Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Relevance of Vitamin D and Antinuclear Antibodies in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease Under Anti-TNF Treatment: A Prospective Study

Background:The importance of vitamin D in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has been analyzed in former studies, namely concerning the severity of the disease and the efficacy of anti–tumor necrosis factor (TNF) medications. In several inflammatory conditions, biologics have been associated with an autoimmune response with formation of antinuclear antibodies (ANA). In addition, an inverse relationship between vitamin D levels and ANA has been documented. We aimed to evaluate the clinical importance of the link between vitamin D, ANA, and anti-TNF in patients with IBD. Methods:Prospective study including patients with IBD with indication to start anti-TNF, between 2009 and 2014. Deficiency and extreme deficiency of vitamin D were defined as levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D below 20 and 4 ng/mL, respectively. ANA titers were considered positive if higher or equal to 1/100. Results:Among 68 patients (56 with Crohn's Disease, 12 with ulcerative colitis), vitamin D deficiency was detected in 93%. Pretreatment positivity for ANA was related to higher failure rates of anti-TNF treatment (P = 0.008). Pretreatment positivity for ANA and extreme vitamin D deficiency were significant risk factors for adverse events associated with anti-TNF therapy. A significant link was found between extreme deficiency of vitamin D and the presence of ANA. Conclusions:Our study highlights the association between vitamin D deficiency and pretreatment positivity for ANA with the risk for anti-TNF failure and adverse events, and the inverse relationship between vitamin D levels and ANA. Due to the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in IBD and the immune-mediated nature of the disease, these elements should be evaluated before starting biologics.
ALC + T: a Preferential Extension of Description Logics

We extend the Description Logic ALC with a "typicality" operator T that allows us to reason about the prototypical properties and inheritance with exceptions. The resulting logic is called ALC + T. The typicality operator is intended to select the "most normal" or "most typical" instances of a concept. In our framework, knowledge bases may then contain, in addition to ordinary ABoxes and TBoxes, subsumption relations of the form "T(C) is subsumed by P", expressing that typical C-members have the property P. The semantics of a typicality operator is defined by a set of postulates that are strongly related to Kraus-Lehmann-Magidor axioms of preferential logic P. We first show that T enjoys a simple semantics provided by ordinary structures equipped with a preference relation. This allows us to obtain a modal interpretation of the typicality operator. We show that the satisfiability of anALC+Tknowledge base is decidable and it is precisely EXPTIME. We then present a tableau calculus for deciding satisfiability of ALC + T knowledge bases. Our calculus gives a (suboptimal) nondeterministic-exponential time decision procedure for ALC + T. We finally discuss how to extend ALC + T in order to infer defeasible properties of (explicit or implicit) individuals. We propose two alternatives: (i) a nonmonotonic completion of a knowledge base; (ii) a "minimal model" semantics for ALC + T whose intuition is that minimal models are those that maximise typical instances of concepts.
One of the fundamental tasks in understanding genomics is the problem of predicting Transcription

One of the fundamental tasks in understanding genomics is the problem of predicting Transcription Factor Binding Sites (TFBSs). With more than hundreds of Transcription Factors (TFs) as labels, genomic-sequence based TFBS prediction is a challenging multilabel classification task. There are two major biological mechanisms for TF binding: (1) sequence-specific binding patterns on genomes known as “motifs” and (2) interactions among TFs known as “co-binding effects”. In this paper, we propose a novel deep architecture, the Prototype Matching Network (PMN) to mimic TF binding mechanisms. Our PMN model automatically extracts prototypes for each TF through a novel prototype-matching loss. We use the notion of a set of prototypes and an LSTM to learn how TFs interact and bind to genomic sequences. On a TFBS dataset with 2.1 million genomic sequences, the PMN significantly outperforms baselines and validates our design choices empirically. Not only is the proposed architecture accurate, but also models the underlying biology.
Multiscale chemomechanics of polymer deformation under contact : predicting structure-property correlations from the bulk to the interphase

The development of nanoscale polymeric materials for mechanical applications necessitates advances in small-volume experimental techniques and analyses that reflect the viscoelastoplastic behavior of such materials. In this thesis, the time-dependence and response of homogeneous engineering polymers under confined contact loading are characterized as a function of polymer physical and structural properties. The validity of the time-independent metric indentation hardness Hi is evaluated through the combination of nanoindentation and atomic force microscopy imaging. In addition, the classic, time-dependent metric creep compliance J(t) is used to establish the experimental conditions necessary for linear elastic behavior for a set of thermoplastic and thermoset materials. For large indentations (hmax > 1 um), properties are tacitly assumed to reflect the properties of bulk polymer; however, this assumption does not hold within 100 nm of a free surface or interface of amorphous polymers such as polystyrene and polycarbonate. The contact deformation mechanism near an amorphous polymer surface is found to scale with the surface area of contact, suggesting the dynamic formation of a structural interphase region. Chemical probe fimctionalization experiments are developed to explore the effects of probe surface charge on the probe-polymer interface and contribute to the understanding of the interphase that dominates nanocomposite material response. A technique to rapidly screen mechanical response of combinatorial polymer libraries is presented, to establish structure-property-processing relationships of such chemomechanically defined interfaces before nanoscale deformation mechanisms in confined polymers are fully understood. Finally, material design for elastic, viscoelastic, and viscoelastoplastic mechanical properties is discussed in terms of polymer physical length and time scales. Thesis supervisor: Krystyn J. Van Vliet Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
Clinical Interventions in Aging Dovepress Fracture Prevention Service to Bridge the Osteoporosis Care Gap

Background: A care gap exists between the health care needs of older persons with fragility fractures and the therapeutic answers they receive. The Fracture Prevention Service (FPS), a tailored in-hospital model of care, may effectively bridge the osteoporosis care gap for hip-fractured older persons. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the FPS in targeting persons at high risk of future fracture and to improve their adherence to treatment. Methods: This was a prospective observational study conducted in a teaching hospital with traumatology and geriatric units, and had a pre-intervention and post-intervention phase. The records of 172 participants were evaluated in the pre-intervention phase, while data from 210 participants were gathered in the post-intervention phase. All participants underwent telephone follow-up at 12 months after hospital discharge. The participants were patients aged 65 years admitted to the orthopedic acute ward who underwent surgical repair of a proximal femoral fracture. A multidisciplinary integrated model of care was established. Dedicated pathways were implemented in clinical practice to optimize the identification of high-risk persons, improve their evaluation through bone mineral density testing and blood examinations, and initiate an appropriate treatment for secondary prevention of falls and fragility fractures. Results: Compared with the pre-intervention phase, more hip-fractured persons received bone mineral density testing (47.62% versus 14.53%, P0.0001), specific pharmacological treatments (48.51% versus 17.16%, P0.0001), and an appointment for evaluation at a fall and fracture clinic (52.48% versus 2.37%, P0.0001) in the post-intervention phase. Independent of some confounders, implementation of the FPS was positively associated with recommendations for secondary fracture prevention at discharge (P0.0001) and with 1-year adherence to pharmacological treatment (P0.0001). Conclusion: The FPS is an effective multidisciplinary integrated model of care to optimize identification of older persons at highest risk for fragility fracture, to improve their clinical management, and to increase adherence to prescriptions.
The Ciliopathy Protein CC2D2A Associates with NINL and Functions in RAB8-MICAL3-Regulated Vesicle Trafficking

Ciliopathies are a group of human disorders caused by dysfunction of primary cilia, ubiquitous microtubule-based organelles involved in transduction of extra-cellular signals to the cell. This function requires the concentration of receptors and channels in the ciliary membrane, which is achieved by complex trafficking mechanisms, in part controlled by the small GTPase RAB8, and by sorting at the transition zone located at the entrance of the ciliary compartment. Mutations in the transition zone gene CC2D2A cause the related Joubert and Meckel syndromes, two typical ciliopathies characterized by central nervous system malformations, and result in loss of ciliary localization of multiple proteins in various models. The precise mechanisms by which CC2D2A and other transition zone proteins control protein entrance into the cilium and how they are linked to vesicular trafficking of incoming cargo remain largely unknown. In this work, we identify the centrosomal protein NINL as a physical interaction partner of CC2D2A. NINL partially co-localizes with CC2D2A at the base of cilia and ninl knockdown in zebrafish leads to photoreceptor outer segment loss, mislocalization of opsins and vesicle accumulation, similar to cc2d2a-/- phenotypes. Moreover, partial ninl knockdown in cc2d2a-/- embryos enhances the retinal phenotype of the mutants, indicating a genetic interaction in vivo, for which an illustration is found in patients from a Joubert Syndrome cohort. Similar to zebrafish cc2d2a mutants, ninl morphants display altered Rab8a localization. Further exploration of the NINL-associated interactome identifies MICAL3, a protein known to interact with Rab8 and to play an important role in vesicle docking and fusion. Together, these data support a model where CC2D2A associates with NINL to provide a docking point for cilia-directed cargo vesicles, suggesting a mechanism by which transition zone proteins can control the protein content of the ciliary compartment.
HRT-3 Moorfields reference plane: effect on rim area repeatability and identification of progression

Aims: To assess the effect of the Moorfields Reference Plane on Heidelberg Retina Tomograph (HRT) rim area repeatability and its effect on progression rates using an event analysis. Methods: The HRT reference plane (RP) defines structures above as “rim” and below as “cup. ” The Moorfields RP applies the Standard RP (located 50 μm posterior to the temporal disc margin) at baseline and maintains the distance between the Standard RP and the reference ring (located in the image periphery) for follow-up images. The Moorfields RP was applied to an HRT test–retest dataset, and rim area repeatability coefficients were calculated. Repeatability coefficients were compared between the Moorfields, Standard and 320 (located 320 μm posterior to the reference ring) RPs. The Moorfields RP was applied to HRT images from 198 ocular hypertensives, acquired over 6 years. HRT progression required rim area baseline/follow-up differences exceeding the repeatability coefficient in two or more sectors, with confirmation in at least one of two consecutive images. Field progression was assessed using Advanced Glaucoma Intervention Study criteria. Results: The Moorfields RP improved rim area repeatability compared with the Standard RP; repeatability was similar between the Moorfields and the 320 RP. The frequency of identified progression using Moorfields RP was 40% compared with 28% for the 320 RP. There was a greater percentage with concurrent field progression −15.1% (Moorfields RP) compared with 12.1% (320 RP). Conclusions: Although rim area repeatability was similar using the 320 RP and the Moorfields RP, the latter resulted in greater rates of detection of change.
Physician‐ and self‐assessed myasthenia gravis activities of daily living score

The Myasthenia Gravis—Activities of Daily Living (MG‐ADL) profile scale is a simple‐to‐use instrument. We aimed to validate this scale in the Korean language and compare physician‐ and self‐assessed MG‐ADL scores (pMG‐ADL‐K and sMG‐ADL‐K).
Investigation Of Fluidized Bed Of The Physical Model Of The Marine Fluidized Bed Boiler

The article provides the specification of the exper im ntal testing method of the heat exchange between th fluidized bed and the heating surface immersed ther ein during ship’s movements on the waves causing in terference. The research works have been conducted on physical model of fluidized bed boiler positioned in the cra dle simulating the vessel’s motion on regular wave of sinusoidal t ype. The design features of the test stand make it possible to conduct the testing for the processes occurring in the boilers both with bubbling and the circulating fluidized beds. The method of determination of the heat transfer co fficient has been specified. The presented researc h results of the heat transfer coefficient have proven that the cond itions of heat transfer are of explicitly local nat ure strongly related with the mass of the material present in the fluidi zing column, flow-through conditions, fluidizing co lumn inclination angle from vertical and swinging movement of the pl atform. The testing results encourage to continue t he research works on a larger scale aiming to verify the hypoth esis that in the shipboard conditions the circulati ng fluidized bed is less susceptible to the ship’s rolling than the bub bling fluidized bed and that the significant condit ions of heat exchange are not impaired.
Perikymata distribution on anterior teeth of Miocene Lufengpithecus lufengensis from Yunnan, Southern China.

OBJECTIVES The present study investigated the distribution of perikymata on anterior teeth of Miocene Lufengpithecus lufengensis so as to broaden the comparative data of developmental variation within and among hominoids. We also compared perikymata-spacing pattern of Lufengpithecus lufengensis with hominins and extant African great apes to understand the implication of dental development. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 30 anterior teeth (including 6 I1, 10 I2, and 14 C) of Lufengpithecus lufengensis were examined using a scanning electron microscope and Keyence VHX-600EOS digital microscope to document the number and distribution of perikymata on their labial surfaces. The labial crown height of each tooth was divided into 10 equal deciles and the total perikymata number in each decile was recorded. The mean number of perikymata per millimeter was then calculated for each decile. SPSS statistical software was used to perform analyses of these data, including t-tests for sexual dimorphism and plots showing the perikymata distribution in Lufengpithecus lufengensis. RESULTS Perikymata counts of Lufengpithecus lufengensis in the first three deciles are fewer than the remaining deciles, and with perikymata becoming increasingly more closely packed as growth progresses from cusp to cervix, but decrease in density in the cervical decile. Besides, total labial perikymata counts of canines tend to display very significant sexual dimorphism. DISCUSSION Lufengpithecus lufengensis anterior teeth are more similar in their distribution of labial perikymata to those of Australopithecus than those of other hominins and extant African great apes from previous studies.
Finding the most effective cerumenolytic

Abstract Aim: To conduct an in-vitro study to determine the most effective topical cerumenolytic. Method: Cerumen was collected from patients who attended the ENT out-patient clinic. The collected cerumen was formed into a homogeneous ball. Discs of wax were punched out and weighed to create samples of uniform shape and size. Each cerumen sample was placed in a tube which contained one of six test solutions. The tubes were observed at specific time points. Digital photographs were taken to record the degree of cerumen disintegration. The cerumen discs were then removed from the solutions, dried and re-weighed. Results: Distilled water caused the greatest reduction in the mass of the cerumen disc. Cerumen placed in distilled water and in sodium bicarbonate solution showed substantial disintegration at 12 hours. Cerumen placed in solutions containing oil-based agents showed no visible sign of disintegration and no reduction in dried weight. Conclusion: Distilled water resulted in the greatest degree of cerumenolysis. Oil-based cerumenolytics were ineffective.
Does hormonal skin aging exist? A study of the influence of different hormone therapy regimens on the skin of postmenopausal women using non-invasive measurement techniques.

BACKGROUND AND DESIGN The skin properties of 98 postmenopausal women with hormone replacement therapy (oestradiol gel or patches) or without hormone replacement therapy were studied using non-invasive techniques: skin thickness with skin echography, skin hydration with a dryness score and measurement of capacitance, skin surface lipids with a Sebumeter and microtopography with image analysis of cutaneous replicas. RESULTS In this open study we demonstrated an increase in skin thickness and sebum in the treated group in comparison to the untreated group (7-15% according to area for skin thickness, 35% for sebum). Hydration and microtopography were not different in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS Postmenopausal women who were receiving hormonal substitution have a greater thickness and casual level than untreated women. We therefore suggest that hormonal aging exists and that cutaneous atrophy can be prevented with hormone replacement therapy.
Treatments for Severe Cutaneous Adverse Reactions

Severe cutaneous adverse reaction (SCAR) is life-threatening. It consists of Stevens-Johnson syndrome/toxic epidermal necrolysis (SJS/TEN), drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis (AGEP), and generalized bullous fixed drug eruptions (GBFDE). In the past years, emerging studies have provided better understandings regarding the pathogenesis of these diseases. These diseases have unique presentations and distinct pathomechanisms. Therefore, theoretically, the options of treatments might be different among various SCARs. However, due to the rarity of these diseases, sufficient evidence is still lacking to support the best choice of treatment for patients with SCAR. Herein, we will provide a concise review with an emphasis on the characteristics and treatments of each SCAR. It may serve as a guidance based on the current best of knowledge and may shed light on the directions for further investigations.
Location Estimation in Wireless Communication Systems

Localization has become a key enabling technology in many emerging wireless applications and services. One of the most challenging problems in wireless localization technologies is that the performance is easily affected by the signal propagation environment. When the direct path between transmitter and receiver is obstructed, the signal measurement error for the localization process will increase significantly. Considering this problem, we first propose a novel algorithm which can automatically detect and remove the obstruction and improve the localization performance in complex environment. Besides the environmental dependency, the accuracy of target location estimation is highly sensitive to the positions of reference nodes. In this thesis, we also study on the reference node placement, and derive an optimum deployment scheme which can provide the best localization accuracy. Another challenge of wireless localization is due to insufficient number of reference nodes available in the target’s communication range. In this circumstance, we finally utilize the internal sensors in today’s smartphones to provide additional information for localization purpose, and propose a novel algorithm which can combine the location dependent parameters measured from sensors and available reference nodes together. The combined localization algorithm can overcome the error accumulation from sensor with the help of only few number of reference nodes.
Wafer level vacuum packaging of scanning micro-mirrors using glass-frit and anodic bonding methods

In this paper the authors report about the six inch wafer level vacuum packaging of electro-statically driven two dimensional micro-mirrors. The packaging was done by means of two types of wafer bonding methods: anodic and glass frit. The resulting chips after dicing are 4 mm wide, 6 mm long and 1.6 mm high and the residual pressure inside the package after dicing was estimated to be between 2 and 20 mbar. This allowed us to reduce the driving voltage of the micro-mirrors by more than 40% compared to the driving voltage without vacuum packaging. The vacuum stability after 5 months was verified by measurement using the so called “membrane method”. Persistence of the vacuum was proven. No getter materials were used for packaging.
Resource-Allocating Codebook for patch-based face recognition

In this paper we propose a novel approach to constructing a discriminant visual codebook in a simple and extremely fast way as a one-pass, that we call Resource-Allocating Codebook (RAC), inspired by the Resource Allocating Network (RAN) algorithms developed in the artificial neural networks literature. Unlike density preserving clustering, this approach retains data spread out more widely in the input space, thereby including rare low level features in the codebook. We show that the codebook constructed by the RAC technique outperforms the codebook constructed by K-means clustering in recognition performance and computation on two standard face databases, namely the AT&T and Yale faces, performed with SIFT features.
Clinical features of Crohn's disease in Korean patients residing in Busan and Gyeongnam

Background/Aims Crohn's disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease that presents with variable features and repeated disease aggravation. The incidence of CD is increasing in Korea. We evaluated the clinical features of CD in a study population in Busan and Gyeongnam, Korea. Methods A hospital-based analysis included 619 patients diagnosed with CD between March 1986 and February 2013 from seven tertiary care hospitals in Busan and Gyeongnam. Individual case records were reviewed with regard to age at diagnosis, sex, disease location, disease behavior, and medical and surgical treatments received during the follow-up period. Results The cumulative frequency of patients diagnosed with CD revealed a continued increase in the number of cases reported yearly. The male-to-female ratio was 2.5:1 and the median age at diagnosis was 24 years. At diagnosis, 114 (18.4%) had isolated small bowel disease, 144 (23.3%) had isolated colonic disease, and 358 patients (57.8%) presented with disease in the small bowel and colon. The number of patients presenting with stricturing or penetrating disease behavior was 291 (47%) at the final evaluation. In total, 111 (17.9%) patients underwent intestinal resections. Conclusions A continued increase in the number of patients diagnosed with CD was found in Busan and Gyeongnam as observed in other regions. We report results similar to that of other Korean studies in terms of sex distribution, age, and location of disease.