Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Phenotype Characteristics of Fellow Eyes in Patients With Early Onset of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration.

PURPOSE To investigate phenotype characteristics of fellow eyes in patients with early onset of neovascular age-related macular degeneration (NVAMD). METHODS Patients with new-onset unilateral NVAMD between 50 and 65 years (n = 57, early-onset choroidal neovascularization [CNV] group) or >80 years (n = 47, late-onset CNV group) or with nonneovascular AMD (n = 98, no-CNV group) were included. Fellow eyes in both CNV groups and the eyes with the more severe AMD staging in the no-CNV group were used to evaluate number and size of macular drusen, extramacular drusen (EMD), pigmentary abnormalities, and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) atrophy on color photographs and hyperreflective dots (HRD) and reticular pseudodrusen (RPD) on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) scans. Regression analysis was used to compare groups. RESULTS Occurrence of >20 macular drusen was more frequent in the early-onset CNV group than the late-onset CNV group (odds ratio [OR] 2.93; P = 0.01) or the no-CNV group (OR 2.17; P = 0.02). Retinal pigment epithelium atrophy, RPD, and HRD appeared less frequently in the early-onset CNV group than in the late-onset CNV group (RPE atrophy: OR 0.11; P = 0.005; RPD: OR 0.04; P = 9.38 × 10⁻¹⁰, HRD: OR 0.30; P = 0.004) and no-CNV group (RPE atrophy: OR 0.12; P = 0.005; RPD: OR 0.40, P = 0.03, HRD: not significant). No differences were detected regarding presence of large drusen, pigmentary abnormalities, and EMD. CONCLUSIONS A large number of macular drusen in the fellow eye appeared to be characteristic for early onset of NVAMD, whereas RPE atrophy, HRD, and RPD were more frequently present in AMD patients > 80 years. Prospective trials with patients converting to NVAMD are required to further analyze morphologic characteristics for early versus late development of advanced AMD.
Cancer incidence and mortality in a cohort of chloroprene workers from Armenia

We evaluated the risk of cancer among 1897 men and 417 women exposed to chloroprene (2‐chloro‐1,3‐butadiene, CP) at a production plant in Yerevan, Armenia, between 1940 and 1988. The cohort was followed up for cancer incidence for the years 1979–1990 and for cancer mortality for 1979–1988. In the cohort, incidence and mortality from all cancers were below expectation, but increased incidence (standardized incidence ratio 3.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.47–7.27), and mortality (standardized mortality ratio 3.39, 95% CI 1.09–10.5) from liver cancer were noticed. A dose–response relationship was suggested between liver cancer and indices of CP exposure, such as duration of employment, duration of high CP exposure and cumulative exposure to CP. The risk of other neoplasms was not increased. Int. J. Cancer 81:31–33, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
[Human immunodeficiency virus and pregnancy: a retrospective study of 124 women].

The objective is to describe medical and obstetrical prenatal care of 124 HIV-infected pregnant women in the Hôpital Delafontaine, Saint-Denis, France, between 1995 and 2001.Demographic, clinical and biological characteristics of study population were retrospectively collected. Three (2,4%) children were infected.
Unfold/fold transformations of logic programs

Unfold/fold transformations have been used in logic programming for some years to transform programs into more efficient ones. We describe recent work on the extent to which these transformations produce programs which are equivalent to the original one. Various notions of equivalence are considered: same success set; finite failure set; least Herbrand model; completion. This is used to illustrate the rather unsatisfactory relationship between logic programming and logic shown by the wide variety of different declarative semantics proposed for logic programs.
Pharmacotherapy for Inappropriate Sexual Behaviors in Dementia: A Systematic Review of Literature

The aim of this study is to systematically review the published literature on pharmacotherapy for inappropriate sexual behaviors in dementia. Literature search of the 5 databases (PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsychINFO, and COCHRANE collaboration) and the analysis of the data available for the pharmacotherapeutic treatments of inappropriate sexual behaviors in dementia were carried out.There are no published randomized controlled trials of pharmacotherapy for inappropriate sexual behaviors in dementia, but available data from uncontrolled trials, case series, and individual case reports suggest efficacy for antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, hormonal agents, cimetidine, and pindolol for the treatment of these behaviors. Although there are no controlled data for the treatment of inappropriate sexual behaviors in dementia, available data suggest efficacy for some commonly used pharmacotherapeutic agents.
[T cell receptor diversity of CD8+ T lymphocytes and its association with viral load in individuals with HIV-1 infection].

OBJECTIVE To determine the complementary determining region 3 (CDR3) length diversity of T cell receptor Vbeta repertoires of CD8+ T lymphocytes and to explore its association with viral load in individuals with HIV-1 infection. METHODS Separation of CD8+ T cells from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was carried out by using immunomagnetic beads coated with anti-CD8 antibody. Total RNAs from the purified CD8+ T lymphocytes were isolated and used to perform polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplifications in CDR3 of 22 T cell receptor (TCR) gene families. CDR3 diversity and its association with viral load in individuals with HIV-1 infection were analyzed. RESULTS An average diversity for all CDR3 profiles in CD8+ T cells from 9 HIV-infected individuals was significantly different as compared to 7 age-matched healthy donors (P<0.05) with the HIV-infected individuals losing diversity in the CDR3 profiles. There was positive correlation between changes in TCR CDR3 diversity and viral load (r=0.771, P<0.05). The changes in CDR3 length diversity of Vbeta families in HIV-infected individuals, particular in Vbeta2, Vbeta4, Vbeta5, Vbeta17, Vbeta20, Vbeta21, Vbeta23, Vbeta24, were statistically different from the healthy controls. CONCLUSION HIV-1 infection might induce the loss of TCR Vbeta repertoire diversity and disrupt the CDR3 distributions within CD8+ T cells. There should be positive correlation between changes in TCR CDR3 diversity and the viral load in HIV-1 infected patients.
Hydrogen peroxide: more harm than good?

activity is also typical of a generalized tonic–clonic seizure. Our study showed that BIS values decrease in the ictal phase. It is difficult to explain this because the algorithm used to calculate BIS has not been designed with EEG collected during seizures, but one should notice that there is a progressive decrease in EEG wave frequencies around 3 Hz and an increase in amplitude during the clonic phase, which could be misinterpreted as d waves observed at deepening of hypnosis. Our results are in accordance with a reduction of the BIS value during perioperative seizure. 5 The reduction of BIS could also be explained by the hypnotic drug, but we took caution to avoid that by allowing the BIS to stabilize before the ECT began. Also, BIS values decreased continuously without any variation of SR, which suggests that the downward trend is not caused by a hypnotic effect. In the post-ictal phase, related to cortical electric suppression and a consequence of the generalized seizure, there is a frank increase in SR values. As the BIS algorithm takes into account the flat or nearly flat EEG, the BIS decreased significantly during the post-ictal period, as expected. In clinical practice, we suggest that BIS, SR values, and EEG should be analysed jointly when monitoring sedation. Seizure must be suspected whenever BIS and SR values change markedly or the EEG shows variations in amplitude, rhythm, or both. At the same time, other diagnoses should be sought, such as acute cerebral hypoperfusion and hypoxia, hypoglycaemia, hypothermia, and increased sedation. In all instances, when a seizure is suspected, the standard EEG with multiple leads should be used whenever available to confirm the diagnosis, because it remains the gold standard in diagnosis of seizure. Declaration of interest
Evidence for the efficacy and safety of anti-interleukin-5 treatment in the management of refractory eosinophilic asthma

Two recent phase III trials in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma have shown that anti-interleukin 5 (IL-5) therapy with mepolizumab reduces the frequency of asthma attacks, improves symptoms and allows patients to reduce oral glucocorticoid use without loss of control of asthma. An earlier large 616 patient Dose Ranging Efficacy And safety with Mepolizumab in severe asthma (DREAM) study had shown that the only variables associated with treatment efficacy were a prior history of asthma attacks and the peripheral blood eosinophil count. The link between blood eosinophil counts and treatment efficacy is biologically obvious given that IL-5 has a pivotal role in eosinophil production, proliferation and chemotaxis. It is also clinically relevant as the blood eosinophil count is routinely measured and thus readily available in patients with asthma. Recognition of the link between airway or blood eosinophilia and treatment response was also important in the clinical testing of the alternative IL-5 blocker, such as reslizumab, which is currently being evaluated in a phase III randomized controlled trial (RCT) after having shown to improve lung function, improve symptom score and reduce sputum eosinophilia in a smaller phase IIb study. In addition, benralizumab, an IL-5α receptor blocker, has shown good effects in a phase IIb RCT with patients with severe asthma that had sputum eosinophilia and more recently in a phase IIa trial with patients with eosinophilic chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Therefore anti-IL-5 treatment seems generally effective in eosinophilic asthma, either assessed by blood or airway eosinophilia. This factor together with the impressive clinical efficacy and good safety profile make anti-IL-5 (mepolizumab, reslizumab) and benralizumab (anti-IL-5 receptor α) very promising drugs for the treatment of patients with severe eosinophilic asthma, a subgroup that is in desperate need of better treatments.
Dual-Band Monopole Antenna With Frequency-Tunable Feature for WiMAX Applications

A planar dual-band monopole antenna with a frequency-tunable band is presented. The structure of the antenna radiator has a stem connecting to two branches that are used to generate two frequency bands at around 2.4 and 3.4 GHz for Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX) applications. The lower band covers the WiMAX frequency band of 2.3–2.4 GHz, while the higher band is frequency-tunable to the WiMAX frequency bands of 3.3–3.4, 3.4–3.6and 3.6–3.8 GHz. The frequency tunability is achieved by using the reverse-bias voltage across a varactor that is placed between the stem and one of the radiating branches of the radiator. In this study, the radiating branch responsible for the higher band is selected for tuning. A simple and novel biasing circuit, consisting of two radio frequency (RF) choke resistors and an L-shaped stub, is designed for biasing the varactor. Results show that the higher band can be continuously tuned in frequency, yet keeping the lower band unchanged. The reflection coefficient, radiation pattern, and efficiency of the antenna are studied using computer simulation and measurement.
Scratch induction in the rat by intradermal serotonin: a model for pruritus.

Eight substances (histamine, compound 48/80, kallikrein, trypsin, papain, substance P, serotonin and platelet activating factor) were injected intradermally (volume 50 microl) into the rostral back (neck) of rats in order to establish an animal model for peripherally elicited pruritus. While serotonin induced excessive scratching at the site of injection, the other substances were weak or inactive. The dose-response relationship of serotonin was sigmoid, EC50=2.1 mg/ml (95% confidence interval: 1.0 to 4.3 mg/ml). Injections of serotonin 1 mg/ml into the caudal back elicited no scratching at all, i.e. neither at the site of injection nor elsewhere, so the experiment indicated no systemic effect of serotonin 1 mg/ml intradermally. Scratching was probably elicited histamine-independently, since histamine itself did not elicit scratching. The intra- and inter-observer variations were 3-4%. We conclude that serotonin is a reproducible local pruritogen eliciting scratching in the rat. The model may be useful in research and development of topical antipruritics of the nonhistaminic type as well as for various other purposes in pruritus research.
Intrarenal Abscesses Due to Ureaplasma urealyticum in a Transplanted Kidney

ABSTRACT A young woman developed multiple abscesses in her transplanted kidney. Amplification of the 16S rRNA gene with subsequent sequencing revealed Ureaplasma urealyticum as the infectious agent. Microbiological diagnosis and sensitivity testing led to therapy with levofloxacin, resulting in rapid recovery of the patient.
Comparison of Early Phase Adaptations for Traditional Strength and Endurance, and Low Velocity Resistance Training Programs in College-Aged Women

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a six-week (16-17 training sessions) low velocity resistance training program (LV) on various performance measures as compared to a traditional strength (TS) and a traditional muscular endurance (TE) resistance training program. Thirty-four healthy adult females (21.1 ± 2.7 y) were randomly divided into 4 groups: control (C), TS, TE, and LV. Workouts consisted of 3 exercises: leg press (LP), back squat (SQ), and knee extension (KE). Each subject was pre- and posttested for 1 repetition maximum (1RM), muscular endurance, maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max), muscular power, and body composition. After the pretesting, TS, TE, and LV groups attended a minimum of 16 out of 17 training sessions in which the LP, SQ, and KE were performed to fatigue for each of 3 sets. For each training session, TS trained at 6-10 RM and TE trained at 20-30 RM both with 1-2 second concentric/1-2 second eccentric; and LV trained at 6-10 RM, with 10 second concentric/4 s eccentric. Statistical significance was determined at an alpha level of 0.05. LV increased relative LP and KE 1 RM, but the percent increase was smaller than TS, and not different from C in the SQ. For muscular endurance, LV improved similarly to TE for LP and less than TS and TE for KE. Body composition improved for all groups including C (significant main effect). In conclusion, muscular strength improved with LV training however, TS showed a larger improvement. Muscular endurance improved with LV training, but not above what TE or TS demonstrated. For all other variables, there were no significant improvements for LV beyond what C demonstrated.
Fish oil and cyclosporin A-induced renal hypoperfusion in kidney-transplanted patients.

BACKGROUND Dietary supplementation with fish oil has been said to improve renal function in cyclosporin A (CsA)-treated subjects. METHODS Renal function and the acute renal haemodynamic and tubular response to an oral CsA-dose (3 mg/kg) were investigated before and after 12 weeks of fish oil supplementation (6 g/day) in 12 low-dose CsA-treated kidney-transplanted patients (s-creatinine, 124 +/- 24 mumol/l, mean +/- SD). After an overnight fast, ten l-h renal clearance periods were performed, two periods before and eight after CsA-ingestion. An additional control clearance study without CsA intake was performed in six subjects. RESULTS Fish oil did not change baseline values of the effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) or the glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Compared to the control study, CsA decreased GFR and ERPF significantly on average 20 +/- 3% (P < 0.01) and 23 +/- 3% (P < 0.01) respectively, 4-6 h after peak CsA blood concentration with no additional effect of fish oil. CsA also significantly decreased the renal clearance of lithium, used as an index of proximal tubular outflow, with no impact of dietary fish oil. CONCLUSION Fish oil supplementation had no effect on baseline renal function or CsA-induced hypoperfusion in stable renal transplant recipients treated with a low maintenance dose of CsA.
Angiotensinogen Gene Polymorphisms in IDDM Patients With Diabetic Nephropathy

Genotypic abnormalities of the renin-ANG system have been suggested as a risk factor for the development of diabetic nephropathy. Cleavage of angiotensinogen is the rate-limiting step in the activation of the renin-ANG system. The TT genotype of a polymorphism encoding threonine instead of methionine (M235T) has been associated not only with increased plasma angiotensinogen concentration but also with essential hypertension. In addition, a polymorphism in the angiotensinogen gene substituting methionine for threonine (T174M) has been associated with hypertension in nondiabetic populations. We studied the relationship between these polymorphisms in the angiotensinogen gene in IDDM patients with diabetic nephropathy (121 men, 74 women, age 40.9 ± 10 years, diabetes duration 27 ± 8 years). There was no difference in M235T genotype distribution between IDDM patients with diabetic nephropathy and those with normoalbuminuria: 73/97/25 (37/50/13%) vs. 67/95/23 (36/52/12%) had MM/MT/TT genotypes, respectively. No difference in distribution of T174M genotypes between nephropathic and normoalbuminuric IDDM patients was observed either: 148/44/1 (77/23/0.5%) vs. 141/42/2 (76/23/1%) had TT/TM/MM genotypes, respectively. In patients with nephropathy, systolic blood pressure was higher (161 ± 22 mmHg [mean ± SD]) in patients carrying TT genotype of the M235T angiotensinogen polymorphism as compared with patients with MM or MT genotypes (150 ± 23 mmHg; P = 0.03). We conclude that neither the M235T nor the T174M polymorphism in the angiotensinogen gene contributes to genetic susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy in white IDDM patients, whereas the TT genotype of the M235T is associated with elevated blood pressure in patients with diabetic nephropathy.
[HFE gene mutations in Tunisian major beta-Thalassemia and iron overload].

OBJECTIVES In this study we have determined the allele frequency of HFE mutations H63D and C282Y in a group of Tunisian beta-thalassemia major patients. These two mutations are implicated in hereditary hemochromatosis among Caucasians. In this study we wanted to correlate these mutations with the iron status in major beta-thalassemia patients. DESIGN AND METHODS Fifty Tunisian major beta-thalassemia were screening for the C282Y and H63D by digestion of polymerase chain reaction products (RFLP). Serum ferritin level was measured by immunoenzymatic microparticular essay. RESULTS The allele frequency of H63D mutation was 17%. C282Y mutation was not present in our studied patients. No statistically significant difference of serum ferritin level was found between major beta-thalassemia with and without HFE mutations. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that H63D mutation is so frequent in Tunisian major beta-thalassemia patients than in the general population and that the coinheritance of H63D mutation does not influence the severity of iron overload in these patients.
Quantification of Conductor Surface Roughness Profiles in Printed Circuit Boards

Conductor (copper) foil surface roughness in printed circuit boards (PCBs) is inevitable due to adhesion with laminate dielectrics. Surface roughness limits data rates and frequency range of application of copper interconnects and affects signal integrity (SI) in high-speed electronic designs. In measurements of dielectric properties of laminate dielectrics using traveling-wave techniques, conductor surface roughness may significantly affect accuracy of measuring dielectric constant (DK) and dissipation factor (DF), especially at frequencies above a few gigahertz, when copper roughness is comparable to skin depth of copper. This paper proposes an algorithm for characterization of copper foil surface roughness. This is done by analyzing the microsection images of copper foils obtained using optical or scanning electron microscopes. The statistics obtained from numerous copper foil roughness profiles allows for introducing a new metric for roughness characterization of PCB interconnects and developing “design curves,” which could be used by SI engineers in their designs.
Role of the purine repressor hinge sequence in repressor function

A protease-hypersensitive hinge sequence in Escherichia coli purine repressor (PurR) connects an N-terminal DNA-binding domain with a contiguous corepressor-binding domain. Binding of one molecule of dimeric repressor to operator DNA protects the hinge against proteolytic cleavage. Mutations in the hinge region impair repressor function in vivo. Several nonfunctional hinge mutants were defective in low-affinity binding to operator DNA in the absence of corepressor as well as in high-affinity corepressor-dependent binding to operator DNA, although binding of corepressor was similar to binding of the wild-type repressor. These results establish a role for the hinge region in operator binding and lead to a proposal for two routes to form the holoPurR-operator complex.
Comparison of angular and combined automatic tube current modulation techniques with constant tube current CT of the abdomen and pelvis.

OBJECTIVE The objective of our study was to compare image quality and radiation dose associated with abdominopelvic CT using combined modulation, angular modulation, and constant tube current. CONCLUSION Compared with using a constant tube current to scan the abdomen and pelvis, the use of a combined modulation technique results in a substantial reduction (42-44%) in radiation dose with acceptable image noise and diagnostic acceptability.
The neuropeptide vasoactive intestinal peptide: direct effects on immune cells and involvement in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases

Neuropeptides represent an important category of endogenous contributors to the establishment and maintenance of immune deviation in the immune‐privileged organs such as the CNS and in the control of acute inflammation in the peripheral immune organs. Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) is a major immunoregulatory neuropeptide widely distributed in the central and peripheral nervous system. In addition to neurones, VIP is synthesized by immune cells which also express VIP receptors. Here, we review the current information on VIP production and VIP‐receptor‐mediated effects in the immune system, the role of endogenous and exogenous VIP in inflammatory and autoimmune disorders and the present and future VIP therapeutic approaches.