Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ultrasonographic appearance of polycystic ovaries is associated with exaggerated ovarian androgen and oestradiol responses to gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist in women undergoing assisted reproduction treatment.

While no single biochemical test is diagnostic of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), most patients show a characteristic ovarian ultrasonographic appearance. It has been proposed that a dysfunction of cytochrome P-450c17 alpha in PCOS leads to an increased 17-hydroxyprogesterone (17-OHP) response to a gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist-induced gonadotrophin rise. We postulated that this abnormality of steroid metabolism might influence the ovarian response during assisted reproduction treatment. We investigated 106 patients undergoing a short 'boost' stimulation regimen for assisted reproduction treatment, including in-vitro fertilization and gamete intra-Fallopian transfers. The ovarian ultrasound pattern was correlated with serum testosterone, 17-OHP, androstenedione and oestradiol responses, and with the clinical outcome. Polycystic ovaries, defined ultrasonographically as the presence of > or = 10 follicles between 2 and 10 mm diameter in either ovary, were found in 48% of the whole study population. Dexamethasone was given to suppress adrenal androgen secretion. Functional ovarian hyperandrogenism (FOH) was defined as serum testosterone > 0.5 nmol/l after dexamethasone. There was a significantly (P < 0.001) higher prevalence of FOH in patients with polycystic ovaries (23%) compared with normal ovaries (7%). Patients with polycystic ovaries had approximately double the 17-OHP, androstenedione and oestradiol responses to a GnRH agonist as patients with non-polycystic ovaries. Exaggerated 17-OHP and oestradiol responses to GnRH agonist were found in 89% of patients with clinically diagnosed PCOS. The number of oocytes retrieved was positively correlated (r = 0.51, P < 0.001) with the oestradiol responses in all patients. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
An infinite-series solution for the creeping motion through an orifice of finite length

This paper presents an infinite-series solution to the creeping viscous motion of a fluid through low- and moderate-aspect-ratio pores. The flow field is divided into two simply bounded regions: a cylindrical volume bounded by the walls of the pore and the entrance and exit planes, and an infinite half-space outside the pore. Analytic solutions are first obtained in each region for unknown functions representing arbitrary axial and radial velocity profiles at the pore entrance (exit). These unknown functions are then determined by matching the normal and tangential stress at the pore opening. The results indicate that the velocity profile approaches to within 1·5 per cent of a Poiseuille profile after a short entrance distance of half the pore radius. In the far field the solution matches exactly the streamline pattern for a flow through an orifice of zero thickness obtained by Sampson (1891). The pressure drop across the pore exhibits linear dependence on the aspect ratio and is closely approximated (less than one per cent error) by a simple algebraic expression.
New testing strategy to detect early HIV-1 infection for use in incidence estimates and for clinical and prevention purposes.

CONTEXT Differentiating individuals with early human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) infection from those infected for longer periods is difficult but important for estimating HIV incidence and for purposes of clinical care and prevention. OBJECTIVE To develop and validate a serologic testing algorithm in which HIV-1-positive persons with reactive test results on a sensitive HIV-1 enzyme immunoassay (EIA) but nonreactive results on a less sensitive (LS) EIA are identified as having early infection. DESIGN Diagnostic test and testing strategy development, validation, and application. Specimens were tested with both a sensitive HIV-1 EIA (3A11 assay) and a less sensitive modification of the same EIA (3A11-LS assay). SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS For assay development: 104 persons seroconverting to HIV-1 comprising 38 plasma donors, 18 patients of a sexually transmitted disease clinic in Trinidad, and 48 participants in the San Francisco Men's Health Study (SFMHS); 268 men without the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) in the SFMHS who had been infected for at least 2.5 years; and 207 persons with clinical AIDS; for testing strategy validation: 488 men in the SFMHS from 1985 through 1990 and 1275449 repeat blood donors at 3 American Red Cross blood centers from 1993 through 1995; and for HIV-1 incidence estimates: 2717910 first-time blood donors. We retrospectively identified persons eligible for a study of early infection. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Ability to identify early HIV infection. RESULTS Estimated mean time from being 3A11 reactive/3A11-LS nonreactive to being 3A11 reactive/3A11-LS reactive was 129 days (95% confidence interval [CI], 109-149 days) [corrected]. Our testing strategy accurately diagnosed 95% of persons with early infection; however, 0.4% (1/268) of men with established infection and 2% (5/207) of persons with late-stage AIDS were misdiagnosed as having early HIV-1 infection. Average yearly incidence estimates in SFMHS subjects were 1.5% per year vs observed average incidence of 1.4 per 100 person-years. Incidence in repeat blood donors using the sensitive/less sensitive assay testing strategy was 2.95 per 100000 per year (95% CI, 1.14-6.53/100000) vs observed incidence of 2.60 per 100000 person-years (95% CI, 1.49-4.21/100000). Overall incidence in first-time blood donors was 7.18 per 100000 per year (95% CI, 4.51-11.20/100000) and did not change statistically significantly between 1993 and 1996. Use of the sensitive/less sensitive testing strategy alone would have identified all 17 persons with antibodies to HIV-1 eligible for a study of early HIV-1 infection and would have increased enrollment. CONCLUSIONS The sensitive/less sensitive testing strategy provides accurate diagnosis of early HIV-1 infection, provides accurate estimates of HIV-1 incidence, can facilitate clinical studies of early HIV-1 infection, and provides information on HIV-1 infection duration for care planning.
Bacterial endotoxin induces biphasic changes in plasma ghrelin in healthy humans.

CONTEXT Ghrelin is a gut hormone with a highly preserved biological activity, which seems not to be restricted to the regulation of food intake, body composition, and growth. Continuous research is unraveling new properties of ghrelin, among others cardiovascular and antiinflammatory activities. Ghrelin is recently implicated in the host response to bacterial endotoxin in rodents and suggested as a possible therapeutic tool in sepsis. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate plasma ghrelin levels during human bacterial endotoxemia. DESIGN AND SETTING We conducted a randomized, placebocontrolled, crossover clinical trial at a university medical center. STUDY PARTICIPANTS Participants included 10 healthy men. INTERVENTION After an overnight fast, study subjects were randomized to 2 ng/kg Escherichia coli endotoxin [lipopolysaccharide (LPS)] or placebo and monitored for 6 h. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES We measured ghrelin, GH, ACTH, cortisol, glucose, free fatty acids, TNF-alpha, IL-6, and IL-1 receptor antagonist. RESULTS LPS administration induced a rapid ghrelin surge at 120 min (Delta ghrelin 100.2 +/- 30.3 vs. 7.2 +/- 26.4 pg/ml on the placebo day, P = 0.042). This ghrelin peak occurred 30 min after the TNF-alpha peak and corresponded with IL-6, GH, and ACTH peaks. Starting from 120 min and thereafter, ghrelin continuously decreased, reaching a nadir at 5 h after LPS administration (Delta ghrelin, -43.8 +/- 28.4 compared with 70.3 +/- 38.2 pg/ml on the control days, P = 0.038). CONCLUSIONS Ghrelin is one of the first hormones rapidly increasing in the human physiological response to bacterial endotoxic shock. Plasma ghrelin might be part of the complex immuno-neuroendocrine mechanisms activated by systemic infection and inflammation in humans.
p-Alkyl-Benzoyl-CoA Conjugates as Relevant Metabolites of Aromatic Aldehydes With Rat Testicular Toxicity—Studies Leading to the Design of a Safer New Fragrance Chemical

Several aromatic aldehydes such as 3-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-2-methylpropanal were shown to adversely affect the reproductive system in male rats following oral gavage dose of ≥ 25 mg/kg bw/d. It was hypothesized that these aldehydes are metabolized to benzoic acids such as p-tert-butylbenzoic acid as key toxic principle and that Coenzyme A (CoA) conjugates may be formed from such acids. Here we performed a detailed structure activity relationship study on the formation of benzoic acids from p-alkyl-phenylpropanals and related chemicals in rat hepatocytes in suspension. Formation of CoA conjugates from either p-alkyl-phenylpropanals directly or from their benzoic acid metabolites was further assessed in plated rat hepatocytes using high resolution LC-MS. All of the test chemicals causing reproductive adverse effects in male rats formed p-alkyl-benzoic acids in rat hepatocytes in suspension. Compounds metabolized to p-alkyl-benzoic acids led to accumulation of p-alkyl-benzoyl-CoA conjugates at high and steady levels in plated rat hepatocytes, whereas CoA conjugates of most other xenobiotic acids were only transiently detected in this in vitro system. The correlation between this metabolic fate and the toxic outcome may indicate that accumulation of the alkyl-benzoyl-CoA conjugates in testicular cells could impair male reproduction by adversely affecting CoA-dependent processes required for spermatogenesis. This hypothesis prompted a search for new p-alkyl-phenylpropanal derivatives which do not form benzoic acid metabolites and the corresponding CoA conjugates. It was found that such metabolism did not occur with a derivative containing an o-methyl substituent, ie, 3-(4-isobutyl-2-methylphenyl)propanal. This congener preserved the fragrance quality but lacked the male reproductive toxicity in a 28-day rat study, as predicted from its in vitro metabolism.
Stability improvement of a-ZIO TFT circuits using low temperature anneal

Long duration of low temperature thermal anneals show performance and stability enhancement for low-temperature fabricated amorphous zinc-indium-oxide (a-ZIO) thin-film-transistors (TFTs). The turn-on voltage (Von) of 50 hour annealed TFTs shifts by 1.5 V for a positive gate bias stress period of 104 s when compared to a 2.2 V shift for the unannealed TFTs. The performance and stability improvements are attributed to a reduction of the interface trap density and removing of defects states in the band-gap of the a-ZIO.
The Embeddedness of Social Entrepreneurship: Understanding Variation Across Local Communities

Social enterprise organizations (SEOs) arise from entrepreneurial activities with the aim to achieve social goals. SEOs have been identified as alternative and/or complementary to the actions of governments and international organizations to address poverty and poverty-related social needs. Using a number of illustrative cases, we explore how variation of local institutional mechanisms shapes the local “face of poverty” in different communities and how this relates to variations in the emergence and strategic orientations of SEOs. We develop a model of the productive opportunity space for SEOs as a basis and an inspiration for further scholarly inquiry.
Comparison between Saliva and Nasopharyngeal Swab Specimens for Detection of Respiratory Viruses by Multiplex Reverse Transcription-PCR

ABSTRACT Nasopharyngeal swabs (NPSs) are being widely used as specimens for multiplex real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR for respiratory virus detection. However, it remains unclear whether NPS specimens are optimal for all viruses targeted by multiplex RT-PCR. In addition, the procedure to obtain NPS specimens causes coughing in most patients, which possibly increases the risk of nosocomial spread of viruses. In this study, paired NPS and saliva specimens were collected from 236 adult male patients with suspected acute respiratory illnesses. Specimens were tested for 16 respiratory viruses by multiplex real-time RT-PCR. Among the specimens collected from the 236 patients, at least 1 respiratory virus was detected in 183 NPS specimens (77.5%) and 180 saliva specimens (76.3%). The rates of detection of respiratory viruses were comparable for NPS and saliva specimens (P = 0.766). Nine virus species and 349 viruses were isolated, 256 from NPS specimens and 273 from saliva specimens (P = 0.1574). Adenovirus was detected more frequently in saliva samples (P < 0.0001), whereas influenza virus type A and human rhinovirus were detected more frequently in NPS specimens (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.0289, respectively). The possibility of false-positive adenovirus detection from saliva samples was excluded by direct sequencing. In conclusion, neither of the sampling methods was consistently more sensitive than the other. We suggest that these cost-effective methods for detecting respiratory viruses in mixed NPS-saliva specimens might be valuable for future studies.
Fear Response in Roosters Orally Exposed to Alcohol: An Alternative Animal Model

Effect of ethanol consumption on fear response in human and conventional animal models (rodents) is controversial. The present study aimed to investigate the effect of ethanol administration on fearfulness in poultry as an alternative animal model.Being a reliable measure in avian species, tonic immobility was used to evaluate the fear response in 60 roosters orally administered with ethanol. Duration of tonic immobility was higher in alcohol-exposed birds compared to the control birds (P<0.05), suggesting that dosing the roosters with ethanol was associated with an increased fear response which makes poultry as a plausible alternative model in behavioral studies.
Use of cancer susceptibility testing among primary care physicians

Primary care physicians (PCPs) are assuming greater roles in cancer risk assessment and susceptibility testing of patients. The objective of this study was to assess the beliefs and practices of PCPs relative to genetic susceptibility testing for cancer. A cross‐sectional survey was mailed to 726 PCPs in community‐based practices in southeastern Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey. Data were collected on physician background, cognitive and psychosocial factors, practice environment, and patient factors. The main outcome measure was physician self‐reported recommendation or referral of patients for cancer genetic susceptibility testing in a 12‐month period prior to the survey. Of those surveyed, 475 (65%) PCPs responded. Complete survey data were available for 433 PCPs. Multivariable analyses show that factors positively associated with PCP recommendation/referral included: patient inquiry about their need for genetic testing for cancer (p < 0.001); PCP belief that patient age is the best predictor of cancer risk (p = 0.01); PCP self‐reported frequency of collecting patient diet information (p = 0.01) and medical history information (p = 0.01); and PCP participation in an integrated health system (p = 0.01). PCP use of cancer genetic susceptibility testing may be influenced by patient inquiry, provider beliefs about factors that affect cancer risk, provider collection of risk‐assessment data, and provider practice environment.
Short‐course oral prednisone therapy in children presenting with acute immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP)

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a disorder for which management remains controversial. The ongoing goal is to define the minimal therapy required for children with acute ITP. A pilot study of short‐course oral prednisone (4 mg−1 kg−1 d−1 for 4 d with no tapering) was undertaken in 25 consecutive children with acute ITP and platelet counts under 20 × 109 1−1. Of the 25 children, 22 responded to the prednisone therapy by achieving a platelet count higher than 20 × 109 1−1 within 1 week of commencing treatment. This regimen was found to be safe, inexpensive and effective in increasing the platelet count of children to a haemostatically safe level.
BIGDATA : Collaborative Research : F : Manifold Hypotheses and Foundations of Data Science with Applications 1 Objectives

It is often said that progress in science is characterized by successive steps of measurement, arithmetization, algorithmization, and algebraization – each step representing in a succinct manner the intuitions collected in the earlier step. In sciences, various breakthrough in technology, e.g., sequencing, high-throughput measurement of DNA/RNA abundance, electron and scanning tunneling microscopy, astronomical studies, space telescopes, collection of social-media data, on-line observations of human interactions, etc., have made it possible to obtain a quantitative arithmetic picture of the “states” of a complex structure (cell, organism, population, social groups, universe) at a certain instant and under certain conditions. As the complexity of the systems studied have scaled, the “bigness” of the data has grown spectacularly; many scalable exact and approximate algorithms have been proposed; a unifying foundational study of the emerging “data science” has become prominent, and yet, it shies away from the final step of the algebraization of data sciences. Such an approach could center around the so-called “Manifold Hypothesis,” that seeks a differential algebraic structure in the state-space – to be inferred from the sampled data point clouds. We wish to build on “Manifold Hypothesis” to create an algebraic (geometric/topological) investigation of existing and emerging Big Data approaches in computer science, statistics, computational science, and mathematics, along with innovative applications in domain sciences, namely, cancer biology, linguistics and the physical sciences that lead towards the further development of the field of data science. Thus, the main emphasis of our study is “Foundational” (F): focusing on fundamental theories, techniques, methodologies, technologies of broad applicability to Big Data problems.
Postsynaptic origin of CB1‐dependent tonic inhibition of GABA release at cholecystokinin‐positive basket cell to pyramidal cell synapses in the CA1 region of the rat hippocampus

Cholecystokinin‐positive (CCK+) basket cells are a major source of perisomatic GABAergic inputs to CA1 pyramidal cells. These interneurons express high levels of presynaptic cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) receptors that mediate short‐term depression of GABA release following depolarization of postsynaptic cells. However, it is not known whether GABA release from CA1 CCK+ basket cells is under tonic endocannabinoid inhibition. In paired patch‐clamp recordings, action potentials in presynaptic CCK+ basket cells evoked large IPSCs with fast kinetics in pyramidal cells. The proportion of action potentials that failed to evoke GABA release varied markedly between pairs, from highly reliable to virtually silent connections. Application of the CB1 receptor antagonist AM251 (10 μm) decreased the proportion of failures, revealing a persistent suppression of synaptic transmission by CB1 receptors. However, AM251 had no significant effect on the failure rate when the calcium chelator BAPTA (10 mm) was introduced into the postsynaptic cell, indicating that the tonic inhibition of GABA release by CB1 receptors is homosynaptically controlled by the postsynaptic cell, and that it is not due to constitutive CB1 receptor activity. Application of muscarinic or metabotropic glutamate receptor agonists inhibited synaptic transmission exclusively through the release of endocannabinoids from postsynaptic cells in a manner that could not be blocked by postsynaptic BAPTA, and had no direct effect on transmission. In contrast, GABAB receptor activation directly blocked GABA release, but there was no evidence for tonic inhibition of GABA release by GABAB receptors. Neither serotonergic nor μ‐opioid agonists had significant influence on GABA release from CCK+ axon terminals. These results reveal that GABA release from CA1 CCK+ basket cells is under homosynaptic tonic inhibition by endocannabinoids, and it is subject to both direct and indirect modulation by various G‐protein‐dependent neuromodulators.
The Prevalence of Prosperous Shrinking Cities

The majority of the shrinking cities literature focuses solely on instances of population loss and economic decline. This article argues that shrinking cities exist on a spectrum between prosperity and decline. Taking a wider view of population loss, I explore the possibility of prosperous shrinking cities: if they exist, where they exist, and under what conditions shrinking cities can thrive. Examining census place data from the 1980 to 2010 U.S. Census and American Community Surveys, 27 percent of 886 shrinking cities were found to have income levels greater than their surrounding regions. Shrinking and prosperous shrinking cities of all sizes were found across the United States. Shrinkage was most prevalent in the Rust Belt region and prosperous shrinkage in coastal regions. Prosperous shrinking cities were overwhelmingly found within megapolitan regions and were rarely principal cities. Multivariate regression analysis found that both population (city size) and the severity of shrinkage (magnitude of population loss) had no effect on economic prosperity. Talent (location quotient of education) was found to be the strongest predictor of prosperous shrinkage. Key Words: demographic change, economic prosperity, shrinking city, urban decline.
Awareness about Coronary Artery Disease ( CAD ) among Relatives of CAD Patients

WHO factsheet states that, Middle and Lower income countries have been most affected by noncommunicable disease between year 2000-12(1). In India, we are witnessing a major health transition from communicable to non-communicable diseases in recent years. Ischemic heart disease, Stroke, Lower Respiratory infections and Chronic Obstructive Lung disease(COPD) were the major killers through the previous decade and among these four major non-communicable diseases Cardiovascular diseases have taken the king’s prey 1 . The high risk and eclectic prevalence of Coronary Heart Disease amongst the general Indian population is already established 2 and the most of cases are due to its prevalent risk factors 3 . Cardiovascular risk factors are generally classified into two main categories: those that can be modify and those that cannot be modified. Modifiable or partially modifiable risk factors consist of smoking; lack of exercise, elevated cholesterol level, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes and non-modifiable risk factors includes age, sex and family history of cardiovascular disease. 4
Imaging selective vulnerability in the developing nervous system

Why do cells in the central nervous system respond differently to different stressors and why is this response so age‐dependent? In the immature brain, there are regions of selective vulnerability that are predictable and depend on the age when the insult occurs and the severity of the insult. This damage is both region and cell population specific. Vulnerable cell populations include the subplate neurons and oligodendrocyte precursors early in development and the neurons closer to the end of human gestation. Mechanisms of injury include excitotoxicity, oxidative stress and inflammation as well as accelerated apoptosis. Advanced imaging techniques have shown us particular patterns of injury according to age at insult. These changes seen in the newborn at the time of injury on magnetic resonance imaging correlate well with the neurodevelopmental outcome. New questions about how the injury evolves and how the newborn brain adapts and repairs itself have emerged as we now know that injury in the newborn brain can evolve over days and weeks, rather than hours. The ability to follow these processes has allowed us to investigate the role of repair in attenuating the injury. Neurogenesis and angiogenesis exist in response to ischemic injury and can be enhanced by processes that are known to protect the brain. The injury response in the developing brain is a complex process that evolves over time and is amenable to repair.