Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mathematical model to compare the relative tensile strength of the cornea after PRK, LASIK, and small incision lenticule extraction.

PURPOSE To develop a mathematical model to estimate the relative differences in postoperative stromal tensile strength following photorefractive keratectomy (PRK), LASIK, and small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE). METHODS Using previously published data where in vitro corneal stromal tensile strength was determined as a function of depth, a mathematical model was built to calculate the relative remaining tensile strength by fitting the data with a fourth order polynomial function yielding a high correlation coefficient (R(2) = 0.930). Calculating the area under this function provided a measure of total stromal tensile strength (TTS), based only on the residual stromal layer for PRK or LASIK and the residual stromal layers above and below the lenticule interface for SMILE. RESULTS Postoperative TTS was greatest after SMILE, followed by PRK, then LASIK; for example, in a 550-μm cornea after 100-μm tissue removal, postoperative TTS was 75% for SMILE (130-μm cap), 68% for PRK, and 54% for LASIK (110-μm flap). The postoperative TTS decreased for thinner corneal pachymetry for all treatment types. In LASIK, the postoperative TTS decreased with increasing flap thickness by 0.22%/μm, but increased by 0.08%/μm for greater cap thickness in SMILE. The model predicted that SMILE lenticule thickness could be approximately 100 μm greater than the LASIK ablation depth and still have equivalent corneal strength (equivalent to approximately 7.75 diopters). CONCLUSIONS This mathematical model predicts that the postoperative TTS is considerably higher after SMILE than both PRK and LASIK, as expected given that the strongest anterior lamellae remain intact. Consequently, SMILE should be able to correct higher levels of myopia.
Unfolding dynamics of the mucin SEA domain probed by force spectroscopy suggest that it acts as a cell‐protective device

MUC1 and other membrane‐associated mucins harbor long, up to 1 μm, extended highly glycosylated mucin domains and sea urchin sperm protein, enterokinase and agrin (SEA) domains situated on their extracellular parts. These mucins line luminal tracts and organs, and are anchored to the apical cell membrane by a transmembrane domain. The SEA domain is highly conserved and undergoes a molecular strain‐dependent autocatalytic cleavage during folding in the endoplasmic reticulum, a process required for apical plasma membrane expression. To date, no specific function has been designated for the SEA domain. Here, we constructed a recombinant protein consisting of three SEA domains in tandem and used force spectroscopy to assess the dissociation force required to unfold individual, folded SEA domains. Force–distance curves revealed three peaks, each representing unfolding of a single SEA domain. Fitting the observed unfolding events to a worm‐like chain model yielded an average contour length of 32 nm per SEA domain. Analysis of forces applied on the recombinant protein revealed an average unfolding force of 168 pN for each SEA domain at a loading rate of 25 nN·s−1. Thus, the SEA domain may act as a breaking point that can dissociate before the plasma membrane is breached when mechanical forces are applied to cell surfaces.
Children’s tonsillectomy experiences: influencing factors

The aim of this study was to explore factors influencing children’s (7—13 years) tonsillectomy experiences and outcomes. A prospective, repeated measures, design was used to investigate the effect of age, gender, ethnicity, time, and previous pain, hospitalization and surgery on children’s (N = 60) perceptions of anxiety, pain intensity, quality of pain and sleep, and oral intake. The relationship between postoperative pain and anxiety was also examined. Using a diary, three days of data were collected. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation coefficient, and a mixed linear regression model were used for analysis. Children’s tonsillectomy experiences and outcomes were affected by time, previous experience, age, and anxiety. Moderate correlations were found between level of anxiety and pain intensity. These findings provide clinicians with additional knowledge to guide their perioperative practice and care of children.
Serum cryptococcal antigen in patients with AIDS.

Cryptococcus neoformans is the most common life-threatening fungal pathogen in patients with AIDS. Most AIDS patients with C. neoformans infection present with meningitis, but infection of almost every organ has been described [1]. The latex agglutination (LA) test for serum cryptococcal antigen is widely used for detecting cryptococcal polysaccharide in patients with AIDS, as an initial screening test for patients with fever of unclear etiology or neurological symptoms and for asymptomatic patients. The diagnosis of cryptococcosis is often inferred from the detection of cryptococcal polysaccharide in sterile body fluids. Because the incidence of cryptococcal meningitis varies widely with geographic location, different conclusions have been drawn regarding the value of screening [2, 3]. Nonetheless, screening has become common practice in the care of patients with AIDS in many locations. The identification of occasional patients with antigenemia whose cultures are not positive has raised many questions regarding the significance and appropriate management of isolated cryptococcal antigenemia. What is serum antigen testing? What is the meaning of a positive test? Antibody-coated latex particle agglutination detects capsular polysaccharide in body fluids. Immunologic detection of cryptococcal capsular antigen is a sensitive and specific procedure. False-positive results are few with use of commercially available LA tests. Tanner et al., using 90 serum specimens from patients with concurrent culture results, compared four LA tests and found that the sensitivity ranged from 83% to 97% and the specificity from 93% to 100%; falsepositivity rates ranged from zero to 5%. All but one of the false-positives was associated with titers of < 1:8 [4]. False-positive LA reactions have resulted from infection with Trichosporon beigelii [5] and with the DF-2 bacillus [6], presumably because these pathogens produce antigens that are cross-reactive with C. neoformans polysaccharide. These conditions are unlikely to be confused clinically with cryptococcal
Cytokine Profile of Tumor Cells in Mycosis Fungoides: Successful Treatment with Intra‐lesional Interferon‐γ Combined with Chemotherapy

Two cases of mycosis fungoides (MF) in the tumor stage were treated with intra‐lesional interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) therapy. After systemic chemotherapy, intra‐lesional recombinant interferon‐γ was applied to the residual tumors. Intra‐lesional IFN‐γ was sufficiently effective in the treatment of MF tumors, especially small‐sized ones. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) analysis of messenger RNA expression of cytokines commonly detected interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) and IFN‐γ in the tumor cells before intra‐lesional IFN‐γ. However, in our study, tumor cells in these cases did not exhibit the definitive cytokine patterns of Th1 or Th2.
SAT Model for the Curriculum-Based Course Timetabling Problem

Two widely used problems are the Satisability problem (SAT) and the Curriculum-Based Course Timetabling (CB-CTT) prob- lem. The SAT problem searches for an assignment that make true a cer- tain boolean formula. On the other side, the CB-CTT involves the task of scheduling lectures of courses to rooms, considering teacher availability, a specied curricula, and a set of constraints. Given the advances achieved in the solution of the SAT Problem, this research proposes a SAT Model of the CB-CTT problem, to aid in the construction of timetables. To demonstrate that the model can aid in the solution of real instances of the CB-CTT problem, a case of study derived from a university in Mex- ico was considered. This special case of CB-CTT involves the constraint where each teacher cannot teach more than one course in the same cur- riculum, which is included in the set of 3 hard constraints and 2 soft constraints analyzed in this research. According to the results obtained, the considered complete SAT solver required a few minutes to nd a solution for the instance.
Cardiomyopathy confers susceptibility to particulate matter-induced oxidative stress, vagal dominance, arrhythmia and pulmonary inflammation in heart failure-prone rats

Abstract Acute exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is tied to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, especially among those with prior cardiac injury. The mechanisms and pathophysiological events precipitating these outcomes remain poorly understood but may involve inflammation, oxidative stress, arrhythmia and autonomic nervous system imbalance. Cardiomyopathy results from cardiac injury, is the leading cause of heart failure, and can be induced in heart failure-prone rats through sub-chronic infusion of isoproterenol (ISO). To test whether cardiomyopathy confers susceptibility to inhaled PM2.5 and can elucidate potential mechanisms, we investigated the cardiophysiologic, ventilatory, inflammatory and oxidative effects of a single nose-only inhalation of a metal-rich PM2.5 (580 µg/m3, 4 h) in ISO-pretreated (35 days × 1.0 mg/kg/day sc) rats. During the 5 days post-treatment, ISO-treated rats had decreased HR and BP and increased pre-ejection period (PEP, an inverse correlate of contractility) relative to saline-treated rats. Before inhalation exposure, ISO-pretreated rats had increased PR and ventricular repolarization time (QT) and heterogeneity (Tp-Te). Relative to clean air, PM2.5 further prolonged PR-interval and decreased systolic BP during inhalation exposure; increased tidal volume, expiratory time, heart rate variability (HRV) parameters of parasympathetic tone and atrioventricular block arrhythmias over the hours post-exposure; increased pulmonary neutrophils, macrophages and total antioxidant status one day post-exposure; and decreased pulmonary glutathione peroxidase 8 weeks after exposure, with all effects occurring exclusively in ISO-pretreated rats but not saline-pretreated rats. Ultimately, our findings indicate that cardiomyopathy confers susceptibility to the oxidative, inflammatory, ventilatory, autonomic and arrhythmogenic effects of acute PM2.5 inhalation.
Antiplatelet drug use preceding the onset of intracerebral hemorrhage is associated with increased mortality

Recent studies highlight the contribution of antiplatelet therapy to clinical severity and increased mortality of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) but results are discrepant. The aim of this report was to evaluate the association between antiplatelet drug use preceding the onset of ICH and the mortality, assessed at regular intervals, among patients with acute ICH. We analyzed data from a randomized study which enrolled consecutive patients with a documented acute ICH to evaluate the efficacy of intermittent pneumatic compression of the legs in venous thrombosis prevention. Clinical characteristics and treatment used before the onset of ICH were checked at the time of inclusion. Mortality was assessed at regular intervals until 3 months after ICH diagnosis. Among 138 patients included in this report, 30 were current users of antiplatelet therapy at the time of ICH; they were significantly older and less frequently heavy drinkers than non‐users of antiplatelet drugs. Mortality rates were 20% at 8 days, 40% at 1 month, and 47% at 3 months among antiplatelet drug users compared with 6.5%, 13% and 19% among non‐users. The corresponding estimated risks for mortality related to antiplatelet drug use were 3.6 (95% CI 1.1–12), 4.5 (95% CI 1.8–11), and 3.6 (95% CI 1.5–8.6). Adjusted for age, hypertension and alcohol over use, antiplatelet therapy remained significantly associated with an increased mortality rate of acute ICH. Current antiplatelet drug use preceding the onset of ICH is associated with increased short‐term ICH mortality, independently of age.
Incarcerated external anterior abdominal wall hernias: a 5 year experience in Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri, Bayelsa State of Nigeria

The aim of this study is to document our first experiences in the surgical management and outcome of incarcerated external anterior wall hernias (EAAWH) in our local environment, outlining the clinical profile, treatment outcome and identify predictors of outcome among these patients. The study design used was a retrospective analysis of data. The study was conducted at the Department of Surgery, Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Okolobiri, Bayelsa State, Nigeria from January 2008 to December 2012. Records of 29 patients who underwent emergency surgery for incarcerated external anterior abdominal wall hernia in a teaching hospital were analyzed for age, sex, type of hernia, characteristics of clinical presentation, duration of symptoms, past medical history, and significant concomitant diseases, ASA class, type of anesthesia, contents of the hernia sac, surgical procedures, complications, duration of hospital stay and mortality. Twenty-four (82.76%) patients were males and 5 (17.24%) were females. The age of patients ranged from 1 month to 75 years. There were 28 (96.5%) Inguinal hernias, 1 (3.5%) Para-umbilical hernias and none of Incisional and femoral hernias. Gut resection was done in 4 (13.8%) patients. The mortality rate was 3.5%. The mortality was related to septicemia from gangrenous bowel in a one month old child and late presentation. Mortality associated with emergency surgery of incarcerated external anterior abdominal hernias is related to late presentation with subsequent bowel gangrene, very young age, and associated medical illnesses.
The first variation of an indefinite Wiener integral

The function u(t) need not be a member of C, but can be any Borel measurable function defined on 0 _ t _ 1, and may even be permitted to take on infinite values. The Wiener integral of a functional is simply the Lebesgue integral of the functional with respect to Wiener's measure [4]1 in C. This measure is not invariant under translations, but is in other respects a Lebesgue measure based on intervals of the form
Vaccinations: Weighing the Risks and Benefits

by means of vaccinations (Fenner et al., 1988). The protection from Smallpox, influenza, polio and many other diseases and viruses are already well-known vaccination benefits. Consequently each specific type of vaccination will not be directly expressed in this paper; rather, on the CDC website (2015) the entire list of dozens of possible vaccinations can be located. Instead, further benefits associated with vaccination uptake will be presented. Are vaccinations effective at eradicating diseases? Regarding the effectiveness to eradicate an epidemic, there is a concept known as “herd immunity. ” Fine (1993) explains that “If an infection is to persist, each infected individual must, on average, transmit that infection to at least one other individual. If this does not occur, the infection will disappear progressively from the population. ” Note, there are those who are too young or too sick to become vaccinated, without herd immunity, many people will be at risk. Therefore, the higher percentage of those vaccinated, the higher the efficacy of any given vaccination in Abstract Research has proven that vaccines prevent disease. Important medical organizations conclusively support and advise the administration of vaccinations to prevent diseases that once caused devastating effects both in the individual who contracted, and in communities where these diseases spread. While some groups protest against the constitutionality of vaccinating, others counter that failure to do so subjects the unvaccinated to illness and death by contracting and spreading of the sickness. Despite statistics on reduced incidence of diseases with few consequences as a result of vaccine-induced passive immunity, fears of harm secondary to vaccination loom. In the 21st Century, many people are unaware of diseases that still occur in undeveloped countries due to herd immunity through a majority vaccinated population. The diseases, however, are only a plane ride away. Due to globalization, vaccine preventable diseases can land in anyone’s kindergarten. Although the link between vaccination and autism was pinned to research that was subsequently retracted, the rate of not vaccinating children continues to rise and these unvaccinated children pose risk to others who are unable to receive vaccines and compromise the core herd immunity. As modern science strives to demonstrate vaccine safety and efficacy, despite the rare but undisputed adverse effects, individual decisions to vaccinate remain a complex process with differences in perception, beliefs, and values to consider. These tenets will manage to produce research and evidence to support both pro-vaccination and against-vaccination in an attempt to determine if the potential benefits of getting vaccinated outweigh the detrimental side effects that may result. Further, a better understanding of the ramifications secondary to original research that noted negative correlations among vaccinated individuals and the vaccines they received will be understood. These controversies are the ripples experienced as a result of retracted and unethical research.
Auraptene Induces Apoptosis via Myeloid Cell Leukemia 1‐Mediated Activation of Caspases in PC3 and DU145 Prostate Cancer Cells

Although auraptene, a prenyloxy coumarin from Citrus species, was known to have anti‐oxidant, anti‐bacterial, antiinflammatory, and anti‐tumor activities, the underlying anti‐tumor mechanism of auraptene in prostate cancers is not fully understood to date. Thus, in the present study, we have investigated the anti‐tumor mechanism of auraptene mainly in PC3 and DU145 prostate cancer cells, because auraptene suppressed the viability of androgen‐independent PC3 and DU145 prostate cancer cells better than androgen‐sensitive LNCaP cells. Also, auraptene notably increased sub‐G1 cell population and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling‐positive cells as features of apoptosis in two prostate cancer cells compared with untreated control. Consistently, auraptene cleaved poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase, activated caspase‐9 and caspase‐3, suppressed the expression of anti‐apoptotic proteins, including Bcl‐2 and myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl‐1), and also activated pro‐apoptotic protein Bax in both prostate cancer cells. However, Mcl‐1 overexpression reversed the apoptotic effect of auraptene to increase sub‐G1 population and induce caspase‐9/3 in both prostate cancer cells. Taken together, the results support scientific evidences that auraptene induces apoptosis in PC3 and DU145 prostate cancer cells via Mcl‐1‐mediated activation of caspases as a potent chemopreventive agent for prostate cancer prevention and treatment. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Impact of Tie-Line Power on Inter-Area Modes With Increased Penetration of Wind Power

This paper studies the impact of displacing conventional synchronous generators with wind turbine generators (WTGs) on the damping of inter-area modes. The impact of tie-line power, which can be beneficial or detrimental with increased wind penetration on the damping of the inter-area mode in a two-area test system, is investigated. It is seen that the inter-area modes are more prone to instability when areas with high wind penetrations export power to remote areas. Furthermore, the performance of supplementary controllers in WTGs (i.e., terminal voltage control and inertia emulation) on the inter-area modes are evaluated. The results show that the controllers can mitigate the possible adverse effects of increased penetration of wind power on the inter-area modes. The results of the studies on the two area system are used to guide a study on a 14-generator model of the Australian grid.
Resistant Starch Attenuates Colonic DNA Damage Induced by Higher Dietary Protein in Rats

Abstract: Epidemiologic studies suggest that dietary complex carbohydrates are protective against colorectal cancer but dietary protein may increase risk. However, experimental data to support these relationships are scant. We have shown in rats that consumption of a high-protein (25% casein) diet for 4 wk resulted in a twofold increase in damage to colonocyte DNA compared with a low-protein (15% casein) diet. This was associated with thinning of the colonic mucous barrier and increased levels of fecal p-cresol. Addition of resistant starch as a high-amylose maize starch to the diet increased cecal short-chain fatty acid pools and attenuated DNA damage, suggesting protection against genotoxic agents. In humans, this could translate to altered risk of colonic cancer.
[Clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with chronic constipation according to age group].

BACKGROUND There was no study evaluating clinical characteristics of constipation according pediatric age groups. AIM To evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients with chronic constipation according to age group. METHODS This retrospective study evaluated the demographic data and clinical characteristics of pediatric patients with chronic constipation who had been admitted to an outpatient clinic between May 1995 and December 2000. Data was analyzed according to the followings age groups: infants, pre-school, school age and adolescent. RESULTS Five hundred and sixty one patients were included in the study. The percentage of patients according to age groups were: infants (19.1%), pre-school (42.9%), school age (26.9%), and adolescents (11.0%). There was no statistical gender difference among the four age groups. Less than three bowel movements per week were observed more frequently in pre-school (65.8%) and school age (59.6%) than in infants (52.4%) and adolescents (43.1%). Fecal escape ("soiling") was found in 75.6% of the pre-school patients aged more than 48 months, in 68.2% of the school age and in 76.7% of the adolescents. Soiling was more frequent in boys (80.7%) than in girls (50.0%) only in school age children. Retentive posture (67.6%, 40.7%, 27.2%), fear for defecation (70.2%, 44.2%, 29.7%) and abdominal pain (80.8%, 69.6%, 73.6%) were observed, respectively, more frequently in pre-school than in school age and adolescents. CONCLUSION There were differences in clinical characteristics according to age group. However, prolonged duration of constipation and an elevated number of complications were observed in all age groups, especially fecal soiling and abdominal pain.
Depression and anxiety in a community sample with epilepsy in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE To estimate the frequency of depression/anxiety and to establish the social, epilepsy and psychiatric characteristics in individuals with epilepsy. METHOD A cross-sectional study was employed to evaluate 153 subjects with epilepsy who were identified in a previous community-based survey. First, a structured interview was conducted, followed by a psychiatric evaluation. Subjects with depression were compared to those without, and subjects with anxiety were compared to those without. RESULTS The prevalence of anxiety and depression was 39.4 and 24.4%, respectively. Both were associated with low schooling (OR 3.8, 95% CI 1.6 to 9.0 and OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.2 to 6.5 for depression and anxiety, respectively), lifetime suicidal thoughts (OR 4.4, 95% CI 1.9 to 10.3 and OR 3.6, 95% CI 1.7 to 7.7) and lifetime suicide attempts (OR 9.3, 95% CI 2.6 to 32.8 and OR 6.9, 95% CI 1.8 to 26.4). CONCLUSION The high rates of depression and anxiety reinforced the need for recognition and treatment of mental disorders in epilepsy.