Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Folic Acid, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin B12 in Combination and Age-Related Cataract in a Randomized Trial of Women

ABSTRACT Purpose: To examine the incidence of cataract and cataract extraction in a trial of folic acid and vitamins B6 and B12. Methods: In a randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial, 5442 female health professionals aged 40 years or older with preexisting cardiovascular disease (CVD) or three or more CVD risk factors were randomly assigned to receive a combination of folic acid (2.5 mg/day), vitamin B6 (50 mg/day), and vitamin B12 (1 mg/day), or placebo. A total of 3925 of these women did not have a diagnosis of cataract at baseline and were included in this analysis. The primary endpoint was age-related cataract, defined as an incident age-related lens opacity, responsible for a reduction in best-corrected visual acuity to 20/30 or worse, based on self-report confirmed by medical record review. Extraction of incident age-related cataract was a secondary endpoint of the trial. Results: During an average of 7.3 years of treatment and follow-up, 408 cataracts and 275 cataract extractions were documented. There were 215 cataracts in the combination treatment group and 193 in the placebo group (hazard ratio, HR, 1.10, 95% confidence interval, CI, 0.90–1.33; p = 0.36). For the secondary endpoint of cataract extraction, there were 155 in the combination treatment group and 120 in the placebo group (HR 1.28, 95% CI 1.01–1.63; p = 0.04). Conclusions: In this large-scale randomized trial of women at high risk of CVD, daily supplementation with a combination of folic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12 had no significant effect on cataract, but may have increased the risk of cataract extraction.
Aβ Inhibition of Ionic Conductance in Mouse Basal Forebrain Neurons Is Dependent upon the Cellular Prion Protein PrPC

Current therapies for Alzheimer's disease (AD) address a loss of cholinergic neurons, while accumulation of neurotoxic amyloid β (Aβ) peptide assemblies is thought central to molecular pathogenesis. Overlaps may exist between prionopathies and AD wherein Aβ oligomers bind to the cellular prion protein PrPC and inhibit synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus (Laurén et al., 2009). Here we applied oligomeric Aβ to neurons with different PrP (Prnp) gene dosage. Whole-cell recordings were obtained from dissociated neurons of the diagonal band of Broca (DBB), a cholinergic basal forebrain nucleus. In wild-type (wt) mice, Aβ1–42 evoked a concentration-dependent reduction of whole-cell outward currents in a voltage range between −30 and +30 mV; reduction occurred through a combined modulation of a suite of potassium conductances including the delayed rectifier (IK), the transient outward (IA), and the iberiotoxin-sensitive (calcium-activated potassium, IC) currents. Inhibition was not seen with Aβ42–1 peptide, while Aβ1–42-induced responses were reduced by application of anti-PrP antibody, attenuated in cells from Prnp0/+ hemizygotes, and absent in Prnp0/0 homozygotes. Similarly, amyloidogenic amylin peptide depressed DBB whole-cell currents in DBB cells from wt mice, but not Prnp0/0 homozygotes. While prior studies give broad support for a neuroprotective function for PrPC, our data define a latent pro-pathogenic role in the presence of amyloid assemblies.
Multiplication of distributions

Multiplication by harmonic representations of distributions, introduced by Li Banghe, is an extension of a certain product by radial (rotationally symmetric) mollifiers and therefore a strict extension of the Kaminski and Colombeau product. product Classification: 46F10 There exist several definitions of a multiplication of distributions. A popular approach to define a product for a pair of distributions is to approximate them by smooth functions, multiply these, and pass to a limit. Approximation is usually done by convolution with �-sequences, i.e. sequences or nets of smooth functions, converging to the �-distribution. The limit process should be related to the usual limit in distribution spaces, if the resulting object is required to be a distribution. Since most of these approaches extend the multiplication of continuous functions, regarded as distributions, these products cannot be defined for all pairs of distri- butions due to a well-known result of Schwartz (14). The purpose of this paper is to give a reasonable enlargement of the definition area of some of these partial mappings, namely of products equivalent to the so-called Kaminski or Colombeau product.
Analytical and Preparative Thin-Layer Chromatography of Porphyrin Methyl Esters

Thin-layer chromatography methods on the preparative and analytical scale are presented for the separation of porphyrin methyl esters according to the number of ester groups in each porphyrin. Complete and sharp separations are obtained on silica gel glass plates or aluminium cards run in benzene-ethyl acetate-methanol solvent systems. Dicarboxylic porphyrin esters from proto-, deuteroand hematoporphyrin IX have also been separated. Modifications of the analytical methods are described for the rapid separation of porphyrins bearing eight to two methyl ester groups within 10 min on small chromatocards in chloroform-ethyl acetate solvent mixtures. The porphyrins are determined quantitatively by spectrophotometric analysis of the eluted substances, or by fluorescence scanning of the bands of thin-layer chromatograms, using the Camag-Turner TLC-scanner. The fluorometric method is highly sensitive and permits a simultaneous relative measurement of all bands in the chromatogram. Examples of thin-layer chromatograms in combination with fluorescence scanning are presented, demonstrating the application of this new analytical method.
Detection of TT Virus DNA and GB Virus Type C/Hepatitis G Virus RNA in Serum and Breast Milk: Determination of Mother-to-Child Transmission

ABSTRACT To investigate the vertical transmission of the newly described TT virus (TTV), serum and breast milk samples from 46 women as well as sera from their 47 newborns were examined for the presence of TTV DNA by PCR. TTV DNA was detected in 47.8% (n = 22) of the women. All but one child born to these women were also viremic for TTV from the first sample onward. TTV DNA was found in 73.9% (n = 17) of the breast milk samples derived from TTV viremic mothers. The one TTV-negative child born to a viremic mother remained negative during follow-up, although it was breast-fed. Our data show that TTV is highly effectively transmitted from mothers to their children during pregnancy. Although the majority of breast milk samples from viremic mothers are positive by TTV PCR, there is no need to discourage women from breast-feeding, because most children are TTV viremic even before breast-feeding begins.
Improved prediction accuracy for disease risk mapping using Gaussian process stacked generalization

Maps of infectious disease—charting spatial variations in the force of infection, degree of endemicity and the burden on human health—provide an essential evidence base to support planning towards global health targets. Contemporary disease mapping efforts have embraced statistical modelling approaches to properly acknowledge uncertainties in both the available measurements and their spatial interpolation. The most common such approach is Gaussian process regression, a mathematical framework composed of two components: a mean function harnessing the predictive power of multiple independent variables, and a covariance function yielding spatio-temporal shrinkage against residual variation from the mean. Though many techniques have been developed to improve the flexibility and fitting of the covariance function, models for the mean function have typically been restricted to simple linear terms. For infectious diseases, known to be driven by complex interactions between environmental and socio-economic factors, improved modelling of the mean function can greatly boost predictive power. Here, we present an ensemble approach based on stacked generalization that allows for multiple nonlinear algorithmic mean functions to be jointly embedded within the Gaussian process framework. We apply this method to mapping Plasmodium falciparum prevalence data in sub-Saharan Africa and show that the generalized ensemble approach markedly outperforms any individual method.
Modeling conditional dependence between diagnostic tests: A multiple latent variable model

Applications of latent class analysis in diagnostic test studies have assumed that all tests are measuring a common binary latent variable, the true disease status. In this article we describe a new approach that recognizes that tests based on different biological phenomena measure different latent variables, which in turn measure the latent true disease status. This allows for adjustment of conditional dependence between tests within disease categories. The model further allows for the inclusion of measured covariates and unmeasured random effects affecting test performance within latent classes. We describe a Bayesian approach for model estimation and describe a new posterior predictive check for evaluating candidate models. The methods are motivated and illustrated by results from a study of diagnostic tests for Chlamydia trachomatis. Published in 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Factors determining compliance with command hallucinations with violent content: the role of social rank, perceived power of the voice and voice malevolence

We have examined the nature of the cognitive processes sub-serving compliance with command hallucinations. Specifically, we investigated the interaction between self beliefs of social rank in the voice-hearer and beliefs about the voice in determining compliance with content-specific violent commands (self-harm, harm-other). Thirty-two people who heard violent command hallucinations were asked to rate their beliefs about the power and the benevolence/malevolence of the commanding voice. They also rated their perception of their own inferiority/superiority within real-life social relationships. The study reliably identified two groups of ‘compliers’ and ‘non-compliers’ sub-divided into two groups of ‘self-harm command hearers’ and ‘harm-other command hearers’. No significant differences were found between the compliers and non-compliers on beliefs about benevolence or malevolence of the voice. The complier group reported that they perceived the command voice to be significantly more powerful than the non-complier group. Further, ‘self-harm command compliers’ reported significantly higher ratings of inferiority in social relationships, whilst ‘harm-other command compliers’ reported significantly higher ratings of superiority within social relationships. The results show that beliefs about social rank have potentially important mediating effects upon complying with content-specific commands (self-harm vs harm-other). Importantly, the results have highlighted that for people in contact with psychiatric services compliance with violent command hallucinations is far more common than non-compliance. This may mirror Milgram's (1974) findings of the rarity of resistance to obedience with authority. However, these conclusions must be tentative due to the small sample size in the non-compliance conditions.
Macaque monkey retrosplenial cortex: II. Cortical afferents

We investigated the cortical afferents of the retrosplenial cortex and the adjacent posterior cingulate cortex (area 23) in the macaque monkey by using the retrograde tracers Fast blue and Diamidino yellow. We quantitatively analyzed the distribution of labeled neurons throughout the cortical mantle. Injections involving the retrosplenial cortex resulted in labeled neurons within the retrosplenial cortex and in areas 23 and 31 (∼78% of the total labeled cells). In the remainder of the cortex, the heaviest projections originated in the hippocampal formation, including the entorhinal cortex, subiculum, presubiculum, and parasubiculum. The parahippocampal and perirhinal cortices also contained many labeled neurons, as did the prefrontal cortex, mainly in areas 46, 9, 10, and 11, and the occipital cortex, mainly area V2. Injections in area 23 also resulted in numerous labeled cells in the posterior cingulate and retrosplenial regions (∼67% of total labeled cells). As in the retrosplenial cortex, injections of area 23 led to many labeled neurons in the frontal cortex, although most of these cells were in areas 9 and 46. Larger numbers of retrogradely labeled cells were also distributed more widely in the posterior parietal cortex, including areas 7a, 7m, LIP, and DP. There were some labeled cells in the parahippocampal cortex. These connections are consistent with the retrosplenial cortex acting as an interface between the working memory functions in the prefrontal areas and the long‐term memory encoding in the medial temporal lobe. The posterior cingulate cortex, in contrast, may be more highly associated with visuospatial functions. J. Comp. Neurol. 466:48–79, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Lymphocyte function-associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) interaction with intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) is one of at least three mechanisms for lymphocyte adhesion to cultured endothelial cells

Intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) on the surface of cultured umbilical vein and saphenous vein endothelial cells was upregulated between 2.5- and 40-fold by rIL-1, rTNF, LPS and rIFN gamma corresponding to up to 5 X 10(6) sites/cell. Endothelial cell ICAM-1 was a single band of 90 kD in SDS-PAGE. Purified endothelial cell ICAM- 1 reconstituted into liposomes and bound to plastic was an excellent substrate for both JY B lymphoblastoid cell and T lymphoblast adhesion. Adhesion to endothelial cell ICAM-1 in planar membranes was blocked completely by monoclonal antibodies to lymphocyte function associated antigen-1 (LFA-1) or ICAM-1. Adhesion to artificial membranes was most sensitive to ICAM-1 density within the physiological range found on resting and stimulated endothelial cells. Adhesion of JY B lymphoblastoid cells, normal and genetically LFA-1 deficient T lymphoblasts and resting peripheral blood lymphocytes to endothelial cell monolayers was also assayed. In summary, LFA-1 dependent (60-90% of total adhesion) and LFA-1-independent basal adhesion was observed and the use of both adhesion pathways by different interacting cell pairs was increased by monokine or lipopolysaccharide stimulation of endothelial cells. The LFA-1-dependent adhesion could be further subdivided into an LFA-1/ICAM-1-dependent component which was increased by cytokines and a basal LFA-1-dependent, ICAM-1-independent component which did not appear to be affected by cytokines. We conclude that ICAM- 1 is a regulated ligand for lymphocyte-endothelial cell adhesion, but at least two other major adhesion pathways exist.
Serial Changes in Cerebral Blood Flow and Flow—Metabolism Uncoupling in Primates with Acute Thromboembolic Stroke

The authors recently developed a primate thromboembolic stroke model. To characterize the primate model, the authors determined serial changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and the relation between CBF and cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (CMRglc) using high-resolution positron emission tomography. Thromboembolic stroke was produced in male cynomolgus monkeys (n = 4). Acute obstruction of the left middle cerebral artery was achieved by injecting an autologous blood clot into the left internal carotid artery. Cerebral blood flow was measured with [15O]H2O before and 1, 2, 4, 6, and 24 hours after embolization. CMRglc was measured with 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) 24 hours after embolization. Lesion size and location 24 hours after embolization was determined by the 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining method. The results are summarized as follows: (1) 1 hour after embolization, CBF in the temporal cortex and the basal ganglia decreased to < 40% of the contralateral values. In these regions, regarded as an ischemic core, CBF decreased further with time and CMRglc at 24 hours also decreased. Infarcted lesions as indicated by being unstained with TTC were consistently observed in these regions. (2) In the parietal cortex and several regions surrounding the ischemic core, CBF was >40% of the contralateral values 1 hour after embolization and recovered gradually with time (ischemic penumbra). In these regions, CMRglc at 24 hours increased compared with that in the contralateral regions, indicating an uncoupling of CBF and CMRglc. No obvious TTC-unstained lesions were detected in these regions. The authors demonstrated a gradual recovery of reduced CBF, an elevated CMRglc and a CBF-CMRglc uncoupling in the penumbra regions of the primate model. Positron emission tomography investigations using this model will provide better understanding of the pathophysiology of thromboembolic stroke in humans.
Laparoscopic Versus Open Colorectal Resection Within Fast Track Programs: An Update Meta-Analysis Based on Randomized Controlled Trials

The objective of the study was to assess the safety and efficacy of laparoscopic colorectal surgery by comparing open operation within fast track (FT) programs. The Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase and Chinese Biological Medicine Database were searched to identify all available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing laparoscopic with open colorectal resection within FT programs. A total of seven RCTs were finally included, enrolling 714 patients with colorectal cancer: 373 patients underwent laparoscopic surgery and FT programs (laparoscopic/FT group) and 341 patients received open operation and FT programs (open/FT group). Postoperative hospital stay (weighted mean difference (WMD): 0.66; 95% CI: 0.27 - 1.04; P < 0.05), total hospital stay (WMD: 1.46; 95% CI: 0.40 - 2.51; P < 0.05) and overall complications (RR: 1.31; 95% CI: 1.12 - 1.54; P < 0.05) were significantly lower in laparoscopic/FT group than in open/FT group. However, no statistically significant differences on mortality (risk ratio (RR): 2.26; 95% CI: 0.62 - 8.22; P = 0.21), overall surgical complications (RR: 1.19; 95% CI: 0.94 - 1.51; P = 0.15) and readmission rates (RR: 1.33; 95% CI: 0.79 - 2.22; P = 0.28) were found between both groups. The laparoscopic colorectal surgery combined with FT programs shows high-level evidence on shortening postoperative and total hospital stay, reducing overall complications without compromising patients’ safety.
Trends in small cell enhancements in LTE advanced

3GPP LTE, or Long Term Evolution, the fourth generation wireless access technology, is being rolled out by many operators worldwide. Since LTE Release 10, network densification using small cells has been an important evolution direction in 3GPP to provide the necessary means to accommodate the anticipated huge traffic growth, especially for hotspot areas. Recently, LTE Release 12 has been started with more focus on small cell enhancements. This article provides the design principles and introduces the ongoing discussions on small cell enhancements in LTE Release 12, and provides views from two active operators in this area, CMCC and NTT DOCOMO.
Optimization and validation of an extraction method for the analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in chocolate candies.

UNLABELLED Chocolate is a key ingredient in many foods such as milk shakes, candies, bars, cookies, and cereals. Chocolate candies are often consumed by mankind of all age groups. The presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in chocolate candies may result in health risk to people. A rapid, precise, and economic extraction method was optimized and validated for the simultaneous determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in chocolate candy by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GS-MS) as a confirmatory technique. The method was optimized by using different solvents for liquid-liquid extraction, varying volume of de-emulsifying agent, and quantity of silica gel used for purification. The HPLC separation of 16 PAHs was carried out by C-18 column with mobile phase composed of acetonitrile : water (70 : 30) in isocratic mode with runtime of 20 min. Limit of detection, limit of quantification (LOQ), and correlation coefficients were found in the range of 0.3 to 4 ng g⁻¹, 0.9 to 12 ng g⁻¹, and 0.9109 to 0.9952, respectively. The exploration of 25 local chocolate candy samples for the presence of PAHs showed the mean content of benzo[a]pyrene as 1.62 ng g⁻¹, which representing the need to evaluate effective measures to prevent more severe PAHs contamination in chocolate candies in future. PRACTICAL APPLICATION Chocolate is one of the most favorite food items among people, especially children. Chocolate candies are often consumed by mankind of all age groups. Chocolate candies are often consumed by children in large quantities. The presence PAHs in chocolate candies may result in health risk to people. In the present study, a precise and cost effective rapid method was employed for the determination of PAHs, which can be employed for daily routine analysis of PAHs in chocolate products.
A Coordinate-Descent Framework to Design Low PSL/ISL Sequences

This paper is focused on the design of phase sequences with good (aperiodic) autocorrelation properties in terms of peak sidelobe level and integrated sidelobe level. The problem is formulated as a biobjective Pareto optimization forcing either a continuous or a discrete phase constraint at the design stage. An iterative procedure based on the coordinate descent method is introduced to deal with the resulting optimization problems that are nonconvex and NP-hard in general. Each iteration of the devised method requires the solution of a nonconvex min–max problem. It is handled either through a novel bisection or an FFT-based method respectively for the continuous and the discrete phase constraint. Additionally, a heuristic approach to initialize the procedures employing the $l_p$-norm minimization technique is proposed. Simulation results illustrate that the proposed methodologies can outperform some counterparts providing sequences with good autocorrelation features especially in the discrete phase/binary case.
Characterization of GTP cyclohydrolase I gene expression in the human neuroblastoma SKN‐BE(2)M17: enhanced transcription in response to cAMP is conferred by the proximal promoter

GTP cyclohydrolase I (GTPCH) gene expression was investigated in the human monoamine‐containing neuroblastoma cell line SK‐N‐BE(2)M17. Northern blot analysis revealed a single GTPCH mRNA transcript that was confirmed by RNase protection assay to encode for Type 1 GTPCH; no alternatively spliced forms of GTPCH mRNA were detected with this assay. Incubation with 8Br‐cAMP, but not nerve growth factor or leukemia inhibitory factor, produced a rapid increase in GTPCH mRNA and protein levels; protein levels remained elevated during the entire treatment period while mRNA content declined rapidly between 10 and 24 h. Treatment with 8Br‐cAMP did not significantly modify the stability of GTPCH mRNA but did increase GTPCH transcription as determined by transient transfection assays of a luciferase reporter construct containing 1171 bp of human GTPCH 5′‐flanking sequence. Cis‐acting elements required for maximal basal and cAMP‐dependent transcription were localized by deletion analysis to the 146 bp proximal promoter. DNase I footprint analysis of the proximal promoter using SK‐N‐BE(2)M17 nuclear extracts identified two protein binding domains: one an upstream Sp1‐like site and the other a combined CRE‐Sp1‐CCAAT‐box element. EMSA and supershift assays demonstrated that the combined CRE‐Sp1‐CCAAT‐box element recruits ATF‐2 and NF‐Y but not Sp1–4 or Egr‐1–3. NF‐Y binding was confirmed using pure recombinant human NF‐Y protein. Transcription of the human GTPCH gene in human SK‐N‐BE(2)M17 cells is thus enhanced by cAMP acting through regulatory elements located in the proximal promoter and may involve the transcription factors NF‐Y and ATF‐2.