Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION

A definite intoxication develops as a result of a closed intestinal loop and toxic material accumulates in the closed loops. Much evidence has been submitted to show that this loop poison causes the intoxication observed after producing a closed intestinal loop. Sufficient evidence has been presented to prove that the essential poison is present in these closed intestinal loops, and usually in concentrated form. Chemical study of the contents of closed intestinal loops shows that a single substance or group of substances possesses toxic properties. This resists autolysis and pancreatic and ereptic digestion. It is thrown out of solution by five volumes of alcohol or by half saturation with ammonium sulphate. It is readily soluble in water and is not injured by boiling. It is not removed by dialysis. The method of isolation excludes practically all substances except primary proteoses. The characteristic resistance to digestive enzymes suggests a heteroproteose. Proteose intoxication in dogs gives a picture identical with that described after poisoning with intestinal loop fluid: early salivation and vomiting, followed by diarrhea and prostration, fall in temperature and blood pressure, and finally death in collapse. Autopsy shows essentially a splanchnic paralysis and remarkable engorgement of liver and spleen, but especially of the mucosa of the duodenum and small intestine. The blood shows great concentration due to loss of fluid and may remain incoagulable because of an excess production of antithrombin. Proteoses escaping from the blood are excreted in the urine. This toxic proteose concerned in intestinal obstruction has not yet been isolated in the urine, but may be excreted by the kidneys. This probably explains the clinical improvement and lessened intoxication noted after transfusion. Experimental evidence points to a primary proteose as the essential poison concerned in the intoxication of closed intestinal loops and intestinal obstruction.
Spiteful Bidding in Sealed-Bid Auctions

We study the bidding behavior of spiteful agents who, contrary to the common assumption of self-interest, maximize a convex combination of their own profit and their competitors' losses. The motivation for this assumption stems from inherent spitefulness or, for example, from competitive scenarios such as in closed markets where the loss of a competitor will likely result in future gains for oneself. We derive symmetric Bayes Nash equilibria for spiteful agents in 1st-price and 2nd-price sealedbid auctions. In 1st-price auctions, bidders become "more truthful" the more spiteful they are. Surprisingly, the equilibrium strategy in 2nd-price auctions does not depend on the number of bidders. Based on these equilibria, we compare the revenue in both auction types. It turns out that expected revenue in 2nd-price auctions is higher than expected revenue in 1st-price auctions in the case of even the most modestly spiteful agents, provided they still care at least at little for their own profit. In other words, revenue equivalence only holds for auctions in which all agents are either self-interested or completely malicious. We furthermore investigate the impact of common knowledge on spiteful bidding. Divulging the bidders' valuations reduces revenue in 2nd-price auctions, whereas it has the opposite effect in 1st-price auctions.
Hypertension in elderly patients.

PURPOSE To synthesize and analyze new information on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and management of hypertension in the elderly to guide physicians making treatment decisions. DATA IDENTIFICATION An English-language literature search using MEDLINE (1972-1988) and bibliographic reviews of textbooks and review articles. STUDY SELECTION Primary research articles on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and management of hypertension in the elderly were reviewed. Particular emphasis was placed on large randomized clinical trials. DATA EXTRACTION Study design and quality were assessed, with particular attention to subject selection, sample size, definition of outcome variables, and applicability of the results to management of the elderly hypertensive patient. RESULTS OF DATA SYNTHESIS Epidemiologic studies confirm that elevated systolic blood pressure in the elderly is more highly correlated with subsequent cardiovascular morbidity and mortality than is elevation of diastolic blood pressure. Results of several large randomized trials of the treatment of diastolic hypertension in elderly patients indicate that treatment is beneficial, at least up to age 80. For instance, the European Working Party on Hypertension in the Elderly reported that drug treatment resulted in a significant relative reduction (27%) in overall cardiovascular mortality, or an absolute reduction of 29 fewer cardiovascular events per 1000 person-years of treatment. Data from well-designed studies are not available to make a definitive statement about the treatment of isolated systolic hypertension. CONCLUSION The cardiovascular risk reduction from treating mild to moderate diastolic hypertension in the elderly is significant, but the magnitude of absolute risk reduction is not so great that treatment should invariably be pursued if serious side effects cannot be avoided.
Sulfated Escherichia coli K5 Polysaccharide Derivatives Inhibit Dengue Virus Infection of Human Microvascular Endothelial Cells by Interacting with the Viral Envelope Protein E Domain III

Dengue virus (DENV) is an emerging mosquito-borne pathogen that causes cytokine-mediated alterations in the barrier function of the microvascular endothelium, leading to dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS). We observed that DENV (serotype 2) productively infects primary (HMVEC-d) and immortalized (HMEC-1) human dermal microvascular endothelial cells, despite the absence of well-described DENV receptors, such as dendritic cell-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN) or the mannose receptor on the cell surface. However, heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) were highly expressed on these cells and pre-treatment of HMEC-1 cells with heparinase II or with glycosaminoglycans reduced DENV infectivity up to 90%, suggesting that DENV uses HSPGs as attachment receptor on microvascular endothelial cells. Sulfated Escherichia coli K5 derivatives, which are structurally similar to heparin/heparan sulfate but lack anticoagulant activity, were able to block DENV infection of HMEC-1 and HMVEC-d cells in the nanomolar range. The highly sulfated K5-OS(H) and K5-N,OS(H) inhibited virus attachment and subsequent entry into microvascular endothelial cells by interacting with the viral envelope (E) protein, as shown by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis using the receptor-binding domain III of the E protein.
Increase in retinyl palmitate concentration in eyes and livers and the concentration of interphotoreceptor retinoid-binding protein in eyes of vitiligo mutant mice.

Retinyl esters play an important role in the visual cycle because they are involved in regeneration of 11-cis-retinal for use in rhodopsin formation. In the present study, retinyl ester concentrations were significantly elevated in eyes and livers of mice homozygous for the vitiligo mutation (mivit/mivit). Vitiligo mice demonstrate a slowly progressing retinal degeneration characterized by gradual loss of photoreceptor cells and rhodopsin as well as uneven pigmentation of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). Analysis of retinoids by h.p.l.c. indicated that the retinyl palmitate level was increased fivefold in eyes of affected mice at 10 weeks postnatally and was threefold higher at 22 weeks of age. Accumulation of retinyl palmitate occurred in the RPE rather than the neural retina. Furthermore, the concentration of all-trans-retinol was elevated in the RPE of vitiligo mice. Levels of interphotoreceptor retinoid binding protein (IRBP) were increased in vitiligo mice between ages 4 and 14 weeks, but returned to normal by 16 weeks. Increased IRBP levels were not due to increased protein synthesis because IRBP mRNA levels did not differ significantly between control and affected animals. To examine possible systemic involvement in vitiligo mice, retinoids were evaluated in liver and plasma. Mean hepatic total vitamin A levels in affected mice were approximately 1.7 times higher than controls. Analysis of esterified and non-esterified retinoids in liver showed that the concentration of retinyl palmitate was elevated. Plasma retinol levels were normal. This study provides the first evidence of altered systemic retinoid metabolism in vitiligo mice, which occurs, significantly, under normal dietary conditions.
Dynamic Trees for Learning and Design

Dynamic regression trees are an attractive option for automatic regression and classification with complicated response surfaces in online application settings. We create a sequential tree model whose state changes in time with the accumulation of new data, and provide particle learning algorithms that allow for the efficient online posterior filtering of tree states. A major advantage of tree regression is that it allows for the use of very simple models within each partition. The model also facilitates a natural division of labor in our sequential particle-based inference: tree dynamics are defined through a few potential changes that are local to each newly arrived observation, while global uncertainty is captured by the ensemble of particles. We consider both constant and linear mean functions at the tree leaves, along with multinomial leaves for classification problems, and propose default prior specifications that allow for prediction to be integrated over all model parameters conditional on a given tree. Inference is illustrated in some standard nonparametric regression examples, as well as in the setting of sequential experiment design, including both active learning and optimization applications, and in online classification. We detail implementation guidelines and problem specific methodology for each of these motivating applications. Throughout, it is demonstrated that our practical approach is able to provide better results compared to commonly used methods at a fraction of the cost.
Document # 10 Standards for Examining Friction Ridge Impressions and Resulting Conclusions ( Latent / Tenprint

Friction ridge impression examinations are conducted by examiners using the Analysis, Comparison, Evaluation, and Verification (ACE-V) methodology, which includes both qualitative and quantitative aspects. ACE is not generally applied as a strictly linear process because it may include a return to any previous phase. Application of ACE includes observations, measurements, assessments, decisionmaking and documentation, which are enabled by the education, training, skill, and experience of the examiner.
Importance of Cystatin C Assay Standardization

1. Chan K, Puck JM. Development of populationbased newborn screening for severe combined immunodeficiency. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2005; 115:391–8. 2. Janik DK, Lindau-Shepard B, Comeau AM, Pass KA. A multiplex immunoassay using the Guthrie specimen to detect T-cell deficiencies including severe combined immunodeficiency disease. Clin Chem 2010;56:1460–5. 3. Dave VP. Hierarchical role of CD3 chains in thymocyte development. Immunol Rev 2009; 232:22–33. 4. Nørgaard-Pedersen B, Hougaard DM. Storage policies and use of the Danish Newborn Screening Biobank. J Inherit Metab Dis 2007;30: 530–6. 5. Larsson A, Bålöw RM, Lindahl TL, Forsberg PO. Chicken antibodies: taking advantage of evolution—a review. Poult Sci 1993;72:1807– 12.
Visual Cortex Activity in Early and Late Blind People

Brain imaging studies describe visual cortex activity in blind people during nonvisual tasks such as Braille reading, hearing words, or sensory discriminations of tactile or auditory stimuli [for literature citations see Burton et al. ([2002a][1],[b][2]) and Sadato et al. ([2002][3])]. Simply stated
Linker histone H1 is present in centromeric chromatin of living human cells next to inner kinetochore proteins

The vertebrate kinetochore complex assembles at the centromere on α-satellite DNA. In humans, α-satellite DNA has a repeat length of 171 bp slightly longer than the DNA in the chromatosome containing the linker histone H1. The centromere-binding protein CENP-B binds specifically to α-satellite DNA with properties of a centromeric-linker histone. Here, we analysed if linker histone H1 is present at or excluded from centromeric chromatin by CENP-B. By immunostaining we detected the presence, but no enrichment or depletion of five different H1 subtypes at centromeric chromatin. The binding dynamics of H1 at centromeric sites were similar to that at other locations in the genome. These dynamics did not change in CENP-B depleted cells, suggesting that CENP-B and H1 co-exist in centromeric chromatin with no or little functional overlap. By bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET), we revealed that the linker histone H1 subtypes H1° and H1.2 bind to centromeric chromatin in interphase nuclei in direct neighbourhood to inner kinetochore proteins.
Q-Ball of Inferior Fronto-Occipital Fasciculus and Beyond

The inferior fronto-occipital fasciculus (IFOF) is historically described as the longest associative bundle in the human brain and it connects various parts of the occipital cortex, temporo-basal area and the superior parietal lobule to the frontal lobe through the external/extreme capsule complex. The exact functional role and the detailed anatomical definition of the IFOF are still under debate within the scientific community. In this study we present a fiber tracking dissection of the right and left IFOF by using a q-ball residual-bootstrap reconstruction of High-Angular Resolution Diffusion Imaging (HARDI) data sets in 20 healthy subjects. By defining a single seed region of interest on the coronal fractional anisotropy (FA) color map of each subject, we investigated all the pathways connecting the parietal, occipital and posterior temporal cortices to the frontal lobe through the external/extreme capsule. In line with recent post-mortem dissection studies we found more extended anterior-posterior association connections than the “classical” fronto-occipital representation of the IFOF. In particular the pathways we evidenced showed: a) diffuse projections in the frontal lobe, b) fronto-parietal lobes connections trough the external capsule in almost all the subjects and c) widespread connections in the posterior regions. Our study represents the first consistent in vivo demonstration across a large group of individuals of these novel anterior and posterior terminations of the IFOF detailed described only by post-mortem anatomical dissection. Furthermore our work establishes the feasibility of consistent in vivo mapping of this architecture with independent in vivo methodologies. In conclusion q-ball tractography dissection supports a more complex definition of IFOF, which includes several subcomponents likely underlying specific function.
Measuring Inter-observer Agreement in Contour Delineation of Medical Imaging in a Dummy Run Using Fleiss’ Kappa

Summary Background: In medical imaging used for planning of radiation therapy, observers delineate contours of a treatment volume in a series of images of uniform slice thickness. Objective: To summarize agreement in contouring between an arbitrary number of observers by a single number, we generalized the kappa index proposed by Zijdenbos et al. (1994). Methods: Observers characterized voxels by allocating them to one of two categories, inside or outside the contoured region. Fleiss’ kappa was used to measure association between n indistinguishable observers. Given the number Vi of voxels contoured by exactly i observers (i = 1, …, n), the resulting overall kappa is representable as a ratio of weighted sums of the Vi . Results: Overall kappa was applied to analyze inter-center variations in a multicenter trial on radiotherapy planning in patients with locally advanced lung cancer. A contouring dummy run was performed within the quality assurance program. Contouring was done twice, once before and once after a training program. Observer agreement was enhanced from 0.59 (with a 95% confidence interval (CI) of 0.51 – 0.67) to 0.69 (95% CI 0.59 – 0.78) Conclusion: By contrast to average pairwise indices, overall kappa measures observer agreement for more than two observers using the full information about overlapping volumes, while not distinguishing between observers. It is particularly adequate for measuring observer agreement when identification of observers is not possible or desirable and when there is no gold standard.
Exploring Mechanisms of P Content Heterogeneity in Cultured Phytoplankton using Agent Based Modeling

There can be significant intraspecific individual-level heterogeneity in the internal P content of phytoplankton, which can affect population-level behaviors, including the growth rate. There are several mechanisms that can create this heterogeneity, including biological variability in states and behavior. Here we use modeling to explore the contribution of various mechanisms to the heterogeneity in phytoplankton grown in a laboratory culture. An agent-based model simulates individual cells and their nutrient content. Heterogeneity is introduced by randomizing states (e.g. P content) and parameters (e.g. maximum uptake rate) of daughter cells at division. The model was calibrated to observations of internal P content of individual cells of Thalassiosira pseudonana measured using synchrotron X-ray fluorescence (SXRF). Then, simulations were performed with individual mechanisms of heterogeneity turned off. Comparison of the coefficient of variation (CV) of this and the basecase simulation (all mechanisms turned on) provide an estimate of the relative contribution of the mechanism. The results show that the mechanism with the largest contribution is variability in maximum internal cell quota, which when removed results in a CV of 0.21 compared to a CV of 0.38 with all mechanisms.
A Statistical Convergence Analysis of the FastICA Algorithm for Two-Source Mixtures

While the FastICA algorithm is a popular procedure for independent component analysis (ICA) and blind source separation, its average convergence behavior has yet to be studied. This paper provides several statistical convergence analyses of the kurtosis-based FastICA algorithm for two-source noiseless mixtures. We derive explicit and approximate expressions for the evolutions of the average value and the p.d. f. of the inter-channel interference (ICI) under arbitrary and uniform priors for the initial separating system vector. Our results support the observation in S.C. Douglas 2003: this version of the FastICA algorithm reduces the average ICI by 1/3 or 4.77 dB at each iteration, independent of the source distributions and initial system state. Simulations verify the analytical results
ChsVb, a Class VII Chitin Synthase Involved in Septation, Is Critical for Pathogenicity in Fusarium oxysporum

ABSTRACT A new myosin motor-like chitin synthase gene, chsVb, has been identified in the vascular wilt fungus Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici. Phylogenetic analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence of the chsVb chitin synthase 2 domain (CS2) revealed that ChsVb belongs to class VII chitin synthases. The ChsVb myosin motor-like domain (MMD) is shorter than the MMD of class V chitin synthases and does not contain typical ATP-binding motifs. Targeted disrupted single (ΔchsVb) and double (ΔchsV ΔchsVb) mutants were unable to infect and colonize tomato plants or grow invasively on tomato fruit tissue. These strains were hypersensitive to compounds that interfere with fungal cell wall assembly, produced lemon-like shaped conidia, and showed swollen balloon-like structures in hyphal subapical regions, thickened walls, aberrant septa, and intrahyphal hyphae. Our results suggest that the chsVb gene is likely to function in polarized growth and confirm the critical importance of cell wall integrity in the complex infection process of this fungus.
Interictal pain in cluster headache

Introduction: Cluster headache is characterized by severe attacks of unilateral pain, but many patients experience symptoms more commonly associated with migraine such as persistent pain. Patients and methods: We evaluated cluster headache patients using a questionnaire and chart review to determine clinical characteristics. Results: Twenty-four of 50 subjects reported interictal pain outside of their acute attacks. Sixteen reported persistent pain more than half the time while in cycle. Unlike acute attacks, this pain was generally mild. Conclusions: Subjects with persistent interictal pain were more likely to have chronic cluster, allodynia, and suboptimal response to sumatriptan, suggesting that interictal pain in cluster headache may predict a more severe disease process.
Differences in Socioeconomic, Dietary Choice, and Nutrition Environment Explanatory Variables for Food and Nutrition Security among Households with and without Children

This study’s purpose was to compare socioeconomic, dietary choice, and nutrition environment variables associated with food and nutrition security in USA households with and without children. Data were collected in 2021 and consisted of households at risk of or experiencing food insecurity. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify significant explanatory variables for food and nutrition security by household type—with or without children (<18 years of age). Food insecurity rates were 74% and 64% in households with and without children, respectively. Nutrition insecurity rates were 38% and 30% in households with and without children, respectively. For both household types, greater dietary choice increased odds (4–15 times) of food and nutrition security. In households with children, more fast-food meals increased the odds (60%) of food security, while more processed meals and greater utilization barriers to healthful meals decreased the odds (40–50%). Greater utilization barriers also decreased the odds (20%) of food security in households without children. In households with children, higher income and greater healthfulness choice increased the odds (20% and 3 times) of nutrition security, while low (vs. high) perceived limited availability of foods doubled the odds in households without children. Dietary choice is an influential and crucial factor of food and nutrition security.
Plant Hormone Salicylic Acid Produced by a Malaria Parasite Controls Host Immunity and Cerebral Malaria Outcome

The apicomplexan parasite Toxoplasma gondii produces the plant hormone abscisic acid, but it is unclear if phytohormones are produced by the malaria parasite Plasmodium spp. , the most important parasite of this phylum. Here, we report detection of salicylic acid, an immune-related phytohormone of land plants, in P. berghei ANKA and T. gondii cell lysates. However, addition of salicylic acid to P. falciparum and T. gondii culture had no effect. We transfected P. falciparum 3D7 with the nahG gene, which encodes a salicylic acid-degrading enzyme isolated from plant-infecting Pseudomonas sp. , and established a salicylic acid-deficient mutant. The mutant had a significantly decreased concentration of parasite-synthesized prostaglandin E2, which potentially modulates host immunity as an adaptive evolution of Plasmodium spp. To investigate the function of salicylic acid and prostaglandin E2 on host immunity, we established P. berghei ANKA mutants expressing nahG. C57BL/6 mice infected with nahG transfectants developed enhanced cerebral malaria, as assessed by Evans blue leakage and brain histological observation. The nahG-transfectant also significantly increased the mortality rate of mice. Prostaglandin E2 reduced the brain symptoms by induction of T helper-2 cytokines. As expected, T helper-1 cytokines including interferon-γ and interleukin-2 were significantly elevated by infection with the nahG transfectant. Thus, salicylic acid of Plasmodium spp. may be a new pathogenic factor of this threatening parasite and may modulate immune function via parasite-produced prostaglandin E2.