Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The role of right ventricular function in paediatric idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

Abstract Introduction The prevalence of right ventricular dysfunction in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy is incompletely studied in children. Furthermore, right ventricular function may signal worse outcomes. We evaluated recently published right ventricular function echocardiographic indices in identifying dysfunction in children with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and the impact of right ventricular dysfunction on long-term prognosis. Methods A retrospective database review of right ventricular function indices in 30 patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy was compared with 60 age- and sex-matched controls from January, 2001 until December, 2010. Right ventricular function was assessed by Doppler tissue peak systolic S′, early and late diastolic E′ and A′ waves and isovolumic acceleration at the tricuspid valve annulus; pulsed wave Doppler tricuspid valve inflow E and A waves; right ventricular myocardial performance index; tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion; right ventricular fractional area change. Results Right ventricular systolic and diastolic function in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy was significantly impaired. All measured indices except for isovolumic acceleration and fractional area change were significantly reduced, with a p-value less than 0.05. There was no right ventricular index predictive of death or transplantation. Patients with poor outcome were significantly more likely to need inotropic support (p-value equal to 0.018), be placed on a ventricular assist device (p equal to 0.005), and have a worse left ventricular ejection fraction z-score (p-value equal to 0.002). Conclusion Right ventricular dysfunction is under-recognised in children presenting with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. The need for clinical circulatory support and left ventricular ejection fraction z-score less than minus 8 were primary determinants of outcome, independent of the degree of derangement in right ventricular function.
Serum level of IP-10 increases predictive value of IL28B polymorphisms for spontaneous clearance of acute HCV infection.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in IL28B and serum levels of interferon γ inducible protein 10 (IP-10) predict outcomes of antiviral therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis C. We associated IL28B SNPs rs12979860 and rs8099917, along with serum levels of IP-10, with outcomes of patients with acute hepatitis C (AHC). METHODS We studied 120 patients with AHC (64 male; 37 ± 16 years old) and 96 healthy individuals (controls). The IL28B SNPs rs12979860 and rs8099917 were detected using real-time polymerase chain reaction; serum concentrations of IP-10 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays of 62 patients with AHC. RESULTS Hepatitis C virus was cleared spontaneously from 59 patients (49.2%). The IL28B rs12979860 C/C genotype was more frequent among patients with AHC than controls (62.5% vs 39.6%; P < .001) and among patients with spontaneous clearance than those without (74.6% vs 51.7%; P = .02) (positive predictive value, 60.3%). Patients with IL28B rs12979860 C/C more frequently developed jaundice (53.2% vs 27.6%; P = .022) than carriers of the T allele. The median level of IP-10 was lower among patients with AHC and spontaneous clearance (764 [113-2470] pg/mL) than those without spontaneous clearance (1481 [141-4412] pg/mL; P = .006). Based on receiver operating characteristic analysis, 540 pg/mL IP-10 was set as the cutoff for patients most likely to have spontaneous clearance (positive predictive value, 71.4%; negative predictive value, 65.9%). Including data on IP-10 levels increased the ability of the IL28B rs12979860 C/C to identify patients most likely to have spontaneous clearance (83% of those who had an IP-10 level <540 pg/mL and 32% who had an IP-10 level >540 pg/mL) (P < .01). CONCLUSIONS The combination of serum level of IP-10 and SNPs in IL28B can identify patients with AHC who are most likely to undergo spontaneous clearance and those in need of early antiviral therapy.
Professional and veterinary competencies: addressing human relations and the human-animal bond in veterinary medicine.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to determine the nature and degree of coverage of human relations and the human-animal bond in veterinary curricula across North America. The attitudes and opinions of a cohort of veterinary students and alumni about human relations skills and human-animal bond training in the veterinary program was also investigated. METHOD Twenty veterinary schools across North America were contacted and data were collected regarding their coverage of human relations and the human-animal bond in the curriculum. A survey was developed to measure attitudes and opinions about this type of training. The survey was disseminated to students in years 1 to 4 and alumni from the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC). Data were analyzed descriptively. RESULTS Based on availability of contact people, 20 schools in North America were contacted, and all participated in the study. Each of the veterinary schools surveyed has incorporated strategies for teaching human relations skills through required courses, electives, guest speakers, and/or community service programs. The overall participation rate for OVC students was 53%. Ninety-nine percent of all students surveyed agreed that their ability to deal with people using effective human relations skills was a concern, and all students said they would like to receive more training in this area. There was a 41% participation rate for OVC alumni. Fifty-five percent of alumni said they had learned enough in the veterinary program to employ effective human relations skills in practice, yet 65% felt they had not received enough instruction in addressing the human-animal bond specifically. CONCLUSIONS It is apparent that veterinary schools recognize the need to prepare entry-level practitioners to deal with the human-animal bond and with human relations. It is also evident that students and practitioners value receiving information of this nature in the curriculum and desire further training. Specific learning objectives for veterinary curricula have been outlined based on findings from this study.
Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cell Gene Expression Remains Broadly Altered Years after Successful Interferon-Based Hepatitis C Virus Treatment

Background. Inflammatory gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) is altered in chronic Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection. Duration of changes after pegylated interferon- (peg-IFN-) based HCV treatment is unclear. Methods. PBMC mRNA expression of 184 inflammatory response genes was analyzed (nCounter GX Human Inflammation Kit, Nanostring) from peg-IFN treatment nonresponders (NR, n = 18), sustained virologic responders (SVR, n = 22), and spontaneous clearers (SC, n = 15). Logistic regression was used for comparison. Results. Median time from last treatment was 2 and 2.7 years in SVR and NR, respectively (p = NS). Mean mRNA counts were significantly different for 42 and 29 genes comparing SVR to SC patients and NR to SC, respectively, and no genes comparing SVR to NR. Differential expression of 24 genes was significantly different in both SVR and NR groups compared to SC. Among these 24 acute and chronic inflammatory cascade genes, significant upregulation was noted for proinflammatory transcription regulators Fos, CEBPB, and MyD88 in SVR and NR compared to SC. HDAC4 was significantly downregulated in SVR and NR compared to the SC group. Conclusions. PBMC inflammatory gene expression patterns in SVR resemble NR more than SC patients. A generalized inflammatory response persists in PBMCs long after successful peg-IFN treatment for HCV infection.
Risk factors for hospital admission in the 28 days following a community-acquired pneumonia diagnosis in older adults, and their contribution to increasing hospitalisation rates over time: a cohort study

Objectives To determine factors associated with hospitalisation after community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) among older adults in England, and to investigate how these factors have contributed to increasing hospitalisations over time. Design Cohort study. Setting Primary and secondary care in England. Population 39 211 individuals from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, who were eligible for linkage to Hospital Episode Statistics and mortality data, were aged ≥65 and had at least 1 CAP episode between April 1998 and March 2011. Main outcome measures The association between hospitalisation within 28 days of CAP diagnosis (a ‘post-CAP’ hospitalisation) and a wide range of comorbidities, frailty factors, medications and vaccinations. We examined the role of these factors in post-CAP hospitalisation trends. We also looked at trends in post-CAP mortality and length of hospitalisation over the study period. Results 14 comorbidities, 5 frailty factors and 4 medications/vaccinations were associated with hospitalisation (of 18, 12 and 7 considered, respectively). Factors such as chronic lung disease, severe renal disease and diabetes were associated with increased likelihood of hospitalisation, whereas factors such as recent influenza vaccination and a recent antibiotic prescription decreased the odds of hospitalisation. Despite adjusting for these and other factors, the average predicted probability of hospitalisation after CAP rose markedly from 57% (1998–2000) to 86% (2009–2010). Duration of hospitalisation and 28-day mortality decreased over the study period. Conclusions The risk factors we describe enable identification of patients at increased likelihood of post-CAP hospitalisation and thus in need of proactive case management. Our analyses also provide evidence that while comorbidities and frailty factors contributed to increasing post-CAP hospitalisations in recent years, the trend appears to be largely driven by changes in service provision and patient behaviour.
Collagen-Based Matrices Improve the Delivery of Transplanted Circulating Progenitor Cells: Development and Demonstration by Ex Vivo Radionuclide Cell Labeling and In Vivo Tracking With Positron-Emission Tomography

Background—Collagen delivery matrices have been reported to improve the results of cell therapy, but knowledge of their mechanisms of action is limited. To evaluate whether a collagen matrix improves early engraftment posttransplantation, 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (18F-FDG) was used to label transplanted circulating progenitor cells (CPCs) and track them in vivo with positron-emission tomography. Methods and Results—Efficiency of 18F-FDG cell labeling was CPC-concentration dependent (r=0.61, P<0.001) but not 18F-FDG-dose dependent. Labeled human CPCs (2×106) were injected with or without a collagen-based matrix in the ischemic hind limb of rats (n=12 per group) 2 weeks after femoral artery ligation. Imaging of labeled cells, acquired by small animal positron-emission tomography at 150 minutes postinjection, revealed greater CPC retention in the ischemic hind limb and less nonspecific leakage to other tissues (retention ratio, 0.44±0.08) when CPCs were delivered within the matrix, compared with cells injected alone (0.22±0.13, P=0.040) and with 18F-FDG injected with or without the matrix (0.10±0.05 and 0.11±0.05, respectively, P<0.005). Tissue radionuclide biodistribution was performed after completion of positron-emission tomography imaging. When 18F-FDG-labeled cells were injected with the collagen matrix, accumulation was significantly increased (by 69.6%, P=0.021) in the target ischemic hind limb muscle and significantly reduced (by 14.8% to 31.4%, P<0.05) in nonspecific tissues, compared with cells injected alone. Histology confirmed the increased retention in target tissue associated with the matrix. Conclusions—Early posttransplantation, a collagen matrix enhances progenitor cell retention and limits distribution to nonspecific tissues, as measured by the use of 18F-FDG labeled cells and positron-emission tomography imaging and confirmed by biodistribution and histology.
Optimization of aperiodic dielectric structures

The electromagnetic scattering properties of identical parallel dielectric cylinders configured to closely match a desired response are investigated. Spatial arrangements obtained using a computationally efficient gradient-based optimizer and finite difference forward solver are aperiodic and nonintuitive. We find good agreement between calculations and experiments performed at 37.5GHz and suggest that finite-sized aperiodic configurations may provide access to functionality inaccessible by conventional periodic, photonic crystal inspired, designs.
Back-of-device interaction allows creating very small touch devices

In this paper, we explore how to add pointing input capabilities to very small screen devices. On first sight, touchscreens seem to allow for particular compactness, because they integrate input and screen into the same physical space. The opposite is true, however, because the user's fingers occlude contents and prevent precision. We argue that the key to touch-enabling very small devices is to use touch on the device backside. In order to study this, we have created a 2.4" prototype device; we simulate screens smaller than that by masking the screen. We present a user study in which participants completed a pointing task successfully across display sizes when using a back-of device interface. The touchscreen-based control condition (enhanced with the shift technique), in contrast, failed for screen diagonals below 1 inch. We present four form factor concepts based on back-of-device interaction and provide design guidelines extracted from a second user study.
Mesenchymal stromal cells from patients with myelodyplastic syndrome display distinct functional alterations that are modulated by lenalidomide

The contribution of the bone marrow microenvironment in myelodysplastic syndrome is controversial. We therefore analyzed the functional properties of primary mesenchymal stromal cells from patients with myelodysplastic syndrome in the presence or absence of lenalidomide. Compared to healthy controls, clonality and growth were reduced across all disease stages. Furthermore, differentiation defects and particular expression of adhesion and cell surface molecules (e.g. CD166, CD29, CD146) were detected. Interestingly, the levels of stromal derived factor 1-alpha in patients’ cells culture supernatants were almost 2-fold lower (P<0.01) than those in controls and this was paralleled by a reduced induction of migration of CD34+ hematopoietic cells. Co-cultures of mesenchymal stromal cells from patients with CD34+ cells from healthy donors resulted in reduced numbers of cobblestone area-forming cells and fewer colony-forming units. Exposure of stromal cells from patients and controls to lenalidomide led to a further reduction of stromal derived factor 1-alpha secretion and cobblestone area formation, respectively. Moreover, lenalidomide pretreatment of mesenchymal stromal cells from patients with low but not high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome was able to rescue impaired erythroid and myeloid colony formation of early hematopoietic progenitors. In conclusion, our analyses support the notion that the stromal microenvironment is involved in the pathophysiology of myelodysplastic syndrome thus representing a potential target for therapeutic interventions.
The Baculovirus GP64 Protein Mediates Highly Stable Infectivity of a Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus Lacking Its Homologous Transmembrane Glycoproteins

ABSTRACT Baculovirus GP64 is a low-pH-dependent membrane fusion protein required for virus entry and cell-to-cell transmission. Recently, GP64 has generated interest for practical applications in mammalian systems. Here we examined the membrane fusion function of GP64 from Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) expressed in mammalian cells, as well as its capacity to functionally complement a mammalian virus, human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV). Both authentic GP64 and GP64/F, a chimeric protein in which the GP64 cytoplasmic tail domain was replaced with the 12 C-terminal amino acids of the HRSV fusion (F) protein, induced low-pH-dependent cell-cell fusion when expressed transiently in HEp-2 (human) cells. Levels of surface expression and syncytium formation were substantially higher at 33°C than at 37°C. The open reading frames (ORFs) encoding GP64 or GP64/F, along with two marker ORFs encoding green fluorescent protein (GFP) and β-glucuronidase (GUS), were used to replace all three homologous transmembrane glycoprotein ORFs (small hydrophobic SH, attachment G, and F) in a cDNA of HRSV. Infectious viruses were recovered that lacked the HRSV SH, G, and F proteins and expressed instead the GP64 or GP64/F protein and the two marker proteins GFP and GUS. The properties of these viruses, designated RSΔsh,g,f/GP64 or RSΔsh,g,f/GP64/F, respectively, were compared to a previously described HRSV expressing GFP in place of SH but still containing the wild-type HRSV G and F proteins (RSΔsh [A. G. Oomens, A. G. Megaw, and G. W. Wertz, J. Virol., 77:3785-3798, 2003]). By immunoelectron microscopy, the GP64 and GP64/F proteins were shown to incorporate into HRSV-induced filaments at the cell surface. Antibody neutralization, ammonium chloride inhibition, and replication levels in cell culture showed that both GP64 proteins efficiently mediated infectivity of the respective viruses in a temperature-sensitive, low-pH-dependent manner. Furthermore, RSΔsh,g,f/GP64 and RSΔsh,g,f/GP64/F replicated to higher levels and had significantly higher stability of infectivity than HRSVs containing the homologous HRSV G and F proteins. Thus, GP64 and a GP64/HRSV F chimeric protein were functional and efficiently complemented an unrelated human virus in mammalian cells, producing stable, infectious virus stocks. These results demonstrate the potential of GP64 for both practical applications requiring stable pseudotypes in mammalian systems and for studies of viral glycoprotein requirements in assembly and pathogenesis.
Data Acquisition Based on Stable Matching of Bipartite Graph in Cooperative Vehicle–Infrastructure Systems †

Existing studies on data acquisition in vehicular networks often take the mobile vehicular nodes as data carriers. However, their autonomous movements, limited resources and security risks impact the quality of services. In this article, we propose a data acquisition model using stable matching of bipartite graph in cooperative vehicle-infrastructure systems, namely, DAS. Contents are distributed to roadside units, while vehicular nodes support supplementary storage. The original distribution problem is formulated as a stable matching problem of bipartite graph, where the data and the storage cells compose two sides of vertices. Regarding the factors relevant with the access ratio and delay, the preference rankings for contents and roadside units are calculated, respectively. With a multi-replica preprocessing algorithm to handle the potential one-to-many mapping, the matching problem is addressed in polynomial time. In addition, vehicular nodes carry and forward assistant contents to deliver the failed packets because of bandwidth competition. Furthermore, an incentive strategy is put forward to boost the vehicle cooperation and to achieve a fair bandwidth allocation at roadside units. Experiments show that DAS achieves a high access ratio and a small storage cost with an acceptable delay.
Heat as a tracer of transport processes in fractured media : theory and field assessment from multi-scale thermal push-pull tracer tests

The characterization and modeling of heat transfer in fractured media is particularly challenging as the existence of fractures at multiple scales induces highly localized flow patterns. From a theoretical and numerical analysis of heat transfer in simple conceptual models of fractured media, we show that flow channeling has a significant effect on the scaling of heat recovery in both space and time. The late time tailing of heat recovery under channeled flow is shown to diverge from the T (t) ∝ t−1.5 behavior expected for the classical parallel plate model and follow the scaling T (t) ∝ 1/t(log t) for a simple channel modeled as a tube. This scaling, which differs significantly from known scalings in mobile-immobile systems, is of purely geometrical origin: late time heat transfer from the matrix to a channel corresponds dimensionally to a radial diffusion process, while heat transfer from the matrix to a plate may be considered as a one-dimensional process. This phenomenon is also manifested on the spatial scaling of heat recovery as flow channeling affects the decay of the thermal breakthrough peak amplitude and the increase of the peak time with scale. These findings are supported by the results of a field experimental campaign performed on the fractured rock site of Ploemeur. The scaling of heat recovery in time and space, measured from thermal breakthrough curves measured through a series of push-pull tests at different scales, shows a clear signature of flow channeling. The whole data-set can thus be successfully represented by a multi-channel model parametrized by the mean channel density and aperture. These findings, which bring new insights on the effect of flow channeling on heat transfer in fractured rocks, show how heat recovery in geothermal tests may be controlled by fracture geometry. In addition, this highlights the interest of thermal push-pull tests as a complement to solute tracers tests to infer fracture aperture and geometry.
Diffusion- and Perfusion-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain Before and After Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Surgery

Background and Purpose— Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a frequently performed surgical procedure that can be associated with neurological complications. Some studies have demonstrated that new focal brain lesions, detected by MRI, can develop after CABG. Furthermore, it has been suggested that the presence of such new lesions is associated with a decline in neurocognitive test scores. Advanced MRI techniques, including diffusion- (DWI) and perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI), offer important diagnostic advantages over conventional imaging in the assessment of patients undergoing CABG. We sought to determine whether focal PWI and DWI abnormalities could occur after CABG, particularly in patients without any measurable neurological deterioration. Methods— Thirteen patients prospectively underwent MRI with DWI and PWI before and after CABG. A battery of neurocognitive tests was administered before and after surgery. Demographic, clinical, and radiographic characteristics of the patients were collected and compared. Results— Four patients developed new DWI defects after CABG. The lesions were small, rounded, and multiple (3 of 4 patients). One of these patients was diagnosed with stroke on clinical grounds. The patients with new lesions had a larger neurocognitive decline than their counterparts with stable MRI. Other clinical characteristics of patients with new DWI lesions, including stroke risk factors, were similar to those of patients without MRI changes. No focal perfusion abnormalities were observed on preoperative or postoperative scans. Conclusions— Postoperative DWI abnormalities can occur after CABG, even in patients without overt neurological defects. The PWI scans remained unchanged. Larger prospective studies are required to determine whether the new lesions are clearly associated with neurocognitive decline or with specific perioperative stroke risk factors.
Optimal Provision of Multiple Excludable Public Goods

This paper studies the optimal provision mechanism for multiple excludable public goods when agents' valuations are private information. For a parametric class of problems with binary valuations, we characterize the optimal mechanism, and show that it involves bundling. Bundling alleviates the free riding problem in large economies in two ways: first, it can increase the asymptotic provision probability of socially efficient public goods from zero to one; second, it decreases the extent of use exclusions.