Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Endoscopic Cycloplasty (ECPL) and Lens Extraction in the Treatment of Severe Plateau Iris Syndrome

Purpose:To describe the anatomic and clinical results of the treatment of severe plateau iris syndrome with lens extraction and endoscopic cycloplasty (ECPL). A secondary aim was to describe 4 novel ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) measurements for plateau iris syndrome. Design:Prospective case series with UBM evaluation. Methods:Included were 12 eyes of 6 patients with plateau iris refractory to laser iridotomy and iridoplasty, miotic and other glaucoma medical treatment, with appositional angle closure in at least 3 quadrants. Treatment consisted of lens extraction and ECPL, an endoscopic diode laser treatment of the ciliary processes in the superior, nasal, and inferior quadrants. UBM measurements were taken in all quadrants before and after surgery. The untreated temporal quadrants were used as controls. Measurement parameters included: anterior chamber depth (ACD), angle opening distance (AOD 500), trabecular ciliary process distance (TCPD), iris ciliary process distance (ICPD), iris depth (ID), iridocorneal angle (ICA), and sulcus angle (SA). Four novel measurements included: ciliary process thickness (CPT), ciliary process width (CPW), ciliary process area (CPA), and iris ciliary process contact length (ICPCL). Visual acuity, intraocular pressure, glaucoma medications, and complications were also followed. Results:The ACD, AOD 500, and ICA all increased significantly (P<0.001). ICPD, CPT, CPW, CPA, and ICPL all decreased significantly (P<0.01). Parameters remaining unchanged were: TCPD, ID, and SA. The untreated quadrants showed similar measurements to the preoperative measurements. There were no serious complications noted. Discussion:Treating the ciliary processes with diode laser using an endoscopic approach (ECPL) and lens extraction, results in opening of the anterior chamber angle and shrinkage of the ciliary processes in the treated areas. This effect seems to be primarily a result of the laser treatment in combination rather than the lens extraction alone. This effectively reverses the anatomic cause and angle closure of plateau iris syndrome.
Promoter hypermethylation of MGMT gene may contribute to the pathogenesis of gastric cancer

Beckground: The association of MGMT (O6-methyguanine deoxyribonucleic acid methyltransferase) promoter hypermethylation with gastric cancer (GC) risk has been studied extensively, but the results remained unclear. Here, we performed a meta-analysis to evaluate whether promoter hypermethylation of the MGMT gene contributed to gastric pathogenesis. Methods: Relevant studies were identified by retrieving the PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases. The Newcastle–Ottawa Scale was applied to assess methodological quality of the included studies. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated to evaluate the association of MGMT promoter hypermethylation with gastric pathogenesis. Moreover, STATA 12.0 software was used to summarize the extracted data in this meta-analysis. Results: Seventeen studies, comprising 1736 cases and 1291 controls, were included in this meta-analysis. The frequency of MGMT promoter hypermethylation in the GC group (32.97%) was significantly higher than those in the control group (18.00%) (OR = 2.83, CI = 1.93–4.15, P < .05). When stratified by cancer subtype, the results indicated that the frequency of MGMT promoter hypermethylation was significantly higher in gastric adenocarcinoma than in control group (OR = 3.47, CI = 1.06–11.35, P < .05). In addition, MGMT promoter hypermethylation significantly promoted distant metastasis and lymph node (LN) metastasis of gastric tumor (for distant metastasis, OR = 4.22, CI = 2.42–7.37, P < .05; for LN metastasis, OR = 1.56, CI = 1.14–2.13, P < .05). A significant association between MGMT promoter hypermethylation and TNM-stage was also found in the present meta-analysis (OR = 2.70, CI = 1.79–4.08, P < .05). Conclusion: The results of this meta-analysis suggested that MGMT gene-promoter hypermethylation was significantly associated with an increased risk of GC, especially in Asians. Furthermore, MGMT gene-promoter hypermethylation might be correlated with the distant metastasis and LN metastasis of GC.
Excitation dependent multicolor emission and photoconductivity of Mn, Cu doped In2S3 monodisperse quantum dots

Indium sulphide (In2S3) quantum dots (QDs) of average size 6 ± 2 nm and hexagonal nanoplatelets of average size 37 ± 4 nm have been synthesized from indium myristate and indium diethyl dithiocarbamate precursors respectively. The absorbance and emission band was tuned with variation of nanocrytal size from very small in the strong confinement regime to very large in the weak confinement regime. The blue emission and its shifting with size has been explained with the donor–acceptor recombination process. The 3d element doping (Mn2+ and Cu2+) is found to be effective for formation of new emission bands at higher wavelengths. The characteristic peaks of Mn2+ and Cu2+ and the modification of In3+ peaks in the x-ray photoelectric spectrum (XPS) confirm the incorporation of Mn2+ and Cu2+ into the In2S3 matrix. The simulation of the electron paramagnetic resonance signal indicates the coexistence of isotropic and axial symmetry for In and S vacancies. Moreover, the majority of Mn2+ ions and sulphur vacancies (VS ) reside on the surface of nanocrystals. The quantum confinement effect leads to an enhancement of band gap up to 3.65 eV in QDs. The formation of Mn 3d levels between conduction band edge and shallow donor states is evidenced from a systematic variation of emission spectra with the excitation wavelength. In2S3 QDs have been established as efficient sensitizers to Mn and Cu emission centers. Fast and slow components of photoluminescence (PL) decay dynamics in Mn and Cu doped QDs are interpreted in terms of surface and bulk recombination processes. Fast and stable photodetctors with high photocurrent gain are fabricated with Mn and Cu doped QDs and are found to be faster than pure In2S3. The fastest response time in Cu doped QDs is an indication of the most suitable system for photodetector devices.
Wells Score and Poor Outcomes Among Adult Patients With Subsegmental Pulmonary Embolism

Introduction: Since the introduction of computed tomography pulmonary angiography, isolated subsegmental pulmonary embolism has become a commonly recognized clinical problem, but its clinical relevance remains unclear. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the extent to which the simplified Wells score discriminates between patients with varying levels of risk of complications after presenting with subsegmental pulmonary embolism. Materials and Methods: Retrospective cohort study. Patients included had subsegmental pulmonary embolism (1 or multiple emboli limited to subsegmental arteries). Primary explanatory variable was the simplified Wells score, categorized as high (>4) or low (≤4). The primary outcome was time to death or new venous thromboembolism. Kaplan-Meier techniques and Cox regression analysis were used to compare the survival experience of patients with high versus low Wells score with and without adjustment for active malignancy, age, Charlson score, previous venous thromboembolism, and previous major surgery in the last 30 days. Main Results: Seventy-nine patients with subsegmental pulmonary embolism were included. Patients with a high Wells score had a 4-fold increased risk of the composite outcome (hazard ratio = 4.2, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.0-8.9, P < .001). Other covariates significantly associated with increased risk in univariate analyses included active malignancy, a low serum albumin, and an increased Charlson score. In multivariate Cox regression analyses adjusting for these other factors, a high Wells score remained significant (hazard ratio 5.5, 95% CI 2.4-12.6, P < .001). Conclusion: High Wells score is associated with death or new venous thromboembolism during follow-up among patients with subsegmental pulmonary embolism. Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01372514.
Effects of statistical distribution on nonlinear correlation coefficient

Nonlinear Correlation Coefficient (NCC) is proposed to quantitatively measure the nonlinear relation between the variables. Much attention paid on NCC leads to application being far from the basic research. In this paper, we propose a mathematical framework to systematically analyze the effects of statistical distribution on NCC. It is found that the arbitrary distortion on distribution leads to the decreasing of NCC and the sharing structure of the concerned distribution minimizes the NCC. Furthermore, considering the situation of a sequence of discrete observations, we provide a collection of rigorous logistic results to justify NCC is an increasing function of sequence length. The numerical examples on Lorenz and linear auto-regression system are used to illustrate proposed results suitably and effectively.
Analysis of the gB promoter of herpes simplex virus type 1: high-level expression requires both an 89-base-pair promoter fragment and a nontranslated leader sequence

To investigate the cis-acting sequences involved in regulation of a herpes simplex virus gamma 1 gene, deletion analyses of the glycoprotein B (gB) gene promoter were performed. In transfection assays with gB-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase plasmids, high-level constitutive expression from the gB promoter was found with an 89-bp sequence (-69 to +20). Additional sequences in the 5'-transcribed noncoding leader region (+20 to +136) were required for full stimulation by herpes simplex virus infection. Plasmids with progressive deletions of the gB leader sequence demonstrated that chloramphenicol acetyltransferase expression in infected cells was proportional to the length of the leader region retained. In recombinant viruses containing a gB-gC gene fusion, a similar 83-bp (-60 to +23) region of the gB gene was found to promote accurately initiated gC mRNA from the viral genome with the same kinetics as the wild-type gB gene. Although the kinetics of expression remained the same, RNA abundance was greater with a 298-bp (-260 to +38) promoter than with the 83-bp promoter.
Three One‐Factor Processes for Option Pricing with a Mean‐Reverting Underlying: The Case of VIX

We challenge the two most prominent one‐factor mean‐reverting models for variance/volatility indices and propose the inhomogeneous geometric Brownian motion process to price volatility index (VIX) options. We study the roles of the equilibrium level, speed of reversion, volatility and expiry date in the pricing of VIX options and obtain analytic solutions for perpetual American options as well as some Greeks. We price the finite‐lived American options using their transformed process to build a binomial tree. We also derive the closed‐form mean first‐passage time for perpetual American options and find a long optimal exercising time. Other things being equal, the European ones are cheaper than their American counterparts, which reflect an early exercise premium.
Shifting Inflation Expectations and Monetary Policy

The idea of “anchored” inflation expectations is often understood as a situation in which long-run expected inflation does not significantly respond to new information. Furthermore, expectations are thought to become “unanchored” only after a long enough sequence of inflation surprises. In this paper we conceptualize this idea in a monetary DSGE model with a time-varying learning mechanism, in which the sensitivity of agents to incoming data depends on accumulated inflation forecast errors. The latter affect the learning gain that agents use to update their beliefs on future inflation. We show how this mechanism improves the fit of the model to macroeconomic data, including expected inflation, for the Chilean inflation targeting period. In particular, we show that observed episodes with anchored and unanchored expectations are well captured by the estimated time-varying learning gain. We then use the estimated model to assess the role of monetary policy to anchor inflation expectations over time.
Type of Cell Death and the Role of Acetylcholinesterase Activity in Neurotoxicity Induced by Paraoxon in Cultured Rat Hippocampal Neurons

Organophosphate (Ops) neurotoxicity is attributed both to its well-known cholinergic and non-cholinergic effects. In the present study we compared enzymatic and morphologic changes in neurons exposed to paraoxon during one day and one week. The effect of exposure time is important in neurotoxicity of Ops. The longer the exposure time is the more damage is observed in neurons, although there are few investigations about the effect in the post-exposure period. Hippocampal cells were obtained from rat neonates and cultured in Neurobasal/B27. Paraoxon at 50 and 100 μM were added. Inverted microscope and electron microscope were used to study cell morphology and Neutral Red staining was used to measure viability. We also assayed caspase-3 and (acetylcholinesterase) AChE activity. Hoechst staining was utilized to determine the type of cell death. Culture medium was replaced after 24 h in one-day group, however, tests were all carried out at the end of the first week in both group. The results indicate that paraoxon reduced the viability in a dose-dependent manner. Our results do not confirm apoptosis in either group; it seems that the cell death in one-day exposure group was not AChE dependent. In conclusion, present data imply that the toxicity of paraoxon is both dose and duration dependent, which may even remain after the cessation of exposure.
Genetic Influences on Aggressive Behaviors and Arousability in Animals

Abstract: In a variety of species, strain differences in aggressive behaviors strongly indicate genetic influences. In people, as suggested, for example, by the work of Kagan, Rothbart, Cloninger, and their collaborators, long‐lasting differences in temperament argue for genetic as well as environmental effects. After well‐controlled experimentation in mice, we have learned five lessons about gene/behavior causal relations bearing on sociosexual and aggressive behaviors. The effect of a given gene on a given behavior depends upon: (1) exactly when and where that gene is expressed in the brain; (2) the gender of the animal in which it is expressed; (3) the age of the animal; (4) the nature of the opponent; and (5) the form of aggression (e.g., testosterone‐facilitated aggression vs. maternal aggression). Moreover, in female mice, better social recognition is correlated with lower levels of aggression. We have gathered evidence for a four‐gene micronet involving estrogen receptors α and β, oxytocin, and the oxytocin receptor as expressed in the hypothalamus and amygdala. Normal performance of this micronet is required for social recognition and thus for control over aggression. Underlying certain genetic influences on sociosexual behaviors and aggression may be alterations in generalized brain arousal.
Cylindromatosis Tumor Suppressor Protein (CYLD) Deubiquitinase is Necessary for Proper Ubiquitination and Degradation of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor*

Cylindromatosis tumor suppressor protein (CYLD) is a deubiquitinase, best known as an essential negative regulator of the NFkB pathway. Previous studies have suggested an involvement of CYLD in epidermal growth factor (EGF)-dependent signal transduction as well, as it was found enriched within the tyrosine-phosphorylated complexes in cells stimulated with the growth factor. EGF receptor (EGFR) signaling participates in central cellular processes and its tight regulation, partly through ubiquitination cascades, is decisive for a balanced cellular homeostasis. Here, using a combination of mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomic approaches with biochemical and immunofluorescence strategies, we demonstrate the involvement of CYLD in the regulation of the ubiquitination events triggered by EGF. Our data show that CYLD regulates the magnitude of ubiquitination of several major effectors of the EGFR pathway by assisting the recruitment of the ubiquitin ligase Cbl-b to the activated EGFR complex. Notably, CYLD facilitates the interaction of EGFR with Cbl-b through its Tyr15 phosphorylation in response to EGF, which leads to fine-tuning of the receptor's ubiquitination and subsequent degradation. This represents a previously uncharacterized strategy exerted by this deubiquitinase and tumors suppressor for the negative regulation of a tumorigenic signaling pathway.
Pulmonary ventilation and mechanics in morbidly obese Zucker rats.

The obese Zucker rat, an autosomally genetic model of obesity, represents a good model of relatively early onset human obesity. Although factors associated with the control of metabolism and thermoregulation have been studied extensively in these animals, pulmonary mechanics and ventilation have not been documented and form the basis of this investigation. Studies were carried out in 16 obese and 18 lean female littermates (698 +/- 79 versus 304 +/- 24 g, p < 0.001). Pulmonary function, including lung volumes and respiratory system compliance, was evaluated in supine anesthetized animals. With the exception of residual volume, all other lung volumes, including function residual capacity, total lung capacity, expiratory reserve volume, and inspiratory capacity, were significantly reduced (p < 0.05 or better) in the obese phenotype compared with volumes in the lean littermates. Pressure-volume relationships of the intact respiratory system and the excised lung were also determined. Although lung compliance was similar between the phenotypes, respiratory system compliance was significantly lower (0.85 +/- 0.06 versus 0.67 +/- 0.09 ml/cm H2O, p < 0.01) in the obese rats. Oxygen consumption and ventilatory parameters (including respiratory rate, tidal volume, minute ventilation, inspiratory time, and expiratory time) were similar between phenotypes breathing room air, and the minute ventilation in response to hypoxia was similar in both groups. In marked contrast, obese animals exhibited a blunted ventilatory response to hypercapnia (221 +/- 38 versus 135 +/- 44 ml/min, p < 0.01). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Trust under bounded rationality: Competence, value systems, unselfishness and the development of virtue

Purpose: This paper analyses the foundations of trust in a context of bounded rationality to arrive to the conclusion that for trust to be necessary is because individuals are bounded rational.Design/methodology/approach: Building on previous theoretical work we conceptually develop the reasoning involved to arrive deductively that bounded rationality provides a rationale for the concept of trust that goes beyond a calculative notion.Findings: We show that there are four reasons for trust to exist and that people assess probabilities to each in order to determine whether to trust a recipient, depending on each of the four. We also add to previous work and show how bounded rationality provides additional arguments to show how competence, value systems and unselfishness are necessary to underpin trust. We provide additional foundations to their three factors and we, focused on bounded rationality. We add the development of virtue as a crucial fourth aspect, which supports the argument that trust can be reinforced between people and developed through time.Originality/value: The concept of trust has been analyzed empirically, but it lacks some theoretical foundations to show under which assumptions trust is a requirement that goes beyond mere calculations, and can be developed or not through time. We also introduce how the concept of virtue has a major role in trust development.
A pilot-aided Doppler estimator for underwater acoustic channels

The paper presents a practical Doppler estimator to be used in underwater acoustic (UWA) channels. The estimation is performed using OFDM pilot signals. The OFDM pilot signals are passed through a Doppler channel that adds the above effects to the signal. The receiver then performs Doppler estimation on the signal. The estimator finds an estimate for the Doppler scaling factor (also called the mach number) using the centroid of the energy spectral density (ESD) of the received signal. A suitable domain (“window of estimation”) for each pilot is chosen to avoid pilot ambiguity resulting from large Doppler shifts. This leads to a necessary condition for the estimator's accuracy that must be satisfied by the designer. After estimating the mach number, Doppler compensation is performed in a two-step process. First the received signal is resampled using the mach number estimate to undo the signal dilation/compression. The second step is to compensate for the residual Doppler shift that persists by back-shifting the frequency spectrum of the pilots. Due to the high accuracy of the estimator, the pilot positions are recovered exactly. A Simulink model that uses the proposed estimator and compensator is presented, and the results show how the estimator performs in a typical underwater channel.
Amino Acid Residues 489–503 of Dihydropyridine Receptor (DHPR) β1a Subunit Are Critical for Structural Communication between the Skeletal Muscle DHPR Complex and Type 1 Ryanodine Receptor*

Background: Dihydropyridine receptor (DHPR) β1a subunit is essential for muscle contraction. Results: Deletion of residues 489–503 in the β1a C terminus prevents calcium signaling and DHPR tetrad formation. Conclusion: β1a C terminus is critical for structural communication with the Ca2+ release channel. Significance: The β1a C-terminal tail is as important as the DHPR α1S II–III loop for skeletal EC coupling. The β1a subunit is a cytoplasmic component of the dihydropyridine receptor (DHPR) complex that plays an essential role in skeletal muscle excitation-contraction (EC) coupling. Here we investigate the role of the C-terminal end of this auxiliary subunit in the functional and structural communication between the DHPR and the Ca2+ release channel (RyR1). Progressive truncation of the β1a C terminus showed that deletion of amino acid residues Gln489 to Trp503 resulted in a loss of depolarization-induced Ca2+ release, a severe reduction of L-type Ca2+ currents, and a lack of tetrad formation as evaluated by freeze-fracture analysis. However, deletion of this domain did not affect expression/targeting or density (Qmax) of the DHPR-α1S subunit to the plasma membrane. Within this motif, triple alanine substitution of residues Leu496, Leu500, and Trp503, which are thought to mediate direct β1a-RyR1 interactions, weakened EC coupling but did not replicate the truncated phenotype. Therefore, these data demonstrate that an amino acid segment encompassing sequence 489QVQVLTSLRRNLSFW503 of β1a contains critical determinant(s) for the physical link of DHPR and RyR1, further confirming a direct correspondence between DHPR positioning and DHPR/RyR functional interactions. In addition, our data strongly suggest that the motif Leu496-Leu500-Trp503 within the β1a C-terminal tail plays a nonessential role in the bidirectional DHPR/RyR1 signaling that supports skeletal-type EC coupling.