Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Plasma Lipoprotein(a) Levels Are Not Influenced by Glycemic Control in Type 1 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE To determine the influence of glycemic control improvement with intensive therapy on lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] concentrations in type 1 diabetic patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A total of 105 poorly controlled type 1 diabetic patients (60 men, 45 women) without diabetic complications participated in a longitudinal study performed in a tertiary referral center, to compare lipid, lipoprotein, and Lp(a) levels before and after 3 months of intensive therapy with multiple insulin doses. Lp(a) levels were measured by the Terumo method. Differences between the two periods were assessed by the paired t test and Wilcoxon's test. RESULTS After 3 months of intensive therapy, all patients exhibited improved glycemic control. HbA1c decreased from 8.9 ± 2.4 to 6.5 ± 1.6% (P < 0.0001), being ≤6% in 47% of patients. However, although a more favorable lipoprotein profile was obtained, no changes in Lp(a) concentrations were observed in the whole group of patients (16.7 ± 17.3 vs. 17.2 ± 17.7 mg/dl) or in patients with baseline Lp(a) levels above 30 mg/dl (47.1 ± 14.8 vs. 47.4 ± 18.9 mg/dl) or below 30 mg/dl (9.6 ± 7.3 vs. 10.2 ± 6.7 mg/dl). In addition, patients reaching HbA1c ≤6 or >6% presented similar Lp(a) levels (19.7 ± 18.0 vs. 15.0 ± 17.4 mg/dl), and changes in Lp(a) did not correlate with those observed in HbA1c. CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate that the improvement of glycemic control does not influence plasma Lp(a) concentrations in type 1 diabetic patients independently of baseline Lp(a) levels and the degree of glycemic control.
Kawasaki disease: update on pathogenesis

Purpose of reviewThis review will highlight recent advances in our understanding of the pathogenesis of Kawasaki disease, highlighting the molecular players involved in regulation of T-cell activation and their affect on disease incidence and outcome in both humans and mouse. Recent findingsKawasaki disease is the most common cause of multisystem vasculitis in childhood. The vessels most commonly damaged are the coronary arteries, making Kawasaki disease the number one cause of acquired heart disease in children from the developed world. The contribution of genetics to disease predisposition is clearly implicated, but the mechanisms involved in regulating predisposition to disease susceptibility and outcome are not clearly understood. Two independent approaches have recently identified regulation of T-cell activation as the critical factor in determining susceptibility and severity of Kawasaki disease. Firstly, genetic analysis of affected Japanese children identified ITPKC, 1,4,5-triphosphate 3-kinase C, a kinase involved in regulation of T-cell activation, to be significantly associated with susceptibility to and increased severity of Kawasaki disease. A second independent approach using an animal model of Kawasaki disease has also identified regulation of T-cell activation, specifically costimulation, the second signal regulating optimal T-cell activation as the critical regulator of susceptibility to and severity of disease. SummaryUnderstanding the molecular players responsible for dysregulation of the immune response in Kawasaki disease will foster development of improved diagnostic/predictive tools and more rational use of therapeutic agents to improve outcome in affected children.
Manganese activation of superoxide dismutase 2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae requires MTM1, a member of the mitochondrial carrier family

Manganese-containing superoxide dismutase (SOD2) plays a critical role in guarding against mitochondrial oxidative stress and is essential for survival of many organisms. Despite the recognized importance of SOD2, nothing is known regarding the mechanisms by which this nuclear-encoded protein is converted to an active enzyme in the mitochondrial matrix. To search for factors that participate in the posttranslational activation of SOD2, we screened for yeast genes that when mutated lead to SOD2 inactivation and identified a single ORF, YGR257c. The encoded protein localizes to the mitochondria and represents a member of the yeast mitochondrial carrier family. YGR257c was previously recognized as the homologue to human CGI-69, a widely expressed mitochondrial carrier family of unknown function. Our studies suggest a connection with SOD2, and we have named the yeast gene MTM1 for manganese trafficking factor for mitochondrial SOD2. Inactivation of yeast MTM1 leads to loss of SOD2 activity that is restored only when cells are treated with high supplements of manganese, but not other heavy metals, indicative of manganese deficiency in the SOD2 polypeptide. Surprisingly, the mitochondrial organelle of mtm1Δ mutants shows no deficiency in manganese levels. Moreover, mtm1Δ mutations do not impair activity of a cytosolic version of manganese SOD. We propose that Mtm1p functions in the mitochondrial activation of SOD2 by specifically facilitating insertion of the essential manganese cofactor.
Supporting Easy Physical-to-Virtual Creation of Mobile VR Maze Games: A New Genre

With the fast development of virtual reality games, one of the key research questions is how players may express their creativity and participate in the process of game design. In this paper, we present a new game genre which combines user-controlled game design in physical space with game play in virtual space on a mobile device. The new system supports authoring by anyone, creating virtual reality games that can be easily modified or developed for physical space, and be used anywhere by novice end-users without any knowledge of tracking technology. We present the design and implementation of the system, as well as a user experiment. Findings illustrate that the proposed system promotes participation and provides a richer, more interactive and engaging experience.
Thermal-Hydraulic Analysis of the Low-  $T_{c}$ Superconductor (LTS) Winding Pack Design Concepts for the DEMO Toroidal Field (TF) Coil

Three design concepts, namely, WP#1, WP#2, and WP#3, for the low-Tc superconductor DEMO toroidal field coil was proposed in 2014. This paper is focused on the thermal-hydraulic analysis of all the designs using simplified models, which includes: 1) hydraulic analysis-calculation of the mass flow rates in each conductor at operating conditions during the dwell time; 2) heat removal analysis-calculation of the steady-state mass flow rates and temperature profiles in each conductor as functions of the nuclear heat deposition rate; and 3) estimation of the maximum quench temperature and pressure in each conductor assuming the extreme scenario for the maximum pressure. The detailed analysis of the WP#1 design in burn and in quench conditions using the THEA code was also carried out. It took into account the expected electromagnetic and heat load maps along each conductor and different quench initiation scenarios leading to the maximum hot spot temperature or to the maximum pressure. Our analysis shows that the temperature margin in the WP#1 and WP#3 conductors is sufficiently large, but it is too small in some WP#2 conductors. The hot spot temperatures in some WP#1 cables calculated with THEA are too high. These results provide information for further improvements of the conductors' design.
Coffee intake is associated with lower risk of symptomatic gallstone disease in women.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Metabolic studies have shown that coffee affects several hepatobiliary processes that are involved in cholesterol lithogenesis. We previously showed that coffee drinking was associated with a lower risk of symptomatic gallstone disease in men. METHODS We prospectively examined the association between coffee drinking and cholecystectomy, a surrogate of symptomatic gallstone disease, in a cohort of 80,898 women age 34-59 years in 1980 who had no history of gallstone disease. Coffee consumption and cholecystectomy were reported by participants on biennial mailed questionnaires. RESULTS During 20 years of follow-up to the year 2000, 7,811 women reported a cholecystectomy. Compared with women who consistently reported consuming no caffeinated coffee, the multivariate relative risks (adjusting for risk factors for gallstone disease) of cholecystectomy comparing increasing categories of consistent intake of caffeinated coffee (0, 1, 2-3, and > or =4 cups/day) were 1.0, 0.91, 0.78, and 0.72 (95% confidence interval comparing extreme categories, 0.62-0.84; P value of test for trend < 0.0001). Caffeine intake from beverages and dietary sources was also inversely associated with risk of cholecystectomy. The multivariate relative risks comparing increasing categories of caffeine intake (< or =25, 26-100, 101-200, 201-400, 401-800, and >800 mg/day) were 1.0, 1.03, 1.01, 0.94, 0.85, and 0.85 (95% confidence interval comparing extreme categories, 0.74-0.96; P value of test for trend < 0.0001). In contrast, decaffeinated coffee was not associated with risk. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that consumption of caffeinated coffee may play a role in the prevention of symptomatic gallstone disease in women.
Fetal loss associated with caffeine intake before and during pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE To determine if caffeine intake before and during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk for fetal loss. DESIGN Incidence-density case-control study. SETTING University-affiliated obstetric and pediatric hospital in Montréal, Québec. PARTICIPANTS A total of 331 women with fetal loss and 993 controls with a normal pregnancy at the same period of pregnancy as the case. OUTCOME MEASURES Crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for fetal loss were estimated using conditional logistic regression. A trend test for increasing caffeine intake was also used. RESULTS Caffeine intake was divided into quartiles; the baseline for comparison was less than 48 mg per day. The adjusted ORs for fetal loss associated with caffeine intake before pregnancy were 1.29 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.85 to 1.95) for 48 to 162 mg; 1.37 (95% CI, 0.92 to 2.04) for 163 to 321 mg; and 1.85 (95% CI, 1.18 to 2.89) for more than 321 mg. The same comparisons were made for caffeine intake during pregnancy, and the respective adjusted ORs were 1.15 (95% CI, 0.82 to 1.63), 1.95 (95% CI, 1.29 to 2.93), and 2.62 (95% CI, 1.38 to 5.01). After controlling for confounding factors, there was a strong association of caffeine intake during pregnancy and fetal loss, compatible with a linear trend on the logistic scale in which ORs increased by a factor of 1.22 (1.10 to 1.34) for each 100 mg of caffeine ingested daily during pregnancy. CONCLUSIONS Caffeine intake before and during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of fetal loss, supporting the US Food and Drug Administration recommendation to pregnant women, largely based on animal studies, to reduce their caffeine intake.
Differential effect of thyroid hormone deficiency on the growth of calretinin–expressing neurons in rat spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia

The development of spinal cord or dorsal root ganglia neurons expressing calretinin (CR) was studied in thyroid hormone‐deficient rats. Immunocytochemical and morphometric analyses showed that the hypothyroidism induced a significant decrease in the number and size of immunoreactive neurons in the spinal cord, as well as stunted growth and arborization of the axons and dendrites. These alterations were observed at different embryonic ages and persisted during the whole postnatal life. In adult hypothyroid rats, the mean number of CR‐positive neurons per spinal cord section (31.2 ± 2.3 in laminae I and II and 30.5 ± 5.5 in laminae III–X) was significantly decreased (P < 0.001 and P = 0.024, respectively) compared with adult normal rats (68.7 ± 8.9 and 50.0 ± 11.0, respectively). In the peripheral nervous system, hypothyroidism altered the growth of sensory neurons expressing CR protein mainly during embryonic life. In comparison with normal rats, hypothyroid embryonic animals showed not only reduced cell size but also a significantly decreased percentage of CR‐positive neurons (6.6 ± 0.9% in normal, 2.1 ± 0.3% in hypothyroid rats, P < 0.001). In contrast, although the size of neurons was reduced in hypothyroid young and adult rats, there was no reduction in the percentage of CR‐positive neurons. These results showed that thyroid hormone deficiency altered differentially the development of neurons expressing CR protein in the central and peripheral nervous systems. This suggests that central and peripheral neurons are heterogeneous in their sensitivity to thyroid hormone. J. Comp. Neurol. 426:519–533, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Communication Metaphors-in-Use: Technical Communication and Offshore Systems Development

Communication metaphors have been applied extensively to understand the managerial performance and organizational behavior of a single firm. However, fewer attempts have been made to apply communication metaphors to understand the dynamics of interfirm relations, or offshore partnerships. While all outsourcing contracts pose well-understood challenges, offshoring partnerships are often further complicated by culture and maturity/capability differences. Our analysis employs the results of a case study to delineate the different conversational metaphors that emerged from four discrete phases of offshore information systems development. Offshore success is contingent upon successful technical communication which is mediated through communication metaphors-in-use between vendor and client. In instances where management cannot directly dictate emergent conversational styles, it can determine organizational structure, coordination processes, contract and device incentives, and task allocation in order to cultivate a communication metaphor-in-use most appropriate to the specific phase of the offshore partnership, thereby mitigating many of the complications posed by culture and maturity differences
Clinical characteristics and prognosis of non‐B non‐C hepatocellular carcinoma patients with modest alcohol consumption

Alcoholic hepatocellular carcinoma (ALD‐HCC) accounts for the majority of non‐B non‐C HCC (NBNC‐HCC) cases. Although alcohol is a potent carcinogen, there have been few reports on the influence of modest alcohol consumption in NBNC‐HCC. This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of NBNC‐HCC patients with modest alcohol consumption.
Aggressive behavior is reduced in bulls actively immunized against gonadotropin-releasing hormone.

The purpose of this research was to compare the frequency of aggressive behavior's in beef bulls actively immunized against gonadotropin-releasing hormone relative to contemporary nonimmunized control bulls and surgically castrated steers. Eight males were assigned to each ofthese treatments in each of 4 yr. Immunized males were treated with a GnRH-keyhole-limpet hemocyanin (KLH) conjugate at approximately 4 mo of age. A secondary (booster) immunization was administered at 12 mo. Steers were castrated at 4 mo of age. Animals in each treatment in each year were housed as a single group prior to testing. At approximately 16 mo of age, each group of eight animals was placed in a 10- x 16-m enclosure for 20 min on five occasions at 2 to 3 d intervals. An observer recorded butts initiated by each animal as well as participation in bouts of sparring. Relative to control bulls, immunocastration reduced the frequency of butts initiated (P < 0.05) and participation in sparring bouts (P < 0.05) to levels typically observed in steers (P > 0.05). These observations indicate that active immunization against GnRH reduces the incidence of aggressive behavior in male beef cattle and are consistent with our postulate that immunoneutralization of GnRH is an effective alternative to surgical castration in the management of beef cattle.
An upper-limbs activities analysis of PD patients in OFF and ON state of medication

In this paper the analysis of the movement of the upper-limbs of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) in four activities is presented. An accelerometer-based sensor was used to acquire and store the acceleration data of the upper-limbs of the patients while they were doing the activities. The data was processed in MatLab; specifically the data was filtered and an estimation of Power Spectral Density (PSD) was done with Burg's Periodogram. The PSD analysis of PD patients activities were performed on patients medicated (ON) and no medicated (OFF). Additionally, the PSD analysis of one healthy patient was useful to compare his signal with the PD patient's signal.
Maxi‐K channel (BKC a) activity veils the myogenic tone of mesenteric artery in rats

Arterioles and small arteries change their tone in response to transmural pressure changes, called myogenic tone (MT). In comparison to the branches of cerebral arteries (CA) showing prominent MT, the third branches of mesenteric arteries (MA) with similar diameters show weaker MT. Here, we aimed to analyze the electrophysiological differences responsible for the weaker MT in MA (MTMA) than MT in CA (MTCA). We measured ionic current using patch clamp in isolated MA smooth muscle cells (MASMCs) and CA smooth muscle cells (CASMCs) of rats. MT was analyzed using video analysis of pressurized small arteries. Quantitative‐PCR (q‐PCR) and immunofluorescence confocal microscopy were used to compare the mRNA and protein expression level of big‐conductance Ca2+‐activated K+ channel (BKCa) subunits (Slo1α and Sloβ1). Whole‐cell patch clamp study revealed higher density of voltage‐operated Ca2+ channel current (ICaV) in the MASMCs than in CASMCs. Although voltage‐gated K+ channel current (IKv) was also higher in MASMCs, treatment with Kv inhibitor (4‐aminopyridine) did not affect MTMA. Interestingly, BKCa current density and the frequency of spontaneous transient outward currents (STOCs) were consistently higher in MASMCs than in CASMCs. Inside‐out patch clamp showed that the Ca2+‐sensitivity of BKCa is higher in MASMCs than in CASMCs. Iberiotoxin, a selective BKCa inhibitor, augmented MTMA by a larger extent than MTCA. Although q‐PCR analysis did not reveal a significant difference of mRNAs for Slo1α and Sloβ1, immunofluorescence image suggested higher expression of Slo1α in MASMCs than in CASMCs. Despite the large ICaV density, the high activities of BKCa including the more frequent STOCs in MASMCs veils the potentially strong MTMA.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver (NASH syndrome).

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the term used for a common form of fatty liver presenting in adults with varied clinical manifestations. The most common presentation is asymptomatic elevation of liver enzymes (AST or SGOT and ALT or SGPT), which can be discovered incidentally in the course of an annual checkup, life insurance examination, or as part of surrogate screening before blood donation. At the other end of the clinical spectrum is the patient with complications from cryptogenic cirrhosis, who also shows a lack of evidence of alcohol as an etiological factor in pathogenesis. Clinical associations of probable relevance include gender (female), obesity, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, but many patients do not conform to any of these stereotypes (e.g., young men of normal weight with normal fasting glucose and lipid levels). Liver biopsy confirms the diagnosis of NASH, the association of steatosis with an inflammatory response being the sine qua non for the condition and "creeping fibrosis" being a variable but possibly sinister feature. Newer imaging techniques may provide convincing evidence of steatosis, but they give little insight into ongoing fibrosis, and liver biopsy therefore remains the gold standard. The mainstay of treatment remains judicious weight loss coupled with positive dietary advice, including the ingestion of adequate but not excessive vitamins. After initial encouraging data. the assessment of ursodeoxycholic acid currently being studied under randomized controlled conditions is eagerly awaited.
The Experience of Role Transition in Acute Care Nurse Practitioners in Taiwan Under the Collaborative Practice Model

&NA; The role of the acute care nurse practitioner in Taiwan has changed significantly since the 1990s due in significant part to a shortage of interns and resident physicians in acute care settings. The first year of professional practice represents an important transitional year during which new professionals develop their competency to provide high-quality care to hospitalized patients. As the actual experience of individuals undergoing this transitional process into their new role has yet to be fully explored, this research studied and categorized the experiences of acute care nurse practitioners during their first year of role transition under the collaborative model of practice. We used a qualitative inquiry method with in-depth interviews to investigate the relevant experiences of 10 acute care nurse practitioners working at a medical center in Taiwan. Results show that the experience of expert nurses in their transition to acute care nurse practitioners passed through three phases during the first year under the collaborative practice model. These phases include the role ambiguity, role acquisition, and role implementation phases. Each phase contained a set of sub-themes which describe the multiple dimensions of this experience. This study highlights the experiences, stresses and accomplishments of acute care nurse practitioners during their initial year of advanced practice.
Detection and clinical significance of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases in a tertiary-care medical center

The prevalence of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-mediated resistance remains unknown for most hospitals, and national guidelines for testing and reporting ESBL-mediated resistance have not yet been developed. We undertook a study to determine the prevalence of ESBLs and the clinical need for testing in our tertiary-care medical center. Members of the family Enterobacteriaceae isolated over a 6-month period for which ceftazidime or ceftriaxone MICs were greater than 1 microg/ml were tested for production of ESBLs by the double-disk synergy method. Approximately 1.5% of isolates of the family Enterobacteriaceae (50 of 3,273), which were isolated from 1.2% of patients (23 of 1,844), were found to express ESBLs. ESBL-producing strains included eight different species and were isolated from patients located throughout the hospital, including outpatient clinics. By using the interpretive guidelines of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards, 26 to 39% of the isolates would have been reported to be susceptible to ceftazidime, depending upon the routine susceptibility method used. However, tests with cefpodoxime found all of the ESBL-producing strains to be resistant or intermediate. Nine patients infected with ESBL-producing isolates were treated with therapy which included an expanded-spectrum cephalosporin. Seven were cured. The deaths of the other two patients were not attributed to bacterial resistance missed by routine susceptibility testing. These observations suggest that in our tertiary-care medical center, it may not be clinically necessary or cost-effective at this time to institute additional testing on a routine basis to detect ESBL production in all clinical isolates of the family Enterobacteriaceae.