Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relation between Serum Thyroid Hormone and ‘Nondipper’ Circadian Blood Pressure Variability

Currently, the pathogenesis of nondipper hypertension remains largely unclear in patients without any renal or endocrine pathology. It is well known that overt hypothyroidism is strongly associated with diastolic hypertension. However, no study has addressed the pathogenic role of TSH, free T3 (FT3), and free T4 (FT4) in nondipper hypertension. The aim of the present investigation is to evaluate if higher TSH, low FT3 and FT4 would be associated with a nondipper hypertension profile, in patients with normal renal function and without any overt thyroid hormone disorder. 131 subjects were screened and those who met the following inclusion criteria were enrolled: (1) glomerular filtration rate (GFR) >60 ml/min; (2) no history of thyroid disorders; (3) no history of thyroid hormone medication. All subjects underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring on a usual working day. Of the total population, 59 patients (45%) were classified as dippers and 72 (55%) were classified as nondippers. The only significant differences between dipper and nondipper patients appear to be related to FT3 levels and GFR. Nondipper patients had lower FT3 levels (4.5 ± 0.6 vs. 4.0 ± 0.9 pmol/l, p = 0.02) and low GFR (80.5 ± 12.2 vs. 86.9 ± 16.9 ml/min, p = 0.03), compared to dipper patients. The final regression model included serum TSH, FT3 levels, and GFR; the only independent predictor of nondipper hypertension was FT3 (p = 0.04). In conclusion, even if the mechanisms of our findings remain incompletely understood, we demonstrate a graded independent relation between lower level of FT3 and the risk of nondipping. Further studies are warranted to confirm this relationship and to elucidate the pathogenetic mechanisms of this relationship.
Pre‐morbid type 2 diabetes mellitus is not a prognostic factor in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine whether a history of pre‐morbid type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2) is a prognostic factor in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods: The relationship between DM2 and survival was analyzed in a study population consisting of 1,322 participants from 6 clinical trials. Results: Survival did not differ by diabetes status (log‐rank test, P = 0.98), but did differ by body mass index (BMI) (log‐rank test, P = 0.008). In multivariate analysis, there was no significant association between diabetes and survival (P = 0.18), but the risk of reaching a survival endpoint decreased by 4% for each unit increase in baseline BMI (HR 0.96, 95% CI 0.94–0.99, P = 0.001). DM2 was less prevalent among ALS clinical trial participants than predicted. Conclusions: A history of pre‐morbid DM2 is not an independent prognostic factor in ALS clinical trial databases. The low DM2 prevalence rate should be examined in a large, prospective study to determine whether DM2 affects ALS risk. Muscle Nerve 52:339–343, 2015
Novel therapeutic and diagnostic management of heart transplant patients

Heart transplantation was performed for the first time 40 years ago and it is now universally considered the “gold standard” treatment for individuals suffering from end-stage heart failure. The increased understanding of the molecular mechanisms and of the role of the immune system in allograft rejection led to an overall improvement of graft survival, which is now around 10 years. The introduction of novel immunosuppressive drugs reduced the rate of acute allograft rejection but did not improve significantly the long-term graft survival. In addition, adverse effects (e.g. infections, cancer and renal failure) associated with immunosuppressive drugs are increasing over time and may affect post-transplantation outcomes. An immunosuppression-free protocol based on tolerance induction is the Holy Grail for heart transplant recipients, but it is still far beyond our reach. In this review, we discuss the landscape of immunological challenges that heart transplanted individuals face and we critically review the novel immunological approaches available to overcome these remaining issues. Some of the novel approaches, successfully tested in preclinical and clinical models, may lead to a prolongation of patient’s and heart allograft survival.
DNA-Demethylase Regulated Genes Show Methylation-Independent Spatiotemporal Expression Patterns

Recent research has indicated that a subset of defense-related genes is downregulated in the Arabidopsis DNA demethylase triple mutant rdd (ros1 dml2 dml3) resulting in increased susceptibility to the fungal pathogen Fusarium oxysporum. In rdd plants these downregulated genes contain hypermethylated transposable element sequences (TE) in their promoters, suggesting that this methylation represses gene expression in the mutant and that these sequences are actively demethylated in wild-type plants to maintain gene expression. In this study, the tissue-specific and pathogen-inducible expression patterns of rdd-downregulated genes were investigated and the individual role of ROS1, DML2, and DML3 demethylases in these spatiotemporal regulation patterns was determined. Large differences in defense gene expression were observed between pathogen-infected and uninfected tissues and between root and shoot tissues in both WT and rdd plants, however, only subtle changes in promoter TE methylation patterns occurred. Therefore, while TE hypermethylation caused decreased gene expression in rdd plants it did not dramatically effect spatiotemporal gene regulation, suggesting that this latter regulation is largely methylation independent. Analysis of ros1-3, dml2-1, and dml3-1 single gene mutant lines showed that promoter TE hypermethylation and defense-related gene repression was predominantly, but not exclusively, due to loss of ROS1 activity. These data demonstrate that DNA demethylation of TE sequences, largely by ROS1, promotes defense-related gene expression but does not control spatiotemporal expression in Arabidopsis. Summary: Ros1-mediated DNA demethylation of promoter transposable elements is essential for activation of defense-related gene expression in response to fungal infection in Arabidopsis thaliana.
Immunotherapeutic approach of experimental brain tumor with a corpuscular antigen

Young Druckrey rats of both sexes ageing 5-10 days were injected with fractionated and acute doses of N-N' ethylnitrosourea intraperitoneally. This required an optimum period of 6-8 months to develop brain tumor with a mean survival of 190 days. Sheep erythrocytes (SRBC) when administered (ip. 7% PCV/V, 0.S ml) in a group of animals at the end of seventh month of ENU administration, resulted in significant increase in the mean survival time (>350 days). Studies conducted for growth kinetics pattem with proliferation index and ftuorochrome (HO-33342) uptake techniques at the tissue culture level exhibited a regulatory inhibition of the cell excised from the tumor susceptible area of brain ofSRBC treated animals compared to those of untreated tumor controls. Further probe into the mechanisms involving immunological investigations at the cellular level in these animals indicated an augmented and potentiated cell mediated immune response (CMI) as evidenced by enhanced spontaneous rosette forming capacity and cytotoxic activity of lymphocytes and neutrophil (PMN) mediated phagocytosis respectively. Moreover histological studies demonstrated reversion of neoplastic glial features to normal glial features in SRBC-treated tumor bearing animals. The observations suggest that SRBC down regulates malignant growth pattern of experimental brain tumors either by an immunologically enhanced killing of tumor cells and/or by directly inhibiting the tumor growth possibly via a stimulated cytokine network.
Coronary artery disease in end-stage renal disease: no longer a simple plumbing problem.

The lifespan of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is reduced, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounts for a premature death in more than 50% of patients from Western Europe and North America undergoing regular dialysis ([1][1]). Actually, the risk for CVD in a 30-yr-old ESRD patient is
Sorting things out.

However, I just can’t bring myself to throw away the very old handwritten glossaries from the pre-laptop days when I didn't bother to type them simply didn't have time with small children to care for or they dealt with one-off subjects so varied in nature that I can’t classify them in any way other than ‘miscellaneous’. Who knows, I might just get a second meeting on cork trees, water filters or cross-stitching! It seems to me that if I were offered such a meeting I would remember that I have a glossary somewhere in that big loose-leaf binder called 'miscellaneous'.
Current-mass ratios of the light quarks.

We investigate the current-mass ratios of the light quarks by fitting the squared meson masses to second order in chiral-symmetry breaking, determining corrections to Weinberg's first-order values: m/sub u//m/sub d/ = 0.56, m/sub s//m/sub d/ = 20.1. We find that to this order, m/sub s//m/sub d/ is a known function of m/sub u//m/sub d/. The values of the quark-mass ratios can be constrained by limiting the size of second-order corrections to the squares of meson masses. We find that for specific values of presently unmeasured phenomenological parameters one can have a massless u quark. In that case 30% of the squares of meson masses arise from operators second order in chiral-symmetry breaking.
Bone marrow derived elements and resident microglia in brain inflammation

Infection of the central nervous (CNS) system by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) depends on the migration of infected hematogenous cells into the brain. We thus used quantitative light and electron microscopic immunocytochemistry to study the homing and turnover of bone marrow derived cells in the CNS in radiation bone marrow chimeras under normal conditions and in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) as an experimental model of brain inflammation. Our studies suggest the following conclusions. First, the central nervous system is continuously patrolled by a small number of T‐lymphocytes and monocytes. Meningeal and perivascular monocytes are slowly replaced by hematogenous cells under normal conditions, and this turnover is accelerated in the course of inflammation. In contrast, resident microglia represent a very stable cell pool, which in adult animals is only exceptionally replaced by hematogenous cells, even after recovery from severe brain inflammation. Second, although in bone‐marrow‐chimeric animals resident microglia, astrocytes, and ependymal cells are not able to present antigen to Lewis T‐lymphocytes, the inflammatory reaction in EAE is qualitatively and quantitatively similar in these animals compared to fully histocompatible Lewis rats. Finally, resident microglia express the macrophage activation antigen ED1. Thus, microglia cells appear to function as effector cells in EAE lesions.
Patch Tests in Children with Suspected Allergic Contact Dermatitis: A Prospective Study and Review of the Literature

Aims: The results of patch testing in children visiting our out-patient clinic with suspected allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) were prospectively investigated and compared with those reported in the literature. A review of the literature on patch testing and ACD in children is provided. Methods: Children were patch tested using the TRUE® test, supplemented with tixocortol-17-pivalate, budesonide and 3 commonly used emollients. Supplementary patch tests were undertaken on indication. Results: Seventy-nine children (31 boys and 48 girls) were patch tested. Of the patients tested, 40 (51%) had 1 or more positive allergic patch test reactions. Twenty-two (55%) of these 40 children suffered from atopic dermatitis, 9 (23%) from hand or foot dermatitis, and 9 (23%) from other skin ailments. Nickel was the most common contact allergen, but many other common and less common allergens were noted to give positive patch tests in patients. Conclusion: Sensitization to contact allergens may begin in infancy and continue to be more common in toddlers and young children. In recalcitrant atopic dermatitis, especially at the age of 5 years and over, patch tests are indicated. Good information on preventing the development of ACD in children is useful for caregivers.
Electrophysiological and pharmacological characterization of identified nigrostriatal and mesoaccumbens dopamine neurons in the rat

Extracllular single‐unit recording techniques were used to compare the basal activity and pharmacological responsiveness of identified nigrostriatal and mesoaccumbens dopamine (DA)‐containing neurons. The projection area of each DA cell was determined by antidromic activation techniques. The forebrain stimulation used for the cell identification procedure did not alter the pharmacological responsiveness of DA neurons; the inhibitory effect of apomorphine (and d‐amphetamine) was identical when stimulation was applied either prior to or following drug administration. Analysis of the spike discharge pattern revealed that a higher proportion of mesoaccumbens DA cells exhibited burst‐firing activity. Although the firing pattern of the two populations of burst‐firing DA cells was similar in many regards, mesoaccumbens DA cells exhibited a longer postburst inhibition than did nigrostriatal DA cells. Each of the DA agonists, apomorphine, pergolide, B‐HT 920, and d‐amphetamine, inhibited nigrostriatal and mesoaccumbens DA neuronal activity in a similar fashion. However, there was a marked population difference in the recovery of cell firing in the 10 minutes following apomorphine‐induced inhibition; the recovery of mesoaccumbens spike discharges was considerably slower. Although this population difference was apparent to some extent following administration of pergolide or B‐HT 920 (but not d‐amphetamine), it was considerably less marked. The present findings are discussed with respect to the known regulatory control of midbrain DA neurons.
Comparison of Prosthetic Materials for Abdominal Wall Reconstruction in the Presence of Contamination and Infection

Abdominal wall defects resulting from trauma, invasive infection, or hernia present a difficult problem for the surgeon. In order to study the problems associated with the prosthetic materials used for abdominal wall reconstruction, an animal model was used to simulate abdominal wall defects in the presence of peritonitis and invasive infection. One hundred guinea pigs were repaired with either polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) or polypropylene mesh (PPM). Our experiments included intra-operative contamination with Staphylococcus aureus. We found significantly fewer organisms (p less than 0.05) adherent to the PTFE than to the PPM when antibiotics were administered after surgery, as well as when no antibiotics were given. In the presence of peritonitis, we found no real difference in numbers of intraperitoneal bacteria present whether PTFE or PPM was used. In all instances, the PTFE patches produced fewer adhesions and were more easily removed. From these experiments, it appears that PTFE may be associated with fewer problems than PPM in the presence of contamination and infection.
Incidence, management and recurrence rate of acute pancreatitis

Background: Acute pancreatitis is a common condition that is still associated with substantial morbidity and mortality rates. Management, outcome and recurrence rate in acute pancreatitis in a clinical setting using a conservative management approach are described. Methods: A total of 1376 consecutive cases representing 2211 hospitalizations due to acute pancreatitis treated at the Dept. of Surgery, Lund University Hospital, Lund, were reviewed retrospectively. Management, outcome and recurrence rate were recorded. Results: Incidence, including recurrences, was 300 per million per year; 21% of patients had recurrent (≥2) attacks. In relapsing disease, two‐thirds of patients had the first attack within 3 months. Mortality decreased over the period studied, but overall it was 4.2%; mortality in relapsing attacks was 2.5%, related to multiple organ dysfunction (MODS) in 67% and occurring within the first week in 36%. Conclusions: Despite a conservative approach in the management of acute pancreatitis, mortality is still substantial, frequently occurs early after admission, is associated with MODS and is also seen in relapsing disease. Early cholecystectomy and bile duct clearance could decrease recurrent attacks of biliary pancreatitis.
Inference for Multi‐dimensional High‐frequency Data with an Application to Conditional Independence Testing

We find the asymptotic distribution of the multi‐dimensional multi‐scale and kernel estimators for high‐frequency financial data with microstructure. Sampling times are allowed to be asynchronous and endogenous. In the process, we show that the classes of multi‐scale and kernel estimators for smoothing noise perturbation are asymptotically equivalent in the sense of having the same asymptotic distribution for corresponding kernel and weight functions. The theory leads to multi‐dimensional stable central limit theorems and feasible versions. Hence, they allow to draw statistical inference for a broad class of multivariate models, which paves the way to tests and confidence intervals in risk measurement for arbitrary portfolios composed of high‐frequently observed assets. As an application, we enhance the approach to construct a test for investigating hypotheses that correlated assets are independent conditional on a common factor.
Etude numérique et expérimentale du bruit aérodynamique avec application aux jets ronds subsoniques

Cette these a pour objectif le calcul direct du bruit rayonne par des jets ronds subsoniques a haut nombre de Mach et a nombre de Reynolds eleve. Un solveur L. E. S. En coordonnees cylindriques a ete developpe. La singularite des equations sur l'axe a ete traitee numeriquement tout en maintenant une precision de resolution elevee et l'evolution de la couche limite dans la tuyere est calculee. Une methode de generation de la turbulence a ete mise au point, afin d'obtenir des niveaux de fluctuations eleves en sortie de buse. Des mesures aerodynamiques et acoustiques ont ensuite ete realisees sur des jets subsoniques et supersoniques, pour construire une base de donnees servant a la validation des calculs. Deux jets ronds a Mach 0. 9 ont finalement ete simules. L'un est turbulent en sortie de buse et l'autre est laminaire. Les champs aerodynamiques et acoustiques sont en tres bon accord avec les mesures et le taux de turbulence a un effet notable sur le rayonnement des jets.
Norms for reasoning about decisions

Abstract Reasoning research has traditionally focused on the derivation of beliefs from beliefs, but it is increasingly turning to reasoning about decisions. In the absence of a single, entrenched normative model, the drive toward normativism is weaker in this new field than in its parent fields. The current balance between normativism and descriptivism is illustrated by three approaches to reasoning about decisions.
Discrete Combinatorial Surfaces

Abstract A new approach to the concept of discrete surfaces is proposed, It is a combinatorial approach. A surface is defined by vertices, edges, and faces satisfying the conditions of two-dimensional combinatorial manifolds. A set of voxels (points with integer coordinates) is a surface iff these points are the vertices of a two-dimensional combinatorial manifold. This approach allows introduction of several notions of discrete surfaces: The first, called a quadrangulated surface, is a combinatorial manifold whose faces are squares; the second, called a triangulated surface, is a combinatorial manifold whose faces are triangles, The last is associated with a neighborhood relation; thus, there are as many concepts of triangulated surfaces as there are neighborhood relations. As a consequence the same concepts, algorithms, and methods can be used in computer imagery and in the field of topology-based geometric modeling (so called "boundary representation").
Subcellular Localization of Bacillus subtilis SMC, a Protein Involved in Chromosome Condensation and Segregation

ABSTRACT We have investigated the subcellular localization of the SMC protein in the gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Recent work has shown that SMC is required for chromosome condensation and faithful chromosome segregation during the B. subtiliscell cycle. Using antibodies against SMC and fluorescence microscopy, we have shown that SMC is associated with the chromosome but is also present in discrete foci near the poles of the cell. DNase treatment of permeabilized cells disrupted the association of SMC with the chromosome but not with the polar foci. The use of a truncatedsmc gene demonstrated that the C-terminal domain of the protein is required for chromosomal binding but not for the formation of polar foci. Regular arrays of SMC-containing foci were still present between nucleoids along the length of aseptate filaments generated by depleting cells of the cell division protein FtsZ, indicating that the formation of polar foci does not require the formation of septal structures. In slowly growing cells, which have only one or two chromosomes, SMC foci were principally observed early in the cell cycle, prior to or coincident with chromosome segregation. Cell cycle-dependent release of stored SMC from polar foci may mediate segregation by condensation of chromosomes.
Considerations on Recommendation Independence for a Find-Good-Items Task

This paper examines the notion of recommendation independence, which is a constraint that a recommendation result is independent from specific information. This constraint is useful in ensuring adherence to laws and regulations, fair treatment of content providers, and exclusion of unwanted information. For example, to make a job-matching recommendation socially fair, the matching should be independent of socially sensitive information, such as gender or race. We previously developed several recommenders satisfying recommendation independence, but these were all designed for a predicting-ratings task, whose goal is to predict a score that a user would rate. We here focus on another find-good-items task, which aims to find some items that a user would prefer. In this task, scores representing the degree of preference to items are first predicted, and some items having the largest scores are displayed in the form of a ranked list. We developed a preliminary algorithm for this task through a naive approach, enhancing independence between a preference score and sensitive information. We empirically show that although this algorithm can enhance independence of a preference score, it is not fit for the purpose of enhancing independence in terms of a ranked list. This result indicates the need for inventing a notion of independence that is suitable for use with a ranked list and that is applicable for completing a find-good-items task.