Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How useful is esophageal high resolution manometry in diagnosing gastroesophageal junction disruption: causes affecting this disruption and its relationship with manometric alterations and gastroesophageal reflux.

BACKGROUND High-resolution manometry (HRM) is a breakthrough in the morphological study of the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ) and its degrees of disruption. OBJECTIVES a) Assessment of risk factors involved in the disruption of the GEJ in patients with gastroesophageal reflux (GER) symptoms; b) the relationship between the type of GEJ and GER demonstrated by 24 hours pH-monitoring; and c) identification of the alterations in the manometric parameters related to the morphology of the GEJ. METHODS One hundred and fifteen patients with symptoms of GER studied with HRM and classified by the type of GEJ (type I: Normal; type II: Sliding; type III: Hiatal hernia). Twenty four hour pH-monitoring without proton pump inhibitors was performed in all of them. Epidemiological aspects, manometric parameters (Chicago 2012 classification) and the pH-monitoring results were evaluated. RESULTS Age (OR 1.033 [1.006-1.060]; p = 0.16), BMI (OR 1.097 [1.022-1.176]; p = 0. 01) and abdominal perimeter (OR 1.034 [1.005-1.063]; p = 0.0215) were independent risk factors for the GEJ type III (area under the curve 0.70). Disruption of the GEJ was associated with a lower resting pressure (p = 0.006), greater length (p < 0.001) and greater esophageal shortening (p < 0.001). Abnormal acidic reflux was found in the total period (p = 0.015), standing (p = 0.022) and supine (p = 0.001) in patients with GEJ type II and III with respect to type I. CONCLUSIONS Increased age, overweight and central obesity pose a higher risk of GEJ type III (hiatal hernia). The greater disruption of the GEJ is associated with lower resting pressure, esophageal shortening, and higher acid exposure in the pH-monitoring.
Gemcitabine Pharmacogenomics: Deoxycytidine Kinase and Cytidylate Kinase Gene Resequencing and Functional Genomics

Gemcitabine and other cytidine antimetabolites require metabolic activation by phosphorylation. Deoxycytidine kinase (DCK) and cytidine monophosphate kinase (CMPK) catalyze these reactions. We have applied a genotype-to-phenotype strategy to study DCK and CMPK pharmacogenomics. Specifically, we resequenced DCK and CMPK using 240 DNA samples, 60 each from African-American, Caucasian-American, Han Chinese-American, and Mexican-American subjects. We observed 28 DCK polymorphisms and 28 polymorphisms in CMPK, 33 of which were novel. Expression in COS-1 cells showed that variant allozyme enzyme activities ranged from 32 to 105% of the wild type (WT) for DCK and from 78 to 112% of WT for CMPK—with no significant differences in apparent Km values for either enzyme except for a DCK Val24/Ser122 double variant allozyme. Relative levels of DCK and CMPK immunoreactive protein in the COS-1 cells paralleled relative levels of enzyme activity and were significantly correlated for DCK (Rp = 0.89, P = 0.0004) but not for CMPK (Rp = 0.82, P = 0.095). The results of an analysis of DCK and CMPK structural models were compatible with the observed functional consequences of sequence alterations in variant allozymes. We also confirmed that the CMPK protein expressed in COS-1 cells and in a rabbit reticulocyte lysate was 196 rather than 228 amino acids in length. In summary, we determined common sequence variations in DCK and CMPK and systematically evaluated their functional implications. These gene sequence differences may contribute to variations in the metabolic activation of gemcitabine and other cytidine antimetabolites.
Decoding of convolutional codes using a syndrome trellis

Soft-decision maximum-likelihood decoding of convolutional codes using the Viterbi algorithm with a syndrome trellis is proposed. The parity check matrix of a convolutional code is used to construct the trellis. This trellis is minimal. The number of operations for the decoding of one block of a q-ary rate k/n convolutional code is /spl sim/nq/sup min(k,n-k)/q/sup /spl nu//, where /spl nu/ is the memory size of the code. When the code rate satisfies k/n> 1/2 , the proposed algorithm is simpler than the classical Viterbi algorithm that has complexity /spl sim/nq/sup k/q/sup /spl nu//. >
Abstinence and moderate use goals in the treatment of marijuana dependence.

AIMS The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of personal goals (abstinence or moderation) on treatment outcomes for marijuana use. Hypotheses regarding self-efficacy for goal attainment were tested. DESIGN Adult marijuana users seeking treatment were assigned randomly to three treatment conditions: (1) cognitive-behavioral relapse prevention support group; (2) individualized brief motivational enhancement; and (3) delayed treatment control group. Follow-up assessments were conducted at 4, 7, 13 and 16 months. SETTING University research offices. PARTICIPANTS Participants were 291 adult marijuana users. Measurements Marijuana use, personal treatment goals and self-efficacy for achieving one's goal were assessed across the 16-month follow-up. FINDINGS Greater marijuana related problems and dependence symptoms were associated with an initial goal of abstinence. Participants were more likely to achieve outcomes consistent with their personal goals. Participants with abstinence goals reported greater self-efficacy for goal achievement than those with moderation goals after participating in the abstinence oriented treatment; self-efficacy for goal success predicted goal achievement for both moderate use and abstinence goals. CONCLUSIONS Marijuana users approaching an abstinence-oriented treatment varied in the extent to which they were actively seeking abstinence as the outcome. Differences in goals were predictable from severity of problems related to use. Goal preference and self-efficacy for achieving goals predicted outcomes. Future research should incorporate personal goals into treatment and assess their effects on outcomes.
Sodium lactate reversal of quinidine effect studied in rabbit atria by the microelectrode technique.

The mechanism of sodium lactate inhibition of quiidine effect was investigated using isolated rabbit atria. Sodium lactate, sodium chloride and sodium sulfate each was capable of temporary inhibition of quinidine effect under both iso-osmolar and hyperosmolar conditions. Hyperosmolarity per se , attained by addition of sucrose to the standard perfusion, also was capable of inhibiting quinidine effect. The lactate ion, in the absence of an increased [Na+], produced no significant inhibition ofquinidine effect. It is concluded that the primary mechanism by which the sodium salts achieved quinidine inhibition is by increasing external [Na+] and so favorably altering the Na gradient.
Potential drawbacks in cell-assisted lipotransfer: A systematic review of existing reports (Review)

Cell-assisted lipotransfer (CAL) has been widely used in various clinical applications, including breast augmentation following mammectomy, soft-tissue reconstruction and wound healing. However, the clinical application of CAL has been restricted due to the transplanted fat tissues being readily liquefied and absorbed. The present review examines 57 previously published studies involving CAL, including fat grafting or fat transfer with human adipose-stem cells in all known databases. Of these 57 articles, seven reported the clinical application of CAL. In the 57 studies, the majority of the fat tissues were obtained from the abdomen via liposuction of the seven clinical studies, four were performed in patients requiring breast augmentation, one in a patient requiring facial augmentation, one in a patient requiring soft tissue augmentation/reconstruction and one in a patient requiring fat in their upper arms. Despite the potential risks, there has been an increased demand for CAL in in cosmetic or aesthetic applications. Thus, criteria and guidelines are necessary for the clinical application of CAL technology.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and its relevant factors increased the risk of gallstone disease : a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: The association between nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and gallstones disease (GD) remains inconsistent and controversial. A systematic review of studies was conducted to explore their relationship and relevant risk factors by meta-analysis. Materials and methods: We carried out a literature search in Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane library, Medline and Web of Scienc to screen for citations before Aug 31st, 2015. A statistical analysis was performed using Review Manager version 5.2. Results: Eight studies involving 43,749 participants from different ethnics and regions were included. Among them, five trials carried out subgroup of GD patients in NAFLD population. The result showed NAFLD was significantly correlated with GD (Odds ratio [OR]=1.75, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.51-2.04, P<0.01). The incidence of GD in NAFLD participants increased with age, BMI, fasting glucose, homeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and the manifestation of metabolic syndrome (MS) as well as female gender. Conclusion: The present systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated that NAFLD was independently predictor of GD. In the background of NAFLD, the occurrence of GD varied according to the gender, and with positive relationship of NAFLD relevant risks.
Enhanced Word Embeddings from a Hierarchical Neural Language Model

This paper proposes a neural language model to capture the interaction of text units of different levels, i.e., documents, paragraphs, sentences, words in an hierarchical structure. At each paralleled level, the model incorporates Markov property while each higher-level unit hierarchically influences its containing units. Such an architecture enables the learned word embeddings to encode both global and local information. We evaluate the learned word embeddings and experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of our model.
Decreased Response to Acetylcholine during Aging of Aplysia Neuron R15

How aging affects the communication between neurons is poorly understood. To address this question, we have studied the electrophysiological properties of identified neuron R15 of the marine mollusk Aplysia californica. R15 is a bursting neuron in the abdominal ganglia of the central nervous system and is implicated in reproduction, water balance, and heart function. Exposure to acetylcholine (ACh) causes an increase in R15 burst firing. Whole-cell recordings of R15 in the intact ganglia dissected from mature and old Aplysia showed specific changes in burst firing and properties of action potentials induced by ACh. We found that while there were no significant changes in resting membrane potential and latency in response to ACh, the burst number and burst duration is altered during aging. The action potential waveform analysis showed that unlike mature neurons, the duration of depolarization and the repolarization amplitude and duration did not change in old neurons in response to ACh. Furthermore, single neuron quantitative analysis of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) suggested alteration of expression of specific AChRs in R15 neurons during aging. These results suggest a defect in cholinergic transmission during aging of the R15 neuron.
Field trial of applicability of lot quality assurance sampling survey method for rapid assessment of prevalence of active trachoma.

OBJECTIVE To test the applicability of lot quality assurance sampling (LQAS) for the rapid assessment of the prevalence of active trachoma. METHODS Prevalence of active trachoma in six communities was found by examining all children aged 2-5 years. Trial surveys were conducted in these communities. A sampling plan appropriate for classifying communities with prevalences < or =20% and > or =40% was applied to the survey data. Operating characteristic and average sample number curves were plotted, and screening test indices were calculated. The ability of LQAS to provide a three-class classification system was investigated. FINDINGS Ninety-six trial surveys were conducted. All communities with prevalences < or =20% and > or =40% were identified correctly. The method discriminated between communities with prevalences < or =30% and >30%, with sensitivity of 98% (95% confidence interval (CI)=88.2-99.9%), specificity of 84.4% (CI=69.9-93.0%), positive predictive value of 87.7% (CI=75.7-94.5%), negative predictive value of 97.4% (CI=84.9-99.9%), and accuracy of 91.7% (CI=83.8-96.1%). Agreement between the three prevalence classes and survey classifications was 84.4% (CI=75.2-90.7%). The time needed to complete the surveys was consistent with the need to complete a survey in one day. CONCLUSION Lot quality assurance sampling provides a method of classifying communities according to the prevalence of active trachoma. It merits serious consideration as a replacement for the assessment of the prevalence of active trachoma with the currently used trachoma rapid assessment method. It may be extended to provide a multi-class classification method.
How Program History Can Improve Code Completion

Code completion is a widely used productivity tool. It takes away the burden of remembering and typing the exact names of methods or classes: As a developer starts typing a name, it provides a progressively refined list of candidates matching the name. However, the candidate list always comes in alphabetic order, i.e., the environment is only second-guessing the name based on pattern matching. Finding the correct candidate can be cumbersome or slower than typing the full name. We present an approach to improve code completion with program history. We define a benchmark measuring the accuracy and usefulness of a code completion engine. Further, we use the change history data to also improve the results offered by code completion tools. Finally, we propose an alternative interface for completion tools.
EFFECTS OF ANGLES AND OFFSETS IN CRASH SIMULATIONS OF AUTOMOBILES WITH LIGHT TRUCKS

Two series of finite element and lumped parameter model vehicle-to-vehicle frontal crash simulations were conducted. The vehicles modeled are the 1994 Chevrolet C-1500 light truck and the 1997 Ford Crown Victoria. The first set of simulations involves fully-engaged angled impact. Angles range from +50 to -50 degrees. The second set simulates offset impacts in head-on vehicle crashes. The front-end overlap ranged from 20% of the average width of the vehicles to 100% (fully engaged). Driver and passenger injury is assessed using a MADYMO model of a generic automobile interior subject to the horizontal occupant compartment translation and rotations. The results of the two simulation sets are examined for qualitative changes in structural deformation modes, energy absorption, and injury. Relative injury is assessed by head injury criterion (HIC) with a 36-millisecond window and 3-millisecond chest acceleration clip. These criteria are less sensitive to occupant compartment intrusion than other injury metrics.
Generating physical symptoms from visual cues: An experimental study

This experimental study explored whether the physical symptoms of cold, pain and itchiness could be generated by visual cues, whether they varied in the ease with which they could be generated and whether they were related to negative affect. Participants were randomly allocated by group to watch one of three videos relating to cold (e.g. ice, snow, wind), pain (e.g. sporting injuries, tattoos) or itchiness (e.g. head lice, scratching). They then rated their self-reported symptoms of cold, pain and itchiness as well as their negative affect (depression and anxiety). The researcher recorded their observed behaviour relating to these symptoms. The results showed that the interventions were successful and that all three symptoms could be generated by the visual cues in terms of both self-report and observed behaviour. In addition, the pain video generated higher levels of anxiety and depression than the other two videos. Further, the degree of itchiness was related to the degree of anxiety. This symptom onset process also showed variability between symptoms with self-reported cold symptoms being greater than either pain or itchy symptoms. The results show that physical symptoms can be generated by visual cues indicating that psychological factors are not only involved in symptom perception but also in symptom onset.
Stability Conditions for Strong Rarefaction Waves

In this paper we study a number of algebraic conditions connected with the stability of strictly hyperbolic $n\times n$ systems of conservation laws in one space dimension: ut + f(u)x = 0. Such conditions yield existence and continuity of the flow of solutions in the vicinity of the reference solution. Our main concern is a single rarefaction wave having arbitrarily large strength.
Allele Loss on Chromosome 11 in a Pituitary Tumor from a Patient with Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1

We have examined the allele loss of chromosome 11 in a pituitary tumor from a patient with familial multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN 1). The extensive loss of chromosome 11, including loci of D11S149, HRAS1 and F2, was detected by the loss of heterozygosity. All of the lost alleles of these loci were transmitted from the unaffected father and not from an affected mother. This is the first evidence of allele loss of chromosome 11 in a pituitary tumor of MEN 1 and supports the idea that similar allelic deletion of MEN1 locus on chromosome 11 is the common genetic basis for tumorigenesis in the pituitary, endocrine pancreas, and parathyroid gland in MEN 1.
Modification of Gene Duplicability during the Evolution of Protein Interaction Network

Duplications of genes encoding highly connected and essential proteins are selected against in several species but not in human, where duplicated genes encode highly connected proteins. To understand when and how gene duplicability changed in evolution, we compare gene and network properties in four species (Escherichia coli, yeast, fly, and human) that are representative of the increase in evolutionary complexity, defined as progressive growth in the number of genes, cells, and cell types. We find that the origin and conservation of a gene significantly correlates with the properties of the encoded protein in the protein-protein interaction network. All four species preserve a core of singleton and central hubs that originated early in evolution, are highly conserved, and accomplish basic biological functions. Another group of hubs appeared in metazoans and duplicated in vertebrates, mostly through vertebrate-specific whole genome duplication. Such recent and duplicated hubs are frequently targets of microRNAs and show tissue-selective expression, suggesting that these are alternative mechanisms to control their dosage. Our study shows how networks modified during evolution and contributes to explaining the occurrence of somatic genetic diseases, such as cancer, in terms of network perturbations.
The surgical pathology of the appendix in South African blacks.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to evaluate the type of pathology seen in appendices removed for acute appendicitis. DESIGN A retrospective study. SETTINGS Department of Anatomical Pathology at Ga-Rankuwa/Medunsa Academic Complex, Gauteng Province, South Africa. SUBJECTS 408 Black patients who had appendectomy at Garankuwa Hospital. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Prevalence of appendicitis. RESULTS Appendicitis was diagnosed in 65.7% of the cases of which 25% showed perforation. The disease was common in males and was predominantly seen in the second decade. Parasites were seen in 3.4% of cases and two benign tumours were seen. CONCLUSION Appendicitis is common amongst urban South African Blacks and the pattern of the disease is similar to that observed in other African urban centres.
Detection of genotoxic effects in human gastric and nasal mucosa cells isolated from biopsy samples

To assess genotoxic burdens from chemicals, it is necessary to relate observations in experimental animals to humans. The success of this extrapolation would be increased by including data on chemical activities in human tissues. Therefore, we have developed techniques to assess DNA damage in human gastric and nasal mucosa (GM, NM) cells. Biopsy samples were obtained during gastroscopy from macroscopically healthy tissue of the stomach or from healthy nasal epithelia during surgery. The specimens were incubated for 30–45 min at 37°C with a digestive solution. We obtained 1.5–8 × 106 GM cells and 5–10 × 105 NM cells per donor, both with viabilities of 80–95%. The cells were incubated in vitro for 1 hr at 37°C with the test compounds added in their appropriate solvents. In GM cells, we studied N‐methyl‐N'‐nitro‐N‐nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), sodium dichromate (Na2Cr2O7), nickel sulphate (NiSO4), cadmium sulphate (CdSO4), and lindane. In NM cells, lindane was investigated. Each compound was assessed for DNA damaging activity in cells of at least three different human donor samples using the microgel single cell assay. Similar studies were performed with GM and NM cells obtained from Sprague‐Dawley rats. We have found human GM cells to be more sensitive to the genotoxic activity of MNNG than rat GM cells (low effective concentration [LEC] = 0.16 and 0.625 μg/ml for human and rat, respectively). Human cells were also more sensitive to the cytotoxic/genotoxic activity of NiSO4 (LEC = 5 and 19 μmoles/ml for human and rat, respectively). CdSO4 was genotoxic in human GM cells (LEC = 0.03–0.125 μmoles/ml), whereas no dose‐related genotoxicity was observed in rat GM at concentrations up to 0.5 μmoles/ml. In contrast, approximately equal responses regarding genotoxicity and cytotoxicity were observed in rat and human GM for Na2Cr2O7 (0.25–1 μmoles/ml). Lindane, however, was genotoxic in three out of four rat GM but not in human GM cells (0.5–1 μmoles/ml), whereas it was active in both rat and human NM cells. Together with other recently published in vivo findings, our results with lindane can be interpreted according to a parallelogram approach. In view of possible human exposure situations and the sensitivities of the two target tissues from both species, the data imply that lindane will pose a health risk to humans by inhalation but not by ingestion. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Human metapneumovirus genotypes and severity of disease in young children (n = 100) during a 7‐year study in Dijon hospital, France†

Human metapneumovirus is a cause of respiratory tract infections at all ages. Our objectives were to analyze the distribution of the A and B genotypes over 7 years in Dijon and to investigate a possible association between hMPV genotypes and disease severity. During 2002–2009, we genotyped the 100 isolates from children <3 years old with hMPV. Phylogenetic analysis indicated a change in the distribution of hMPV genotype over the years. Severity was then measured by detailed clinical evaluation. The hospitalization rate was greater when genotype B was involved 72.5% versus 53.3% (P = 0.054). Those infected with genotype B tended to have a higher clinical score, as measured by Vicente et al. 2006 (P = 0.07). We showed that, although clinical severity is not clearly associated with hMPV genotype in this study, pathological signs on chest X‐ray were observed more often in B subgroup (P < 0.01). J. Med. Virol. 82:1782–1789, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.