Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Variability in Individual Serum Cholesterol Response to Change in Diet

Few systematic data are available on the range of individual blood lipid responsiveness to specific diet changes. Multiple, carefully standardized total serum cholesterol (TC) measurements were made in 58 men under a variety of controlled dietary conditions. Responsiveness was defined for each individual as the change in mean TC per unit change in Diet Score based on the Keys-Minnesota equation. Only 3% were potentially "nonresponders," and even these probably evidenced some response. Of the group, 64% responded within 30% of prediction. We classed 9% as hyporesponders, while in another 9% responsiveness exceeded 1.5 times expectation. We conclude that in metabolically normal individuals the variation in short-term response to dietary change is normally distributed but that nonresponse to diet change is rare. Because metabolic, intrinsic hyporesponsiveness of TC to change in diet composition is uncommon, assessment of the real effectiveness of a dietary regimen in an individual is best based on observed dietary changes. TC changes among individuals under treatment should be based on multiple determinations and interpreted with caution.
Rhein lysinate decreases the generation of β-amyloid in the brain tissues of Alzheimer's disease model mice by inhibiting inflammatory response and oxidative stress

The protective effect of rhein lysinate (RHL) on Alzheimer's disease (AD) was explored in senescence-accelerated mouse prone-8 (SAMP8) mice. SAMP8 mice without treatment were used as the AD-positive control, and senescence-accelerated-resistant mice were used as the AD-negative control. In this study, 4-month-old male SAMP8 mice were orally administered 25 and 50 mg/kg RHL in drinking water for 6 months. The results of brain tissue enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), immunohistochemistry, and Western blot were demonstrated that compared with SAMP8 group, β-amyloid1–40 and β-amyloid1–42 were reduced; the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin 6 of brain tissues were also significantly decreased; however, the level of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) was increased in the RHL-treated group. Compared with SAMP8 group, the ROS levels and malondialdehyde levels were decreased; however, superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase levels were increased in the brain tissues of SAMP8 25 and 50 mg/kg RHL-treated groups. In conclusion, the reduction of Aβ induced by RHL was related to the increase of SIRT1 and the inhibition of the inflammatory response and oxidative stress in SAMP8 mice. It might be a promising biological therapeutic drug for AD.
Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy for Natural Fibres

Infrared spectroscopy is nowadays one of the most important analytical techniques available to scientists. One of the greatest advantages of the infrared spectroscopy is that virtually any sample in any state may be analyzed. For example, liquids, solutions, pastes, powders, films, fibres, gases and surfaces can all be examined with a judicious choice of sampling technique. The review by Annette, Sudhakar, Ursula and Andrea [1-2] also demonstrates the applicability of dispersion infrared spectroscopy for natural fibres studies.
Sequence analysis of the human fucosyltransferase 1 and 2 genes in Tibetan blood donors: identification of three novel alleles

The α(1,2)‐fucosyltransferase gene 1 (FUT1) and 2 (FUT2), respectively, regulate H antigen synthesis in red blood cells and body fluids. Genetic polymorphisms of FUT1 and FUT2 are ethnically and geographically specific.
Assisted Knowledge Discovery for the Maintenance of Clinical Guidelines

Background Improving antibiotic prescribing practices is an important public-health priority given the widespread antimicrobial resistance. Establishing clinical practice guidelines is crucial to this effort, but their development is a complex task and their quality is directly related to the methodology and source of knowledge used. Objective We present the design and the evaluation of a tool (KART) that aims to facilitate the creation and maintenance of clinical practice guidelines based on information retrieval techniques. Methods KART consists of three main modules 1) a literature-based medical knowledge extraction module, which is built upon a specialized question-answering engine; 2) a module to normalize clinical recommendations based on automatic text categorizers; and 3) a module to manage clinical knowledge, which formalizes and stores clinical recommendations for further use. The evaluation of the usability and utility of KART followed the methodology of the cognitive walkthrough. Results KART was designed and implemented as a standalone web application. The quantitative evaluation of the medical knowledge extraction module showed that 53% of the clinical recommendations generated by KART are consistent with existing clinical guidelines. The user-based evaluation confirmed this result by showing that KART was able to find a relevant antibiotic for half of the clinical scenarios tested. The automatic normalization of the recommendation produced mixed results among end-users. Conclusions We have developed an innovative approach for the process of clinical guidelines development and maintenance in a context where available knowledge is increasing at a rate that cannot be sustained by humans. In contrast to existing knowledge authoring tools, KART not only provides assistance to normalize, formalize and store clinical recommendations, but also aims to facilitate knowledge building.
Overlapping and distinct functions for cofilin, coronin and Aip1 in actin dynamics in vivo

Actin-filament disassembly is crucial for actin-based motility, to control filament network architecture and to regenerate subunits for assembly. Here, we examined the roles of three actin cytoskeletal proteins, coronin, cofilin and Aip1, which have been suggested to combine in various ways to control actin dynamics by promoting or regulating disassembly. We studied their functions during the endocytosis process in budding yeast, where actin-filament dynamics at the cortical actin ‘patch’ contribute to the formation and movement of endocytic vesicles. We found that all three proteins were recruited during the late phase of the life of the actin patch. They all arrived at the same time, when actin and other actin-associated proteins were leaving the patch. Cofilin point mutations influenced the localization of coronin and Aip1, but the complete loss of coronin had no effect on localization of cofilin or Aip1. Using quantitative patch motion analysis and comparing mutant alleles, the phenotypes for mutations of the three genes showed some commonalities, but also some striking differences. Cofilin was clearly the most important; it displayed the most severe mutant phenotypes affecting actin-patch assembly and movement. Together, the results suggest that all three proteins work together to promote actin disassembly, but not in a simple way, and not with equal importance.
The Value of a Multidisciplinary Approach to the Diagnosis of Usual Interstitial Pneumonitis and Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: Radiology, Pathology, and Clinical Correlation.

OBJECTIVE Multidisciplinary discussion is essential in establishing the diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and in determining prognosis. CONCLUSION The CT and histopathologic correlate for IPF is usual interstitial pneumonitis (UIP). If a high-confidence diagnosis of UIP is made on CT, IPF is almost always the diagnosis, obviating lung biopsy. If a confident diagnosis of UIP cannot be made on CT, further assessment with lung biopsy and multidisciplinary discussion are often necessary to achieve a confident final diagnosis.
Embellishing text search queries to protect user privacy

Users of text search engines are increasingly wary that their activities may disclose confidential information about their business or personal profiles. It would be desirable for a search engine to perform document retrieval for users while protecting their intent. In this paper, we identify the privacy risks arising from semantically related search terms within a query, and from recurring high-specificity query terms in a search session. To counter the risks, we propose a solution for a similarity text retrieval system to offer anonymity and plausible deniability for the query terms, and hence the user intent, without degrading the system's precision-recall performance. The solution comprises a mechanism that embellishes each user query with decoy terms that exhibit similar specificity spread as the genuine terms, but point to plausible alternative topics. We also provide an accompanying retrieval scheme that enables the search engine to compute the encrypted document relevance scores from only the genuine search terms, yet remain oblivious to their distinction from the decoys. Empirical evaluation results are presented to substantiate the effectiveness of our solution.
The topoisomerase I inhibitor, camptothecin, inhibits equine infectious anemia virus replication in chronically infected CF2Th cells

Camptothecin (CPT), a topoisomerase I-specific inhibitor, was found in this study to inhibit the replication of equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) in chronically infected CF2Th cells (designated CF2Th/EIAV). By measuring viral reverse transcriptase activity in the culture medium, we demonstrated that treatment for 1 h with noncytotoxic doses of this drug inhibited production by 32 to 52%, whereas continuous exposure to this drug resulted in an 85 to 92% inhibition. No effect on the viability or growth rate of the cells was detected in any of these treatments. Indirect immunofluorescence analysis of the CPT-treated CF2Th/EIAV cells with anti-p26 capsid protein antibodies showed 60 to 85% reduction in the immunofluorescence-positive cells following drug treatment, and radioimmunoprecipitation analysis of these cells showed a comparable decrease of the pr55gag precursor protein. These data suggest that CPT acts as an anti-EIAV agent to block virus replication in the chronically infected cells.
X‐linked ichthyosis: an update

X‐linked ichthyosis is a genetic disorder of keratinization characterized by a generalized desquamation of large, adherent, dark brown scales. Extracutaneous manifestations include corneal opacity and cryptorchidism. Since 1978 it has been known that a deficit in steroid sulphatase enzyme (STS) is responsible for the abnormal cutaneous scaling, although the exact physiological mechanism remains uncertain. The STS gene has been mapped to the distal part of the short arm of the X chromosome. Interestingly, this region escapes X chromosome inactivation and has the highest ratio of chromosomal deletions among all genetic disorders, complete deletions having been found in up to 90% of patients. Diagnosis of patients with X‐linked ichthyosis and female carriers is based on biochemical and genetic analysis. The latter currently seems to be the most accurate method in the majority of cases.
Impact of allopurinol on risk of myocardial infarction

Background Gout therapy includes xanthine oxidase inhibitors (XOI) and colchicine, which have both been associated with decreased cardiovascular risk. However, their effects on major cardiac events, such as myocardial infarction (MI), need to be investigated further. Objectives To investigate whether XOIs and colchicine are associated with decreased risk of MI. Methods This case-control study compared patients with first-ever MI and matched controls. Cases were recruited from the Pharmacoepidemiological General Research on MI registry. Controls were selected from a referent population (n=8444) from general practice settings. Results The study sample consisted of 2277 MI patients and 4849 matched controls. Use of allopurinol was reported by 3.1% of cases and 3.8 of controls, and 1.1% of cases and controls used colchicine. The adjusted OR (95% CI) for MI with allopurinol use was 0.80 (0.59 to 1.09). When using less stringent matching criteria that allowed for inclusion of 2593 cases and 5185 controls, the adjusted OR was 0.73 (0.54 to 0.99). Similar results were found on analysis by sex and hypertension status. Colchicine used was not associated with a decreased risk of MI (aOR=1.17 (0.70 to 1.93)). Conclusions Allopurinol may be associated with a reduced risk of MI. No decreased risk of MI was found in colchicine users. Besides its urate-lowering property, allopurinol might have a cardioprotective effect.
Plant-Based Dietary Patterns and Incidence of Type 2 Diabetes in US Men and Women: Results from Three Prospective Cohort Studies

Background Plant-based diets have been recommended to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, not all plant foods are necessarily beneficial. We examined the association of an overall plant-based diet and hypothesized healthful and unhealthful versions of a plant-based diet with T2D incidence in three prospective cohort studies in the US. Methods and Findings We included 69,949 women from the Nurses’ Health Study (1984–2012), 90,239 women from the Nurses’ Health Study 2 (1991–2011), and 40,539 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study (1986–2010), free of chronic diseases at baseline. Dietary data were collected every 2–4 y using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Using these data, we created an overall plant-based diet index (PDI), where plant foods received positive scores, while animal foods (animal fats, dairy, eggs, fish/seafood, poultry/red meat, miscellaneous animal-based foods) received reverse scores. We also created a healthful plant-based diet index (hPDI), where healthy plant foods (whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, vegetable oils, tea/coffee) received positive scores, while less healthy plant foods (fruit juices, sweetened beverages, refined grains, potatoes, sweets/desserts) and animal foods received reverse scores. Lastly, we created an unhealthful plant-based diet index (uPDI) by assigning positive scores to less healthy plant foods and reverse scores to healthy plant foods and animal foods. We documented 16,162 incident T2D cases during 4,102,369 person-years of follow-up. In pooled multivariable-adjusted analysis, both PDI and hPDI were inversely associated with T2D (PDI: hazard ratio [HR] for extreme deciles 0.51, 95% CI 0.47–0.55, p trend < 0.001; hPDI: HR for extreme deciles 0.55, 95% CI 0.51–0.59, p trend < 0.001). The association of T2D with PDI was considerably attenuated when we additionally adjusted for body mass index (BMI) categories (HR 0.80, 95% CI 0.74–0.87, p trend < 0.001), while that with hPDI remained largely unchanged (HR 0.66, 95% CI 0.61–0.72, p trend < 0.001). uPDI was positively associated with T2D even after BMI adjustment (HR for extreme deciles 1.16, 95% CI 1.08–1.25, p trend < 0.001). Limitations of the study include self-reported diet assessment, with the possibility of measurement error, and the potential for residual or unmeasured confounding given the observational nature of the study design. Conclusions Our study suggests that plant-based diets, especially when rich in high-quality plant foods, are associated with substantially lower risk of developing T2D. This supports current recommendations to shift to diets rich in healthy plant foods, with lower intake of less healthy plant and animal foods.
Cricopharyngeal dysfunction: A systematic review comparing outcomes of dilatation, botulinum toxin injection, and myotomy

Cricopharyngeal dysfunction may lead to severe dysphagia and aspiration. The objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the existing studies on the effectiveness of myotomy, dilatation, and botulinum toxin (BoT) injection in the management of cricopharyngeal dysphagia.
Features Predictive of Brain Arteriovenous Malformation Hemorrhage: Extrapolation to a Physiologic Model

Background and Purpose— Although there is generally thought to be a 2% to 4% per annum rupture risk for brain arteriovenous malformations (bAVMs), there is no way to estimate risk for an individual patient. Methods— In this retrospective study, patients were eligible who had nidiform bAVMs and underwent detailed pretreatment diagnostic cerebral angiography at our medical center from 1996 to 2006. All patients had superselective microcatheter angiography, and films were reviewed for the purpose of this project. Patient demographics, clinical presentation, and angioarchitectural characteristics were analyzed. A univariate analysis was performed, and angioarchitectural features with potential physiological significance that showed at least a trend toward significance were added to a multivariate logistic regression model. Results— One hundred twenty-two bAVMs met criteria for study entry. bAVMs with single venous drainage anatomy were more likely to present with hemorrhage. In addition, patients with multiple draining veins and a venous stenosis reverted to a risk similar to those with 1 draining vein, whereas those with multiple draining veins and without stenosis had diminished association with hemorrhage presentation. Those bAVMs with associated aneurysms were more likely to present with hemorrhage. These findings were robust in both univariate and multivariate models. Conclusions— The results of this article lead to the first physiological, internally consistent model of individual bAVM hemorrhage risk, where 1 draining vein, venous stenosis, and associated aneurysms increase risk.
A Degree-Decreasing Lemma for (MOD q - MOD p) Circuits

Consider a (MOD_q,MOD_p) circuit, where the inputs of the bottom MOD_p gates are degree-d polynomials with integer coefficients of the input variables (p, q are different primes). Using our main tool ―- the Degree Decreasing Lemma ―- we show that this circuit can be converted to a (MOD_q,MOD_p) circuit with \emphlinear polynomials on the input-level with the price of increasing the size of the circuit. This result has numerous consequences: for the Constant Degree Hypothesis of Barrington, Straubing and Therien, and generalizing the lower bound results of Yan and Parberry, Krause and Waack, and Krause and Pudlak. Perhaps the most important application is an exponential lower bound for the size of (MOD_q,MOD_p) circuits computing the n fan-in AND, where the input of each MOD_p gate at the bottom is an \empharbitrary integer valued function of cn variables (c<1) plus an arbitrary linear function of n input variables.
A new gm-boosting current reuse CMOS folded cascode LNA

In this paper, a new gain enhancement technique which is recommended for folded cascode LNA structures at low voltage and low power applications is presented. In order to increase power gain, a new modified version of gm-boosting technique is employed which increases the power gain while consuming no extra power. The new topology shares its DC current at the folded stage in order to reduce power dissipation associated with the gm-boosting technique. The proposed technique reduces power dissipation almost 27%, additionally; other parameters such as power gain and noise figure have been slightly improved. In the proposed LNA, power gain and noise figure are15dB and 3.2dB respectively. It consumes 1.3mW under 0.6 supply voltage.
Cost-sensitive Learning for Utility Optimization in Online Advertising Auctions

One of the most challenging problems in computational advertising is the prediction of click-through and conversion rates for bidding in online advertising auctions. An unaddressed problem in previous approaches is the existence of highly non-uniform misprediction costs. While for model evaluation these costs have been taken into account through recently proposed business-aware offline metrics -- such as the Utility metric which measures the impact on advertiser profit -- this is not the case when training the models themselves. In this paper, to bridge the gap, we formally analyze the relationship between optimizing the Utility metric and the log loss, which is considered as one of the state-of-the-art approaches in conversion modeling. Our analysis motivates the idea of weighting the log loss with the business value of the predicted outcome. We present and analyze a new cost weighting scheme and show that significant gains in offline and online performance can be achieved.
Impact of Arachidonic Acid and the Leukotriene Signaling Pathway on Vasculogenesis of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells

Embryonic stem (ES) cells can differentiate into various kinds of cells, such as endothelial and hematopoietic cells. In addition, some evidence suggests that inflammatory mediators such as leukotrienes (LTs), which include the 5-lipoxygenase (LOX) family, can regulate endothelial cell differentiation. In the present study, the eicosanoid precursor arachidonic acid (AA) stimulated vasculogenesis of ES cells by increasing the number of fetal liver kinase-1+ vascular progenitor cells as well as vascular structures positive for platelet endothelial cell adhesion protein-1 and vascular endothelial cadherin. The stimulation of vasculogenesis and expression of the rate-limiting enzyme in the LT signaling pathway, 5-LOX-activating protein (FLAP), was blunted upon treatment with the FLAP inhibitors AM643 and REV5901. Vasculogenesis was significantly restored upon exogenous addition of LTs. Downstream of FLAP, the LTB4 receptor (BLT1) blocker U75302, the BLT2 receptor blocker LY255283 as well as the cysteinyl LT blocker BAY-u9773 inhibited vasculogenesis of ES cells. AA treatment of differentiating ES cells increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, which was not affected upon either FLAP or cyclooxygenase-2 inhibition. Prevention of ROS generation by either the free radical scavengers vitamin E and N-(2-mercaptopropionyl)glycine or the NADPH oxidase inhibitor VAS2870 downregulated vasculogenesis of ES cells and blunted the provasculogenic effect of AA. In summary, our data demonstrate that proinflammatory AA stimulates vasculogenesis of ES cells via the LT pathway by mechanisms involving ROS generation.
Self-Care Among Older Adults With Heart Failure

Background: It is estimated that 5.7 million Americans are living with heart failure (HF) today. Despite the fact that HF is one of the most common reasons people aged 65 years and older are admitted into the hospital, few studies describe the self-care in this older adult population. Purpose: The purpose of the study was to review the current literature on self-care in this population to better understand the influence of selected factors on self-care and health outcomes. Methods: A literature search was completed and resulted in including 28 studies. Results: Multiple factors have been reported as barriers to self-care including depression and presence of peripheral arterial disease. Factors having a positive effect on self-care are male gender, number of cardiologist referrals, and self-efficacy. There were few studies that described the association between cognitive functioning and self-care. There is a lack of strong evidence to support the association between self-care and health outcomes such as readmission rate, but recent studies suggest that a 30-day readmission is not a valid predictor of health outcomes. Implications: The assessment of the psychological factors and health care resource utilization patterns that may influence self-care is recommended. More research that addresses the role of cognitive factors in influencing self-care is needed.