Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Accuracy of a Novel Noninvasive Multisensor Technology to Estimate Glucose in Diabetic Subjects During Dynamic Conditions

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine whether an approach of multisensor technology with integrated data analysis in an armband system (SenseWear® Pro Armband, SWA) can provide estimates of plasma glucose concentration in diabetes. Research Design and Methods: In all, 41 subjects with diabetes participated. On day 1 subjects underwent an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and on day 2 a 60-minute treadmill test (TT). SWA plasma glucose estimates were compared against reference peripheral venous glucose concentrations. A continuous glucose monitoring device (CGM) was also placed on each subject to serve as a reference for clinical comparison. Pearson coefficient, Clarke error grid (CEG), and mean absolute relative difference (MARD) analyses were used to compare the performance of plasma glucose estimation. Results: There were significant correlations between plasma glucose concentrations estimated by the SWA and the reference plasma glucose concentration during the OGTT (r = .65, P < .05) and the TT (r = .91, P < .05). CEG analysis revealed that during the OGTT, 93% of plasma glucose concentration readings were in the clinically acceptable zone A+B for the SWA and 95% for the CGM. During the TT, the SWA had 96% of readings in zone A+B, compared to 97% for the CGM. During OGTTs, MARDs for the SWA and CGM were 26% and 18%, respectively. During TTs, MARDs were 16% and 12%, respectively. Conclusions: Plasma glucose concentration estimation by the SWA’s noninvasive multisensor approach appears to be feasible and its performance in estimating glucose approaches that of a CGM. The success of this pilot study suggests that multisensor technology holds promising potential for the development of a wearable, noninvasive, painless glucose monitor.
Differences in the effects of age on intestinal proliferation, crypt fission and apoptosis on the small intestine and the colon of the rat

The increase in gastrointestinal epithelial tissue mass and the development of the gut can occur through three main mechanisms, namely elevated cell production from the intestinal crypts, by raised crypt number, which occurs through the process of crypt fission or by altered apoptosis. The small bowel and the colon have various rates of these, which were studied in rats of various ages. Wistar rats were fed ad libitum, and were killed at 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, 18, 26 and 48 weeks of age. Tissue was later stained and microdissected and the number of native mitoses and apoptotic figures per crypt and the percentage of crypts in fission were determined. There was an almost linear increase in body weight from 3 to 9 weeks, followed by a more gradual rise until 18 weeks. The weight of the stomach and the small intestine reached maximum values at 9 weeks, whereas the caecum and the colon approached this at 12 weeks. Mitotic activity per crypt in the small intestine increased from 3.8 ± 0.1 at 3 weeks to 7.8 ± 0.4 mitoses per crypt (P < 0.001) at 9 weeks and then decreased slightly; crypt fission increased from 4.6% ± 0.8 at 3 weeks to 8.4 ± 0.9% at 6 weeks and then decreased gradually reaching a value of 1.5 ± 0.4% at 48 weeks. Apoptosis also peaked at 6 weeks and was then very low. In the colon, the proliferation decreased from 4.2 ± 0.2 mitoses per crypt in the young (3 weeks) rat and reached a plateau by 9 weeks (2.5 ± 0.1 mitoses per crypt, P < 0.001). Crypt fission also declined rapidly in the first 9 weeks (from 67.6 ± 4.2 to 23.1 ± 4.6%, P < 0.01) and then continued to decline, although at a lower rate. The crypt fission index at 48 weeks was 9.8 ± 1.0. Apoptosis in the colon persisted throughout the duration of the study, 0.19 ± 0.06 apoptotic bodies per crypt were seen at week 48. The development of the small intestine is more dependent on cell proliferation, whereas in the colon crypt fission is far more predominant, with the colon having fission indices approximately six times greater than those of the small intestine. Proliferative activity in the colon was approximately half that of the small intestine.
Control of transcription of the Bacillus subtilis spoIIIG gene, which codes for the forespore-specific transcription factor sigma G

The Bacillus subtilis spoIIIG gene codes for a sigma factor termed sigma G which directs transcription of genes expressed only in the forespore compartment of the sporulating cell. Use of spoIIIG-lacZ transcriptional fusions showed that spoIIIG is cotranscribed with the spoIIG operon beginning at t0.5-1 of sporulation. However, this large mRNA produced little if any sigma G, and transferring the spoIIIG gene without the spoIIG promoter into the amyE locus resulted in a Spo+ phenotype. Significant translation of spoIIIG began at t2.5-3 with use of an mRNA whose 5' end is just upstream of the spoIIIG coding sequence. Synthesis of this spoIIIG-specific mRNA was not abolished by a deletion in spoIIIG itself. Similar results were obtained when a spoIIIG-lacZ translational fusion lacking the spoIIG promoter was integrated at the amyE locus. These data suggest that synthesis of sigma G is dependent neither on transcription from the spoIIG promoter nor on sigma G itself but can be due to another transcription factor. This transcription factor may be sigma F, the product of the spoIIAC locus, since a spoIIAC mutation blocked spoIIIG expression, and sequences upstream of the 5' end of the spoIIIG-specific mRNA agree well with the recognition sequence for sigma F. RNA polymerase containing sigma F (E sigma F) initiated transcription in vitro on a spoIIIG template at the 5' end found in vivo, as did E sigma G. However, E sigma F showed a greater than 20-fold preference for spoIIIG over a known sigma G-dependent gene compared with the activity of E sigma G.
The impact of social environments on the effectiveness of youth HIV prevention: A South African case study

Few would disagree that ‘social context’ shapes the effectiveness of HIV-prevention programmes. However much work remains to be done in developing systematic conceptualisations of HIV/AIDSrelevant aspects of social environments in vulnerable communities. This paper contributes to this challenge through a case study (44 interviews, 11 focus groups with 55 people and fieldworker diaries) of the impact of social context on a participatory peer education programme involving young people in a peri-urban community in South Africa. Three interacting dimensions of context undermine the likelihood of effective HIV-prevention. Symbolic context includes stigma, the pathologisation of youth sexuality (especially that of girls) and negative images of young people. Organisational/network context includes patchy networking amongst NGOs, health, welfare and education representatives and local community leaders and groups. This is exacerbated by different understandings of the causes of HIV/AIDS and how to manage it. These challenges are exacerbated in a material-political context of poverty, unemployment and crime, coupled with the exclusion of young people from local and national decision-making and politics. HIV-prevention initiatives seeking to promote healthsupporting social environments should work closely with social development programmes to promote young peoples’ social and political participation, increase opportunities for their economic empowerment, challenge negative social representations of youth, and fight for greater recognition of their sexuality and their right to protect their sexual health.
Loss of distal 11q is associated with DNA repair deficiency and reduced sensitivity to ionizing radiation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

About 45% of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are characterized by amplification of chromosomal band 11q13. This amplification occurs by a breakage‐fusion‐bridge (BFB) cycle mechanism. The first step in the BFB cycle involves breakage and loss of distal 11q, from FRA11F (11q14.2) to 11qter. Consequently, numerous genes, including three critical genes involved in the DNA damage response pathway, MRE11A, ATM, and H2AFX are lost in the step preceding 11q13 amplification. We hypothesized that this partial loss of genes on distal 11q may lead to a diminished DNA damage response in HNSCC. Characterization of HNSCC using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) revealed concurrent partial loss of MRE11A, ATM, and H2AFX in all four cell lines with 11q13 amplification and in four of seven cell lines without 11q13 amplification. Quantitative microsatellite analysis and loss of heterozygosity studies confirmed the distal 11q loss. FISH evaluation of a small series of HNSCC, ovarian, and breast cancers confirmed the presence of 11q loss in at least 60% of these tumors. All cell lines with distal 11q loss exhibited a diminished DNA damage response, as measured by a decrease in the size and number of γ‐H2AX foci and increased chromosomal instability following treatment with ionizing radiation. In conclusion, loss of distal 11q results in a defective DNA damage response in HNSCC. Distal 11q loss was also unexpectedly associated with reduced sensitivity to ionizing radiation. Although the literature attributes the poor prognosis in HNSCC to 11q13 gene amplification, our results suggest that distal 11q deletions may be an equally significant factor. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Involvement of nitric oxide in the inhibition of aortic smooth muscle cell proliferation by calcium dobesilate

Vascular smooth muscle cell (SMC) proliferation is a key process in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Numerous factors are involved in the regulation of SMC growth. Nitric oxide (NO) induces the inhibition of SMC proliferation whereas oxidized low-density lipoproteins (LDL) have a mitogenic effect. Calcium dobesilate (Doxium) is an angioprotective agent for treating vascular diseases. It has been shown to increase NO production and to have antioxidant properties but its mechanism of action is not yet fully understood. This study investigated the effect of calcium dobesilate on proliferation of rat aortic SMC in culture. Proliferation was evaluated by cell number and DNA synthesis. Orally administered calcium dobesilate (30, 100, or 200 mg/kg/day for 7 days) induced a dose-dependent decrease of proliferation of SMC in primary culture compared with controls.In vitro treatment with calcium dobesilate (0.05–5 mM) inhibited both DNA synthesis and proliferation in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. In bothex vivo andin vitro models, the inhibition was reversible upon removal of the drug. Calcium dobesilate also stimulated NO production and NO synthase activity. Inhibitors of NO synthesis attenuated the inhibitory effect of calcium dobesilate (300 µM) on DNA synthesis. In addition, calcium dobesilate (2.5–40 µM) induced a dose-dependent protection of cooper-induced LDL oxidation. These results showed that calcium dobesilate inhibits SMC proliferation, partly by a NO-dependent mechanism, and suggest that it could be effective in the treatment of pathological disorders associated with vascular SMC proliferation.
Gender differences in quit rates following smoking cessation with combination nicotine therapy: influence of baseline smoking behavior.

Women are less successful than men at quitting smoking. We examined whether the male vs. female cessation outcome was influenced by baseline smoking behavior in participants who attempted to quit by using nicotine inhaler (NI) plus nicotine patch (NP) combination therapy. This double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial enrolled 196 men and 204 women. Group 1 (99 men, 101 women) received NI plus NP (15 mg nicotine/16 h) for 6 weeks, then NI plus placebo patch (PP) for 6 weeks, then NI alone for 14 weeks. Group 2 (97 men, 103 women) received NI plus PP for 12 weeks, then NI alone for 14 weeks. Outcome measures were continuous self-reported abstinence and expired carbon monoxide concentration < 10 ppm. Baseline nicotine dependence was assessed by the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), and behavioral dependence by the 18-question Glover-Nilsson Smoking Behavioral Questionnaire (GN-SBQ). Male vs. female complete abstinence rates, regardless of treatment group, were 61.7% vs. 46.6% at 6 weeks (p = .0022), 42.3% vs. 30.9% at 12 weeks (p = .017), 30.1% vs. 17.6% at 6 months (p = .003), and 23.0% vs. 10.8% at 12 months, respectively (p = .001). Men had significantly higher baseline FTND (p = .0180) and lower total GN-SBQ (p < .0001) scores than women. In conclusion, women appear to have higher behavioral, and lower nicotine, dependence than men according to the GN-SBQ and the FTND; thus both nicotine and behavioral treatment should be tailored to women to increase their chances of abstinence.
Tetrahydrobiopterin and Biogenic Amine Metabolism in Neuropsychiatry, Immunology, and Aging

Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) is essential for biogenic amine synthesis, and alterations in its metabolism occur at birth (atypical PKU), in neuropsychiatric illnesses, and in aging. BH4 therapy has been attempted in atypical PKU and in neuropsychiatric illness with some success and may become more viable as more is learned about BH4 metabolism and ways are discovered to elevate brain BH4 levels. It is intriguing to consider that a genetic defect in BH4 biosynthesis occurring at birth might go unrecognized and contribute to altered biogenic amine metabolism that occurs in neuropsychiatric illness. Since there seems to be a sensitivity of BH4 metabolism to genetic alterations, it is possible that altered BH4 metabolism is involved in some of deleterious effects associated with the aging process. A link between genetic alterations in BH4 metabolism at birth and adult neuropsychiatric illness and aging remains to be established, although this seems plausible. The presence of BH4 and other pterins in cells of the immune system as well as the pineal gland and other neuroendocrine tissues suggests the potential for other functions of pterins. Hopefully, future research will uncover the full potential for the therapeutic use of BH4 in a variety of diseases as well as elucidating other potential roles for pterin molecules which are present in many different systems.
Radiation risk from CT: implications for cancer screening.

OBJECTIVE The cancer risks associated with patient exposure to radiation from medical imaging have become a major topic of debate. The higher doses necessary for technologies such as CT and the increasing utilization of these technologies further increase medical radiation exposure to the population. Furthermore, the use of CT for population-based cancer screening continues to be explored for common malignancies such as lung cancer and colorectal cancer. Given the known carcinogenic effects of ionizing radiation, this warrants evaluation of the balance between the benefit of early cancer detection and the risk of screening-induced malignancy. CONCLUSION This report provides a brief review of the process of radiation carcino-genesis and the literature evaluating the risk of malignancy from CT, with a focus on the risks and benefits of CT for cancer screening. The available data suggest a small but real risk of radiation-induced malignancy from CT that could become significant at the population level with widespread use of CT-based screening. However, a growing body of literature suggests that the benefits of CT screening for lung cancer in high-risk patients and CT colonography for colorectal cancer may significantly outweigh the radiation risk. Future studies evaluating the benefits of CT screening should continue to consider potential radiation risks.
Central administration of resistin promotes short-term satiety in rats.

OBJECTIVE Several hormones expressed in white adipose tissue influence food intake at the central level. We sought to determine whether resistin, a circulating adipose-derived hormone in rodents, has actions on the hypothalamus by determining the effects of central resistin injection on food intake and on hypothalamic Fos protein expression. DESIGN As resistin expression in adipose tissue is influenced by altered nutritional status, we studied the effect of central resistin in both fed and pre-fasted rats. RESULTS In fasted rats, central injection of resistin decreased food intake acutely and increased the number of cells that express Fos protein in the arcuate nucleus but not in any other hypothalamic structure. The effect on food intake was dose-dependent and did not result in the formation of a conditioned taste aversion. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these results provide the first evidence documenting a central action of resistin, which could be involved in a feedback loop targeting the hypothalamus. On the other hand, since we observed resistin mRNA in the arcuate and ventromedial nuclei of the hypothalamus, it is also possible that brain-derived resistin serves as a neuropeptide involved in the regulation of energy homeostasis. However, since resistin-induced satiety was modest and transient, as central administration for several days did not affect body weight, the physiological relevance and therapeutic potential of the observed principal phenomenon may be limited.
Physician perceptions of pharmacist-provided medication therapy management: qualitative analysis.

OBJECTIVE To identify physician perceptions of community pharmacist-provided medication therapy management (MTM). METHODS Three focus groups consisting of family and internal medicine physicians were conducted in Pittsburgh, York, and Philadelphia, PA, using a semistructured topic guide to facilitate discussions. Each participant completed an exit survey at session conclusion. RESULTS 23 physicians participated in one of three focus groups conducted in Pittsburgh (n = 9), York (n = 6), and Philadelphia (n = 8). Participants identified common medication issues in their practices: nonadherence, adverse effects, drug interactions, medication costs, and incomplete patient understanding of the medication regimen. Receipt of a complete patient medication list was reported as the greatest potential benefit of MTM. Participants believed that physicians would be better suited as MTM providers than pharmacists. Concerns identified were the mechanism of pharmacist payment, reimbursement of time spent by physicians to coordinate care, and the training/preparation of the pharmacist. The need for a trusting relationship between a patient's primary care physician and the pharmacists providing MTM was identified. CONCLUSION This study provides information to assist pharmacists when approaching physicians to propose collaboration through MTM. Pharmacists should tell physicians that they will receive an updated patient medication list after each visit and emphasize that direct communication is essential to coordinate care.
Effects of cisapride on QTc interval in neonates

AIM Prospective survey of the effects of cisapride on QTc interval in neonates given cisapride. METHODS QTc interval was determined just before and 2.9 (0.9) days after outset of the treatment in 49 neonates treated with cisapride between 1 August 1995 and 29 February 1996. RESULTS Cisapride significantly increased QTc interval (p = 0.0001), and this was higher when birthweight or gestational age were lower. The prolongation of QTc interval above the arbitrary value of 0.450 (n = 7) was clinically asymptomatic and was significantly more common in the infants born with a gestational age ⩽ 33 weeks (n = 6). CONCLUSION The findings indicate that cisapride accumulates in less mature neonates. Further pharmacokinetic studies are needed.
Modern Computer Vision Techniques for X-Ray Testing in Baggage Inspection

X-ray screening systems have been used to safeguard environments in which access control is of paramount importance. Security checkpoints have been placed at the entrances to many public places to detect prohibited items, such as handguns and explosives. Generally, human operators are in charge of these tasks as automated recognition in baggage inspection is still far from perfect. Research and development on X-ray testing is, however, exploring new approaches based on computer vision that can be used to aid human operators. This paper attempts to make a contribution to the field of object recognition in X-ray testing by evaluating different computer vision strategies that have been proposed in the last years. We tested ten approaches. They are based on bag of words, sparse representations, deep learning, and classic pattern recognition schemes among others. For each method, we: 1) present a brief explanation; 2) show experimental results on the same database; and 3) provide concluding remarks discussing pros and cons of each method. In order to make fair comparisons, we define a common experimental protocol based on training, validation, and testing data (selected from the public ${\mathbb {GDX}}$ ray database). The effectiveness of each method was tested in the recognition of three different threat objects: 1) handguns; 2) shuriken (ninja stars); and 3) razor blades. In our experiments, the highest recognition rate was achieved by methods based on visual vocabularies and deep features with more than 95% of accuracy. We strongly believe that it is possible to design an automated aid for the human inspection task using these computer vision algorithms.
Visual-Field Bias in the Judgment of Facial Expression of Emotion

Abstract The left and right hemispheres of the brain are differentially related to the processing of emotions. Although there is little doubt that the right hemisphere is relatively superior for processing negative emotions, controversy exists over the hemispheric role in the processing of positive emotions. Eighty right-handed normal male participants were examined for visual-field (left-right) differences in the perception of facial expressions of emotion. Facial composite (RR, LL) and hemifacial (R, L) sets depicting emotion expressions of happiness and sadness were prepared. Pairs of such photographs were presented bilaterally for 150 ms, and participants were asked to select the photographs that looked more expressive. A left visual-field superiority (a right-hemisphere function) was found for sad facial emotion. A hemispheric advantage in the perception of happy expression was not found.
Porphyromonas gingivalis Strain-Dependent Activation of Human Endothelial Cells

ABSTRACT Porphyromonas gingivalis is an important bacterium involved in periodontal diseases. Colonization by periodontopathogens has been associated with severe local inflammatory reactions in the connective tissue. In this study we characterized P. gingivalis-mediated infection and activation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells by using two strains of different virulence capacities, strains ATCC 53977 and DSMZ 20709. Both strains were able to adhere to and infect endothelial cells with an infection rate of 0.48% for ATCC 53977 and 0.007% for DSMZ 20709. The triggering of two signal transduction pathways in P. gingivalis-infected endothelial cells was demonstrated for both strains, with a rapid increase of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation and a more delayed degradation of IκBα, followed by nuclear translocation of NF-κB. In addition, both strains induced enhanced expression of endothelial adhesion molecules E-selectin and intracellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1). Target cell activation was independent of bacterial fimbriae expression since the fimA knockout strain A7436 ΔfimA induced the same level of ICAM-1 as the corresponding wild type (A7436-WT). Thus, two P. gingivalis strains, ATCC 53799 and DSMZ 20709, infect endothelial cells and trigger signaling cascades leading to endothelial activation, which in turn may result in or promote severe local and systemic inflammation.