Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relationships of both Heavy and Binge Alcohol Drinking with Unhealthy Habits in Korean Adults Based on the KNHANES IV Data

Abstract Background We conducted this cross-sectional study to examine the relationships between problematic alcohol drinking, unhealthy habits and socio-demographic factors based on the Fourth Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES IV). Methods We analyzed a total of 13,488 participants based on the data collected from the KNHANES IV performed between 2007 and 2009. Results The frequency of binge and heavy drinking was significantly higher in men and the married participants with intermediate income. The frequency of binge drinking was higher in younger adults and individuals with at least high school graduates. After the adjustment of socio-demographic factors, the odds of current smoking (adjusted Odds Ratio [aOR] 4.11, 95% CI 3.35-5.03), abdominal obesity (aOR 1.26, 95% CI 1.08-1.48), stress (aOR 1.45, 95% CI 1.261.68), and depressed mood (aOR 1.31, 95% CI 1.08-1.58) were greater in heavy drinkers than in nondrinkers. The odds of current smoking (aOR 1.73, 95% CI 1.42-2.09 for infrequent binge drinking and aOR 4.95, 95% CI 4.25-5.77 for frequent binge drinking), obesity (aOR 1.22, 95% CI 1.06-1.41 for infrequent binge drinking and aOR 1.64, 95% CI 1.46-1.85 for frequent binge drinking), and abdominal obesity (aOR 1.22, 95% CI 1.04-1.43 for infrequent binge drinking and aOR 1.55, 95% CI 1.36-1.77 for frequent binge drinking) were increased with the increased frequency of the binge drinking. Conclusions Our results would be of help for screening a specific subgroup of individuals who are vulnerable to alcohol drinking by establishing effective population-based strategies to reduce the problematic drinking.
Influence of alpha-interferon therapy on blood lymphoid cells. Studies on antibody production, mixed lymphocyte culture response, mitogen responsiveness and 2'-5'oligoadenylate synthetase activity.

The influence of natural alpha-interferon (alpha-IFN) therapy (3 X 10(6) units i.m. daily) on blood lymphoid cells was studied in 20 patients with gynecological neoplasias (7 patients with condylomata accuminata and 13 patients with ovarian carcinoma). There was a statistically significant increase in the intracellular levels of 2'-5'oligoadenylate synthetase 1 day after the first injection of IFN and with few exceptions this activity remained increased during 3 months of treatment. In most of the patients, the capacity of blood lymphoid cells to produce IgA, IgG, and IgM following stimulation with pokeweed mitogen was decreased 1 day after the first injection of IFN and with few exceptions it remained low during 6 months of IFN therapy. In most patients there was a decrease in the capacity of lymphoid cells to act as stimulator or responder cells in a mixed lymphocyte culture during IFN therapy. The alpha-IFN therapy had no major influence on the response of lymphoid cells to mitogens. We conclude, that neither this nor our previous studies on the influence of IFN therapy on immunological functions have given support to the hypothesis that the antitumor action of IFN is mediated by the immune system.
Chromogranin A cell density in the large intestine of Asian and European patients with irritable bowel syndrome

Abstract Objective: Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in Asia show distinctive differences from those in the western world. The gastrointestinal endocrine cells appear to play an important role in the pathophysiology of IBS. The present study aimed at studying the density of chromogranin A (CgA) cells in the large intestine of Thai and Norwegian IBS patients. Methods: Thirty Thai IBS patients and 20 control subjects, and 47 Norwegian IBS patients and 20 control subjects were included. A standard colonoscopy was performed in both the patients and controls, and biopsy samples were taken from the colon and the rectum. The biopsy samples were stained with hematoxylin–eosin and immunostained for CgA. The density of CgA cells was determined by computerized image analysis. Results: In the colon and rectum, the CgA cell densities were far higher in both IBS and healthy Thai subjects than in Norwegians. The colonic CgA cell density was lower in Norwegian IBS patients than in controls, but did not differ between Thai IBS patients and controls. In the rectum, the CgA cell densities in both Thai and Norwegian patients did not differ from those of controls. Conclusions: The higher densities of CgA cells in Thai subjects than Norwegians may be explained by a higher exposure to infections at childhood and the development of a broad immune tolerance, by differences in the intestinal microbiota, and/or differing diet habits. The normal CgA cell density in Thai IBS patients in contrast to that of Norwegians may be due to differences in pathophysiology.
Francis field trial of inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine: background and lessons for today.

The modern era of vaccine evaluation began with the landmark field trial of inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine conducted during 1954-1955 under the overall direction of Thomas Francis, Jr. The trial set the standard for the future by establishing the need for double-blind controlled assessment of vaccine efficacy. Other characteristics of the trial, such as definition of clear primary and secondary endpoints as ways to assess specified outcomes, also began the process culminating in currently accepted procedures. However, the trial also had features more similar to the then current laboratory investigations than to modern clinical trials, including evaluation of relative immunogenicity of different lots of vaccine. The fact that the trial was not conducted in a vacuum but, rather, under extreme levels of public scrutiny, also places the trial squarely at the start of the modern era. In particular, the choice of designs is illustrative of the conflict between the scientific requirement for randomization and the need to involve as many voluntary participants as possible in the evaluation of the vaccine under circumstances that were then deemed currently acceptable to them and to society. Obviously, the statistical analysis reflected the time; if the trial were conducted today, it would be analyzed differently and almost certainly would not be so large. The involvement of close to a million voluntary participants makes it unique in size alone. The regulatory climate at the time of the trial was totally different from that under which we currently operate, but the beginning of strict government oversight was an indirect result of the aftermath of the evaluation.
Neutralino relic density in minimal supergravity with co-annihilations

We evaluate the relic density of neutralinos in the minimal supergravity (mSUGRA) model. All 2? 2 neutralino annihilation diagrams, as well as all processes involving sleptons, charginos, neutralinos and third generation squarks are included. Relativistic thermal averaging of the velocity times cross sections is performed. We find that co-annihilation effects are only important on the edges of the model parameter space, where some amount of fine-tuning is necessary to obtain a reasonable relic density. Alternatively, at high tan ? , annihilation through very broad Higgs resonances gives rise to an acceptable neutralino relic density over broad regions of parameter space where little or no fine-tuning is needed. Finally, we compare our results against the reach of various e+e? and hadron colliders for supersymmetric matter.
Reading enjoyment amongst non-leisure readers can affect achievement in secondary school

This study aimed to evaluate determinants of differences in leisure reading behavior and school achievement. We specifically examined reading enjoyment, mental imagery, and sex as predictors in a large, age-homogeneous sample of Dutch secondary school students (N = 1,071). Results showed that the prevalence of leisure reading was low in both the lower, pre-vocational track (19.5%) and the higher, pre-academic track (32.5%). Boys read even less than girls. Almost all leisure readers enjoyed reading and engaged in mental imagery, i.e., the propensity “to see images” of a written story in the mind’s eye. Overall, boys who did not like to read for leisure had the poorest school performance. Non-leisure readers who reported that they enjoyed reading got higher school grades in the higher educational track. In the lower track, this was the case for girls. Our study findings imply that reading promotion programs should take into account individual differences in sex, achievement level, and reading enjoyment when aiming to decrease the academic achievement gap.
The induction of folding cooperativity by ligand binding drives the allosteric response of tetracycline repressor

Tetracycline (Tc) repressor (TetR) undergoes an allosteric transition upon interaction with the antibiotic, Tc, that abrogates its ability to specifically bind its operator DNA. In this work, by performing equilibrium protein unfolding experiments on wild-type TetR and mutants displaying altered allosteric responses, we have delineated a model to explain TetR allostery. In the absence of Tc, we show that the DNA-binding domains of this homodimeric protein are relatively flexible and unfold independently of the Tc binding/dimerization (TBD) domains. Once Tc is bound, however, the unfolding of the DNA binding domains becomes coupled to the TBD domains, leading to a large increase in DNA-binding domain stability. Noninducible TetR mutants display considerably less interdomain folding cooperativity upon binding to Tc. We conclude that the thermodynamic coupling of the TetR domains caused by Tc binding and the resulting rigidification of the DNA-binding domains into a conformation that is incompatible with DNA binding are the fundamental factors leading to the allosteric response in TetR. This allosteric mechanism can account for properties of the whole TetR family of repressors and may explain the functioning and evolution of other allosteric systems. Our model contrasts with the prevalent view that TetR populates two distinct conformations and that Tc causes a switch between these defined conformations.
Environmental Factors Affecting Water Loss from Leafy Cuttings in Different Propagation Systems

SummaryA detailed examination is presented of the microclimates of three propagation systems (mist, polyethylene tent and contact polyethylene). The relationship between the water vapour pressure difference between the leaf and the surrounding air (Δν) and incident irradiance (I) was established for each system: in all three it was approximately linear. Values of Δ ν at the highest measured I (300 W m-2) were c. 1.0 kPa under mist, 2.5 kPa under contact polyethylene and 4.0 kPa under polyethylene tents. The components of Δν (leaf vapour pressure and air vapour pressure) are analysed.
Nurses’ movements within and between various paths when improving their communication skills : an evaluation of validation method training

Aims and objectives: To explore any changes in nurses’ skills at communicating with residents with dementia disease when using the validation method, as observed in one-to-one videotaped conversations. Background: Communication difficulties due to cognitive impairment among residents with dementia disease may complicate care situations. Training can improve nurses’ communication skills and increase care quality. The validation method aims to facilitate communication with residents with dementia disease through empathic and confirmatory approaches. Evaluations of the validation method have primarily focused on the residents’ perspective, and reports on nurses’ experiences are sparse. Improved communication and relationships with residents after validation method training have been described previously. Videotaped data could provide additional information about these earlier results. Design: A descriptive qualitative design. Methods: Eight nurses participated in a year of validation method training, including videotaped conversations with eleven residents. Videotapes with at least five months between the first and last recording were analysed and compared qualitatively. Results: The analysis revealed an overall pattern: nurses’ movements within and between various paths when improving their communication skills. This was based on three sub-patterns: from controlling communication towards developing attentiveness in communication, from ambiguous communication towards developing coherence in communication, and from being open and attentive towards having a refined attuned communication. Conclusions: All nurses developed their communication skills during the programme, albeit to different degrees. The findings are in congruence with the experiences described by nurses, and so it is reasonable to believe that the programme helped to improve the nurses’ skills in communicating with residents with dementia disease. Relevance to clinical practice: A validation method training programme could give nurses the possibility to develop their skills in communicating with residents with dementia disease.
Octopus: monitoring, visualization, and control of sensor networks

Sensor network monitoring and control are currently addressed separately through specialized tools. However, the high degree of coupling of network state to the physical environment in which the network is deployed demands that users can monitor the network and respond to network state changes continuously. This paper presents the open-source Octopus visualization and control tool. Octopus is a protocol-independent tool that provides live information about the network topology and sensor data in order to enable live debugging of deployed sensor networks. It enables operators to reconfigure the network behavior, such as switching between time-driven, event-driven, and query-driven modes or between awake and sleep modes of one, many, or all nodes through its graphical interface. Octopus also supports changing duty cycles of nodes, data reporting period, or sensing thresholds in event-driven networks. Reconfiguration of nodes is achieved through short request messages that support typical reconfiguration options without the overhead of epidemically sending new program images over the air. Our empirical tests showcase Octopus's capacity to debug application behavior and to characterize heterogeneous network performance under multiple settings, as a step toward establishing a rules database that relates data delivery to network-level parameters, and toward enabling autonomous network reconfiguration. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Unaltered dopamine transporter availability in adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

OBJECTIVE The authors examined whether patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have altered striatal dopamine transporter levels, which may explain psychostimulant effects in this disorder. METHOD Single photon emission computed tomography and [(123)I]2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4-iodophenyl)tropane ([(123)I]beta-CIT) were used to assess dopamine transporter availability in nine adult patients with ADHD (eight of whom were stimulant naive) and nine age- and gender-matched healthy comparison subjects. RESULTS Striatal [(123)I]beta-CIT binding did not differ significantly between the ADHD and comparison subjects. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that a hypothesized dysregulation of dopamine function in ADHD does not entail altered dopamine transporter levels.
Maternal Origin and Risk of Neonatal and Maternal ICU Admission*

Objectives: To evaluate maternal world region of birth, as well as maternal country of origin, and the associated risk of admission of 1) a mother to a maternal ICU, 2) her infant to a neonatal ICU, or 3) both concurrently to an ICU. Design: Retrospective population-based cohort study. Setting: Entire province of Ontario, Canada, from 2003 to 2012. Patients: All singleton maternal-child pairs who delivered in any Ontario hospital. Measurements and Main Results: We explored how maternal world region of birth, and specifically, maternal country of birth for the top 25 countries, was associated with the outcome of 1) neonatal ICU, 2) maternal ICU, and 3) both mother and newborn concurrently admitted to ICU. Relative risks were adjusted for maternal age, parity, income quintile, chronic hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, dyslipidemia, drug dependence or tobacco use, and renal disease. Compared with infants of Canadian-born mothers (110.7/1,000), the rate of neonatal ICU admission was higher in immigrants from South Asia (155.2/1,000), Africa (140.4/1,000), and the Caribbean (167.3/1,000; adjusted relative risk, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.36–1.46). For maternal ICU, the adjusted relative risk was 1.79 (95% CI, 1.43–2.24) for women from Africa and 2.21 (95% CI, 1.78–2.75) for women from the Caribbean. Specifically, mothers from Ghana (adjusted relative risk, 2.71; 95% CI, 1.75–4.21) and Jamaica (adjusted relative risk, 2.74; 95% CI, 2.12–3.53) were at highest risk of maternal ICU admission. The risk of both mother and newborn concurrently admitted to ICU was even more pronounced for Ghana and Jamaica. Conclusions: Women from Africa and the Caribbean and, in particular, Ghana and Jamaica, are at higher risk of admission to ICU around the time of delivery, as are their newborns.
In Vitro Fluconazole and Voriconazole Susceptibilities of Candida Bloodstream Isolates in Korea: Use of the CLSI and EUCAST Epidemiological Cutoff Values

Background At present, the clinical breakpoints (CBPs) of both fluconazole and voriconazole are available only for 3 common Candida species in the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and the European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) methods. Epidemiological cutoff values (ECVs) were recently applied to both methods to detect the emergence of acquired resistance (i.e., non-wild-type isolates) among 5 common Candida species. Methods We performed a nationwide study to determine the fluconazole and voriconazole susceptibility of Candida bloodstream isolates (BSIs) using both the CLSI and EUCAST methods. A total of 423 BSIs of 5 Candida species were collected from 8 hospitals. The azole susceptibilities were assessed on the basis of the species-specific CBPs and ECVs. Results Of the 341 BSIs of 3 common Candida species (i.e., C. albicans, C. tropicalis, and C. parapsilosis), 0.3% and 0.9%, 0.0% and 1.5% of isolates were categorized as fluconazole and voriconazole resistant according to the CLSI and EUCAST CBPs, respectively. Of 423 total BSIs, 1.4% and 2.6% had fluconazole minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) exceeding the ECVs according to the CLSI and EUCAST, respectively; 1.0% and 2.1% had voriconazole MICs exceeding the ECVs according to the CLSI and EUCAST, respectively. Categorical agreement between the methods using ECVs was 98.3% for fluconazole and 98.3% for voriconazole. Conclusions The EUCAST and CLSI methods using ECVs provide highly concordant results. Moreover, non-wild-type isolates with possibly acquired azole resistance were rare among the BSIs of 5 common Candida species in Korea.
Preserving privacy between features in distributed estimation

Privacy is crucial in many applications of machine learning. Legal, ethical and societal issues restrict the sharing of sensitive data, making it difficult to learn from data sets that are partitioned between many parties. One important instance of such a distributed setting arises when information about each record in the data set is held by different data owners (the design matrix is “vertically partitioned”). In this setting, few approaches exist for private data sharing for the purpose of statistical estimation, and the classical set‐up of differential privacy with a “trusted curator” preparing the data does not apply. We work with the notion of (ϵ,δ)‐distributed differential privacy, which extends single‐party differential privacy to the distributed, vertically partitioned case. We propose PRIDE, a scalable framework for distributed estimation where each party communicates perturbed random projections of their locally held features ensuring (ϵ,δ)‐distributed differential privacy is preserved. For ℓ2‐penalized supervised learning problems, PRIDE has bounded estimation error compared with the optimal estimates obtained without privacy constraints in the non‐distributed setting. We confirm this empirically on real world and synthetic data sets. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mechanical properties and crystallization behavior of toughened polyamide‐6/carbon nanotube composites

This article presents a study on nanocomposite prepared by incorporation of single wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) into the blend of polyamide-6 (PA-6) and ethylene–propylene–diene elastomer grafted with maleic anhydride (EPDM-g-MA), with varying SWNT content from 1 to 3% with the fixed composition of the matrix (PA-6: EPDM-g-MA being 65 : 35). Tensile properties of the rubber toughened PA-6 (i.e., PA-6/EPDM-g-MA blend) increased on incorporation of the nanofiller SWNT. Crystallization behavior studied through the analysis of the DSC crystallization exotherm showed distinct changes with varying content of the nanofiller. The SWNT nanofiller showed initially an enhancement of nucleation rate, which was overlapped with slowing down of crystallization growth rate, which results in smaller crystallinity and decreased crystal size. This slowing down of crystalline growth with increasing SWNT content is attributed to the presence of SWNT in the form of network like dispersion as seen by the scanning electron microscopic measurement. The decrease of crystallinity with increasing SWNT content is also shown by X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements. The changes in XRD pattern indicate a variation in the relative proportion of α and γ crystalline forms of PA-6 due to the presence of SWNT nanofiller. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012
Independent effects of aldosterone and potassium on induction of potassium adaptation in rat kidney.

We examined the independent effects of a high potassium diet and increased aldosterone levels on the development of renal potassium adaptation. This condition is defined by the increased ability of the kidneys to excrete an acute infusion of potassium. Rats were adrenalectomized (ADX) and received aldosterone at basal levels (0.5 microgram/100 g X d) or at high levels (2.0 micrograms/100 g X d) for 10 d. In each experimental group, animals received either a control diet or a high potassium diet. In ADX animals with basal aldosterone levels, a high potassium intake increased but did not completely restore the ability to excrete potassium and induced proliferation of the basolateral membrane of principal cells in the collecting tubule (i.e., morphologic adaptation). In contrast, increased aldosterone did not induce functional adaptation. Elevated aldosterone and dietary potassium intake were required to produce functional potassium adaptation indistinguishable from that in potassium-loaded, adrenal-intact animals.