Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevention of Macrovascular Disease: Absolute Proof or Absolute Risk?

Advances in medicine this century have generally stemmed either from the isolation or synthesis of a chemical substance, which produces such a startling improvement in hitherto terminal disease that none can argue with its success, or from carefuly conducted, randomized, clinical trials demonstrating the superiority of a particular therapy over the omission of such therapy. Therapy based on evidence which falls short of these ideals, although it may have been standard practice in its day, can generally with hindsight be seen to have been ‘quackery’. Diabetes practice has had its share of real advances: the dramatic effects of insulin and antibiotic treatment are undeniable and the place of photocoagulation treatment for retinopathy is well established by clinical trials. The prevention of diabetic microvascular complications by meticulous glycaemic control has not, however, been an easy target for controlled clinical trials. The Diabetic Control and Complications Trial appears to be showing benefit from tight glycaemic control, but results so far are really a ’half-time score’. ’ Effects on overall mortality will only become clear as the trial participants advance in age. Importantly, despite the initial favourable effect of tight glycaemic control on serum low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, wil l its long-term effects be to increase the incidence of CHD by swelling the ranks of the obese, hyperlipidaemic, hypertensive diabetic patients, who already typify much of diabetic practice? The active intervention group already weigh 4.6 kg more than those receiving usual care. The evidence, upon which to base sound clinical practice, becomes even more insecure, when one considers how to prevent coronary heart disease (CHD), cerebrovascular disease, and other macrovascular complications of diabetes. There is no doubt that CHD risk is increased by diabetes2 and that this is the most likely cause of premature death in diabetes. Indubitably, too, the three mutable risk factors for CHD, cigarette-smoking, hypertension, and hyperlipidaemia, have even more impact than they do in non-diabetic people.2 But where is the clinical trial evidence, which allows the diabetologist to devise a reasonable service to prevent the macrovascular complications of diabetes? There is no controlled clinical trial evidence that not smoking i s beneficial nor can there ever be, but epidemiological evidence i s strong. By asking our patients to stop we wil l not be harming them and such advice is cheap. It is, however, generally inef fe~t ive. ~ Currently good diabetes practice requires active management of hypertension. There is clinical trial evidence in non-diabetic people that treating blood pressure will decrease the risk of cerebral in fa r~ t ion . ~ Cerebral
Assessing cardiac and liver iron overload in chronically transfused patients with sickle cell disease

Transfusional iron overload represents a substantial challenge in the management of patients with sickle cell disease (SCD) who receive chronic or episodic red blood cell transfusions. Iron‐induced cardiomyopathy is a leading cause of death in other chronically transfused populations but rarely seen in SCD. Study objectives were to: (i) examine the extent of myocardial and hepatic siderosis using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in chronically transfused SCD patients, and (ii) evaluate the relationship between long‐term (over the 5 years prior to enrolment) mean serum ferritin (MSF), spot‐ferritin values and liver iron content (LIC) measured using MRI and liver biopsy. Thirty‐two SCD patients (median age 15 years) with transfusional iron overload were recruited from two U.S. institutions. Long‐term MSF and spot‐ferritin values significantly correlated with LIC by MRI‐R2* (r = 0·77, P < 0·001; r = 0·82, P < 0·001, respectively). LIC by MRI‐R2* had strong positive correlation with LIC by liver biopsy (r = 0·98, P < 0·001) but modest inverse correlation with cardiac MRI‐T2* (r = −0·41, P = 0·02). Moderate to severe transfusional iron overload in SCD was not associated with aberrations in other measures of cardiac function based on echocardiogram or serum biomarkers. Our results suggest that SCD patients receiving chronic transfusions may not demonstrate significant cardiac iron loading irrespective of ferritin trends, LIC and erythropoiesis suppression.
Noise coupling between signal and power/ground nets due to signal vias transitioning through power/ground plane pair

Signal vias are often used to move a signal from one PCB layer to another. As a result, these vias can penetrate power/ground plane pair and cause noise coupling (crosstalk) between signal and power/ground nets. This paper studies the noise coupling mechanism using a segmentation approach combined with a via capacitance model and a plane-pair cavity model. Noise coupling from signal to power/ground, and vice versa, is demonstrated in the modeling results.
Proposal Flow Supplement

Here we show more quantitive and qualitative results for region-based semantic flow and dense flow field. We first give quantitive comparisons with our PF benchmark in Sec. 1. We then compare quantitatively the performance of dense flow field on the PASCAL parts dataset [1, 14, 15] in Sec. 2. Finally, we show alignment examples of dense flow field on the PF benchmark, Caltech-101 [4], and PASCAL parts datasets [1, 15] in Sec. 3.
Comparison of microsatellite and blood protein diversity in sheep: inconsistencies in fragmented breeds

Finnsheep, Romanov, Oxford Down and three local breeds from Finland or northwestern Russia were assessed at 15 microsatellite and 7 protein loci. A novel albumin allele was identified. Diversity patterns were mostly concordant between marker types, but discrepancies appeared for the local Viena and Vepsia sheep, both demonstrating frequent linkage disequilibria for both marker types and excess of homozygotes for microsatellites, and in the case of Vepsia also for proteins as signs of breed fragmentation. On the basis of microsatellite data, the neighbour‐joining tree and two‐dimensional map constructed from DA distances suggested that difference in longitude of breed origin would relate to breed relationship, whereas on the basis of protein data latitude would have this quality. These different impressions resulted because genetic distances involving Vepsia sheep were relatively low for protein variation compared with microsatellites. Microsatellite variation correlated positively with protein variation, but for the local Viena sheep protein variation was comparatively low. Populations had significant differences in allelic richness, but not in genetic diversity. Analysis implied that at least 30 polymorphic loci were needed to detect a difference in diversity between populations using a paired t‐test, if the true mean diversity difference was 0.2. In the total sample, proteins demonstrated larger θ‐values, but this was reversed for Finnsheep, for which model‐based clustering of microsatellite genotypes revealed a structure associated with coat colour. Imported and rare sheep exhibited lowered allelic variability and increased frequency of pairwise disequilibria between unlinked markers. Our results emphasize that more loci are required for studying fragmented breeds.
Entry of the bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes into mammalian cells

The bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes causes food‐borne illnesses leading to meningitis or abortion. Listeria provokes its internalization (‘entry’) into mammalian cells that are normally non‐phagocytic, such as intestinal epithelial cells and hepatocytes. Entry provides access to a nutrient‐rich cytosol and allows translocation across anatomical barriers. Here I discuss the two major internalization pathways used by Listeria. These pathways are initiated by binding of the bacterial surface proteins InlA or InlB to their respective host receptors, E‐cadherin or Met. InlA mediates traversal of the intestinal barrier, whereas InlB promotes infection of the liver. At the cellular level, both InlA‐ and InlB‐dependent entry require host signalling that promotes cytoskeletal rearrangements and pathogen engulfment. However, many of the specific signalling proteins in the two entry routes differ. InlA‐mediated uptake uses components of adherens junctions that are coupled to F‐actin and myosin, whereas InlB‐dependent entry involves cytosolic adaptors that bridge Met to regulators of F‐actin, including phosphoinositide 3‐kinase and activators of the Arp2/3 complex. Unexpectedly, entry directed by InlB also involves endocytic components. Future work on InlA and InlB will lead to a better understanding of virulence, and may also provide novel insights into the normal biological functions of E‐cadherin and Met.
Analysis of ocean pipeline behavior by parallel large-eddy simulation of fluid motions and sediment transport : A Singapore – Stanford Partnership proposal

“With technological advancements in the field of subsea pipeline surveying and installation continuing at an astounding pace, deep waters that were only recently considered off limits to oil and gas producers are now suddenly accessible. ” [1] At the same time the dangers to the longevity of the pipeline and the health of the surrounding environment grow at an equally astounding pace. Forces due to ocean current, tide, internal wave and surface wave motions can both erode sediment and protective rock barriers and subsequently exert prodigious drag forces on and break exposed and spanning pipelines.
Mata'uvave and 15th Century Ha'apai: Narrative accounts and historical landscapes in the interpretation of classical tongan history

Abstract Mata'uvave is a minor chiefly title from the northern Ha'apai Islands, Kingdom of Tonga. Traditional Tongan history, however, suggests this chief held a pivotal role in the assertion of political authority over this region by Tu'i Tonga Kau'ulufonuafekai in the mid‐15th century A.D. Published narratives and genealogies, recently collected oral accounts, place names, and archaeological sites, provide a basis from which this history is interpreted. These sources reveal much about the events and socio‐political processes of pre‐contact chiefly polity in Tonga. The account of Mata'uvave further illustrates the potential of historical landscapes as a supplementary order of data for traditional history in general. Through construction of monumental archaeological sites and through commemoration of associated activities in place names, Mata'uvave transcribed himself onto the cartography of northern Ha'apai. This landscape composes a mnemonic index by which oral accounts may be accessed and evaluated.
Adaptation of wheat and protein-mineral concentrate intakes by individual hens fed ad libitum in sequential or in loose-mix systems

1. Feed intake and performance of birds given sequential or loose-mix feeding was investigated from 19 to 42 weeks of age. A complete diet was fed as control (C). A balancer diet (50) was fed either sequentially (S50) or in a loose-mix (L50) with wheat. This diet was formulated to provide a similar nutritive value as C assuming a 50 : 50 diet and wheat intake. Another balancer diet (25) was fed sequentially (S25) or in a loose-mix (L25) with wheat. The diet was to provide a similar nutritive value as C assuming 75 : 25 diet and wheat intakes. In sequential feeding, only wheat was fed in the morning (4 h after lights-on) and the balancer diet in the late afternoon (4 h before lights-off). In the loose-mix treatment, a mixture of the two diets was fed throughout the 16-h daily light. Each treatment was given ad libitum to 25 birds in individual cages. 2. Birds fed on L25 had lower total feed intakes than those receiving C, S50 or S25. Protein intake was reduced with L25 compared to C, S50, S25 and L50. Metabolisable energy (ME) intake was, however, similar among all treatments. Egg production and weight were reduced with L25 compared to S50 and S25. Body weight (BW) was lowered with L25. However, there was high individual variation in all variables. 3. Feeding system (sequential vs loose-mix) had no effect on ME intake. However, the loose-mix treatment reduced feed and protein intake due to lower balancer diet intake. It also resulted in low egg production, egg and BWs compared to sequential feeding. The weights of pancreas and gizzard were heavier with sequential and loose-mix compared to the control. 4. The loose-mix treatment reduced egg-laying performance. Sequential feeding resulted in similar egg-laying performance to conventional feeding and thus could be used to advantage in situations where it is applicable.
Capacitation of rabbit spermatozoa in vitro.

This research was carried out to define in vitro conditions that would enable ejaculated rabbit sperm to fertilize ova in vitro. During 20 mm exposure of sperm cells to defined media of increasing NaCI concentrations, progressive removal or alteration of sperm surface seminal plasma antigenic components was initiated and completed as reflected by an immunological assay at approximately 300 and 380 mOsm/kg, respectively. Hypertonic (380 mOsm/kg) medium effected complete removal or alteration of these components as determined by the immunological assay during the first 5 mm of sperm treatment. Isotonic (305 mOsm/kg) treatment was shown to have effected removal or alteration of some but not all of the antigenic sperm coating seminal plasma components detectable by this means during 20 mm of exposure. Sperm within the perivitelline apace, presence of pronuclei. and 2- and 4-cell cleavage stages were taken as evidence for fertilization. None of 34 ova incubated for 27 h in vitro with once-washed sperm showed evidence of fertilization. Following treatment of sperm with hypertonic (380 mOsm/kg) medium prior to in vitro insemination, proportions of ova showing evidence of fertilization ranged from 8.1 percent (12 to 148 ova) to 72.2 percent (52 of 72 ova); and, following treatment of sperm with isotonic (305 mOsm/kg) medium, fertilization of ova ranged from 0 percent (0 to 19 ova) to 73.9 percent (SI of 69 ova) when results were considered according to individual male sperm donors. No large differences were found by the immunological assay that could be linked to variability of fertilizing ability of sperm from different bucks. Differences in metabolic characteristics of sperm cells was suggested as a likely reason for differences in fertilizing ability of sperm from different bucks. In experiments using sperm and ova from the same sources, no differences in fertilization results were apparent following 305 and 380 mOsm/kg sperm treatments, Initiation, but not completion, of removal or alteration of sperm surface seminal plasma antigenic components, then, was a necessary prerequisite to in vitro insemination for successful achievement of fertilization in vitro. Sperm penetration into ova occurred in some cases before 7-10 h after insemination (4 of 54 ova penetrated), but actively motile sperm were found within the perivitelline apace of other ova as late as 25 h after insemination. One hundred and seventy-six 2- and 4-cell stage embryos were transferred to 14 recipient does. Twenty-four embryos (13.1 percent) implanted in 6 recipients but most were resorbed. Three embryos resulting from in vitro fertilization with in vitro capacitated ejaculated rabbit sperm were carried successfully to term by 2 recipients and 2 of the offspring were males. This provides documentation for the authenticity of in vitro capacitation of ejaculated sperm of a mammalian species and represents the initial successful combination of in vitro sperm capacitation with in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer in the rabbit.
ISHNE/EHRA Expert Consensus on Remote Monitoring of Cardiovascular Implantable Electronic Devices (CIEDs)

We are in the midst of a rapidly evolving era of technology‐assisted medicine. The field of telemedicine provides the opportunity for highly individualized medical management in a way that has never been possible before. Evolving medical technologies using cardiac implantable devices with capabilities for remote monitoring permit evaluation of multiple parameters of cardiovascular physiology and risk, including cardiac rhythm, device function, blood pressure values, the presence of myocardial ischaemia, and the degree of compensation of congestive heart failure. Cardiac risk, device status, and response to therapies can now be assessed with these electronic systems of detection and reporting. This document reflects the extensive experience from investigators and innovators around the world who are shaping the evolution of this rapidly expanding field, focusing in particular on implantable pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators, devices for cardiac resynchronization therapy (both with and without defibrillation properties), loop recorders, and hemodynamic monitoring devices. This document covers the basic methodologies, guidelines for their use, experience with existing applications, and the legal and reimbursement aspects associated with their use. To adequately cover this important emerging topic, the International Society for Holter and Noninvasive Electrocardiology and the European Heart Rhythm Association combined their expertise in this field. We hope that the development of this field can contribute to improve care of our cardiovascular patients.
The apoptotic signaling pathway activated by Toll‐like receptor‐2

The innate immune system uses Toll family receptors to signal for the presence of microbes and initiate host defense. Bacterial lipoproteins (BLPs), which are expressed by all bacteria, are potent activators of Toll‐like receptor‐2 (TLR2). Here we show that the adaptor molecule, myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), mediates both apoptosis and nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) activation by BLP‐stimulated TLR2. Inhibition of the NF‐κB pathway downstream of MyD88 potentiates apoptosis, indicating that these two pathways bifurcate at the level of MyD88. TLR2 signals for apoptosis through MyD88 via a pathway involving Fas‐associated death domain protein (FADD) and caspase 8. Moreover, MyD88 binds FADD and is sufficient to induce apoptosis. These data indicate that TLR2 is a novel ‘death receptor’ that engages the apoptotic machinery without a conventional cytoplasmic death domain. Through TLR2, BLP induces the synthesis of the precursor of the pro‐inflammatory cytokine interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β). Interestingly, BLP also activates caspase 1 through TLR2, resulting in proteolysis and secretion of mature IL‐1β. These results indicate that caspase activation is an innate immune response to microbial pathogens, culminating in apoptosis and cytokine production.
Phosphorylation of Synaptic Proteins in Chick Forebrain: Changes with Development and Passive Avoidance Training

Abstract: We have used synaptic plasma membranes (SPMs) and postsynaptic densities (PSDs) to study protein phosphorylation at the synapse in the developing chick forebrain and in 1‐day‐old chick forebrain following training on a passive avoidance task. Endogenous phosphorylation patterns in SPMs and PSDs prepared by extraction with n‐octylglucoside isolated from chick forebrain were investigated by labelling with [32P]ATP. The phosphoprotein components of the SPM and PSD fractions were separated using sodium dodecyl sulphate gradient polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Autoradiography and densitometry of the Coomassie Blue protein staining pattern revealed phosphate incorporation into several SPM components including those of molecular mass 52, 37, and 29 kilodaltons (kDa). Bands of similar molecular mass were not phosphorylated in PSD fractions. This difference in phosphorylation between SPMs and PSDs was not due to the detergent n‐octylglucoside. In a developmental study in which SPM and PSD fractions were prepared from 1‐day‐old, 14‐day‐old, and 21‐day‐old chickens, the phosphorylation patterns of SPMs were similar throughout, but striking differences occurred in PSDs, both in the level of phosphor ylation and in the components phosphorylated. A time‐course study was carried out in which phosphorylation of SPMs and PSDs from 1‐day‐old chicks trained on a passive avoidance task was compared with patterns from control chicks trained on a water‐coated bead and untrained chicks. In SPMs prepared from forebrains removed 10 mins following training, a consistent but nonsignificant decrease (‐21%) in phosphorylation of a 52 kDa band occurred in chicks with passive avoidance training compared with water‐trained and untrained chicks. After 30 min, this decrease was greater (‐34%, p < 0.05) and was significant. There was a concomitant but nonsignificant increase (+22%) in phosphorylation of a 45 kDa component in the SPM fraction. No significant changes in phosphorylation patterns were seen in PSD fractions or in SPMs and PSDs isolated from cerebella of chicks with passive avoidance training at any time.
Detection of Tannerella forsythensis (Bacteroides forsythus) and porphyromonas gingivalis by polymerase chain reaction in subjects with different periodontal status.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Tannerella forsythensis (formerly Bacteroides forsythus) and Porphyromonas gingivalis in subgingival plaque samples by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and to assess the relationship of these bacteria with different categories of periodontal disease and health. METHODS Subjects were distributed into 3 groups according to their periodontal diagnosis: group 1, periodontally healthy (N = 10); group 2, periodontitis with probing depth < or = 5 mm (N = 10); group 3, periodontitis with probing depth > 5 mm (N = 10). The subjects in groups 2 and 3 had healthy and diseased periodontal sites. Subgingival plaque samples were obtained using paper points inserted into periodontal pockets (diseased sites) and into healthy gingival sulci (healthy sites) of the same subject. RESULTS The distribution of bacteria differed in healthy and diseased sites. T. forsythensis (B. forsythus) was not detected in any sample from healthy sites in any group but was detected in 70% and 100% of diseased sites in groups 2 and 3, respectively. P. gingivalis was detected in only one sample from a healthy site (group 2), and in the diseased sites, its prevalence was 40% (group 2) and 90% (group 3). In addition, T. forsythensis (B. forsythus) and P. gingivalis were both detected in 30% and 90% of the diseased sites in groups 2 and 3, respectively. CONCLUSION These results indicate a possible association between periodontal disease and the presence of T. forsythensis (B. forsythus) and/or P. gingivalis.
Beyond human recognition: A CNN-based framework for handwritten character recognition

Because of the various appearance (different writers, writing styles, noise, etc.), the handwritten character recognition is one of the most challenging task in pattern recognition. Through decades of research, the traditional method has reached its limit while the emergence of deep learning provides a new way to break this limit. In this paper, a CNN-based handwritten character recognition framework is proposed. In this framework, proper sample generation, training scheme and CNN network structure are employed according to the properties of handwritten characters. In the experiments, the proposed framework performed even better than human on handwritten digit (MNIST) and Chinese character (CASIA) recognition. The advantage of this framework is proved by these experimental results.