Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long-term outcomes with drug-eluting stents versus bare-metal stents in Sweden.

BACKGROUND Recent reports have indicated that there may be an increased risk of late stent thrombosis with the use of drug-eluting stents, as compared with bare-metal stents. METHODS We evaluated 6033 patients treated with drug-eluting stents and 13,738 patients treated with bare-metal stents in 2003 and 2004, using data from the Swedish Coronary Angiography and Angioplasty Registry. The outcome analysis covering a period of up to 3 years was based on 1424 deaths and 2463 myocardial infarctions and was adjusted for differences in baseline characteristics. RESULTS The two study groups did not differ significantly in the composite of death and myocardial infarction during 3 years of follow-up. At 6 months, there was a trend toward a lower unadjusted event rate in patients with drug-eluting stents than in those with bare-metal stents, with 13.4 fewer such events per 1000 patients. However, after 6 months, patients with drug-eluting stents had a significantly higher event rate, with 12.7 more events per 1000 patients per year (adjusted relative risk, 1.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05 to 1.37). At 3 years, mortality was significantly higher in patients with drug-eluting stents (adjusted relative risk, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.04 to 1.35), and from 6 months to 3 years, the adjusted relative risk for death in this group was 1.32 (95% CI, 1.11 to 1.57). CONCLUSIONS Drug-eluting stents were associated with an increased rate of death, as compared with bare-metal stents. This trend appeared after 6 months, when the risk of death was 0.5 percentage point higher and a composite of death or myocardial infarction was 0.5 to 1.0 percentage point higher per year. The long-term safety of drug-eluting stents needs to be ascertained in large, randomized trials.
Inhibition of Human Rhinovirus-Induced Cytokine Production by AG7088, a Human Rhinovirus 3C Protease Inhibitor

ABSTRACT Symptom severity in patients with human rhinovirus (HRV)-induced respiratory illness is associated with elevated levels of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-8. AG7088 is a novel, irreversible inhibitor of the HRV 3C protease. In this study, AG7088 was tested for its antiviral activity and ability to inhibit the production of IL-6 and IL-8 in a human bronchial epithelial cell line, BEAS-2B. Infection of BEAS-2B cells with HRV 14 resulted in the production of both infectious virus and the cytokines IL-6 and IL-8. Treatment of HRV 14-infected cells with AG7088 resulted in a statistically significant (P, <0.05) dose-dependent reduction in the levels of infectious virus as well as IL-6 and IL-8 released into the cell supernatant compared to the results obtained for compound-free infected cells. AG7088 was also able to inhibit the replication of HRV 2 and 16 in BEAS-2B cells. In time-of-addition studies, AG7088 could be added as late as 14 to 26 h after HRV 14 infection of BEAS-2B cells and still result in a statistically significant (P, <0.05) reduction in the levels of infectious virus, IL-6, and IL-8 compared to the results obtained for compound-free infected cells. These findings have implications for the development of an antirhinovirus agent that may not only block virus replication but also diminish symptoms.
Quantitation of mRNA expression in glomeruli using laser-manipulated microdissection and laser pressure catapulting.

BACKGROUND Laser-manipulated microdissection (LMM) is a method to cut out a single cell or limited tiny region from a specimen under microscopic observation by a laser beam. Laser pressure catapulting (LPC) is a method to push up and collect samples that were microdissected using a strong laser. METHODS To induce experimental glomerulonephritis, anti-Thy1.1 monoclonal antibody (OX-7) was injected intravenously into rats. Control and disease model kidneys were obtained. Six-micrometer thick cryostat sections were mounted onto a 1.35 microm thin polyethylene membrane. Ten glomeruli were collected from 6 microm frozen sections of rat kidney by LMM and LPC. Isolated glomeruli were used to quantitate the expression of mRNA by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). RESULTS Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) mRNA was not detected in glomeruli isolated by the LMM and the LPC methods on day 0, although G3PDH mRNA was measurable in the same samples. On day 7 after the treatment with OX-7, the ratio of TGF-beta1/G3PDH mRNA was 1.89 +/- 0.96 (N = 6). CONCLUSIONS We established methods to isolate glomeruli from standard histochemical specimens by LMM and LPC, and to quantify mRNA expression in the targeted glomeruli using real-time PCR. We confirmed the up-regulation of TGF-beta1 mRNA expression in isolated glomeruli from frozen sections of the anti-Thy1.1 glomerulonephritis model.
Runx2 (Cbfa1, AML-3) Interacts with Histone Deacetylase 6 and Represses the p21CIP1/WAF1 Promoter

ABSTRACT Runx2 (Cbfa1, AML-3) is multifunctional transcription factor that is essential for osteoblast development. Runx2 binds specific DNA sequences and interacts with transcriptional coactivators and corepressors to either activate or repress transcription of tissue-specific genes. In this study, the p21 CIP/WAF1 promoter was identified as a repressible target of Runx2. A carboxy-terminal repression domain distinct from the well-characterized TLE/Groucho-binding domain contributed to Runx2-mediated p21 repression. This carboxy-terminal domain was sufficient to repress a heterologous GAL reporter. The repressive activity of this domain was sensitive to the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A but not to trapoxin B. HDAC6, which is insensitive to trapoxin B, specifically interacted with the carboxy terminus of Runx2. The HDAC6 interaction domain of Runx2 was mapped to a region overlapping the nuclear matrix-targeting signal. The Runx2 carboxy terminus was necessary for recruitment of HDAC6 from the cytoplasm to chromatin. HDAC6 also colocalized and coimmunoprecipitated with the nuclear matrix-associated protein Runx2 in osteoblasts. Finally, we show that HDAC6 is expressed in differentiating osteoblasts and that the Runx2 carboxy terminus is necessary for maximal repression of the p21 promoter in preosteoblasts. These data identify Runx2 as the first transcription factor to interact with HDAC6 and suggest that HDAC6 may bind to Runx2 in differentiating osteoblasts to regulate tissue-specific gene expression.
Alternaria and Cladosporium calendar of Western Thrace: Relationship with allergic rhinitis symptoms

Alternaria and Cladosporium are the most important outdoor moulds. The aim of this study was to present fungal spore monitoring data, investigate the relationship of fungal counts with climate conditions, and to explore the clinical significance of Alternaria and Cladosporium species monitoring in allergic rhinitis (AR).
Comparison of transcanalicular diode laser dacryocystorhinostomy and external dacryocystorhinostomy in patients with primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction

To compare the success, complication, and patient discomfort rates of transcanalicular diode laser dacryocystorhinostomy (TCDL‐DCR) and external dacryocystorhinostomy (EX‐DCR) surgeries performed in patients with primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction.
Paucity of TEL‐AML 1 translocation, by multiplex RT‐PCR, in B‐lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in Indian patients

A total of 69 patients of B lineage ALL, 35 children (32 males, 3 females) and 34 young adults (27 males, 7 females) were studied by multiplex RT‐PCR to determine the relative frequency of t(9;22), t(12;21), t(1;19), and t(4;11,). Translocation (9;22) was seen in 1/35 (2.8%) and t(1;19) in 2/35 (5.7%) children. None of the children showed t(12;21) and t(4;11) translocations. In young adults, t(9;22) and t(1;19) were seen in 5/34 (14.7%) and 2/34 (5.8%) patients, respectively. None of the latter showed t(12;21) or t(4;11) translocations. Thus, there appears to be a significant under representation of the fusion transcripts for TEL‐AML, a good prognostic marker, in this study, unlike in the West, where it is seen in 35% of children with ALL. This, together with the generally increased leukemic burden seen in Indian patients, may explain in part, the poor treatment outcome reported. Am. J. Hematol. 76:80–82, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Glutamate-dependent regulation of cholinergic phenotype in hypothalamic neurons

Glutamate NMDA receptor antagonists are used clinically. However, they have serious side effects, some of which are presumably due to an increase in acetylcholine transmission. Our previous experiments revealed acetylcholine-dependent excitation in rat hypothalamic cultures after a chronic glutamate receptor blockade. Dextromethorphan, amantadine, and eliprodil are NMDA receptor antagonists. Lamotrigine inhibits synaptic glutamate release. These drugs are used clinically. Here, using calcium imaging and immunocytochemistry, we demonstrate that a chronic treatment with each of these drugs induced acetylcholine activity and choline acetyltransferase immunoreactivity in rat hypothalamic (but not cortical) cultures. These data support the possibility that some side effects of anti-glutamate drugs in vivo may be due to the increase in cholinergic properties in certain regions of the CNS.
A Customizable Matrix Multiplication Framework for the Intel HARPv2 Xeon+FPGA Platform: A Deep Learning Case Study

General Matrix to Matrix multiplication (GEMM) is the cornerstone for a wide gamut of applications in high performance computing (HPC), scientific computing (SC) and more recently, deep learning. In this work, we present a customizable matrix multiplication framework for the Intel HARPv2 CPU+FPGA platform that includes support for both traditional single precision floating point and reduced precision workloads. Our framework supports arbitrary size GEMMs and consists of two parts: (1) a simple application programming interface (API) for easy configuration and integration into existing software and (2) a highly customizable hardware template. The API provides both compile and runtime options for controlling key aspects of the hardware template including dynamic precision switching; interleaving and block size control; and fused deep learning specific operations. The framework currently supports single precision floating point (FP32), 16, 8, 4 and 2 bit Integer and Fixed Point (INT16, INT8, INT4, INT2) and more exotic data types for deep learning workloads: INT16xTernary, INT8xTernary, BinaryxBinary. We compare our implementation to the latest NVIDIA Pascal GPU and evaluate the performance benefits provided by optimizations built into the hardware template. Using three neural networks (AlexNet, VGGNet and ResNet) we illustrate that reduced precision representations such as binary achieve the best performance, and that the HARPv2 enables fine-grained partitioning of computations over both the Xeon and FPGA. We observe up to 50x improvement in execution time compared to single precision floating point, and that runtime configuration options can improve the efficiency of certain layers in AlexNet up to 4x, achieving an overall 1.3x improvement over the entire network.
Evaluation of satellite and reanalysis products of downward surface solar radiation over East Asia: Spatial and seasonal variations

Surface solar radiation plays a crucial role in surface energy and water budgets, and it is also an important forcing for land hydrological models. In this study, the downward surface solar radiation (DSSR) from two satellite products, the Fengyun‐2C satellite (FY‐2C) and the Fast Longwave and Shortwave Radiative Fluxes project (FLASHFlux), and two reanalysis datasets, NCEP‐DOE and ERA‐Interim, was evaluated against ground‐based observations (OBS) from 94 stations over mainland China during July 2006 to June 2009. It is found that the mean DSSR derived from FY‐2C is comparable to OBS, with small positive biases of 3.0 Wm–2 for daily data and 3.5 Wm‐2 for monthly data and moderate RMSEs of 49.3 Wm‐2 (daily) and 31.9 Wm‐2 (monthly). These results are comparable to those for FLASHFlux, which has the lowest RMSEs (43.2 Wm‐2 and 30.5 Wm‐2 for daily and monthly data, respectively) and the strongest correlations with OBS (r = 0.90 and 0.93 for daily and monthly data, respectively) among the four products. The DSSR from the reanalyses has much larger RMSEs and generally lower correlations with OBS than the satellite products, especially for the NCEP‐DOE products. Results also show that daily DSSR values are sensitive to the averaging grid size, while monthly mean DSSR is largely insensitive to the averaging scale. The DSSR from the four datasets over East Asia shows similar spatial patterns with large seasonal variations but differs in magnitude. In summer, high DSSR is observed over western China, while low DSSR is seen primarily over South Asia and the Sichuan Basin associated with extensive cloud cover (CC) and large precipitable water (PW). In winter, the high DSSR center shifts to South Asia due to decreased CC and PW, and the DSSR decreases from the South to the North. Deficiencies in the parameterizations of clouds, aerosols, and water vapor, as well as errors in atmospheric and surface properties for the retrieval algorithms contribute to the lower correlation of the DSSR derived from FY‐2C (r = 0.82 and 0.90 for daily and monthly data) with OBS than those from FLASHFlux product. Further improvements to the representation of clouds and aerosols in the FY‐2C retrieval algorithm are needed.
Endovenous management of saphenous vein reflux. Endovenous Reflux Management Study Group.

PURPOSE This study assessed clinical outcomes of two catheter-based endovenous procedures to eliminate or greatly mitigate saphenous vein reflux. MATERIALS AND METHODS A computer-controlled, dedicated generator and two catheter designs were used to treat 210 patients at 16 private clinic and university centers in Europe. The Closure catheter applied resistive heating over long vein lengths to cause maximum wall contraction for permanent obliteration; the Restore catheter induced a short subvalvular constriction to improve the competence of mobile but nonmeeting leaflets. RESULTS Closure treatment caused acute obliteration in 141 (93%) of 151 limbs; Restore treatment, shrinking one or more valves, acutely reduced reflux to less than 1 second in 41 (60%) of 68 limbs. Closure treatments were associated with early recanalization (6%), paresthesias (thigh, 9%; leg, 51%; P <.001), 3 skin burns, and 3 deep-vein thrombus extensions, with 1 embolism. Restore treatments were thrombogenic (16%) despite prophylactic anticoagulation, and treated valves enlarged over 6 weeks, becoming less competent. Clinical Efficacy Assessment Project clinical class was significantly improved after both treatments, up to 1 year. At 6 months, 87% of 53 Closure patients were class 0 or 1, 75% were symptom-free, and 96% of 55 treated limbs were completely free of reflux. Fourteen of 31 Restore patients (45%) had no symptoms, but 55% were class 2 or lower and only 19% had less than 1-second reflux. CONCLUSION Closure treatment is clinically effective, albeit with offsetting complications and early failures; these are being addressed through four procedural modifications. Restore valve shrinking, although conceptually attractive, is too problematic to be competitive with Closure treatment or saphenectomy.
Intact canal wall mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty for cholesteatoma in children

Objective/Hypothesis: Cases of cholesteatoma in pediatric patients were reviewed to determine which factors influence the outcome of surgical treatment. Cholesteatoma is considered a more aggressive disease in children than in adults. The outcomes of intact canal wall (ICW) mastoidectomy and canal wall down (CWD) mastoidectomy were assessed, as comparisons of different surgical technique. Study Design: A retrospective analysis of all cases of pediatric cholesteatoma treated at a single institution by the senior author (P.R.L.) over a period of 11 years was conducted. Methods: Patient information was collected from an otology database, patient records, and audiology files. Results: Sixty‐six patients, aged 10 months to 18 years, were treated and followed for an average of 37.7 months (range 12.2 months to 12. 5 y). ICW mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty was the primary surgical treatment in 41 patients. Nineteen percent had residual disease at a planned second stage surgery and 22% developed recurrent cholesteatoma for a total recidivism rate of 41%. A SRT of less than 30 dB HL was achieved in 75% of these patients. Seventeen patients underwent CWD mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty initially. Two patients (12%) had residual cholesteatoma found at a planned second state procedure, and no recurrent cholesteatoma was encountered. Seventy‐two percent maintained a SRT of less than 30 dB HL. Conclusions: These results support the continued use of ICW mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty for pediatric cholesteatoma. If planned second stage surgery is necessary, the long‐term results of an ear with useful hearing and few problems with chronic medical care are gratifying. For reasons of anatomy or in an only hearing ear, CWD mastoidectomy with tympanoplasty provides a safe ear and good hearing results. Mastoid cavity care must be maintained indefinitely in many cases.
Determination of normal concentration levels of Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Se and Zn in hair of the child population in the Czech Republic.

Knowledge of normal levels of concentrations of trace elements (Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Pb, Se and Zn) in the population serve, among others, in the designing of regulations of exposure limits and prevention of diseases caused by deficiency in essential trace elements. Concentrations of the named elements in the hair of children in the Czech population were determined by means of atomic absorption spectrometry. The samples of hair were collected during 1994- 2001 from 3,556 children (1,741 boys and 1,815 girls, average age 9.9 years). Mineralization in a microwave digestion system was used following a washing procedure. The accuracy of results was checked by means of the control materials CRM Human Hair GBW 07601. Values of concentrations of the trace elements in hair found for children were (in medians) 0.14 microg Cd.g(-1), 0.22 microg Cr.g(-1), 12 microg Cu.g(-1), 0.19 microg Hg.g(-1), 1.6 microg Pb.g(-1), 0.22 microg Se.g(-1) and 124 microg Zn.g(-1), respectively. Statistically significant differences between boys and girls were found for Cd, Cu and Zn. Concentrations of the elements under study correspond to the published values for the non-exposed population.
Response to a behavioural treatment, biofeedback, in constipated patients is associated with improved gut transit and autonomic innervation

BACKGROUND Although behavioural treatment (biofeedback) successfully treats the pelvic floor abnormalities in patients with idiopathic constipation, many patients also normalise their impaired bowel frequency. We postulated that a response may be associated with altered cerebral outflow via extrinsic autonomic nerves to the gut. We investigated whether treatment changes extrinsic innervation, using mucosal laser Doppler flowmetry, whether autonomic changes are gut specific, and whether it changes gut transit. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty nine patients (44 female, mean age 39 years) with idiopathic constipation were studied before and after biofeedback treatment (mean five sessions). Rectal mucosal blood flow was measured by laser Doppler flowmetry to assess direct extrinsic gut nerve autonomic activity. To assess general autonomic activity, RR (interval between successive R waves on the electrocardiogram) variability, Valsalva ratio, orthostatic adjustment ratio, and phase II:IV blood pressure ratio (II:IV) of the Valsalva manoeuvre were measured. All autonomic tests were compared with those of 26 healthy volunteers (19 female, mean age 37 years). RESULTS Twenty nine of 49 patients were symptomatically improved. Treatment reduced those with ⩽3 bowel actions per week (27 v 9, prev post), need to strain (26v 9), and laxative or suppository use (34v 9). Biofeedback reduced retained markers by 32% in those with slow transit and by 20% in those with normal transit. Twenty two had slow transit before treatment—14 felt symptomatic improvement of whom 13 developed normal transit. There was a significantly greater increase in rectal mucosal blood flow in patients who subjectively improved compared with those who did not (29%v 7%; p<0.03) and in those with improved bowel frequency (33% v 9%, increasedv unchanged bowel frequency; p<0.05). Thirty five patients had abnormal RR variability and 33 an abnormal Valsalva ratio; one had an abnormal orthostatic adjustment ratio and one an abnormal II:IV ratio. None of the general cardiorespiratory autonomic reflexes was changed by treatment. CONCLUSIONS Biofeedback treatment affects more than the pelvic floor. Successful outcome after biofeedback treatment is associated with improved activity of the direct cerebral innervation to the gut and improved gut transit. This effect is gut specific; cardiovascular autonomic reflexes were not altered.
Detection of Free Radical Activity During Transient Global Ischemia and Recirculation: Effects of Intraischemic Brain Temperature Modulation

Abstract: To obtain direct evidence of oxygen radical activity in the course of cerebral ischemia under different intraischemic temperatures, we used a method based on the chemical trapping of hydroxyl radical in the form of the stable adducts 2,3‐ and 2,5‐dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHBA) following salicylate administration. Wistar rats were subjected to 20 min of global forebrain ischemia by two‐vessel occlusion plus systemic hypotension (50 mm Hg). Intraischemic striatal temperature was maintained as normothermic (37°C), hypothermic (30°C), or hyperthermic (39°C) but was held at 37°C before and following ischemia. Salicylate was administered either systemically (200 mg/kg, i.p.) or by continuous infusion (5 mM) through a microdialysis probe implanted in the striatum. Striatal extracellular fluid was sampled at regular intervals before, during, and after ischemia, and levels of 2,3‐ and 2,5‐DHBA were assayed by HPLC with electrochemical detection. Following systemic administration of salicylate, stable baseline levels of 2,3‐ and 2,5‐DHBA were observed before ischemia. During 20 min of normothermic ischemia, a 50% reduction in mean levels of both DHBAs was documented, suggesting a baseline level of hydroxyl radical that was diminished during ischemia, presumably owing to oxygen restriction to tissue at that time. During recirculation, 2,3‐ and 2,5‐DHBA levels increased by 2.5‐ and 2.8‐fold, respectively. Levels of 2,3‐DHBA remained elevated during 1 h of reperfusion, whereas the increase in 2,5‐DHBA levels persisted for 2 h. The increases in 2,3‐ and 2,5‐DHBA levels observed following hyperthermic ischemia were significantly higher (3.8‐ and fivefold, respectively). In contrast, no significant changes in DHBA levels were observed following hypothermic ischemia. The postischemic changes in DHBA content observed following local administration of salicylate were comparable to the results obtained with systemic administration, thus confirming that the hydroxyl radicals arose within brain parenchyma itself. These results provide evidence that hydroxyl radical levels are increased during postischemic recirculation, and this process is modulated by intraischemic brain temperature. Hence, these data suggest a possible mechanism for the effects of temperature on ischemic outcome and support a key role for free radical‐induced injury in the development of ischemic damage.