Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of One-Week Salt Restriction on Blood Pressure Variability in Hypertensive Patients with Type 2 Diabetes

Background Increased short-term blood pressure (BP) variability on 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) is known to be a risk factor for cardiovascular events. However, very few studies have evaluated the effect of salt restriction on BP variability particularly in hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes. This study aimed to investigate the effect of salt restriction on systolic BP (SBP) variability. Methods and Results 10 hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes and not receiving antihypertensive agents were enrolled in the study. After admission, all patients received a salt-restricted diet and appropriate anti-diabetic treatments and were followed up for 7 consecutive days using ABPM. After the 7-day treatment, the median [interquartile range (IQR)] coefficient of variation (CV) for diurnal SBP variability changed from day 1 to day 7–13.0 [10.8 to 16.8] % to 13.3 [9.1 to 18.9] % (P = 0.959)—and the median [IQR] change between days 1 and 7 was -0.3 [-3.2 to 2.9] %. In addition, CV for BP variability and circadian rhythm of BP varied greatly on a day-by-day basis for 7 days, compared to mean BP values. Interestingly, increased SBP variability was associated with greater day-by-day changes in circadian rhythm of BP. Conclusions Salt restriction during 7-day hospitalization led to a -0.3 [-3.2 to 2.9] (median [IQR]) % change from baseline in CV for diurnal SBP variability in 10 hypertensive patients with type 2 diabetes not receiving antihypertensive agents. Trial Registration UMIN Clinical Trials Registry UMIN000016243
Drug delivery strategies to enhance the permeability of the blood–brain barrier for treatment of glioma

Gliomas are amongst the most insidious and destructive types of brain cancer and are associated with a poor prognosis, frequent recurrences, and extremely high lethality despite combination treatment of surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. The existence of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) restricts the delivery of therapeutic molecules into the brain and offers the clinical efficacy of many pharmaceuticals that have been demonstrated to be effective for other kinds of tumors. This challenge emphasizes the need to be able to deliver drugs effectively across the BBB to reach the brain parenchyma. Enhancement of the permeability of the BBB and being able to transport drugs across it has been shown to be a promising strategy to improve drug absorption and treatment efficacy. This review highlights the innovative technologies that have been introduced to enhance the permeability of the BBB and to obtain an optimal distribution and concentration of drugs in the brain to treat gliomas, such as nanotechniques, hyperthermia techniques, receptor-mediated transport, cell-penetrating peptides, and cell-mediated delivery.
The whiplash syndrome: a psychophysiological and neuropsychological study towards attention

Whiplash patients often have physical, psychosomatic and cognitive complaints, although clear neurological and neuropsychological signs of damage are absent. However, in some studies a functional loss of attention was found. In order to compare attentional dysfunctions in whiplash patients with age‐matched controls, attention was measured neuropsychologically with the aid of the PASAT, and psychophysiologically with the aid of the prepulse inhibition paradigm. In addition, the reactivity for intense acoustic stimulation was investigated. The POMS and the SCL‐90 were used to evaluate psychological and somatic signs. The results showed that whiplash patients (n=24) had lower scores on the PASAT and higher scores on the questionnaires compared to healthy controls (n=21). However, no group differences could be determined on the psychophysiological variables. Furthermore, the PASAT and prepulse inhibition data did not correlate. The lower PASAT scores indicate that whiplash patients seem to have deteriorated divided attention, but an attention deficit as measured with the prepulse inhibition paradigm is not disclosed. Finally, there were no signs of a heightened reactivity of the auditory system, which casts doubts on a presumed heightened sensitivity for sound in whiplash patients.
Economic MPC for a Changing Economic Criterion for Linear Systems

Economic Model Predictive Controllers, consisting of an economic criterion as stage cost for the dynamic regulation problem, have shown to improve the economic performance of the controlled plant, as well as to ensure stability of the economic setpoint. However, throughout the operation of the plant, economic criteria are usually subject to frequent changes, due to variations of prices, costs, production demand, market fluctuations, reconciled data, disturbances, etc. A different economic criterion determines a change of the optimal operation point and this may cause a loss of feasibility and/or stability. In this paper a stabilizing economic MPC for changing economic criterion for linear prediction models is presented. The proposed controller always ensures feasibility for any given economic criterion, thanks to the particular choice of the terminal ingredients. Asymptotic stability is also proved, providing a Lyapunov function.
Space-efficient Decision Procedures for Three Interpolable Propositional Intermediate Logics

In this paper we present duplication-free tableau calculi for three propositional intermediate interpolable logics, namely the logic characterized by rooted Kripke models with depth two at most, the logic characterized by rooted Kripke models with two final elements at most and depth two at most and the logic characterized by rooted Kripke models with a final element at most (also known as Jankov Logic). Using such calculi we define a -SPACE decision procedure for the second logic and a -SPACE decision procedure for each of the other two logics.
Two cases of amisulpride overdose: A cause for prolonged QT syndrome

Two cases of deliberate self‐poisoning with 5 g and 3.6 g of amisulpride, respectively, are reported. In both cases, QT prolongation and hypocalcaemia were noted. The QT prolongation appeared to respond to administration of i.v. calcium gluconate.
Change Awareness in Opportunistic Networks

The metrics of information latency and reach ability are widely used for measuring information flow in opportunistic networks. We present an alternative measure that looks at the amount of information updates or changes, which is an important and yet relatively unexplored metric for characterizing opportunistic networks. In this paper, we propose a novel concept to measure information freshness - how much the latest information received differs from the most up-to-date information on the sender. Based on the information freshness, the awareness on how information propagated may have changed, or change awareness, can be computed. Change awareness can be exploited to design efficient algorithms, in particular, data aggregation algorithms. Evaluation on real world traces shows that change awareness based solutions can achieve similar results as data aggregation algorithm with connection oracles.
Historical insights into cytokines

Cytokines affect nearly every biological process; these include embryonic development, disease pathogenesis, non‐specific response to infection, specific response to antigen, changes in cognitive functions and progression of the degenerative processes of aging. In addition, cytokines are part of stem cell differentiation, vaccine efficacy and allograft rejection. This short insight focuses on the milestones in cytokine biology and how the various and often contradictory activities of these small, non‐structural proteins affected the fields of inflammation and immunology. Multiple biological properties or pleiotropism is the hallmark of a cytokine. Today, the term “cytokine” encompasses interferons, the interleukins, the chemokine family, mesenchymal growth factors, the tumor necrosis factor family and adipokines. As of this writing, 33 cytokines are called interleukins, but many are part of families of related but distinct gene products. There are certainly over 100 separate genes coding for cytokine‐like activities, many with overlapping functions and many still unexplored. Also discussed in this overview are the failures and successes of cytokines as therapeutic targets. A recent advance in the field has been that of differential cytokine production, which can be used to classify human disease as being “autoimmune” or “autoinflammatory” thus impacting on therapeutic interventions.
Genotype–phenotype relationship in mucopolysaccharidosis II: predictive power of IDS variants for the neuronopathic phenotype

Mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPS II) is caused by variants in the iduronate‐2‐sulphatase gene (IDS). Patients can be either neuronopathic with intellectual disability, or non‐neuronopathic. Few studies have reported on the IDS genotype–phenotype relationship and on the molecular effects involved. We addressed this in a cohort study of Dutch patients with MPS II.
Homocysteine and Hydroxyproline Levels in Patients with Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma

Aim: To assess the levels of homocysteine (Hcy) and hydroxyproline (Hyp) in aqueous humor and plasma of human eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and to correlate their concentrations with the severity of glaucoma. Methods: Fifty patients with POAG and 35 patients with senile cataract (control group) were enrolled in the study prospectively. Aqueous humor samples were obtained by paracentesis from glaucoma and cataract patients who were undergoing elective surgery. Aqueous humor and corresponding plasma samples were analyzed for Hcy and Hyp concentrations by high-performance liquid chromatography and spectrometry, respectively. Results: Hcy and Hyp levels were significantly higher in aqueous humor of POAG patients with respect to the comparative group of cataract patients (p < 0.001). No significant difference in the levels of Hcy and Hyp in plasma of POAG and cataract patients. A positive correlation was found between Hcy and Hyp in aqueous humor of POAG patients (p < 0.001). No significant correlation was found between either Hcy or Hyp levels and the severity of visual field loss. Conclusion: Increased levels of aqueous humor Hcy and Hyp may be associated with POAG. In addition, Hcy and Hyp may be useful protein levels in aqueous humor of POAG patients as a consequence of glaucomatous damage.
Characterization of linux kernel behavior under errors

This paper describes an experimental study of Linux kernel behavior in the presence of errors that impact the instruction stream of the kernel code. Extensive error injection experiments including over 35,000 errors are conducted targeting the most fre- quently used functions in the selected kernel subsystems. Three types of faults/errors injection campaigns are conducted: (1) ran- dom non-branch instruction, (2) random conditional branch, and (3) valid but incorrect branch. The analysis of the obtained data shows: (i) 95% of the crashes are due to four major causes, namely, unable to handle kernel NULL pointer, unable to handle kernel paging request, invalid opcode, and general protection fault, (ii) less than 10% of the crashes are associated with fault propagation and nearly 40% of crash latencies are within 10 cycles, (iii) errors in the kernel can result in crashes that require reformatting the file system to restore system operation; the process of bringing up the system can take nearly an hour. Subsequently, over 35,000 faults/errors are injected into the kernel functions within four subsystems: architecture- dependent code (arch), virtual file system interface (fs), cen- tral section of the kernel (kernel), and memory management (mm). Three types of fault/error injection campaigns are con- ducted: random non-branch, random conditional branch, and valid but incorrect conditional branch. The data is analyzed to quantify the response of the OS as a whole based on the sub- system and to determine which functions are responsible for error sensitivity. The analysis provides a detailed insight into the OS behavior under faults/errors. The major findings in- clude: • Most crashes (95%) are due to four major causes: unable to handle kernel NULL pointer, unable to handle kernel paging request, invalid opcode, and general protection fault. • Nine errors in the kernel result in crashes (most severe crash category), which require reformatting the file system. The process of bringing up the system can take nearly an hour. • Less than 10% of the crashes are associated with fault propagation, and nearly 40% of crash latencies are within 10 cycles. The closer analysis of the propagation patterns indicates that it is feasible to identify strategic locations for embedding additional assertions in the source code of a given subsystem to detect errors and, hence, to prevent er- ror propagation.
A Practical Approach to the Measurement of Similarity between WSDL-basedWeb Services

Similarity measurement between web services is a key solution to benefit from the reuse of the large number of web services freely available in the internet. This paper presents a practical approach that enables an effective measurement of web service similarity based on their interfaces descibed with WSDL. The approach relies on the use of multiple matching techniques and different semantic and structural similarity metrics. The measurement of similarity determines the best substitute for a failed web service. So, it serves as a good indicator of the substitutability relation and thus of the capacity for reuse. A support tool, implementing the approach, is also presented with some experimental results conducted on real-world web services.
Modeling Limits in Hereditary Classes: Reduction and Application to Trees

The study of limits of graphs led to elegant limit structures for sparse and dense graphs. This has been unified and generalized by the authors in a more general setting combining analytic tools and model theory to ${\rm FO}$-limits (and $X$-limits) and to the notion of modeling. The existence of modeling limits was established for sequences in a bounded degree class and, in addition, to the case of classes of trees with bounded height and of graphs with bounded tree depth. The natural obstacle for the existence of modeling limit for a monotone class of graphs is the nowhere dense property and it has been conjectured that this is a sufficient condition. Extending earlier results here we derive several general results which present a realistic approach to this conjecture. As an example we then prove that the class of all finite trees admits modeling limits.
1 Congenital Aortic Stenosis in Childhood

Aortic valve stenosis is the obstruction to outflow from the left ventricle because of an abnormal aortic valve. The discharge restriction to the systemic ventricle may also be produced by an anomaly at a sub or supravalvar level. Nevertheless, the most common site of occurrence is by far the annulus (70%). Although congenital aortic stenosis is frequently associated with other significant cardiovascular lesions (20%) such as the hypoplastic left heart syndrome, mitral disease and coarctation of the aorta, we will mainly discuss the isolated congenital aortic valve stenosis in this chapter. Congenital aortic valve stenosis accounts for approximately 5% of all cases of congenital heart disease, with reported incidences ranging from 0.04 to 0.38 per 1000 live births (Botto et al., 2001; Hoffman & Kaplan, 2002). A clear male predominance (Wagner et al., 1977) has been reported, with a gender ratio of 4:1. There is recent evidence of familial predisposition for aortic valve anomalies (recurrence risk ~3% and ~15% in offspring of an affected father or mother respectively). This valvar defect occurs sporadically in most cases however. There is a controversy whether consanguinity has an influence on the incidence of congenital heart disease; while some studies emphasized the increased risk in the rate of congenital cardiac malformations (Badaruddoza et al., 1994; Bassili et al., 2000; Gatrad et al., 1984), others failed to show such association (Robida et al., 1997; Subramanyan et al., 2000). Recent large case series demonstrated that parental consanguinity increases the risk of valvar aortic stenosis as well as atrial septal defect and tetralogy of Fallot, wich supports the involvement of autosomal recessive genes in its bearing (Nabulsi et al., 2003; Chehab et al., 2007). Lately, aortic valvar anomaly in families with autosomal dominant transmission was found to be secondary to a mutation in the NOTCH1 gene (Garg et al., 2005). This apparent contradiction could be explained by the existence of many cases where a gene may be responsible for autosomal recessive and dominant inheritance, depending on the types of mutations. Turner syndrome, a congenital disease caused by structural and/or functional aberrations of the X chromosome, is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular malformations (Bondy & Turner Syndrome Study Group, 2007). It has been reported that 17 to 59% of the patients carrying this chromosomal alteration are affected with at least one structural cardiovascular anomaly, mainly coarctation of the aorta and bicuspid aortic valve, but also mitral valve disease and dilatation of the aortic root (Landin-Wihelmsen et al., 2001; Sybert, 1998). Although some authors have found no correlation between karyotype and heart
Behavioral genetic analyses of self-reported anxiety at 7 years of age.

OBJECTIVE To conduct behavioral genetic analyses of self-reported childhood anxiety at 7 years of age. METHOD Three hundred twenty-six same-sex twin pairs (174 monozygotic, 152 dizygotic) completed the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale at 7 years of age. Behavioral genetic analyses were conducted on the total and subscale scores. RESULTS Monozygotic within-pair correlations were higher than dizygotic correlations for physiological and social anxiety symptoms, suggesting heritable influences on these aspects. These results were found to be statistically significant with structural equation modeling. CONCLUSION Certain symptoms of self-reported anxiety in children 7 years of age seem to result, at least in part, from genetic factors. Physiological and social anxiety symptoms, which may be related to behavioral inhibition, appear to be genetically influenced. These results are linked to previous findings in older children and adults.
MODELLING OF ATMOSPHERIC FLOW AND DISPERSION IN THE WAKE OF A CYLINDRICAL OBSTACLE

The computational fluid dynamics code ADREA-HF is used to simulate atmospheric dispersion field experiments around an isolated cylindrical obstacle and two upwind sources of ammonia and propane, with the ammonia source located at different lateral positions. Model calculated concentrations and concentration fluctuations are compared with the experimental results, to investigate the effect of the lateral source displacement on the fluctuations intensity, showing a fair level of agreement. The observed differences were mainly attributed to the specificities of the cases, such as the interaction of a laterally displaced plume with the cylindrical obstacle, and to the variability observed in the field.
Commutativity and asymptotic stability for linear switched DAEs

For linear switched ordinary differential equations with asymptotically stable constituent systems, it is well known that commutativity of the coefficient matrices implies asymptotic stability of the switched system under arbitrary switching. This result is generalized to linear switched differential algebraic equations (DAEs). Although the solutions of a switched DAE can exhibit jumps it turns out that it suffices to check commutativity of the “flow” matrices. As in the ODE case we are also able to construct a common quadratic Lyapunov function.
The Role of Ascending Neuronal Pathways in Stress‐Induced Release of Noradrenaline in the Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus of Rats

Central catecholaminergic pathways carrying pain‐related signals to the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) were investigated in laboratory rats. Four per cent formalin injected subcutaneously was employed as a stressful stimulus. Neuronal activity in brainstem catecholaminergic and paraventricular neurones was assessed by Fos immunohistochemistry. Stress‐induced noradrenaline (NE) release from nerve terminals in the PVN was measured in extracellular fluid by in‐vivo microdialysis. Within 30 min, formalin elicited a four‐ to sixfold increase in plasma ACTH and corticosterone concentrations and intense Fos‐like activity was seen in the superficial zones of the lumbar spinal cord ipsilateral to the side of the formalin injection. In brainstem catecholaminergic neurones, the PVN, and midline thalamic nuclei, formalin‐induced Fos‐immunopositivity was equally present in the ipsi‐ and contralateral sides of the injection. An immediate elevation (4–5 times higher than baseline levels) of NE levels was measured in both the right and left PVN after a formalin injection into the right paw. Unilateral surgical transections at the medulla‐spinal cord junction failed to affect formalin‐induced elevations in NE levels in the PVN independently of the side of the formalin injection or the knife cut. Thus, this observation clearly shows that fibres carrying pain‐evoked signals ascend bilaterally from the spinal cord to the brainstem and forebrain. Hemisections of the medulla oblongata between the level of A1–A2 NE cell groups and the locus coeruleus reduced but did not eliminate formalin‐induced NE release from the PVN ipsilateral to the knife cut. This effect was independent of the side of the formalin injection. In the contralateral PVN, high and similar NE levels were measured in response to a formalin injection into the right or the left leg. The present study indicates that formalin‐induced pain signals are carried by sensory fibres to the ipsilateral spinal cord. From there, axons of different dorsal horn neurones reach noradrenergic cells on both sides of the medulla oblongata. The majority of noradrenergic fibers ascend on the same side and innervate the ipsilateral PVN. Since formalin administration resulted in a moderate elevation of NE levels in the PVN on the operated side, the role of other ascending noradrenergic (from the locus coeruleus) or noncatecholaminergic fibres that could modulate NE release from the PVN should be considered.
Serum levels of omentin are not altered in drug-naive patients with major depression: a pilot study.

BACKGROUND Decreased plasma levels of omentin, a relatively novel adipokine, are shown to be associated with metabolic abnormalities and proinflammatory states. Although other adipokines such as leptin and adiponectin have been extensively investigated in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), no studies have evaluated omentin levels in major depression. Therefore, this study sought to test the hypothesis that drug-naive patients with MDD would have lower serum omentin levels than a healthy control group similar in age, sex, and body mass index. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Thirty patients with MDD (10 men) and 30 healthy control subjects (10 men) were studied. Plasma concentration of omentin, along with other biochemical parameters, was measured after a period of fasting. The severity of depression was determined by the Beck Depression Inventory. RESULTS No significant difference was found between patients with MDD (723.3±233.8 ng/ml) and healthy comparison subjects (670.7±351.8 ng/ml) in mean plasma concentrations of omentin (p>0.05). There was no significant correlation between plasma omentin levels and depression severity (r=-0.147; p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS This is the first investigation of omentin levels in patients with MDD. The hypothesis that circulating omentin levels would be different in depressed patients than in healthy controls is not supported by our data.