Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Comparison of Acute Psychiatric Care Under Medicaid Carve-Outs, HMOs, and Fee-for-Service

This study compares the use of acute psychiatric hospitalization; selected outcomes, including rehospitalization; as well as costs associated with the health maintenance organization (HMO), carve-out, and fee-for-service models as implemented in the Massachu setts Medicaid program between FY1994 and FY2000. This is a longitudinal analysis that primarily uses unduplicated individual data from the Massachusetts Case Mix database. Analyses focus on 56,518 individuals who were psychiatrically hospitalized on acute units within 57 hospitals. They employ Cox regression to compare rehospitalization among the three programs. The hypotheses were strongly supported: HMOs have the most substantial impacts in minimizing service provision, with the carve-out program having an impact intermediate between the HMO and fee-for-service programs. Lower utilization rates were associated with lower overall rates of hospitalization, shorter lengths of stay, fewer repeated stays, and less geographic access and greater displacement of psychiatric patients to medical units. The final model of rehospitalization has an overall predictive accuracy of 59.6%.
Promoter Hypermethylation of the DNA Repair Gene O6‐Methylguanine‐DNA Methyltransferase is an Independent Predictor of Shortened Progression Free Survival in Patients with Low‐grade Diffuse Astrocytomas

The O6‐methylguanine‐DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) plays a major role in repairing DNA damage from alkylating agents. In several human neoplasms including low‐grade diffuse astrocytomas, promoter hypermethylation of MGMT has been shown to correlate with an increased frequency of p53 mutation. In the present study, we analyzed MGMT promoter methylation by the methylation‐specific PCR in 49 newly diagnosed WHO grade II astrocytomas and evaluated its clinical usefulness. MGMT promoter methylation was found in 21 (43%) of the 49 tumors. A tight correlation existed between MGMT methylation and p53 protein accumulation (P=0.0424). The presence of MGMT methylation was significantly associated with a shorter progression free survival (PFS) on both univariate analysis (P=0.0014) and multivariate analysis (P=0.0081). It was a more powerful determinant of the PFS than age, sex, performance status, proliferative activity, or p53 expression, and was independent of the extent of surgery. In terms of the overall survival, MGMT methylation demonstrated a prognostic utility in the univariate analysis but not in the multivariate analysis. The present findings indicate that aberrant methylation of the MGMT promoter independently augurs for an unfavorable clinical course in patients with low‐grade diffuse astrocytomas. Since the presence of MGMT methylation is expected to predict an increased sensitivity to alkylating chemotherapeutic agents, earlier chemotherapy could serve to improve an unfavorable natural history in tumors with MGMT methylation.
Dose Escalation for Patients With Locally Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Treated With Radiotherapy Alone

Objectives:The local control of patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma is still unsatisfactory. This prospective study was designed to evaluate the treatment outcomes and treatment-related complications of patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with escalated radiation doses. Methods:A total of 118 consecutive patients with T4 classification (1992 American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system), histology-proven nonmetastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma were treated with radiotherapy alone between 1992 and 1997 in a medical center in southern Taiwan. Thirty-two of them were enrolled into a prospective study of dose escalation and were irradiated to a total of 81 Gy. The other 86 patients received a total of 70.2 Gy. Potentially significant patient-related and treatment-related parameters were analyzed for their prognostic significance. Radiation-related complications were recorded and analyzed. Results:The 5-year local progression-free rates were 61%, and 61% for patients receiving 70.2 Gy and 81 Gy, respectively (P > 0.05). The incidences of xerostomia, hearing impairment, and temporal radionecrosis were significantly higher for those receiving 81 Gy. The 5-year complication-free rates of patients receiving 70.2 Gy and 81 Gy were 14% versus 2% for xerostomia (P = 0.0070), 50% versus 30% for hearing impairment (P = 0.0198), and 91% versus 82% for temporal radionecrosis (P = 0.0400). Conclusions:For patients with locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with radiotherapy alone, dose escalation to 81 Gy failed to show benefits on local control rate. Higher radiation doses contribute to a higher incidence of radiation-related complications.
Adaptive Neighborhood Extended Contrast Enhancement and Its Modifications

Abstract A new technique for contrast enhancement, namely adaptive neighborhood extended contrast enhancement, and several original modifications on the same are proposed. Developing from the adaptive contrast enhancement algorithm of Beghdadi and Negrate ( Comput. Vision Graphics Image Process. 46, 1989, 162-174), and the adaptive neighborhood histogram equalization algorithm of Paranjape et al. ( CVGIP Graphical Models Image Process. 54(3), 1992, 259-267), the above techniques have been evolved in order to make image enhancement more adaptive and context sensitive. The adaptive neighborhood extended contrast enhancement algorithm, without its other modifications, only combines the features of these two existing algorithms. This algorithm can be used for both image enhancement and de-enhancement and can also be combined with existing procedures such as power variation. To make the algorithm computationally efficient, the computationally efficient adaptive neighborhood extended contrast enhancement procedure is proposed. This modification achieves significant computational speedup without much loss of image quality. The adaptive neighborhood definition extended contrast enhancement procedure is next proposed in order to make the algorithm further adaptive by making its performance independent of its most sensitive parameter. This procedure achieves better identification of different gray level regions by an analysis of the histogram in the locality of every pixel in the image. The experimental results aptly demonstrate the efficacy of the procedure. This technique can be well applied to other contrast enhancement algorithms for improvement of the quality of the enhanced image. Finally, a correction mechanism called repulsion correction is evolved to correct for a specific inability of contrast enhancement algorithms in separating adjacent regions of nearly equal brightness from each other when surrounded by a very large, brighter or darker region.
UvA-DARE The

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Variations in dietary intake and plasma concentrations of plant sterols across plant-based diets among North American adults.

SCOPE Phytosterols are bioactive compounds in plants with similar cholesterol-lowering properties as vegetarian diets. However, information on phytosterol intake and plasma plant sterols among vegetarians is sparse. METHODS AND RESULTS We examined dietary intake and plasma concentration of plant sterols and cholesterol across five dietary patterns in the Adventist Health Study-2 Calibration Sub-study (n = 861, 66% females, average age 61 years). To measure intake and plasma concentrations of these compounds, we used 24-h dietary recalls and gas-liquid chromatography-flame ionization detection, respectively. Mean (SD) total phytosterol and cholesterol intake were 363 (176) mg/day and 131 (111) mg/day; plasma β-sitosterol, campesterol, and cholesterol were 3.3 (1.7) μg/mL, 4.2 (2.3) μg/mL, and 1.9 (0.4) mg/mL, respectively. Total phytosterol intake was lowest among non-vegetarians (263 mg/day) and highest among vegans (428 mg/day) (p < 0.0001). Cholesterol intake was lowest among vegans (15.2 mg/day) and highest among non-vegetarians (124.6 mg/day) (p < 0.0001). Plasma plant sterols and cholesterol did not differ by diet. Cholesterol-adjusted plasma β-sitosterol and campesterol were significantly higher in Blacks than Whites, though no ethnic differences were observed in dietary intake of these plant sterols. CONCLUSION Dietary intake but not plasma concentration of plant sterols and cholesterol varies across distinct plant-based diets.
A piezoelectrically-driven high flow rate axial polymer microvalve with solid hydraulic amplification

We report a piezoelectrically-driven and hydraulically-amplified axial polymer microvalve. The microvalve is normally open, and is fabricated and assembled primarily with stereolithographically fabricated polymer components. An incompressible elastomer is used as a solid hydraulic medium to convert the small axial displacement of a piezoelectric actuator into a large valve head stroke while maintaining a large blocking force. Also, the axial design of the microvalve enables densely-packed valve arrays. One application of this microvalve is in pneumatic tactile displays, some of which require operation against gas pressures up to approximately 90 kPa and switching speeds between 1-200 Hz. The current valve design has a maximum static hydraulic amplification ratio of 5 at 30 V driving voltage and a maximum valve head stroke of 37 mum at 150 V. Under a 94.4 kPa differential pressure, the flow rate of the valve and the closing voltage measure 785 mL/min and 150 V, respectively. In addition, the function of the microvalve as an on-off switch for a pneumatic microbubble tactile actuator is demonstrated.
Design and implementation double input fuzzy PI and fuzzy gain scheduling PI controller on hydraulic plant

Hydraulic systems are important in industry and different methods have been proposed to control them. The hydraulic system is one of systems that its model changes gradually. In this article, two different types of fuzzy PI controllers (double input fuzzy PI and fuzzy gain scheduling controller) are designed and implemented on hydraulic plant that they are Independent from model of system. Double input fuzzy PI controller is designed for setting motor slowly in working point without overshoot and fuzzy gain scheduling PI controller is designed for maximum response rate of system. Finally their responses are compared with response of classic PID controllers.
The Sugen 5416/Hypoxia Mouse Model of Pulmonary Hypertension Revisited: Long-Term Follow-Up

The combination of a vascular endothelial growth factor receptor antagonist, Sugen 5416 (SU5416), and chronic hypoxia is known to cause pronounced pulmonary hypertension (PH) with angioobliterative lesions in rats and leads to exaggerated PH in mice as well. We sought to determine whether weekly SU5416 injections during 3 weeks of hypoxia leads to long-term development of angioobliterative lesions and sustained or progressive PH in mice. Male C57BL/6J mice were injected with SU5416 (SuHx) or vehicle (VehHx) weekly during 3 weeks of exposure to 10% oxygen. Echocardiographic and invasive measures of hemodynamics and pulmonary vascular morphometry were performed after the 3-week hypoxic exposure and after 10 weeks of recovery in normoxia. SuHx led to higher right ventricular (RV) systolic pressure and RV hypertrophy than VehHx after 3 weeks of hypoxia. Ten weeks after hypoxic exposure, RV systolic pressure decreased but remained elevated in SuHx mice compared with VehHx or normoxic control mice, but RV hypertrophy had resolved. After 3 weeks of hypoxia and 10 weeks of follow-up in normoxia, tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion was significantly decreased, indicating decreased systolic RV function. Very few angioobliterative lesions were found at the 10-week follow-up time point in SuHx mouse lungs. In conclusion, SU5416 combined with 3 weeks of hypoxia causes a more profound PH phenotype in mice than hypoxia alone. PH persists over 10 weeks of normoxic follow-up in SuHx mice, but significant angioobliterative lesions do not occur, and neither PH nor RV dysfunction worsens. The SuHx mouse model is a useful adjunct to other PH models, but the search will continue for a mouse model that better recapitulates the human phenotype.
Factors Associated with Serious Injury During Falls by Ambulatory Nursing Home Residents

Recognizing the importance of identifying fallers at risk for injury, the author studied factors associated with injury during falls by ambulatory nursing home residents. Forty‐eight of 79 subjects (61%) fell during their first year of residence. Fourteen fallers suffered a serious injury. Among fallers, subjects with lower extremity weakness were more likely to be injured than were fallers without weakness (42 versus 22% injured). On the other hand, injured fallers needed less help than noninjured fallers (14% needed help with at least 2 activities of daily living versus 35%), and were less likely to be depressed than were noninjured fallers (7 versus 38%). Although frequently associated with falling, no injury occurred while rising from a chair. The contribution of environmental hazards was not well defined. The only acute factor distinguishing noninjurious from injurious falls was a recent previous fall (present in 30% of the former and 0% of the latter). The finding that injured fallers tend to be more independent, yet have greater lower extremity weakness, than noninjured fallers suggests that both components of injury, namely force of impact and protective responses of the faller, may contribute to likelihood of injury during a fall. This study suggests that if predictive characteristics of the injury‐prone fuller, or the fall, can be identified, preventive strategies could be targeted at the high risk group.
Serinicoccus profundi sp. nov., an actinomycete isolated from deep-sea sediment, and emended description of the genus Serinicoccus.

A Gram-reaction-positive bacterial strain of the genus Serinicoccus, designated MCCC 1A05965(T), was isolated from a deep-sea (5368 m) sediment of the Indian Ocean. Comparison of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the isolate shared 97.6 % sequence similarity with Serinicoccus marinus JC1078(T), the type strain of the only described species of the genus Serinicoccus. The DNA-DNA relatedness between these two strains was 46.2 % (standard deviation 1.86 %). The cell wall contained alanine, glycine, serine, l-ornithine and glutamic acid, which corresponds to the description of the genus Serinicoccus. The acyl type of the glycan chain of the peptidoglycan was glycolyl. Other characteristics of strain MCCC 1A05965(T) were consistent with those of the genus Serinicoccus. Cells were coccoid, moderately halophilic, oxidase-negative, catalase-positive and non-spore-forming. The major menaquinone was MK-8(H(4)). The predominant cellular fatty acids were iso-C(15 : 0) (34.7 %) and iso-C(16 : 0) (17.0 %). The polar lipids were phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol and an unknown glycolipid. The DNA G+C content was 72 mol%. Strain MCCC 1A05965(T) (=0714S6-1(T) =DSM 21363(T) =CGMCC 4.5582(T)) is assigned as the type strain of a novel species, for which the name Serinicoccus profundi sp. nov. is proposed.
Estimation of the output value of Taiwan's publishing industry

The Taiwan's publishing industry has been on the downtrend in recent years. Besides the problems presented by an undersized economic scale, publishers also have to grapple with the increasing financial pressure, deterioration of distribution channels, lack of inventory management, as well as the inability to integrate the upper and lower stream functions. Additionally, the public sectors were unable to grasp the output value of the publishing industry, hence unable to propose a focused direction in the design of economic policies and advise on the allocation of funds to it. As such, we suggest to set up a project case at the next Industry, Commerce, and Service Census (ICSC), which shifts to apply the method proposed by Fritz Machlup, Michael Rogers Rubin, Mary Taylor Huber and Elizabeth Lloyd Taylor. We can estimate the asset value and draft the input-output table from the aspect of expenditure to allow the public sectors to have statistically consistent data as a basis for economic policy design and fund allocation recommendation.
Dealing with Disagreement: Towards a Conception of Feasible Compromise

i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS . ii TABLE OF CONTENTS . iv INTRODUCTION . 1 Chapter summary . 3 Chapter 1: Compromise in political theory . 3 Chapter 2: On the practical possibility of compromise and overlapping consensus. 4 Chapter 3: Is moral compromise feasible? 5 Chapter 4: Why a fair compromise requires deliberation . 7 References . 8 CHAPTER 1: COMPROMISE IN POLITICAL THEORY . 10 1.
Identification of genetic variants and gene expression relationships associated with pharmacogenes in humans

Objectives The very important pharmacogenes (VIPs) were selected by Pharmacogenetic Research Network (National Institutes of Health-PGRN) owing to their significant effects on drug treatment both at the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic levels. Our objective was to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that potentially affected the expression of these genes or potential SNP–gene interactions involved to improve our understanding of genetic effects on drug therapy. Basic methods Gene expression was evaluated in 176 International HapMap lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from CEU (CEPH, Utah residents with ancestry from northern and western Europe; n=87) and YRI (Yoruba in Ibadan, Nigeria; n=89) using Affymetrix GeneChip Human Exon 1.0 ST arrays (Affymetrix Laboratory, Affymetrix Inc., Santa Clara, California, USA) with interrogation of greater than 17 000 human genes. Genome-wide association was performed between over two million publicly available HapMap SNPs and gene expression. Main results The expression of two PGRN-VIPs (GSTT1 and GSTM1) are significantly associated with SNPs within 2.5 Mb of the genes; whereas the expression of three and ten PGRN-VIPs are significantly associated with distant-acting SNPs in CEU and YRI, respectively. In addition, three and four PGRN-VIPs harbor SNPs that are distantly associated with other gene expressions in CEU and YRI, respectively. Principal conclusion Using this information, one may identify genetic variants that are significantly associated with the expression of any set of genes of interest; or evaluate potential gene–gene interaction through SNP expression relationships.
MicroRNA-125a Inhibits Autophagy Activation and Antimicrobial Responses during Mycobacterial Infection

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding nucleotides that play critical roles in the regulation of diverse biological functions, including the response of host immune cells. Autophagy plays a key role in activating the antimicrobial host defense against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Although the pathways associated with autophagy must be tightly regulated at a posttranscriptional level, the contribution of miRNAs and whether they specifically influence the activation of macrophage autophagy during M. tuberculosis infection are largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that M. tuberculosis infection of macrophages leads to increased expression of miRNA-125a-3p (miR-125a), which targets UV radiation resistance-associated gene (UVRAG), to inhibit autophagy activation and antimicrobial responses to M. tuberculosis. Forced expression of miR-125a significantly blocked M. tuberculosis–induced activation of autophagy and phagosomal maturation in macrophages, and inhibitors of miR-125a counteracted these effects. Both TLR2 and MyD88 were required for biogenesis of miR-125a during M. tuberculosis infection. Notably, activation of the AMP-activated protein kinase significantly inhibited the expression of miR-125a in M. tuberculosis–infected macrophages. Moreover, either overexpression of miR-125a or silencing of UVRAG significantly attenuated the antimicrobial effects of macrophages against M. tuberculosis. Taken together, these data indicate that miR-125a regulates the innate host defense by inhibiting the activation of autophagy and antimicrobial effects against M. tuberculosis through targeting UVRAG.
Characterization of the fetuin-binding fraction of Neospora caninum tachyzoites and its potential involvement in host-parasite interactions

SUMMARY Terminal sialic acid residues on surface-associated glycoconjugates mediate host cell interactions of many pathogens. Addition of sialic acid-rich fetuin enhanced, and the presence of the sialidiase inhibitor 2-deoxy-2,3-dehydro-N-acetylneuraminic acid reduced, the physical interaction of Neospora caninum tachyzoites and bradyzoites with Vero cell monolayers. Thus, Neospora extracts were subjected to fetuin-agarose affinity chromatography in order to isolate components potentially interacting with sialic acid residues. SDS-PAGE and silver staining of the fetuin binding fraction revealed the presence of a single protein band of ∼65 kDa, subsequently named NcFBP (Neospora caninum fetuin-binding protein), which was localized at the apical tip of the tachyzoites and was continuously released into the surrounding medium in a temperature-independent manner. NcFBP readily interacted with Vero cells and bound to chondroitin sulfate A and C, and anti-NcFBP antibodies interfered in tachyzoite adhesion to host cell monolayers. In additon, analysis of the fetuin binding fraction by gelatin substrate zymography was performed, and demonstrated the presence of two bands of 96 and 140 kDa exhibiting metalloprotease-activity. The metalloprotease activity readily degraded glycosylated proteins such as fetuin and bovine immunoglobulin G heavy chain, whereas non-glycosylated proteins such as bovine serum albumin and immunoglobulin G light chain were not affected. These findings suggest that the fetuin-binding fraction of Neospora caninum tachyzoites contains components that could be potentially involved in host-parasite interactions.
Selective Activation of Nociceptor TRPV1 Channel and Reversal of Inflammatory Pain in Mice by a Novel Coumarin Derivative Muralatin L from Murraya alata*

Coumarin and its derivatives are fragrant natural compounds isolated from the genus Murraya that are flowering plants widely distributed in East Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. Murraya plants have been widely used as medicinal herbs for relief of pain, such as headache, rheumatic pain, toothache, and snake bites. However, little is known about their analgesic components and the molecular mechanism underlying pain relief. Here, we report the bioassay-guided fractionation and identification of a novel coumarin derivative, named muralatin L, that can specifically activate the nociceptor transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) channel and reverse the inflammatory pain in mice through channel desensitization. Muralatin L was identified from the active extract of Murraya alata against TRPV1 transiently expressed in HEK-293T cells in fluorescent calcium FlexStation assay. Activation of TRPV1 current by muralatin L and its selectivity were further confirmed by whole-cell patch clamp recordings of TRPV1-expressing HEK-293T cells and dorsal root ganglion neurons isolated from mice. Furthermore, muralatin L could reverse inflammatory pain induced by formalin and acetic acid in mice but not in TRPV1 knock-out mice. Taken together, our findings show that muralatin L specifically activates TRPV1 and reverses inflammatory pain, thus highlighting the potential of coumarin derivatives from Murraya plants for pharmaceutical and medicinal applications such as pain therapy.