Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Early Diagnosis of Cardiovascular Diseases in Workers: Role of Standard and Advanced Echocardiography

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) still remains the main cause of morbidity and mortality and consequently early diagnosis is of paramount importance. Working conditions can be regarded as an additional risk factor for CVD. Since different aspects of the job may affect vascular health differently, it is important to consider occupation from multiple perspectives to better assess occupational impacts on health. Standard echocardiography has several targets in the cardiac population, as the assessment of myocardial performance, valvular and/or congenital heart disease, and hemodynamics. Three-dimensional echocardiography gained attention recently as a viable clinical tool in assessing left ventricular (LV) and right ventricular (RV) function, volume, and shape. Two-dimensional (2DSTE) and, more recently, three-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (3DSTE) have also emerged as methods for detection of global and regional myocardial dysfunction in various cardiovascular diseases and applied to the diagnosis of subtle LV and RV dysfunction. Although these novel echocardiographic imaging modalities have advanced our understanding of LV and RV mechanics, overlapping patterns often show challenges that limit their clinical utility. This review will describe the current state of standard and advanced echocardiography in early detection (secondary prevention) of CVD and address future directions for this potentially important diagnostic strategy.
The Spread of the Witty Worm

On Friday, 19 March 2004, at approximately 8:45 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST), an Internet worm began to spread, targeting a buffer overflow vulnerability in several Internet Security Systems (ISS) products, including its RealSecure Network, RealSecure Server Sensor, RealSecure Desktop, and BlackICE. The worm took advantage of a security flaw in these firewall applications that eEye Digital Security discovered earlier in March. Once the Witty worm - so called because its payload contained the phrase, "(? ,? )insert witty message here (? ,? )" - infects a computer, it deletes a randomly chosen section of the hard drive, which, over time, renders the machine unusable. We share a global view of the worm's spread, with particular attention to its features.
Acute Pancreatitis: Etiology, Pathology, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Abstract Acute pancreatitis is a fascinating disease. In the United States, the two most common etiologies of acute pancreatitis are gallstones and excessive alcohol consumption. The diagnosis of acute pancreatitis is made with a combination of history, physical examination, computed tomography scan, and laboratory evaluation. Differentiating patients who will have a benign course of their pancreatitis from patients who will have severe pancreatitis is challenging to the clinician. C-reactive protein, pro-calcitonin, and the Bedside Index for Severity of Acute Pancreatitis appeared to be the best tools for the early and accurate diagnosis of severe pancreatitis. Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy is indicated for patients with mild gallstone pancreatitis. For patients who are going to have a prolonged hospitalization, enteral nutrition is preferred. Total parenteral nutrition should be reserved for patients who cannot tolerate enteral nutrition. Prophylactic antibiotics are not indicated for patients with pancreatic necrosis. Surgical intervention for infected pancreatic necrosis should be delayed as long as possible to improve patient outcomes.
Quantifying Spatial Genetic Structuring in Mesophotic Populations of the Precious Coral Corallium rubrum

While shallow water red coral populations have been overharvested in the past, nowadays, commercial harvesting shifted its pressure on mesophotic organisms. An understanding of red coral population structure, particularly larval dispersal patterns and connectivity among harvested populations is paramount to the viability of the species. In order to determine patterns of genetic spatial structuring of deep water Corallium rubrum populations, for the first time, colonies found between 58–118 m depth within the Tyrrhenian Sea were collected and analyzed. Ten microsatellite loci and two regions of mitochondrial DNA (mtMSH and mtC) were used to quantify patterns of genetic diversity within populations and to define population structuring at spatial scales from tens of metres to hundreds of kilometres. Microsatellites showed heterozygote deficiencies in all populations. Significant levels of genetic differentiation were observed at all investigated spatial scales, suggesting that populations are likely to be isolated. This differentiation may by the results of biological interactions, occurring within a small spatial scale and/or abiotic factors acting at a larger scale. Mitochondrial markers revealed significant genetic structuring at spatial scales greater then 100 km showing the occurrence of a barrier to gene flow between northern and southern Tyrrhenian populations. These findings provide support for the establishment of marine protected areas in the deep sea and off-shore reefs, in order to effectively maintain genetic diversity of mesophotic red coral populations.
Molecular mechanism of water reorientational slowing down in concentrated ionic solutions

Significance The dynamics of water molecules surrounding the hydrated ions affects many natural phenomena including protein processes and charge transfer in the aqueous rechargeable ion batteries. In the concentrated solutions, a long-standing puzzle is that all electrolytes retard water rotation regardless of whether they weaken or strengthen the water hydrogen-bonding network. We investigate this issue theoretically and find the deceleration to be largely due to the coupling of the slow, collective component of water rotation with the motion of sizable ion clusters in the concentrated solutions. This finding is at variance with the intuitive expectation that the deceleration is caused by the change in fast, single-molecular water hydrogen bond switching adjacent to the ions. Water dynamics in concentrated ionic solutions plays an important role in a number of material and energy conversion processes such as the charge transfer at the electrolyte–electrode interface in aqueous rechargeable ion batteries. One long-standing puzzle is that all electrolytes, regardless of their “structure-making/breaking” nature, make water rotate slower at high concentrations. To understand this effect, we present a theoretical simulation study of the reorientational motion of water molecules in different ionic solutions. Using an extended Ivanov model, water rotation is decomposed into contributions from large-amplitude angular jumps and a slower frame motion which was studied in a coarse-grained manner. Bearing a certain resemblance to water rotation near large biological molecules, the general deceleration is found to be largely due to the coupling of the slow, collective component of water rotation with the motion of large hydrated ion clusters ubiquitously existing in the concentrated ionic solutions. This finding is at variance with the intuitive expectation that the slowing down is caused by the change in fast, single-molecular water hydrogen bond switching adjacent to the ions.
A new species of Hemipteroseius (Acari: Otopheidomenidae) parasitic on Dysdercus (Hemiptera: Pyrrhocoridae) in India

A new species of ectoparasitic mite, Hemipteroseius vikrami n. sp. (Mesostigmata: Otopheidomenidae), collected on Dysdercus koenigii (Fabricius) in New Delhi and D. cingulatus (Fabricius) in Varanasi, India is described. It is distinguished from other species of the genus in having the dorsal shield divided, podonotal shield with nine pairs and opisthonotal shield with four pairs of setae; setae j6, s6 and Z5 with bulbose/spatulate tips; tritosternum with two short slightly barbed lacinae; venter with four pairs of sternal setae, one pair on the sternal shield and three pairs placed posterolaterally; anus terminal; one pair of preanal setae; movable digit of chelicera with two teeth distally; macrosetae on genu I–IV and femur I–II with bulbose/spatulate tip. A list of species of Otopheidomenidae with details of distribution and hosts, key to species of Hemipteroseius and comparison of morphological characters of species are also provided.
Alcohol-triggered signs of migraine: An animal model

Abstract We describe an animal model where characteristics of migraine can be triggered by alcohol administration. In rats chronically implanted with a cannula overlying the transverse sinus, we applied potassium chloride (KCl) (or saline) to the meninges to sensitize trigeminovascular afferents. We assessed effects of repeated KCl application on animal behavior using conditioned place avoidance paradigm. In KCl-treated rats we discovered that alcohol injections (0.2 mg/kg), but not saline, resulted in the development of extracephalic allodynia and signs of ongoing pain.
First identification and characterization of Borrobol‐type tephra in the Greenland ice cores: new deposits and improved age estimates

Contiguous sampling of ice spanning key intervals of the deglaciation from the Greenland ice cores of NGRIP, GRIP and NEEM has revealed three new silicic cryptotephra deposits that are geochemically similar to the well‐known Borrobol Tephra (BT). The BT is complex and confounded by the younger closely timed and compositionally similar Penifiler Tephra (PT). Two of the deposits found in the ice are in Greenland Interstadial 1e (GI‐1e) and an older deposit is found in Greenland Stadial 2.1 (GS‐2.1). Until now, the BT was confined to GI‐1‐equivalent lacustrine sequences in the British Isles, Sweden and Germany, and our discovery in Greenland ice extends its distribution and geochemical composition. However, the two cryptotephras that fall within GI‐1e ice cannot be separated on the basis of geochemistry and are dated to 14358 ± 177 a b2k and 14252 ± 173 a b2k, just 106 ± 3 years apart. The older deposit is consistent with BT age estimates derived from Scottish sites, while the younger deposit overlaps with both BT and PT age estimates. We suggest that either the BT in Northern European terrestrial sequences represents an amalgamation of tephra from both of the GI‐1e events identified in the ice‐cores or that it relates to just one of the ice‐core events. A firm correlation cannot be established at present due to their strong geochemical similarities. The older tephra horizon, found within all three ice‐cores and dated to 17326 ± 319 a b2k, can be correlated to a known layer within marine sediment cores from the North Iceland Shelf (ca. 17179‐16754 cal a BP). Despite showing similarities to the BT, this deposit can be distinguished on the basis of lower CaO and TiO2 and is a valuable new tie‐point that could eventually be used in high‐resolution marine records to compare the climate signals from the ocean and atmosphere.
Flow Performance of High-Fluidity Concrete

In this paper a particle assembly model was proposed for high fluidity concrete in the fresh state. This particle assembly is composed of cohesionless particles (aggregates grains) and cohesive particles (cement grains) surrounded by mixing water membranes. By using a microscopic approach and expanding Eyring’s rate process viscosity theory, the flow mechanism of high fluidity concrete having interfriction was clarified, and its flow curve was examined. Furthermore, the effects of normal stress and environmental temperature on the flow behavior of high fluidity concrete were investigated quantitatively. Finally, a shear test apparatus was developed and a series of shear tests were performed to verify the obtained theoretical results.
Different Risk Factors for Very Low Birth Weight, Term-Small-for-Gestational-Age, or Preterm Birth in Japan

From 1985 to 2013, the mean birth weight of infants in Japan decreased from 3120 g to 3000 g, and the low-birth-weight rate among live births increased from 6.3% to 9.6%. No prospective study has elucidated the risk factors for poor fetal growth and preterm birth in recent Japanese parents, such as increased parental age, maternal body figure, assisted reproductive technology (ART), and socioeconomic status. Participants were mother–infant pairs (n = 18,059) enrolled in a prospective birth cohort in Hokkaido, Japan from 2002 to 2013. Parental characteristics were obtained via self-reported questionnaires during pregnancy. Medical records helped identify very-low-birth-weight (VLBW; <1500 g), term-small-for-gestational-age (term-SGA), and preterm-birth (PTB; <37 weeks) infants. We calculated relative risks (RRs) for PTB, VLBW, and term-SGA birth based on parental characteristics. The prevalence of PTB, VLBW, and term-SGA was 4.5%, 0.4%, and 6.5%, respectively. Aged parents and ART were risk factors for PTB and VLBW. Maternal alcohol drinking during pregnancy increased the risk; a parental educational level of ≥16 years reduced risk of term-SGA. Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI of <18.5 kg/m2 increased the risk of PTB and term-SGA. The RR for low BMI was highest among mothers who have low educational level. Among various factors, appropriate nutritional education to maintain normal BMI is important to prevent PTB and term-SGA in Japan.
Identification and Analysis of Red Sea Mangrove (Avicennia marina) microRNAs by High-Throughput Sequencing and Their Association with Stress Responses

Although RNA silencing has been studied primarily in model plants, advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies have enabled profiling of the small RNA components of many more plant species, providing insights into the ubiquity and conservatism of some miRNA-based regulatory mechanisms. Small RNAs of 20 to 24 nucleotides (nt) are important regulators of gene transcript levels by either transcriptional or by posttranscriptional gene silencing, contributing to genome maintenance and controlling a variety of developmental and physiological processes. Here, we used deep sequencing and molecular methods to create an inventory of the small RNAs in the mangrove species, Avicennia marina. We identified 26 novel mangrove miRNAs and 193 conserved miRNAs belonging to 36 families. We determined that 2 of the novel miRNAs were produced from known miRNA precursors and 4 were likely to be species-specific by the criterion that we found no homologs in other plant species. We used qRT-PCR to analyze the expression of miRNAs and their target genes in different tissue sets and some demonstrated tissue-specific expression. Furthermore, we predicted potential targets of these putative miRNAs based on a sequence homology and experimentally validated through endonucleolytic cleavage assays. Our results suggested that expression profiles of miRNAs and their predicted targets could be useful in exploring the significance of the conservation patterns of plants, particularly in response to abiotic stress. Because of their well-developed abilities in this regard, mangroves and other extremophiles are excellent models for such exploration.
5G Ultradense Networks With Nonuniform Distributed Users

User distribution in ultradense networks (UDNs) plays a crucial role in affecting the performance of UDNs due to the essential coupling between the traffic and the service provided by the networks. Existing studies are mostly based on the assumption that users are uniformly distributed in space. The nonuniform user distribution has not been widely considered despite that it is much closer to the real scenario. In this paper, radiation and absorbing model (R&A model) is first adopted to analyze the impact of the nonuniformly distributed users on the performance of 5G UDNs. Based on the R&A model and queueing network theory, the stationary user density in each hot area is investigated. Furthermore, the coverage probability, network throughput, and energy efficiency are derived based on the proposed theoretical model. Compared with the uniformly distributed assumption, it is shown that nonuniform user distribution has a significant impact on the performance of UDNs.
Medication Use by Race and Ethnicity in Women Transitioning Through the Menopause: A Study of Women's Health Across the Nation Drug Epidemiology Study.

BACKGROUND Medication utilization and costs increased over the last decade, but the effects of race/ethnicity have never been well studied in longitudinal data. We analyzed reports of prescription medication use to (1) identify trajectories of use and (2) determine predictors associated with a large increase in use. Specifically, variations in medication use by race/ethnicity were examined. METHODS We analyzed the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation cohort with a median of 14 years of follow-up. Group-based trajectory models helped distinguish women with a low use of medications versus those with heavy use. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) for each racial/ethnic group associated with heavy use, controlling for potential baseline confounders. RESULTS The 2,798 women sampled had a mean age of 46 years at baseline and the median number of medications at baseline was 2, increasing to 4 over the follow-up period. Trajectory models identified that 16% of participants demonstrated heavy use of medications, from a median of 5 at baseline to 10 medications at final follow-up. Regression models controlling for age, obesity, number of comorbid conditions, and pain found that Hispanic (OR = 0.085, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.037-0.20), Chinese (OR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.16-0.63), Japanese (OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.17-0.64), and Black (OR = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.57-1.11) women had lower odds for heavy use compared with White women. CONCLUSIONS Longitudinal medication use among women in Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) differed by race/ethnicity with non-White women having a lower odds of heavy use.
Integration of metabolomics, transcriptomics, and microRNA expression profiling reveals a miR-143-HK2-glucose network underlying zinc-deficiency-associated esophageal neoplasia

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in humans is a deadly disease associated with dietary zinc (Zn)-deficiency. In the rat esophagus, Zn-deficiency induces cell proliferation, alters mRNA and microRNA gene expression, and promotes ESCC. We investigated whether Zn-deficiency alters cell metabolism by evaluating metabolomic profiles of esophageal epithelia from Zn-deficient and replenished rats vs sufficient rats, using untargeted gas chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (n = 8/group). The Zn-deficient proliferative esophagus exhibits a distinct metabolic profile with glucose down 153-fold and lactic acid up 1.7-fold (P < 0.0001), indicating aerobic glycolysis (the “Warburg effect”), a hallmark of cancer cells. Zn-replenishment rapidly increases glucose content, restores deregulated metabolites to control levels, and reverses the hyperplastic phenotype. Integration of metabolomics and our reported transcriptomic data for this tissue unveils a link between glucose down-regulation and overexpression of HK2, an enzyme that catalyzes the first step of glycolysis and is overexpressed in cancer cells. Searching our published microRNA profile, we find that the tumor-suppressor miR-143, a negative regulator of HK2, is down-regulated in Zn-deficient esophagus. Using in situ hybridization and immunohistochemical analysis, the inverse correlation between miR-143 down-regulation and HK2 overexpression is documented in hyperplastic Zn-deficient esophagus, archived ESCC-bearing Zn-deficient esophagus, and human ESCC tissues. Thus, to sustain uncontrolled cell proliferation, Zn-deficiency reprograms glucose metabolism by modulating expression of miR-143 and its target HK2. Our work provides new insight into critical roles of Zn in ESCC development and prevention.
Exploring Second Life

Social virtual worlds such as Second Life (SL) are digital representations of the real world where human-controlled avatars evolve and interact through social activities. Understanding the characteristics of virtual worlds can be extremely valuable in order to optimize their design. In this paper, we perform an extensive analysis of SL. We exploit standard avatar capabilities to monitor the virtual world, and we emulate avatar behaviors in order to evaluate user experience. We make several surprising observations. We find that 30% of the regions are never visited during the six-day monitoring period, whereas less than 1% of the regions have large peak populations. Moreover, the vast majority of regions are static, i.e., objects are seldom created or destroyed. Interestingly, we show that avatars interact similarly to humans in real life, gathering in small groups of 2-10 avatars. We also show that user experience is poor. Most of the time, avatars have an incorrect view of their neighbor avatars, and inconsistency can last several seconds, impacting interactivity among avatars.
Fluoride and Arsenic Exposure Impairs Learning and Memory and Decreases mGluR5 Expression in the Hippocampus and Cortex in Rats

Fluoride and arsenic are two common inorganic contaminants in drinking water that are associated with impairment in child development and retarded intelligence. The present study was conducted to explore the effects on spatial learning, memory, glutamate levels, and group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) expression in the hippocampus and cortex after subchronic exposure to fluoride, arsenic, and a fluoride and arsenic combination in rats. Weaned male Sprague-Dawley rats were assigned to four groups. The control rats drank tap water. Rats in the three exposure groups drank water with sodium fluoride (120 mg/L), sodium arsenite (70 mg/L), and a sodium fluoride (120 mg/L) and sodium arsenite (70 mg/L) combination for 3 months. Spatial learning and memory was measured in Morris water maze. mGluR1 and mGluR5 mRNA and protein expression in the hippocampus and cortex was detected using RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. Compared with controls, learning and memory ability declined in rats that were exposed to fluoride and arsenic both alone and combined. Combined fluoride and arsenic exposure did not have a more pronounced effect on spatial learning and memory compared with arsenic and fluoride exposure alone. Compared with controls, glutamate levels decreased in the hippocampus and cortex of rats exposed to fluoride and combined fluoride and arsenic, and in cortex of arsenic-exposed rats. mGluR5 mRNA and protein expressions in the hippocampus and mGluR5 protein expression in the cortex decreased in rats exposed to arsenic alone. Interestingly, compared with fluoride and arsenic exposure alone, fluoride and arsenic combination decreased mGluR5 mRNA expression in the cortex and protein expression in the hippocampus, suggesting a synergistic effect of fluoride and arsenic. These data indicate that fluoride and arsenic, either alone or combined, can decrease learning and memory ability in rats. The mechanism may be associated with changes of glutamate level and mGluR5 expression in cortex and hippocampus.