Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Current Status and Future Prospects for Acute Myocardial Infarction Therapy

Abstract—Considerable new evidence has accumulated in randomized trials of myocardial reperfusion. The trials of catheter-based reperfusion compared with fibrinolytics have shown an advantage for angioplasty and stenting over pharmacologic therapy, even accounting for delays in transporting patients from facilities with intervention capabilities. On the basis of the recent trials, it is recommended that a regional center for infarct intervention be set up akin to regional trauma centers in the United States. Now that we have entered the third decade of myocardial reperfusion therapy, we can expect iterative improvement in all aspects, and ultimately a fused approach of pharmacology and mechanical therapies—to achieve the optimal outcomes and continue to lower the toll of fatality and morbidity of acute myocardial infarction (MI).
Chronological changes in pyridoxine‐5′‐phosphate oxidase immunoreactivity in the seizure‐sensitive gerbil hippocampus

To identify the roles of pyridoxine‐5′‐phosphate (PNP) oxidase in epileptogenesis and the recovery mechanisms in spontaneous seizure, a chronological and comparative analysis of PNP oxidase expression was conducted. PNP oxidase immunoreactivity in a preseizure group of seizure‐sensitive (SS) gerbils was detected more strongly than that in a seizure‐resistant (SR) group. The density of PNP oxidase immunoreactivity in a 30 min postictal group was significantly lower than that in a preseizure group. In a 12 hr postictal group, PNP oxidase immunodensity had recovered to a preseizure level. The overexpression of PNP oxidase in the hippocampus of preseizure SS gerbils suggests that PNP or pyridoxal 5′‐phosphate plays an important role in the modulation of glutamic acid decarboxylase activity and γ‐aminobutyric acid reuptake as mediated by membrane transporter via neurons. In addition, this change in the PNP oxidase immunoreactivity following seizure may be a compensatory response designed to reduce epileptic activity in this animal. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Factors Associated with Intention to Donate Blood: Sociodemographic and Past Experience Variables

Background and Objectives. This study was conducted to assess the level of intention of the general public towards blood donation and the factors associated with it. Methods. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in South-East Botswana amongst participants aged 21–65 years. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was completed for 384 participants. Results. Of the 384 participants, 104 (27.1%) reported that they had donated blood in the past and 269 (70.1%) stated that they were willing to donate blood in the future. Thirteen out of the 104 past donors (12.5%) reported that they had donated blood in the 12 months preceding the survey and only 10 (9.6%) participants reported that they have been regular donors. In the backward logistic regression analysis, the variables that remained significant predictors of the intention to donate blood were secondary education (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) (95% confidence interval (CI)): 2.92 (1.48, 5.77)), tertiary education (AOR (95% CI): 3.83 (1.52, 9.62)), and knowing a family member who had ever donated blood (AOR (95% CI): 2.84 (1.58, 5.12)). Conclusion. Being informed about blood transfusion and its life-saving benefits through either the education system or the experience made people more likely to intend to donate blood. Evidence-based interventions to retain blood donors as regular donors are recommended.
Prophylactic Hypogastric Artery Ballooning in a Patient with Complete Placenta Previa and Increta

Abnormal attachment of the placenta (Placenta accreta, increta, and percreta) is an uncommon but potentially lethal cause of maternal mortality from massive postpartum hemorrhage. A 33-yr-old woman, who had been diagnosed with a placenta previa, was referred at 30 weeks gestation. On ultrasound, a complete type of placenta previa and multiple intraplacental lacunae, suggestive of placenta accreta, were noted. For further evaluation of the placenta, pelvis MRI was performed and revealed findings suspicious of a placenta increta. An elective cesarean delivery and subsequent hysterectomy were planned for the patient at 38 weeks gestation. On the day of delivery, endovascular catheters for balloon occlusion were placed within the hypogastric arteries, prior to the cesarean section. In the operating room, immediately after the delivery of the baby, bilateral hypogastric arteries were occluded by inflation of the balloons in the catheters previously placed within. With the placenta retained within the uterus, a total hysterectomy was performed in the usual fashion. The occluding balloons were deflated after closure of the vaginal cuff with hemostasis. The patient had stable vital signs and normal laboratory findings during the recovery period; she was discharged six days after delivery without complications. The final pathology confirmed a placenta increta.
The Future Prospects of Immune Therapy in Gastric and Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

The prognosis of esophageal cancers is poor and novel approaches are urgently needed. Despite improvements in outcomes with transtuzumab and ramucirumab, these improvements added an average of only 2 to 3 months with a median overall survival reported to be around 1 year. Comprehensive genomic sequencing has defined some molecular alterations with potential targets, but the majority of patients still do not benefit from druggable targets. Breakthroughs in immune checkpoint blockade have provided new therapeutic options in many cancers. Programmed death ligand 1 (PDL1) overexpression, a possible biomarker predicting response to immune checkpoint inhibitors, approaches forty percent in esophageal and gastric cancers. Translational and molecular studies have shown that esophageal cancers are possible candidate malignancies for immune checkpoint inhibition. In this review, we plan to highlight the mechanisms, preclinical, and early clinical data that provide insight on the role of immune therapeutics in esophageal cancers.
The Backbone of the Travelling Salesperson

We study the backbone of the travelling salesperson optimization problem. We prove that it is intractable to approximate the backbone with any performance guarantee, assuming that P≠NP and there is a limit on the number of edges falsely returned. Nevertheless, in practice, it appears that much of the backbone is present in close to optimal solutions. We can therefore often find much of the backbone using approximation methods based on good heuristics. We demonstrate that such backbone information can be used to guide the search for an optimal solution. However, the variance in runtimes when using a backbone guided heuristic is large. This suggests that we may need to combine such heuristics with randomization and restarts. In addition, though backbone guided heuristics are useful for finding optimal solutions, they are less help in proving optimality.
Morphogenesis of extraembryonic membranes and placentation in Mabuya mabouya (Squamata, Scincidae)

Topological and histological analyses of Mabuya mabouya embryos at different developmental stages showed an extraembryonic membrane sequence as follows: a bilaminar omphalopleure and progressive mesodermal expansion around the whole yolk sac at gastrula stages; mesodermal split and formation of an exocoelom in the entire embryonic chamber at neurula stages; beginning of the expansion of the allantois into the exocoelom to form a chorioallantoic membrane at pharyngula stages; complete extension of the allantois into the exocoelom between limb‐bud to preparturition stages. Thus, a placental sequence could be enumerated: bilaminar yolk sac placenta; chorioplacenta; allantoplacenta. All placentas are highly specialized for nutrient absorption from early developmental stages. The bistratified extraembryonic ectoderm possesses an external layer with cuboidal cells and a microvillar surface around the whole yolk sac, which absorbs uterine secretions during development of the bilaminar yolk sac placenta and chorioplacenta. During gastrulation, with mesodermal expansion a dorsal absorptive plaque forms above the embryo and several smaller absorptive plaques develop antimesometrially. Both structures are similar histologically and are active in histotrophic transfer from gastrula stages until the end of development. The dorsal absorptive plaque will constitute the placentome and paraplacentome during allantoplacental development. At late gastrula–early neurula stages some absorptive plaques form chorionic concavities or chorionic bags that are penetrated by a long uterine fold and seem to have a specialized histotrophic and/or metabolic role. The extraembryonic mesoderm does not ingress into the yolk sac and neither an isolated yolk mass nor a yolk cleft are formed. This derived pattern of development may be related to the drastic reduction of the egg size and obligatory placentotrophy from early developmental stages. Our results show new specialized placentotrophic structures and a novel arrangement of extraembryonic membrane morphogenesis for Squamata. J. Morphol. 258:158–178, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
An intelligent framework to solve the non-convex economic dispatch problem with practical limitations

In this paper, a realistic formulation for the non-convex economic dispatch problem is proposed. It considers different practical constraints including ramp rate limits, valve loading effect, prohibited operating zones, spinning reserve and multi-fuel options. In this regard, a new optimization method based on the bat algorithm is proposed to solve the problem. Meanwhile, because the proposed problem is complex, nonlinear, and constrained, a new self-adaptive modification method, called modified BA or shortly MBA, is proposed. The satisfying performance of the proposed optimization method is examined using IEEE 15-unit, 40-unit and 100-unit test systems. Comparative studies demonstrate the consistent superiority of the proposed method over other alternative optimization techniques widely used in the literature for solving the economic dispatch problem.
IGF-1 Overexpression rescues the failing heart.

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a syndrome affecting nearly 5 million Americans with 550 000 new cases diagnosed annually. Despite recent advances in pharmacological therapy, the enormity of the clinical problem has stimulated cardiovascular scientists to test a variety of new and provocative hypotheses that may ultimately prove useful in CHF prevention and treatment. One such novel approach is addressed by Welch et al1 in this issue of Circulation Research . They tested the hypothesis that insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), a peptide growth factor involved in cardiomyocyte proliferation, differentiation, and cell survival, can positively affect CHF progression in a transgenic mouse model of dilated cardiomyopathy. The study provides new and important information about the cellular mechanisms leading to ventricular remodeling and also adds to the current controversy regarding the roles of cardiomyocyte apoptosis and regeneration in the pathogenesis of CHF. Welch et al1 make use of two previously characterized transgenic mouse lines in a selective crossbreeding experiment. Dilated cardiomyopathy was modeled by overexpression of the cytoskeletal protein tropomodulin, to produce homozygous animals (tropomodulin-overexpressing transgenic [TOT] mice) with many of the features of human idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy.2 Tropomodulin is an actin-binding protein that associates with the pointed ends of actin filaments. This occurs late in the process of myofibrillogenesis and is thought to be responsible for maintaining the final length of thin filaments in mature, striated myofibrils.3 Sussman and coworkers have previously shown that tropomodulin overexpression in cultured cardiomyocytes produced shortened actin filaments and myofibrillar degeneration, whereas antisense downregulation of tropomodulin produced abnormally long actin filaments at the cell periphery.4 Thus, it might seem surprising that TOT cardiomyocytes are elongated, with a markedly increased length-to-diameter ratio. Cardiomyocyte elongation is a feature common to many other forms of …
Pharmacokinetic Interaction between Fosamprenavir-Ritonavir and Rifabutin in Healthy Subjects

ABSTRACT Rifabutin (RFB) is administered for treatment of tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium complex infection, including use for patients coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Increased systemic exposure to RFB and its equipotent active metabolite, 25-O-desacetyl-RFB (dAc-RFB), has been reported during concomitant administration of CYP3A4 inhibitors, including ritonavir (RTV), lopinavir, and amprenavir (APV); therefore, a reduction in the RFB dosage is recommended when it is coadministered with these protease inhibitors. Fosamprenavir (FPV), the phosphate ester prodrug of the HIV type 1 protease inhibitor APV, is administered either with or without RTV. A randomized, open-label, two-period, two-sequence, balanced, crossover drug interaction study was conducted with 22 healthy adult subjects to compare steady-state plasma RFB pharmacokinetic parameters during concomitant administration of FPV-RTV (700/100 mg twice a day [BID]) with a 75%-reduced RFB dose (150 mg every other day [QOD]) to the standard RFB regimen (300 mg once per day [QD]) by geometric least-squares mean ratios. Relative to results with RFB (300 mg QD), coadministration of dose-adjusted RFB with FPV-RTV resulted in an unchanged RFB area under the concentration-time curve for 0 to 48 h (AUC0-48) and a 14% decrease in the maximum concentration of drug in plasma (Cmax), whereas the AUC0-48 and Cmax of dAc-RFB were increased by 11- and 6-fold, respectively, resulting in a 64% increase in the total antimycobacterial AUC0-48. Relative to historical controls, the plasma APV AUC from 0 h to the end of the dosing interval (AUC0-τ) and Cmax were increased ∼35%, and the concentration at the end of the dosing interval at steady state was unchanged following coadministration of RFB with FPV-RTV. The safety profile of the combination of RFB and FPV-RTV was consistent with previously described events with RFB or FPV-RTV alone. Based on the results of this study, a reduction in the RFB dose by ≥75% (to 150 mg QOD or three times per week) is recommended when it is coadministered with FPV-RTV (700/100 mg BID).
Tropical Cyclone Genesis Efficiency: Mid-Level Versus Bottom Vortex

Abstract : Cloud resolving Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model simulations are used to investigate tropical cyclone (TC) genesis efficiency in an environment with a near bottom vortex (EBV) and an environment with a mid-level vortex (EMV). Sensitivity experiments show that the genesis timing depends greatly on initial vorticity vertical profiles. The larger initial column integrated absolute vorticity, the greater the genesis efficiency is. For given the same column integrated absolute vorticity, a bottom vortex has higher genesis efficiency than a mid-level vortex. A common feature among these experiments is the formation of a mid-level vorticity maximum prior to TC genesis irrespective where the initial vorticity maximum locates. Both the EMV and EBV scenarios share the following development characteristics: 1) a transition from non-organized cumulus-scale (5 km) convective cells into an organized meso-vortex-scale (50-100 km) system through upscale cascade processes, 2) the establishment of a nearly saturated air column prior to a rapid drop of the central minimum pressure, and 3) a multiple convective-stratiform phase transition. A genesis efficiency index (GEI) is formulated that include the following factors, initial column integrated absolute vorticity, vorticity at top of the boundary layer and vertically integrated relative humidity. The calculated GEI reflects well the simulated genesis efficiency, and thus may be used to estimate how fast a tropical disturbance develops into a TC.
The activation of an arysulphatase from ox liver by chloride and other anions.

A few years ago an attempt was made by the senior author to purify the enzyme in ox liver which hydrolyses p-nitrophenyl sulphate. Considerable difficulty was experienced at first in obtaining consistent and intelligible activity figures during fractionation. The anomalies were found to be due to two factors: the enzyme was strongly inhibited by inorganic phosphate, so that the activity was appreciably reduced even by the amount of phosphate present in an aqueous extract of acetone-dried ox-liver powder; and the enzyme showed very little activity in the absence of chloride, so that it appeared to be lost on dialysis against water. Reasonable yields were obtained if activity determinations were carried out on samples dialysed against sodium chloride solution. Since the work commenced, other purifications of arylsulphatase from ox liver have been reported, especially that of Roy (1953b) (arylsulphatase A) and Roy (1954) (arylsulphatase B). The latter enzyme has also been purified from human liver by Dodgson & Wynn (1958). However, the activation by chloride seemed of some interest and a detailed study of the effect of anions was undertaken; the results are reported in this paper. In a number of cases it has been reported that the activity of arylsulphatases is affected by chloride. Dodgson, Spencer & Thomas (1953) stated that the particulate enzyme obtained in the course of fractionation studies with rat-liver homogenates was activated by potassium chloride, but later Roy (1953b) attributed this to 'a change in the state of dispersion of the enzyme studied by these authors'. Roy (1955) published pH curves obtained in the presence and in the absence of 008M-chloride for both arylsulphatase A and B from ox liver. With arylsulphatase A the main effect is an inhibition by chloride of up to 10% at pH values above the optimum, which is shifted towards the acid side. The optimum pH for arylsulphatase B is also shifted by chloride, from pH 6-0 to 5-7; there is little change of velocity at the optimum pH, but there is about 30% activation by chloride at pH 5-8. The substrate used in Roy's experiments was nitrocatechol sulphate. Contrary to these findings for ox liver, Dodgson & Wynn (1958) found that arylsulphatase B from human liver was considerably inhibited by chloride. Sodium chloride (0-01 M) produces 10% increase in activity of the arylsulphatase prepared from limpet viscera by Dodgson & Spencer (1952). The stimulation of nitrophenylsulphatase activity by chloride and other ions reported in the present paper is a much larger effect than any hitherto reported for arylsulphatases.
Ultrafast Amplification of DNA on Plastic Microdevices for Forensic Short Tandem Repeat Analysis

The majority of microfluidic devices used as a platform for low‐cost, rapid DNA analysis are glass devices; however, microchip fabrication in glass is costly and laborious, enhancing the interest in polymeric substrates, such as poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), as an inexpensive alternative. Here, we report amplification in PMMA polymerase chain reaction (PCR) microchips providing full short tandem repeat profiles (16 of 16 loci) in 30–40 min, with peak height ratios and stutter percentages that meet literature threshold requirements. In addition, partial profiles (15 of 16 loci) were generated using an ultrafast PCR method in 17.1 min, representing a ~10‐fold reduction in reaction time as compared to current amplification methods. Finally, a multichamber device was demonstrated to simultaneously amplify one positive, one negative, and five individual samples in 39 min. Although there were instances of loci dropout, this device represents a first step toward a microfluidic system capable of amplifying more than one sample simultaneously.
Keratoderma-like T cell dyscrasia: A report of 13 cases and its distinction from mycosis fungoides palmaris et plantaris

Background: Atypical epitheliotropic T cell lymphocytic infiltrates are commonly encountered in routine and consultative dermatopathology practices and typically do not represent mycosis fungoides. Other conditions can mimic certain light microscopic and phenotypic findings encountered in mycosis fungoides, comprising a diverse spectrum of conditions including the lymphomatoid drug reaction, collagen vascular disease, viral hypersensitivity reactions and cutaneous T cell dyscrasia. Aims: To examine biopsies obtained from cutaneous T cell dyscrasia localized to the palms and soles and to evaluate whether it exhibits a morphologic and pathogenetic continuum with mycosis fungoides plantaris et palmaris. Methods: We examined 13 biopsies showing an epidermotropic superficial lymphocytic infiltrate from thirteen patients who presented with a palmar and/or plantar keratoderma without other sites of cutaneous involvement. Conventional light microscopy, immunophenotyping and clonality studies were carried out. The clinical features were recorded. Results: Biopsies showed a variably dense, superficial, angiocentric CD4 or CD8 dominant lymphocytic infiltrate accompanied by a non-destructive pattern of epidermotropism. Low-grade cerebriform atypia along with variable diminution in the expression of CD7 and CD62L was noted. In three cases, statins were suspected to be the cause. Due to lack of familiarity with the entity, treatment interventions were inconsistent and not aggressively pursued. There was no evidence of disease progression to mycosis fungoides in any case. Limitations: The limitations of this study include the lack of long-term follow up and information on the nature of the therapeutic interventions and responses to treatment. Conclusion: The spectrum of cutaneous lymphoid dyscrasias should be expanded to include cases manifesting as palmo-plantar keratoderma. These cases are to be distinguished from mycosis fungoides palmaris et plantaris. As with other forms of cutaneous lymphoid dyscrasia, the lesions tend to be persistent. The course however, is indolent in most cases.
Insights on the persistence of pines (Pinus species) in the Late Cretaceous and their increasing dominance in the Anthropocene

Abstract Although gymnosperms were nearly swept away by the rise of the angiosperms in the Late Cretaceous, conifers, and pines (Pinus species) in particular, survived and regained their dominance in some habitats. Diversification of pines into fire‐avoiding (subgenus Haploxylon) and fire‐adapted (subgenus Diploxylon) species occurred in response to abiotic and biotic factors in the Late Cretaceous such as competition with emerging angiosperms and changing fire regimes. Adaptations/traits that evolved in response to angiosperm‐fuelled fire regimes and stressful environments in the Late Cretaceous were key to pine success and are also contributing to a new “pine rise” in some areas in the Anthropocene. Human‐mediated activities exert both positive and negative impacts of range size and expansion and invasions of pines. Large‐scale afforestation with pines, human‐mediated changes to fire regimes, and other ecosystem processes are other contributing factors. We discuss traits that evolved in response to angiosperm‐mediated fires and stressful environments in the Cretaceous and that continue to contribute to pine persistence and dominance and the numerous ways in which human activities favor pines.
Random sets of isomorphism of linear operators on Hilbert space

This note deals with a problem of the probabilistic Ramsey theory in functional analysis. Given a linear operator T on a Hilbert space with an orthogonal basis, we deflne the isomorphic structure §(T) as the family of all subsets of the basis so that T restricted to their span is a nice isomorphism. Our main result is a dimension-free optimal estimate of the size of §(T). It improves and extends in several ways the principle of restricted invertibility due to Bourgain and Tzafriri. With an appropriate notion of randomness, we obtain a randomized principle of restricted invertibility.