Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biliary Atresia Is Associated With Hypertension

Objectives: The improved survival of pediatric liver transplant recipients is accompanied by an increase in long-term comorbidities. A recently highlighted concern, hypertension, is associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) in this population and can result in other target-organ damage during childhood. The prevalence of hypertension in pediatric liver transplantation is imprecisely known. In addition, individual etiologies of liver failure may convey different risks of hypertension. We sought to study the effect of liver transplantation on the prevalence of hypertension and CKD in patients with biliary atresia (BA). Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 160 patients with BA followed at the Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, from 1987 to 2012. Data were accumulated from the initial and subsequent visits at approximately 6 months, 1, 3, 5, 10, and 15 years of age. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure >95th percentile for age, sex, height, and/or use of antihypertensive medication. Renal function was examined over time. Data were stratified by liver transplantation status at the time of visit. Results: A high prevalence of hypertension was observed from the initial visit through age 10, independent of transplant status (transplanted: 48% initial visit and 13% after 10 years vs nontransplanted: 55% initial visit and 17% after 10 years [P = ns for transplant status]). Mean estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was lower among liver transplant patients as compared with nontransplant patients and declined posttransplant. The incidence of CKD was higher among transplant patients. Conclusions: Hypertension is common among children with BA, independent of liver transplant status. Transplant patients had significantly reduced renal function, which continued to decline over time. Hypertension was not associated with reduced eGFR.
Nonuniform coverage control on the line

This paper investigates control laws allowing mobile, autonomous agents to optimally position themselves on the line for distributed sensing in a nonuniform field. We show that a simple static control law, based only on local measurements of the field by each agent, drives the agents to the optimal positions in time that is quadratic in the number of agents. Further, we exhibit a dynamic control law which, under slightly stronger assumptions on the capabilities and knowledge of each agent, drives the agents to the optimal positions an order of magnitude faster, namely in time that is linear in the number of agents. Both algorithms are fully distributed and robust to unpredictable loss and addition of agents.
Double-sided polishing long period fiber grating sensors for measuring liquid refractive index

A new liquid refractive index sensor using double-sided polishing long-period fiber grating is presented. The influence of residual cladding thickness on the sensitivity of measuring liquid refractive index is investigated. Experimental results show that well-controlled polishing parameters can significantly increase the sensitivity. The sensitivity of −143.396 nm/RIU can be obtained.
Regulation of human lung epithelial cell numbers by diesel exhaust particles

Particulate air pollution is associated with respiratory morbidity and has cytotoxic and pro-inflammatory effects. The effects of diesel exhaust particles (DEP) on proliferation and apoptosis of A549 lung epithelial cells were examined. When deprived of serum (serum starvation), epithelial cell numbers fell, but DEP (5–200 µg·mL−1) prevented this. Using flow cytometric analysis of propidium iodide (PI) staining, DEP (10 µg·mL−1) increased cells in the S phase of cell cycle from 12.85 to 18.75% after 48 h, reversing serum starvation-induced G0/1 arrest. DEP also reduced the increase in apoptotic cells, as defined by double expression of annexin V/PI, observed after serum starvation (from 28.35 to 15.46%). The antioxidants, N-acetylcysteine (NAC; 33 mM) and AEOL10113 (10–100 µM), the N-terminal c-jun kinase inhibitor, SP600125 (33 µM), and nuclear factor-κB inhibitor, SN50 (33 µM), inhibited DEP-induced cell number increase. NAC inhibited DEP-induced reduction of G0/1 and increase in cells in the S and G2/M phases. Expression of p21CIP1/WAF1 mRNA and protein seen with serum starvation was reduced by DEP. In conclusion, diesel exhaust particles prevented serum starvation-led decreases in A549 epithelial cells by inducing cell cycle progression and preventing apoptosis, processes involving oxidative stress, inhibition of p21CIP1/WAF1 expression and stimulation of N-terminal c-jun kinase and nuclear factor-κB. Therefore, low-dose diesel exhaust particle exposure may lead to lung epithelial cell hyperplasia.
Practical Homomorphic Encryption Over the Integers

We present novel homomorphic encryption schemes for integer arithmetic, intended for use in secure single-party computation in the cloud. These schemes are capable of securely computing only low degree polynomials homomorphically, but this appears sufficient for most practical applications. In this setting, our schemes lead to practical key and ciphertext sizes. We present a sequence of generalisations of our basic schemes, with increasing levels of security, but decreasing practicality. We have evaluated the first four of these algorithms by computing a low-degree inner product. The timings of these computations are extremely favourable. Finally, we use our ideas to derive a fully homomorphic system, which appears impractical, but can homomorphically evaluate arbitrary Boolean circuits.
Vitamin D and vascular calcification

Purpose of review Vascular calcification is frequently found in patients with osteoporosis, atherosclerosis and chronic kidney disease, leading to high morbidity and mortality rates. The effects of vitamin D excess and deficiency on vascular calcification are reviewed in this article. Recent findings There is evidence from experimental studies that mediacalcinosis induced by vitamin D excess is an active and reversible process. Vitamin D excess, however, is rarely seen in the general human population. Experimental data also demonstrate that physiologic vitamin D actions include the inhibition of processes that are important for intimal and medial artery calcification such as pro-inflammatory cytokine release, adhesion molecule release, and proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells. In uremic rats, low levels of the vitamin D hormone calcitriol are associated with massive vascular and soft tissue calcifications. Whereas retrospective studies already indicate a beneficial effect of active vitamin D on mortality rates in chronic kidney disease, little is yet known about the effect of vitamin D deficiency on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in the general population. Summary Available data indicate that vitamin D exerts a biphasic ‘dose response’ curve on vascular calcification with deleterious consequences not only of vitamin D excess but also of vitamin D deficiency.
Degrading traumatic memories with eye movements: a pilot functional MRI study in PTSD

Background Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is an effective treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). During EMDR, the patient recalls traumatic memories while making eye movements (EMs). Making EMs during recall is associated with decreased vividness and emotionality of traumatic memories, but the underlying mechanism has been unclear. Recent studies support a “working-memory” (WM) theory, which states that the two tasks (recall and EMs) compete for limited capacity of WM resources. However, prior research has mainly relied on self-report measures. Methods Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we tested whether “recall with EMs,” relative to a “recall-only” control condition, was associated with reduced activity of primary visual and emotional processing brain regions, associated with vividness and emotionality respectively, and increased activity of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), associated with working memory. We used a randomized, controlled, crossover experimental design in eight adult patients with a primary diagnosis of PTSD. A script-driven imagery (SDI) procedure was used to measure responsiveness to an audio-script depicting the participant's traumatic memory before and after conditions. Results SDI activated mainly emotional processing-related brain regions (anterior insula, rostral anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex), WM-related (DLPFC), and visual (association) brain regions before both conditions. Although predicted pre- to post-test decrease in amygdala activation after “recall with EMs” was not significant, SDI activated less right amygdala and rostral ACC activity after “recall with EMs” compared to post-“recall-only. ” Furthermore, functional connectivity from the right amygdala to the rostral ACC was decreased after “recall with EMs” compared with after “recall-only. ” Conclusions These preliminary results in a small sample suggest that making EMs during recall, which is part of the regular EMDR treatment protocol, might reduce activity and connectivity in emotional processing-related areas. This study warrants replication in a larger sample. Highlights of the article Script driven imagery (SDI) before and after recall of traumatic memories is feasible to investigate working mechanisms of degrading of traumatic memories with eye movements (EMs) in PTSD. Right amygdala and rostral ACC activity was significantly lower after “recall with EMs” than after “recall-only”. Functional connectivity from amygdala to rostral ACC was decreased after “recall with EMs” vs. “recall-only”. This study warrants replication in a larger sample.
Outage analysis of two-way relaying in interference-limited AF cooperative networks over Nakagami-m fading

This paper investigates the outage performance of dual-hop amplify-and-forward (AF) two-way relaying systems with multiple co-channel interferers at the AF relay and two noisy end-sources. Assuming a Nakagami-m fading environment, a highly precise, easy-to-compute closed-form approximate expression for the outage probability is derived. Our analysis allows for general operating scenarios with distinct Nakagami-m fading parameters and unequal average fading powers between the hops. Monte Carlo simulation results are presented to corroborate the tightness of the proposed approximations.
A comparison of the Plusoptix S09 with an autorefractometer of noncycloplegics and cycloplegics in children

AbstractThe aim of the study is to compare outcome measures of refractive error obtained using the Plusoptix S09 photorefractor and an autorefractometer of noncycloplegics and cycloplegics in children.We reviewed the medical records of 40 patients (77 eyes) who were classified using 2 methods. The patients were first assigned to 2 groups consisting of 11 eyes with ≥+3.0 D and 66 eyes with <+3.0 D, and then to 2 groups of 12 and 65 eyes with cycloplegic and noncycloplegic refraction of spherical powers ≥+2.0 D and <+2.0 D, respectively. We compared the outcome measures of refractive error using the Plusoptix S09 photorefractor and an autorefractometer of noncycloplegics and cycloplegics.There was no statistically significant difference between the Plusoptix S09 photorefractor and cycloplegic autorefractometer in the spherical power and spherical equivalent. In contrast, there was a statistically significant difference between the Plusoptix S09 photorefractor and noncycloplegic autorefractometer (P < 0.001). There was a statistically significant difference between the spherical equivalent of the Plusoptix S09 photorefractor and cycloplegic autorefractometer in children with hyperopia ≥+3.0D and with cycloplegic and noncycloplegic refraction of spherical power ≥+2.0 D. We also found a significant difference between the outcomes of the Plusoptix S09 photorefractor and cycloplegic autorefractometer in the spherical power and spherical equivalent for children with hyperopia ≥+3.0 D.The refractive error of the Plusoptix S09 photorefractor was similar to that of the cycloplegic autorefractometer, in contrast to the noncycloplegic autorefractometer. However, the Plusoptix S09 photorefractor is an inaccurate tool to estimate the refractive errors of children with moderate hyperopia.
Air Pollution Exposure Potentiates Hypertension Through Reactive Oxygen Species–Mediated Activation of Rho/ROCK

Objective—Fine particulate matter <2.5 &mgr;m (PM2.5) has been implicated in vasoconstriction and potentiation of hypertension in humans. We investigated the effects of short-term exposure to PM2.5 in the angiotensin II (AII) infusion model. Methods and Results—Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to PM2.5 or filtered air (FA) for 10 weeks. At week 9, minipumps containing AII were implanted and the responses studied over a week. Mean concentration of PM2.5 inside the chamber was 79.1±7.4 &mgr;g/m3. After AII infusion, mean arterial pressure was significantly higher in PM2.5-AII versus FA-AII group. Aortic vasoconstriction to phenylephrine was potentiated with exaggerated relaxation to the Rho-kinase (ROCK) inhibitor Y-27632 and increase in ROCK-1 mRNA levels in the PM2.5-AII group. Superoxide (O2·−) production in aorta was increased in the PM2.5-AII compared to the FA group, inhibitable by apocynin and L-NAME with coordinate upregulation of NAD(P)H oxidase subunits p22phox and p47phox and depletion of tetrahydrobiopterin. In vitro exposure to ultrafine particles (UFP) and PM2.5 was associated with an increase in ROCK activity, phosphorylation of myosin light chain, and myosin phosphatase target subunit (MYPT1). Pretreatment with the nonspecific antioxidant N-Acetylcysteine and the Rho kinase inhibitors (Fasudil and Y-27632) prevented MLC and MYPT-1 phosphorylation by UFP suggesting a O2·−-mediated mechanism for PM2.5 and UFP effects. Conclusions—Short-term air pollution exaggerates hypertension through O2·−-mediated upregulation of the Rho/ROCK pathway.
99mTc Auger electrons for targeted tumour therapy: A review

Purpose: Targeted radiotherapy using Auger electrons presents multiple advantages and challenges. The advantageous characteristics of this type of radiotherapy can explain the growing interest in these specific electrons for cancer therapy. During the last decade, Technetium-99m (99mTc) has been used as an imaging agent and only recently has it been analysed as a potential therapeutic agent. This paper aims to be a review on the potential use of 99mTc as a therapeutic agent. Conclusions: The physical properties of 99mTc along with its large availability through a generator in situ may represent a new and important pathway in targeted radiotherapy. Experimental data obtained so far has encouraged multiple researchers to investigate 99mTc further as a therapeutic agent for multiple common oncologic situations. In spite of these initial attempts to use 99mTc as a therapeutic agent beyond that of imaging, future studies are required to better define its dosimetric implications and radiobiological efficacy.
Cognitive complaints, depression, medical symptoms, and their association with neuropsychological functioning in HIV infection: a structural equation model analysis.

The main objective of this study was to use structural equation modeling (SEM) to clarify the relationship between subjective cognitive complaints and neuropsychological functioning in 160 adults with HIV infection. Participants completed questionnaires assessing cognitive complaints, symptoms of depression, and HIV-related medical symptoms. Neuropsychological tests included measures of attention, verbal fluency, psychomotor skills, learning, memory, and executive skills. SEM was used to test models of the relationships among cognitive complaints, mood, and medical symptoms with neuropsychological functioning. The model indicated that although depressed mood (beta = 0.32, p < .01) and medical symptoms (beta = 0.31, p < .01) influenced cognitive complaints, cognitive complaints were independently associated with poorer neuropsychological performance (beta = 0.39, p < .01). Mood and medical symptoms were significantly correlated but were not significantly associated with neuropsychological skills.
Proximal Antecedents and Correlates of Adopted Error Approach: A Self-Regulatory Perspective

ABSTRACT The current study aims to further investigate earlier established advantages of an error mastery approach over an error aversion approach. The two main purposes of the study relate to (1) self-regulatory traits (i.e., goal orientation and action-state orientation) that may predict which error approach (mastery or aversion) is adopted, and (2) proximal, psychological processes (i.e., self-focused attention and failure attribution) that relate to adopted error approach. In the current study participants' goal orientation and action-state orientation were assessed, after which they worked on an error-prone task. Results show that learning goal orientation related to error mastery, while state orientation related to error aversion. Under a mastery approach, error occurrence did not result in cognitive resources “wasted” on self-consciousness. Rather, attention went to internal-unstable, thus controllable, improvement oriented causes of error. Participants that had adopted an aversion approach, in contrast, experienced heightened self-consciousness and attributed failure to internal-stable or external causes. These results imply that when working on an error-prone task, people should be stimulated to take on a mastery rather than an aversion approach towards errors.
Role of complementary and alternative medicine in geriatric care: A mini review

Since time immemorial homo sapiens are subjected to both health and diseases states and seek treatment for succor and assuagement in compromised health states. Since last two decades the progressive rise in the alternative form of treatment cannot be ignored and population seems to be dissatisfied with the conventional treatment modalities and therefore, resort to other forms of treatment, mainly complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). The use of CAM is predominantly more popular in older adults and therefore, numerous research studies and clinical trials have been carried out to investigate the effectiveness of CAM in the management of both communicable and non-communicable disease. In this current mini review, we attempt to encompass the use of CAM in chronic non-communicable diseases that are most likely seen in geriatrics. The current review focuses not only on the reassurance of good health practices, emphasizing on the holistic development and strengthening the body's defense mechanisms, but also attempts to construct a pattern of self-care and patient empowerment in geriatrics. The issues of safety with CAM use cannot be sidelined and consultation with a health care professional is always advocated to the patient. Likewise, responsibility of the health care professional is to inform the patient about the safety and efficacy issues. In order to substantiate the efficacy and safety of CAMs, evidence-based studies and practices with consolidated standards should be planned and executed.
Discriminative Stimulus Effects of the GABAB Receptor-Positive Modulator rac-BHFF: Comparison with GABAB Receptor Agonists and Drugs of Abuse

GABAB receptor-positive modulators are thought to have advantages as potential medications for anxiety, depression, and drug addiction. They may have fewer side effects than GABAB receptor agonists, because selective enhancement of activated receptors could have effects different from nonselective activation of all receptors. To examine this, pigeons were trained to discriminate the GABAB receptor-positive modulator (R,S)-5,7-di-tert-butyl-3-hydroxy-3-trifluoromethyl-3H-benzofuran-2-one (rac-BHFF) from its vehicle. The discriminative stimulus effects of rac-BHFF were not mimicked by the GABAB receptor agonists baclofen and γ-hydroxybutyrate (GHB), not by diazepam, and not by alcohol, cocaine, and nicotine, whose self-administration has been reported to be attenuated by GABAB receptor-positive modulators. The discriminative stimulus effects of rac-BHFF were not antagonized by the GABAB receptor antagonist 3-aminopropyl (diethoxymethyl)phosphinic acid (CGP35348) but were attenuated by the less efficacious GABAB receptor-positive modulator 2,6-di-tert-butyl-4-(3-hydroxy-2,2-dimethylpropyl)phenol (CGP7930), suggesting the possibility that rac-BHFF produces its discriminative stimulus effects by directly activating GABAB2 subunits of GABAB receptors. At a dose 10-fold lower than the training dose, rac-BHFF enhanced the discriminative stimulus effects of baclofen, but not of GHB. This study provides evidence that the effects of GABAB receptor-positive modulators are not identical to those of GABAB receptor agonists. In addition, the results suggest that positive modulation of GABAB receptors does not produce discriminative stimulus effects similar to those of benzodiazepines, alcohol, cocaine, and nicotine. Finally, the finding that rac-BHFF enhanced effects of baclofen but not of GHB is consistent with converging evidence that the populations of GABAB receptors mediating the effects of baclofen and GHB are not identical.
Making the Connection: Social Bonding in Courtship Situations1

Sociologists have long argued that the force of a social bond resides in a sense of interpersonal connection. This is especially true for initial courtship encounters when pairs report a sense of interpersonal chemistry. The authors explore the process of romantic bonding by applying interaction ritual theory, extended and integrated with methods from computational linguistics, to the study of courtship encounters and, specifically, heterosexual speed dating. The authors find that the assortment of interpersonal moves associated with a sense of connection characterizes a conventionalized form of initial courtship activity. The game is successfully played when females are the point of focus and engaged in the conversation and males demonstrate alignment with and understanding of the female. In short, initial heterosexual courtship encounters are associated with a sense of bonding when they reflect a reciprocal asymmetrical performance in which differentiated roles are mutually coordinated.
Aging Gracefully: Compensatory Brain Activity in High-Performing Older Adults

Whereas some older adults show significant cognitive deficits, others perform as well as young adults. We investigated the neural basis of these different aging patterns using positron emission tomography (PET). In PET and functional MRI (fMRI) studies, prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity tends to be less asymmetric in older than in younger adults (Hemispheric Asymmetry Reduction in Old Adults or HAROLD). This change may help counteract age-related neurocognitive decline (compensation hypothesis) or it may reflect an age-related difficulty in recruiting specialized neural mechanisms (dedifferentiation hypothesis). To compare these two hypotheses, we measured PFC activity in younger adults, low-performing older adults, and high-performing older adults during recall and source memory of recently studied words. Compared to recall, source memory was associated with right PFC activations in younger adults. Low-performing older adults recruited similar right PFC regions as young adults, but high-performing older adults engaged PFC regions bilaterally. Thus, consistent with the compensation hypothesis and inconsistent with the dedifferentiation hypothesis, a hemispheric asymmetry reduction was found in high-performing but not in low-performing older adults. The results suggest that low-performing older adults recruited a similar network as young adults but used it inefficiently, whereas high-performing older adults counteracted age-related neural decline through a plastic reorganization of neurocognitive networks.