Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Determining Three-Way Decisions With Decision-Theoretic Rough Sets Using a Relative Value Approach

Three-way decisions play an important role in rough sets and decision theory. As a representative model, decision-theoretic rough sets (DTRSs) provide a sound interpretation of thresholds used in three-way decisions. This problem is associated with the determination of the loss function of DTRSs. In this paper, we investigate a novel way of determining the loss functions of DTRSs with relative values. More specifically, with the aid of analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method, the determination of loss functions is realized in the context of DTRSs. First, a hierarchical structure of DTRSs is constructed. Second, along the hierarchical structure, pairwise comparison matrices are analyzed in a top-down fashion. In light of the generic condition imposed on the loss functions of DTRSs, some constraints on relative values between loss functions are introduced. The relative ratios at each level are computed. Considering the consistency ratio (CR) of the reciprocal matrices, two mathematical programming approaches are developed by exploiting the flexibility of information granularity. Then, we design a decision procedure for the determination of loss functions and deduce three-way decisions. The loss functions are calculated by aggregating the relative ratios being available at each level. With regard to the loss functions, we finally compare the existing studies with the AHP method. We demonstrate that the relative value with AHP improves the restriction of the existing studies and exhibits a certain level of tolerance to inconsistency.
Risk of postoperative hypoglycemia in cardiovascular surgical patients receiving computer-based versus paper-based insulin therapy.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the safety and efficacy of replacing a paper-based protocol with a computer-guided glucose management system (CGMS) for the treatment of postoperative hyperglycemia in the cardiovascular intensive care unit (CVICU). METHODS With use of a before-and-after analysis, adult patients (≥18 years) discharged from the CVICU and treated with the paper protocol were compared with patients discharged from the CVICU and treated with the CGMS. Of the 1,648 patients analyzed, 991 were in the CGMS group. Clinical end points were evaluated by using the Wilcoxon test. Unadjusted and adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for each hypoglycemic end point were calculated from Cox models with use of the proportional hazards regression procedure, and clinical end points were adjusted for potential confounders. RESULTS Patients treated with the paper protocol were 6 times as likely to experience clinical hypoglycemia (blood glucose ≤70 mg/dL) as patients treated with the CGMS (adjusted HR = 6.06; P<.0001) and more than 7 times as likely to experience severe hypoglycemia (blood glucose ≤40 mg/dL) (adjusted HR = 7.59; P=.01). Despite the increased risk of hypoglycemia, no significant difference in length of stay or mortality was observed between the groups. CONCLUSION CGMS treatment of postoperative hyperglycemia in CVICU patients can successfully attain goal glucose levels with a significant reduction in hypoglycemia in comparison with a paper protocol. This association persists after controlling for covariates.
Comparative Efficacy of Nonpurpuragenic Pulsed Dye Laser and Intense Pulsed Light for Erythematotelangiectatic Rosacea

BACKGROUND Erythematotelangiectatic (ET) rosacea is commonly treated with a variety of laser and light‐based systems. Although many have been used successfully, there are a limited number of comparative efficacy studies. OBJECTIVE To compare nonpurpuragenic pulsed dye laser (PDL) with intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment in the ability to reduce erythema, telangiectasia, and symptoms in patients with moderate facial ET rosacea. METHODS Twenty‐nine patients were enrolled in a randomized, controlled, single‐blind, split‐face trial with nonpurpuragenic treatment with PDL and IPL and untreated control. Three monthly treatment sessions were performed with initial PDL settings of 10‐mm spot size, 7 J/cm2, 6‐ms pulse duration and cryogen cooling, and initial IPL settings of 560‐nm filter, a pulse train of 2.4 and 6.0 ms in duration separated by a 15‐ms delay, and a starting fluence of 25 J/cm2. Evaluation measures included spectrophotometric erythema scores, blinded investigator grading, and patient assessment of severity and associated symptoms. RESULTS PDL and IPL resulted in significant reduction in cutaneous erythema, telangiectasia, and patient‐reported associated symptoms. No significant difference was noted between PDL and IPL treatment. CONCLUSION A series of nonpurpuragenic PDL and IPL treatments in ET rosacea was performed with similar efficacy and safety, and both modalities seem to be reasonable choices for the treatment of ET rosacea.
Proteomic analysis revealed a strong association of a high level of α1‐antitrypsin in gastric juice with gastric cancer

To investigate the pathology of gastric disorders, we compared the proteomic patterns of gastric juice from patients with various gastric disorders. In healthy subjects pepsin A, pepsin B and gastric lipase were the major proteins detected by two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis. These digestive enzymes were not detected in 60% of gastric cancer cases (18 out of 30 analyzed cases). Interestingly, an extraordinary amount of α1‐antitrypsin was observed in these cases. In contrast to gastric cancer cases, α1‐antitrypsin was detected in only 5% of patients (three out of 56) with chronic atrophic gastritis, and the detection frequency went up as the disease developed (one of four intestinal metaplasia cases, two of seven tubular adenoma cases, a single examined case of hyperplastic polyp and 60% of gastric cancer). Zymography showed that a 60 kDa protease strongly associated with α1‐antitrypsin and mass spectrometric analysis revealed that the gastric α1‐antitrypsin was a protease‐cleaved form. Our data suggest that α1‐antitrypsin and 60 kDa protease may serve as good diagnostic and prognostic markers for conditions associated with gastric cancer.
Changes of Noradrenergic Activity and Lipolysis in the Subcutaneous Abdominal Adipose Tissue of Hypo‐ and Hyperthyroid Patients: An In Vivo Microdialysis Study

Abstract: Thyroid function plays an important role in the regulation of overall metabolic rate and lipid metabolism. However, it is uncertain whether thyroid hormones directly affect lipolysis in adipose tissue and to what extent those changes contribute to overall metabolic phenotype. Our study was designed, using the microdialysis technique, to determine basal and isoprenaline‐stimulated local lipolysis and to determine local concentrations of lipolysis‐regulating catecholamines in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue in 12 patients with hypothyroidism, 6 patients with hyperthyroidism, and 12 healthy control subjects. Plasma norepinephrine (NE) concentrations in hypothyroid subjects were significantly higher than in the control and hyperthyroid groups. In contrast, systemic, adipose NE levels in hypothyroid patients were decreased relative to controls. Hyperthyroidism, on the other hand, resulted in four‐fold higher adipose NE levels. Basal lipolysis measured by glycerol concentrations in adipose tissue was significantly attenuated in hypothyroid patients and markedly increased in hyperthyroid patients in comparison with the control group. In addition to differences in basal lipolysis, hypothyroidism resulted in attenuated, and hyperthyroidism in enhanced, lipolytic response to local stimulation with β1,2‐adrenergic agonist isoprenaline. These results demonstrate that lipolysis in abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue is strongly modulated by thyroid function. We suggest that thyroid hormones regulate lipolysis primarily by affecting local NE concentration and/or adrenergic postreceptor signaling.
Frontostriatal and Dopamine Markers of Individual Differences in Reinforcement Learning: A Multi-modal Investigation

Prior studies have shown that dopamine (DA) functioning in frontostriatal circuits supports reinforcement learning (RL), as phasic DA activity in ventral striatum signals unexpected reward and may drive coordinated activity of striatal and orbitofrontal regions that support updating of action plans. However, the nature of DA functioning in RL is complex, in particular regarding the role of DA clearance in RL behavior. Here, in a multi-modal neuroimaging study with healthy adults, we took an individual differences approach to the examination of RL behavior and DA clearance mechanisms in frontostriatal learning networks. We predicted that better RL would be associated with decreased striatal DA transporter (DAT) availability and increased intrinsic functional connectivity among DA-rich frontostriatal regions. In support of these predictions, individual differences in RL behavior were related to DAT binding potential in ventral striatum and resting-state functional connectivity between ventral striatum and orbitofrontal cortex. Critically, DAT binding potential had an indirect effect on reinforcement learning behavior through frontostriatal connectivity, suggesting potential causal relationships across levels of neurocognitive functioning. These data suggest that individual differences in DA clearance and frontostriatal coordination may serve as markers for RL, and suggest directions for research on psychopathologies characterized by altered RL.
Association between off-label use of drug-eluting stents and subsequent stent thrombosis: a case-control analysis.

OBJECTIVES We sought to examine the association between off-label drug-eluting stent (DES) use and stent thrombosis (ST) in unselected patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). BACKGROUND DES are frequently used in clinical and angiographic scenarios not initially tested and approved by the FDA (off-label use) resulting in lingering concerns about the higher risk of ST in these situations. METHODS Out of 5,383 patients undergoing PCI at a single center between 2004 and 2006, 380 had death or myocardial infarction within 1 year. After adjudication using Academic Research Consortium definitions, patients with possible, probable or definite ST were termed cases. Cases were matched with controls, free of ST at 1 year, using geographic and temporal similarities. Off-label usage was defined using manufacturer's instructions and other standard criteria. RESULTS Overall, the proportion of off-label usage was higher among cases than controls (58% vs. 43%; p = 0.002) and both cases with definite/probable ST (77% vs. 59%; p = 0.08) and possible ST (54% vs. 37%; p = 0.002) had a higher off-label use than respective controls. Off-label use among cases with ST remained higher within the following subgroups: off-label by manufacturer's criteria (36% vs. 27%; p = 0.05), left main stent implantation (2% vs. 0%; p = 0.01), ostial (12% vs. 6%; p = 0.04) and bifurcated lesions (26% vs. 9%; p < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, being a case independently predicted off-label use (OR 1.68, 95% CI: 1.10-2.57; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS In this case-control analysis, off-label use of DES was independently associated with ST within 1 year, although the increased risk was moderate.
Immunoglobulin heavy chain Diversity genes rearrangement pattern indicates that MALT‐type gastric lymphoma B cells have undergone an antigen selection process

Gastric MALT lymphoma usually develops from chronic gastritis, the vast majority of which (>90%) is associated with Helicobacter pylori infection. We sequenced the third complementarity determining region (CDR3) of immunoglobulin heavy chain genes in 19 gastric MALT lymphoma clones to determine the pattern of variable (V), diversity (D) and joining (J) gene utilization during immunoglobulin gene rearrangement.
Endoglycan, a Member of the CD34 Family of Sialomucins, Is a Ligand for the Vascular Selectins1

The interactions of the selectin family of adhesion molecules with their ligands are essential for the initial rolling stage of leukocyte trafficking. Under inflammatory conditions, the vascular selectins, E- and P-selectin, are expressed on activated vessels and interact with carbohydrate-based ligands on the leukocyte surface. While several ligands have been characterized on human T cells, monocytes and neutrophils, there is limited information concerning ligands on B cells. Endoglycan (EG) together with CD34 and podocalyxin comprise the CD34 family of sialomucins. We found that EG, previously implicated as an L-selectin ligand on endothelial cells, was present on human B cells, T cells and peripheral blood monocytes. Upon activation of B cells, EG increased with a concurrent decrease in PSGL-1. Expression of EG on T cells remained constant under the same conditions. We further found that native EG from several sources (a B cell line, a monocyte line and human tonsils) was reactive with HECA-452, a mAb that recognizes sialyl Lewis X and related structures. Moreover, immunopurified EG from these sources was able to bind to P-selectin and where tested E-selectin. This interaction was divalent cation-dependent and required sialylation of EG. Finally, an EG construct supported slow rolling of E- and P-selectin bearing cells in a sialic acid and fucose dependent manner, and the introduction of intact EG into a B cell line facilitated rolling interactions on a P-selectin substratum. These in vitro findings indicate that EG can function as a ligand for the vascular selectins.
Enzyme-induced biodegradation of polycarbonate polyurethanes: dependence on hard-segment concentration.

Polycarbonate-based polyurethanes with varying hard segment contents were synthesized. The physical and chemical structures were characterized by using gel permeation chromatography, differential scanning calorimetry, water uptake testing, Fourier transform infrared, and attenuated total reflectance--Fourier transform infrared. The polymers were incubated with cholesterol esterase in a phosphate buffer solution at 37 degrees C over 10 weeks. A higher resistance to hydrolytic degradation was observed in polycarbonate-based urethanes with higher hard segment content. The analysis of the material structures revealed that the degradation of polycarbonate-based urethanes was preferentially initiated at non-hydrogen-bonded carbonates and urethanes. Although the crystallinity of the polycarbonate soft segment may contribute to reducing the hydrolytic degradation catalyzed by cholesterol esterase, it was found to be relatively minor in comparison to the importance of hydrogen bonding between the carbonate and urethane groups. These observations suggest that the biostability of polyurethanes and specifically polycarbonate-based polyurethanes can be improved by manipulating the degree of hydrogen bonding within the materials.
Preferred room temperature of young vs aged males: the influence of thermal sensation, thermal comfort, and affect.

BACKGROUND While research has demonstrated that aged persons may show impaired thermoregulatory control, we do not know whether dysthermia in the aged results from altered behavioral or autonomic responses. Consequently, we investigated age-related differences concerning the ability to regulate room temperature. METHODS Two groups of matched healthy males (22.9 yr and 66.9 yr) were subjects of this study. After equilibration at 24 degrees C (rh 50%), chamber temperature controllers were set into cooling mode. Using a dual position switch, subjects adjusted this temperature when air temperature moved outside their preferred range. Switch operation resulted in maximal cooling or heating, without a steady state. Subjective ratings of thermal sensation, discomfort, and affect were provided at each activation. RESULTS Both groups controlled temperature equivalently: 24.9 degrees C (+/- 1.3, young) and 24.5 degrees C (+/- 1.5, elderly; p > .05). At cold-induced change points, the skin temperatures of the calf, thigh, chest, and hand were significantly lower in the elderly subjects. During the heat-induced changes, chest, hand, upper arm, and mean skin temperatures were also lower (p < .05). At cold-induced change points, the elderly group felt colder (p < .05), were less uncomfortable (p < .05), and felt better than the young subjects (p < .05). During heat-induced changes, thermal sensation was equivalent, the elderly were more comfortable (p < .05), and felt better (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS Assuming thermal discomforture drives behavior, it is possible that elderly people may require a more intense thermal stimulus to elicit the appropriate behavioral responses in the home. It is also possible that such stimuli will result in a greater heat flow, elevating the risk of dysthermia in the aged.
Repression by ARP-1 sensitizes apolipoprotein AI gene responsiveness to RXR alpha and retinoic acid

The gene coding for apolipoprotein AI (apoAI), a lipid binding protein involved in the transport of cholesterol and other lipids in the plasma, is expressed in mammals predominantly in the liver and the intestine. Liver-specific expression is controlled by synergistic interactions between transcription factors bound to three separate sites, sites A (-214 to -192), B (-169 to -146), and C (-134 to -119), within a powerful liver-specific enhancer located between nucleotides -222 and -110 upstream of the apoAI gene transcription start site (+1). Previous studies in our laboratory have shown that ARP-1, a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily whose ligand is unknown (orphan receptor), binds to site A and represses transcription of the apoAI gene in liver cells. In a more recent series of experiments, we found that site A is a retinoic acid (RA) response element that responds preferentially to the recently identified RA-responsive receptor RXR alpha over the previously characterized RA receptors RAR alpha and RAR beta. In this study we investigated the combined effects of ARP-1 and RXR alpha on apoAI gene expression in liver cells. Transient transfection assays showed that site A is necessary and sufficient for RXR alpha-mediated transactivation of the apoAI gene basal promoter in human hepatoma HepG2 cells in the presence of RA and that this transactivation is abolished by increasing amounts of cotransfected ARP-1. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and subsequent Scatchard analysis of the data revealed that ARP-1 and RXR alpha bind to site A with similar affinities. These assays also revealed that ARP-1 and RXR alpha bind to site A as heterodimers with an affinity approximately 10 times greater than that of either ARP-1 or RXR alpha alone. Further transfection assays in HepG2 cells, using as a reporter a construct containing the apoAI gene basal promoter and its upstream regulatory elements (including site A) in their natural context, revealed that RXR alpha has very little effect on the levels of expression regardless of the presence or absence of RA. However, while ARP-1 alone or ARP-1 and RXR alpha together dramatically repress expression in the absence of RA, the repression by ARP-1 and RXR alpha together, but not ARP-1 alone, is almost completely alleviated in the presence of RA. These results indicate that transcriptional repression by ARP-1 sensitizes apoAI gene responsiveness to RXR alpha and RA and suggest that the magnitude of this responsiveness is regulated by the intracellular ratio of ARP-1 to RXR alpha. These observations raise the possibility that transcriptional repression is a general mechanism for switching gene transcription between alternative transcription activation pathways.
Hypertension, Dyslipidemia, and Insulin Resistance in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus or the Cardiometabolic Syndrome: Benefits of Vasodilating β‐Blockers

Hypertension frequently coexists with diabetes and the cardiometabolic syndrome. β‐Blockers have been a mainstay for controlling blood pressure for nearly 4 decades. However, β‐blockers are perceived to cause glucose and lipid metabolism dysregulation, including hypoglycemia masking, reduced glycemic control, insulin resistance, and dyslipidemia. It should be noted, however, that β‐blockers are diverse in their effects on glucose and lipid metabolism. Potential mechanisms that contribute to these metabolic effects include hemodynamic differences, anti‐inflammatory and anti‐oxidative pathways, and/or weight changes. Traditional β‐blockers decrease cardiac output while peripheral vascular resistance increases or remains unchanged, which may result in glucose and lipid abnormalities. In contrast, vasodilating β‐blockers reduce peripheral vascular resistance but have little effect on cardiac output. Vasodilating β‐blockers may therefore result in less impact on insulin sensitivity and glycemic control, a reduced new‐onset diabetes risk, and improved dyslipidemia compared with traditional β‐blockers. Because of these effects, vasodilating β‐blockers may represent a favorable option in the treatment of high‐risk patients with hypertension. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2011;13:52–59. ©2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Objective vs. Self-report Sedentary Behavior in Overweight and Obese Young Adults.

BACKGROUND Sedentary behavior (SED) has been measured almost exclusively by self-reported total SED or television time in longitudinal studies. This manuscript aimed to compare self-reported vs. objectively measured SED. METHODS Among overweight and obese young adults enrolled in a weight loss trial, baseline SED was assessed by 3 methods: 1) a questionnaire assessing 8 common SEDs (SEDQ), 2) 1 question assessing SED from the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (SEDGPAQ), and 3) a monitor worn on the arm (SEDOBJ). In addition, television time (SEDTV) was isolated from the SEDQ. SED measures were compared using Spearman's correlations, signed-rank tests, and Bland-Altman plots. RESULTS In 448 participants, SEDQ and SEDGPAQ were only weakly associated with SEDOBJ (rs = 0.21; P < .001, rs = 0.32; P < .001, respectively). Compared with SEDOBJ, SEDQ more often overestimated SEDOBJ (median difference: 1.1 hours/day; P < .001), while SEDGPAQ more often underestimated SEDOBJ (median difference: -0.7 hours/day; P < .001). The correlation between SEDTV and SEDOBJ was not significantly different from 0 (rs = 0.08; P = .08). CONCLUSIONS SEDQ and SEDGPAQ were weakly correlated with, and significantly different from, SEDOBJ in overweight and obese young adults. SEDTV was not related to SEDOBJ. The poor associations of self-reported and objectively measured SED could affect interpretation and comparison across studies relating SED to adverse health outcomes.