Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Maternal Supplementation with LGG Reduces Vaccine-Specific Immune Responses in Infants at High-Risk of Developing Allergic Disease

Probiotics are defined as live micro-organisms that when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host. Among their pleiotropic effects, inhibition of pathogen colonization at the mucosal surface as well as modulation of immune responses are widely recognized as the principal biological activities of probiotic bacteria. In recent times, the immune effects of probiotics have led to their application as vaccine adjuvants, offering a novel strategy for enhancing the efficacy of current vaccines. Such an approach is particularly relevant in regions where infectious disease burden is greatest and where access to complete vaccination programs is limited. In this study, we report the effects of the probiotic, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) on immune responses to tetanus, Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) and pneumococcal conjugate (PCV7) vaccines in infants. This study was conducted as part of a larger clinical trial assessing the impact of maternal LGG supplementation in preventing the development of atopic eczema in infants at high-risk for developing allergic disease. Maternal LGG supplementation was associated with reduced antibody responses against tetanus, Hib, and pneumococcal serotypes contained in PCV7 (N = 31) compared to placebo treatment (N = 30) but not total IgG levels. Maternal LGG supplementation was also associated with a trend to increased number of tetanus toxoid-specific T regulatory in the peripheral blood compared to placebo-treated infants. These findings suggest that maternal LGG supplementation may not be beneficial in terms of improving vaccine-specific immunity in infants. Further clinical studies are needed to confirm these findings. As probiotic immune effects can be species/strain specific, our findings do not exclude the potential use of other probiotic bacteria to modulate infant immune responses to vaccines.
Eating Disorders : Anorexia Nervosa and Bulimia

E MERGING scientific evidence of the increasing prevalence of eating disorders, anorexia nervosa and bulimia in particular, necessitates that physicians be prepared both to diagnose and treat these disorders appropriately. Current estimates indicate that anorexia nervosa and bulimia affect 10% to 15% of adolescent girls and young women, and estimates of the prevalence of bulimia among college women range as high as 19% (1). However, despite increasing public attention to such eating disorders, many physicians are unfamiliar with both the increased prevalence and the appropriate approaches to diagnosis and treatment. Unfamiliarity with these disorders clearly limits a physician’s ability to identify anorexia nervosa or bulimia in his or her patients. Two problems are of particular concern: First, the physician unfamiliar with these diseases may inadvertently overlook their role as etiologic agents in other presenting medical problems, thereby missing the opportunity to address the root cause of a particular ailment. Second, the physician may overlook the presence of an eating disorder in an otherwise apparently healthy patient, thereby missing the opportunity to counsel the patient and treat the disorder early in its development. Herzog and Copeland (2) have recently summarized characteristics of the disorders as follows:
Optimal bandwidth allocation in a delay channel

In this paper, we consider the problem of allocating bandwidth to two queues with arbitrary arrival processes, so as to minimize the total expected packet holding cost over a finite or infinite horizon. Bandwidth is in the form of time slots in a time-division multiple-access schedule. Allocation decisions are made based on one-step delayed queue backlog information. In addition, the allocation is done in batches, in that a queue can be assigned any number of slots not exceeding the total number in a batch. We show for a two queue system that if the holding cost as a function of the packet backlog in the system is nondecreasing, supermodular, and superconvex, then: 1) the value function at each slot will also satisfy these properties; 2) the optimal policy for assigning a single slot is of the threshold type; and 3) optimally allocating M slots at a time can be achieved by repeatedly using a policy that assigns each slot optimally given the previous allocations. Thus, the problem of finding the optimal allocation strategy for a batch of slots reduces to that of optimally allocating a single slot, which is conceptually much easier to obtain. These results are applied to the case of linear and equal holding costs, and we also present a special case where the above results extend to more than two queues
Omeprazole pharmacodynamics and gastric acid suppression in critically ill pediatric transplant patients

Objective To characterize the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of omeprazole suspension in critically ill pediatric liver/intestinal transplant patients. Design Open-label pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic study. Setting Pediatric intensive care unit of an academic medical center. Patients Eleven pediatric liver and/or intestinal transplant patients. Interventions Extemporaneously prepared 0.5 mg/kg omeprazole suspension every 12 hrs via nasogastric tube before sequential measurements of omeprazole serum concentration and gastric pH monitoring. Gastric pH was monitored continuously for 48 hrs and plasma omeprazole concentrations were determined upon first and multiple dosing. Measurements and Main Results Mean onset of action of omeprazole in a sodium bicarbonate vehicle was 62 ± 82 mins (range, 2–226 mins). Subjects <4 yrs of age exhibited a more variable onset of omeprazole action (range, 3–226 mins) when compared with older subjects (onset of action, 2–40 min). Omeprazole maximum concentration and area under the concentration-time curve for the dosage interval were significantly greater upon multiple dosing when compared with the first dose. Mean baseline gastric pH in this study population was 1.0 ± 0.8. Gastric pH remained >4.0 for 78.8% ± 18.9% of the first dosage interval and 97.8% ± 5.4% of multiple dosage intervals regardless of age when administered twice daily as a suspension. Conclusion These results support the use of omeprazole administered twice daily as a suspension to maintain gastric pH of >4.0 and to achieve maximal pharmacodynamic effect in pediatric liver and/or intestinal transplant patients.
The Orchestrated Functions of Innate Leukocytes and T Cell Subsets Contribute to Humoral Immunity, Virus Control, and Recovery from Secondary Poxvirus Challenge

ABSTRACT A pivotal role for antigen-specific recall responses to secondary virus infection is well established, but the contribution of innate immune cells to this process is unknown. Recovery of mice from a primary orthopoxvirus (ectromelia virus [ECTV]) infection requires the function of natural killer (NK) cells, granulocytes, plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC), T cells, and B cells. However, during a secondary challenge, resolution of infection is thought to be dependent on antibody but not T cell function. We investigated the contribution of NK cells, granulocytes, and pDC to virus control during a secondary virus challenge in mice that had been primed with an avirulent, mutant strain of ECTV. Mice depleted of NK cells, granulocytes, or pDC effectively controlled virus, as did mice depleted of both CD4 and CD8 T cell subsets. However, mice concurrently depleted of all three innate cell subsets had elevated virus load, but this was significantly exacerbated in mice also depleted of CD4 and/or CD8 T cells. Increased viral replication in mice lacking innate cells plus CD4 T cells was associated with a significant reduction in neutralizing antibody. Importantly, in addition to T-dependent neutralizing antibody responses, the function of CD8 T cells was also clearly important for virus control. The data indicate that in the absence of innate cell subsets, a critical role for both CD4 and CD8 T cells becomes apparent and, conversely, in the absence of T cell subsets, innate immune cells help contain infection.
Scaling Datalog for Machine Learning on Big Data

In this paper, we present the case for a declarative foundation for data-intensive machine learning systems. Instead of creating a new system for each specific flavor of machine learning task, or hardcoding new optimizations, we argue for the use of recursive queries to program a variety of machine learning systems. By taking this approach, database query optimization techniques can be utilized to identify effective execution plans, and the resulting runtime plans can be executed on a single unified data-parallel query processing engine. As a proof of concept, we consider two programming models--Pregel and Iterative Map-Reduce-Update---from the machine learning domain, and show how they can be captured in Datalog, tuned for a specific task, and then compiled into an optimized physical plan. Experiments performed on a large computing cluster with real data demonstrate that this declarative approach can provide very good performance while offering both increased generality and programming ease.
Why is Madagascar special? The extraordinarily slow evolution of pelican spiders (Araneae, Archaeidae)

Although Madagascar is an ancient fragment of Gondwana, the majority of taxa studied thus far appear to have reached the island through dispersal from Cenozoic times. Ancient lineages may have experienced a different history compared to more recent Cenozoic arrivals, as such lineages would have encountered geoclimatic shifts over an extended time period. The motivation for this study was to unravel the signature of diversification in an ancient lineage by comparing an area known for major geoclimatic upheavals (Madagascar) versus other areas where the environment has been relatively stable. Archaeid spiders are an ancient paleoendemic group with unusual predatory behaviors and spectacular trophic morphology that likely have been on Madagascar since its isolation. We examined disparities between Madagascan archaeids and their non‐Madagascan relatives regarding timing of divergence, rates of trait evolution, and distribution patterns. Results reveal an increased rate of adaptive trait diversification in Madagascan archaeids. Furthermore, geoclimatic events in Madagascar over long periods of time may have facilitated high species richness due to montane refugia and stability, rainforest refugia, and also ecogeographic shifts, allowing for the accumulation of adaptive traits. This research suggests that time alone, coupled with more ancient geoclimatic events allowed for the different patterns in Madagascar.
Cell cycle checkpoint defects contribute to genomic instability in PTEN deficient cells independent of DNA DSB repair

Chromosomes in PTEN deficient cells display both numerical as well as structural alterations including regional amplification. We found that PTEN deficient cells displayed a normal DNA damage response (DDR) as evidenced by the ionizing radiation (IR)-induced phosphorylation of Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM) as well as its effectors. PTEN deficient cells also had no defect in Rad51 expression or DNA damage repair kinetics post irradiation. In contrast, caffeine treatment specifically increased IR-induced chromosome aberrations and mitotic index only in cells with PTEN, and not in cells deficient for PTEN, suggesting that their checkpoints were defective. Furthermore, PTEN-deficient cells were unable to maintain active spindle checkpoint after taxol treatment. Genomic instability in PTEN deficient cells could not be attributed to lack of PTEN at centromeres, since no interaction was detected between centromeric DNA and PTEN in wild type cells. These results indicate that PTEN deficiency alters multiple cell cycle checkpoints possibly leaving less time for DNA damage repair and/or chromosome segregation as evidenced by the increased structural as well as numerical alterations seen in PTEN deficient cells.
Intracranial Atherosclerosis: Current Understanding and Perspectives

The importance of intracranial atherosclerotic disease (ICAD) as a cause of stroke is underscored as compared to that of extracranial carotid stenosis and nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. Recent large clinical trials of ICAD, which evaluated the effectiveness of anticoagulation and stenting to prevent thromboembolism and restore hemodynamic compromise, failed to reduce major vascular events in patients with ICAD. These trials showed the importance of optimal control of risk factors to reduce major vascular events in these patients. Recent advances in risk factors for ICAD are summarized, together with possible reasons for race-ethnic differences in the prevalence of ICAD. In addition, the failure of the major clinical trials of ICAD may be caused by limitations in the understanding of ICAD. Unlike in patients with extracranial carotid stenosis or atrial fibrillation, stroke associated with ICAD occurs in association with various stroke mechanisms such as in situ thrombotic occlusion, artery-to-artery embolism, hemodynamic insufficiency, and branch occlusion. In clinical trials of ICAD, patients with all these types of ICAD were included. However, treatment effects may differ among the different types of ICAD. Treatment strategies might be selected based on clinical features (including the time after onset) and serologic and neuroimaging biomarkers (including diffusion-weighted image pattern and plaque images). Additional clinical trials considering these features are needed.
Beyond nature and nurture in psychiatry : genes, environment and their interplay

Introduction. The Most Stupendous Era in the History of Psychiatry. The Myth of the Heritability Index. Models for Gene-Environment Interplay. Cognitive Ability and Disability Through the Lifespan. Do Heavier Babies Make Brighter Children? Gene-Environment Correlations in the Development of Cognitive Abilities. Cognitive Function in Elderly Twins. Disorders of Childhood and Development. Childhood Adversity, Monoamine Oxidase A Genotype, and Risk for Conduct Disorder. Genetics and Environment in ADHD. Childhood Depression: Sensitivity to Cortisol in Genetic. Genetics of Bipolar Disorder . Genetic Variation In 5-HT Signalling, Amygdale Reactivity, and Susceptibility for Affective Disorders. Life Events and 5HTT Promoters: The Long and The Short of It. Psychosis: Now That We Have Some Genes. Thank You, God! Genes At Last
Instructions for use Title

Larix gmelinii (Gmelin larch) is one of the most widespread larch species in northern Eurasia as a whole and in the Russian Federation dominating here in both the distribution area and the growing stock. Owing to high adaptability and ecological plasticity it occupies different sites within its range and performs well under continuous permafrost conditions. Over an immense area Gmelin larch forests differ in species composition, ecosystem structure and the features of natural regeneration. Ground fires are the main force driving larch forest development. Depending upon site conditions, fire intensity and periodicity, fire regimes determine forest age structure, species diversity, spatial-temporal dimensions of larch ecosystems as well as succession patterns in their trends and rates. Based on the results of long-term investigations we discuss Gmelin larch forest post-fire dynamics in the central part of their distribution in Siberia versus the southeastern part in Priamurye in the Russian Far East.
Randomized Iterative Methods for Linear Systems

We develop a novel, fundamental and surprisingly simple randomized iterative method for solving consistent linear systems. Our method has six different but equivalent interpretations: sketch-and-project, constrain-and-approximate, random intersect, random linear solve, random update and random fixed point. By varying its two parameters$-$a positive definite matrix (defining geometry), and a random matrix (sampled in an independently and identically distributed fashion in each iteration)$-$we recover a comprehensive array of well-known algorithms as special cases, including the randomized Kaczmarz method, randomized Newton method, randomized coordinate descent method and random Gaussian pursuit. We naturally also obtain variants of all these methods using blocks and importance sampling. However, our method allows for a much wider selection of these two parameters, which leads to a number of new specific methods. We prove exponential convergence of the expected norm of the error in a single theorem, from which existing complexity results for known variants can be obtained. However, we also give an exact formula for the evolution of the expected iterates, which allows us to give lower bounds on the convergence rate.
A theoretical and numerical study of certain dynamical models of synaptic plasticity

Synaptic efficacy measures the ability of a presynaptic neuron to influence the membrane potential of a postsynaptic neuron. The process of changing synaptic efficacy, via plasticity, is thought to underlie learning and memory in the brain. Focusing on chemical synapses, we examine the abstract rules of synaptic plasticity which determine how changes in synaptic efficacy occur. Beginning with an atypical, non-Hebbian synapse, the parallel fibre to Purkinje cell synapse, we develop a model which explains the burst frequency and length de- pendence of this particular synaptic plasticity rule. We present a model based on underlying calcium and NO pathways which accurately unifies much of the experi- mental literature. This model will be useful in future studies of synaptic plasticity for this synapse and its simplicity will allow for numerical studies involving large numbers of synapses in a network architecture. We also examine a more typical plasticity rule for neocortical synaptic plasticity, developing analytical tools which accurately predict the behaviour of this synapse model under pre- and postsynaptic Poisson spiking. Building on this analysis we extend the theory to leaky integrate-and-fire (LIF) neurons in a network. We develop theoretical tools which can accurately describe the network response to both constant and transiently elevated noisy external inputs. Utilising these tools we examine the duration of synaptic memories under ongoing background (1/sec) spiking activity both in independent neurons and in a recurrent network. We find that lowering the extracellular calcium concentration extends memory time scales and that the further introduction of a bistability to the synaptic plasticity rule extends this memory time scale by several orders of magnitude. In all cases we provide theoretical predictions of memory time scales which match subsequent simulation comparisons. Both sets of investigations reveal insights into the processes of learning and sub- sequent forgetting in the brain. Both models reveal the joint importance of burst frequency and relative spike timing in the induction of memory changes at the synap- tic level. Adjustment of model parameters to more closely mimic in vivo conditions extends the retention time of memories, under ongoing activity, to biologically rel- evant time scales. Our work represents a coherent development right through from the biophysical processes of synaptic plasticity to the analytical mean-field level.
Impact of storage under ambient conditions on the vitamin content of dehydrated vegetables

The consumption of dehydrated vegetables, which provides an important source of vitamins, is increasing worldwide. Dehydrated vegetables are located on non-refrigerated shelves in food shops and, therefore, it is of utmost importance to understand the modifications that take place in the content of these labile micronutrients at the ambient conditions currently found in food shops. The present study discusses the effect of storage for 3, 6, 9 and 12 months on the content of thiamin and vitamin C in different commercial and pilot plant dehydrated garlic, onions, potatoes and carrots in darkness at room temperature under vacuum conditions. The content of β-carotene under these conditions was also studied in dehydrated carrots. Thiamin remained stable over the first 3 months of storage (∼90% retention), while long-term storage led to larger losses (retention of 85% in garlic and 45% in commercial carrots after 12 months of storage). The content of vitamin C drastically decreased during the storage period and even disappeared in some dried onions and carrots following 12 months of storage. Storage for 6 months at ambient conditions preserved 80–90% of the β-carotene content in dehydrated vegetables, while long-term storage led to significant β-carotene degradation (retentions between 43 and 81%). These results suggest that vitamins are gradually lost during storage at the practical conditions in food shops and will thus provide relevant information concerning dried vegetables, so manufacturers may calculate shelf life under established storage conditions.
Binding of tissue-plasminogen activator to fibrin: effect of ultrasound.

Ultrasound reversibly alters the structure of polymerized fibrin, an effect that could influence tissue-plasminogen activator (t-PA) binding. We have, therefore, characterized the effects of ultrasound on binding of t-PA to fibrin using a novel system in which radiolabeled, active-site blocked, single chain tissue-plasminogen activator flowed through a fibrin gel at constant rate, and specific binding was determined by monitoring incorporation of radiolabel. Results using polymerized fibrin were compared with those using a surface of fibrin immobilized on Sepharose beads in a similar system. Interaction of t-PA with surface-immobilized fibrin involved two classes of binding sites (Kd = 31 nmol/L and 244 nmol/L) and a maximum binding ratio of 3.8 mol t-PA/mol fibrin. Ultrasound increased Kd for the high affinity site to 46 nmol/L (P < .0001), but it had no significant effects on the Kd 244 nmol/L site nor on Bmax. Tissue-plasminogen activator binding to noncrosslinked fibrin involved two sites with Kds of 267 nmol/L and 952 nmol/L, while a single Kd 405 nmol/L site was identified for crosslinked fibrin. Ultrasound had no significant effect on the binding affinity for noncrosslinked fibrin, but Bmax was increased in the presence of ultrasound, from 31 mumol/L to 43 mumol/L (P < .0001). Ultrasound decreased the Kd for crosslinked fibrin to 343 nmol/L (P = .026) and also increased Bmax from 22 mumol/L to 25 mumol/L (P = .015). Ultrasound also affected the kinetics of t-PA binding to fibrin, significantly accelerating the rate of dissociation by 77% +/- 5% for noncrosslinked fibrin and by 69% +/- 3% for crosslinked fibrin (P < .001 for each). These results indicate that ultrasound exposure accelerates t-PA binding, alters binding affinity, and increases maximum binding to polymerized fibrin, effects that may result from ultrasound-induced changes in fibrin structure.