). However, little is known about the regulation of CD8 expression and function on these cells. We investigated the regulation of CD8 expression on PMC by NO, because NO can regulate inﬂammatory responses and also because anti-CD8 Ab stimulates inducible NO synthase and NO production by PMC and alveolar macrophages. Ligation of CD8 (cid:1) on PMC with Ab (OX8) induced CD8 (cid:1) mRNA expression after 3–6 h, and ﬂow cytometry demonstrated that OX8 treatment increased CD8 (cid:1) protein expression compared with PMC treated with isotype control IgG1. To test whether NO mediates the up-regulation of CD8 (cid:1) , we used the NO donor S -nitrosoglutathione (500 (cid:2) M) and NO synthase inhibitors ( N G -monomethyl- L -arginine and N G -nitro- L -arginine methyl ester; 100 (cid:2) M). S -nitrosoglu-tathione up-regulated both mRNA and protein expression of CD8 (cid:1) in PMC compared with that in sham-treated cells, while NO synthase inhibitors down-regulated OX8 Ab-induced CD8 (cid:1) expression. To investigate how NO regulates CD8 expression on PMC, we examined the cGMP-dependent pathway using 8-bromo-cGMP (2 mM) and the guanylate cyclase inhibitor, 1H-oxadiazolo-quinoxalin-1-one (20 (cid:2) M). 8-Bromo-cGMP up-regulated CD8 expression, whereas 1H-oxadiazoloquinoxalin-1-one down-regu-lated CD8 CD8 expression mediator secretion, natural ligation of form of CD8. Immunology, 2001, 167: 5935–5939.
The effect of filler on the properties of molding compounds and their moldability

High loading of filler is known as an effective method for lowering the moisture absorption of the encapsulating compound since the filler itself does not absorb moisture. This also significantly increases the mechanical strength of the cured compound at reflow temperature. However, the detailed effect of the filler on the characteristic of the encapsulating compound was not fully disclosed. In this paper, the encapsulating compounds filled with an amorphous silica were prepared to study their characteristics relating to the reliability of an IC package and its workability. We have investigated the effect of the filler size and shape on the flowability of the compound. Both ultra fine and more spherical shaped filler are very effective to increase the spiral flow. We have also examined the properties of the encapsulating compound containing the filler chemically modified with the different silanes. The study reveals that the modification of the filler with reactive silane chemicals has a great influence on the properties of the compound including the mechanical strength, flowability, the flash/bleed and the shelf life. So, the proper modification of the filler is critical for balancing the reliability and moldability of an IC package.
Different Toll-Like Receptor Expression Patterns in Progression toward Cancer

Pattern recognition forms the basis ofthe innate immune system, allowing it tomaintain systemic homeostasis by reject-ing harmful molecular structures. Immunecells as well as epithelial cells located nearthe host–environment boundary, expresspattern-recognizing receptors, the activa-tion of which launches cascades lead-ing to immune response and apopto-sis (1,2). Human toll-like receptors(TLRs) 1–10, a family of trans-membranereceptor proteins comprising one typeof pattern-recognizing receptors, partic-ipate in these immunological processes.In healthy immune cells and epithelialcells, TLR 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, and 10 are usu-ally expressed on the cell surface, whereasTLR 3, 7, 8, and 9 are mainly expressedon the surfaces of endosomes, lysosomes,and endoplasmic reticulum (3). Microbialmolecular structures activating pattern-recognizing receptors are called pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs)(1,2). Besides exogenous structures, alsoendogenous molecules, released, for exam-ple, from inﬂamed or damaged tissues, canactivate pattern-recognizing receptors andare called danger- or damage-associatedmolecular patterns (DAMPs) (4, 5). Lig-ands binding to TLR lead to the activa-tion of several intracellular signaling path-ways, activating, for instance, nuclear tran-scription factors that initiate host defensefunctions via secretion of co-stimulatoryfactors and cytokines (6). TLR activationleads also to regulation of gene expression,cell proliferation, differentiation, mitosis,cell-cycle regulation, and apoptosis (7).
Thalamo-Cortical Connectivity: What Can Diffusion Tractography Tell Us About Reading Difficulties in Children?

Reading is an essential skill in modern society, but many people have deficits in the decoding and word recognition aspects of reading, a difficulty often referred to as dyslexia. The primary focus of neuroimaging studies to date in dyslexia has been on cortical regions; however, subcortical regions may also be important for explaining this disability. Here, we used diffusion tensor imaging to examine the association between thalamo-cortical connectivity and children's reading ability in 20 children with typically developed reading ability (age range 8-17/10-17 years old from two imaging centers) and 19 children with developmental dyslexia (DYS) (age range 9-17/9-16 years old). To measure thalamo-cortical connections, the structural images were segmented into cortical and subcortical anatomical regions that were used as target and seed regions in the probabilistic tractography analysis. Abnormal thalamic connectivity was found in the dyslexic group in the sensorimotor and lateral prefrontal cortices. These results suggest that the thalamus may play a key role in reading behavior by mediating the functions of task-specific cortical regions; such findings lay the foundation for future studies to investigate further neurobiological anomalies in the development of thalamo-cortical connectivity in DYS.
Deep-brain stimulation in Parkinson's disease: long-term efficacy and safety – What happened this year?

Purpose of reviewDeep-brain high-frequency stimulation of the thalamus was introduced in 1987 to treat tremor, and was applied in 1993 to the subthalamic nucleus to treat advanced Parkinson's disease. High-frequency stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus has become the surgical therapy of choice. This review concentrates on recent data on long-term results and side-effects, after 12 years of practice using this technique. Recent findingsA literature search produced 260 papers from February 2004 to March 2005. The stable efficacy of high-frequency stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus on Parkinson's disease motor symptoms is confirmed. Evidence for a neuroprotective effect is still lacking. There are transient neuropsychological disturbances, but no cognitive impairment over time. Complications are rare and mild, mortality is extremely low and hardware complications are highly variable. SummaryThe safety and inocuity of the method legitimizes earlier operations, before impairment of the quality of life. Depression and suicide are related to pre-existing co-morbidities and multifactorial causes that could become contraindications. Neuropsychological effects should be documented, to determine whether they are caused by an alteration of high-frequency stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus, or inappropriate electrode placement. There is an urgent need for the organization of research and reports, and no need to report small series replicating well-established conclusions. Clinical reports should concentrate on unobserved effects in relation to causative parameters, based on the precise location of electrodes, and on clinical reports comparable between teams and on methods to optimize and facilitate the tuning of parameters and postoperative evaluations in order to make this treatment easier to provide for the neurologist.
Studies on Mechanical Performance and Water Absorption of Recycled Newspaper/Glass Fiber-reinforced Polypropylene Hybrid Composites

The present experimental work is aimed at studying the performance of recycled newspaper and recycled newspaper/glass fiber hybrid polypropylene composites. The effects of glass fiber loading and maleic anhydride (MA) as a coupling agent on the tensile behavior and impact strength of composites containing 30 wt% fiber were examined. The results suggest that the tensile strengths of the recycled newspaper/PP composites increase with increasing glass fiber content. A value of 55 MPa for tensile strength and 4.1 GPa for the tensile modulus is achieved from a hybrid composite containing 10 wt% of newspaper and 20 wt% of glass fiber. The impact strength of the newspaper/PP composites progressively decreased with increasing glass fiber content. Adding (MA) by 2 wt% in the composite formulation significantly improved both the dimensional stability and mechanical properties. Microstructure analysis of the fractured surfaces of modified composites confirmed improved interfacial bonding. Dimensional stability and strength properties of the composites can be improved by increasing the glass fiber content and or by addition of coupling agent. This project has shown that the composites treated with glass fiber and coupling agents will be desirable as building materials due to their improved stability and strength properties.
Salivary Flow Rate, Calcium, Urea, Total Protein, and Amylase Levels in Fanconi Anemia

Objectives Fanconi anemia (FA) is a genetic disease characterized by a chromosomal instability that develops a progressive pancitopenia, leukemia, and/or solid tumors. Nevertheless, it is unknown if this illness induces changes on the salivary gland parenchyma and function. The aim of this study was to assess the stimulated salivary flow rate (SSFR) and calcium, urea, total protein, and amylase levels in saliva of FA patients. Methods Stimulated whole saliva was collected from 34 randomly selected FA patients and 34 age-matched and sex-matched controls. Both samples were analyzed for salivary flow rate, calcium, urea, total proteins, and amylase. The SSFR was analyzed by gravimetric method and calcium, urea, total protein, and amylase concentrations were realized by chemistry tests. Results Mean values of SSFR for experimental and control groups were, respectively, 0.5 mL/min and 0.8 mL/min (P<0.05). Calcium concentration was 36% (P<0.05) and urea concentration was 21% (P<0.01) lower in the FA group saliva compared with saliva from the controls. The saliva concentration of amylase was almost equal in both groups. Conclusions FA patients may exhibit significant changes in SSFR, calcium, and urea concentration of saliva.
Kit: A Study in Operating System Verification

The author reviews Kit, a small multitasking operating system kernel written in the machine language of a uniprocessor von Neumann computer. The kernel is proved to implement on this shared computer a fixed number of conceptually distributed communicating processes. In addition to implementing processes, the kernel provides the following verified services: process scheduling, error handling, message passing, and an interface to asynchronous devices. As a by-product of the correctness proof, security-related results such as the protection of the kernel from tasks and the inability of tasks to enter supervisor mode are proved. The problem is stated in the Boyer-Moore logic, and the proof is mechanically checked with the Boyer-Moore theorem prover. >
PUF-8 negatively regulates RAS/MAPK signalling to promote differentiation of C. elegans germ cells

Signals that promote germ cell self-renewal by preventing premature meiotic entry are well understood. However, signals that control mitotic proliferation to promote meiotic differentiation have not been well characterized. In Caenorhabditis elegans, GLP-1 Notch signalling promotes the proliferative fate by preventing premature meiotic entry. The germline niche cell, which is the source of the ligand for GLP-1, spatially restricts GLP-1 signalling and thus enables the germ cells that have moved away from the niche to enter meiosis. Here, we show that the suppression of RAS/MAP kinase signalling in the mitotic and meiotic-entry regions is essential for the regulation of the mitosis-meiosis switch by niche signalling. We provide evidence that the conserved PUF family RNA-binding protein PUF-8 and the RAS GAP protein GAP-3 function redundantly to suppress the LET-60 RAS in the mitotic and meiotic entry regions. Germ cells missing both PUF-8 and GAP-3 proliferate in an uncontrolled fashion and fail to undergo meiotic development. MPK-1, the MAP kinase downstream of the LET-60 RAS, is prematurely activated in these cells; downregulation of MPK-1 activation eliminates tumours and restores differentiation. Our results further reveal that PUF-8 negatively regulates LET-60 expression at a post-transcriptional step. LET-60 is misexpressed in the puf-8(-) mutant germlines and PUF-8 physically interacts with the let-60 3′ UTR. Furthermore, PUF-8 suppresses let-60 3′ UTR-mediated expression in the germ cells that are transitioning from the mitotic to meiotic fate. These results reveal that PUF-8-mediated inhibition of the RAS/MAPK pathway is essential for mitotic-to-meiotic fate transition.
The AZFc region of the Y chromosome: at the crossroads between genetic diversity and male infertility

BACKGROUND The three azoospermia factor (AZF) regions of the Y chromosome represent genomic niches for spermatogenesis genes. Yet, the most distal region, AZFc, is a major generator of large-scale variation in the human genome. Determining to what extent this variability affects spermatogenesis is a highly contentious topic in human reproduction. METHODS In this review, an extensive characterization of the molecular mechanisms responsible for AZFc genotypical variation is undertaken. Such data are complemented with the assessment of the clinical consequences for male fertility imputable to the different AZFc variants. For this, a critical re-evaluation of 23 association studies was performed in order to extract unifying conclusions by curtailing methodological heterogeneities. RESULTS Intrachromosomal homologous recombination mechanisms, either crossover or non-crossover based, are the main drivers for AZFc genetic diversity. In particular, rearrangements affecting gene dosage are the most likely to introduce phenotypical disruptions in the spermatogenic profile. In the specific cases of partial AZFc deletions, both the actual existence and the severity of the spermatogenic defect are dependent on the evolutionary background of the Y chromosome. CONCLUSIONS AZFc is one of the most genetically dynamic regions in the human genome. This property may serve as counter against the genetic degeneracy associated with the lack of a meiotic partner. However, such strategy comes at a price: some rearrangements represent a risk factor or a de-facto causative agent of spermatogenic disruption. Interestingly, this precarious balance is modulated, among other yet unknown factors, by the evolutionary history of the Y chromosome.
An Optimization Approach to Airline Integrated Recovery

Although the airline industry has benefited from advancements made in computational and operational research methods, most implementations arise from the frictionless environment of the planning stage. Because 22% of all flights have been delayed and 3% have been cancelled in the United States since 2001, schedule perturbations are inevitable. The complexity of the operational environment is exacerbated by the need for obtaining a solution in as close to real-time as possible. Given some time horizon, the recovery process seeks to repair the flight schedule, aircraft rotations, crew schedule, and passenger itineraries in a tractable manner. Each component individually can be difficult to solve, so early research on irregular operations has studied these problems in isolation, leading to a sequential process by which the recovery process is conducted. Recent work has integrated a subset of these four components, usually abstracting from crew recovery. We present an optimization-based approach to solve the fully integrated airline recovery problem. After our solution methodology is presented, it is tested using data from an actual U.S. carrier with a dense hub-and-spoke network using a single-day horizon. It is shown that in several instances an integrated solution is delivered in a reasonable runtime. Moreover, we show the integrated approach can substantially improve the solution quality over the incumbent sequential approach. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to present computational results on the fully integrated problem.
Approximation Algorithms for Maximization Problems Arising in Graph Partitioning

Given a graph G=(V,E), a weight function w: E? R+, and a parameter k, we consider the problem of finding a subset U? V of size k that maximizes:Max-Vertex Coverk: the weight of edges incident with vertices in U,Max-Dense Subgraphk: the weight of edges in the subgraph induced by U,Max-Cutk: the weight of edges cut by the partition (U,V\U),Max-Uncutk: the weight of edges not cut by the partition (U,V\U). For each of the above problems we present approximation algorithms based on semidefinite programming and obtain approximation ratios better than those previously published. In particular we show that if a graph has a vertex cover of size k, then one can select in polynomial time a set of k vertices that covers over 80% of the edges.
Binge Drinking in African American Males From Adolescence to Young Adulthood: The Protective Influence of Religiosity, Family Connectedness, and Close Friends’ Substance Use

We examined the contribution of culturally relevant protective factors (i.e., adolescent religiosity, family connectedness, and perceived close friends’ substance use) to the probability of young adult binge drinking among African American males. Participants (n = 1,599) drawn from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health were high school age adolescents (14–18 years, M = 16) at Wave 1 and young adults (18–26, M = 22) at Wave 3. Adolescent binge drinking was associated with all three protective factors. Perceived close friends’ substance use in adolescence was a protective factor in later binge drinking during young adulthood, and was moderated by age such that the effect was stronger for younger adolescents. Implications for culturally relevant research and prevention are discussed.
U6 snRNA Pseudogenes: Markers of Retrotransposition Dynamics in Mammals

Transposable elements comprise more than 45% of the human genome and long interspersed nuclear element 1 (LINE-1 or L1) is the only autonomous mobile element remaining active. Since its identification, it has been proposed that L1 contributes to the mobilization and amplification of other cellular RNAs and more recently, experimental demonstrations of this function has been described for many transcripts such as Alu, a nonautonomous mobile element, cellular mRNAs, or small noncoding RNAs. Detailed examination of the mobilization of various cellular RNAs revealed distinct pathways by which they could be recruited during retrotransposition; template choice or template switching. Here, by analyzing genomic structures and retrotransposition signatures associated with small nuclear RNA (snRNA) sequences, we identified distinct recruiting steps during the L1 retrotransposition cycle for the formation of snRNA-processed pseudogenes. Interestingly, some of the identified recruiting steps take place in the nucleus. Moreover, after comparison to other vertebrate genomes, we established that snRNA amplification by template switching is common to many LINE families from several LINE clades. Finally, we suggest that U6 snRNA copies can serve as markers of L1 retrotransposition dynamics in mammalian genomes.