Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hepatic steatosis: correlations of body mass index, CT fat measurements, and liver density with biopsy results.

PURPOSE To assess the relationship between body mass index (BMI), subcutaneous and intra-abdominal fat, liver density, and histopathologic hepatic steatosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this retrospective study, 143 patients (male/female, 67/76; mean age, 50 years) underwent a non-targeted transjugular (n = 125) or percutaneous (n = 18) liver biopsy between 2006 and 2010. The biopsy indications included chronic liver parenchymal disease staging (n = 88), elevated enzymes (n = 39), or other reasons (n = 16). The BMI and non-contrast liver computed tomography liver density were recorded for each patient. The thicknesses of the anterior, posterior, and posterolateral subcutaneous fat, along with the intra-abdominal fat, were measured. The values were then correlated with histopathologic steatosis. RESULTS Of the patients, 47/143 (32%), 39/143 (28%), and 57/143 (40%) were normal weight, overweight, and obese, respectively. Steatosis was present in 13/47 (28%) of normal weight, 18/39 (46%) of overweight, and 38/57 (67%) of obese patients. Significant differences in BMI (26.7 kg/m(2) vs. 31.7 kg/ m2 vs. 35.0 kg/m(2), P < 0.001), liver density (52.8 HU vs. 54.4 HU vs. 42.0 HU, P < 0.001), anterior subcutaneous (1.8 cm vs. 2.4 cm vs. 2.9 cm, P < 0.001), posterolateral subcutaneous (2.8 cm vs. 3.2 cm vs. 4.4 cm, P < 0.004), posterior subcutaneous (1.9 cm vs. 2.5 cm vs. 3.4 cm, P < 0.001), and intra-abdominal fat thickness (1.1 cm vs. 1.3 cm vs. 1.4 cm, P < 0.013) were identified in patients with different degrees of steatosis (none, minimal to mild, moderate to severe, respectively). BMI (r = 0.37, P < 0.001) and the anterior subcutaneous fat (r = 0.30, P < 0.001) had a moderate correlation with the presence of liver steatosis. A combination of a BMI ≥ 32.0 kg/ m(2) and an anterior subcutaneous fat thickness ≥ 2.4 cm had a 40% sensitivity and 90% specificity for the identification of steatosis. CONCLUSION Increase in the anthropomorphic metrics of obesity is associated with an increased frequency of liver steatosis.
Cognitive profiles in heart failure: A cluster analytic approach

Cognitive impairment is common among individuals with heart failure (HF), but the exact nature of these impairments remains unclear. The current study examined 140 older adults with heart failure and sought to determine whether there are distinct cognitive profiles using a cluster analytic approach. Results indicated three unique profiles comprising individuals who were cognitively intact, memory impaired, and globally impaired. Clusters differed on several important demographic and clinical characteristics. These findings suggest that cognitive impairment in persons with HF is more heterogeneous than commonly believed and has important implications for treatment recommendations.
Failure mode transition in similar and dissimilar resistance spot welds of HSLA and low carbon steels

Abstract The aim of this paper is to investigate and analyse the failure mode transition from interfacial to pullout in similar and dissimilar resistance spot welds of low carbon steel (LCS) and high strength low alloy (HSLA) steel during the tensile shear test. Correlations between critical fusion zone size required to ensure the pullout failure mode and weld hardness characteristics were established. It was found that HSLA/HSLA combination exhibits the highest tendency to fail in interfacial failure mode, while HSLA/LCS combination exhibited pullout failure mode at much smaller fusion zone size. Finally, peak load, ductility and energy absorption of similar and dissimilar combination were compared. Le but de cet article est d’examiner et d’analyser la transition du mode de défaillance à l’interface à défaillance par arrachement de soudures semblables ou dissemblables par points par résistance de l’acier à faible teneur en carbone (LCS) et de l’acier à haute résistance faiblement allié (HSLA) lors de l’essai de cisaillement par traction. Les corrélations entre la taille critique de la zone de fusion exigeaient de s’assurer d’établir les caractéristiques du mode de défaillance par arrachement et de la dureté de la soudure. On a trouvé que la combinaison HSLA/HSLA exhibait la tendance la plus élevée à défaillir à l’interface, alors que la combinaison HSLA/LCS exhibait un mode de défaillance par arrachement à une beaucoup plus petite taille de la zone de fusion. Finalement, on a comparé la charge maximale, la ductilité et l’absorption d’énergie de combinaisons similaires et dissimilaires.
Current Evidence and Therapeutic Strategies for Multiple Sclerosis

In the previous two decades several immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive therapies have been shown to favorably impact the inflammatory activity and course of multiple sclerosis. There are now six approved therapies for the disease. Clinical decision-making has become more complex because of the increasing number of available drugs, the lack of head-to-head comparisons that allow direct comparisons of efficacy, and special factors that may influence efficacy such as neutralizing antibodies against beta-interferon preparations. Furthermore, all current therapies are partially effective; therefore, most patients experience breakthrough disease activity while using them, and there are no validated treatment failure definitions or management algorithms. This review outlines current evidence supporting efficacy of available drugs and scenarios for which more studies are required, and highlights the need for emerging therapies and strategies for multiple sclerosis management, including investigative oral and parenteral agents and combination therapy approaches.
Kinetic Analysis of Human PrimPol DNA Polymerase Activity Reveals a Generally Error-Prone Enzyme Capable of Accurately Bypassing 7,8-Dihydro-8-oxo-2′-deoxyguanosine

Recent studies have identified human PrimPol as a new RNA/DNA primase and translesion DNA synthesis polymerase (TLS pol) that contributes to nuclear and mitochondrial DNA replication. We investigated the mechanism of PrimPol polymerase activity on both undamaged and damaged DNA substrates. With Mg2+ as a cofactor, PrimPol binds primer-template DNA with low affinity Kd,DNA values (∼200–1200 nM). DNA binding is enhanced 34-fold by Mn2+ (Kd,DNA = 27 nM). The pol activity of PrimPol is increased 400–1000-fold by Mn2+ compared to Mg2+ based on steady-state kinetic parameters. PrimPol makes a mistake copying undamaged DNA once every ∼100–2500 insertions events, which is comparable to other TLS pols, and the fidelity of PrimPol is ∼1.7-fold more accurate when Mg2+ is the cofactor compared to Mn2+. PrimPol inserts dCMP opposite 8-oxo-dG with 2- (Mn2+) to 6-fold (Mg2+) greater efficiency than dAMP misinsertion. PrimPol-catalyzed dCMP insertion opposite 8-oxo-dG proceeds at ∼25% efficiency relative to unmodified template dG, and PrimPol readily extends from dC:8-oxo-dG base pairs (bps) with ∼2-fold greater efficiency than dA:8-oxo-dG bps. A tetrahydrofuran (THF) abasic-site mimic decreases PrimPol activity to ∼0.04%. In summary, PrimPol exhibits the fidelity typical of other TLS pols, is rather unusual in the degree of activation afforded by Mn2+, and accurately bypasses 8-oxo-dG, a DNA lesion of special relevance to mitochondrial DNA replication and transcription.
Estimating the parameters of chirp signals: an iterative approach

This correspondence is concerned with the problem of estimating the parameters of constant amplitude chirp signals embedded in noise. An estimation algorithm based on a simple iterative approach is proposed whose main characteristics include accuracy, reduction in the error propagation effect, and operation over a wide range of phase parameter values. The estimation is quite robust against additive noise and is shown to achieve the Cramer-Rao lower bound even at relatively low signal-to-noise ratios. Simulation results are presented that justify the viability of the new algorithm and demonstrate its better performance as compared with the existing techniques.
The neuroscience of birth - and the case for Zero Separation.

Currently, Western maternal and neonatal care are to a large extent based on routine separation of mother and infant. It is argued that there is no scientific rationale for this practice and a body of new knowledge now exists that makes a case for Zero Separation of mother and newborn. For the infant, the promotion of Zero Separation is based on the need for maternal sensory inputs that regulate the physiology of the newborn. There are harmful effects of dysregulation and subsequent epigenetic changes caused by separation. Skin-to-skin contact is the antithesis to such separation; the mother's body is the biologically 'normal' place of care, supporting better outcomes both for normal healthy babies and for the smallest preterm infants. In the mother, there are needed neural processes that ensure enhanced reproductive fitness, including behavioural changes (e.g. bonding and protection) and improved lactation, which are supported by the practice of Zero Separation. Zero Separation of mother and newborn should thus be maintained at all costs within health services.
Filovirus Entry: A Novelty in the Viral Fusion World

Ebolavirus (EBOV) and Marburgvirus (MARV) that compose the filovirus family of negative strand RNA viruses infect a broad range of mammalian cells. Recent studies indicate that cellular entry of this family of viruses requires a series of cellular protein interactions and molecular mechanisms, some of which are unique to filoviruses and others are commonly used by all viral glycoproteins. Details of this entry pathway are highlighted here. Virus entry into cells is initiated by the interaction of the viral glycoprotein1 subunit (GP1) with both adherence factors and one or more receptors on the surface of host cells. On epithelial cells, we recently demonstrated that TIM-1 serves as a receptor for this family of viruses, but the cell surface receptors in other cell types remain unidentified. Upon receptor binding, the virus is internalized into endosomes primarily via macropinocytosis, but perhaps by other mechanisms as well. Within the acidified endosome, the heavily glycosylated GP1 is cleaved to a smaller form by the low pH-dependent cellular proteases Cathepsin L and B, exposing residues in the receptor binding site (RBS). Details of the molecular events following cathepsin-dependent trimming of GP1 are currently incomplete; however, the processed GP1 specifically interacts with endosomal/lysosomal membranes that contain the Niemann Pick C1 (NPC1) protein and expression of NPC1 is required for productive infection, suggesting that GP/NPC1 interactions may be an important late step in the entry process. Additional events such as further GP1 processing and/or reducing events may also be required to generate a fusion-ready form of the glycoprotein. Once this has been achieved, sequences in the filovirus GP2 subunit mediate viral/cellular membrane fusion via mechanisms similar to those previously described for other enveloped viruses. This multi-step entry pathway highlights the complex and highly orchestrated path of internalization and fusion that appears unique for filoviruses.
Mechanism of Acidification of the trans-Golgi Network (TGN)

Sorting of secretory cargo and retrieval of components of the biosynthetic pathway occur at thetrans-Golgi network (TGN). The pH within the TGN is thought to be an important determinant of these functions. However, studies of the magnitude and regulation of the pH of the TGN have been hampered by the lack of appropriate detection methods. This report describes a noninvasive strategy to measure the luminal pH of the TGN in intact cells. We took advantage of endogenous cellular mechanisms for the specific retrieval of TGN resident proteins, such as TGN38 and furin, that transit briefly to the plasma membrane. Cells were transfected with chimeric constructs that contained the internalization and retrieval signals of TGN resident proteins, and a luminal (extracellular) epitope (CD25). Like TGN38 and furin, the chimeras were shown by fluorescence microscopy to accumulate within the TGN. During their transient exposure at the cell surface, the chimeras were labeled with extracellular anti-CD25 antibodies conjugated with a pH-sensitive fluorophore. Subsequent endocytosis and retrograde transport resulted in preferential labeling of the TGN with the pH-sensitive probe. Continuous, quantitative measurements of the pH of the TGN were obtained by ratio fluorescence imaging. The resting pH, calibrated using either ionophores or the “null point” technique, averaged 5.95 in Chinese hamster ovary cells and 5.91 in HeLa cells. The acidification was dissipated upon addition of concanamycin, a selective blocker of vacuolar-type ATPases. The counterion conductance was found to be much greater than the rate of H+ pumping at the steady state, suggesting that the acidification is not limited by an electrogenic potential. Both Cl− and K+ were found to contribute to the overall counterion permeability of the TGN. No evidence was found for the presence of active Na+/H+ or Ca2+/H+exchangers on the TGN membrane. In conclusion, selective retrieval of recombinant proteins can be exploited to target ion-sensitive fluorescent probes to specific organelles. The technique provides real-time, noninvasive, and quantitative determinations of the pH, allowing the study of pH regulation within the TGN in intact cells. The acidic pH of the TGN reflects active H+ pumping into an organelle with a low intrinsic H+ permeability and a high conductance to monovalent ions.
Construction and properties of a viable herpes simplex virus 1 recombinant lacking coding sequences of the alpha 47 gene

The five alpha genes, alpha 0, alpha 4, alpha 22, alpha 27, and alpha 47, are the first set of herpes simplex virus 1 genes to be transcribed and expressed in productively infected cells. We report here the construction of a viral recombinant from which all of the coding sequences of the alpha 47 gene were deleted. In addition to the alpha 47 protein, infected cell lysates did not contain detectable amounts of two polypeptide bands with apparent molecular weights of 18,000 and 21,000 which could be specified by a gene whose regulatory domain and 5' transcribed noncoding sequences overlap with the coding sequences of the alpha 47 gene. The alpha 47- virus grew as well as the wild-type parent virus in Vero, baby hamster kidney, and Rat-1 cell lines.
Truthful Online Scheduling with Commitments

We study online mechanisms for preemptive scheduling with deadlines, with the goal of maximizing the total value of completed jobs. This problem is fundamental to deadline-aware cloud scheduling, but there are strong lower bounds even for the algorithmic problem without incentive constraints. However, these lower bounds can be circumvented under the natural assumption of deadline slackness, i.e., that there is a guaranteed lower bound s > 1 on the ratio between a job's size and the time window in which it can be executed. In this paper, we construct a truthful scheduling mechanism with a constant competitive ratio, given slackness s > 1. Furthermore, we show that if s is large enough then we can construct a mechanism that also satisfies a commitment property: it can be determined whether or not a job will finish, and the requisite payment if so, well in advance of each job's deadline. This is notable because, in practice, users with strict deadlines may find it unacceptable to discover only very close to their deadline that their job has been rejected.
Effect of brushing force and time on plaque removal using a powered toothbrush.

OBJECTIVES Primary objective - To determine the effect of varying brushing forces and brushing times upon the plaque-removing efficacy of a powered toothbrush. Secondary objective - to determine the optimum combination of brushing force and time for plaque removal. MATERIAL AND METHODS This randomised, single-blind, 16-cell, cross-over trial compared the efficacy of plaque removal of a powered toothbrush (PTB) used with four brushing forces (75, 150, 225 and 300 g) and over four brushing times (30, 60, 120 and 180 s). Twelve volunteers (18-30 years) were recruited and trained to use the Philips/Jordan Sensiflex 2000 PTB, which was modified so that specified forces and times could be recorded. Each subject was asked to abstain from all oral hygiene procedures for 24 hs prior to each brushing event, to allow plaque accumulation. Plaque was recorded using a modified Quigley & Hein index (PI) at six points per tooth before and after each episode of brushing, and the differences in the means (pre- to postbrushing) were compared. Three-way anova was undertaken to compare differences between plaque-removing efficacy for the 16 combinations of force and time. Subjects, brushing time and brushing force were used as fixed effects within the analysis. RESULTS All 12 subjects participating completed the 16 combinations of force and time over which plaque removal was assessed. Statistically significant differences in PI reductions were found between different brushing times and forces over all tooth surfaces (p<0.001). The interaction of varying brushing force and brushing time was significant for full mouth (FM) and interproximal (IP) sites (p<0.03). No statistical significance was demonstrated for smooth surface (SS) sites, nor was it detected for the interaction of subjects with brushing force or subjects with brushing time (p>0.05). CONCLUSION We conclude that brushing time and brushing force have significant effects upon the level of plaque removal by a PTB, and at 120 s brushing time the improvement in plaque removal with forces in excess of 150 g was negligible.
Drug Prescription Analysis at Hospital Discharge for Heart Failure Patients at the Institute of Cardiology of Abidjan

Introduction: Understanding improvement of pathophysiology of heart failure has allowed therapeutic progress over the past two decades in the pathology management. Our patients should benefit from these new drugs that improve survival. Objective: To analyze the treatment of hospital discharge according to ESC (European Society of Cardiology) Guidelines. Methods: We carried out a retrospective and descriptive study which included completed survey of patients hospitalized for heart failure in Medicine Department of cardiology Institut of Abidjan between January 1st 2011 to December 31st 2012. We analyzed the drugs prescription during hospital discharge by using the register of hospitalization. Results: 92.9% of the 532 files retained were included. Patients had a mean age of 54.4 ± 16.4 years old. 36.3% of the cases had a heart failure history with an average of 5.7 ± 3.2 days of hospital stay. At the hospital discharge, patients had for prescription: a diuretic specially Furosemide (100%), angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) (63.7%), a beta-blocker (17.9%) and a mineralocorticoids receptor antagonist (MRA) (51.2%). Diuretic, IEC or ARB and the MRA were prescribed systematically. Beta-blockers were lower prescribed to patients who showed no more signs of congestion. Conclusion: Our prescribing practices were adapted to the guidelines for heart failure management. However, the gaps will be corrected through sensitization and training.
A monoclonal antibody that blocks the activity of a neurite regeneration-promoting factor: studies on the binding site and its localization in vivo

Work from several laboratories has identified a proteoglycan complex secreted by a variety of non-neuronal cells that can promote neurite regeneration when applied to the surface of culture dishes. Using a novel immunization protocol, a monoclonal antibody (INO) was produced that blocks the activity of this outgrowth-promoting factor (Matthew, W. D., and P. H. Patterson, 1983, Cold Spring Harbor Symp. Quant. Biol. 48:625-631). We have used the antibody to analyze the components of the active site and to localize the complex in vivo. INO binding is lost when the complex is dissociated; if its components are selectively reassociated, INO binds only to a complex containing two different molecular weight species. These are likely to be laminin and heparan sulfate proteoglycan, respectively. On frozen sections of adult rat tissues, INO binding is present on the surfaces of glial cells of the peripheral, but not the central, nervous system. INO also binds to the basement membrane surrounding cardiac and skeletal muscle cells, and binding to the latter greatly increases after denervation. In the adrenal gland and kidney, INO selectively reacts with areas rich in basement membranes, staining a subset of structures that are immunoreactive for both laminin and heparan sulfate proteoglycan. In general, the outgrowth-blocking antibody binds to areas known to promote axonal regeneration and is absent from areas known to lack this ability. This suggests that this complex, which is active in culture, may be the physiological substrate supporting nerve regeneration in vivo.
Digital Video Stabilization Algorithm for CMOS Image Sensor

This paper presents a novel motion compensation approach for stabilizing video sequences captured by CMOS image sensors. Although a number of papers have been dedicated to the compensation of shaky camera motions, most of them have focused on CCD image sensors. By relating the homography model to the characteristics of CMOS video sequences, we estimated the dominant motion in image sequences degraded by random shake, simultaneously estimating the distortion parameters of CMOS image sensors. Also, we considered the real-time applications with a fast linear-programming approach for the estimation of camera motion.