Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Blood Lead and Other Metal Biomarkers as Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease Mortality

AbstractAnalyses of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) in 1988 to 1994 found an association of increasing blood lead levels <10 &mgr;g/dL with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality. The potential need to correct blood lead for hematocrit/hemoglobin and adjust for biomarkers for other metals, for example, cadmium and iron, had not been addressed in the previous NHANES III-based studies on blood lead-CVD mortality association.We analyzed 1999 to 2010 NHANES data for 18,602 participants who had a blood lead measurement, were ≥40 years of age at the baseline examination and were followed for mortality through 2011. We calculated the relative risk for CVD mortality as a function of hemoglobin- or hematocrit-corrected log-transformed blood lead through Cox proportional hazard regression analysis with adjustment for serum iron, blood cadmium, serum C-reactive protein, serum calcium, smoking, alcohol intake, race/Hispanic origin, and sex.The adjusted relative risk for CVD mortality was 1.44 (95% confidence interval = 1.05, 1.98) per 10-fold increase in hematocrit-corrected blood lead with little evidence of nonlinearity. Similar results were obtained with hemoglobin-corrected blood lead. Not correcting blood lead for hematocrit/hemoglobin resulted in underestimation of the lead-CVD mortality association while not adjusting for iron status and blood cadmium resulted in overestimation of the lead-CVD mortality association.In a nationally representative sample of U.S. adults, log-transformed blood lead was linearly associated with increased CVD mortality. Correcting blood lead for hematocrit/hemoglobin and adjustments for some biomarkers affected the association.
Geometrical representation of sum frequency generation and adiabatic frequency conversion

We present a geometrical representation of the process of sum frequency generation in the undepleted pump approximation, in analogy with the known optical Bloch equations. We use this analogy to propose a technique for achieving both high efficiency and large bandwidth in sum frequency conversion using the adiabatic inversion scheme. The process is analogous with rapid adiabatic passage in NMR, and adiabatic constraints are derived in this context. This adiabatic frequency conversion scheme is realized experimentally using an aperiodically poled potassium titanyl phosphate KTP device, where we achieved high efficiency signal-to-idler conversion over a bandwidth of 140 nm.
Acclimation of Holstein Calves to Transit Stress: The Integration of Endocrine, Immune, and Behavior Systems

Acclimation of Holstein Calves to Transit Stress: The Integration of Endocrine, Immune, and Behavior Systems. (August 2012) Amber Lynn Adams, B.S., University of Wisconsin-River Falls; M.S., Oklahoma State University Chair of Advisory Committee: Dr. Ted Friend Little is known about the adaptation of livestock to repeated transport. This study determined how repeated transport affected calf feed intake, plasma cortisol (CORT), post-transport behavior, and the expression of immune-related genes. Thirty-six 4month-old Holstein steer calves were housed in groups of six with each group randomly assigned to either transport (T) or control (C) treatments. The T calves were hauled for 6 h in a 7.3 m x 2.4 m goose-neck trailer, at an average density of 0.87 m 2 /calf, every 7 d for five consecutive weeks. Individual daily intake was determined using Calan gate feeders. Blood samples were obtained in the trailer or home pen via jugular venipuncture before loading, and after 2, 4, and 6 h of transport. Samples were analyzed for CORT, serotonin, tryptophan, and the gene expression of interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL6), chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 2, interleukin-12, toll-like receptor-4, toll-like receptor-2, and 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 2A in leukocytes. Behavior was recorded for transported calves at 5-min intervals for 1 h after return to their home pens.
Affective Reactivity Predicts Cognitive Reactivity to Induced Stress in

The cognitive vulnerability-stress model of depression suggests that maladaptive cognitive responses to stress place individuals at risk for developing depression. Less is understood about the process by which these maladaptive responses are generated. One hypothesis is that affective reactivity elicits depressogenic cognitive responses in the context of stress exposure. We hypothesized that the immediate experience of negative affect following induced stress (state-NA) would precede and influence subsequent depressogenic cognitive responses. We also predicted that trait cognitive style would moderate the relationship between state affective and cognitive reactivity. In two college samples (N1 = 84, M1 = 20.23 years; N2 = 67, M2 = 20.02 years) we found that state-NA predicted cognitive reactivity. This relationship was moderated by pre-existing cognitive style for some, but not all, depressogenic cognitive responses to induced stress. Our findings provide insight into the process by which maladaptive cognitive responses to stress may be elicited, and lend support to the link between affective and cognitive vulnerabilities to depression.
Indirect land-use changes can overcome carbon savings from biofuels in Brazil

The planned expansion of biofuel plantations in Brazil could potentially cause both direct and indirect land-use changes (e.g., biofuel plantations replace rangelands, which replace forests). In this study, we use a spatially explicit model to project land-use changes caused by that expansion in 2020, assuming that ethanol (biodiesel) production increases by 35 (4) x 109 liter in the 2003-2020 period. Our simulations show that direct land-use changes will have a small impact on carbon emissions because most biofuel plantations would replace rangeland areas. However, indirect land-use changes, especially those pushing the rangeland frontier into the Amazonian forests, could offset the carbon savings from biofuels. Sugarcane ethanol and soybean biodiesel each contribute to nearly half of the projected indirect deforestation of 121,970 km2 by 2020, creating a carbon debt that would take about 250 years to be repaid using these biofuels instead of fossil fuels. We also tested different crops that could serve as feedstock to fulfill Brazil’s biodiesel demand and found that oil palm would cause the least land-use changes and associated carbon debt. The modeled livestock density increases by 0.09 head per hectare. But a higher increase of 0.13 head per hectare in the average livestock density throughout the country could avoid the indirect land-use changes caused by biofuels (even with soybean as the biodiesel feedstock), while still fulfilling all food and bioenergy demands. We suggest that a closer collaboration or strengthened institutional link between the biofuel and cattle-ranching sectors in the coming years is crucial for effective carbon savings from biofuels in Brazil.
CABS1 Is a Novel Calcium-Binding Protein Specifically Expressed in Elongate Spermatids of Mice1

Abstract Single intraperitoneal injection of busulfan at 20 mg/kg body weight to mature male mice induced the deletion of the spermatogenic cells, followed by the restoration of the spermatogenesis by the surviving undifferentiated spermatogonia. The changes of the protein contents in testis during these processes were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis in order to identify the proteins expressed at the specific stages of spermatogenesis. An acidic protein that disappeared and recovered in the same time course as spermatids after the busulfan treatment was identified as CABS1 by mass spectrometry. It was found that CABS1 was specifically expressed in the elongate spermatids at steps 13 to 16 in stages I to VIII of the seminiferous epithelium cycle of the mouse, and then it localized to the principal piece of flagellum of the mature sperm in the cauda epididymis. We have found for the first time that CABS1 is a calcium-binding protein that binds calcium during the maturation in the epididymis.
L2 cognitive states and the Full Transfer/Full Access model

This article is a defence of the Full Transfer/Full Access (FT/FA) model. FT/FA hypothesizes that the initial state of L2 acquisition is the final state of L1 acquisition (Full Transfer) and that failure to assign a representation to input data will force subsequent restructurings, drawing from options of UG (Full Access). We illustrate the FT/FA model by reviewing our analysis of the developmental Turkish-German Interlanguage data of Schwartz and Sprouse (1994) and then turn to other data that similarly receive straightforward accounts under FT/FA. We also consider two other competing hypotheses, both of which accept Full Access but not Full Transfer: the Minimal Trees hypothesis (no transfer of functional categories) of Vainikka and Young-Scholten (1994; 1996) and the Weak Transfer hypothesis (no transfer of the values associated with functional categories) of Eubank (1993/94). We provide an example of (extremely robust) L2 acquisition data that highlight the inadequacy of the Minimal Trees hypothesis in regard to stages of Interlanguage subsequent to the L2 initial state. As for Weak Transfer, we show that the morphosyntactic empirical foundations which drive the entire approach are flawed; hence the Weak Transfer hypothesis remains without motivation. Finally, we consider several conceptual issues relating to transfer. These all argue that the FT/FA model provides the most coherent picture of the L2 initial cognitive state. In short, FT/FA embodies the most suitable programme for understanding comparative Interlanguage development.
Anti‐nuclear antibody positivity and the use of certolizumab in inflammatory bowel disease patients who have had arthralgias or lupus‐like reactions from infliximab or adalimumab

OBJECTIVE: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors can be used to treat inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) but may lead to anti‐nuclear antibody (ANA) positivity and lupus‐like reactions. Because of its unique structure, certolizumab has lower rates of these complications. We sought to investigate whether patients who have had lupus‐like reactions to infliximab or adalimumab would be able to tolerate certolizumab.
Capsular significance in parotid tumor surgery: Reality and myths of lateral lobectomy

Historically, parotid gland surgery has evolved from an operation of surgical enucleation to that of lateral lobectomy or total parotidectomy with facial nerve dissection. While the enucleation operation originally resulted in recurrence rates as high as 45% in some series, the technique of lateral lobectomy has resulted in recurrence rates of 2% in benign tumors. However, the currently recommended procedure of lateral lobectomy or total parotidectomy with facial nerve preservation for benign or low grade malignant tumors is not a pure en bloc resection in most cases, and in fact enucleation in part or total is often the reality of the operation. Tumor characterization, technical features, and operative findings of parotid gland surgery are examined in 100 consecutive cases. In over 60% of the cases, superficial or total parotidectomy with facial nerve preservation incorporated the principle of limited enucleation or capsular dissection at some point in the technique. The illusion that en bloc removal of parotid tumors with wide surgical margins is discredited. The reality of the procedure and the reasons for its success are examined.
Comparability of functional MRI response in young and old during inhibition

When using fMRI to study age-related cognitive changes, it is important to establish the integrity of the hemodynamic response because, potentially, it can be affected by age and disease. However, there have been few attempts to document such integrity and no attempts using higher cognitive rather than perceptual or motor tasks. We used fMRI with 28 healthy young and older adults on an inhibitory control task. Although older and young adults differed in task performance and activation patterns, they had comparable hemodynamic responses. We conclude that activation during cognitive inhibition, which was predominantly increased in elders, was not due to vascular confounds or specific changes in hemodynamic coupling.
Interactive-Virtual Reality (IVR) Exercise: An Examination of In-Task and Pre-to-Post Exercise Affective Changes

In this research, we examine the influence of imposed vs. self-chosen interactive/virtual reality (IVR) exercise on affect response following, as well as during, exercise. Our sample included 131 university students who were assigned to one of three 10-min conditions: (a) self-selected interactive/virtual reality (IVR) exercise, (b) externally imposed IVR exercise, or (c) regular exercise. Exercise intensity was standardized in terms of metabolic benchmarks. Mood benefits were observed pre-to-post exercise regardless of condition. During exercise, however, higher pleasure ratings were reported by participants in the self-selected IVR exercise condition. The implications of the immediate mood effects of self-selected IVR exercise are discussed.
On the Statistical Consistency of Algorithms for Binary Classification under Class Imbalance

Class imbalance situations, where one class is rare compared to the other, arise frequently in machine learning applications. It is well known that the usual misclassification error is ill-suited for measuring performance in such settings. A wide range of performance measures have been proposed for this problem. However, despite the large number of studies on this problem, little is understood about the statistical consistency of the algorithms proposed with respect to the performance measures of interest. In this paper, we study consistency with respect to one such performance measure, namely the arithmetic mean of the true positive and true negative rates (AM), and establish that some practically popular approaches, such as applying an empirically determined threshold to a suitable class probability estimate or performing an empirically balanced form of risk minimization, are in fact consistent with respect to the AM (under mild conditions on the underlying distribution). Experimental results confirm our consistency theorems.
Surgical Management of Locally Advanced Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma of the Lacrimal Gland

Purpose: To review our experience with multidisciplinary surgical management of locally advanced adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland. Methods: We present a case series of 7 patients with lacrimal gland adenoid cystic carcinoma treated at our institution between June 2001 and October 2003. Clinical records, histologic sections, and radiographic images were reviewed. Results: The study included 3 men and 4 women (mean age at diagnosis, 44 years). All 7 patients underwent an orbital exenteration with bone removal. Five patients had an orbitectomy through a craniotomy approach and 2 patients had an exenteration through a fronto-orbito-zygomatic approach, all with removal of the bone of the superior and lateral wall. Six patients underwent reconstruction of the socket through the use of a vascularized flap. The surgical approach involved a neurosurgeon, an oculoplastic or head and neck surgeon, and a plastic surgeon. Six patients received postoperative radiation therapy. One patient with a recurrent tumor had already received radiation therapy, which precluded additional radiation therapy after surgical resection. The radiation field included the orbit and the skull base because all patients had evidence of perineural invasion. As of this writing, there have been no local recurrences. Five patients had development of distant metastases and died of disease, at follow-up times from 12 to 32 months after surgery. Two patients are alive without evidence of disease, both at 24 months’ follow-up. Conclusions: Orbitectomy with bone removal may be indicated for achieving local and regional control in advanced cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma of the lacrimal gland. This surgery does not decrease the risk of distant metastasis. The cases in our series highlight the locally invasive and metastatic behavior of this cancer.
NOGO-B promotes EMT in lung fibrosis via MMP14 mediates free TGF-beta1 formation

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a lung disease with an extremely poor prognosis. Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) appearing on the airway epithelial cell plays an essential role in the formation and development of Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. In this paper, Bleomycin (BLM)-induced mice model combined with bioinformatics analysis were employed to elucidate the potential mechanism of EMT in pulmonary fibrosis. The obtained results showed that endoplasmic reticulum protein Nogo-b may promote MMP14-mediated proprotein maturation of TGF-β1, accelerating the release of free TGF-β1 in type II airway epithelial cells A549, subsquently, induce the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of the cell. In all, the overexpression of Nogo-b play a role in the course of pulmonary fibrosis by influencing the EMT ability of cells.
Effects of Dietary Sesame Seeds on Plasma Tocopherol Levels

The tocopherols, the major vitamers of vitamin E, are believed to play a role in the prevention of human aging-related diseases such as cancer and heart disease, yet little is known concerning determinants of their plasma concentrations. Evidence from animal studies suggests that the dietary source of γ-tocopherol can significantly affect plasma levels of this tocopherol as well as its functional vitamin E activity. To determine whether plasma levels of tocopherols in humans are similarly altered, a study was undertaken in which subjects (n = 9) were fed muffins containing equivalent amounts of γ-tocopherol from sesame seeds, walnuts, or soy oil. We observed that consumption of as little as 5 mg of γ-tocopherol per day over a three-day period from sesame seeds, but not from walnuts or soy oil, significantly elevated serum γ-tocopherol levels (19.1% increase, p = 0.03) and depressed plasma β-tocopherol (34% decrease, p = 0.01). No significant changes in baseline or postintervention plasma levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, or carotenoids were seen for any of the intervention groups. All subjects consuming sesame seed-containing muffins had detectable levels of the sesame lignan sesamolin in their plasma. Consumption of moderate amounts of sesame seeds appears to significantly increase plasma γ-tocopherol and alter plasma tocopherol ratios in humans and is consistent with the effects of dietary sesame seeds observed in rats Lawrence Erlbaum Associatesding to elevated plasma γ-tocopherol and enhanced vitamin E bioactivity.
FACTOR STRUCTURE OF THE RELATIONAL AND OVERT AGGRESSION QUESTIONNAIRE (ROAQ) IN AN IRANIAN SAMPLE

Objective: The purpose of this study is to provide evidence of validity of the Relational and Overt Aggression Questionnaire (ROAQ) among Iranian elementary students. Methods: Three hundred and forty nine 4th and 5th grade students (ages 9 and 10) participated in this study. Participants completed the ROAQ. The scale consisted of 33 items designed to measure self-report aggressive behaviors for elementary school students attending fourth and fifth grade. Results: Exploratory factor analysis resulted in three factors that included dimensions such as physical aggression, verbal aggression and relational aggression. Correlation among the three factors ranged from 0.25 to 0.43. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the multidimensional measurement model (the three-factor solution). Initial exploratory factor analyses revealed three factors that explained a substantial amount (42.32%) of the variance (20.24% by factor 1). The goodness-of-fit measures also revealed an adequate fit. Conclusion: These results provide initial support for the construct validity of self-report version of the ROAQ in relation to the elementary students.
Surgical Strategy for Multilevel Severe Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament in the Cervical Spine

Study Design A retrospective clinical study was conducted. Objective To compare surgical outcome of anterior approach (corpectomy and fusion) with that of posterior approach (laminoplasty or laminectomy and instrumented fusion) for the treatment of multilevel severe ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) in the cervical spine, and simultaneously to investigate the potential benefits of instrumented fusion after laminectomy by comparing it with laminoplasty. Summary of Background Data Surgical strategy for multilevel severe OPLL in the cervical spine still remains controversial. Although the advantages of anterior decompression and fusion have been reported earlier, it becomes more technically demanding and risky with the increasing narrowing rate and extent of ossification. Laminoplasty has been used to relieve cord decompression posteriorly, but results are not always good. It also has potential risks of ossification progression and kyphotic deformity after operation. Methods A total of 75 cervical patients with multilevel severe OPLL were included in this study. Twenty-two patients underwent anterior corpectomy and fusion. Among the patients undergoing posterior approach, laminectomy and instrumented fusion was performed on 28 patients and laminoplasty on 25 patients. The radiologic findings including plain radiographs, computed tomography scan, and magnetic resonance images were reviewed, and surgical outcome was assessed using the Japanese Orthopedic Association scoring system. The radiologic and clinical data were compared between 3 groups of different surgical processes. Results Radiologic studies showed preoperative cervical lordosis, occupying rate and extent of OPLL were comparable between 3 groups in this study, but the postoperative cervical lordosis after anterior corpectomy or laminectomy and instrumented fusion was significantly larger than that of after laminoplasty. Postoperative Japanese Orthopedic Association score and improvement rate of neurologic function after anterior corpectomy were significantly higher than those after laminoplasty, and the results after laminectomy and instrumented fusion were in the middle of results of above 2 processes. The main complication after anterior decompression was cerebrospinal fluid leakage, whereas posterior approach was complicated with a high incidence of C5 palsy and axial pain. Conclusions Anterior corpectomy and fusion was significantly more effective for multilevel severe OPLL when compared with posterior laminoplasty in the cervical spine. If having technical difficulties and posterior decompression was alternatively performed, instrumented fusion was recommended to help to restore cervical lordosis and produce better results according to this study.
Are PPP tests erratically behaved? Some panel evidence

This paper examines whether, in addition to standard unit root and cointegration tests, panel approaches also produce test statistics behaving erratically when applied to tests for Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). We show that if appropriate tests (which are robust to cross‐sectional dependence) are used, any evidence of erratic behaviour disappears, and empirical support is found for PPP.