Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Congenital Heart Disease Perforation of the Atretic Pulmonary Valve Long-Term Follow-Up

OBJECTIVES We evaluated the long-term results of perforation of the pulmonary valve in patients with pulmonary atresia with an intact ventricular septum (PA-IVS). BACKGROUND Interventional perforation of the pulmonary valve is considered the elective first stage treatment for PA-IVS, particularly in patients with a tripartite right ventricle (RV) and normal coronary circulation. However, the long-term results of this procedure are lacking. METHODS Between January 1991 and December 2001, 39 newborns with a favorable form of PA-IVS underwent attempted perforation of the pulmonary valve. We evaluated the early and long-term outcomes. RESULTS Median tricuspid and pulmonary z values were 1.2 and 2.4, respectively. Perforation was successful in 33 patients. Among them, 17 needed neonatal surgery, 13 did not need any surgery, and 3 had elective surgery after the first month of life. There were two procedurerelated deaths, seven nonfatal procedural complications, and four postsurgical deaths. Compared with patients needing neonatal surgery, those having no or elective surgery had a higher incidence of a tripartite RV and a higher median tricuspid z value (92% vs. 53%, p 0.04 and 1.7 vs. 0.5, p 0.03). At a median follow-up of 5.5 years (range 0.5 to 11.5), survival was 85% and freedom from surgery was 35%. Five patients, four of whom had neonatal surgery, underwent a partial cavo-pulmonary connection. CONCLUSIONS Our results show that this technique, although burdened by non-negligible mortality and morbidity, is effective in selected patients with a normal-sized RV. Preselection of patients allows interventional or surgical biventricular correction in the majority of cases. (J Am Coll Cardiol 2003;41:1399–403) © 2003 by the American College of Cardiology Foundation
Bone marrow versus peripheral blood progenitor cells CD34 selection in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphomas: different levels of tumor cell reduction. Implications for autografting.

Human CD34+ selected cells are able to reconstitute hematopoiesis in patients receiving a myeloablative treatment. Although the role of reinfused tumor cells contaminating the grafts on the determination of postautograft relapses remains unclear, the major interest of CD34+ cell selection is to reduce the tumor contamination of the graft. This can be achieved if tumor cells do not express the CD34 antigen. We previously showed that this approach was effective with bone marrow (BM) collections in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Because peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) allow faster hematologic recovery than BM and are expected to contain less tumor contamination, we have compared the results of CD34+ cell selection in 35 BM and 16 PBPC from 48 patients with NHL. The PBPC were collected after a course of chemotherapy followed by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) administration. The data showed that the final CD34+ cell purity achieved with PBPC was higher than with BM (medians, 70% v 50%; P = .02). The CD34+ cell recovery was also better for PBPC (medians, 42% v 24%; P = .001). Tumor contamination was assessed by detection of BCL2/JH rearrangement using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in 38 of 48 patients (22 BM, 16 PBPC). In addition, immunoglobulin heavy chain gene (IgH) rearrangements were investigated using PCR with consensus IgH primers. At harvesting, 10 of 22 BM and two of 16 PBPC contained BCL2/JH+ cells, one of 22 BM and 14 of 16 PBPC contained abnormal IgH+ cells (one PBPC contained both BCL2/JH+ and abnormal IgH+ cells) at harvesting. However, because lymphoma tissue specimens from patients at diagnosis were not available, the malignant character of IgH rearrangements could not be confirmed by sequencing and probing with allele-specific nucleotides. After CD34+ cell selection, a reduction to below the level of detection of BCL2/JH+ cells of BM and PBPC was effective in seven of 12 informative selections. In contrast, a reduction to below the level of detection of abnormal IgH+ cells was effective in only three of 15 informative selections. However, the detection of cells with an abnormal IgH pattern in the context of chemotherapy plus G-CSF progenitor mobilization in patients with NHL and its correlation with actual tumor contamination needs further investigation.
Hostility and registered sickness absences: a prospective study of municipal employees

Background. Prior evidence on the relationship between hostility and minor health problems is limited to cross-sectional self-report studies. In the present study, this relationship was examined prospectively. Methods. Hostility of 1077 municipal employees was measured by a questionnaire survey and minor health problems by using 4-year register-based absence data including medically certificated diagnoses. Results. High hostility predicted a high total number of long-term sickness absence spells among men, but not among women. In separate diagnostic categories (musculo-skeletal, traumas and injuries, respiratory), hostility related positively and linearly to absences due to traumatic causes and curvilinearly (U-shape) to absences due to musculo-skeletal causes. Controlling the effects of health risk behaviour and demographic background did not significantly change these figures. However, health risk behaviour moderated the relations of hostility to overall long-term sickness absences, and to traumatic and musculo-skeletal absences, being significantly stronger in high-risk groups. No association was found between hostility and non-certificated short-term absence spells. Conclusions. The results suggest that hostility plays a role in the aetiology of minor health problems.
Loneliness and Suicidal Risk in Young Adults: Does Believing in a Changeable Future Help Minimize Suicidal Risk Among the Lonely?

ABSTRACT This study examined loneliness and future orientation as predictors of suicidal risk, namely, depressive symptoms and suicide ideation, in a sample of 228 college students (54 males and 174 females). Results of regression analyses indicated that loneliness was a significant predictor of both indices of suicidal risk. The inclusion of future orientation was found to significantly augment the prediction model of both depressive symptoms and suicide ideation, even after accounting for loneliness. Noteworthy, beyond loneliness and future orientation, the Loneliness × Future Orientation interaction term was found to further augment both prediction models of suicidal risk. Consistent with the notion that future orientation is an important buffer of suicidal risk, among lonely students, those with high future orientation, compared to low future orientation, were found to report significantly lower levels of depressive symptoms and suicide ideation. Some implications of the present findings for studying both risk and protective factors associated with suicidal risk in young adults are discussed.
Statistical CLEAN Technique for ISAR Imaging

Inverse synthetic aperture radar (ISAR) images are frequently used in target classification and recognition applications. Some classifiers often require features that can be more easily obtained by extracting scattering centers from ISAR data rather than by reconstructing ISAR images. An available method for scattering center extraction, namely, the CLEAN technique, was proposed in a recent paper by Yang et al. In this paper, an improvement of this CLEAN technique is proposed that introduces a new method for detecting scattering centers. The proposed technique is based on a Gaussianity test, and its effectiveness is first theoretically proven and then tested on real data. Moreover, a comparison with the technique proposed by Yang et al. is shown.
Hypothermia reduces microvascular permeability and reactive oxygen species expression after hemorrhagic shock.

BACKGROUND Hypothermia is a frequent manifestation after trauma-induced hemorrhagic shock. Clinical studies have suggested that hypothermia is an independent risk variable predisposing patients to an increase in morbidity. Thus, most of the current goal-directed resuscitation protocols are aimed at the establishment of euthermia. However, recent data suggest that hypothermia may provide protection by attenuating the inflammatory response after hemorrhagic shock. The purpose of this study was twofold: to examine the effects of mild to moderate hypothermia on barrier function after hemorrhagic shock, and to determine the role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in this process. METHODS After a control period, blood was withdrawn to reduce the mean arterial pressure to 40 mm Hg for 1 hour in urethane-anesthetized rats. Mesenteric postcapillary venules in a transilluminated segment of small intestine were examined to quantitate changes in permeability and ROS expression. Sprague-Dawley rats received an intravenous injection of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-albumin during the control period. The fluorescent light intensity emitted from the FITC-albumin was recorded with digital microscopy within the lumen of the microvasculature and compared with the intensity of light in the extravascular space. The images were downloaded to a computerized image analysis program that quantitates changes in light intensity. This change in light intensity represents albumin-FITC extravasation. RESULTS Our results demonstrated a marked increase in albumin leakage after hemorrhagic shock that was significantly attenuated with mild (34 degrees C) and moderate (30 degrees C) hypothermia. In addition, hypothermia attenuated ROS expression after hemorrhagic shock. CONCLUSION These data suggest that hypothermia may protect barrier integrity after hemorrhagic shock by inhibition of oxygen radical expression.
Impact of oral mucosal conditions on oral health-related quality of life in preschool children: a hierarchical approach.

OBJECTIVE To determine the impact of oral mucosal conditions on OHRQoL in preschool children. METHODS A cross-sectional study was carried out with a selected representative sample of 724 children aged 2-5 years and their parents/caregivers. Data were collected through interviews with parents/caregivers, who also answered the B-ECOHIS. A clinical oral examination was performed to determine oral mucosal conditions, dental caries, dental trauma, and malocclusion. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality test, the Mann-Whitney U-test and hierarchically adjusted Poisson regression models (P < 0.05, 95% CI). RESULTS The prevalence of oral mucosal conditions was 50.7%, the most prevalent of which were melanotic macules (17.8%), oral ulcers (11.0%), Fordyce's spots (9.4%), geographic tongue (5.2%), fissured tongue (1.9%), median rhomboid glossitis (1.8%), and fistula (1.4%). In the final multivariate model, child with 5 years of age (RR = 1.60; 95% CI: 1.08-2.38; P = 0.020), with presence of fistula (RR = 1.94; 95% CI: 1.27-2.95; P = 0.002), and with dental caries (RR = 2.58; 95% CI: 2.00-3.35; P < 0.001) had a negative impact on children's OHRQoL. CONCLUSION Child with 5 years of age, presence of fistula, and dental caries were associated with a negative impact on the quality of life of preschool children.
Effects of Fats and Oils on the Bioaccessibility of Carotenoids and Vitamin E in Vegetables

The low bioavailability of lipophilic micronutrients is mainly caused by their limited solubilization to an aqueous micelle, which hinders their ability to be taken up by the intestines. Bioaccessibility is the ratio of the solubilized portion to the whole amount ingested. We evaluated in this study the effects of individual fats and oils and their constituents on the bioaccessibility of carotenoids and vitamin E in vegetables by simulated digestion. Various fats and oils and long-chain triacylglycerols enhanced the bioaccessibility of β-carotene present in spinach, but not of lutein and α-tocopherol, which are less hydrophobic than β-carotene. Free fatty acid, monoacylglycerol, and diacylglycerol also enhanced the bioaccessibility of β-carotene present in spinach. In addition to the long-chain triacylglycerols, their hydrolyzates formed during digestion would facilitate the dispersion and solubilization of β-carotene into mixed micelles. Dietary fats and oils would therefore enhance the bioaccessibility of hydrophobic carotenes present in vegetables.
ANALYSIS OF PERIPHERAL BLOOD LYMPHOCYTE POPULATIONS AND IMMUNE FUNCTION FROM CHILDREN EXPOSED TO CYCLOSPORINE OR TO AZATHIOPRINE IN UTERO

We have analyzed PBL from 7 children exposed to CsA in utero and 4 children exposed to AZA in utero. Expression of CD3, CD4, CD8, and CD20 were normal for both groups of children; however, significant differences were detected in the expression of CD45RA, CD45R0, and CD29. While CsA-exposed children had higher density of CD45RA, and a higher proportion of CD45RA+R0- T cells, than did unexposed children, those exposed to AZA alone had decreased CD45RA+ and a large increase in CD45RA-R0+ T cells. It appears the exposure to CsA slightly delays T cell development, whereas exposure to AZA, without concomitant exposure to CsA, accelerates development to that of an adult. The effects of CsA abrogated the effects of AZA when both were present during pregnancy. The expression of CD29, the beta 1-integrin, on T cells has been linked to enhanced ability to respond to recall antigens and to home to sites of infection. Among children exposed to CsA, T cells from cord blood and a 5-month-old infant have a normal CD29 profile. However from 1 to 6 years of age the proportion of T cells expressing a high density of CD29 is significantly lower (4-fold) than that of T cells from unexposed children. Because these children have no outward signs of immunodeficiency, we postulate that this low proportion is still sufficient for normal immune responsiveness. The distribution of CD29 on T cells was different for the 3 study groups. Among CsA-exposed children, although the proportion of CD29hi T cells was much reduced, all were CD45RA+, as was also the case for unexposed children. In contrast, among children exposed only to AZA, the majority of CD29hi T cells were CD45R0+. Serological testing indicated that immunoglobulin and complement levels, as well as seroconversion in response to vaccination, were normal among CsA-exposed children, with no detectable autoantibodies to cellular or tissue components, including parietal cells. Unlike T cell development in inbred rodents, the immune system in humans appears to be remarkably resilient, and successfully adapts to the presence of CsA during its early developmental stages. This work suggests that the presence of CsA throughout pregnancy has only a minimal effect on fetal immune development and appears to have less impact on T cells than does exposure to AZA only. We conclude that children exposed to CsA in utero are not likely to be at risk of immunodeficiency or autoimmunity.
Transcription Factor Glis3, a Novel Critical Player in the Regulation of Pancreatic β-Cell Development and Insulin Gene Expression

ABSTRACT In this study, we report that the Krüppel-like zinc finger transcription factor Gli-similar 3 (Glis3) is induced during the secondary transition of pancreatic development, a stage of cell lineage specification and extensive patterning, and that Glis3zf/zf mutant mice develop neonatal diabetes, evidenced by hyperglycemia and hypoinsulinemia. The Glis3zf/zf mutant mouse pancreas shows a dramatic loss of β and δ cells, contrasting a smaller relative loss of α, PP, and ε cells. In addition, Glis3zf/zf mutant mice develop ductal cysts, while no significant changes were observed in acini. Gene expression profiling and immunofluorescent staining demonstrated that the expression of pancreatic hormones and several transcription factors important in endocrine cell development, including Ngn3, MafA, and Pdx1, were significantly decreased in the developing pancreata of Glis3zf/zf mutant mice. The population of pancreatic progenitors appears not to be greatly affected in Glis3zf/zf mutant mice; however, the number of neurogenin 3 (Ngn3)-positive endocrine cell progenitors is significantly reduced. Our study indicates that Glis3 plays a key role in cell lineage specification, particularly in the development of mature pancreatic β cells. In addition, we provide evidence that Glis3 regulates insulin gene expression through two Glis-binding sites in its proximal promoter, indicating that Glis3 also regulates β-cell function.
Yield Comparisons from Even-Aged and Uneven-Aged Loblolly-Shortleaf Pine Stands

Empirical yields for a 36year management period are presented for seven long-term studies on similar sites in loblolly-shortleaf pine (Pinus taeda L.-P. 1 The authors thank George Switzer of Mississippi State University, Terry Clason of Louisiana State Uni\'ersity, and Dick Kennedy of Georgia-Pacific Corporation for reviewing the manuscript. Special thanks also to Georgia-Pacific Corporation and the North Hill Farm Experiment Sta­ tion, Louisiana State Uni,·ersity, for pro­ viding some of the data used in this re­ search. echinata Mill.) stands on the upper southern coastal plai11 of southern Ar­ kansas and northern Louisiana. Total mer­ chantable cubic-fool Jields are highest for conventionally managed even-aged planta­ tions; sawtimber cubic-fool yields are highest for intensively managed even-aged plantations and intensively managed un­ even-aged stands. However, uneven-aged stands have higher board-fool sawtimber yields than the most productive even-aged stands, particular/)' in comparisons using the Doyle log rnle. It is hypothesized that the even-aged plantations have higher rnbicfoot Jields because they a1·e more fully stocked with trees of 111e1"Cha11lable size. Converse[)', the uneven-aged stands have higher boa1·d-fool Jields because of the greater propo1·tion and continuous supply of sawtimber basal area, especia.1/y in stems of large siu, which can be developed usmg the uneven-aged selection method. South). Appl. For. 12(5):107-114 The debate over the relative merits of different silvicultural systems is as old as the forestry profession itself and will no doubt continue in response to new tech­ nical innovations, changmg market and economic conditions, and adjustments in landowner at­ titudes. For example, in the pme forests of the southern United States, foresters ha,·e discussed the choice between natural and arufi­ cial regeneration from the stand­ point of economics (Derr and Mann 1971, Campbell and Mann 1973, Barnett 1982, Dutrow 1984, " Dutrow and Kaiser 1984, Baker 1985) and silviculture (Porterfield and Moak 1977, Williston 1978, Langdon 1981, Baker 1982, To­ liver 1982, Dennington and Larson 1984). In a similar way, the role of even-aged and une,·en-
Grain boundaries exhibit the dynamics of glass-forming liquids

Polycrystalline materials are composites of crystalline particles or “grains” separated by thin “amorphous” grain boundaries (GBs). Although GBs have been exhaustively investigated at low temperatures, at which these regions are relatively ordered, much less is known about them at higher temperatures, where they exhibit significant mobility and structural disorder and characterization methods are limited. The time and spatial scales accessible to molecular dynamics (MD) simulation are appropriate for investigating the dynamical and structural properties of GBs at elevated temperatures, and we exploit MD to explore basic aspects of GB dynamics as a function of temperature. It has long been hypothesized that GBs have features in common with glass-forming liquids based on the processing characteristics of polycrystalline materials. We find remarkable support for this suggestion, as evidenced by string-like collective atomic motion and transient caging of atomic motion, and a non-Arrhenius GB mobility describing the average rate of large-scale GB displacement.
Action de l’acide phosphoreux in vitro sur Phytophthora katsurae (Pythiaceae), parasite du cocotier en Côte d’Ivoire

Lfaction in vitro de lfacide phosphoreux sur quatre souches de Phytophthora katsurae provenant de trois regions Sud de production du cocotier en Cote dfIvoire a ete evaluee. Lfetude fongitoxique de lfacide phosphoreux et la capacite de redeveloppement des souches ont ete respectivement realisees sur milieu Ribeiro modifie, amende avec les concentrations 15, 20, 25, 30, 40 et 50 ƒEg/ml dfacide phosphoreux et avec 15 et 50 ƒEg/ml du meme acide. Les croissances myceliennes sur milieux amendes a lfacide phosphoreux ont ete comparees aux croissances des champignons sur milieux Ribeiro ne contenant pas de lfacide phosphoreux. Lfactivite fongitoxique de lfacide phosphoreux sfest traduite par des taux dfinhibition compris entre 36,45% et 74,64%. Les souches du Sud Comoe issues dfune plantation villageoise de Samo et dfune plantation industrielle CAIMPEX, sont plus sensibles a lfacide, contrairement aux souches de Marc Delorme et Fresco. Les essais realises ont montre egalement que in vitro, les souches sont capables de se redevelopper a lfabsence du fongicide. Cette etude a mis en evidence une activite fongistatique de lfacide phosphoreux. Ces differents comportements pourraient permettre lfoptimisation de la lutte chimique dans toutes les zones de production de la Cote dfIvoire.
Focal cooling rapidly terminates experimental neocortical seizures

The efficacy of surgical resection for epilepsy is considerably lower for neocortical epilepsy than for temporal lobe epilepsy. We have explored focal cooling with a thermoelectric (Peltier) device as a potential therapy for neocortical epilepsy. After creating a cranial window in anesthetized rats, we induced seizures by injecting artificial cerebrospinal fluid containing 4‐aminopyridine (4‐AP), a potassium channel blocker. Within 30 minutes of 4‐AP injection, animals developed recurrent seizures (duration 85.7 ± 26.2 seconds; n = 10 rats) that persisted for 2 hours. When a small Peltier device cooled the exposed cortical surface to 20–25°C at seizure onset, the seizure duration was reduced to 8.4 ± 5.0 seconds (n = 10 rats; p < 0.001). When the Peltier device was placed close to the cortical surface, but not allowed to make physical contact, there was no effect on seizure duration (104.3 ± 20.7 seconds; p > 0.05 compared to control). Interestingly, the duration of uncooled seizures was reduced after we allowed the cortex to rewarm from prior cooling. Histological examination of the cortex after cooling has shown no evidence of acute or delayed neuronal injury, and blood pressure and temperature remained stable. It may be possible to use Peltier devices for cortical mapping or, when seizure detection algorithms improve, for chronic seizure control.
Whatever Does Not Kill Deep Reinforcement Learning, Makes It Stronger

Recent developments have established the vulnerability of deep Reinforcement Learning (RL) to policy manipulation attacks via adversarial perturbations. In this paper, we investigate the robustness and resilience of deep RL to training-time and test-time attacks. Through experimental results, we demonstrate that under noncontiguous training-time attacks, Deep Q-Network (DQN) agents can recover and adapt to the adversarial conditions by reactively adjusting the policy. Our results also show that policies learned under adversarial perturbations are more robust to test-time attacks. Furthermore, we compare the performance of $\epsilon$-greedy and parameter-space noise exploration methods in terms of robustness and resilience against adversarial perturbations.