Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Perfusion Parameters on Breast Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI Are Associated With Disease-Specific Survival in Patients With Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to investigate the association between perfusion parameters on MRI performed before treatment and survival outcome (disease-free survival [DFS], disease-specific survival [DSS]) in patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). MATERIALS AND METHODS Sixty-one patients (median age, 50 years; age range, 27-77 years) with TNBC (tumor size on MRI: median, 25.5 mm; range, 11.0-142.0 mm) were included. We analyzed clinical and pathologic variables and MRI parameters. Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine associations with survival outcome. RESULTS The median follow-up time was 46.1 months (range, 13.9-58.4 months). Eleven of 61 (18.0%) patients had events (i.e., local, regional, or distant recurrence or contralateral breast cancer) and seven (11.5%) died of breast cancer. Among the pretreatment variables, a larger tumor size on MR images (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.024, p = 0.003) was associated with worse DFS at univariate analysis. In multivariate pretreatment models for DSS, a higher fractional volume of extravascular extracellular space per unit volume of tissue (ve) value (HR = 1.658, p = 0.038), higher peak enhancement (HR = 1.843, p = 0.018), and a larger tumor size on MR images (HR = 1.060, p = 0.001) were associated with worse DSS. In multivariate posttreatment models, a larger pathologic tumor size (HR for DFS, 1.074 [p = 0.005]; HR for DSS, 1.050 [p = 0.042]) and metastasis in surgically resected axillary lymph nodes (HR for DFS, 5.789 [p = 0.017]; HR for DSS, 23.717 [p = 0.005]) were associated with worse survival outcome. CONCLUSION A higher ve value, higher peak enhancement, and larger tumor size of the primary tumor on pretreatment MRI were independent predictors of worse DSS in patients with TNBC.
Reliability and Construct Validity of the Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised in a Swedish Non-Criminal Sample – A Multimethod Approach including Psychophysiological Correlates of Empathy for Pain

Cross-cultural investigation of psychopathy measures is important for clarifying the nomological network surrounding the psychopathy construct. The Psychopathic Personality Inventory-Revised (PPI-R) is one of the most extensively researched self-report measures of psychopathic traits in adults. To date however, it has been examined primarily in North American criminal or student samples. To address this gap in the literature, we examined PPI-R’s reliability, construct validity and factor structure in non-criminal individuals (N = 227) in Sweden, using a multimethod approach including psychophysiological correlates of empathy for pain. PPI-R construct validity was investigated in subgroups of participants by exploring its degree of overlap with (i) the Psychopathy Checklist: Screening Version (PCL:SV), (ii) self-rated empathy and behavioral and physiological responses in an experiment on empathy for pain, and (iii) additional self-report measures of alexithymia and trait anxiety. The PPI-R total score was significantly associated with PCL:SV total and factor scores. The PPI-R Coldheartedness scale demonstrated significant negative associations with all empathy subscales and with rated unpleasantness and skin conductance responses in the empathy experiment. The PPI-R higher order Self-Centered Impulsivity and Fearless Dominance dimensions were associated with trait anxiety in opposite directions (positively and negatively, respectively). Overall, the results demonstrated solid reliability (test-retest and internal consistency) and promising but somewhat mixed construct validity for the Swedish translation of the PPI-R.
TGF-beta receptor expression and binding in rat mesangial cells: modulation by glucose and cyclic mechanical strain.

BACKGROUND Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is a causal factor in experimental glomerulosclerosis, and it mediates the increased extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation that occurs in cultured mesangial cells (MCs) exposed to high glucose concentrations and cyclic mechanical strain. This change is associated with increased levels of TGF-beta, but may also involve alterations in receptor expression and binding. METHODS Rat MCs cultured in media containing either 8 or 35 mM glucose were seeded into culture plates with elastin-coated flexible bottoms. Thereafter, they were subjected to cyclic stretch or static conditions and then examined for 125I-TGF-beta1 binding and expression of TGF-beta receptors at the gene and protein levels. RESULTS Kinetic studies showed that MCs bound TGF-beta1 in a time- and concentration-dependent manner, expressing 6800 high-affinity receptors per cell, with an apparent dissociation constant (Kd) of 15.4 pM, while cross-linking analysis identified three TGF-beta receptors (betaR) corresponding to betaRI, betaRII, and betaRIII of 54, 73, and 200 kDa, respectively. Immunocytochemical studies of betaRI and betaRII protein revealed MC expression in a homogeneous, punctate distribution, whereas Northern analysis demonstrated the presence of the corresponding mRNAs. Exposure to cyclic stretching significantly increased (10%) the overall number of TGF-beta receptors, whereas ligands associated with betaRs I, II, and III also increased (25 to 50%). The finding of increased (30 to 40%) betaRI and betaRII transcript levels and immunoreactive protein (163 and 59%, respectively) in the absence of significant changes in the apparent Kd indicated that stretch-induced binding was the result of increased receptor synthesis and expression and not due to a change in binding affinity. In a similar, but more dramatic fashion, exposure to high glucose also elevated (50%) the receptor number, as well as the amount of ligands associated with betaRs I, II, and III (100 to 250%). This same treatment also increased the levels of betaRI and betaRII mRNA (30 to 40%) and the immunoreactive protein (82 and 82%, respectively), without significantly altering the binding affinity of the receptor. A concerted or synergistic effect of both stimuli was not evidenced. CONCLUSION These results suggest that the modulation of TGF-beta receptors may be an additional control point in mediating the glucose- and mechanical force-induced increase in ECM deposition by MCs.
A new approach to sample size calculation for reference interval studies

A new criterion is proposed for determining the sample size required for a study performed for the purpose of establishing reference intervals. The basic idea behind the criterion is to compare the empirical coverage (i.e. the probability content) of the reference region obtained from the sample with its target value (e.g. 95 per cent) and to set suitable limits δ1, δ2 to the difference between both quantities which must not be exceeded with sufficiently large probability β (e.g. β=90 per cent). For the most frequently used parametric and distribution‐free methods of estimating univariate reference limits, implicit formulae are derived relating the sample size to the design parameters δ1, δ2 and β. For symmetric specification of (δ1, δ2), explicit approximation formulae for the computation of n are given. Exact values obtained by means of suitable numerical techniques are presented in a set of tables covering specifications of δ1, δ2 and β which can be recommended for real applications. The tables can be used both for one‐ and two‐sided reference intervals. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Predictive Accuracy and the Effects of Partial Reinforcement on Serial Autoshaping

A series of five experiments examined the influence of partial reinforcement on serial autoshaping with pigeons. In Experiment l Group AB+A ° received two sequences of events: A followed by B followed by food, or A alone. Group AB +/° always received the AB sequence, reinforcement being presented on 50% of the trials. Subjects responded more rapidly during A in Group AB+A °. Experiment 2 replicated this finding and confirmed that it was not due to differences in the density of the conditioning trials. A similar outcome was observed in Experiment 3, which also indicated that the differences between the groups were not due to differences in the reinforcing properties of B. The results throughout are interpreted in terms of the Pearce-Hall theory, which states that responding during A in the AB+A ° group is high because this stimulus is an inaccurate predictor of its immediate consequences. The results from the final two experiments support and extend this analysis. A common assumption of many theories of Pavlovian learning is that the repeated pairing of a conditioned stimulus (CS) and unconditioned stimulus (US) results in the growth of an association between internal representations of these events. The strength of conditioned responding is then held to be directly related to the magnitude of this association (e.g., Rescorla & Wagner, 1972). A further claim of these theories is that continuous reinforcement will result in the development of a stronger CS-US association than will partial reinforcement and, in general, the experimental evidence supports this conclusion (see Mackintosh, 1974, for a review). There are, in contrast, a number of studies showing that partial reinforcement may actually result in a higher asymptote of conditioned responding than continuous reinforcement. Using the pigeon autoshaping procedure, Gibbon, Farrell, Locurto, Duncan, and Terrace (1980), Picker and Poling (1982), and Rashotte (198 l) all re
Low-Gain Integral Control for Multi-Input Multioutput Linear Systems With Input Nonlinearities

We consider the inclusion of a static antiwindup component in a continuous-time low-gain integral controller in feedback with a multi-input multi-output stable linear system subject to an input nonlinearity (from a class of functions that includes componentwise diagonal saturation). We demonstrate that the output of the closed-loop system asymptotically tracks every constant reference vector, which is “feasible” in a natural sense, provided that the integrator gain is sufficiently small. Robustness properties of the proposed control scheme are investigated and three examples are discussed in detail.
Effects of acute static, ballistic, and PNF stretching exercise on the muscle and tendon tissue properties

The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of a single static, ballistic, or proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching exercise on the various muscle‐tendon parameters of the lower leg and to detect possible differences in the effects between the methods. Volunteers (n = 122) were randomly divided into static, ballistic, and PNF stretching groups and a control group. Before and after the 4 × 30 s stretching intervention, we determined the maximum dorsiflexion range of motion (RoM) with the corresponding fascicle length and pennation angle of the gastrocnemius medialis. Passive resistive torque (PRT) and maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) were measured with a dynamometer. Observation of muscle‐tendon junction (MTJ) displacement with ultrasound allowed us to determine the length changes in the tendon and muscle, respectively, and hence to calculate stiffness. Although RoM increased (static: +4.3%, ballistic: +4.5%, PNF: +3.5%), PRT (static: −11.4%, ballistic: −11.5%, PNF: −13,7%), muscle stiffness (static: −13.1%, ballistic: −20.3%, PNF: −20.2%), and muscle‐tendon stiffness (static: −11.3%, ballistic: −10.5%, PNF: −13.7%) decreased significantly in all the stretching groups. Only in the PNF stretching group, the pennation angle in the stretched position (−4.2%) and plantar flexor MVC (−4.6%) decreased significantly. Multivariate analysis showed no clinically relevant difference between the stretching groups. The increase in RoM and the decrease in PRT and muscle‐tendon stiffness could be explained by more compliant muscle tissue following a single static, ballistic, or PNF stretching exercise.
We-Quatro: Radiation-Hardened SRAM Cell With Parametric Process Variation Tolerance

Under radiation environment, conventional SRAMs suffer from high soft-error rate. To address this challenge, several radiation-hardened static-random access-memory (SRAM) cells such as twelve-transistor (12T) Dice and ten-transistor (10T) Quatro have been developed. Quatro is more promising since this cell delivers robust operation while incurring moderate area overhead. However, our study shows that Quatro experiences large number of write failures under parametric variations of scaled technologies, impeding the application of this SRAM cell. In this paper, we present a 12T SRAM cell named as we-Quatro. In spite of using more transistors, the proposed SRAM cell occupies essentially the same area as Quatro. Our extensive simulations show that the proposed cell provides good writability and comparable soft-error resilience to Quatro under parametric variations of 28-nm fully depleted SOI technology, validating the efficacy of our proposed we-Quatro.
Transmission of Chronic Wasting Disease of Mule Deer to Suffolk Sheep following Intracerebral Inoculation

To determine the transmissibility of chronic wasting disease (CWD) to sheep, 8 Suffolk lambs of various prion protein genotypes (4 ARQ/ARR, 3 ARQ/ARQ, 1 ARQ/VRQ at codons 136, 154, and 171, respectively) were inoculated intracerebrally with brain suspension from mule deer with CWD (CWDmd). Two other lambs were kept as noninoculated controls. Within 36 months postinoculation (MPI), 2 inoculated animals became sick and were euthanized. Only 1 sheep (euthanized at 35 MPI) showed clinical signs that were consistent with those described for scrapie. Microscopic lesions of spongiform encephalopathy (SE) were only seen in this sheep, and its tissues were determined to be positive for the abnormal prion protein (PrPres) by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. Three other inoculated sheep were euthanized (36 to 60 MPI) because of conditions unrelated to TSE. The 3 remaining inoculated sheep and the 2 control sheep did not have clinical signs of disease at the termination of the study (72 MPI) and were euthanized. Of the 3 remaining inoculated sheep, 1 was found to have SE, and its tissues were positive for PrPres. The sheep with clinical prion disease (euthanized at 35 MPI) was of the heterozygous genotype (ARQ/VRQ), and the sheep with subclinical disease (euthanized at 72 MPH) was of the homozygous ARQ/ARQ genotype. These findings demonstrate that transmission of the CWDmd agent to sheep via the intracerebral route is possible. Interestingly, the host genotype may play a notable part in successful transmission and incubation period of CWDmd.
The Experimental Type 2 Diabetes Therapy Glycogen Phosphorylase Inhibition Can Impair Aerobic Muscle Function During Prolonged Contraction

Glycogen phosphorylase inhibition represents a promising strategy to suppress inappropriate hepatic glucose output, while muscle glycogen is a major source of fuel during contraction. Glycogen phosphorylase inhibitors (GPi) currently being investigated for the treatment of type 2 diabetes do not demonstrate hepatic versus muscle glycogen phosphorylase isoform selectivity and may therefore impair patient aerobic exercise capabilities. Skeletal muscle energy metabolism and function are not impaired by GPi during high-intensity contraction in rat skeletal muscle; however, it is unknown whether glycogen phosphorylase inhibitors would impair function during prolonged lower-intensity contraction. Utilizing a novel red cell–perfused rodent gastrocnemius-plantaris-soleus system, muscle was pretreated for 60 min with either 3 μmol/l free drug GPi (n = 8) or vehicle control (n = 7). During 60 min of aerobic contraction, GPi treatment resulted in ∼35% greater fatigue. Muscle glycogen phosphorylase a form (P < 0.01) and maximal activity (P < 0.01) were reduced in the GPi group, and postcontraction glycogen (121.8 ± 16.1 vs. 168.3 ± 8.5 mmol/kg dry muscle, P < 0.05) was greater. Furthermore, lower muscle lactate efflux and glucose uptake (P < 0.01), yet higher muscle Vo2, support the conclusion that carbohydrate utilization was impaired during contraction. Our data provide new confirmation that muscle glycogen plays an essential role during submaximal contraction. Given the critical role of exercise prescription in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, it will be important to monitor endurance capacity during the clinical evaluation of nonselective GPi. Alternatively, greater effort should be devoted toward the discovery of hepatic-selective GPi, hepatic-specific drug delivery strategies, and/or alternative strategies for controlling excess hepatic glucose production in type 2 diabetes.
Sociological studies on happiness in cross-national contexts: effects of economic inequality and marriage

The main purpose of this dissertation is to establish happiness as a sociological research topic and examine the effects of economic inequality and marriage on happiness in cross-national contexts. Following a critical review on previous happiness studies, two cross-national studies and one longitudinal study focusing on Korean data are conducted for this purpose. In the first study, I examine the effects of objective and subjective inequality on happiness across 26 countries. Data from the International Social Survey Program 1999 and the World Values Surveys 1994-1999 are used for analyses. The results indicate that subjective inequality, not objective inequality, has a strong negative influence on happiness. In the second study, I examine the relationship between marriage and happiness across 72 countries, focusing on a comparison of marrieds, cohabitors, and never-married singles. Data from the World Value Surveys 1999-2008 are used for analyses. The results indicate that the relationship between marriage and happiness varies across nations. In the majority of countries, marriage is positively associated with happiness, but there are many countries where the relationship is non-existent or negative. Cohabitors are happier than never-married singles, but only in countries where marrieds are also happier than the never-married singles. Multi-level analyses show that the positive relationship between marriage and happiness is stronger in countries characterized by economic development and secular-rational culture. In the third study, I examine the continuation of the marriage effect on life satisfaction in Korea. Longitudinal data from the Korean Labor and Income Panel Study 1998-2008 are used for analyses. The results indicate that the selection effect (i.e., People with greater life satisfaction are more likely to get married.) exists in general but is moderated by the age effect. The increase of life satisfaction caused by marriage is maintained at least for 6 years or more. Thus, the positive relationship between marriage and life satisfaction in Korea is explained by both of the selection effect and the causal effect of marriage.
COMPARISON OF MACULAR OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY FINDINGS BETWEEN POSTACUTE RETINAL ARTERY OCCLUSION AND NONACUTE OPTIC NEUROPATHY

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to report differentiating optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings between postacute retinal arterial occlusion (PARAO) and nonacute optic neuropathy (NAON). Methods: A retrospective observational comparative study included 17 eyes with postacute permanent retinal arterial occlusion and 32 eyes with NAON whose assessment included a fast macular Status OCT. The macular OCT changes in the postacute phase of central retinal arterial occlusion and branch retinal arterial occlusion were, respectively, compared with those in diffuse and segmental NAON in an effort to establish differentiating features. The findings were used in the workup of four additional consecutive cases referred with suspected NAON. Results: Three main features differentiating PARAO from NAON were identified on macular OCT. Complete inner retinal atrophy with loss of the normal stratification of the inner retinal layers, loss of the normal foveal depression, and marked thinning of the involved retina were characteristic findings of PARAO and were absent even in the most severe cases of NAON. The involved retina was significantly thinner in PARAO compared with that in NAON (P < 0.05). These OCT features helped establish the diagnosis of PARAO in four additional consecutive cases referred with the misdiagnosis of NAON. Conclusion: The extent and pattern of inner retinal atrophy differentiate PARAO from NAON and help guide the systemic workup.
Vasodilation to bradykinin is mediated by an ouabain-sensitive pathway as a compensatory mechanism for impaired nitric oxide availability in essential hypertensive patients.

BACKGROUND In essential hypertension, endothelium-dependent vasodilation is impaired because of reduced nitric oxide (NO) availability, which is mainly caused by oxidative stress. The present study was designed to identify the mechanism(s) responsible for NO-independent vasodilation to bradykinin in patients with essential hypertension. METHODS AND RESULTS In 16 healthy subjects (49.5+/-5.8 years; 118.6+/-3.5/78.9+/-2.9 mm Hg) and 16 patients with essential hypertension (47.9+/-4.8 years; 154.6+/-4.5/102.9+/-3.2 mm Hg), we measured modifications in forearm blood flow (strain-gauge plethysmography) during intrabrachial infusion of bradykinin (5, 15, or 50 ng/100 mL of forearm tissue per minute) in the presence of saline, N(omega)-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA; used to inhibit NO synthase; 100 microg/100 mL of forearm tissue per minute), and ouabain (to block Na(+)K(+)/ATPase and prevent hyperpolarization; 0.7 microg/100 mL of forearm tissue per minute). In healthy subjects, vasodilatation to bradykinin was significantly blunted by L-NMMA and unaffected by ouabain. In hypertensive patients, vasodilatation to bradykinin was not modified by L-NMMA, but it was significantly reduced by ouabain. In an adjunctive group of 8 hypertensive patients (49.9+/-3.8 years; 155.9+/-5.5/103.7+/-3.9 mm Hg), the response to bradykinin was repeated during the administration of intrabrachial vitamin C (a scavenger for oxygen free radicals; 8 mg/100 mL of forearm tissue per minute). In these patients, L-NMMA-induced inhibition of vasodilation to bradykinin was restored, and ouabain was no longer effective. In a final group of 6 normotensive controls (45.9+/-4.1 years; 115.1+/-2.9/79.3+/-2.1 mm Hg), vasodilation to bradykinin residual to L-NMMA blockade was further inhibited by simultaneous ouabain infusion. CONCLUSIONS Vasodilation to bradykinin is impaired in essential hypertensive patients because of an NO-system alteration caused by oxidative stress, and it is mediated by an alternative pathway, possibly involving endothelium-dependent hyperpolarization.