Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Association Between Variants of Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products (RAGE) Gene Polymorphisms and Age-Related Macular Degeneration

BACKGROUND Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is the leading cause of blindness in people aged 65 years and older in developed countries. The pathogenesis of AMD has been linked to mechanisms involving inflammation, oxidative stress, and basal laminar deposit formation between retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells and the basal membrane, caused by advanced glycation end products (AGEs). AGEs are implicated in the pathogenesis of AMD through the AGE-and receptor for AGE (RAGE) interaction, which can be altered by polymorphisms of the RAGE gene. We examined RAGE rs1800624 and rs1800625 gene polymorphisms contributing to AMD development. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study enrolled 300 patients with early AMD, 300 patients with exudative AMD, and 800 healthy controls. The genotyping was carried out using the RT-PCR method. RESULTS The analysis of two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the RAGE gene showed that rs1800624 was associated with a 1.6-fold decreased risk for exudative AMD under the dominant model after adjustment for age (OR=0.616; 95% CI: 0.394-0.963; p=0.034) and each copy of allele T at rs1800624 was associated with a 1.4-fold decreased risk for exudative AMD development under the additive model after adjustment for age (OR=0.701; 95% CI: 0.510-0.962; p=0.028). Analysis revealed that the rs1800625 allele G at rs1800625 was associated with a 1.5-fold increased risk for exudative AMD after adjustment for age (OR=1.545; 95% CI: 1.003-2.379; p=0.048). These results suggested that the allele G at rs1800625 was a risk-allele for exudative AMD development. In haplotype analysis, A-G haplotype was significantly more frequently observed in exudative AMD patients compared to healthy controls (3.3% versus 1.4%, p=0.035). CONCLUSIONS We revealed a significant association between RAGE gene rs1800624 and rs1800625 polymorphisms and AMD risk. We considered T allele at rs1800624 to be protective against AMD development, while allele G at rs1800625 was considered to be a marker of poor prognosis in AMD development.
Acute hemoconcentration during psychological stress: Assessment of hemorheologic factors

In this study, we examined the effects of acute psychological stress on hemorheology and hemoconcentration in humans and the associations between stress-induced cardiovascular reactivity and hemorheological changes. Stress-induced changes in hemorheology and hemoconcentration were assessed by measuring plasma viscosity, calculated plasma volume, and total plasma protein. Cardiovascular, hemorheologic, and hematologic variables were assessed in 29 healthy men during a 30-min baseline period and a 5-min speech task. Results indicated that the speech task produced a significant increase in plasma viscosity and total plasma protein and a significant decrease in calculated plasma volume. Significant correlations were observed between changes in blood pressure and heart rate and changes in plasma viscosity, total plasma protein, and calculated plasma volume. These results provide direct evidence that acute psychological stress can produce significant changes in hemorheology and hemoconcentration. The most likely mechanism for the stress-induced hemoconcentration effect is a fluid shift from the vascular to the interstitial spaces through increased blood pressure.
A store‐operated current (SOC) mediates oxytocin autocontrol in the developing rat hypothalamus

Oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (VP) autocontrol their secreting neurons in the supraoptic nucleus (SON) by modulating action potential firing through activation of specific metabotropic receptors. However, the mechanisms linking receptor activation to firing remain unknown. In almost all cell types, activation of plasma membrane metabotropic receptors triggers signalling cascades that induce mobilization of calcium from intracellular stores. In turn, emptying the calcium stores may evoke calcium influx through store‐operated channels (SOCs), the functions of which remain largely unknown in neurons. In this study, we show that these channels play a key role in the SON, at least in the response to OT. In isolated rat SON neurons, store depletion by thapsigargin induced an influx of calcium, demonstrating the presence of SOCs in these neurons. This calcium influx was specifically inhibited by 0.2 mm 1‐(2‐trifluoromethylphenyl‐)imidazole (TRIM). At 2 mm, this compound affected neither the resting electrophysiological properties nor the voltage‐dependant inward currents. In fresh slices, TRIM (2 mm) did not affect the resting potential of SON neurons, action potential characteristics, spontaneous action potential firing or synaptic activity; this compound thus appears to be a specific blocker of SOCs in SON neurons. TRIM (0.2 mm) specifically reduced the increase in action potential firing triggered by OT but did not affect the VP‐induced response. These observations demonstrate that store operated channels exist in hypothalamic neurons and specifically mediate the response to OT in the SON.
Heart healthy equals prostate healthy equals statins: the next cancer chemoprevention trial. Part I

Purpose of review Several important observations should be kept in mind by cancer researchers: cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death; CVD is the number one cause of death in the largest cancer chemoprevention trials; CVD is the number one or two cause of death in prostate cancer patients; and some of the mechanisms that increase the risk of CVD may also increase the risk or progression of prostate cancer. Recent findings Screening studies suggest a high prevalence of dyslipidemia in men with and without prostate cancer. Numerous recent lifestyle interventions that reduce cholesterol have also been found to have a potential impact on reducing the risk of prostate cancer. Recent studies of statins and other heart healthy agents have found a secondary potential for exhibiting a reduced risk or progression of prostate cancer. Summary Laboratory and clinical data over the past several decades continue to support the use of a heart healthy agent in the nest cancer chemoprevention trial. The potential for an agent to simultaneously reduce the risk of the primary and secondary cause of death suggests that statins and other heart healthy agents are the ideal next interventions to be utilized in the next major cancer chemoprevention trial. If successful, this agent would most likely represent a dramatic impact on the history of cancer chemoprevention, and if not successful the potential secondary impact would again be a landmark finding in cancer chemoprevention; so the time is more than ripe for such a unique trial.
Supplementary Bug Fixes vs. Re-opened Bugs

A typical bug fixing cycle involves the reporting of a bug, the triaging of the report, the production and verification of a fix, and the closing of the bug. However, previous work has studied two phenomena where more than one fix are associated with the same bug report. The first one is the case where developers re-open a previously fixed bug in the bug repository (sometimes even multiple times) to provide a new bug fix that replace a previous fix, whereas the second one is the case where multiple commits in the version control system contribute to the same bug report ("supplementary bug fixes"). Even though both phenomena seem related, they have never been studied together, i.e., are supplementary fixes a subset of re-opened bugs or the other way around? This paper investigates the interplay between both phenomena in five open source software projects: Mozilla, Net beans, Eclipse JDT Core, Eclipse Platform SWT, and Web Kit. We found that re-opened bugs account for between 21.6% and 33.8% of all supplementary fixes. However, 33% to 57.5% of re-opened bugs had only one commit associated, which means that the original bug report was prematurely closed instead of fixed incorrectly. Furthermore, we constructed predictive models for re-opened bugs using historical information about supplementary bug fixes with a precision between 72.2% and 97%, as well as a recall between 47.7% and 65.3%. Software researchers and practitioners who are mining data repositories can use our approach to identify potential failures of their bug fixes and the re-opening of bug reports.
Effect of long-time electrical and thermal stresses upon the endurance capability of cable insulation material

This paper presents the results of endurance tests that have been carried out on cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cable peelings. The peelings were taken from cables that were manufactured from a single batch of XLPE and subjected to electrical (up to 28 kV/mm), thermal T = 363 K (90degC) and electro-thermal stressing for at least 5000 hours. The endurance tests of the peelings (thickness 150 mum) were carried out at the same temperature of T = 363 K as the thermally stressed cable, but at two different AC electrical fields of 55 and 70 kV/mm. The resulting life data for the different sample sets are compared to one another and to that of peelings taken from unaged cables. Weibull analysis of the failures shows that only peelings from cables that had experienced a thermal stress component during their time of stressing as a cable, exhibited a statistically significant reduction in endurance capability. Possible reasons for this reduction of life are discussed.
An Examination of the Local Cellular Immune Response to Examples of Both Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) of the Breast and DCIS With Microinvasion, With Emphasis on Tertiary Lymphoid Structures and Tumor Infiltrating Lymphoctytes.

OBJECTIVES We tried to describe cellular immune response (tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs), lymphoid aggregates, tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs)) in neoplastic microenvironment of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) with or without associated microinvasion. METHODS The histopathologic parameters of 177 DCIS and 27 DCIS with microinvasion were evaluated. We determined number of ducts involved by DCIS, and calculated percentage of these ducts surrounded by TLSs. TILs were quantitated in 27 microinvasive cases. RESULTS Tumors having higher percentage of DCIS ducts associated with TLSs had higher incidence of microinvasion (P < .001). Percentage of DCIS ducts involved by TLSs was also higher in hormone receptor (HR)-/human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)+ and TNBC subtypes of DCIS than in HR+/HER2- and HR+/HER2+ subtypes (38.04 ± 25.8%, 32.6 ± 32.4%, 2.5 ± 7.3% and 17.4 ± 23.3%, respectively, P < .001). In DCIS without microinvasion, HR+/HER2- subtype predominated (P < .001). In microinvasive cases, HR-/HER2+ subtype was most common. TNBC was more common in microinvasive carcinoma than DCIS (P < .001). Among 27 microinvasive ductal carcinomas, increased TLS amount was associated with increased TILs (P = .013). CONCLUSIONS TLS abundance around DCIS was associated with HER2+ and TNBC subtypes and microinvasion. Pathologists should be aware of microinvasion when diagnosing DCIS lesions with abundant TLSs.
Imaging proliferation in lung tumors with PET: 18F-FLT versus 18F-FDG.

UNLABELLED Recently, the thymidine analog 3'-deoxy-3'-(18)F-fluorothymidine (FLT) was suggested for imaging tumoral proliferation. In this prospective study, we examined whether (18)F-FLT better determines proliferative activity in newly diagnosed lung nodules than does (18)F-FDG. METHODS Twenty-six patients with pulmonary nodules on chest CT were examined with PET and the tracers (18)F-FDG and (18)F-FLT. Tumoral uptake was determined by calculation of standardized uptake value (SUV). Within 2 wk, patients underwent resective surgery or had core biopsy. Proliferative activity was estimated by counting nuclei stained with the Ki-67-specific monoclonal antibody MIB-1 per total number of nuclei in representative tissue specimens. The correlation between the percentage of proliferating cells and the SUVs for (18)F-FLT and (18)F-FDG was determined using linear regression analysis. RESULTS Eighteen patients had malignant tumors (13 with non-small cell lung cancer [NSCLC], 1 with small cell lung cancer, and 4 with pulmonary metastases from extrapulmonary tumors); 8 had benign lesions. In all visible lesions, mean (18)F-FDG uptake was 4.1 (median, 4.4; SD, 3.0; range, 1.0-10.6), and mean (18)F-FLT uptake was 1.8 (median, 1.2; SD, 2.0; range, 0.8-6.4). Statistical analysis revealed a significantly higher uptake of (18)F-FDG than of (18)F-FLT (Mann-Whitney U test, P < 0.05). (18)F-FLT SUV correlated better with proliferation index (P < 0.0001; r = 0.92) than did (18)F-FDG SUV (P < 0.001; r = 0.59). With the exception of 1 carcinoma in situ, all malignant tumors showed increased (18)F-FDG PET uptake. (18)F-FLT PET was false-negative in the carcinoma in situ, in another NSCLC with a low proliferation index, and in a patient with lung metastases from colorectal cancer. Increased (18)F-FLT uptake was related exclusively to malignant tumors. By contrast, (18)F-FDG PET was false-positive in 4 of 8 patients with benign lesions. CONCLUSION (18)F-FLT uptake correlates better with proliferation of lung tumors than does uptake of (18)F-FDG and might be more useful as a selective biomarker for tumor proliferation.
Preventing Obesity Starts With Breastfeeding

Preventing obesity starts with breastfeeding. An infant's nutrition at birth affects not only short-term health outcomes but also the health of that person as a child, adolescent, and adult. This article examines major findings that all conclude that any breastfeeding will help protect an infant from obesity and overweight. Research supports that the more exclusive and longer a child is breastfed, the more protection from overweight and obesity is conferred. Mechanisms of action are explored in this article. It is of paramount importance to provide evidence-based lactation support and care to families to improve the incidence, exclusivity, and duration of breastfeeding. Breastfeeding is one concrete method to address the obesity epidemic that is growing worldwide.
Epidemiologic characteristics and seasonal distribution of human metapneumovirus infections in five epidemic seasons in Stockholm, Sweden, 2002–2006

The presence of human metapneumovirus (hMPV) was analyzed retrospectively by reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) in five epidemic seasons, in Stockholm, 2002–2006. The occurrence of hMPV was compared with five common respiratory viruses; respiratory syncytial virus, influenza A virus, influenza B virus, parainfluenza virus and adenovirus. With a detection rate of 2.9% (n = 143/4,989) in nasopharyngeal samples over the whole period, hMPV was the fourth most common respiratory virus after RSV, influenza A and parainfluenza virus. hMPV genotype A dominated over genotype B, out of 91 genotyped virus samples 87 belonged to genotype A and four belonged to genotype B. Approximately 50.3% (n = 72/143) of the hMPV positive patients were <3 years, 49.7% (71/143) were ≥3 years and 38,5% (n = 55/143) were <1 year. The relative frequencies of hMPV infections in the three age groups were 2.8% (72/2,579), 2.9% (71/2,410) and 2.6% (55/2,122), respectively. This age distribution differed from RSV, influenza A, B and parainfluenza virus. hMPV epidemics peaked in March, not coincident with RSV or parainfluenza virus. In successive epidemic seasons, large outbreaks of hMPV alternated with small outbreaks in a regular, biannual pattern. Large hMPV virus epidemics were anticyclical to large RSV epidemics. It is concluded that the epidemiology of hMPV differs markedly from other common respiratory viruses. J. Med. Virol. 80:1631–1638, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Development of serum antibodies of the immunoglobulin G class and subclasses against the capsular polysaccharide of Haemophilus influenzae type b in children and adults with invasive infections

The development of total immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies and antibodies of the four IgG subclasses in serum against Haemophilus influenzae type b capsular polysaccharide (CPS) was studied in 24 children and 11 adults with invasive Haemophilus influenzae type b infections, by using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. None of the 8 children aged 10 months or younger had increases in the IgG class or in any of the IgG subclasses. In contrast, 14 of 16 children between 10 months and 6 years of age and 10 of 11 adults had significant increases in total IgG, IgG1, or IgG2 antibodies in various combinations, but none of them had increases in IgG3 or IgG4 antibodies. The increases in IgG1 and IgG2 antibodies in the children were of similar magnitudes. Of 11 adult patients, 9 had significant increases in IgG2 antibodies, while only 4 had increases in IgG1 antibodies. In conclusion, this study shows that children younger than approximately 1 year have no IgG response to H. influenzae type b CPS, while individuals above this age have a mixed IgG1 and IgG2 response.
Preference judgments of artificial processed and hearing-aid transduced speech.

In order to assess the relative importance of various signal processing algorithms and distortions on hearing-aid preference, male and female speech was manipulated in a number of ways and subsequently presented to normal-hearing and hearing-impaired subjects (the latter having a mild sensorineural high-frequency hearing loss). Signal manipulations were artificial (e.g., filtering, compression, peak clipping, or adding noise) or were actual dummy-head recordings of five different hearing aids. Listeners judged the sounds in a pairwise-comparison format. Their task was to indicate the "hearing aid" they would prefer assuming they had to wear it all day. The data were analyzed with multidimensional scaling techniques; Principal Components Analysis revealed that the first two dimensions on which preference judgments were based, can be interpreted as (1) intelligibility or clarity, and (2) distinction between signal distortion and added background distortion. Furthermore, the results showed that normal-hearing subjects generally preferred the original signal, whereas hearing-impaired subjects were inclined to choose the signals with a high-frequency emphasis. Severe band-pass filtering or low-frequency emphasis were disliked, as was to be expected. Surprisingly, however, a soft background noise (S/N ratio of 25 dB) was often among the least preferred of all signals. The differences in preference between the five hearing aids were small, but consistent. For hearing-impaired subjects, hearing-aid ordering could be accounted for by the amount of low-frequency cutoff; for normal-hearing subjects both high- and low-frequency cutoff played a role. Results of a retest experiment with normal-hearing subjects, about one year later, showed that subjects' criteria remain remarkably stable.
Canine stifle positive contrast computed tomography arthrography for assessment of caudal horn meniscal injury: a cadaver study.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the use of computed tomography (CT) arthrography in cadaveric canine stifles with particular emphasis on the diagnosis of meniscal injury. STUDY DESIGN Prospective cadaver study. SAMPLE POPULATION Pelvic limbs from adult Beagles (n=10). METHODS After survey CT scan of each stifle oriented in the dorsal plane, positive contrast stifle CT arthrogram (CTA) was performed using the same slice orientation. Each stifle was then randomly allocated into 1 of 2 treatment groups: group A--arthrotomy, cranial cruciate ligament (CCL) transection and simulated injury to the caudal horn of the medial meniscus; group B--arthrotomy and CCL transection only. CT scan was repeated as before and post-arthrotomy images were interpreted by a radiologist unaware of treatment grouping. RESULTS The cranial and caudal cruciate ligaments, medial and lateral menisci, menisco-femoral ligament, and long digital extensor tendon were all identifiable on CTA images. CTA was 90% sensitive and 100% specific for diagnosing simulated caudal horn meniscal injury. CONCLUSIONS Stifle CTA enables identification of intra-articular structures within the stifle and is a reliable method for identifying simulated meniscal injuries in a cadaver model. CLINICAL RELEVANCE CTA imaging of the canine stifle has potential clinical value for detection of meniscal injury.
Prototyping for Surgical and Prosthetic Treatment

Techniques of rapid prototyping were introduced in the 1980s in the field of engineering for the fabrication of a solid model based on a computed file. After its introduction in the biomedical field, several applications were raised for the fabrication of models to ease surgical planning and simulation in implantology, neurosurgery, and orthopedics, as well as for the fabrication of maxillofacial prostheses. Hence, the literature has described the evolution of rapid prototyping technique in health care, which allowed easier technique, improved surgical results, and fabrication of maxillofacial prostheses. Accordingly, a literature review on MEDLINE (PubMed) database was conducted using the keywords rapid prototyping, surgical planning, and maxillofacial prostheses and based on articles published from 1981 to 2010. After reading the titles and abstracts of the articles, 50 studies were selected owing to their correlations with the aim of the current study. Several studies show that the prototypes have been used in different dental-medical areas such as maxillofacial and craniofacial surgery; implantology; neurosurgery; orthopedics; scaffolds of ceramic, polymeric, and metallic materials; and fabrication of personalized maxillofacial prostheses. Therefore, prototyping has been an indispensable tool in several studies and helpful for surgical planning and fabrication of prostheses and implants.
Endoscopic-assisted intracranial tumor removal in dogs and cats: long-term outcome of 39 cases.

BACKGROUND The benefits of endoscopic assistance to remove intracranial tumors in small animals are not described. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effectiveness of endoscopic-assisted intracranial tumor removal in dogs and cats. ANIMALS Thirty-three dogs and 6 cats with intracranial tumors. METHODS Retrospective study. CBC, serum chemistry profile, coagulation testing, blood typing, and systemic tumor staging, which included 3-view thoracic radiographs and abdominal ultrasound examination, were performed to detect other significant underlying disease in preparation of the animal for surgery. Magnetic resonance imaging was used in 37/39 cases to image the brain tumor. Surgical approach was dictated by the location of the tumor. Histopathologic examination of the tumor tissue was performed in all cases. Animals were followed throughout their postoperative course for complications and survival times. Statistical analysis (Kaplan-Meier curves) was performed to obtain median survival times in dogs with meningiomas. RESULTS Use of an endoscope resulted in visualization of residual tumor and potentially more complete removal of the brain tumors. There were no clinically important complications associated with the use of the endoscope. Median survival time was 2,104 days for dogs with forebrain meningiomas surgically removed with endoscopic assistance and 702 days for dogs with caudal brain meningiomas. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE These results demonstrate that the use of an endoscope to assist in brain tumor removal is apparently safe and might result in improved survival times.