Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association and prognostic impact of heart rate and micro- albuminuria in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease: results from the PROactive trial.

AIM Microalbuminuria (MAU) and heart rate are established predictors of an adverse cardiovascular outcome. Recently, heart rate was described as an independent predictor of MAU in hypertensive patients, raising the question of a causal link. METHODS In post-hoc analysis of the PROactive trial we examined the association of the baseline heart rate and MAU in diabetic patients with cardiovascular disease (n = 5,110, mean age 62 ± 8, 66% male) using logistic regression. Cox regression analysis was used to examine the independent impact of heart rate and MAU on the composite endpoint of all-cause mortality, myocardial infarction and stroke. RESULTS Baseline heart rate was not associated with a significantly increased risk for MAU at baseline (OR 1.01 per 10 bpm, 95% CI 0.97-1.06, p = 0.48) or MAU at the final visit (OR per 10 bpm 1.04, 95% CI 0.98-1.11, p = 0.20). Similar results were observed in subgroups of patients with hypertensive blood pressure at baseline (OR 0.98 per 10 bpm, 95% CI 0.93-1.03, p = 0.42) or patients with a history of hypertension (OR 1.02 per 10 bpm, 95% CI 0.98-1.07, p = 0.31), respectively. Stratification by use of an ACE inhibitor/AT1-receptor blocker did also not change the results. In multivariate analysis, both heart rate and MAU were significantly predictive of a cardiovascular outcome. CONCLUSION There was no evidence of an association between heart rate and MAU in diabetic patients with cardiovascular disease, independently of whether hypertension was present or not, but both markers were independently predictive of a cardiovascular outcome. These results do not support a causal link between heart rate and MAU.
Naso-Temporal Asymmetry of Spatial Interactions in Strabismic Amblyopia

Purpose Naso-temporal asymmetries of visual acuity and contrast sensitivity have been reported in strabismic amblyopia and attributed to asymmetries of interocular suppression. In this study, we investigated the naso-temporal asymmetry of cortical spatial interactions in two strabismic amblyopes (one esotrope and one exotrope). Methods Length and width Westheimer functions were measured on both amblyopes at the 10 deg retinal eccentricity of both nasal and temporal visual fields. Results Spatial interactions in the two amblyopic eyes were more degraded in the temporal visual fields than in the nasal visual fields. A comparison with results from the preferred eyes suggested that this asymmetry was caused mainly by a loss of spatial interactions in the temporal visual fields of amblyopic eyes, with those in the nasal visual fields being normal. Conclusion Our results suggest that intracortical connections underlying cortical spatial interactions might have been degraded by amblyopia. This degradation exists not only in the areas of the strabismic visual cortex responding to foveal stimuli but also in those responding to stimuli presented in the temporal visual fields.
Rho proteins crosstalk via RhoGDIalpha

The small GTPases of the Rho family are key signaling molecules regulating a plethora of biological pathways. They can exert diverse, sometimes opposite, contributions to specific cellular processes explaining why their regulation and their crosstalk must be finely tuned. Several mechanisms driving crosstalk between Rho GTPases have been described in the literature. They implicate proteins regulating their activity or common downstream effectors. Among the proteins regulating Rho GTPases cycling, RhoGDIs were viewed until very recently as passive inhibitors. Here, we will focus on recent data supporting a role for RhoGDIalpha in the crosstalk between RhoGTPases and present our results suggesting that “preferential” RhoGDIalpha-mediated crosstalk takes place between closely related Rho GTPases.
Analysis of Oestrogen Regulation of Alpha-, Beta- and Gamma-Secretase Gene and Protein Expression in Cultured Human Neuronal and Glial Cells

Background: A key event in Alzheimer’s disease pathology is the proteolytic processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP), whereby β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide is produced. Oestrogen is acknowledged to influence cognitive function and has been shown to regulate the secretory metabolism of APP and decrease the production of Aβ, thereby protecting the brain from neurodegeneration. The mechanism for this effect is unknown. Objective: To investigate possible oestrogen regulation of the expression of the APP processing enzymes at the gene and/or protein level. Methods: The effects of oestrogen on gene and protein expression of α- (TACE and ADAM10), β- (BACE) and γ- (presenilin 1) secretases in cultured human fetal neurons and glial cells were studied. The RNase protection assay, gene expression microarray analysis and relative quantitative real-time PCR were used to analyse gene expression, while the protein expression and cellular localization of the secretases were studied by immunoblot and confocal microscopy. Results: Oestrogen is involved in the regulation of the gene expression of TACE and presenilin 1. Most importantly, BACE protein expression was downregulated by oestrogen treatment in mixed neuronal/glial cell cultures. Our results also show the cellular localization of the secretases in human neurons and glial cells, which has been thoroughly discussed in the light of the localization of APP processing. Conclusion: Our results indicate that oestrogen may affect APP processing directly by regulating the expression of the involved enzymes.
Epidermal growth factor receptor and anaplastic lymphoma kinase testing and mutation prevalence in patients with advanced non‐small cell lung cancer in Switzerland: A comprehensive evaluation of real world practices

&NA; In order to improve outcomes, identification of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) genes has become crucial in advanced non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of the present study is to analyse time trends and frequency of testing, factors affecting testing as well as prevalence of mutations in the Swiss population. We analysed EGFR and ALK testing in a cohort of patients with newly diagnosed metastasised non‐squamous NSCLC in the catchment area of the cancer registry Eastern Switzerland in the years 2008‐2014. We analysed prevalence of mutations and studied clinicopathological characteristics and survival of tested and non‐tested patients and of patients with and without mutations. Among 718 patients identified, 11% (51/447) harboured an EGFR mutation in the exons 18, 19 or 21 and further 12% (31/265) showed a positive test result for ALK rearrangements. In non‐smokers the proportions of mutations were 31% and 23% respectively. Testing rates increased over time and reached 79% in 2014. We observed significantly lower testing rates and poorer survival in elderly, patients with limited life expectancy and patients treated at hospitals not involved in clinical research. Outcomes can be further improved in a considerable proportion of patients with advanced non‐squamous NSCLC.
Isoflurane Activates Sarcolemmal Adenosine Triphosphate-sensitive Potassium Channels in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells: A Role for Protein Kinase A

Background:Recent evidence indicates that vascular adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels in vascular smooth muscle cells are critical in the regulation of vascular tonus under both physiologic and pathophysiologic conditions. Studies of the interaction of volatile anesthetics with vascular KATP channels have been limited. In the current study, the authors investigated the molecular mechanism of isoflurane's action on vascular KATP channels. Methods:Electrophysiologic experiments were performed using cell-attached and inside-out patch clamp techniques to monitor native vascular KATP channels, and recombinant KATP channels comprised of inwardly rectifying potassium channel subunits (Kir6.1) and the sulfonylurea receptor (SUR2B). Isometric tension experiments were performed in rat thoracic aortic rings without endothelium. Results:Application of isoflurane (0.5 mm) to the bath solution during cell-attached recordings induced a significant increase in KATP channel activity, which was greatly reduced by pretreatment with a selective inhibitor of protein kinase A (PKA), Rp-cAMPS (100 &mgr;m). In inside-out patches, isoflurane did not activate KATP channels. Isoflurane significantly activated wild-type recombinant SUR2B/Kir6.1 in cell-attached patches. Isoflurane-induced activation of wild-type channels was diminished in the PKA-insensitive mutant SUR2B-T633A/Kir6.1, SUR2B-S1465A/Kir6.1, and SUR2B/Kir6.1-S385A. In addition, the authors demonstrated that isoflurane-induced PKA activation was associated with isoflurane-induced decreases in isometric tension in the rat aorta. Conclusion:These results indicate that isoflurane activates KATP channels via PKA activation. PKA-dependent vasodilation induced by isoflurane also was observed in isometric tension experiments. Analysis of expressed vascular-type KATP channels suggested that PKA-mediated phosphorylation of both Kir6.1 and SUR2B subunits plays a pivotal role in isoflurane-induced vascular KATP channel activation.
Role of nutrition support during induction chemoradiation therapy in esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND Preoperative chemoradiation therapy (CRT) potentially benefits a subgroup of patients with esophageal cancer. The ability to administer aggressive CRT may depend on the initial nutritional status and the ability to sustain nutrition during therapy. Parenteral nutrition support during CRT may lead to complications that limit its usefulness and negate any potential benefit. METHODS Data were analyzed to evaluate the role of parenteral nutrition support (PNS) in patients receiving CRT. Forty-five consecutive patients with locoregional esophageal cancer, enrolled in a phase I/II trial of induction CRT, were analyzed. On the basis of the nutrition support received, two groups were defined as follows: group I (with PNS, n = 30) and group II (without PNS, n = 15). Results were compared in terms of chemotherapy (CT) dose tolerated, morbidity of CRT, response rates, and surgical outcome in groups with and without PNS. RESULTS The two groups were comparable for demographic data, stage and site of disease, and performance status. There was no significant difference between the groups in the nutritional parameters (weight and serum albumin) before and after CRT. Group I patients received significantly more (% of total calculated dose) CT compared with group II (5-fluorouracil [5-FU], 86.4% vs 68.8%, p = .02; cisplatin [CDDP], 90.8% vs 78.2%, p = .05; and interferon alpha-2b [IFN-alpha], 95.4% vs 79.8%, p = .05, in groups I and II, respectively). Major (grade III/IV) adverse effects of CT were hematologic (group I, 93.3% vs group II, 86.6%, p = .59) and gastrointestinal (group I, 56.67% vs group II, 33.3%, p = .2). Postsurgical staging revealed complete response in 10 (22%) and a major response in 23 (51%) patients, although the response rates were similar in the two groups (group I, 76.6% vs group II, 66.6%, p = .8). Surgical morbidity (51.8% vs 61.5%, p = .73), mortality (7.4% vs 7.6%, p = 1.00), and hospital stay (22.5 vs 19.6 days, p = .63) were also similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS PNS can be provided to these patients without an increased risk of CRT or resection-related morbidity. Although early and prolonged PNS facilitates administration of complete CRT doses, no benefit is derived from the administration of more CRT in the present regimen. The utility of PNS in this setting is unclear and, until further clarified, should not be applied routinely to this cohort of patients.
News events prediction using Markov logic networks

Predicting future events from text data has been a controversial and much disputed topic in the field of text analytics. However, far too little attention has been paid to efficient prediction in textual environments. This study has aimed to develop a novel and efficient method for news event prediction. The proposed method is based on Markov logic networks (MLNs) framework, which enables us to concisely represent complex events by full expressivity of first-order logic (FOL), as well as to reason uncertain event with probabilities. In our framework, we first extract text news events via an event representation model at a semantic level and then transform them into web ontology language (OWL) as a posteriori knowledge. A set of domain-specific causal rules in FOL associated with weights were also fed into the system as a priori (common-sense) knowledge. Additionally, several large-scale ontologies including DBpedia, VerbNet and WordNet were used to model common-sense logic rules as contextual knowledge. Finally, all types of such knowledge were integrated into OWL for performing causal inference. The resulted OWL knowledge base is augmented by MLN, which uses weighted first-order formulas to represent probabilistic knowledge. Empirical evaluation of real news showed that our method of news event prediction was better than the baselines in terms of precision, coverage and diversity.
Carbon Monoxide Cardiotoxicity

Cardiac dysfunction including arrhythmias and myocardial ischemia have often been reported in carbon monoxide poisoning; scattered punctiform hemorrhages throughout the heart have been documented in autopsy samples. An appropriate diagnostic approach is crucial to assess carbon monoxide cardiac damage. This evaluation may be confounded by several factors, including the absence of overt symptoms and of specific ischemic changes in the electrocardiogram. In experimental studies, laboratory animals can develop cardiac changes similar to those seen in humans and therefore proved to be useful models to study the effects and the mechanisms of cardiac damage due to carbon monoxide. These investigations, as well as others performed in vitro, provide support for a direct action of carbon monoxide on the heart, in addition to systemic hypoxia produced by carboxyhemoglobin formation. This review focuses on the diagnostic aspects of carbon monoxide cardiotoxicity. Experimental results obtained in animals and in vitro models are also discussed.
Correlates of suicidality: investigation of a representative sample of Manitoba First Nations adolescents.

OBJECTIVES We examined individual, friend or family, and community or tribe correlates of suicidality in a representative on-reserve sample of First Nations adolescents. METHODS Data came from the 2002-2003 Manitoba First Nations Regional Longitudinal Health Survey of Youth. Interviews were conducted with adolescents aged 12 to 17 years (n=1125) from 23 First Nations communities in Manitoba. We used bivariate logistic regression analyses to examine the relationships between a range of factors and lifetime suicidality. We conducted sex-by-correlate interactions for each significant correlate at the bivariate level. A multivariate logistic regression analysis identified those correlates most strongly related to suicidality. RESULTS We found several variables to be associated with an increased likelihood of suicidality in the multivariate model, including being female, depressed mood, abuse or fear of abuse, a hospital stay, and substance use (adjusted odds ratio range=2.43-11.73). Perceived community caring was protective against suicidality (adjusted odds ratio=0.93; 95% confidence interval=0.88, 0.97) in the same model. CONCLUSIONS Results of this study may be important in informing First Nations and government policy related to the implementation of suicide prevention strategies in First Nations communities.
Cohesin Cleavage by Separase Required for Anaphase and Cytokinesis in Human Cells

Cell division depends on the separation of sister chromatids in anaphase. In yeast, sister separation is initiated by cleavage of cohesin by the protease separase. In vertebrates, most cohesin is removed from chromosome arms by a cleavage-independent mechanism. Only residual amounts of cohesin are cleaved at the onset of anaphase, coinciding with its disappearance from centromeres. We have identified two separase cleavage sites in the human cohesin subunit SCC1 and have conditionally expressed noncleavable SCC1 mutants in human cells. Our results indicate that cohesin cleavage by separase is essential for sister chromatid separation and for the completion of cytokinesis.
Comparative mapping of homoeologous group 1 regions and genes for resistance to obligate biotrophs in Avena, Hordeum, and Zea mays.

The colinearity of markers linked with resistance loci on linkage group A of diploid oat, on the homoeologous groups in hexaploid oat, on barley chromosome 1H, and on homoeologous maize chromosomes was determined. Thirty-two DNA probes from homoeologous group 1 chromosomes of the Gramineae were tested. Most of the heterologous probes detected polymorphisms that mapped to linkage group A of diploid oat, two linkage groups of hexaploid oat, barley chromosome 1H, and maize chromosomes 3, 6, and 8. Many of these DNA markers appeared to have conserved linkage relationships with resistance and prolamin loci in Avena, Hordeum, and Zea mays. These resistance loci included the Pca crown rust resistance cluster in diploid oat, the R203 crown rust resistance locus in hexaploid oat, the Mla powdery mildew resistance cluster in barley, and the rp3, wsm1, wsm2, mdm1, ht2, and htn1 resistance loci in maize. Prolamin encoding loci included Avn in diploid oat and Hor1 and Hor2 in barley. A high degree of colinearity was revealed among the common RFLP markers on the small chromosome fragments among these homoeologous groups. Key words : disease resistance, colinearity, Gramineae, cereals.
Laparoscopic Gastric Mobilization Reduces Postoperative Mortality After Esophageal Cancer Surgery: A French Nationwide Study.

OBJECTIVE This study was designed to investigate the impact of laparoscopic gastric mobilization (LGM) on 30-day postoperative mortality (POM) after surgery for esophageal cancer (EC). BACKGROUND Meta-analyses of nonrandomized studies have failed to demonstrate any significant benefit of hybrid minimally invasive esophagectomy on POM, potentially due to small population samples. Moreover, none of the published randomized trials have been designed to answer this question. METHODS All consecutive patients who underwent EC resection between 2010 and 2012 in France were included in this nationwide study (n = 3009). Data were extracted from the French National Health Service Database with internal and external quality controls. Patients treated with LGM (LGM group, n = 663) were compared with those treated with open approach (open group, n = 2346). Propensity score matching and multivariable analyses were used to compensate for the differences in baseline characteristics. RESULTS The 30-day POM rate was 5.2%, significantly lower after LGM, compared with open surgery (3.3% vs 5.7%, P = 0.005), as well as in-hospital (5.6% vs 8.1%, P = 0.028), and 90-day POM (6.9% vs 10.0%, P = 0.016). After propensity score matching, 30-day POM rates were 3.3% versus 5.9%, respectively (P = 0.029). By multivariable analysis, age ≥60 years, malnutrition and cardiovascular comorbidity were independently associated with higher POM, whereas LGM was associated with a decrease in POM (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.37-0.98, P = 0.041). CONCLUSIONS This all-inclusive nationwide study strongly suggests that POM is significantly reduced after LGM for EC. This is high valuable evidence that helps decision making regarding the optimal approach for EC surgery.
Effects of extradural cortical stimulation on motor recovery in a rat model of subacute stroke.

PURPOSE Previous studies demonstrated that administering extradural cortical stimulation (ECS) to rats during the acute phase of a photothrombotic infarct enhances motor recovery. However, the effect of ECS during the subacute phase was unknown. We aimed to evaluate the effects of ECS on motor recovery in a rat model of subacute photothrombotic stroke. METHODS Photothrombotic ischemic injury to the left sensorimotor cortex (SMC) was induced in 41 male Sprague-Dawley rats using Rose-bengal dye (20 mg/kg) and cold light. The rats were randomly divided into two groups: ECS on infarcted SMC (ECS group) and no ECS on infarcted SMC (non-stimulated group). The ECS group received continuous ECS for 14 days starting from day 5 after the stroke onset. Behavioral training with the single-pellet reaching task (SPRT) was performed daily for all of the rats from the fifth day after stroke onset. After 19 days, brain sections were immunostained to allow the quantification of infarct volumes and the evaluation of the neuronal markers. RESULTS The SPRT scores showed significantly faster and greater improvement in the ECS group than in the non-stimulated group. There were no significant differences in infarct size. However, in the ECS group, significantly more doublecortin-labeled cells were identified close to the penumbra region of the cerebral cortex. CONCLUSIONS ECS in the subacute phase improved the behavior motor function in the stroke rat model, and induced a significant axonal sprouting in the peri-infarct area.
Paired comparison scaling of brightness judgements: a method for the measurement of perceptual defence.

Thirty-two subjects made paired comparison judgements of the relative brightness of stimuli presented 0·1 log ft. -l. below recognition threshold. All stimuli were objectively equal in brightness. Half the subjects made judgements under conditions of simultaneous presentation and half under conditions of successive presentation. The stimuli had previously been scaled for ‘emotionality’ by a sample of subjects drawn from the same population as the subjects who made perceptual judgements. A scale of apparent brightness was derived from the data obtained under the successive condition but the data from the simultaneous condition were not scaleable. The scale for the successive condition was significantly correlated with the ‘emotionality’ scale. These results support an arousal interpretation of perceptual defence and indicate that where appropriate techniques are employed it is possible to measure the perceptual component of perceptual defence. The method described would seem potentially powerful for further investigations in this and related areas.
CENTRIFUGAL PUMP PERFORMANCE DERATING FOR COARSE PARTICLE AND HIGHLY CONCENTRATED SETTLING SLURRIES

The presence of particles in settling type slurry flow tends to produce adverse effects on centrifugal pump performance, reducing developed head and efficiency. The objective is to present and discuss settling slurry pump performance results with focus on the derating in efficiency. The current Hydraulic Institute centrifugal pump performance derating procedure for pump head when handling settling slurries, ANSI/HI(2011),was mainly confirmed with the data used here. The pump efficiency appears to be more sensitive to the solids properties and individual design factors than head effects and therefore, modeling of the pump efficiency losses is more complex. The relative deratings of head and efficiency are here represented by a factor, c, which is multiplied by the relative slurry density and the power requirement for pumping water to determine the slurry pumping power requirement. The considered deratings are for narrowly graded particle slurries with a negligible amount of particles smaller than 0.1mm. Resulting deratings are mainly the outcome from controlled test loop data bearing in mind that the reduction in efficiency may be somewhat larger in practice. It was found that the factor, c, attains a value of about 1.1 for a volumetric solids concentration of 35% sand with an average particle size of 0.35 mm in a 0.37 m impeller diameter pump. A c-value of about 1.05 corresponded to a Cv of 45% for a 0.6 mm average particle size in a 1.1 m impeller diameter pump. A value for, c, of about 1.4 may represent a sand with an average particle size of 1.8 mm at a concentration of about 37% in a 0.4 m impeller pump.