Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Reciprocal Formulation of Nonexponential Radiative Transfer. 3: Binary Mixtures

We derive the form of reciprocal generalized radiative transfer (RGRT) that includes the Levermore-Pomraning attenuation law for paths leaving a deterministic origin. The resulting model describes linear transport within multi-dimensional stochastic binary mixtures with Markovian mixing statistics and nonstochastic albedo and phase function. The derivation includes a new attenuation law and related free-path distribution between collisions, which was previously estimated using a Monte Carlo approach. We also show that previous stationary descriptions of binary mixtures with binomial mixing statistics reduce to exponential attenuations and, thus, have an exact homogenization within classical radiative transfer.
Optostimulation of striatonigral terminals in substantia nigra induces dyskinesia that increases after L‐DOPA in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease

L‐DOPA‐induced dyskinesia (LID) remains a major complication of L‐DOPA therapy in Parkinson's disease. LID is believed to result from inhibition of substantia nigra reticulata (SNr) neurons by GABAergic striatal projection neurons that become supersensitive to dopamine receptor stimulation after severe nigrostriatal degeneration. Here, we asked if stimulation of direct medium spiny neuron (dMSN) GABAergic terminals at the SNr can produce a full dyskinetic state similar to that induced by L‐DOPA.
Attenuation of Pain Perception Induced by the Rubber Hand Illusion

Adaptive behavior usually requires accurate representations of body positions and ownership, which rely on integration of multiple sources of sensory information. The rubber hand illusion (RHI) presents a compelling example demonstrating that the combination of visual and tactile signals strongly influences the subjective experience of body ownership. However, it still remains unclear how the perception of body ownership in turn alters other aspects of sensory processing, such as pain perception. In the present study, we examined whether the RHI could modulate the subjective experience of pain. We set three conditions corresponding to different levels of ownership of the rubber hand: the synchronous condition in which the rubber and the real hand were simultaneously stroked; the asynchronous condition in which the two hands were asynchronously stroked; the own-hand-only condition in which only the real hand was stroked. Results from the screening experiment indicated that subjects experienced the stronger RHI in the synchronous condition, compared with the strength of RHI in the other two conditions. In the main experiment, subjects were requested to report the intensity and unpleasantness of pain evoked by laser stimuli under the three stroking conditions. Results showed that pain ratings were significantly lower under the synchronous condition than those under the other two conditions, suggesting the RHI could induce a significant analgesic effect. Furthermore, the correlation analysis showed that the degree of the analgesic effect was positively correlated with the RHI strength across individuals. Taken together, these results suggest an analgesic effect of the RHI and support the potential usage of visual illusions in future translational research on pain.
Subjective and Objective Outcomes in Patients With COPD After Pulmonary Rehabilitation – The Impact of Comorbidities

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a heterogeneous disease with multiple systemic manifestations and comorbidities, which contribute independently to its total morbidity and mortality. Pulmonary rehabilitation is an evidence-based intervention that is indicated for COPD patients who remain symptomatic, despite optimal pharmacological therapy. Although it is well documented in pure COPD, the role of pulmonary rehabilitation is uncertain in coexisting comorbidities. The aim of the present study was to clarify the effect of a pulmonary rehabilitation program in COPD patients with concomitant comorbidities. Methods: Thirty two patients with COPD were evaluated before and after a comprehensive pulmonary rehabilitation program, in terms of dyspnea, quality of life (QOL), pulmonary function tests and exercise capacity. The patients were also divided into two groups, according to the presence or the absence of comorbidities. Patients with none or only one comorbidity (Group 1, n = 11) were compared to those who had two or more comorbidities (Group 2, n = 21). Results: All patients significantly improved in dyspnea, as expressed by modified Medical Research Council scale and the COPD assessment Test (p < 0.001), QOL as assessed by the St. George respiratory questionnaire (p < 0.001) and exercise tolerance in six minute walking test (p < 0.001). Peak oxygen uptake relatively increased and body mass decreased in Group 1 compared to Group 2 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Pulmonary rehabilitation in COPD seems to be beneficial for all patients, independently of the presence, the number or the nature of their comorbidities. Thus, the presence of comorbidities must not represent an exclusion criterion for patients that are referred to pulmonary rehabilitation programs. Trial Registration: Current controlled trials ISRCTN14648515 Retrospectively registered 15 February 2018.
ROLE OF ISSR MOLECULAR MARKER IN ANALYSIS OF GENETIC DIVERSITY OF MUTANT Glycine soja THROUGH MUTATION INDUCTION WITH COMBINATION OF GAMMA RAY IRRADIATION AND EMS (ETHYL METHANE SULFONATE)

Mutation induction in soybeans is performed to achieve a high degree of genetic diversity as a basis for plant breeding in an attempt to obtain desired varieties. It is performed physically using gamma rays and chemically using EMS mutagen. This research was intended to figure out the effectiveness of the combination of chemical (EMS) and physical mutagens (gamma rays) in the induction of genetic diversity in black soybeans. Mutation detection can be carried out with molecular markers to characterize the genetic diversity of a crop. The mutation induction method employed in this research involved EMS and gamma-ray treatments. This research made use of 5-primer ISSR molecular marker. The UBC 810, UBC 811, UBC 812, UBC 828, and K18 primers used had successfully amplified and demonstrated genetic diversity in the black soybeans which were subjected to gamma-ray irradiation and EMS administration. The study results indicate that gamma-ray irradiation treatment yielded a higher extent of polymorphism than did control and EMS treatment, thus fit to be applied to candidate parent plants for further treatments.
Factors Related to Medication Self-Management in African American Older Women.

Individuals with multiple chronic diseases are often prescribed medications for each condition and thus must manage a drug regimen. Medication self-management is challenging for most individuals with chronic diseases, but it can be especially difficult for African American older women. This study investigated how medical mistrust, caregiver role strain, and other relevant variables may be associated with medication self-management behaviors (MSMB) among African American older women, and whether goal congruence and self-efficacy mediated the relationship between the predictor variables and MSMB. A sample of 116 African American older (age >50 years) women from central Milwaukee participated in this correlational, cross-sectional study. Although goal congruence and self-efficacy were not found to act as mediators, the main finding was that goal congruence, self-efficacy, and age predicted 30% of the variance in MSMB. The results suggest that it is essential to strengthen individual self-efficacy, determine the goals that individuals have for their medication regimen, and develop support mechanisms to help patients attain these goals to better manage chronic disease. [Res Gerontol Nurs. 2019; 12(2):71-79. ].
Thymic activity in immune recovery after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children

Thymic output was studied prospectively in 52 children who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Thymic activity was assessed by quantification of recent thymic emigrants (RTE) discriminated from the rest of naive T cells by immunophenotype CD3+/CD4+/CD31+/CD45RA+. Thymic output was analyzed in correlation with the kinetics of immune recovery and in relation to other potential risk factors that may influence thymopoiesis: underlying disease, type of HSCT, source of stem cells, age of recipient and donor, type of conditioning, implemented graft versus host disease (GvHD) prophylaxis, viral reactivations (herpes viruses cytomegalovirus – CMV, Epstein-Barr virus – EBV, adenovirus – ADV, BK virus – BKV), occurrence and grade of both acute and chronic graft versus host disease (aGvHD, cGvHD) and number of transplanted CD34 cells/kg. The absolute count of RTE in peripheral blood was evaluated at 6 time points: before the conditioning and on days +15, +30, +60 , +90 and +180 after HSCT. Occurrence of grade II-IV aGvHD was the most important factor associated with low RTE counts after HSCT. History of malignant disease, and transplantation from matched unrelated donor were risk factors for lower thymic output. We found a weak inverse correlation between the age of the recipient and thymic output on post-HSCT day +180. Source of stem cells, type of conditioning, viral reactivations, occurrence of chronic GvHD, age of the donor and the number of transplanted CD34 cells/kg did not affect thymopoiesis in our study group. These preliminary findings and identification of risk factors for deterioration of thymic activity may in the future help in selecting candidates for thymus rejuvenation strategies.
An Exploratory Study Examining the Interactive Effect of Descriptive Norm and Image Appeal Messages on Adults’ Physical Activity Intentions: A Test of Deviation Regulation Theory

This exploratory study examined the interaction between messages conveying descriptive norms and image appeals on adults’ physical activity intentions. Using a pre-post experimental design, insufficiently active adults (N = 204) were randomly assigned to receive one of four messages, which included both a descriptive norm (prevalence of physical activity: high vs. low) and an image appeal (personality attributes: positive vs. negative). The results from an analysis of covariance, controlling for baseline physical activity intentions, revealed a significant interaction. Post-hoc analyses indicated that when the image appeal was positive, those who received the low descriptive norm had greater physical activity intentions than the high descriptive norm condition. No significant interaction was found for negative image appeals. Results provide preliminary evidence that physical activity intentions can be positively influenced even when physical activity is not considered the norm. Messages that include low descriptive norm information may benefit from including positive image appeals of those who do engage in physical activity, if aiming to increase physical activity intentions in insufficiently active adults.
Aberrations of TBX2-CHK2-p53 Signaling Pathway and its Role in Malignant Peripheral Nerve Sheath Tumors

Background and Objectives: The dismal outcome of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) highlights the necessity of identifying new biomarkers and pathogenesis for this aggressive sarcoma. Therefore, it is necessary to detect the aberrations of the TBX2-CHK2-p53 pathway and investigate its biological role in MPNST. Methods: Genetic aberrations of TBX2, CHK2 and p53 were detected by next generation sequencing (NGS) in 10 MPNST samples. Protein expression of TBX2, CHK2, p53, Ki-67 and cyclin D1 were assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 63 MPNST samples. Results: Our present data demonstrated that there were gene mutations of TBX2, CHK2 and p53 in MPNST samples. TBX2 expression was correlated with American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage, recurrence and metastasis. Correlation analysis found that TBX2 was positively correlated with CHK2 (p=0.045) and CHK2 was positively correlated with p53 (p=0.006). Furthermore, both CHK2 and p53 were positively correlated with Ki-67 (p<0.05), which is related to tumor differentiation, metastasis and prognosis. As for survival analyses, patients with high TBX2, CHK2 and p53 expression exhibited shorter disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS), respectively (p<0.05) and TBX2 and CHK2 were independent prognostic factors for MPNST patients (p<0.05). Conclusion: There are genetic aberrations of the TBX2-CHK2-p53 signaling pathway in MPNST, which might promote the progression of MPNST by increasing Ki-67 expression. Thus, TBX2 and CHK2 might be useful markers for MPNST.
Selenium supplementation and insulin resistance in a randomized, clinical trial

Objective While controversial, observational and randomized clinical trial data implicate the micronutrient selenium (Se) in the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D). The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that Se supplementation adversely affects pancreatic β-cell function and insulin sensitivity. Research design and methods In a subset of 400 individuals participating in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of Se at 200 µg/day for colorectal adenomatous polyps, fasting plasma glucose and insulin were measured before randomization and within 6 months of completing intervention. Change in the homeostasis model assessment-β cell function (HOMA2-%β) and insulin sensitivity (HOMA2-%S) were compared between arms. A subgroup of 175 (79 Se and 96 placebo) participants underwent a modified oral glucose tolerance test (mOGTT) at the end of intervention and change in glucose values was assessed. Results No statistically significant differences were observed for changes in HOMA2-%β or HOMA2-%S between those who received Se compared with placebo. After a mean of 2.9 years on study, mean HOMA2-%β values were 3.1±24.0 and 3.1±29.8 for the Se and placebo groups, respectively (p=0.99). For HOMA2-%S, the values were −0.5±223.2 and 80.9±1530.9 for the Se and placebo groups, respectively (p=1.00). Stratification by sex or age did not reveal any statistically significant effects on insulin sensitivity by treatment group. For mOGTT, mean baseline fasting blood glucose concentrations were significantly higher among participants in the placebo group compared with the Se group (96.6±14.6 and 92.3±12.0, respectively; p=0.04), a trend which remained through the 20 min assessment. Conclusions These findings do not support a significant adverse effect of daily Se supplementation with 200 µg/day of selenized yeast on β-cell function or insulin sensitivity as an explanation for previously reported associations between Se and T2D. Further clarification of longer term effects of Se is needed. Clinical trial registry NIH Clinical Trials.gov number NCT00078897.
Giant optical activity and Kerr effect in type-I and type-II Weyl semimetals

We explore optical activity in thin films and bulk of type-I and type II Weyl semimetals (WSM), and demonstrate the existence of a giant Kerr effect in both. In time-reversal symmetry broken WSM thin films, the polarization rotation is caused by the optical Hall conductivity including the anomalous Hall term. The Kerr angle is found to be $\propto Q/\omega$, with $Q$ and $\omega$ being the Weyl node separation and the optical frequency, respectively. In contrast, the optical activity in the bulk WSM is dominated by axion electrodynamics, which persists even in the Pauli blocked regime of no optical transitions. In bulk WSM, $Q$ acts analogous to the magnetization in magnetic materials, leading to large `polar Kerr effect' (linear in $Q$) when light is incident on WSM surface without Fermi arc states, and the `Voigt effect' (quadratic in $Q$), when light is incident on surface with Fermi arc states.
Emergency Department Testing Patterns for Sexually Transmitted Diseases in North Texas.

BACKGROUND Little is known about population-level sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing in emergency departments (EDs). We sought to explore STD testing patterns in EDs in a large, urban metroplex in North Texas, a high prevalence region. METHODS Emergency department claims data were extracted from the Dallas Fort Worth Hospital Council databank for patients attending 54 EDs in 4 counties (Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, and Denton) who were tested for an STD during an ED visit between July 2014 and June 2015. We analyzed patterns of testing for 3 types of STD tests: (1) combined gonorrhea and chlamydia DNA-based tests, (2) human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) antibody tests, and (3) syphilis serological tests. RESULTS Emergency departments administered at least 1 STD test to 65,702 unique patients over 1 year; most were ethnoracial minorities (73%), female (72%), and had no known insurance (59%). Only 8% of patients received more than 1 of these tests at that same visit; of those, 90% were cotested for HIV. The most common diagnosis code associated with STD testing was "genital/urinary symptoms" (31%). The majority of tests took place at the ED of a single county-funded hospital (42%). Only 36% of all patients had visits that were deemed true emergencies. CONCLUSIONS Most patients tested for syphilis, HIV, or chlamydia/gonorrhea in EDs received only 1 test type at that visit, and most visits were nonemergent in nature. Given shared risk factors for multiple STD and high coinfection rates, EDs serving high-risk populations could consider STD cotesting to help reduce transmission of undiagnosed, untreated infections.
Selective Emotional Dysregulation in Splenium Agenesis. A Case Report of a Patient With Normal Cognitive Profile

Objective: Patients with lesions of the corpus callosum are rare and may present different symptoms of the disconnection syndrome. However, to-date studies on callosotomized patients have not been conclusive, likely because of the non-uniform nature of clinical features, the extent of resection, and methods used to investigate specific and related deficits. Agenesis of the corpus callosum (AgCC) may be asymptomatic and discovered incidentally or associated with very slight deficits diagnosed during neurological examinations. In this study, we reported a case of an apparently completely asymptomatic 23-year-old woman with appreciable agenesis of the splenium of the corpus callosum. Methods: She underwent a neurological evaluation, a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests to identify any subclinical dysfunction that may affect the functionality of the subject in the daily life. Specifically, the possible presence of emotion dysregulation was examined by using a self-report questionnaire. Results: She showed normal neuropsychological and emotional functioning, performing efficiently on tests measuring acquired brain impairment. Discussion: The present case is discussed in terms of neuroplasticity – with a focus on putative compensatory mechanisms – emphasizing the variegated clinical feature patterns of brain defects present from birth.
White Blood Cell Count and C-Reactive Protein Independently Predicted Incident Diabetes: Yuport Medical Checkup Center Study

ABSTRACT Aim: White blood cell (WBC) count or C-reactive protein (CRP) level alone may not fully indicate the chronic inflammation causing type 2 diabetes. We examined both WBC count and CRP level, independently and in combination, as predictive markers for type 2 diabetes and also considered the influence of obesity and other individual characteristics on the relationship. Materials and Methods: In total, 9,706 participants were enrolled with WBC < 10*109/L and CRP < 10 mg/L using data from the Yuport Medical Checkup Center Study. The cumulative incidence of type 2 diabetes [defined either as known diabetes, fasting plasma glucose ≥ 7.0 mmol/L, or HbA1c ≥ 6.5% (47.5 mmol/mol)] was measured. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated using a Cox proportional hazards model. Results: During study period, 272 men (5.5%) and 113 women (2.4%) progressed to diabetes. The progression to diabetes was predicted by both increased baseline levels of WBC count [adjusted HR = 1.29 (95% CI: 1.04–1.60)] and CRP level [1.39 (1.10–1.74)], even after adjusting for possible confounders. The combined presence was more predictive of diabetes than either alone in a four-groups analysis [1.75 (1.28–2.40)]. In addition, the elevated HRs of either or both higher WBC and CRP levels were observed across four subgroups of body mass index (BMI), including low BMI, and people who had at least one occurrence of dyslipidemia. Conclusion: Increased WBC counts and CRP levels were predictive for type 2 diabetes and the combination augmented the risk of diabetes, regardless of whether the BMI was high or low.
Single cell‐derived clonally expanded mesenchymal progenitor cells from somatic cell nuclear transfer‐derived pluripotent stem cells ameliorate the endometrial function in the uterus of a murine model with Asherman’s syndrome

Because primary mesenchymal progenitor cells (adult‐MPCs) have various functions that depend on the tissue origin and donor, de novo MPCs from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) would be required in regenerative medicine. However, the characteristics and function of MPCs derived from reprogrammed hPSCs have not been well studied. Thus, we show that functional MPCs can be successfully established from a single cell‐derived clonal expansion following MPC derivation from somatic cell nuclear transfer‐derived (SCNT)‐hPSCs, and these cells can serve as therapeutic contributors in an animal model of Asherman's syndrome (AS).
A Bayesian Non-linear State Space Copula Model to Predict Air Pollution in Beijing

Air pollution is a serious issue that currently affects many industrial cities in the world and can cause severe illness to the population. For this reason, a correct estimation and prediction of airborn pollutant concentrations is crucial. In this paper, we analyze hourly measurements of fine particulate matter and metereological data collected in Beijing in 2014. We show that the standard state space model, based on Gaussian assumptions, does not allow to correctly capture the time dynamics of the observations. Therefore, we propose a novel non-linear non-Gaussian state space model where both the observation and the state equations are defined by copula specifications, and we perform Bayesian inference using the Hamiltonian Monte Carlo method. The proposed copula state space approach is very flexible, since it allows us to separately model the marginals and to accomodate a wide variety of dependence structures in the data dynamics. We show that the proposed approach allows us not only to accurately predict particulate matter measurements, but also to capture unusual high levels of air pollution, which were not detected by measured effects.
Perturbed-History Exploration in Stochastic Linear Bandits

We propose a new online algorithm for minimizing the cumulative regret in stochastic linear bandits. The key idea is to build a perturbed history, which mixes the history of observed rewards with a pseudo-history of randomly generated i.i. d. pseudo-rewards. Our algorithm, perturbed-history exploration in a linear bandit (LinPHE), estimates a linear model from its perturbed history and pulls the arm with the highest value under that model. We prove a $\tilde{O}(d \sqrt{n})$ gap-free bound on the expected $n$-round regret of LinPHE, where $d$ is the number of features. Our analysis relies on novel concentration and anti-concentration bounds on the weighted sum of Bernoulli random variables. To show the generality of our design, we extend LinPHE to a logistic reward model. We evaluate both algorithms empirically and show that they are practical.