Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The temporal recovery of fractional flow reserve, coronary flow reserve and index of microcirculatory resistance following myocardial infarction

Purpose of review The purpose of this review was to summarize the healing processes after myocardial infarction (MI) and to relate these temporal changes to data from serial imaging obtained by cardiac magnetic resonance, and then to relate these findings to the invasive measures of the indices of coronary physiology (e.g., fractional flow reserve, coronary flow reserve and index of microcirculatory resistance). Recent findings Indices of coronary physiology measured with an intracoronary wire represent an easily and readily available diagnostic tool for the management of coronary artery disease. Additionally, they give insight into the functional status of the coronary microvasculature. Recent evidence has confirmed initial observations that microvascular recovery occurs after MI and that this is reflected by a progressive improvement of all the indices of coronary physiology over time. More importantly, it has been clarified that this process is variable, but probably predictable as it is affected by the degree of microvascular injury occurring in the acute phase of MI. Summary Microvascular recovery after acute MI affects the measurement of the indices of coronary physiology. Use of fractional flow reserve, coronary flow reserve and index of microcirculatory resistance requires an understanding of how microvasculature evolves after MI. This understanding allows appropriate application of intracoronary physiology both clinically and in research settings.
Why is the Hall Conductance Quantized ? Solution of an open math-phys problem

In the last decade the theory of the Quantum Hall effect for interacting electrons in the thermodynamic limit was put on firm mathematical foundations. The solution rests on advances made by Hastings and Michalakis[2, 10], Giuliani, Mastropietro and Porta, [8], Bachmann, De Roeck and Fraas [4] and others [7, 6, 9, 10]. Here is a brief outline of the main results and of one emergent insight.
Top-down Control over the Processing of Task-irrelevant Rule Violation : Evidence from Visual Mismatch Negativity

An event-related brain potential component called visual mismatch negativity (MMN) reflects the automatic processing of rule-violating events embedded in a visual stimulus sequence. To investigate whether or not the processing of rule-violating events in a task-irrelevant stimulus sequence can be affected by top-down control, we examined the effects of the participant’s voluntary action on visual MMN with a dual-task design. As a primary task, the participants were required to detect a sudden size-change of a central fixation point. As a secondary task, they were required to press one button frequently (about 90%) and another button infrequently (10%) in random order, which produced a task-irrelevant stimulus sequence at surrounding locations. Frequently-performed button presses triggered rule-conforming stimuli (81%), but occasionally rule-violating stimuli (9%, externally-generated rule violation). In contrast, infrequently-performed button presses triggered rule-violating stimuli (9%, self-generated rule violation), but occasionally rule-conforming stimuli (1%). Visual MMN was elicited by externally-generated rule violation, but not by self-generated rule violation. This result indicates that the processing of rule-violating events in a task-irrelevant stimulus sequence can be modulated by top-down control. 生理心理学と精神生理学 33(1) 19‒31, 2015
Vitamin C and copper interactions in guinea-pigs and a study of collagen cross-links

The purpose of this study was, first to explore metabolic interactions between Cu and ascorbic acid in guinea-pigs, particularly with respect to any possible disadvantages of high ascorbatein the presence of low Cu intakes, and second, to test the hypothesis that variations in ascorbate and/or Cu status might inhence collagen cross-linking, either by inducing a change in thecross-links: hydroxyproline ratio, or by inducing a change in the pyridinoline: deoxypyridinoline cross-linls ratio. Four matched groups, each of eight male weanliig Dunkin-Hartley guinea-pigs, were maintained on purified diets containing either no added Cu, or 150 mg Cu/kg diet, and either 0·1 g or 30 g ascorbic acid/kg diet. They were then killed 8 weeks later, and the following indices were measured body and organ weights; blood haemoglobin; adrenal ascorbate concentrations; Cu concentrations in plasma, liver and femur; superoxide dismutase (EC 1.15.1.1) activity in whole blood and liver; hydroxyproline, pyridinoline and deoxypyridinoline in femur and in urine. The principal observations were: Cu intake significantly affected blood and tissue Cu concentrations and superoxide dismutase activity; and ascorbic acid intake significantlyaffected adrenal ascorbate levels and the deoxypyridinoline: pyridinoline cross-links ratio, especially in bone (femur). There was evidence of a significant interaction between ascorbateand Cu with respect to adrenal and plasma Cu concentrations, blood superoxide dismutase activityand body weights. We conclude that interactions between ascorbate and Cu at the functional level were present but modest, and that a new and potentially powerful functional index of ascorbate status may exist within the deoxypyridinoline: pyridinoliie collagen cross-link ratio.
The WTC Scale as a Predictor of Classroom Participation

The participation of students enrolled in classes in philosophy, mathematics, and geography was observed at ~'arious times during a semester. 77lose with high scores on the Willingness to Communicate (UiTC) scale, compared 10 those with low scores, were found to participate significantly more frequently. The results are interpreted as an indication of I'alidicy of the WTC scale and as suggesting the need for additional research relating 10 trait and situational faclOrs affecting student participation in classroom instTtlCtion.
Analysis of Effect of Supervisors ’ Behavior on Subordinates ’ Job Satisfaction

There are numbers of factors that affects the satisfaction level of employees of an organization. Researchers have studied the variables like working conditions, work place environment, role of Perks and benefits, role of training and development etc and their impact on job satisfaction of employees. This study has been done to analyze the impact of Supervisor’s behavior on subordinate’s job satisfaction. For study, the sample has been selected from private universities of Karachi and the questionnaires have been filled by both teaching and non teaching staff. 120 respondents (both male and females) participated and filled the questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis has been run for analysis of data and formulation of possible relation of dependent and independent variables. Five attributes of Supervisors’ behavior are identified from literature review namely Value congruity, Perceptual discrepancy, Supportive behavior, Similar personalities and trustworthiness. It has been found from data analysis that Perceptual discrepancy, supportive behavior and similar personalities do have a significant relation with the job satisfaction. The remaining two variables do not have a significant impact on job satisfaction of subordinates.
Selective Impairment of TLR-Mediated Innate Immunity in Human Newborns: Neonatal Blood Plasma Reduces Monocyte TNF-α Induction by Bacterial Lipopeptides, Lipopolysaccharide, and Imiquimod, but Preserves the Response to R-8481

Newborns are at increased risk of overwhelming infection, yet the mechanisms underlying this susceptibility are incompletely defined. In this study we report a striking 1- to 3-log decrease in sensitivity of monocytes in human neonatal cord blood, compared with monocytes in adult peripheral blood, to the TNF-α-inducing effect of multiple TLR ligands, including bacterial lipopeptides (BLPs), LPS, and the imidazoquinoline compound, imiquimod. In marked contrast, TNF-α release in response to R-848, a TLR ligand that is a congener of imiquimod, was equivalent in newborn and adult blood. Differences in ligand-induced TNF-α release correlated with divergent ligand-induced changes in monocyte TNF-α mRNA levels. Newborn and adult monocytes did not differ in basal mRNA or protein expression of TLRs or mRNA expression of functionally related molecules. Newborn monocytes demonstrated diminished LPS-induced, but equivalent R-848-induced, phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and altered BLP- and LPS-induced acute modulation of cognate receptors, suggesting that the mechanism accounting for the observed differences may be localized proximal to ligand recognition by surface TLRs. Remarkably, newborn plasma conferred substantially reduced BLP-, LPS-, and imiquimod-induced TNF-α release on adult monocytes without any effect on R-848-induced TNF-α release, reflecting differences in a plasma factor(s) distinct from soluble CD14. Impaired response to multiple TLR ligands may significantly contribute to immature neonatal immunity. Conversely, relative preservation of responses to R-848 may present unique opportunities for augmenting innate and acquired immunity in the human newborn.
Obesity, Surgical Site Infection, and Outcome Following Renal Transplantation

Objective:We sought to understand whether obesity imparts detriment in outcome beyond risk of developing surgical site infection (SSI). Summary Background Data:Obesity is a risk factor for SSI following renal transplantation, and has been implicated in inferior patient and graft survival postoperatively. Methods:We conducted a retrospective review of all adult kidney-only transplants performed at the University of Michigan between September 2003 and April 2008. The primary exposure variable was recipient body mass index (BMI). Cox multivariable regression and Kaplan-Meier analysis were used to identify factors associated with SSI, graft loss, and patient death. Results:In total, 869 recipients were studied, including 351 with BMI >30. Multivariate analysis revealed recipient age, delayed graft function, and BMI >30 to be independent risk factors for SSI. SSI was a significant risk factor for graft loss (HR: 2.194, 95% CI: 1.357–3.546) and approached significance as a risk factor for patient death (HR: 1.689, 95% CI: 0.941–3.028). Obesity had no independent effect on graft or patient outcome. Conclusions:SSI is associated with detriment to patient and graft survival following renal transplantation. The prevalence of SSI is higher among obese recipients, but those who avoid SSI have comparable outcomes to nonobese recipients. These findings redemonstrate the importance of SSI prevention following renal transplantation.
Steptrench plasmonic directional coupler

A novel structure is proposed for plasmonic directional couplers based on the steptrench waveguide. The Coupling length and maximum transfer power have been drived as a function of structural parameters. Analysing the coupler have been done with the aid of a compound method. First, propagation constants of symmetric and anti symmetric modes are extracted with the aid of a mode solver (based on numerical method of finite element). Then coupling length and maximum transfer power are drived based on the previous step. Finally the performance of steptrench coupler is compared with the v-groove coupler, revealing the reduction of coupling length for the proposed structure.
Treatment of breast cancer with medroxyprogesterone acetate.

The prolonged administration of large doses of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) in the treatment of patients with disseminated breast cancer was studied. The patients consisted of 17 postmenopausal women previously treated with 1 or more hormones (group I), 17 women (oophorectomized or postnatural menopause) who had received MPA prior to the study (group II), and 2 males with breast carcinoma (group III). Patients received MPA intramuscularly (as Depo-Provera, 100 mg 3 times weekly, 34 patients) or orally (as Provera, 100 mg daily, 2 patients), in all except 4 cases for a minimum of 5 weeks. Patients were classified as showing objective tumor regression or as being treatment failures. 4 patients, because of treatment for neurological complications, were judged not evaluable. 5 group-I patients and 2 group-II patients (both greater than 10 years since menopause) experienced objective tumor regression. All 7 patients received the MPA parenterally. By the end of the study mean duration of the objective remissions was 12 months. 3 of the 7 patients continued in remission at writing, 2 had succumbed to the disease, and 2 were receiving other agents. Site of involvement in these patients was predominantly osseous (3), visceral (2), or soft tissue (2). Mean age of the 7 responders was 69. The mean "free interval" from initial therapy to clinical appearance of distal metastases was 44 months in the responders. All 5 patients from group I had benefited from previous hormonal alterations. Of 10 patients receiving estrogens in combination with MPA immediately after the course of MPA alone, 5 demonstrated objective tumor regression, 1 who had responded to MPA alone. The best response in this group occurred in a 61-year old man. Most patients had no untoward effects with MPA administration. A fairly extensive discussion of the literature on MPA is included.
Terrorism Financing, Recruitment and Attacks: Evidence from a Natural Experiment

I present empirical evidence showing that terrorism financing and recruitment promote terrorist attacks. Pakistan offers an ideal setting for this research due to a natural experiment inducing exogenous variation in terrorism financing. In line with terrorist organisations facing financial frictions, I find a correspondence between the timing and location of finance and the attacks by organisations exposed to this transfer. The effect of financing on attacks increases in recruitment, measured by combining dark web data and machine learning. These results suggest that financial counter-terrorism lowers attacks, which I quantify by estimating the elasticity of terrorist attacks to financing (0.25).
Health Information—Seeking Behavior

Seeking information about one's health is increasingly documented as a key coping strategy in health-promotive activities and psychosocial adjustment to illness. In this article, the authors critically examine the scientific literature from 1982 to 2006 on the concept of health information—seeking behavior (HISB) to determine its level of maturity and clarify the concept's essential characteristics. A principle-based method of concept analysis provides the framework for exploring the nature of HISB. The authors reviewed approximately 100 published articles and five books reporting on HISB. Although HISB is a popular concept used in various contexts, most HISB definitions provide little insight into the concept's specific meanings. The authors describe the concept's characteristics, contributing to a clearer understanding of HISB, and discuss operationalizations, antecedents, and outcomes of HISB. Such an analysis of HISB might guide further theorizing on this highly relevant concept and assist health care providers in designing optimal informational interventions.
Phenotypic Detection of Extended Spectrum Beta Lactamases and Metallo Beta Lactamases in Various Clinical Isolates of Enterobacteriaceae

DOI: 10.21276/sjams.2018. 6.2. 2 Abstract: Enterobacteriaceae group is the main cause of bacterial infection; in this family Escherichia coli and Klebsiella spp. are the most prevalent causes of nosocomial infections. Extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) represents a major threat among multidrug-resistant bacteria. Metallo-beta-lactamase (MBL) producing gram negative bacteria are being reported from several parts of the world and have emerged and clinically significant carbapenem resistance mechanisms. MBL producing bacteria can hydrolyze a wide range of beta-lactam antibiotics and lack the ability to hydrolyze aztreonam. This study was conducted in indoor department of Teerthanker Mahaveer Medical College & Research Centre, Moradabad, U.P. which is a tertiary care hospital. This study was conducted during the period from Jan 2015 to June 2016. A total of 200 gram negative Enterobacteriaceae were isolated in 500 no. of samples. They were screened for the β-lactamase production. Among the 500 isolates β-lactamase production was observed in 200 strains. 114 (57%) strains were ESBL producers; followed by 60 (30%) strains were MBL producers. The major ESBL and MBL producer was E.coli. Multidrug resistance to the fluoroquinolones and the aminoglycosides was also observed in the β–lactamase producing organism. The high prevalence of β-lactamases in ICU. The ESBL-producing organisms are a breed of multidrug-resistant pathogens that are increasing rapidly and becoming a major problem in the area of infectious diseases.
‘Last seen now’: Explaining teenage identities and social capital on social network sites in Kenya

This article sought to address the gap in empirical research related to personal identity and social capital as gratification factors motivating teenage engagement on Social Network Sites (SNSs) in Kenya. We employed a mixed method research design in which Self-administered Questionnaires, Focus Group Discussions and In-depth Interviews were used in data collection. Participants were drawn from a sample of (n = 481) respondents from two sub-counties of Nairobi County. We focused on five popular SNSs namely, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, and Pinterest. Findings revealed that personal identity and social capital significantly influenced teenagers’ engagement on SNSs. Specifically, high school teenagers’ engagement on SNSs was motivated by the need to bridge and maintain social capital more than bonding. We conclude that social network sites engagements among teenagers need to be harnessed for positive outcomes. Equally, we recommend positive use of SNSs in behavior change campaigns targeting teenagers.Keywords: Social Network Sites, Personal identity, Social capital, Uses and Gratifications, Teenagers
Jazf1 promotes prostate cancer progression by activating JNK/Slug

Juxtaposed with another zinc finger protein 1 (Jazf1) is a zinc finger protein and is known to affect both prostate cancer and type 2 diabetes. Jazf1 inhibits testicular nuclear receptor 4 (TR4) activation through protein-protein interaction, which results in weight loss and alleviates diabetes. However, the role of Jazf1 in prostate cancer is still poorly understood. Hence, we investigated whether the expression of Jazf1 is associated with prostate cancer progression. We confirmed the upregulation of Jazf1 expression in human prostate tissue samples. In addition, using Jazf1 overexpressing prostate cancer cell lines, DU145 and LNCaP, we found Jazf1 promoted cell proliferation and colony formation ability. We also observed that Jazf1 dramatically enhanced cell migration and invasion in transwell assays. Additionally, we checked the upregulation of vimentin and downregulation of E-cadherin expression in Jazf1-overexpressing DU145 and LNCaP cells. Moreover, we found that Slug, which is known to be regulated by JNK/c-Jun phosphorylation, was upregulated in the microarray analysis of two prostate cancer cell lines. Jazf1 promotes the phosphorylation of JNK/c-Jun, likely promoting cell proliferation and invasion through Slug. In a xenograft model, tumors overexpressing Jazf1 were larger than control tumors, and tumors with decreased Jazf1 were smaller. These data indicated that Jazf1 enhances prostate cancer progression and metastasis via regulating JNK/Slug signaling. Taken together, these results suggest that Jazf1 plays an important role in both androgen dependent and independent prostate cancer.
Evaluation of universal pre-enrichment broth for isolation of Salmonella spp., Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes from dairy farm environmental samples.

Use of universal pre-enrichment broth (UPB) as a primary enrichment medium for detection of Salmonella spp. , Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Listeria monocytogenes from dairy farm environmental samples was evaluated. There were no differences in bacterial growth between UPB and selective primary enrichment broths for each pathogen inoculated individually or in combination at 10(1) and 10(2) colony forming units/mL. In addition, no differences were observed when UPB and selective primary enrichment broths were compared for detection efficiency of pathogens in artificially contaminated raw milk and fecal samples. Listeria enrichment broth (LEB) was compared with UPB to support growth of L. monocytogenes from naturally contaminated environmental samples. Listeria monocytogenes was isolated from seven of 30 samples enriched in UPB and six of 30 samples enriched in LEB. Dairy farm environmental samples were examined for recovery of the three pathogens using UPB. Subsequent isolation was achieved using selective secondary enrichment of each pathogen. Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp. , and E. coli O157:H7 were isolated in 13.4% (30 of 224), 8.9% (20 of 224), and 2.2% (five of 224) of samples, respectively. Isolation rates of the three pathogens were somewhat higher than in previous reports. Overall, UPB supported growth of test pathogens to detectable levels within 24 h. Our results demonstrate that UPB has potential for routine use in isolation of foodborne pathogens from diverse environmental samples.
Observer design for linear switched differential-algebraic equations

A dynamical system comprises a mathematical model of an underlying physical phenomenon. It has two basic components: external signals which interconnect the system with its environment and the internal state that evolves according to the model description. The external signals can usually further be split into inputs and outputs. One of the basic problem associated with any dynamical system is that of constructing an observer which uses the available information of the external signals to estimate the internal state. The purpose of this project is to develop observers for dynamical systems modeled as switched differential-algebraic equations (DAEs). The motivation to study this particular system class is twofold: 1) In contrast to ordinary differential equations (ODEs), DAEs include differential as well as algebraic equations. Practically every system’s model contains algebraic equations in the first place so it is natural to use DAEs (instead of the simplified ODEs) as a starting point. 2) Possible structural changes (like switches in electrical circuits or component faults in general physical system) can be modeled within the framework of switched systems. As an application of the proposed project, consider for example (national) electrical grids, which are large electrical circuits modeled as DAEs. An observer would then be used to monitor the energy flows through the transmission lines and could prevent overloading. Sudden structural changes in electrical grids are common and have to be taken into account; examples are: tripping of power lines due to harsh weather conditions, or a sudden drop in the energy production by wind turbines when whole wind parks are switched off in the presence of too strong winds. Hence a possible application of the theoretical results obtained by the proposed project could be improved monitoring tools for electrical grids.