Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence Trend and Correlates of HHV‐8 Infection in HIV‐Infected Patients

&NA; To assess the circulation of human herpesvirus (HHV)‐8 infection over the years, two seroprevalence surveys were conducted, which tested sera from HIV‐infected individuals recruited 10 years apart (206 individuals from 1986 to 1988 and 177 individuals from 1997 to 1998). For all patients, antibodies to hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and HHV‐8 lytic and latent antigens were evaluated. HHV‐8 seroprevalence was higher among individuals recruited in the 1990s (31.6% for anti‐lytic, 8.5% for anti‐latent antibodies) compared with similar findings in those seen in the late 1980s (14.6% and 3.4% for anti‐lytic and anti‐latent antibodies, respectively), with a twofold increase of the risk of HHV‐8 infection. However, the increase was observed only among injecting drug users, whereas seroprevalence tended to slightly increase among those infected by sexual contact. At univariate analysis, time of recruitment and being homosexual men were factors associated with HHV‐8 infection, an association that remained after adjusting for age. HBV infection was significantly associated with HHV‐8 infection (odds ratio [OR], 2.2; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3‐3.6), whereas those infected with HCV had a lower probability of having HHV‐8 antibodies (OR, 0.3; 95% CI, 0.20‐0.6). After controlling for age and gender, time of recruitment remained independently associated with HHV‐8 infection among injecting drug users. In conclusion, HHV‐8 seroprevalence appears to be increased during 10 years among HIV‐infected injection drug users but not among homosexual men, who remain those at the highest risk of infection.
Cardioprotective effect of trimetazidine during coronary artery graft surgery.

Reperfusion injury remains the most uncontrolled phenomenon during cardiac surgery. Potential myocardial protection by trimetazidine was tested in a double blind placebo controlled study on 19 patients undergoing aorto-coronary bypass surgery. The trimetazidine group was composed of 10 patients and the placebo group of 9 patients. Pretreatment was started three weeks before surgery with 1 tablet (trimetazidine 20 mg) t.i. d. and the same drug was added to the cardioplegic solutions (trimetazidine: 10(-6) M). The cross clamping time was 41.1 +/- 3.8 minutes in the trimetazidine group and 39.8 +/- 2.3 minutes in the placebo group. Metabolic measurements showed that the increase of malondialdehyde measured in the coronary sinus 20 minutes after reperfusion was significantly (p = 0.014) less in the trimetazidine group (from 1.60 +/- 0.11 to 1.79 +/- 0.2 mumol/L-1) than in the placebo group (from 1.17 +/- 0.11 to 2.84 +/- 0.58 mumol/L-1). Myosin was present 4 hours after surgery in all patients in the placebo group and in 5 of the 10 of the trimetazidine group (p = 0.036). Haemodynamic measurements showed that patients pretreated with trimetazidine had a better ventricular function, as assessed by the stroke work index (SWI) significantly (p = 0.01) higher in the trimetazidine group (0.0391 +/- 0.0029 g/min/m2/beta) than in the placebo group (0.0282 +/- 0.0026 g/min/m2/beat), the evolution of SWI during surgery was not significantly different between the two groups. Thus trimetazidine seems to reduce ischaemia-reperfusion damage during cardiac surgery; moreover pretreatment with trimetazidine allows the patient to face the operation with better ventricular function.
Plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-&agr; and interleukin-6 are associated with diastolic heart failure through downregulation of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase

Objective:The inflammatory process is associated with cardiac diastolic dysfunction, which has been demonstrated to be an independent prognostic marker for the mortality of critically ill patients. We investigated the association among inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-&agr; and interleukin-6), diastolic heart failure, and the possible molecular mechanism. Design:Prospective case-controlled cohort and molecular studies. Setting:University hospital and research laboratory. Subjects:Patients with a diagnosis of diastolic heart failure by echocardiography and matched control subjects from the general population (study group 1) and also subjects from the intensive care unit (study group 2). Sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA2) gene expression and diastolic calcium decay in HL-1 cardiomyocytes were used as molecular phenotypes of diastolic heart failure. Interventions:Soluble plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-&agr; and interleukin-6 were measured in all subjects. An approximate 1.75-kb promoter of the SERCA2 gene was cloned to the pGL3 luciferase reporter. The effect of tumor necrosis factor-&agr; and interleukin-6 on SERCA2 gene expression and diastolic calcium decay of HL-1 cardiomyocytes were investigated. Measurements and Main Results:Patients with diastolic heart failure had significantly higher plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-&agr; and interleukin-6 than the control subjects. Significant correlations (p < .01 for each) were found for tumor necrosis factor-&agr; and E/Em (r = .87) and E/A (r = −0.69), and for interleukin-6 and E/Em (r = .80) and E/A (r = −0.65). Cytokine levels were also correlated with diastolic function in critically ill patients (study group 2), and diastolic function improved significantly in association with decrease of cytokines. Tumor necrosis factor-&agr;, interleukin-6, and sera from critically ill patients downregulated the expression of the SERCA2 gene. Tumor necrosis factor-&agr; and interleukin-6 also delayed the diastolic calcium reuptake and decay in cardiomyocytes. Conclusions:Through downregulation of SERCA2 gene expression, inflammatory cytokines may cause cardiac diastolic dysfunction by decreasing diastolic calcium reuptake. Our study may suggest novel therapeutic strategies for diastolic heart failure and critically ill patients by modulating inflammatory reactions.
The Pedagogical Impacts of the Common Core State Standards on Elementary Mathematics Teachers of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing

This study explored the intersection of the Common Core State Standards and the field of Deaf Education, specifically the impact of the Common Core on the pedagogy of elementary mathematics teachers of the deaf and hard-of-hearing. I defined pedagogy in this study as the union of the philosophy of teaching a teacher holds and the methodology of teaching a teacher uses in their classroom. This study made use of an explanatory sequential mixed methods research design, which included a phase of quantitative data collection through a survey of elementary mathematics teachers in Deaf Schools in Common Core states and a phase of qualitative data collection through interviews with a sub-sample of participants from the quantitative phase. This study was exploratory in nature and caution should be taken when attempting to generalize the findings of this study to the larger population of Deaf Education teachers. For the quantitative phase, I used an instrument I created for this study, the Deaf Education Common Core Mathematics Pedagogy questionnaire, which explored demographics, beliefs about teaching, and methods used in teaching by elementary mathematics teachers who teach in Deaf Schools in Common Core states. The instrument was disseminated using an online platform and was analyzed for reliability vii post-survey. Sixty teachers participated in the survey and their data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The qualitative phase included comments made during the survey and interviews I conducted with eight volunteers who had participated in the quantitative portion of the study. I analyzed these data using qualitative analysis coding following a phenomenological lens. The Common Core is having an impact on teachers of the deaf and hard-of-hearing, although the impact is a mixture of positive and negative. When the quantitative and qualitative data were integrated, six key themes emerged. From these themes, recommendations are made for Deaf Schools, teacher preparation programs, and the field of Deaf Education as a whole, mainly revolving around the need for Deaf educators to acknowledge the impact of the Common Core on teachers and students and then discuss approaches, both philosophical and methodological, for supporting teachers and students in the Common Core.
A phylogenetic review of the African leaf chameleons: genus Rhampholeon (Chamaeleonidae): the role of vicariance and climate change in speciation

The phylogenetic associations among 13 currently recognized African leaf chameleon species were investigated by making use of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequence data (44 taxa and 4145 characters). The gene tree indicates two divergent clades within Rhampholeon; this finding is congruent with previous morphological suggestions. The first clade (I) comprises three taxa (R. kerstenii, R. brevicaudatus and R. brachyurus) and is widely distributed in lowland forest and or non–forest biomes. The second clade (II) comprises the remaining Rhampholeon species and can be subdivided into three subclades. By contrast, most taxa belonging to clade II are confined to relict montane forest biotopes. Based on geographical, morphological and molecular evidence, it is suggested that the taxonomy of Rhampholeon be revised to include two genera (Rieppeleon and Rhampholeon) and three subgenera (Rhampholeon, Bicuspis and Rhinodigitum). There is a close correlation between geographical distribution and phylogenetic relatedness among Rhampholeon taxa, indicating that vicariance and climate change were possibly the most influential factors driving speciation in the group. A relaxed Bayesian clock suggests that speciation times coincided both with the northern movement of Africa, which caused the constriction of the pan African forest, and to rifting in east Africa ca. 20 Myr ago. Subsequent speciation among taxa was probably the result of gradual desiccation of forests between 20 and 5 Myr ago.
Genetic Mechanisms of TP53 Loss of Heterozygosity in Barrett's Esophagus: Implications for Biomarker Validation

Background and Aims: 17p (TP53) loss of heterozygosity (LOH) has been reported to be predictive of progression from Barrett's esophagus to esophageal adenocarcinoma, but the mechanism by which TP53 LOH develops is unknown. It could be (a) DNA deletion, (b) LOH without copy number change, or (c) tetraploidy followed by genetic loss. If an alternative biomarker assay, such as fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), provided equivalent results, then translation to the clinic might be accelerated, because LOH genotyping is presently limited to research centers. Methods: We evaluated mechanisms of TP53 LOH to determine if FISH and TP53 LOH provided equivalent results on the same flow-sorted samples (n = 43) representing established stages of clonal progression (diploid, diploid with TP53 LOH, aneuploid) in 19 esophagectomy specimens. Results: LOH developed by all three mechanisms: 32% had DNA deletions, 32% had no copy number change, and 37% had FISH patterns consistent with a tetraploid intermediate followed by genetic loss. Thus, FISH and LOH are not equivalent (P < 0.000001). Conclusions: LOH develops by multiple chromosome mechanisms in Barrett's esophagus, all of which can be detected by genotyping. FISH cannot detect LOH without copy number change, and dual-probe FISH is required to detect the complex genetic changes associated with a tetraploid intermediate. Alternative biomarker assay development should be guided by appreciation and evaluation of the biological mechanisms generating the biomarker abnormality to detect potential sources of discordance. FISH will require validation in adequately powered longitudinal studies before implementation as a clinical diagnostic for esophageal adenocarcinoma risk prediction. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2006;15(3):509–16)
Distributed Control of Micro-Storage Devices With Mean Field Games

This paper proposes a fully distributed control strategy for the management of micro-storage devices that perform energy arbitrage. For large storage populations, the problem can be approximated as a differential game with infinite players (mean field game). Through the resolution of coupled partial differential equations (PDEs), it is possible to determine, as a fixed point, the optimal feedback strategy for each player and the resulting price of energy if that strategy is applied. Once this price is calculated, it can be communicated to the devices, which are able to independently determine their optimal charge profile. Simulation results are provided, calculating the fixed point through numerical integration of the PDEs. The original model is then extended in order to consider additional elements, such as multiple population of devices and demand uncertainty.
The Noradrenergic Innervation of Identified Hypothalamic Magnocellular Somata and its Contribution to Lactation‐Induced Synaptic Plasticity

Despite several studies showing that the rat supraoptic (SON) and paraventricular (PVN) nuclei are innervated by noradrenergic afferents, the respective contribution of these inputs to the oxytocinergic and vasopressinergic neuronal populations remains to be clearly defined. In the present study, we used the unbiased disector method to estimate the numerical density of noradrenergic varicosities on identified oxytocinergic and vasopressinergic somata in the rat SON and PVN. The analysis was carried out on semithin (1 μm) plastic sections cut from vibratome slices (50 μm) of the SON and PVN which had been double‐labelled for noradrenaline (NA) and oxytocin‐ or vasopressin‐related neurophysin. These preparations displayed many noradrenergic varicosities which electron microscopy showed to represent, in the main, synaptic boutons. Our quantitative analysis revealed that noradrenergic varicosities contacted oxytocinergic and vasopressinergic somata to a similar extent in male and female rats, under basal conditions of hormone secretion. The incidence of these axo‐somatic contacts was similar in the SON and PVN. In contrast, in lactating rats, in which oxytocin secretion is enhanced, there was a significant increase in the density of noradrenergic varicosities apposed to oxytocinergic somata, in both nuclei. Our observations indicate that, in male and female rats under normal conditions, noradrenergic afferents innervate each type of neurosecretory somata, in both magnocellular nuclei, in a similar fashion. They reveal, moreover, that noradrenergic afferents participate in lactation‐induced structural plasticity of synapses impinging on oxytocinergic somata.
Free Tissue Transfer to Manage Salvage Laryngectomy Defects After Organ Preservation Failure

Objective: Salvage laryngectomy to treat organ preservation failures results in significantly higher local wound complications. Even in the absence of extralaryngeal disease, primary closure of laryngeal defects can result in protracted wound care problems. We hypothesize that even when sufficient mucosa is present to close the defect primarily, introduction of vascularized tissue to close the defect may improve outcomes.
Predicting Market Betas

This research, using firm-level data on NSE listed stocks for the period of 2008–2015, seeks empirical evidence on the significance of company characteristics in prediction of market betas in Indian context. The empirical methodology involves two-stage statistical procedure where an exploratory factor framework determines the historical relationship between firms’ fundamentals and systematic risk at first, and a generalized least square (GLS) technique of panel regression modelling estimates their predictive power thereafter. The search process discovers debt ratios and returns on investment predict market betas in Indian stock market. The study strongly suggests that the use of 1-year lagged historical betas along with the measures of financial leverage and overall profitability produces better predictions than the benchmark predictions solely based on historical betas. However, the analysts need to consider the industry differences in systematic risk to enhance the predictive power of the model.
Two decades of abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: have we made any progress?

PURPOSE Over the past 20 years, there have been numerous advances in our ability to detect and to treat abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). We hypothesized that these advances would lead to (1) an increase in the rate of elective repair and a decrease in the incidence of ruptured AAA (rAAA) and (2) a decrease in operative deaths for both elective AAA (eAAA) and rAAA. METHODS To test these hypotheses, we investigated the incidence and outcomes of eAAA and rAAA surgery between 1979 and 1997, using the National Hospital Discharge Survey. This data set is a randomized, stratified sample representing discharges from the nation's acute care, nonfederally funded hospitals. Codes from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision were used to identify our study population. RESULTS Over the past 19 years, there has been no change in the incidence rate of eAAA repair (range, 44.1-77.9 per 100,000). Moreover, the incidence of rAAAs presenting to the nation's hospitals has not changed (range, 6.6-16.3 per 100,000). There has been no consistent improvement over time in operative deaths associated with either eAAA or rAAA repair (average rates over the study period: eAAA, 5.6%; rAAA, 45.7%). Significant predictors of death from eAAA in patients included an age older than 80 years, African American race, congestive heart failure (CHF), and diabetes (P<.0001 for all). Significant predictors of death from rAAA in patients included age older than 70 years, African American race, female sex, renal failure, and a hospital bed size more than 500 (P<.05 for all). CONCLUSION On a national level, over the past 19 years, our ability to identify and to treat patients with AAA has not improved. Advances in technology and critical care have not affected outcome. Regionalization of care, screening of high-risk populations, and endovascular repair are strategies that might allow further improvement in the outcome of patients with aneurysmal disease.
Can exercise capacity assessed by the shuttle walk test predict the development of post-operative complications in patients with lung cancer?

INTRODUCTION The objective of this study was to assess the role of shuttle walk test in predicting post-operative complications in lung cancer resection surgery. PATIENTS AND METHODS A consecutive series of patients who were candidate for lung resection surgery with the diagnosis of early stage lung cancer were included to this study. All patients in this study evaluated for exercise capacity testing with shuttle walk test. RESULTS Twenty for patients were included in this study. Mean age was 61.5 ± 8.6 years. Pneumonectomy, lobectomy, bilobectomy and wedge resection were performed in 11 (46%), 10 (42%), 2 (8%), and 1 (4%) patients, respectively. Complications occurred only in six patients. There was no statistically significant relationship between risk for development of post-operative complication and age, incremental shuttle walk test, endurance shuttle walk test and exercise capacity evaluated with peak VO₂ (mL/kg/minute) (p> 0.05). CONCLUSION Shuttle walk tests (incremental and enduronce) had a limited role in predicting post-operative complications in lung cancer resections.
A critical analysis of the biological impacts of plasticizers on wildlife

This review provides a critical analysis of the biological effects of the most widely used plasticizers, including dibutyl phthalate, diethylhexyl phthalate, dimethyl phthalate, butyl benzyl phthalate and bisphenol A (BPA), on wildlife, with a focus on annelids (both aquatic and terrestrial), molluscs, crustaceans, insects, fish and amphibians. Moreover, the paper provides novel data on the biological effects of some of these plasticizers in invertebrates, fish and amphibians. Phthalates and BPA have been shown to affect reproduction in all studied animal groups, to impair development in crustaceans and amphibians and to induce genetic aberrations. Molluscs, crustaceans and amphibians appear to be especially sensitive to these compounds, and biological effects are observed at environmentally relevant exposures in the low ng l−1 to µg l−1 range. In contrast, most effects in fish (except for disturbance in spermatogenesis) occur at higher concentrations. Most plasticizers appear to act by interfering with the functioning of various hormone systems, but some phthalates have wider pathways of disruption. Effect concentrations of plasticizers in laboratory experiments coincide with measured environmental concentrations, and thus there is a very real potential for effects of these chemicals on some wildlife populations. The most striking gaps in our current knowledge on the impacts of plasticizers on wildlife are the lack of data for long-term exposures to environmentally relevant concentrations and their ecotoxicity when part of complex mixtures. Furthermore, the hazard of plasticizers has been investigated in annelids, molluscs and arthropods only, and given the sensitivity of some invertebrates, effects assessments are warranted in other invertebrate phyla.
Fibroblast Quiescence in Floating or Released Collagen Matrices

Fibroblasts in attached collagen matrices proliferate, whereas cells in floating or released matrices become quiescent. Cells in attached matrices had prominent actin stress fibers, indicating that they were under isometric tension, whereas stress fibers were absent from fibroblasts in floating or released matrices. Compared with cells in attached matrices, cells in floating or released matrices showed down-regulation of cyclin D1 and up-regulation of p27Kip1 cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, and similar changes occurred after the ERK signaling pathway was blocked by UO126 in cells in attached matrices. A different pattern of changes in cell cycle regulatory proteins occurred, however, after serum deprivation or actin cytoskeletal depolymerization by latrunculin B, which did not prevent signaling through the ERK pathway. Therefore, cell quiescence in floating or released collagen matrices could be explained by decreased signaling through the ERK pathway, but these changes were not accounted for by the absence of isometric tension in the cells.
Clinical significance of total and lipid bound sialic acid levels in oral pre-cancerous conditions and oral cancer.

BACKGROUND Altered glycosylation of glycoconjugates is among the important molecular changes that accompany malignant transformation. The purpose of our study was to investigate clinical usefulness of circulatory levels of total and lipid bound sialic acid for early diagnosis and management of oral cavity cancer patients. METHODS Blood samples were collected from 41 untreated oral cancer patients, 20 patients with oral pre-cancerous conditions (OPC) and 20 healthy subjects. Serum sialic acid (total and lipid bound) levels were measured spectrophotometrically. RESULTS Serum levels of total and lipid bound sialic acid were significantly elevated (P < 0.001) in untreated oral cancer patients as compared to healthy individuals as well as patients with OPC. Multivariate analysis documented that the progressive rise in total and lipid bound sialic acid was significantly associated (P = 0.0001 and 0.039, respectively) with stage of malignant disease. CONCLUSION The data revealed significant elevations in sialic acid levels in oral cancer patients and suggested potential utility of these parameters in diagnosis as well as determining clinical stage of the malignant disease.