Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Serum 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D: An Outcome Prognosticator in Human Sepsis

In sepsis, the vitamin D active metabolite 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D) may play a crucial role by its action to produce cathelicidin and improve endothelial barrier function, such that a deficiency in 1,25(OH)2D is associated with poor outcome. To test our hypothesis, we performed analysis of stored plasma samples from a prospective observational study in 91 patients with sepsis, age of 59.1+/−2.0 years, 52.7% females, and 11.0% deaths at 30 days. Vitamin D status, including 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), 1,25(OH)2D, 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (24,25(OH)2D), and parathyroid hormone (PTH), were measured daily over 3 days after hospital admission. At baseline, 1,25(OH)2D was significantly different between survivors vs. non-survivors. But there was no significant difference in 25(OH)D, 24,25(OH)2D, and PTH. In a multivariable binomial logistic regression model, age, total calcium and 1,25(OH)2D were significant predictors of 30-day mortality. Kaplan Meier analysis showed that patients with mean 1,25(OH)2D measured over 3 days of < = 13.6 pg/mL had 57.1% 30-day survival compared to 91.7% in patients with 1,25 (OH)2D level >13.6 pg/mL (p<0.01). From repeated measures regression analysis, there was significant increase in 1,25(OH)2D for increases in 25(OH)D in both survivors and non-survivors. However, compared to survivors, the low 25(OH)D in non-survivors was insufficient to account for the larger decrease in 1,25(OH)2D, indicating a dysfunctional 1α-hydroxylase. Additionally, there was a significant negative correlation between PTH and 1,25(OH)2D in both survivors and non-survivors, suggesting a severe impairment in the effect of PTH to increase renal 1α-hydroxylase activity. In conclusion, low 1,25(OH)2D levels are associated with increased 30-day mortality in sepsis patients, likely due to impaired 25(OH)D hydroxylation and PTH insensitivity. Our data also suggest that the active metabolite 1,25(OH)2D may be an important therapeutic target in the design of sepsis clinical trials.
Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography: Comparison of two- and three-dimensional sequences for the assessment of pancreatic cystic lesions

The present study aimed to compare two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) for the assessment of pancreatic cystic lesions. Between February 2009 and December 2011, 35 patients that had been diagnosed with pancreatic cystic lesions, which was confirmed by surgery and pathology, underwent pre-operative 2D or 3D MRCP for pre-operative evaluation. In the present study, the quality of these 2D and 3D MRCP images, the visualization of the features of the cystic lesions, visualization of the pancreatic main duct and prediction of ductal communication with the cystic lesions were evaluated and compared using statistical software. The 3D MRCP images were determined to be of higher quality compared with the 2D MRCP images. The features of the cystic lesions were visualized better on 3D MRCP compared with 2D MRCP. The same capability for the visualization of the segment of the pancreatic main duct was exhibited by 3D and 2D MRCP. There was no significant difference between the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values of 2D and 3D MRCP, which assessed the prediction of communication between cystic lesions and the pancreatic main duct. It was concluded that, compared with 2D MRCP, 3D MRCP provides an improved assessment of pancreatic cystic lesions, but does not exhibit an improved capability for the visualization of the pancreatic main duct or for the prediction of communication between cystic lesions and the pancreatic main duct.
Late HIV Diagnosis: Proposed Common Definitions and Associations With Short-Term Mortality

AbstractThe aim of this study was to present a definition of late presentation according to different time periods between initial diagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) diagnosis which would reliably identify individuals with high risk of mortality within 1 year of diagnosis, and could be used as a suggested common definition.Data of individuals diagnosed from 1994 to February 2012 in Wuhan, China were extracted retrospectively from the national HIV surveillance system. Four time periods (1, 3, 6, and 12 months) combined with the European consensus definition of advanced HIV disease (AHD) were compared. The predictive ability of each definition for identifying an individual who died within 1 year after HIV diagnosis was assessed.A total of 980 patients were included, of whom 289 (29.49%), 324 (33.06%), 353 (36.02%), and 387 (39.49%) were defined as AHD according to the definition of a CD4 count <200 cells/&mgr;L or AIDS-defining event (ADE) within 1, 3, 6, and 12 months of HIV diagnosis, respectively. One hundred twenty-seven (12.96%) patients died within 1 year of diagnosis. The highest Youden's index and largest area under the curve were presented in time period within 3 months. Time period within 1 month presented the highest consistency rate, positive likelihood ratio, and kappa value. Longer time periods increased the sensitivity but decreased the specificity.Given the European consensus definitions and the current results, we suggested that AHD could be defined as “a first-reported CD4 count <200 cells/&mgr;L or an ADE within 1 month after HIV diagnosis. ” “Late presentation” could be defined as “a first-reported CD4 count <350 cells/&mgr;L or an ADE within 1 month after HIV diagnosis. ”
Rhinovirus-Infected Epithelial Cells Produce More IL-8 and RANTES Compared With Other Respiratory Viruses

Purpose The environmental factors human rhinoviruses (HRVs) and house dust mites (HDMs) are the most common causes of acute exacerbations of asthma. The aim of this study was to compare the chemokine production induced by HRVs in airway epithelial cells with that induced by other respiratory viruses, and to investigate synergistic interactions between HRVs and HDMs on the induction of inflammatory chemokines in vitro. Methods A549 human airway epithelial cells were infected with either rhinovirus serotype 7, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)-A2 strain, or adenovirus serotype 3 and analyzed for interleukin (IL)-8 and regulated on activation, normal T-cell expressed and secreted (RANTES) release and mRNA expression. Additionally, activation of nuclear factor (NF)-κB and activator protein (AP)-1 were evaluated. The release of IL-8 and RANTES was also measured in cells stimulated simultaneously with a virus and the HDM allergen, Der f1. Results HRV caused greater IL-8 and RANTES release and mRNA expression compared with either RSV or adenovirus. NF-κB and AP-1 were activated in these processes. Cells incubated with a virus and Der f1 showed an increased IL-8 release. However, compared with cells incubated with virus alone as the stimulator, only HRV with Der f1 showed a statistically significant increase. Conclusions IL-8 and RANTES were induced to a greater extent by HRV compared with other viruses, and only HRV with Der f1 acted synergistically to induce bronchial epithelial IL-8 release. These findings may correspond with the fact that rhinoviruses are identified more frequently than other viruses in cases of acute exacerbation of asthma.
Imaging Surrogates of Infiltration Obtained Via Multiparametric Imaging Pattern Analysis Predict Subsequent Location of Recurrence of Glioblastoma.

BACKGROUND Glioblastoma is an aggressive and highly infiltrative brain cancer. Standard surgical resection is guided by enhancement on postcontrast T1-weighted (T1) magnetic resonance imaging, which is insufficient for delineating surrounding infiltrating tumor. OBJECTIVE To develop imaging biomarkers that delineate areas of tumor infiltration and predict early recurrence in peritumoral tissue. Such markers would enable intensive, yet targeted, surgery and radiotherapy, thereby potentially delaying recurrence and prolonging survival. METHODS Preoperative multiparametric magnetic resonance images (T1, T1-gadolinium, T2-weighted, T2-weighted fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, diffusion tensor imaging, and dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance images) from 31 patients were combined using machine learning methods, thereby creating predictive spatial maps of infiltrated peritumoral tissue. Cross-validation was used in the retrospective cohort to achieve generalizable biomarkers. Subsequently, the imaging signatures learned from the retrospective study were used in a replication cohort of 34 new patients. Spatial maps representing the likelihood of tumor infiltration and future early recurrence were compared with regions of recurrence on postresection follow-up studies with pathology confirmation. RESULTS This technique produced predictions of early recurrence with a mean area under the curve of 0.84, sensitivity of 91%, specificity of 93%, and odds ratio estimates of 9.29 (99% confidence interval: 8.95-9.65) for tissue predicted to be heavily infiltrated in the replication study. Regions of tumor recurrence were found to have subtle, yet fairly distinctive multiparametric imaging signatures when analyzed quantitatively by pattern analysis and machine learning. CONCLUSION Visually imperceptible imaging patterns discovered via multiparametric pattern analysis methods were found to estimate the extent of infiltration and location of future tumor recurrence, paving the way for improved targeted treatment.
Physically Active Adults: An Analysis of the Key Variables That Keep Them Moving

Background: A large proportion of adults are insufficiently physically active, and researchers have yet to determine the factors that enable individuals to maintain adequate levels of physical activity throughout adulthood. Purpose: This study sought to identify the key variables linked with consistent physical activity in adulthood as elucidated by a criterion sample of physically active adults. Methods: One hundred fifty-seven participants aged 24 and over who engaged in consistently high levels of physical activity rated the extent to which all of the potential correlates of physical activity identified in the research literature impacted their own activity level. Results: Participants reported that psychological, behavioral, and social/interpersonal factors disproportionately served as facilitators that increased their physical activity, when compared to environmental, policy, and demographic factors. Discussion: An ecological approach is necessary for understanding the physical activity behavior of individuals and the factors that support and inhibit adequate physical activity in adulthood. Translation to Health Education Practice: Efforts to address the widespread problem of physical inactivity should utilize an ecological approach by minimizing potential environmental barriers to physical activity while also targeting key individual and interpersonal factors that facilitate consistent engagement in physical activity throughout adulthood.
Median of a graph with respect to edges

For any vertex v and any edge e in a non-trivial connected graph G, the distance sum d(v) of v is d(v) = ∑ u∈V d(v, u), the vertex-to-edge distance sum d1(v) of v is d1(v) = ∑ e∈E d(v, e), the edge-to-vertex distance sum d2(e) of e is d2(e) = ∑ v∈V d(e, v) and the edge-to-edge distance sum d3(e) of e is d3(e) = ∑ f∈E d(e, f). The set M(G) of all vertices v for which d(v) is minimum is the median of G; the set M1(G) of all vertices v for which d1(v) is minimum is the vertex-to-edge median of G; the set M2(G) of all edges e for which d2(e) is minimum is the edge-to-vertex median of G; and the set M3(G) of all edges e for which d3(e) is minimum is the edge-to-edge median of G. We determine these medians for some classes of graphs. We prove that the edge-to-edge median of a graph is the same as the median of its line graph. It is shown that the center and the median; the vertexto-edge center and the vertex-to-edge median; the edge-to-vertex center and the edge-to-vertex median; and the edge-to-edge center and the edge-to-edge median of a graph are not only different but can be arbitrarily far apart.
The Influence of Sports Celebrity Credibility on Purchase Intention: The Moderating Effect of Gender and Consumer Sports-Involvement

This study investigates the effects of sport’s celebrity endorsement on purchase intention. More specifically, this study seeks to (1) identify the extent to which the sports celebrity’s credibility influences consumer purchase intention; (2) the extent to which gender moderates the effect of sports celebrity endorsement on purchase intention; and (3) to what extent consumer sports-involvement moderates the effect of a sports celebrity endorsement on purchase intention. One famous Brazilian soccer player and four product categories were used as stimuli. The research method used was a survey, which has included 1,025 respondents. Data analysis was performed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Structural equation modeling (SEM), using the ADF technique, was applied to test the substantive hypotheses. To test the hypotheses of the moderating effect of gender and consumer sports-involvement, the research used the multigroup analysis technique. The empirical results support the relationship between a sport celebrity’s endorsement and purchase intention. The moderating effects of gender and sports-involvement were also empirically supported, but only partially.
NFkB and Nrf2 in esophageal epithelial barrier function

The stratified squamous epithelium of the esophagus forms a tight protective barrier. Defects of the barrier function contribute to gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), which is manifested as damage to the esophageal epithelium due to exposure to the gastrointestinal refluxate. In this review, we discuss the involvement of NFkB and Nrf2 in esophageal epithelial barrier function. Understanding these molecular pathways in the esophagus may help us develop therapeutic strategies to improve clinical outcomes in patients with GERD.
The Effects of Weather on Daily Mood: a Multilevel Approach

The present study examines the effects of six weather parameters (temperature, wind power, sunlight, precipitation, air pressure, and photoperiod) on mood (positive affect, negative affect, and tiredness). Data were gathered from an online diary study (N ϭ 1,233), linked to weather station data, and analyzed by means of multilevel analysis. Multivariate and univariate analyses enabled distinction between unique and shared effects. The results revealed main effects of temperature, wind power, and sunlight on negative affect. Sunlight had a main effect on tiredness and mediated the effects of precipitation and air pressure on tiredness. In terms of explained variance, however, the average effect of weather on mood was only small, though significant random variation was found across individuals, especially regarding the effect of photoperiod. However, these individual differences in weather sensitivity could not be explained by the Five Factor Model personality traits, gender, or age. Weather is widely believed to influence people's mood. For example, the majority of people think they feel happier on days with a lot of sunshine as compared to dark and rainy days. Although this association seems to be common sense (Watson, 2000), it is striking to see that the number of studies on the association between daily weather and mood is relatively small (Keller et al., 2005). In studying such an association, seasonal influences of weather must be distinguished from day-today influences. This distinction becomes clearest when studying the effect of the amount of sunlight (i.e., hours per day were a shadow can be detected) on mood: This variable both fluctuates between days within a single season (e.g., a sunny vs. a cloudy summer day), but also between seasons (in the northern hemisphere, pho-toperiods are longest during summer and shortest during winter, leading to more hours/day for potential unobstructed sunlight accumulation in summer than in winter). This distinction is important since mood reactions to day-today weather fluctuations may not generalize to reactions to seasonal weather fluctuations, and vice versa. In studying the effects of weather on mood, several studies have focused exclusively on individuals with seasonal affective disorder (SAD), a condition that involves recurrent fall/ winter major depressive episodes that remit in the spring (e. clinical condition may be an extreme manifestation of normal variations in seasonality (defined as an individual's degree of Previous studies on weather and its relation with psychological constructs took only one or two weather parameters into account it is important to …
AID-induced remodeling of immunoglobulin genes and B cell fate

Survival and phenotype of normal and malignant B lymphocytes are critically dependent on constitutive signals by the B cell receptor (BCR) for antigen. In addition, either antigen ligation of the BCR or various mitogenic stimuli result in B cell activation and induction of activation-induced deaminase (AID). AID activity can in turn mediate somatic hypermutation (SHM) of immunoglobulin (Ig) V regions and also deeply remodel the Ig heavy chain locus through class switch recombination (CSR) or locus suicide recombination (LSR). In addition to changes linked to affinity for antigen, modifying the class/isotype (i.e. the structure and function) of the BCR or suddenly deleting BCR expression also modulates the fate of antigen-experienced B cells.
The X-Ray Properties of the Most Luminous Quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

Utilizing 21 new Chandra observations as well as archival Chandra, ROSAT, and XMM-Newton data, we study the X-ray properties of a representative sample of 59 of the most optically luminous quasars in the universe (Mi ≈ -29.3 to -30.2) spanning a redshift range of z ≈ 1.5-4.5. Our full sample consists of 32 quasars from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 3 (DR3) quasar catalog, two additional objects in the DR3 area that were missed by the SDSS selection criteria, and 25 comparably luminous quasars at z ≳ 4. This is the largest X-ray study of such luminous quasars to date. By jointly fitting the X-ray spectra of our sample quasars, excluding radio-loud and broad absorption line (BAL) objects, we find a mean X-ray power-law photon index of Γ = 1.92 and constrain any neutral intrinsic absorbing material to have a mean column density of NH ≲ 2 × 1021 cm-2. We find, consistent with other studies, that Γ does not change with redshift, and we constrain the amount of allowed Γ evolution for the most luminous quasars. Our sample, excluding radio-loud and BAL quasars, has a mean X-ray-to-optical spectral slope of αox = -1.80 ± 0.02, as well as no significant evolution of αox with redshift. We also comment on the X-ray properties of a number of notable quasars, including an X-ray-weak quasar with several strong narrow absorption line systems, a mildly radio-loud BAL quasar, and a well-studied gravitationally lensed quasar.
Modulation of IL‐8 receptor expression on purified human T lymphocytes is associated with changed chemotactic responses to IL‐8

Interleukin‐8 is a member of the chemokine superfamily and is a major mediator of acute inflammation. Although IL‐8 has been reported by some laboratories also to be a chemoattractant for T lymphocytes, this has been difficult to confirm and remains a controversial issue. By using freshly purified human T cells (90–95% CD3+), we could demonstrate consistent directional migration of T cells to recombinant human IL‐8. IL‐8 was as potent as RANTES, MIP1α, and M1P1β in inducing T cell chemotaxis. Highly purified T cells, however, incubated at 37° for more than 12 h or cultured over‐night with anti‐CD3 antibody cross‐linked to plastic dishes, showed a markedly reduced capacity to migrate in response to IL‐8. This was associated with a decrease in binding of radioiodinated IL‐8 to T cells. Northern blot and polymerase chain reaction analyses showed that freshly purified T cells expressed mRNA for both IL‐8 receptor type A and type B. Steady‐state levels of mRNA for the IL‐8RA and IL‐8RB genes were also reduced by incubation of the cells with or without anti‐CD3 for 12 h at 37°. These results indicate that T cells are indeed one of the target cell populations for IL‐8. The regulation of IL‐8 receptor expression on T lymphocytes may contribute to the pathophysiological role of IL‐8 in inducing the homing and infiltration of T cells. J. Leukoc. Biol. 57: 335–342; 1995.
Impact of contextual constraint on vocabulary acquisition in reading*

ABSTRACT The current study investigated the influence of contextual constraint (strong versus moderate) on incidental vocabulary acquisition in reading, as eye movements of adult skilled readers were monitored. Surprise post-tests followed the reading session, and eye movement behaviour was directly connected to retention data. Longer and more frequent reading/rereading was associated with trials containing a novel target (rather than a known control), and unique patterns of connective rereading between constraint conditions were observed. For reading measures reflecting target word processing and connecting target with context, fixations were generally longer and more frequent for moderate constraint than for strong. The exception was in rereading of informative context, which was generally longer for strong constraint. More and longer fixations while connecting novel targets with informative context proved critical for novel word retention, significantly so for moderate constraint but not for strong, based on eye movement data associated with memory for novel word stimuli.
Fermionic Kac-Moody billiards and supergravity

We study the ``fermionic billiards'', i.e. the chaotic dynamics of the gravitino, that arise in the near-spacelike-singularity limit of eleven-dimensional supergravity and of its dimensional truncations (notably four-dimensional simple supergravity). By exploiting the gravity-coset correspondence, we show that the billiard dynamics of the gravitino is described by a `spin extension' of the Weyl group of the hyperbolic Kac-Moody algebra E10. This spin extension is a discrete subgroup of (a spin covering of) the maximal compact subgroup K(E10) of E10 that is generated by ten (simple-root-related) idempotent elements of order 8. The `super-billiard' that combines the bosonic and fermionic billiards is found to have a remarkably simple structure, which exhibits a striking analogy with a polarized photon propagating in the ten-dimensional Lorentzian Weyl chamber of E10.