Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The concentrations of adipokines in goat milk: relation to plasma levels, inflammatory status, milk quality and composition

The main objectives of our study were to measure the major adipokines adiponectin, leptin and resistin in goat milk, to assess their interrelationships and to assess their relationships with the plasma and serum concentrations of total protein, cholesterol, total lipids, plasma C-reactive protein (CRP), milk somatic cell count (SCC), milk total aerobic colony and lactobacillus count, and milk components in lactating Saanen goats. The study was performed on eighteen lactating Saanen goats. Milk and blood samples were collected on days 20, 35, 50, 65 and 80 of lactation postpartum. The milk and plasma adiponectin levels on days 50, 65 and 80 postpartum were significantly higher than those on day 20. The milk and plasma leptin levels were lower on day 20 than on days 35, 50, 65 and 80. The milk concentrations of these major adipokines were positively intercorrelated. The milk and plasma concentrations of these three adipokines were also positively correlated. The plasma CRP concentrations correlated positively with milk leptin and resistin concentrations and inversely with milk adiponectin concentration. Milk adiponectin concentration was inversely related with its SCC. These data confirm that adiponectin, leptin and resistin are present in goat milk. The milk concentrations of these three adipokines were interrelated and interacted with the general inflammatory marker, CRP. The inverse relationship between milk adiponectin concentrations and its SCC suggests that variations in milk adiponectin might be involved in the udder health of lactating goats, but clinical trials are needed to support this hypothesis.
Scalp and Source Power Topography in Sleepwalking and Sleep Terrors: A High-Density EEG Study.

STUDY OBJECTIVES To examine scalp and source power topography in sleep arousals disorders (SADs) using high-density EEG (hdEEG). METHODS Fifteen adult subjects with sleep arousal disorders (SADs) and 15 age- and gender-matched good sleeping healthy controls were recorded in a sleep laboratory setting using a 256 channel EEG system. RESULTS Scalp EEG analysis of all night NREM sleep revealed a localized decrease in slow wave activity (SWA) power (1-4 Hz) over centro-parietal regions relative to the rest of the brain in SADs compared to good sleeping healthy controls. Source modelling analysis of 5-minute segments taken from N3 during the first half of the night revealed that the local decrease in SWA power was prominent at the level of the cingulate, motor, and sensori-motor associative cortices. Similar patterns were also evident during REM sleep and wake. These differences in local sleep were present in the absence of any detectable clinical or electrophysiological sign of arousal. CONCLUSIONS Overall, results suggest the presence of local sleep differences in the brain of SADs patients during nights without clinical episodes. The persistence of similar topographical changes in local EEG power during REM sleep and wakefulness points to trait-like functional changes that cross the boundaries of NREM sleep. The regions identified by source imaging are consistent with the current neurophysiological understanding of SADs as a disorder caused by local arousals in motor and cingulate cortices. Persistent localized changes in neuronal excitability may predispose affected subjects to clinical episodes.
Identifying the processes controlling the distribution of H2O2 in surface waters along a meridional transect in the eastern Atlantic

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an important oxidant for many bio‐relevant trace metals and organic compounds and has potential as a tracer for mixing in near surface waters. In this study we combine H2O2 and bio‐optical measurements with satellite data for a meridional transect from 46°N to 26°S in the eastern Atlantic in order to determine the key processes affecting its distribution. Surface H2O2 ranged from 21–123 nmol L−1, with maximum inventories (0–200 m) of 5.5–5.9 mmol m−2 found at 30°N and 25°S. Analyses showed a strong positive correlation of surface H2O2 with daily irradiances and recent precipitation, though poor correlations with CDOM suggest sunlight is the limiting reactant for H2O2 formation. Vertical distributions of H2O2 were controlled by a combination of mixing processes and phytoplankton activity. The present study highlights processes controlling global H2O2 distributions and points towards the development of parameterization schemes for prediction via satellite data.
Transient response of the MOC and climate to potential melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet in the 21st century

The potential effects of Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) melting on the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (MOC) and global climate in the 21st century are assessed using the Community Climate System Model version 3 with prescribed rates of GrIS melting. Only when GrIS melting flux is strong enough to be able to produce net freshwater gain in upper subpolar North Atlantic does the MOC weaken further in the 21st century. Otherwise this additional melting flux does not alter the MOC much relative to the simulation without this added flux. The weakened MOC doesn't make the late 21st century global climate cooler than the late 20th century, but does reduce the magnitude of the warming in the northern high latitudes by a few degrees. Moreover, the additional dynamic sea level rise due to this weakened MOC could potentially aggravate the sea level problem near the northeast North America coast.
Factors related to medical students’ and doctors’ attitudes towards older patients: a systematic review

Abstract Background studies have sought to identify the possible determinants of medical students’ and doctors’ attitudes towards older patients by examining relationships with a variety of factors: demographic, educational/training, exposure to older people, personality/cognitive and job/career factors. This review collates and synthesises these findings. Methods an electronic search of 10 databases was performed (ABI/Inform, ASSIA, British Nursing Index, CINAHL, Informa Health, Medline, PsycINFO, Science Direct, Scopus, and Web of Science) through to 7 February 2017. Results the main search identified 2,332 articles; 37 studies met the eligibility criteria set. All included studies analysed self-reported attitudes based on correlational analyses or difference testing, therefore causation could not be determined. However, self-reported positive attitudes towards older patients were related to: (i) intrinsic motivation for studying medicine, (ii) increased preference for working with older patients and (iii) good previous relationships with older people. Additionally, more positive attitudes were also reported in those with higher knowledge scores but these may relate to the use of a knowledge assessment which is an indirect measure of attitudes (i.e. Palmore's Facts on Aging Quizzes). Four out of the five high quality studies included in this review reported more positive attitudes in females compared to males. Conclusion this article identifies factors associated with medical students’ and doctors’ positive attitudes towards older patients. Future research could bring greater clarity to the relationship between knowledge and attitudes by using a knowledge measure which is distinct from attitudes and also measures knowledge that is relevant to clinical care.
“Maybe She Was Provoked”

The current study is concerned with the different types of gender stereotypes that participants may draw upon when exposed to news stories about intimate partner violence (IPV). We qualitatively analyzed open-ended responses examining four types of gender stereotypes—aggression, emotional, power and control, and acceptability of violence. We offer theoretical implications that extend past research on intimate terrorism and situational couple violence, the gender symmetry debate, and how stereotypes are formed. We also discuss practical implications for journalists who write stories about IPV and individuals who provide services to victims and perpetrators.
Thyroid Function, Cardiovascular Risk Factors, and Incident Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

Context: Cardiovascular outcomes in mild thyroid dysfunction (treatment controversial) and moderate or severe dysfunction (treatment standard) remain uncertain. Objective: To examine cross‐sectional and prospective associations of thyroid function with cardiovascular risk factors and events. Design: In the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study, we measured concentrations of thyrotropin, free thyroxine, and total triiodothyronine (T3) in stored serum samples originally collected in 1990‐1992. We used multivariable linear regression to assess cross‐sectional associations of thyroid function with cardiovascular risk factors and Cox regression to assess prospective associations with cardiovascular events. Follow‐up occurred through 31 December 2014. Setting: General community. Participants: Black and white men and women from the United States, without prior myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, or heart failure. Main Outcomes and Measures: Cross‐sectional outcomes were blood pressure, glycemic markers, and blood lipids. Prospective outcomes were adjudicated fatal and nonfatal MI and stroke. Results: Among 11,359 participants (57 ± 6 years, 58% women), thyroid function was more strongly associated with blood lipids than blood pressure or glycemic measures. Mean adjusted differences in low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol were +15.1 (95% confidence interval: 10.5 to 19.7) and +3.2 (0.0 to 6.4) mg/dL in those with moderate/severe and mild chemical hypothyroidism, relative to euthyroidism; an opposite pattern was seen in hyperthyroidism. Similar differences were seen in triglycerides and non‐high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol. With a 22.5‐year median follow‐up, 1102 MIs and 838 strokes occurred, with similar outcomes among baseline thyroid function groups and by T3 concentrations. Conclusions: Hypothyroidism is associated with hyperlipidemia, but the magnitude is small in mild chemical hypothyroidism, and cardiovascular outcomes are similar between thyroid function groups.
User profiles of an electronic mental health tool for ecological momentary assessment: MEmind

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) is gaining importance in psychiatry. This article assesses the characteristics of patients who used a new electronic EMA tool: the MEmind Wellness Tracker. Over one year, 13811 adult outpatients in our Psychiatry Department were asked to use MEmind. We collected information about socio‐demographic data, psychiatric diagnoses, illness severity, stressful life events and suicidal thoughts/behavior. We compared active users (N = 2838) and non‐active users (N = 10,973) of MEmind and performed a Random Forest analysis to assess which variables could predict its use. Univariate analyses revealed that MEmind‐users were younger (42.2 ± 13.5 years versus 48.5 ± 16.3 years; χ2 = 18.85; P < 0.001) and more frequently diagnosed with anxiety related disorders (57.9% versus 46.7%; χ2 = 105.92; P = 0.000) than non‐active users. They were more likely to report thoughts about death and suicide (up to 24% of active users expressed wish for death) and had experienced more stressful life events than non‐active users (57% versus 48.5%; χ2 = 64.65; P < 0.001). In the Random Forest analysis, 31 variables showed mean decrease accuracy values higher than zero with a 95% confidence interval (CI), including sex, age, suicidal thoughts, life threatening events and several diagnoses. In the light of these results, strategies to improve EMA and e‐Mental Health adherence are discussed.
Time Course and Permeation of Synaptic AMPA Receptors in Cochlear Nuclear Neurons Correlate with Input

AMPA receptors mediate rapid glutamatergic synaptic transmission. In the mammalian cochlear nuclei, neurons receive excitatory input from either auditory nerve fibers, parallel fibers, or both fiber systems. The functional correlates of differences in the source of input were examined by recording AMPA receptor-mediated, miniature EPSCs (mEPSCs) in whole-cell voltage-clamp mode from identified neurons. Bushy, octopus, and T-stellate cells of the ventral cochlear nucleus (VCN) and tuberculoventral cells of the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) receive most of their excitatory input from the auditory nerve; fusiform cells receive excitatory inputs from both the auditory nerve and parallel fibers; cartwheel cells receive excitatory input from parallel fibers alone. mEPSCs from bushy, octopus, T-stellate, and tuberculoventral cells had significantly faster decay time constants (0.35–0.40 msec) than did those from fusiform and cartwheel cells (1.32–1.79 msec). Some fusiform cells had two populations of mEPSCs with distinct time courses. mEPSCs in cells with auditory nerve input alone were inhibited by philanthotoxin, a blocker of calcium-permeable AMPA receptors, whereas mEPSCs in cells with parallel fiber input were not. Thus AMPA receptors postsynaptic to the auditory nerve differ from those postsynaptic to parallel fibers both in channel-gating kinetics and in their permeability to calcium. These results confirm the conclusion that synaptic AMPA receptors are specialized according to the source of input (Hunter et al., 1993; Rubio and Wenthold, 1997;Wang et al., 1998).
Stillbirth: Knowledge and Practice among U.S. Obstetrician-Gynecologists

Abstract Objective To determine knowledge of U.S. obstetrician-gynecologists (OBGYNs) and individual and institutional practices regarding stillbirth. Study Design We surveyed 1,000 members of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists regarding their knowledge of risk factors and causes of stillbirth and self-rated performance in stillbirth management. Results Of the 499 who responded, 365 currently practiced obstetrics. Knowledge regarding epidemiology, risk factors, and effective interventions to reduce stillbirth was only fair. About 30% of respondents were unaware that preeclampsia, advanced maternal age, elevated α-fetoprotein, multiple gestation, cigarette smoking, illicit drug use, and being postterm increased risk. Tests to identify stillbirth causes were not performed consistently. Forty-two percent of respondents did not review test results to determine cause. Most hospitals did not have protocols for stillbirth evaluation nor preprinted forms to obtain appropriate stillbirth tests. Stillbirth audits with feedback were rarely performed. Conclusions OBGYN knowledge and institutional practice regarding stillbirth could be substantially improved. Residency programs need improved education regarding stillbirth. Hospitals and their OBGYN departments should focus more on stillbirth through continuing education programs and grand rounds and develop stillbirth management protocols and standardized order sheets to appropriately evaluate stillbirths. Audits that evaluate cause of death and preventability with a feedback loop focused on improvement in care should be considered.
Temperature and equivalent temperature over the United States (1979–2005)

Temperature (T) and equivalent temperature (TE) trends over the United States from 1979 to 2005 and their correlation to land cover types are investigated using National Centers for Environmental Prediction North American Regional Reanalysis data, the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) land use/cover classification, the National Land Cover Database (NLCD) 1992–2001 Retrofit Land Cover Change and the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) derived from AVHRR. Even though most of the magnitude of TE is explained by T, the moisture component induces larger trends and variability of TE relative to T. The contrast between pronounced temporal and spatial differences between T and TE at the near‐surface level (2 m) and minor‐to‐no differences at 300–200 mb is a consistent pattern. This study therefore demonstrates that in addition to temperature, atmospheric heat content may help to quantify the differences between surface and tropospheric heating trends, and hence the impact of land cover types on the surface temperature changes. Correlations of T and TE with NDVI reveal that TE shows a stronger relationship to vegetation cover than T, especially during the growing season, with values that are significantly different and of opposite signs (−0.31 for T vs NDVI; 0.49 for TE vs NDVI). Our results suggest that land cover types influence both moisture availability and temperature in the lower atmosphere and that TE is larger in areas with higher physical evaporation and transpiration rates. As a result, TE can be used as an additional metric for analysing near‐surface heating trends with respect to land cover types. Moreover, TE can be tested as a complementary variable for assessing the impact of land surface and boundary layer processes in re‐analysis and weather/climate model studies. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society
Forgetting emotional material in working memory

Abstract Proactive interference (PI) is the tendency for information learned earlier to interfere with more recently learned information. In the present study, we induced PI by presenting items from the same category over several trials. This results in a build-up of PI and reduces the discriminability of the items in each subsequent trial. We introduced emotional (e.g. disgust) and neutral (e.g. furniture) categories and examined how increasing levels of PI affected performance for both stimulus types. Participants were scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) performing a 5-item probe recognition task. We modeled responses and corresponding response times with a hierarchical diffusion model. Results showed that PI effects on latent processes (i.e. reduced drift rate) were similar for both stimulus types, but the effect of PI on drift rate was less pronounced PI for emotional compared to neutral stimuli. The decline in the drift rate was accompanied by an increase in neural activation in parahippocampal regions and this relationship was more strongly observed for neutral stimuli compared to emotional stimuli.
Prevalence and predictors of tumour necrosis factor inhibitor persistence in psoriatic arthritis

Objectives To evaluate TNF-α inhibitor (TNFi) persistence when used as first- or second-line biologic therapy for the management of PsA, and to determine baseline clinical and laboratory parameters associated with TNFi persistence. Methods A retrospective single-centre cohort study was performed on all patients with PsA initiated on TNFi therapy between 2003 and 2015. Demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics were compared with TNFi persistence, using Kaplan-Meier survival and Cox proportional hazards models. Results One hundred and eighty-eight patients with PsA were prescribed TNFi therapy as first-line biologic therapy over a period of 635 person-years [46% male, mean (s.d.) age 47.3 (11.4) years; median (interquartile range) disease duration 11 (7-16) years]. At 12 months of follow-up 79% of patients persisted with TNFi therapy, and 73% at 24 months. Of those discontinuing TNFi, 35% stopped due to primary inefficacy, 22% secondary inefficacy and 43% adverse events. Multivariable analysis identified female sex (hazard ratio (HR) 2.57; 95% CI: 1.26, 5.24; P = 0.01) and the presence of metabolic syndrome-related co-morbidities (HR = 2.65, 95% CI: 1.24, 5.69; P = 0.01) as predictors of lower persistence. Of 32 cases treated with a second TNFi, persistence at 12 months was 56%. TNFi persistence was 2-fold less likely in these 32 cases compared with first-line TNFi users (HR = 2.02, 95% CI: 1.20, 3.42; P = 0.01). Conclusion Patients with PsA who are female and have metabolic syndrome-related co-morbidities have lower TNFi persistence. Although persistence was lower in patients who had switched to a second TNFi, a substantial proportion of these cases responded, advocating switching to a second TNFi as a valid therapeutic strategy.
Protective Mechanism of the Antioxidant Baicalein toward Hydroxyl Radical-Treated Bone Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Our study explores the antioxidant and cytoprotective effects of baicalein and further discusses the possible mechanisms. A methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay revealed that baicalein could considerably enhance the viability of hydroxyl radical-treated bone marrow-mesenchymal stem cells (bmMSCs) at 37–370 µM. The highest viability rate was 120.4%. In subsequent studies, baicalein was observed to effectively scavenge hydroxyl radical and PTIO• radicals, reducing Fe3+ and Cu2+ ions. In the Fe2+-chelating UV-vis spectra, mixing of baicalein with Fe2+ yielded two evident redshifts (275 → 279 nm and 324 → 352 nm) and a broad absorption peak (λmax ≈ 650 nm, ε = 1.6 × 103 L mol−1·cm−1). Finally, we compared the Fe2+-chelating UV-vis spectra of baicalein and its analogues, including 5-hydroxyflavone, 6-hydroxyflavone, 7-hydroxyflavone, catechol, pyrogallol, and chrysin. This analysis revealed that the 4-keto group of the C-ring played a role. The 5,6,7-trihydroxy-group (pyrogallol group) in the A-ring served as an auxochrome, enhancing the absorbance of the UV-vis spectra and deepening the color of the Fe2+-complex. We concluded that baicalein, as an effective hydroxyl radical-scavenger, can protect bmMSCs from hydroxyl radical-mediated oxidative stress. Its hydroxyl radical-scavenging effects are likely exerted via two pathways: direct scavenging of hydroxyl radicals, possibly through electron transfer, and indirect inhibition of hydroxyl radical generation via Fe2+ chelation through the 4-keto-5,6,7-trihydroxy groups.
Deformation, diffusion and ductility during creep – continuous void nucleation and creep-fatigue damage

Abstract It is shown that the assumption of unit (negative) slope in the well known Monkman–Grant plot of time to failure against minimum creep rate is too restrictive. By acknowledging observed slopes in the range 0.8–1, a ductility–strain-rate relation is deduced where ductility decreases with reducing strain rate. This in turn has implications for the ductility exhaustion method as applied during stress relaxation in the dwell period of low cycle fatigue tests of austenitic steels at elevated temperature. The simple method is used to calculate the cyclic creep damage in typical tests on austenitic steels in the region 550–650 °C and is compared to other calculations as employed in the R5 high temperature assessment procedure. The assumption of a uniform nucleation rate of grain boundary voids with creep strain goes some way to predicting the slope of the ductility–strain-rate relation. Both the ‘unconstrained’ and ‘constrained’ (lower shelf) regions of void growth are discussed.
Panther: Fast Top-k Similarity Search on Large Networks

Estimating similarity between vertices is a fundamental issue in network analysis across various domains, such as social networks and biological networks. Methods based on common neighbors and structural contexts have received much attention. However, both categories of methods are difficult to scale up to handle large networks (with billions of nodes). In this paper, we propose a sampling method that provably and accurately estimates the similarity between vertices. The algorithm is based on a novel idea of random path. Specifically, given a network, we perform R random walks, each starting from a randomly picked vertex and walking T steps. Theoretically, the algorithm guarantees that the sampling size R = O(2ε-2 log2 T) depends on the error-bound ε, the confidence level (1 -- δ), and the path length T of each random walk. We perform extensive empirical study on a Tencent microblogging network of 1,000,000,000 edges. We show that our algorithm can return top-k similar vertices for any vertex in a network 300× faster than the state-of-the-art methods. We also use two applications-identity resolution and structural hole spanner finding--to evaluate the accuracy of the estimated similarities. Our results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm achieves clearly better performance than several alternative methods.