Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Serum bilirubin and risk of respiratory disease and death.

CONTEXT Serum total bilirubin levels in healthy patients reflect genetic and environmental factors that could influence the risk of developing respiratory disease. OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between bilirubin levels and respiratory disease. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Cohort study among 504,206 adults from a UK primary care research database (the Health Improvement Network) with serum bilirubin levels recorded but no evidence of hepatobiliary or hemolytic disease. Data were recorded between January 1988 and December 2008. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, and all-cause mortality. RESULTS Median bilirubin levels were 0.64 mg/dL (interquartile range, 0.47-0.88 mg/dL) in men and 0.53 mg/dL (interquartile range, 0.41-0.70 mg/dL) in women. There were 1341 cases of lung cancer, 5863 cases of COPD, and 23,103 deaths, with incidence rates of 2.5, 11.9, and 42.5 per 10,000 person-years, respectively. The incidence of lung cancer per 10,000 person-years in men was 5.0 (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.2-6.0) in the first decile category of bilirubin compared with 3.0 (95% CI, 2.3-3.8) in the fifth decile. The corresponding incidences for COPD in men were 19.5 (95% CI,17.7-21.4) and 14.4 (95% CI, 12.7-16.2). The mortality rates per 10,000 person-years in men were 51.3 (95% CI, 48.5-54.2) in the first decile category compared with 38.1 (95% CI, 35.5-40.8) in the fifth decile. The associations were similar for women. After adjusting for other important health indicators, regression estimates for incidence rate of lung cancer per 0.1-mg/dL increase in bilirubin level were an 8% decrease (95% CI, 5%-11%) for men and an 11% decrease (95% CI, 7%-14%) for women. The regression estimate for COPD in men per 0.1-mg/dL increase in bilirubin level was a 6% decrease (95% CI, 5%-7%) and for mortality in men was a 3% decrease (95% CI, 2%-3%) after accounting for other health indicators. The results for COPD and mortality in women were very similar. CONCLUSION Among patients with normal-range bilirubin levels in primary care practices, relatively higher levels of bilirubin were associated with a lower risk of respiratory disease and all-cause mortality.
The 42-Amino Acid Insert in the FMN Domain of Neuronal Nitric-oxide Synthase Exerts Control over Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent Electron Transfer*

The neuronal and endothelial nitric-oxide synthases (nNOS and eNOS) differ from inducible NOS in their dependence on the intracellular Ca2+ concentration. Both nNOS and eNOS are activated by the reversible binding of calmodulin (CaM) in the presence of Ca2+, whereas inducible NOS binds CaM irreversibly. One major divergence in the close sequence similarity between the NOS isoforms is a 40–50-amino acid insert in the middle of the FMN-binding domains of nNOS and eNOS. It has previously been proposed that this insert forms an autoinhibitory domain designed to destabilize CaM binding and increase its Ca2+ dependence. To examine the importance of the insert we constructed two deletion mutants designed to remove the bulk of it from nNOS. Both mutants (Δ40 and Δ42) retained maximal NO synthesis activity at lower concentrations of free Ca2+ than the wild type enzyme. They were also found to retain 30% of their activity in the absence of Ca2+/CaM, indicating that the insert plays an important role in disabling the enzyme when the physiological Ca2+concentration is low. Reduction of nNOS heme by NADPH under rigorous anaerobic conditions was found to occur in the wild type enzyme only in the presence of Ca2+/CaM. However, reduction of heme in the Δ40 mutant occurred spontaneously on addition of NADPH in the absence of Ca2+/CaM. This suggests that the insert regulates activity by inhibiting electron transfer from FMN to heme in the absence of Ca2+/CaM and by destabilizing CaM binding at low Ca2+ concentrations, consistent with its role as an autoinhibitory domain.
A note on the holography of Chern-Simons matter theories with flavour

We study a three-dimensional = 3 U(N)k × U(N)−k Chern-Simons matter theory with flavour, corresponding to the = 6 Aharony-Bergman-Jafferis-Maldacena CSM theory coupled to 2Nf fundamental fields. The dual holographic description is given by the near-horizon geometry of N M2-branes at a particular hypertoric geometry 8. We explicitly construct the space 8 and match its isometries to the global symmetries of the field theory. We also discuss the model in the quenched approximation by embedding probe D6-branes in AdS4 × .
Additive interactions between PRKAA1 polymorphisms and Helicobacter pylori CagA infection associated with gastric cancer risk in Koreans

Although several studies reported genetic polymorphisms in protein kinase AMP‐activated alpha 1 catalytic subunit (PRKAA1) and their associations with gastric cancer risk, few have evaluated associations between Helicobacter pylori infection and PRKAA1 gene‐environment interactions. Here, we evaluated the effects of interactions between H. pylori infection and PRKAA1 polymorphisms on gastric cancer risk in Koreans. In this hospital‐based case–control study, PRKAA1 genotypes were analyzed and H. pylori infection and CagA status were examined using a serologic method in 846 pairs of gastric cancer patients and controls matched for age and sex. H. pylori seropositivity was associated with a 1.43‐fold [95% confidence interval: 1.12–1.81] increase in the risk of gastric cancer, and CagA low‐positive titers during H. pylori infection increased the risk by 1.85‐fold (95% confidence interval, 1.38–2.48). Significant positive interaction between the PRKAA1 rs13361707 genotype and H. pylori infection was verified on an additive scale [relative excess risk due to interaction, 0.55; 95% confidence interval, 0.05–1.04; P = 0.030], and the gene‐environment interaction between PRKAA1 rs13361707 and CagA status was also statistically significant (relative excess risk due to interaction, 0.50; 95% confidence interval, 0.30–0.70; P < 0.001). Our results indicated that H. pylori infection, CagA status, and PRKAA1 polymorphisms were risk factors for gastric cancer in Koreans, and that the combination of two of these factors rather than their independent effects synergistically increased the risk.
A design methodology for IP integration

Successful integration of IP/VC blocks requires a set of view that provides the appropriate information for each IP block through the design flow for an IP-integration system. In this paper, we present a methodology of IP integration in a System-on a chip (SOC) design, that exploits both IP designer and SOC integrator constraints. First, we describe a method to extract and specify IP functional and timing constraints (I/O sequence transfer constraints) from the IP core. Second, we propose a modeling style of the integration constraints and a technique for merging them with IP constraints. This technique allows the specification and design of an optimized IP interface unit required for IP-socketization. The synthesis output is synthesizable VHDL RT of the interface, a detailed bus-functional model of the IP core towards cosimulation.
Sex-Specific Differences in Pathogen Susceptibility in Honey Bees (Apis mellifera)

Sex-related differences in susceptibility to pathogens are a common phenomenon in animals. In the eusocial Hymenoptera the two female castes, workers and queens, are diploid and males are haploid. The haploid susceptibility hypothesis predicts that haploid males are more susceptible to pathogen infections compared to females. Here we test this hypothesis using adult male (drone) and female (worker) honey bees (Apis mellifera), inoculated with the gut endoparasite Nosema ceranae and/or black queen cell virus (BQCV). These pathogens were chosen due to previously reported synergistic interactions between Nosema apis and BQCV. Our data do not support synergistic interactions between N. ceranae and BQCV and also suggest that BQCV has limited effect on both drone and worker health, regardless of the infection level. However, the data clearly show that, despite lower levels of N. ceranae spores in drones than in workers, Nosema-infected drones had both a higher mortality and a lower body mass than non-infected drones, across all treatment groups, while the mortality and body mass of worker bees were largely unaffected by N. ceranae infection, suggesting that drones are more susceptible to this pathogen than workers. In conclusion, the data reveal considerable sex-specific differences in pathogen susceptibility in honey bees and highlight the importance of ultimate measures for determining susceptibility, such as mortality and body quality, rather than mere infection levels.
Effetto della microstruttura sulla diffusione dellidrogeno in acciai al carbonio per pipeline

The effect of microstructure on hydrogen diffusion in carbon steels was discussed. The weldable carbon steels, obtained by hot rolling, present a microstructural anisotropy connected with the hot plastic deformation. It was shown that Scanning Photoelectrochemical Microscope Technique (SPEM) resulted a good method to evidence the effect of the steels' microstructure on the hydrogen diffusion.
Cohort Study

search identiﬁed, four COVID-19 RCTs with 572 participants and 7 registered RCTs. These results will be included in the next update. Conclusion: Preliminary evidence suggests there may be a role for zinc in the COVID-19 pandemic. Further research and regular updating of the evidence is warranted.
Magnesium sulfate for persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn.

BACKGROUND Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN) occurs in approximately 1.9 per 1000 newborns and may be more frequent in developing countries. There is strong evidence for the use of inhaled nitric oxide (iNO) and extra corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in the treatment of PPHN. However, many developing countries do not have access or the technical expertise required for these expensive therapies. Magnesium sulfate is a potent vasodilator and hence has the potential to reduce the high pulmonary arterial pressures associated with PPHN. If magnesium sulfate were found to be effective in the treatment of PPHN, this could be a cost effective and potentially life-saving therapy. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the use of magnesium sulfate compared with placebo or standard ventilator management alone, sildenafil infusion, adenosine infusion, or inhaled nitric oxide on mortality or the use of backup iNO or ECMO in term and near-term newborns (> 34 weeks gestational age) with PPHN. SEARCH STRATEGY The standard search strategy of the Cochrane Neonatal Review Group (CNRG) was used. No language restrictions was applied. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library, Issue 1, 2006) and MEDLINE (1966 to April 20, 2007) were searched for relevant randomized and quasi-randomized trials. In addition the reference lists of retrieved articles were reviewed and known experts were contacted to obtain unpublished data. SELECTION CRITERIA All randomised or quasi-random studies were eligible where one of the treatment groups received magnesium sulfate for PPHN. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Standard methods of the Cochrane Collaboration and the CNRG were used, including independent assessment of trial quality and extraction of data by each author. MAIN RESULTS No eligible trials were found AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS On the basis of the current lack of evidence, the use of magnesium sulphate cannot be recommended in the treatment of PPHN. Randomised controlled trials are recommended.
DNA barcoding in Mucorales: an inventory of biodiversity

The order Mucorales comprises predominantly fast-growing saprotrophic fungi, some of which are used for the fermentation of foodstuffs but it also includes species known to cause infections in patients with severe immune or metabolic impairments. To inventory biodiversity in Mucorales ITS barcodes of 668 strains in 203 taxa were generated covering more than two thirds of the recognised species. Using the ITS sequences, Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units were defined by a similarity threshold of 99 %. An LSU sequence was generated for each unit as well. Analysis of the LSU sequences revealed that conventional phenotypic classifications of the Mucoraceae are highly artificial. The LSU- and ITS-based trees suggest that characters, such as rhizoids and sporangiola, traditionally used in mucoralean taxonomy are plesiomorphic traits. The ITS region turned out to be an appropriate barcoding marker in Mucorales. It could be sequenced directly in 82 % of the strains and its variability was sufficient to resolve most of the morphospecies. Molecular identification turned out to be problematic only for the species complexes of Mucor circinelloides, M. flavus, M. piriformis and Zygorhynchus moelleri. As many as 12 possibly undescribed species were detected. Intraspecific variability differed widely among mucorealean species ranging from 0 % in Backusella circina to 13.3 % in Cunninghamella echinulata. A high proportion of clinical strains was included for molecular identification. Clinical isolates of Cunninghamella elegans were identified molecularly for the first time. As a result of the phylogenetic analyses several taxonomic and nomenclatural changes became necessary. The genus Backusella was emended to include all species with transitorily recurved sporangiophores. Since this matched molecular data all Mucor species possessing this character were transferred to Backusella. The genus Zygorhynchus was shown to be polyphyletic based on ITS and LSU data. Consequently, Zygorhynchus was abandoned and all species were reclassified in Mucor. Our phylogenetic analyses showed, furthermore, that all non-thermophilic Rhizomucor species belong to Mucor. Accordingly, Rhizomucor endophyticus was transferred to Mucor and Rhizomucor chlamydosporus was synonymised with Mucor indicus. Lecto-, epi- or neotypes were designated for several taxa.
Macrolide Resistance among Invasive Streptococcus Pneumoniae Isolates

M ACROLIDES ARE RECOMmended as first-line therapy for adults in the United States and Canada with community-acquired pneumonia. 1-3 Newer macrolides (eg, azithro-mycin, clarithromycin) are popular because of convenient dosing schedules and fewer adverse effects. Unfortunately , resistance to macrolides among Streptococcus pneumoniae, the most common cause of community-acquired pneumonia, 4 has been increasing in the United States. Pneumococcal macrolide resistance is usually expressed as 1 of 2 phenotypes. The first, known as M phenotype , is an efflux pump associated with the mefE gene that results in efflux of macrolides from the cell. 9 These organisms exhibit resistance to 14-and 15-member macrolide antibiotics, including erythromycin, clarithromycin, and azithromycin. M phenotype isolates typically have moderate levels of mac-rolide resistance (ie, minimum inhibi-tory concentrations [MICs] in the range of 1-32 µg/mL) and are almost always susceptible to clindamycin. 10 A second phenotype, MLS B , results from Context Macrolide antibiotics, including erythromycin, clarithromycin, and azithro-mycin, are the mainstays of empirical pneumonia therapy. Macrolide resistance among Streptococcus pneumoniae, the most common cause of community-acquired pneumonia , is increasing in the United States. Whether resistance is a significant problem or whether macrolides remain useful for treatment of most resistant strains is unknown. Objective To examine the epidemiology of macrolide-resistant pneumococci in the United States. Design and Setting Analysis of 15481 invasive isolates from 1995 to 1999 collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Active Bacterial Core surveillance system in 8 states. Main Outcome Measures Trends in macrolide use (1993-1999) and resistance and factors associated with resistance, including examination of 2 subtypes, the M phenotype, associated with moderate minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs), and the MLS B phenotype, associated with high MICs and clindamycin resistance. Conclusions In the setting of increasing macrolide use, pneumococcal resistance has become common. Most resistant strains have MICs in the range in which treatment failures have been reported. Further study and surveillance are critical to understanding the clinical implications of our findings.
Detecting Danger: Applying a Novel Immunological Concept to Intrusion Detection Systems

In recent years computer systems have become increasingly complex and consequently the challenge of protecting these systems has become increasingly difficult. Various techniques have been implemented to counteract the misuse of computer systems in the form of firewalls, anti-virus software and intrusion detection systems. The complexity of networks and dynamic nature of computer systems leaves current methods with significant room for improvement. Computer scientists have recently drawn inspiration from mechanisms found in biological systems and, in the context of computer security, have focused on the human immune system (HIS). The human immune system provides a high level of protection from constant attacks. By examining the precise mechanisms of the human immune system, it is hoped the paradigm will improve the performance of real intrusion detection systems. This paper presents an introduction to recent developments in the field of immunology. It discusses the incorporation of a novel immunological paradigm, Danger Theory, and how this concept is inspiring artificial immune systems (AIS). Applications within the context of computer security are outlined drawing direct reference to the underlying principles of Danger Theory and finally, the current state of intrusion detection systems is discussed and improvements suggested.
Multiscale visualization using data cubes

Most analysts start with an overview of the data before gradually refining their view to be more focused and detailed. Multiscale pan-and-zoom systems are effective because they directly support this approach. However generating abstract overviews of large data sets is difficult, and most systems take advantage of only one type of abstraction: visual abstraction. Furthermore, these existing systems limit the analyst to a single zooming path on their data and thus a single set of abstract views. This paper presents: (1) a formalism for describing multiscale visualizations of data cubes with both data and visual abstraction, and (2) a method for independently zooming along one or more dimensions by traversing a zoom graph with nodes at different levels of detail. As an example of how to design multiscale visualizations using our system, we describe four design patterns using our formalism. These design patterns show the effectiveness of multiscale visualization of general relational databases.
Clinical Observation of Assessment Using the Composite International Diagnostic Interview (CIDI)

Two clinicians scored the ICD–10 Research Criteria Checklist either while observing or after administering CIDI interviews to a sample of 20 subjects. Overall diagnostic concordance between clinical and CIDI assessments was found to be good (overall kappa = 0.77). Assessment of the specific diagnoses could be done only for the three most commonly represented in the studied sample: anxiety/phobic disorders (kappa = 0.73), depressive disorders (kappa = 0.78), and psychoactive substance use disorders (kappa = 0.83). While the lack of independence of the two assessments and the small, non-randomly selected sample might have exaggerated the concordance, this study shows that the CIDI provides all the data needed to score diagnoses in the ICD–10 nomenclature, as indicated by the small number of questions clinicians needed to ask following completion of the CIDI.
Phosphatase-Dead Myotubularin Ameliorates X-Linked Centronuclear Myopathy Phenotypes in Mice

Myotubularin MTM1 is a phosphoinositide (PPIn) 3-phosphatase mutated in X-linked centronuclear myopathy (XLCNM; myotubular myopathy). We investigated the involvement of MTM1 enzymatic activity on XLCNM phenotypes. Exogenous expression of human MTM1 in yeast resulted in vacuolar enlargement, as a consequence of its phosphatase activity. Expression of mutants from patients with different clinical progression and determination of PtdIns3P and PtdIns5P cellular levels confirmed the link between vacuolar morphology and MTM1 phosphatase activity, and showed that some disease mutants retain phosphatase activity. Viral gene transfer of phosphatase-dead myotubularin mutants (MTM1C375S and MTM1S376N) significantly improved most histological signs of XLCNM displayed by a Mtm1-null mouse, at similar levels as wild-type MTM1. Moreover, the MTM1C375S mutant improved muscle performance and restored the localization of nuclei, triad alignment, and the desmin intermediate filament network, while it did not normalize PtdIns3P levels, supporting phosphatase-independent roles of MTM1 in maintaining normal muscle performance and organelle positioning in skeletal muscle. Among the different XLCNM signs investigated, we identified only triad shape and fiber size distribution as being partially dependent on MTM1 phosphatase activity. In conclusion, this work uncovers MTM1 roles in the structural organization of muscle fibers that are independent of its enzymatic activity. This underlines that removal of enzymes should be used with care to conclude on the physiological importance of their activity.
Effect of hydrothermal environment on moisture absorption and mechanical properties of wood flour–filled polypropylene composites

The moisture absorption and mechanical properties of wood flour–filled polypropylene composites in a hydrothermal environment have been studied by immersing the composites in water at 23, 60, and 100°C. The degree of moisture absorption was found to be dependent on the modification of matrix, the weight percentage, mesh size, and surface treatment of wood flours. It increased with increasing the immersion temperature. The tensile strength of all composites with wood flours of different contents, mesh sizes, and surface treatments increased after immersion in water baths of various temperatures, to either greater or lesser extents. The flexural strength and modulus followed a similar trend when immersed in water at ambient temperature. However, the contrary was true for composites when immersed in 60 and 100°C water baths. The impact strength increased after immersion in water at each immersion temperature, and the extent of such increment decreased with increasing the immersion temperature. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 85: 2824–2832, 2002
How do users grow up along with search engines?: a study of long-term users' behavior

With a stronger reliance on search engines in our daily life, a large number of studies have investigated user behavior characteristics in Web search. However, previous studies mainly focus on large-scale query log data and analyze temporal changes based on all users without differentiating different user groups; few have really traced a fixed and long-term group of users and have distinguished the behavior of long-term users from ordinary users to analyze long-term temporal changes unbiasedly. In this paper we look into the interaction logs of these two user groups to analyze differences between these two user groups and to better understand how users grow up along with Web search engines. Statistical and experimental results show that there exist temporal changes of both user groups. There are also significant differences between these two user groups in the frequency of interaction, complexity of search tasks, and query formulation conventions. The findings have implications for how Web search engines should better support users' information seeking process by tackling complex search tasks and complicated query formulations.