Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gender difference in response predictors after 1-year exenatide therapy twice daily in type 2 diabetic patients: a real world experience

Purpose To investigate whether gender affects therapeutic response by exenatide twice a day (BID) in type 2 diabetes by using a database concerning patients monitored by five outpatient clinics in Tuscany, Italy. Patients and methods We considered a cohort of 315 (154 male/161 female) patients experiencing therapeutic failure while on oral therapy (metformin, or combination therapy metformin + sulphonylureas), who were given exenatide (10 μg/BID) and who fully completed 4 months, 8 months, and 12 months of follow-ups. Results Among patients stratified by gender and well matched for age, body mass index, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), it was found that the length of disease was longer in females than in males (12 ± 8 years versus 10 ± 7 years; P = 0.037), and the ratio of patients on metformin to those on combination therapy was higher in men (P = 0.018). Target glycemic response (1-year HbA1c ≤ 7%) was achieved in a significantly higher proportion of males than females (38% versus 27%; χ2 = 4.66; P = 0.03). Target weight loss expressed as 1-year weight percent fall from baseline ≥ 75th percentile (8.5%) was significantly higher in females at 8 and 12 months (P < 0.05; for both). One-year glycemic target response was inversely related to baseline HbA1c levels and diabetes duration among males, while metformin therapy (compared to oral combination therapy) was a significant predictor of better glycemic targets among females. Homeostasis model assessment-B, measured in 117 patients, predicted hypoglycemic response only in women (P = 0.009). Target 1-year weight loss was predicted by longer diabetes duration among males and by lower baseline HbA1c among females. Finally, no significant difference between genders was noted as to gastrointestinal side effects after exenatide therapy. Conclusion According to this “real world” experience, predictors of glycemic control and body weight loss after 12 months of exenatide BID therapy are different between genders in type 2 diabetes.
Spatial and Temporal Dynamics of Potato Tuberworm (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in the Columbia Basin of the Pacific Northwest

ABSTRACT A landscape-scale study from 2004 to 2006 investigated the spatial and temporal dynamics of a new pest to the Columbia Basin of the Pacific Northwest, the potato tuberworm, Phthorimaea operculella (Zeller). Male P. operculella were monitored in spring, summer, and fall each year with a pheromone-baited trapping network in Oregon and Washington. The objectives of the study were to (1) describe the temporal and spatial dynamics of the recent outbreak of P. operculella in the region and (2) examine the relationship of the spatial and temporal distribution of the outbreak and weather (air temperature, precipitation, and dew point) and geographic variables (elevation and latitude). Weather data during the P. operculella outbreak were compared with a reference period (1993–1999) that occurred before the outbreak. The outbreak in 2004, which caused the first widespread tuber damage in the region, was positively associated with warmer temperatures in the preceding fall and in the spring, summer, and fall of the growing season. October and November 2003 and March 2004 were also drier than the reference period. However, the winter of 2003/2004 was colder than the reference period and thus mild winter conditions did not explain the outbreak. The importance of environmental variables on the seasonal spatial distribution of the pest each year was examined using nonparametric multiplicative regression. Locations with higher spring, summer, or fall temperatures were associated with increased trapping rates in most seasons. Elevation and latitude seemed to play a constraining role, because low trapping rates of P. operculella were associated with higher elevations and latitudes.
Fine and coarse root parameters from mature black spruce displaying genetic × soil moisture interaction in growth

Fine and coarse root biomass, C, and N mass parameters were assessed by root size and soil depths from soil cores in plots of 32-year-old black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb. ) from four full-sib families studied previously for drought tolerance and differential productivity on a dry and wet site. All fine and coarse root size categories had greater root biomass on the dry than on the wet site. Most of the site differences resided in 0-20 cm soil depth. The wet site had greater root N concentration than the dry site, despite the same soil N; thus, virtually no differences were observed in total fine and coarse root N mass between sites. Root N concentration declined with increases in both soil depth and root size. Fine roots (2 mm) accounted for 73% and 38% of the total fine and coarse N and C mass, respectively. The dry site had lower needle mass and more fine root mass than the wet site, demonstrating an adaptation to moisture stress change through the rebalancing of resource-obtaining organs. Drought-tolerant families had the same quantity of fine roots as drought-intolerant families but were able to support more foliage and aboveground mass per unit fine root mass than intolerant families.
Effects of Photoperiod and Ambient Temperature on the Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Neuronal System in the Gray Hamster, Tscherskia triton

In seasonal breeders like the hamster, gonadal function depends on the photoperiod. The present study examined the effects of different photoperiods and ambient temperatures on the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neuronal system in male gray hamsters, Tscherskia triton. Hamsters were kept from birth under a long-day (LD: 16 h light and 8 h dark) photoperiod and at 23°C until the experiment began. The animals were then kept for 30 days under different photoperiods and ambient temperatures. After autopsy, immunocytochemical and semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses were performed on the hamster forebrain. Exposure to a short-day (SD: 8 h light and 16 h dark) photoperiod at 23°C induced a functional decline in the GnRH neuronal system (increased neuron number and immunoreactivity, and reduced cell size). LD with low ambient temperature (7°C) did not influence the GnRH neuronal system. In contrast, SD with low ambient temperature enhanced the SD-induced functional decline in GnRH neurons. Changes in immunoreactivity of GnRH fibers in the median eminence, their release site, were also similar to those in neuronal perikarya. Significant differences in GnRH gene expression were detected in the SD only group and the SD with low ambient temperature group. However, no differences were detected between the two groups. These findings suggest that low ambient temperature enhanced the SD-induced decline in GnRH release from nerve terminals, but was not a crucial factor in the synthesis of this decapeptide.
Applying Biclustering to Perform Collaborative Filtering

Collaborative filtering (CF) is a method to perform automated suggestions for a user based on the opinion of other users with similar interest. Most of the CF algorithms do not take into account the existent duality between users and items, considering only the similarities between users or only the similarities between items. In this paper we propose a novel methodology for the CF capable of dealing with this situation. By proposing an immune-inspired bi clustering technique to carry out clustering of rows and columns at the same time, our algorithm is able to group similarities between users and items. In order to evaluate the proposed methodology, we have applied it to Movie Lens dataset which contains user's ratings to a large set of movies. The results indicate that our proposal is able to provide useful recommendations for the users, outperforming other methodologies for CF reported in the literature.
Umbilical Artery Doppler Study as a Predictive Marker of Perinatal Outcome in Preterm Small for Gestational Age Infants

Purpose To evaluate the merit of umbilical artery Doppler study as a predictive marker of perinatal outcome in preterm small for gestational age (SGA) infants. Materials and Methods A total of 218 patients at 27 - 36 weeks of gestational age (GA) who received antenatal umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry and delivered singleton infants with SGA. The ratio of peak-systolic to end-diastolic blood flow velocities (S/D) in the umbilical artery was measured in each patient. The patients were divided into 3 groups: the normal group with S/D ratios of less than 95th percentile (n = 134), elevated S/D ratio group of 95th or more percentile (n = 41), and those with absent/reversed end diastolic flow (n = 43). Maternal characteristics and neonatal outcomes of these groups were comparatively analyzed. Results The gestational age (GA) at the time of diagnosis of SGA, the mean GA at delivery, and the mean birth weight showed statistically significant difference among three groups (p < 0.001). Also, poor perinatal outcome was significantly increased in infants with abnormal S/D ratio (13.4% vs. 31.7% vs. 67.4%, p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed umbilical artery Doppler study as a significant independent factor for prediction of poor perinatal outcome (odds ratio: 3.7, 95% confidence interval 1.4 - 9.5, p = 0.007). Conclusion Antenatal umbilical artery Doppler velocimetry is shown as a significantly efficient marker in predicting perinatal outcome in preterm SGA infants.
Biochemical and Biomechanical Properties of Lesion and Adjacent Articular Cartilage after Chondral Defect Repair in an Equine Model

Background Chondral defects may lead to degradative changes in the surrounding cartilage, predisposing patients to developing osteoarthritis. Purpose To quantify changes in the biomechanical and biochemical properties of the articular cartilage adjacent to chondral defects after experimental defect repair. Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Methods Specimens were harvested from tissue within (lesion), immediately adjacent to, and at a distance from (remote area) a full-thickness cartilage defect 8 months after cartilage repair with genetically modified chondrocytes expressing insulin-like growth factor-I or unmodified, control chondrocytes. Biomechanical properties, including instantaneous Young's and equilibrium aggregate moduli, were determined by confined compression testing. Biochemical properties, such as water and proteoglycan content, were also measured. Results The instantaneous Young's modulus, equilibrium modulus, and proteoglycan content increased, whereas water content decreased with increasing distance from the repaired lesion. The instantaneous Young's and equilibrium moduli of the adjacent articular cartilage were 80% and 50% that of remote area samples, respectively, whereas water content increased 0.9% and proteoglycan content was decreased by 35%. No significant changes in biomechanical and biochemical properties were found either in the lesion tissue or in adjacent cartilage with genetic modification of the chondrocytes. Conclusion Articular cartilage adjacent to repaired chondral defects showed significant remodeling 8 months after chondral defect repair, regardless of whether genetically modified or unmodified cells were implanted. Clinical Relevance Changes in the biochemical and biomechanical properties of articular cartilage adjacent to repaired chondral defects may represent remodeling as part of an adaptive process or degeneration secondary to an altered distribution of joint forces. Quantification of these changes could provide important parameters for assessing progress after operative chondral defect repair.
System-level infrastructure for boot-time testing and configuration of networks-on-chip with programmable routing logic

Networks-on-chip need to survive to manufacturing faults in order to sustain yield. An effective testing and configuration strategy however implies two opposite requirements. On one hand, a fast and scalable built-in self-testing and self-diagnosis procedure has to be carried out concurrently at NoC switches. On the other hand, programming the NoC routing mechanism to go around faulty links and switches can be optimally performed by a centralized controller with global network visibility. This paper proposes a global hardware infrastructure that meets such requirements by means of a fault-tolerant dual network architecture and a configuration strategy for reprogramming the routing mechanism of each switch. This is the first complete infrastructure for testing and reconfiguring a NoC based on reprogrammable routing logic.
Dumont's Statistic on Words

We define Dumont's statistic on the symmetric group $S_n$ to be the function dmc: $S_n \rightarrow {\bf N}$ which maps a permutation $\sigma$ to the number of distinct nonzero letters in code$( \sigma )$. Dumont showed that this statistic is Eulerian. Naturally extending Dumont's statistic to the rearrangement classes of arbitrary words, we create a generalized statistic which is again Eulerian. As a consequence, we show that for each distributive lattice $J(P)$ which is a product of chains, there is a poset $Q$ such that the $f$-vector of $Q$ is the $h$-vector of $J(P)$. This strengthens for products of chains a result of Stanley concerning the flag $h$-vectors of Cohen-Macaulay complexes. We conjecture that the result holds for all finite distributive lattices.
Botulinum toxin treatment of spasticity in diplegic cerebral palsy: a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, dose‐ranging study

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of three doses of botulinum toxin A (BTX‐A; Dysport) in 125 patients (mean age 5.2 years, SD 2; 54% male)with dynamic equinus spasticity during walking. Participants were randomized to receive Dysport (10, 20, or 30 units/kg) or placebo to the gastrocnemius muscle of both legs. Muscle length was calculated from electrogoniometric measurements and the change in the dynamic component of gastrocnemius shortening at four weeks was prospectively identified as the primary outcome measure. All treatment groups showed statistically significant decreases in dynamic component compared with placebo at 4 weeks. Mean improvement in dynamic component was most pronounced in the 20 units/kg group, being equivalent to an increase in dorsiflexion with the knee extended at 1920, and was still present at 16 weeks. The safety profile of the toxin appears satisfactory.
Postoperative Morbidity and Mortality of Perforated Peptic Ulcer: Retrospective Cohort Study of Risk Factors among Black Africans in Côte d'Ivoire

Introduction. Surgical treatment of perforated peptic ulcer (PPU) is a challenge for surgeons in Africa. Aim. To determine risk factors of postoperative complications or mortality among black Ivoirian patients with PPU. Methods. All 161 patients (median age = 34 years, 90.7 male) operated on for PPU in the visceral and general surgery unit were enrolled in a retrospective cohort study. Variables were studied with Kaplan Meier and Cox proportional hazard models. Results. Among 161 patients operated on for PPU, 36 (27.5%) experienced complications and 31 (19.3%) died. Follow-up results were the incidence of complications and mortality of 6.4 (95% CI: 4.9–8.0) per 100 person-days and 3.0 (95% CI: 1.9–4.0) per 100 person-days for incidence of mortality. In multivariate analysis, risk factors of postoperative complications or mortality were comorbidities (HR = 2.1, P = 0.03), tachycardia (pulse rate > 100/minutes) (HR = 2.4, P = 0.02), purulent intra-abdominal fluid collection (HR = 2.1, P = 0.04), hyponatremia (median value ≤ 134 mEq/L) (HR = 2.3, P = 0.01), delayed time of hospital admission > 72 hours (HR = 2.6, P < 0.0001), and delayed time of surgical intervention between 24 and 48 hours (HR = 3.8, P < 0.0001). Conclusion. The delayed hospital admission or surgical intervention and hyponatremia may be considered as additional risk of postoperative complications or mortality in Black African patients with PPU.
The information behaviors of life and health scientists and health care providers: characteristics of the research literature.

BACKGROUND In a literature-based discussion of research on the information behaviors of life and health scientists and health care practitioners, the problem of characterizing this complex literature is discussed. The issue of terminology for this interdisciplinary area is raised. The paucity of models for information seeking behavior that have been tested in a health care population is discussed, as are the frequently used methods of investigation and data collection methods. METHODS By analyzing a large number of information behavior research studies, the questions of who does the research and where the research is published are answered. The characteristics of this research are discussed. Studies are cited that investigate the information behavior of physicians, multidisplinary groups of health professionals, medical students and faculty, nurses and other allied health personnel, life scientists, and basic science researchers. Two short case studies--on the diffusion of medical knowledge and on drug information and physician behavior--are used as examples of information behavior research. CONCLUSIONS The importance of studying the information behavior of health and life scientists and health care providers is underscored by a discussion of the implications for further study.
PATTERNS OF LARVAL DISPERSAL AND THEIR EFFECT ON THE MAINTENANCE OF A BLUE MUSSEL HYBRID ZONE IN SOUTHWESTERN ENGLAND

Abstract The blue mussels Mytilus edulis and M. galloprovincialis hybridize in southwestern England. Within this hybrid zone environmentally based directional selection favors individuals with alleles specific to M. galloprovincialis. What forces are countering this directional selection and allowing for the maintenance of a stable hybrid population are unknown. We used both the genetics of recently settled larvae and a fine-scale model of the physical oceanography of the region to determine the patterns of larval dispersal throughout the hybrid zone and the bordering parental populations. Evidence from both the model and the genetics suggests that the hybrid zone lies between two barriers to dispersal. Start Point separates the M. edulis population from the hybrid zone and allows minimal dispersal from the hybrid zone into the M. edulis population, but none in the other direction. Likewise, the M. galloprovincialis populations along the northern coast of Cornwall regularly receive immigrating larvae from the hybrid zone, but larvae from the M. galloprovincialis population do not enter the hybrid zone. However, larvae settling at hybrid zone sites have high frequencies of alleles specific to M. edulis, suggesting that reproductive barriers, selection in the larval stage, or gene flow from an undetermined source is effectively balancing the directional selection observed in the adults.
Source of Individual and Team Resilience Relationship Quality and Virtuousness: Emotional Carrying Capacity as a

Virtuousness in organizations involves individuals and teams being resilient, or bouncing back from setbacks in ways that allow them to adapt and grow. In two studies, we focus on emotional carrying capacity (ECC), wherein relationship partners express more of their emotions, express both positive and negative emotions, and do so constructively, as a source of resilience in individuals and in teams. Study 1’s findings indicate that ECC is positively related to individual resilience and that ECC mediates the link between relationship closeness and individual resilience. Study 2’s findings indicate a similar pattern for resilience at the team level: ECC is positively related to team resilience and mediates the connection between trust and team resilience. Together, these studies provide insight into how emotional expression in relationships is a key mechanism in explaining resilience, a foundational element for the pursuit of long-term virtuousness for individuals and for teams.
GFAP mutations, age at onset, and clinical subtypes in Alexander disease

Objective: To characterize Alexander disease (AxD) phenotypes and determine correlations with age at onset (AAO) and genetic mutation. AxD is an astrogliopathy usually characterized on MRI by leukodystrophy and caused by glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) mutations. Methods: We present 30 new cases of AxD and reviewed 185 previously reported cases. We conducted Wilcoxon rank sum tests to identify variables scaling with AAO, survival analysis to identify predictors of mortality, and &khgr;2 tests to assess the effects of common GFAP mutations. Finally, we performed latent class analysis (LCA) to statistically define AxD subtypes. Results: LCA identified 2 classes of AxD. Type I is characterized by early onset, seizures, macrocephaly, motor delay, encephalopathy, failure to thrive, paroxysmal deterioration, and typical MRI features. Type II is characterized by later onset, autonomic dysfunction, ocular movement abnormalities, bulbar symptoms, and atypical MRI features. Survival analysis predicted a nearly 2-fold increase in mortality among patients with type I AxD relative to those with type II. R79 and R239 GFAP mutations were most common (16.6% and 20.3% of all cases, respectively). These common mutations predicted distinct clinical outcomes, with R239 predicting the most aggressive course. Conclusions: AAO and the GFAP mutation site are important clinical predictors in AxD, with clear correlations to defined patterns of phenotypic expression. We propose revised AxD subtypes, type I and type II, based on analysis of statistically defined patient groups. GLOSSARY: AAO: age at onset AxD: Alexander disease CNMC: Children's National Medical Center GFAP: glial fibrillary axial protein IRB: institutional review board LCA: latent class analysis
Relationship between lipids levels and right ventricular volume overload in congestive heart failure

Background The relationship between lipids and coronary artery disease has been well established. However, this is not the case between lipids and heart failure. Ironically, high lipid levels are associated with better outcomes in heart failure, but the mechanisms underlying the phenomenon are not fully understood. This study was performed to test the hypothesis that reduced intestinal lipid absorption due to venous congestion may lead to low lipid levels. Methods We collected data of clinical characteristics, echocardiograph, and lipid profile in 442 unselected patients with congestive heart failure. Correlations between lipid levels [including total cholesterol (TCL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and triglycerides (TG)] and right ventricle end diastolic diameter (RVEDD), left ventricle end diastolic diameter (LVEDD), right atrium diameter (RA), left atrium diameter (LA), or left ventricle ejection fraction (LVEF) were analyzed using Pearson correlation and partial correlation. RVEDD, LVEDD, RA, and LA were indexed to the body surface area. Results There was a significantly inverse correlation between TCL levels and RVEDD (r = −0.34, P < 0.001) and RA (r = −0.36, P < 0.001). Other lipids such as LDL-C, HDL-C, and TG had a similar inverse correlation with RVEDD and RA. All these correlations remained unchanged after adjusting for age, gender, smoking status, physical activity levels, comorbidities, and medication use. Conclusions Lipid levels were inversely correlated to RVEDD in patients with congestive heart failure; however, because this was an observational study, further investigation is needed to verify our results as well as identify a causal relationship, if any.