Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Heart rate variability in children with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) carries an increased risk of sudden death, especially in children and young adults. We investigated heart rate variability (HRV) in children with HCM, in order to evaluate its prognostic value. Seventeen patients (9 males and 8 females) with non-obstructive HCM were prospectively enrolled in the study. The diagnosis of HCM had been made between the ages of 1 month and 13 years (mean (SD) 71 (54) months). At the time of the study their ages ranged from 16 months to 16.5 years (mean 123 (70) months). HCM was defined by the presence of a hypertrophied, non-dilated left ventricle, in the absence of underlying cardiac, systemic disease or syndromic conditions. Four patients had a family history of HCM and two had a family history of premature (less than 50 years) sudden cardiac death of a first degree relative. At the time of the study, no patients were receiving treatment. Seven patients complained of moderate exertional dyspnoea; no patient had a history of chest pain or syncope. Standard 12 lead ECG showed that seven patients had abnormal repolarisation. On 24 hour monitoring, all patients were in stable sinus rhythm, and no arrhythmia was recorded. Ten patients underwent exercise testing and none had hypotension, arrhythmias or ischaemia during exercise. Five patients …
Towards the Understanding of Gaming Audiences by Modeling Twitch Emotes

Videogame streaming platforms have become a paramount example of noisy user-generated text. These are websites where gaming is broadcasted, and allows interaction with viewers via integrated chatrooms. Probably the best known platform of this kind is Twitch, which has more than 100 million monthly viewers. Despite these numbers, and unlike other platforms featuring short messages (e.g. Twitter), Twitch has not received much attention from the Natural Language Processing community. In this paper we aim at bridging this gap by proposing two important tasks specific to the Twitch platform, namely (1) Emote prediction; and (2) Trolling detection. In our experiments, we evaluate three models: a BOW baseline, a logistic supervised classifiers based on word embeddings, and a bidirectional long short-term memory recurrent neural network (LSTM). Our results show that the LSTM model outperforms the other two models, where explicit features with proven effectiveness for similar tasks were encoded.
Moments of a Markov-modulated, irreducible network of fluid queues

We study a network of fluid queues in which exogenous arrivals are modulated by a continuous-time Markov chain. Service rates in each queue are proportional to the queue size, and the network is assumed to be irreducible. The queue levels satisfy a linear, vector-valued differential equation. We obtain joint moments of the queue sizes recursively, and deduce the Laplace transform of the queue sizes in the stationary regime.
Phyllodes tumours of the breast: a consensus review

Phyllodes tumours constitute an uncommon but complex group of mammary fibroepithelial lesions. Accurate and reproducible grading of these tumours has long been challenging, owing to the need to assess multiple stratified histological parameters, which may be weighted differently by individual pathologists. Distinction of benign phyllodes tumours from cellular fibroadenomas is fraught with difficulty, due to overlapping microscopic features. Similarly, separation of the malignant phyllodes tumour from spindle cell metaplastic carcinoma and primary breast sarcoma can be problematic. Phyllodes tumours are treated by surgical excision. However, there is no consensus on the definition of an appropriate surgical margin to ensure completeness of excision and reduction of recurrence risk. Interpretive subjectivity, overlapping histological diagnostic criteria, suboptimal correlation between histological classification and clinical behaviour and the lack of robust molecular predictors of outcome make further investigation of the pathogenesis of these fascinating tumours a matter of active research. This review consolidates the current understanding of their pathobiology and clinical behaviour, and includes proposals for a rational approach to the classification and management of phyllodes tumours.
Intraocular injection of class II-restricted peptide induces an unexpected population of CD8 regulatory cells.

Intraocular injection of exogenous protein induces an Ag-specific impairment of systemic delayed hypersensitivity (DH), termed anterior chamber associated immune deviation (ACAID). The ACAID-inducing signal is carried by blood-borne cells from the eye to the spleen and can also be generated in vitro by incubating APCs with Ag plus TGF-beta. Paradoxically, class I-restricted CD8 regulatory cells are induced in the spleens of mice with ACAID, and previous studies suggest that CD8 cells are important, and even necessary, for the expression of ACAID. To explore this issue further, we asked whether ACAID could be induced with a class II-restricted peptide, and if so, what type of regulatory cells are generated. An intraocular, but not an i.v. , injection of OVA (323-339) peptide resulted in impairment of native OVA-specific DH in both naive and previously sensitized mice. Furthermore, i.v. injection of APCs pretreated with TGF-beta plus OVA peptide also prevented native OVA-specific DH. Surprisingly, both CD8+ and CD4+ spleen cells capable of impairing expression of DH were induced by either intraocular injection of peptide or i.v. injection of APCs pretreated with peptide plus TGF-beta. In summary, ACAID can be induced by a class II-restricted peptide and is accompanied by the generation of two unusual populations of cells: 1) CD8+ regulatory cells unexpectedly induced by class II-restricted peptide; and 2) a novel population of CD4 regulatory cells induced by peptide, but not native protein. Potential mechanisms involved in the processing and presentation of exogenous protein in the ACAID model are discussed in light of the present data.
Paying Clinical Research Participants: One Institution's Research Ethics Committees' Perspective

Regulatory guidelines leave determination of coercion and undue influence of research participants open to interpretation. A web-based survey was conducted of the research ethics committees members at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) to evaluate their perspectives on paying participants in clinical research via general questions, as well as 8 short cases involving hypertension placebo-controlled trials, a pilot exercise study, a survey of substance abusers, a healthy-volunteer pharmacokinetic study, a twin study involving DNA samples, and an asthma medication study in children. Research ethics committee members were asked to state what payment they would consider appropriate for a given type of protocol. The results suggest that risk, time required, reimbursement for expenses, and inconvenience were important in determining appropriate payment, while income and funding source were not. The case studies revealed wide variation in recommended payments both within type of study and between studies.
Award Number: W81XWH-04-1-0569 TITLE: Stimulation of Estrogen Receptor Signaling in Breast Cancer by a Novel Chaperone Synuclein Gamma PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR:

Synucleins are emerging as central player in the fundamental neural processes and in the formation of pathologically insoluble deposits characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. However, Synuclein (SNCG) is also highly associated with breast cancer and ovarian cancer progression. Whereas most studies of this group of proteins have been directed to the elucidation of their role in the formation of depositions in brain tissue, the normal cellular function of this highly conserved synuclein family remains largely unknown. A notable finding in this study is that SNCG, identified previously as a breast cancer-specific gene 1, strongly stimulated the ligand-dependent transcriptional activity of estrogen receptor(ER) in breast cancer cells. Augmentation of SNCG expression stimulated transcriptional activity of ER, whereas compromising endogenous SNCG expression suppressed ERsignaling. The SNCG-stimulated ERsignaling was demonstrated in three different cell systems including ER-positive and SNCG-negative MCF-7 cells, ERpositive and SNCG-positive T47D cells, and SNCG-negative and ER-negative MDA-MB-435 cells. The SNCG-mediated stimulation of ERtranscriptional activity is consistent with its stimulation of the ligand-dependent cell growth. Whereas overexpression of SNCG stimulated the ligand-dependent cell proliferation, suppression of endogenous SNCG expression significantly inhibited cell growth in response to estrogen. The stimulatory effect of SNCG on ER -regulated gene expression and cell growth can be effectively inhibited by antiestrogens. These data indicate that SNCG is required for efficient ERsignaling and, thus, stimulated hormone-responsive mammary tumors.
Loss of either CD4+ or CD8+ T cells does not affect the magnitude of protective immunity to an intracellular pathogen, Francisella tularensis strain LVS.

Normal mice readily survive a sublethal intradermal (i.d.) infection with Francisella tularensis live vaccine strain (LVS), a model intracellular bacterium, and are strongly protected against subsequent lethal challenge. However, athymic nu/nu mice, which lack mature alphabeta TCR+ T lymphocytes, succumb to i.d. infection within 30 days. Here we characterize the alphabeta T cell subpopulations necessary for both resolution of i.d. infection and generation of optimal protective immunity to LVS. BALB/cByJ mice treated with anti-CD4 or anti-CD8 Abs before i.d. infection survived and cleared bacteria, and anti-CD4- or anti-CD8-treated immune mice survived a very strong i.p. challenge of 10,000 LD50s. Among mutant mice with targeted gene disruptions (knockouts), CD4-, beta2-microglobulin-deficient (which are also CD8-), and gammadelta TCR- mice all resolved a large sublethal i.d. infection. All CD4- and beta2-microglobulin-deficient mice readily survived subsequent lethal i.p. challenge of 10,000 LD50s, even in the absence of specific IgG Abs, as did most (86%) gammadelta TCR- mice. In contrast, alphabeta TCR- mice or alphabeta + gammadelta TCR- mice died about 35 days after i.d. infection. Depletion of gammadelta+ T cells from alphabeta TCR- mice had no effect on mean time to death from i.d. LVS infection. Therefore alphabeta TCR+ cells are required for protection, but either CD4+ or CD8+ T cells are individually sufficient to resolve a large sublethal i.d. LVS infection and to protect against a maximal secondary lethal challenge. These results emphasize the remarkable plasticity of the alphabeta T cell response in protective immunity to intracellular bacteria.
The Multifaceted Complexity of Genetic Diseases: A Lesson from Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum

Fig. 1. Dermal biopsy from a patient affected by pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE). A) Semi-thin section stained with toluidine blue and observed by light microscopy. B) Ultrathin section stained with uranyl acetate and lead citrate visualized by transmission electron microscopy. Deformed, fragmented and mineralized elastic fibres (E) are clearly visible in the reticular dermis of the patient both at low and high magnifications. Collagen flowers (arrows) and electron-dense amorphous aggregates (*) can be recognized at the ultrastructural level. Bar= 1 μm
A Rho‐dependent actin purse‐string is involved in wound repair in the early chick amnion following surgical puncture

This study examined the mechanism of wound repair in the early chick amnion following surgical puncture. The chick amnion is a bilayered membrane with ultrastructural features similar to the human amnion, and thus may provide a model of the consequences of amnion puncture following first trimester amniocentesis in humans. Chick amnion was wounded on day 4–5 of incubation. The rate of wounding was measured as 40 μm2/minute by hourly measurements of wound area from initial wounding to a point where the wound appeared to be fully closed. Morphological changes were examined by scanning electron microscopy of amniotic membranes with the overlying chorionic membrane removed. Cells bordering the wound arranged themselves circumferentially during the healing period and eventually came together as a cellular pile up as the healing process was complete. The presence of an actin cable was revealed by fluorescein isothiocyanate‐labeled phalloidin. The actin was circumferentially arranged around the wound margin and appeared within 10 minutes after wounding. Treatment of the amnion with the inhibitor of endogenous Rho, C3 exotransferase, inhibited actin cable formation, suggesting that formation of an actin cable within the amnion during wound healing is Rho dependent.
Nuclear Medicine

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study included eight patients with hepatocellular carcinomas. 11C ethanol was administered via a puncture needle positioned with ultrasonographic guidance. Parametric images based on the Fourier transformation were created for further analysis of the local distribution patterns of the tracer. The ratio of the 45-minute postinjection standardized uptake value to the 5-minute postinjection standardized uptake value was used for the evaluation of ethanol dilution.
Modeling and evaluation of harbor crane work

Currently there is a strong demand of increasing the efficiency of the work chain in container harbors. Several methods aiming at improving the logistics of the container yard have been proposed. Nevertheless, the efficiency of an individual container crane has not been investigated, even though it has a great impact on the efficiency of the whole work chain. This paper proposes a method for modeling and evaluation of the work of a single harbor crane. In the method, the work is first divided into comprehensible tasks. A sequence of tasks produces a work cycle. The work cycle is modeled by a Hidden Markov Model (HMM). Each task of the work cycle corresponds to a state of the HMM. The HMM recognizes the states of the work cycle by using measurements readily available in the database of the crane. The resulting task time distribution directly reveals the bottlenecks of the work.
Double dissociation between the contributions of the septal and temporal hippocampus to spatial learning: The role of prior experience

The mammalian hippocampus is anatomically heterogeneous along its longitudinal axis, and there is evidence that distinct functions are executed by different septotemporal subregions. The best documented example is the dependency of spatial learning on the septal, but not the temporal, hippocampus. Here, we carried out a watermaze memory task in rats with partial lesions of the septal or temporal hippocampus made either before or after training. We then studied memory retention, reversal, and new spatial learning in a novel environment. This resulted in the surprising finding that spatial learning in a new environment is dependent on the temporal hippocampus in rats with preoperative experience of a different pool. Rats with septal hippocampal lesions made after learning not only retained the focused search strategy that was acquired during preoperative training, but were also capable of rapid spatial learning in a second pool. This demonstrates that once spatial information has been acquired in one context, related new learning in a different context can be mediated by the temporal hippocampus, a result that challenges the widely held view that spatial memory is an exclusive function of the septal hippocampus. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Evaluation of primary mediastinal large B cell lymphoma by flow cytometry

Primary mediastinal large B cell lymphoma (PMLBCL) is a B cell non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (B‐NHL) that shows morphologic, immunophenotypic, and genetic similarities to classical Hodgkin lymphoma (CHL). We evaluated the neoplastic and reactive infiltrate of PMLBCL by flow cytometry (FC).
Differential sensitivites of human melanoma cells grown in vitro to arabinosylcytosine.

Four permanent strains of human malignant melanoma, derived from a single melanoma nodule in one patient, exhibited different survival responses to the S-phase-specific drug, arabinosylcytosine. In one strain, survival was reduced by a fraction equivalent to the proportion of cells in S phase. The other three stains were much more resistant to drug doses as high as 100 µg/ml treated for 1 hr; however, treatments of longer duration (up to 8 hr) did cause a reduction in the surviving fraction of one resistant strain tested. Different mechanisms of cell killing by arabinosylcytosine may be responsible for the differential responses observed in these four melanoma strains.
Power-security trade-off in multi-level power analysis countermeasures for FSR-based stream ciphers

Feedback Shift Register (FSR) based stream ciphers are one of the most promising new groups of cryptographic algorithms, which target applications characterized by strong power, area and cost constraints. Due to high sensibility against power analysis attacks, there is a strong need for countermeasures which increase the immunity of this class of ciphers without introducing large power and area overheads. In this paper we study analog multi-level countermeasures which can protect FSR-based stream ciphers against Differential Power Analysis (DPA) attacks, with lower power overhead compared to alternative solutions that can be found in literature. We highlight a trade-off between power consumption and security, and propose an approach which ensures at the same time low power overhead and high security against power analysis attacks.
Genetic Analysis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae H2A Serine 129 Mutant Suggests a Functional Relationship Between H2A and the Sister-Chromatid Cohesion Partners Csm3–Tof1 for the Repair of Topoisomerase I-Induced DNA Damage

Collision between a topoisomerase I-DNA intermediate and an advancing replication fork represents a unique form of replicative damage. We have shown previously that yeast H2A serine 129 is involved in the recovery from this type of damage. We now report that efficient repair also requires proteins involved in chromatid cohesion: Csm3; Tof1; Mrc1, and Dcc1. Epistasis analysis defined several pathways involving these proteins. Csm3 and Tof1 function in a same pathway and downstream of H2A. In addition, the pathway involving H2A/Csm3/Tof1 is distinct from the pathways involving the Ctf8/Ctf18/Dcc1 complex, the Rad9 pathway, and another involving Mrc1. Our genetic studies suggest a role for H2A serine 129 in the establishment of specialized cohesion structure necessary for the normal repair of topoisomerase I-induced DNA damage.
Perioperative Hypothermia and Predictors of Intra-Operative Hypothermia among Patients Operated at Gondar university Hospital from March to April 2015

Background: Humans maintain constant body temperature within a wide range of changes in external environment. Core body temperature is maintained within narrow range; Enzyme systems in the body have narrow temperature ranges in which they function optimally for caring out different activities in the body as metabolism, conduction of nervous function and skeletal muscle contraction. Perioperative hypothermia is one of the major problems during surgery that can affect operated patients. It has been shown by different researchers that Perioperative hypothermia will result in to various adverse events such as myocardial ischemia, coagulopathy, delayed awakening and wound infections. Objective: The objective of this study was to determine incidence of perioperative hypothermia and determinant factors among patients operated in Gondar university hospital from March to April, 2015. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted to determine incidence of perioperative hypothermia and associated risk factors among patients that underwent surgery in Gondar university hospital. All consecutive patients from both elective and emergency surgery were included in this study. Result: A total of 312 patients were participated in this study. The incidence of Pre, Intra and post-operative hypothermia were 23.4%, 49.7% and 50.6% respectively. Use of general anesthesia (AOR=2.3), co-morbidity (AOR=2.1), low body temperature before the start of anesthesia (AOR=4.7) and elective procedures (AOR=2.1) were found to be independent predictors of intra-operative hypothermia. Conclusion and Recommendation: The incidence of perioperative hypothermia is high in Gondar University Hospital. Passive and active warming techniques should be implemented in the hospital.
Major genes regulating total serum immunoglobulin E levels in families with asthma.

Immunoglobulin E (IgE) has a major role in the pathogenesis of allergic disorders and asthma. Previous data from 92 families, each identified through a proband with asthma, showed evidence for two major genes regulating total serum IgE levels. One of these genes mapped to 5q31-33. In the current study, the segregation analysis was extended by the addition of 108 probands and their families, ascertained in the same manner. A mixed recessive model (i.e., major recessive gene and residual genetic effect) was the best-fitting and most-parsimonious one-locus model of the segregation analysis. A mixed two-major-gene model (i.e., two major genes and residual genetic effect) fit the data significantly better than did the mixed recessive one-major-gene model. The second gene modified the effect of the first recessive gene. Individuals with the genotype aaBB (homozygous high-risk allele at the first gene and homozygous low-risk allele at the second locus) had normal IgE levels (mean 23 IU/ml), and only individuals with genotypes aaBb and aabb had high IgE levels (mean 282 IU/ml). A genomewide screening was performed using variance-component analysis. Significant evidence for linkage was found for a novel locus at 7q, with a multipoint LOD score of 3. 36 (P=.00004). A LOD score of 3.65 (P=.00002) was obtained after genotyping additional markers in this region. Evidence for linkage was also found for two previously reported regions, 5q and 12q, with LOD scores of 2.73 (P=.0002) and 2.46 (P=.0004), respectively. These results suggest that several major genes, plus residual genetic effects, regulate total serum IgE levels.
Contrast enhancement using recursive mean-separate histogram equalization for scalable brightness preservation

Histogram equalization (HE) is widely used for contrast enhancement. However, it tends to change the brightness of an image and hence, not suitable for consumer electronic products, where preserving the original brightness is essential to avoid annoying artifacts. Bi-histogram equalization (BBHE) has been proposed and analyzed mathematically that it can preserve the original brightness to a certain extend. However, there are still cases that are not handled well by BBHE, as they require higher degree of preservation. This paper proposes a generalization of BBHE referred to as recursive mean-separate histogram equalization (RMSHE) to provide not only better but also scalable brightness preservation. BBHE separates the input image's histogram into two based on its mean before equalizing them independently. While the separation is done only once in BBHE, this paper proposes to perform the separation recursively; separate each new histogram further based on their respective mean. It is analyzed mathematically that the output image's mean brightness will converge to the input image's mean brightness as the number of recursive mean separation increases. Besides, the recursive nature of RMSHE also allows scalable brightness preservation, which is very useful in consumer electronics. Simulation results show that the cases which are not handled well by HE, BBHE and dualistic sub image histogram equalization (DSIHE), have been properly enhanced by RMSHE.