Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cocaine use and hypertensive renal changes in HIV-infected individuals.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Cocaine causes kidney damage, but data linking cocaine use to chronic kidney disease in HIV patients is not described. This study was conducted to evaluate the possible association of cocaine use and histopathologic findings on biopsy in this population. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS Kidney biopsies that were performed in HIV-infected patients during the course of 11 yr were reviewed. Demographic and clinical data were collected. Hypertensive changes were defined on the basis of the Banff 97 classification. Criteria of both arterial intimal fibrosis and thickening and hyaline arteriolosclerosis were used and graded as absent (0), mild (1), moderate (2), and severe (3). Hypertensive renal changes were considered present when the combined pathology score was > or = 2. To minimize confounding, those with hypertension or diabetes were excluded. RESULTS Of the 193 HIV patients who underwent kidney biopsy, 53 had no history of hypertension or diabetes with HIV infection. Of those, 29 (55%) had hypertensive renal changes on kidney biopsy. Cocaine use was present in 16 (55%) of 29 with hypertensive renal changes compared with six (25%) of 24 without hypertensive renal changes (odds ratio [OR] 3.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.2 to 11.7). In the adjusted analyses, only age (/yr; OR 1.08; 95% CI 1.00 to 1.16) and cocaine use (OR 3.55; 95% CI 1.04 to 12.14) were significantly associated with hypertensive renal changes on renal biopsy. CONCLUSIONS Cocaine use is associated with hypertensive renal changes in HIV-infected patients in the absence of hypertension and diabetes.
Fecal S100A12: A novel noninvasive marker in children with Crohn's disease

Background: The calcium‐binding protein S100A12 is related to calprotectin, a protein shown to be a useful marker of gut inflammation. S100A12 levels are elevated in serum and mucosa of children with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and may be implicated in the pathogenesis of IBD. The aims of this study were to validate an immunoassay for the detection of fecal S100A12, to assess its value as a new noninvasive marker of gut inflammation, and to investigate S100A12 levels in feces of children with IBD at diagnosis and during treatment. Materials and Methods: Feces were collected from children with active IBD at diagnosis and during treatment for IBD and from normal healthy control subjects. Fecal and serum levels of S100A12 were measured by immunoassay. Results: A sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 92% were observed when 10 mg/kg fecal S100A12 was used as a cutoff. S100A12 levels were evenly distributed throughout fecal samples and were stable for 7 days when stored at room temperature. Fecal S100A12 was elevated in children with IBD compared with healthy control subjects, with levels closely correlated to disease activity and other serum inflammatory markers, particularly lower gut involvement. Fecal S100A12 levels fell during therapy in children entering remission with normal C‐reactive protein levels. Conclusions: Fecal S100A12 is a novel noninvasive marker that distinguishes children with active IBD from healthy control subjects with high sensitivity and specificity. Fecal S100A12 possesses characteristics that are desirable for a noninvasive disease marker and therefore is a suitable candidate marker for IBD. Further evaluation is required to examine this marker in additional contexts.
Salicylate Blocks Lipolytic Actions of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α in Primary Rat Adipocytes

Increased systemic free fatty acids (FFA) impair insulin sensitivity. In obese and diabetic subjects, production of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), a proinflammatory cytokine, is elevated. TNF-α has a variety of effects by inducing inflammation, decreasing glucose utilization, and stimulating adipocyte lipolysis to release FFA to plasma. High doses of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug salicylates have long been recognized to lower blood FFA and glucose in humans, although the mechanisms are not fully understood. In this report, we show that sodium salicylate at therapeutic concentrations directly blocks TNF-α-stimulated lipolysis and therefore inhibits FFA release from primary rat adipocytes. To elucidate the cellular basis of this action, we show that salicylate suppresses TNF-α-induced extracellular signal-related kinase activation and intracellular cAMP elevation, two early events during the lipolysis response to TNF-α. Furthermore, salicylate prevents the down-regulation of cyclic-nucleotide phosphodiesterase 3B, an enzyme responsible for cAMP hydrolysis. Perilipins coat intracellular lipid droplet surface by restricting lipase access to the triacylglycerol substrates. TNF-α down-regulates perilipin but promotes its phosphorylation during lipolysis stimulation; these actions are efficiently reversed by salicylate. Salicylate slightly reduces basal but completely inhibits TNF-α-liberated lipase activity. In contrast, neither salicylate nor TNF-α alters the protein levels of hormone-sensitive lipase and adipose triglyceride lipase. In addition, sodium salicylate restricts basal lipolysis simulated by a high concentration of glucose and significantly diminishes the high glucose-enhanced lipolysis response to TNF-α. These results provide novel evidence that salicylate directly blocks TNF-α-mediated FFA efflux from adipocytes, hence reducing plasma FFA levels and increasing insulin sensitivity.
Bubbles in US regional house prices: evidence from house price–income ratios at the State level

ABSTRACT We investigate the presence of bubbles in the US house price-income ratio at the State level by applying the recent time series-based econometric test to data from January 1975 to December 2014. We find evidence of bubbles in several States in the 1980s (i.e. California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, New York, etc.), which coincides with some existing studies that investigate housing bubbles or booms and busts using a range of alternative approaches. Our results show the existence of a housing bubble that originates in the early 2000s and collapses in the mid-2000s in more than 20 States and the District of Columbia concluding that the bubbles of the 2000s were more widespread than the 1980s, which is of special interest and importance. Our results seem to be in agreement with the talk given by Alan Greenspan in 2005, who suggest no sign of a nationwide housing bubble but a lot of local bubbles. We also study the importance of the regression model specification with/without an intercept and the regression model with an intercept could lead to false-positive identification of bubbles.
Musical Mode and Estimation of Time

This study assesses whether different musical modes can influence the subjective estimation of time. The three musical stimuli, each of 64.3 sec. duration, had the same harmonic structure, although each was constructed in a different mode: Ionian (major), Aeolian (minor), or Locrian (diminished) mode. Study participants were 108 undergraduate students (56 men and 52 women) in Education (n = 41), Psychology (n = 32), or Law (n = 35), ages 17 to 35 years and nonmusicians, who were divided into three groups by the musical stimuli presented. Participants listened to the stimulus, made a temporal estimation of the stimulus duration, and provided a written verbal rating of mood state. Analysis of variance indicated the Locrian stimulus was estimated as longer than the Aeolian and Ionian stimuli which suggested the dissonant (unpleasant) stimuli was associated with a longer estimated duration than consonant (pleasant) stimuli.
Detection of an epstein‐barr‐virus variant in T‐cell‐lymphoma tissues identical to the distinct strain observed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the taiwanese population

An EBV variant has been identified in NPC tissues in Taiwan. This EBV variant contains a point mutation in exon I of the LMP I gene. This mutation results in the loss of an Xhol site at nt 169,426, which is present in strain B9S‐8. In addition, this variant contains a 30‐bp deletion in exon 3 of the gene. The recent demonstration of the prevalence of EBV‐containing nasal and peripheral T‐cell lymphoma in this region drove us to evaluate the presence of this NPC‐EBV strain in 7 cases of T‐cell lymphoma, as well as in 48 NPC tissues, 2 cases of Hodgkin's disease and I B‐cell lymphoma. Four samples of normal lymph‐ node tissue, 40 of normal nasopharynx tissue and 78 throat washings of healthy individuals were included for comparison. We used sequence‐specific primers and the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method to amplify LMP I gene fragments containing these variations. Mutations were then confirmed by restriction‐enzyme digestion and the DNA sequencing analysis. Our results showed that 57 of 58 tumor‐tissues samples were EBV‐positive. Among them, 56, including 6 T‐cell‐lymphoma samples, belonged to the NPC strain. This strain of EBV was also present in 92% of EBV‐positive normal nasopharynx tissues and in 84% of EBV‐positive throat washings of the healthy individuals tested. These results suggest that the NPC‐EBV strain is prominently present in Taiwan. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Adenosine triphosphate and adenosine: Perspectives in the acute management of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine exert strong and transient depressant effects on the sinoatrial and atrioventricular (AV) nodes of the human heart. The AV nodal effects of these drugs explain their high efficacy in either terminating AV re‐entrant supraventricular tachycardia or in slowing ventricular rate during atrial tachyarrhythmias. Their very short half‐life enables repeated administration of increased doses without reaching toxic effects and explains the transient character of their frequent but benign side effects. These agents represent a good alternative to verapamil in the acute management of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia both in infants and adults.
Sleep disordered breathing and mortality: eighteen-year follow-up of the Wisconsin sleep cohort.

BACKGROUND Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a treatable but markedly under-diagnosed condition of frequent breathing pauses during sleep. SDB is linked to incident cardiovascular disease, stroke, and other morbidity. However, the risk of mortality with untreated SDB, determined by polysomnography screening, in the general population has not been established. METHODS An 18-year mortality follow-up was conducted on the population-based Wisconsin Sleep Cohort sample (n = 1522), assessed at baseline for SDB with polysomnography, the clinical diagnostic standard. SDB was described by the number of apnea and hypopnea episodes/hour of sleep; cutpoints at 5, 15 and 30 identified mild, moderate, and severe SDB, respectively. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate all-cause and cardiovascular mortality risks, adjusted for potential confounding factors, associated with SDB severity levels. RESULTS All-cause mortality risk, adjusted for age, sex, BMI, and other factors was significantly increased with SDB severity. The adjusted hazard ratio (HR, 95% CI) for all-cause mortality with severe versus no SDB was 3.0 (1.4,6.3). After excluding persons who had used CPAP treatment (n = 126), the adjusted HR (95% CI) for all-cause mortality with severe versus no SDB was 3.8 (1.6,9.0); the adjusted HR (95% CI) for cardiovascular mortality was 5.2 (1.4,19.2). Results were unchanged after accounting for daytime sleepiness. CONCLUSIONS Our findings of a significant, high mortality risk with untreated SDB, independent of age, sex, and BMI underscore the need for heightened clinical recognition and treatment of SDB, indicated by frequent episodes of apnea and hypopnea, irrespective of symptoms of sleepiness.
Decoupled modulation techniques for a four-level five-phase open-end winding drive

The paper studies pulse width modulation (PWM) techniques for a five-phase multilevel open-end winding drive with two inverters supplied with unequal dc-link voltages, which are in the ratio 2:1. It is shown in the paper that application of in-phase disposition modulation (PD-PWM), often used in multiphase multilevel converters, results in overcharging of the capacitor in the dc-link of the converter intended to operate at the lower dc voltage. The voltage space vector combinations which lead to the overcharging are identified and two decoupled modulation techniques which do not activate the troublesome vector combinations are proposed. The performance of the developed modulation techniques is investigated using simulations and an experimental prototype, and the results are presented in the paper.
A Bricolage Perspective on Technological Innovation in Emerging Markets

Product innovation strategies of emerging market companies are increasingly challenging conventional wisdom. Drawing on a qualitative case study of Mahindra Reva, the only electric vehicle producer in India, this paper explores how a bricolage strategy enabled a resource-constrained emerging market firm to deliver affordable, innovative, and high-tech products with minimal capital investments. The findings of this study illustrate how multiple forms of bricolage can be implemented and managed at organizational and interorganizational levels. They show how different bricolage activities relate to different stages of the new product development process, and further, highlight the complementarities between bricolage and engineering activities. This paper argues that bricolage, which is typically regarded as a behavioral trait or skill that allows entrepreneurs and innovators to operate in challenging environments, can also be a carefully planned and executed strategy conducive to innovation. Thus, it suggests that a cost-effective bricolage strategy can underpin emerging market companies' development of discontinuity-creating and market disrupting technology products.
Nerve development, growth and differentiation during regeneration in Enchytraeus fragmentosus and Stylaria lacustris (Oligochaeta)

Enchytraeus fragmentosus (Enchytraeidae) and Stylaria lacustris (Naididae) are small terrestrial and limnetic oligochaetes that exclusively or seasonally reproduce by fragmentation and regeneration, respectively. We traced the neuronal development and differentiation during regeneration in order to gain information on the basic organization and evolution of the oligochaete nervous system. Subsequent to artificial amputation, the nervous systems have been stained with antibodies directed against acetylated α‐tubulin. The staining was analyzed by indirect fluorescence in combination with confocal laser scanning microscopy. Both species show unique oligochaete neuronal regeneration patterns: (i) numerous fibers branch off from segmental nerves near the wound site and innervate the blastema; and (ii) the ventral cord is partly reestablished before the circumesophageal connectives develop. In the investigated ‘Oligochaeta’ the outgrowing fibers of the ventral nerve cord are soon bundled into at least two distinct connective pairs, which prolong into dorsal and ventral roots next to the mouth. Subsequent complete fusion of the doubled roots forms simple connectives. Thus, dorsal roots are not a unique feature for ‘Polychaeta’. They occur as a transient structure in ‘Oligochaeta’ and might be part of the neuronal ground pattern of Annelida. The initially tetra or even pentaneuronal ventral nerve cord also differentiates into an unineuronal one by fusion.
Sema3D and Sema7A have distinct expression patterns in chick embryonic development

By RT‐PCR, we isolated a partial cDNA clone for the chick Semaphorin7A (Sema7A) gene. We further analyzed its expression patterns and compared them with those of the Sema3D gene, in chick embryonic development. Sema3D and Sema7A appeared to be expressed in distinct cell populations. In mesoderm‐derived structures, Sema7A expression was detected in the newly formed somites, whereas Sema3D expression was found in the notochord. In ectoderm‐derived tissues, Sema3D is expressed broadly in the surface ectoderm, lens and nasal placodes. Sema3D is also expressed in the developing nervous system including diencephalon, dorsal neural tube, optical and otic vesicles. In the limb bud, Sema3D expression was found throughout the ectoderm excluding the apical ectoderm ridge (AER), where Sema7A is concentrated. Although both genes appeared to be expressed in the migrating neural crest cells, Sema3D expression is limited to neural crest cells migrating out of the midbrain/hindbrain regions, while Sema7A expression is widespread in both cranial and trunk neural crest cells. Developmental Dynamics 235:2282–2289, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Review of enoxaparin and its clinical applications in venous and arterial thromboembolism

Venous and arterial thromboembolic disorders are common medical conditions that are associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Unfractionated heparin (UFH) and its derivatives, the low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs), are the anticoagulants of choice when a rapid anticoagulant effect is required. LMWHs have several advantages over UFH, including a longer plasma halflife and higher bioavailability; a predictable dose response, which enables once- or twice-daily dosing; and a more convenient route of administration (subcutaneous instead of intravenous), which enables patients to self-inject in an out-patient setting. Enoxaparin is a LMWH prepared by alkaline hydrolysis of the benzylin ester of UFH. The efficacy of enoxaparin in the management of venous and arterial thromboembolism has been shown in a wide range of patient groups using doses ranging from fixed doses of 20 – 60 mg o.d. and 0.75 – 1.5 mg/kg b.i. d. Other doses, such as 80 mg/day for pregnant women with combined thrombophilic defects, have also been studied. The use of subcutaneous enoxaparin as an effective and safe home treatment for patients with acute proximal deep vein thrombosis (DVT) has been demonstrated. The benefits of preventing venous thromboembolic events with enoxaparin include reducing the costs associated with investigating the symptoms of DVT, acute treatment and hospitalisation, and potentially preventing the development of post-thrombotic syndrome, while improving quality of life and so making the treatment cost effective. In contrast to other LMWHs, enoxaparin has been shown to provide better outcomes than UFH in the treatment of unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, without increasing major bleeding. Adverse events with enoxaparin are infrequent; the most common events are minor bleeding complications. It should be noted that different doses or indications are approved in each country.
EARLY AND LATE ASSESSMENT OF ESOPHAGOCARDIOPLASTY IN THE SURGICAL TREATMENT OF ADVANCED RECURRENT MEGAESOPHAGUS.

Background Since Chagas disease has esophageal manifestations with different degrees of involvement, the best surgical option is controversial, especially for patients with advanced chagasic megaesophagus and recurrent symptoms after previous treatment. Objective To assess the early and late outcomes of esophagocardioplasty in a series of patients with advanced recurrent chagasic megaesophagus. Methods This descriptive study included 19 older patients with recurrent megaesophagus grade III/IV and positive immunofluorescence for Chagas disease. They had undergone cardiomyotomy with anterior fundoplication a mean of 16.5 years ago. Serra-Doria esophagocardioplasty was selected to treat the recurrence. The patients were followed to assess postoperative and late complications and the incidence of symptom recurrence. Results In early assessment, five (26.3%) patients presented clinical complications. One (5.2%) patient had a gastrointestinal fistula secondary to esophagogastric anastomotic leak, which responded well to conservative treatment. In the one-year follow-up, 18 (94.7%) patients could swallow normally and had no vomiting. Three years after surgery, 10 (62.5%) of 16 patients could swallow normally, and 3 (19.3%) patients complained of vomiting. Five years after surgery, only 5 (38.4%) of 13 patients could swallow normally and 7 (53.8%) had vomiting. Conclusion Serra-Doria esophagocardioplasty for the treatment of advanced recurrent megaesophagus had mild postoperative complications and good success rate in the short-term follow-up. In the long-term follow-up, it proved to be a poor surgery choice because of the high incidence of symptom recurrence, compromising quality of life. This procedure should be indicated only for patients with advanced recurrent megaesophagus without clinical conditions to undergo esophageal resection.
Epidemiology of valvular heart disease in a Swedish nationwide hospital-based register study

Objective Transitions in the spectrum of valvular heart diseases (VHDs) in developed countries over the 20th century have been reported from clinical case series, but large, contemporary population-based studies are lacking. Methods We used nationwide registers to identify all patients with a first diagnosis of VHD at Swedish hospitals between 2003 and 2010. Age-stratified and sex-stratified incidence of each VHD and adjusted comorbidity profiles were assessed. Results In the Swedish population (n=10 164 211), the incidence of VHD was 63.9 per 100 000 person-years, with aortic stenosis (AS; 47.2%), mitral regurgitation (MR; 24.2%) and aortic regurgitation (AR; 18.0%) contributing most of the VHD diagnoses. The majority of VHDs were diagnosed in the elderly (68.9% in subjects aged ≥65 years), but pulmonary valve disease incidence peaked in newborns. Incidences of AR, AS and MR were higher in men who were also more frequently diagnosed at an earlier age. Mitral stenosis (MS) incidence was higher in women. Rheumatic fever was rare. Half of AS cases had concomitant atherosclerotic vascular disease (48.4%), whereas concomitant heart failure and atrial fibrillation were common in mitral valve disease and tricuspid regurgitation. Other common comorbidities were thoracic aortic aneurysms in AR (10.3%), autoimmune disorders in MS (24.5%) and abdominal hernias or prolapse in MR (10.7%) and TR (10.3%). Conclusions Clinically diagnosed VHD was primarily a disease of the elderly. Rheumatic fever was rare in Sweden, but specific VHDs showed a range of different comorbidity profiles . Pronounced sex-specific patterns were observed for AR and MS, for which the mechanisms remain incompletely understood.
Error propagation in decision feedback equalization for a terrestrial digital television receiver

In the U.S. terrestrial digital television receiver, when the channel presents additive white Gaussian noise and multipath, particularly strong multipath, error propagation in the feedback filter of a decision feedback equalizer severely affects the performance at the output of the trellis decoder. In these cases, the output of the trellis decoder may present a worse performance when the equalizer is in automatic switching mode rather than in blind mode, even though the opposite is true at the output of the equalizer. In the automatic switching the mode, the equalizer is in blind mode before convergence is detected and switches to decision directed mode after convergence. This work studies the use of a soft automatic switching mode, that is, the equalizer is in blind mode before convergence is detected and switches to a soft decision directed mode after convergence. In the soft decision directed mode, the input to the equalizer feedback filter is the equalizer output, instead of the slicer output, yielding a linear equalizer implementation. By utilizing the soft automatic switching mode in such channel conditions, the performance at the output of the trellis decoder is improved not only with respect to automatic switching mode, but also with respect to blind mode.