Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bifurcation geometry and the presence of cerebral artery aneurysms.

OBJECT The angles of arterial bifurcations are governed by principles of work minimization (optimality principle). This determines the relationship between the angle of a bifurcation and the radii of the vessels. Nevertheless, the model is predicated on an absence of significant communication between these branches. The circle of Willis changes this relationship because the vessels proximal to the ring of vessels have additional factors that determine work minimization compared with more distal branches. This must have an impact on understanding of the relationship between shear stress and aneurysm formation. The authors hypothesized that normal bifurcations of cerebral arteries beyond the circle of Willis would follow optimality principles of minimum work and that the presence of aneurysms would be associated with deviations from optimum bifurcation geometry. Nevertheless, the vessels participating in (or immediately proximal to) the circle of Willis may not follow the geometric model as it is generally applied and this must also be investigated. METHODS One hundred seven bifurcations of the middle cerebral artery (MCA), distal internal carotid artery (ICA), and basilar artery (BA) were studied in 55 patients. The authors analyzed three-dimensional reconstructions of digital subtraction angiography images with respect to vessel radii and bifurcation angles. The junction exponent (that is, a calculated measure of the division of flow at the bifurcation) and the difference between the predicted optimal and observed branch angles were used as measures of deviation from the geometry thought best to minimize work. The mean junction exponent for MCA bifurcations was 2.9 +/- 1.2 (mean +/- standard deviation [SD]), which is close to the theoretical optimum of 3, but it was significantly smaller (p < 0.001; 1.7 +/- 0.8, mean +/- SD) for distal ICA bifurcations. In a multilevel multivariate logistic regression analysis, only the observed branch angles were significant independent predictors for the presence of an aneurysm. The odds ratio (OR) (95% confidence interval) for the presence of an aneurysm was 3.46 (1.02-11.74) between the lowest and highest tertile of the observed angle between the parent vessel and the largest branch. The corresponding OR for the smallest branch was 48.06 (9.7-238.2). CONCLUSIONS The bifurcation beyond the circle of Willis (that is, the MCA) closely approximated optimality principles, whereas the bifurcations within the circle of Willis (that is, the distal ICA and BA) did not. This indicates that the confluence of hemodynamic forces plays an important role in the distribution of work at bifurcations within the circle of Willis. In addition, the observed branch angles were predictors for the presence of aneurysms.
The Impact of Capital Structure on the Profitability of Microfinance Institutions

The study focuses on the sources of funding and the relative profitability derived by the microfinance organizations. The study considers three variables, which relate to the profitability (a dependent factor): return-onassets (ROA), operational-self-sufficiency (OSS), and return-on-equity (ROE). The independent factor (financial sources), on the other hand, employs: deposit-to-asset, net-deposits, and lastly debt-to-equity ratio. Moreover, the control variables specified in this study are that of women borrowers, size regulations, and age. The study utilizes cross-sectional (unbalanced) panel data (2004-10) from about seventy countries around the world, covering up to six regions globally. To bring forth estimations for the models used, the random-effect-model has been employed. The results indicated that deposits enhance the levels of debt in ones’ capital-structuring, thereby complementing the firm’s overall profitability. Whereas, increased amounts of operating costs and relative risks juts down the profitability. As with the variables of control, the t-test leads us to the conclusion that micro-financiers with more women borrowers enjoy a significantly higher profitability, perhaps due to less default-risk brought about by the regular loan repayments.
Cognitive functioning in prodromal psychosis: a meta-analysis.

CONTEXT A substantial proportion of people at clinical high risk (HR) of psychosis will develop a psychotic disorder over time. Cognitive deficits may predate the onset of psychosis and may be useful as markers of increased vulnerability to illness. OBJECTIVE To quantitatively examine the cognitive functioning in subjects at HR in the literature to date. DATA SOURCES Electronic databases were searched until January 2011. All studies reporting cognitive performance in HR subjects were retrieved. STUDY SELECTION Nineteen studies met the inclusion criteria, comprising a total of 1188 HR subjects and 1029 controls. DATA EXTRACTION Neurocognitive functioning and social cognition as well as demographic, clinical, and methodological variables were extracted from each publication or obtained directly from its authors. DATA SYNTHESIS Subjects at HR were impaired relative to controls on tests of general intelligence, executive function, verbal and visual memory, verbal fluency, attention and working memory, and social cognition. Processing speed domain was also affected, although the difference was not statistically significant. Later transition to psychosis was associated with even more marked deficits in the verbal fluency and memory domains. The studies included reported relatively homogeneous findings. There was no publication bias and a sensitivity analysis confirmed the robustness of the core results. CONCLUSIONS The HR state for psychosis is associated with significant and widespread impairments in neurocognitive functioning and social cognition. Subsequent transition to psychosis is particularly associated with deficits in verbal fluency and memory functioning.
Parenteral amino acids v. dextrose infusion: an anabolic strategy to minimise the catabolic response to surgery while maintaining normoglycaemia in diabetes mellitus type 2 patients

Loss of body protein and hyperglycaemia represent typical features of the stress response to surgery and anaesthesia. This appears to be particularly pronounced in patients with diabetes mellitus type 2. The aim of the present study was to highlight the greater benefit of amino acids (AA) as represented by positive protein balance and maintenance of blood glucose homoeostasis compared with dextrose (DEX) in diabetic patients after colorectal surgery. A total of thirteen patients underwent a 5 h stable isotope infusion study (2 h fasted, 3 h fed with an infusion of AA (n 6) or DEX (n 7)) on the second post-operative day. Glucose and protein kinetics were assessed by using the stable isotopes l-[1-13C]leucine and [6,6-2H2]glucose. The transition from fasted to fed state decreased endogenous glucose production (P < 0·001) in both groups, with a more profound effect in the DEX group (P = 0·031). In contrast, total glucose production was increased by the provision of DEX while being lowered by AA (P = 0·021). Feeding decreased protein oxidation (P = 0·009) and protein synthesis in the AA group, whereas DEX infusion did not affect oxidation and even decreased protein synthesis. Therefore, only AA shifted protein balance to a positive value, while patients in the DEX group remained in a catabolic state (P < 0·001). Parenteral nutritional support with AA rather than with DEX is an effective strategy to achieve a positive protein balance while maintaining normoglycaemia in diabetic patients after colorectal surgery.
Serum advanced glycosylation end products: a new class of uremic toxins?

Irreversible advanced glycosylation end products (AGE) are shown to induce tissue damage by a variety of chemical and cellular mechanisms. When administered to normal animals, AGE-modified albumin reacts covalently with tissue proteins to produce complex vascular alterations closely resembling diabetic vasculopathy. In humans, the clearance of serum with renal insufficiency and is severely impaired in diabetic patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The renal clearance of AGE-peptides was estimated at 0.72 +/- 0.23 ml/min for normal subjects, and 0.61 +/- 0.2 ml/min for diabetics with normal glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (p value NS). After comparing different modes of treatment of patients with ESRD, we noted that, although conventional hemodialysis is ineffective, high-flux dialysis (HF) markedly reduces AGE levels only to return to near-pretreatment levels within 3 h. In chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD)-treated patients, serum AGE are similar to those achieved by hemodialysis. In contrast, AGE levels in diabetics with renal transplantation decreased 8 h after surgery and remained within the normal range over the long term. Human serum AGE peptides (M.W. between 2,000 and 6,000) are shown to retain strong cross-linking activity with collagen in vitro. AGE peptides in human circulation may represent a thus far unrecognized class of reactive and potentially toxic substances which can exacerbate extrarenal vascular pathology, through their covalent attachment onto matrix proteins.
A Passive UHF RFID Tag LSI with 36.6% Efficiency CMOS-Only Rectifier and Current-Mode Demodulator in 0.35µm FeRAM Technology

A passive UHF RFID tag LSI in 0.35mum CMOS with 2kb FeRAM enables the 2.9-times higher 32b read-and-write throughput over an EEPROM-based tag. A CMOS full-wave rectifier improves the power efficiency from 16.6% up to 36.6% by lossless internal Vth cancellation and mirror stack architecture. A current-mode ASK demodulator converts the 15% power modulation into linear current signal over a 27dB dynamic range of the incoming power
Neurocognitive fitness in the sub-acute stage after mild TBI: The effect of age

Objective: Age is assumed to be a negative prognostic factor in recovery from moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). Little is known on cognitive performance after mild TBI in relation to age in the sub-acute stage after injury. Method: Ninety-nine mild TBI subjects (age 15–75) were compared with 91 healthy control subjects (age 14–74) in a case-control design. Patients were matched on age, sex and level of education, with control subjects. Mean interval between injury and cognitive assessment was 13 days. Neurocognitive test battery contained tests of verbal memory, selective attention, general speed of information processing and verbal fluency. Results: An overall effect was found of a single mild TBI on neurocognitive performance in the sub-acute stage after injury. Age did not add significantly to the effect of mild TBI on cognitive functioning. Conclusion: Patients suffering from mild TBI are characterized by subtle neurocognitive deficits in the weeks directly following the trauma. The notion that elderly subjects have a worse outcome in the sub-acute period after mild TBI is at least not in line with the results of this study.
The Oncoprotein Tax Binds the SRC-1-Interacting Domain of CBP/p300 To Mediate Transcriptional Activation

ABSTRACT Oncogenesis associated with human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV) infection is directly linked to the virally encoded transcription factor Tax. To activate HTLV-1 transcription Tax interacts with the cellular protein CREB and the pleiotropic coactivators CBP and p300. While extensively studied, the molecular mechanisms of Tax transcription function and coactivator utilization are not fully understood. Previous studies have focused on Tax binding to the KIX domain of CBP, as this was believed to be the key step in recruiting the coactivator to the HTLV-1 promoter. In this study, we identify a carboxy-terminal region of CBP (and p300) that strongly interacts with Tax and mediates Tax transcription function. Through deletion mutagenesis, we identify amino acids 2003 to 2212 of CBP, which we call carboxy-terminal region 2 (CR2), as the minimal region for Tax interaction. Interestingly, this domain corresponds to the steroid receptor coactivator 1 (SRC-1)-interacting domain of CBP. We show that a double point mutant targeted to one of the putative α-helical motifs in this domain significantly compromises the interaction with Tax. We also characterize the region of Tax responsible for interaction with CR2 and show that the previously identified transactivation domain of Tax (amino acids 312 to 319) participates in CR2 binding. This region of Tax corresponds to a consensus amphipathic helix, and single point mutations targeted to amino acids on the face of this helix abolish interaction with CR2 and dramatically reduce Tax transcription function. Finally, we demonstrate that Tax and SRC-1 bind to CR2 in a mutually exclusive fashion. Together, these studies identify a novel Tax-interacting site on CBP/p300 and extend our understanding of the molecular mechanism of Tax transactivation.
The yo-yo test: reliability and association with a 20-m shuttle run and VO(2max).

PURPOSE The purpose of the study was to determine the reliability of yo-yo intermittent recovery test (yo-yo) scores and their degree of association with a 20-m shuttle run (20MSR) and VO(2max) values. METHODS Subjects were elite (Australian Football League [AFL], n = 23), state-level (hockey, n = 15, and cricket, n = 27), and recreational team-sport players (n = 33). All performed a 20MSR and the yo-yo at either level 1 (recreational and state level) or level 2 (AFL). A recreational subgroup (n = 19) also performed a treadmill VO(2max) test. RESULTS Test-retest results found the yo-yo (levels 1 and 2) to be reliable (ICC = .86 to .95). The 20MSR and yo-yo level 1 scores correlated (P < .01) in the recreational (r = .81 to .83) and state-level groups (r = .84 to .86), and 20MSR and yo-yo level 2 scores, in the elite (r = .86) and recreational groups (r = .55 to .57). The VO(2max) and yo-yo level 1 scores in the recreational group correlated (P < .01, r = .87), but no association was found with yo-yo level 2 (r = .40 to .43, nonsignificant). CONCLUSIONS We conclude that level 1 (recreational and state level) and level 2 (elite) yo-yo scores were both strongly associated with 20MSR scores and VO(2max) (level 1: recreational subjects only). The yo-yo appears to measure aerobic fitness similarly to the 20MSR but may also be used as a field test of the ability to repeat high-intensity efforts.
The association of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with perceived quality of life in a biethnic population: the San Luis Valley Diabetes Study.

OBJECTIVES This study evaluated the association between quality of life and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) status, and whether this association differs between Hispanics and non-Hispanic Whites. METHODS Between 1986 and 1989, cross-sectional data on perceived quality of life (PQOL) were collected from 223 persons with NIDDM and 753 non-diabetic subjects. RESULTS After adjustment, persons with NIDDM rated their PQOL significantly lower than did control subjects. The relationship of diabetes and PQOL did not differ by ethnicity. The number of complications of diabetes was not associated with lower PQOL scores. CONCLUSIONS Control and treatment strategies should reflect an understanding of the impact that diabetes has on social functioning, leisure activities, and physical and mental health.
Gaseous emissions from vehicles in a traffic tunnel in Vancouver, British Columbia.

In August 1995, measurements of CO, NO(x') speciated nonmethane hydrocarbons (NMHC), and CO2 were made in Vancouver's Cassiar Connector, a 730-m-long level-grade highway traffic tunnel. Two characteristics of the Vancouver setting are the presence of many propane vehicles and a mandatory inspection and maintenance (I/M) program. Although the driving conditions and vehicle fleets are otherwise outwardly similar to those of recent Tuscarora-tunnel studies, CO/NO(x) ratios at the Cassiar Connector are significantly lower than those measured at Tuscarora. The Cassiar measurements are consistent with the MOBILE5A mobile emissions model predictions. The Canadian version of MOBILE5A--known as MOBILE5C--gives nearly identical results, indicating that differences in Canadian and U.S. emission standards cannot explain differences between Cassiar and U.S. tunnels. Considering the modeling results as well as measured ethene/acetylene ratios indicative of noncatalyst vehicles, it appears that vehicle deterioration remains the major issue in in-use vehicle emissions--even in Vancouver, where there is a mandatory loaded-mode I/M program. Uncertainties in determining the ages of the vehicles in the tunnel, however, have a significant impact on the model predictions.
Mutations in Haemophilus influenzae Mismatch Repair Genes Increase Mutation Rates of Dinucleotide Repeat Tracts but Not Dinucleotide Repeat-Driven Pilin Phase Variation Rates

ABSTRACT High-frequency, reversible switches in expression of surface antigens, referred to as phase variation (PV), are characteristic of Haemophilus influenzae. PV enables this bacterial species, an obligate commensal and pathogen of the human upper respiratory tract, to adapt to changes in the host environment. Phase-variable hemagglutinating pili are expressed by many H. influenzae isolates. PV involves alterations in the number of 5′ TA repeats located between the −10 and −35 promoter elements of the overlapping, divergently orientated promoters of hifA and hifBCDE, whose products mediate biosynthesis and assembly of pili. Dinucleotide repeat tracts are destabilized by mismatch repair (MMR) mutations in Escherichia coli. The influence of mutations in MMR genes of H. influenzae strain Rd on dinucleotide repeat-mediated PV rates was investigated by using reporter constructs containing 20 5′ AT repeats. Mutations in mutS, mutL, and mutH elevated rates approximately 30-fold, while rates in dam and uvrD mutants were increased 14- and 3-fold, respectively. PV rates of constructs containing 10 to 12 5′ AT repeats were significantly elevated in mutS mutants of H. influenzae strains Rd and Eagan. An intact hif locus was found in 14 and 12% of representative nontypeable H. influenzae isolates associated with either otitis media or carriage, respectively. Nine or more tandem 5′ TA repeats were present in the promoter region. Surprisingly, inactivation of mutS in two serotype b H. influenzae strains did not alter pilin PV rates. Thus, although functionally analogous to the E. coli MMR pathway and active on dinucleotide repeat tracts, defects in H. influenzae MMR do not affect 5′ TA-mediated pilin PV.
Attitudes, knowledge, and practices in relation to cervical cancer and its screening among women in Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE To assess the knowledge, attitude, and practices related to cervical cancer screening, and its underlying etiology and preventive measures among women living in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. METHODS Six hundred self-administered questionnaires were distributed to randomly selected women from different groups in the general population of Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. These questionnaires were sent out to school teachers, relative, friends, as well as, through direct interview of patients visiting the outpatient clinic while awaiting for their appointments at the King Abdul-Aziz University Hospital from January to March 2008. There were 500 respondents (83.3%). RESULTS The knowledge of the human papilloma virus (HPV) as an etiological agent for cervical cancer was expressed by 72 (14.4%), and the HPV vaccine by 49 (9.8%) of the respondents. Whereas, 338 (67.6%) of the respondents were aware of the Pap smear, however, only 84 (16.8%) had undergone the test. The main reason for not having a Pap smear was the lack of awareness. CONCLUSION The awareness on cervical cancer among women in Saudi Arabia is far behind that in the developed countries. There is a need to educate and promote awareness of cervical cancer in this population.
Does the principle of self-determination prevail over the principle of territorial integrity?

Self–determination of peoples versus territorial integrity of a state is a very complex, delicate and particularly controversial international issue. Territory is one of fundamental attributes of a state, but the right to choose his/her own destiny inherently belongs to every human. Many armed conflicts in the whole world nowadays are based on the claims for self-determination. But do all claims are grounded by the current international law? The principle of territorial integrity is considered as one of the primary importance in achieving and maintaining international security and stability in the world. The principle to self-determination of peoples is one of the fundamental human rights firmly established in the international law. The fulfillment of the right of self-determination is impossible without the expression of free will. Both these principles and other related international law should be interpreted keeping in mind the overall international law objective to maintain peace and security. However, preserving peace among states is not enough, achievement of peace inside the states is no less important. It is impossible to do without recognition of the equal and inalienable rights of all people.
Comparative study of minimally invasive versus open esophagectomy for esophageal cancer in a single cancer center

Background In order to minimize the injury reaction during the surgery and reduce the morbidity rate, hence reducing the mortality rate of esophagectomy, minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) was introduced. The aim of this study was to compare the postoperative outcomes in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma undergoing minimally invasive or open esophagectomy (OE). Methods The medical records of 176 consecutive patients, who underwent minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE) between January 2009 and August 2013 in Cancer Institute & Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, were retrospectively reviewed. In the same period, 142 patients who underwent OE, either Ivor Lewis or McKeown approach, were selected randomly as controls. The clinical variables of paired groups were compared, including age, sex, Charlson score, tumor location, duration of surgery, number of harvested lymph nodes, morbidity rate, the rate of leak, pulmonary morbidity rate, mortality rate, and hospital length of stay (LOS). Results The number of harvested lymph nodes was not significantly different between MIE group and OE group (median 20 vs. 16, P=0.740). However, patients who underwent MIE had longer operation time than the OE group (375 vs. 300 minutes, P <0.001). Overall morbidity, pulmonary morbidity, the rate of leak, in‐hospital death, and hospital LOS were not significantly different between MIE and OE groups. Morbidities including anastomotic leak and pulmonary morbidity, in‐hospital death, hospital LOS, and hospital expenses were not significantly different between MIE and OE groups as well. Conclusions MIE and OE appear equivalent with regard to early oncological outcomes. There is a trend that hospital LOS and hospital expenses are reduced in the MIE group than the OE group.