Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anti-Müllerian hormone levels to predict oocyte maturity and embryo quality during controlled ovarian hyperstimulation.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to assess the correlation between controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) outcome parameters and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) serum levels during in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment in women with varying ovarian reserve levels. METHODS Prospective study of 46 women undergoing GnRH-antagonist short protocol for IVF. Participants included women with low ovarian reserve (N.=11), normoreserve (N.=16), and polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS; N.=19). AMH was measured on menstrual cycle day 1-3 (basal AMH), on the day of GnRH-antagonist administration (AMH-GnRH), on the day of hCG administration (AMH-hCG), and in follicular fluid on the day of oocyte retrieval (AMH-FF). RESULTS Basal AMH was significantly correlated (P<0.001) with antral follicle count and number of follicles >11mm on hCG day (P<0.05). Both basal AMH and AMH-GnRH were significantly correlated (P<0.05) with the number of oocytes retrieved and metaphase II. AMH-hCG was correlated with top quality embryos (P=0.04). No correlations were found between COH outcome parameters and AMH-FF. CONCLUSIONS Basal AMH serum concentration was the strongest predictor of oocyte yield. AMH concentration at the mid-follicular phase was also a good predictor of oocyte yield and this marker was the only useful ovarian reserve indicator during the follicle growth process to predict IVF outcomes. AMH-hCG levels appear to predict embryo quality. AMH levels during the COH can provide valuable data to help individualize treatment and predict COH results.
Bone mineral density and serum levels of soluble tumor necrosis factors, estradiol, and osteoprotegerin in postmenopausal women with cirrhosis after viral hepatitis.

CONTEXT Cirrhosis after viral hepatitis has been identified as a risk factor for osteoporosis in men. However, in postmenopausal women, most studies have evaluated the effect of primary biliary cirrhosis, but little is known about the effect of viral cirrhosis on bone mass [bone mineral density (BMD)] and bone metabolism. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to assess the effect of viral cirrhosis on BMD and bone metabolism in postmenopausal women. DESIGN We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study. SETTING AND PATIENTS We studied 84 postmenopausal female outpatients with viral cirrhosis and 96 healthy postmenopausal women from the general community. BMD was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at lumbar spine (LS) and femoral neck (FN). RESULTS The percentage with osteoporosis did not significantly differ between patients (LS, 43.1%; FN, 32.2%) and controls (LS, 41.2%; FN, 29.4%), and there was no difference in BMD (z-score) between groups. Serum concentrations of soluble TNF receptors, estradiol, and osteoprotegerin (OPG) were significantly higher in patients vs. controls (P < 0.001, P < 0.05, and P < 0.05, respectively). No significant difference was observed in urinary deoxypyridinoline. Serum OPG levels were positively correlated with soluble TNF receptors (r = 0.35; P < 0.02) and deoxypyridinoline (r = 0.37; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS This study shows that bone mass and bone resorption rates do not differ between postmenopausal women with viral cirrhosis and healthy postmenopausal controls and suggests that viral cirrhosis does not appear to increase the risk of osteoporosis in these women. High serum estradiol and OPG concentrations may contribute to preventing the bone loss associated with viral cirrhosis in postmenopausal women.
BELTS VS TIRES, BELTS VS BELTS, TIRES VS TIRES

Tractive performance comparisons among two different width rubber belt tracks, 46 cm (18 in.) and 81 cm (32 in.) wide, and two different size rear tires, 710/70R38 and 18.4R46, were made on two different surface conditions. The belts were tested on a Caterpillar 55 tractor equipped with the Mobil-trac™ system and the tires on a John Deere 8400 mechanical front-wheel-drive (MFWD) tractor. The performance tests were completed on two surfaces, one being a non-tilled wheat stubble field and the second, the wheat stubble field tilled approximately 23 cm (9 in.) deep with a Noble blade sweep. Performance comparisons using tractive efficiency, dynamic traction ratio, and slip were made. Results of these performance comparisons between the belts and tires indicate that, in general, the belts performed better. The performance differences between the two belt widths were less defined. The performance differences between the two tires suggests that the narrower tire had a slight traction advantage.
Electronic structure and Schottky-barrier heights of (111) NiSi2/Si A- and B-type interfaces.

Calcul de la structure electronique des interfaces dans une approximation de densite locale utilisant les methodes d'approximation lineaire muffin tin avec le potentiel complet ou l'approximation de sphere atomique. les hauteurs de barriere de Schottky de deux interfaces different de O, 14 eV. Cette difference provient de la bande d'interface partiellement remplie
Lymphoid Gene Upregulation on Circulating Progenitors Participates in Their T-Lineage Commitment

Extrathymic T cell precursors can be detected in many tissues and represent an immediately competent population for rapid T cell reconstitution in the event of immunodeficiencies. Blood T cell progenitors have been detected, but their source in the bone marrow (BM) remains unclear. Prospective purification of BM-resident and circulating progenitors, together with RT-PCR single-cell analysis, was used to evaluate and compare multipotent progenitors (MPPs) and common lymphoid progenitors (CLPs). Molecular analysis of circulating progenitors in comparison with BM-resident progenitors revealed that CCR9+ progenitors are more abundant in the blood than CCR7+ progenitors. Second, although Flt3− CLPs are less common in the BM, they are abundant in the blood and have reduced Cd25+-expressing cells and downregulated c-Kit and IL-7Rα intensities. Third, in contrast, stage 3 MPP (MPP3) cells, the unique circulating MPP subset, have upregulated Il7r, Gata3, and Notch1 in comparison with BM-resident counterparts. Evaluation of the populations’ respective abilities to generate splenic T cell precursors (Lin−Thy1.2+CD25+IL7Rα+) after grafting recipient nude mice revealed that MPP3 cells were the most effective subset (relative to CLPs). Although several lymphoid genes are expressed by MPP3 cells and Flt3− CLPs, the latter only give rise to B cells in the spleen, and Notch1 expression level is not modulated in the blood, as for MPP3 cells. We conclude that CLPs have reached the point where they cannot be a Notch1 target, a limiting condition on the path to T cell engagement.
Disclose High Quality Structured Data with Airpedia

The advent of Wikipedia as the best digital representation of cross-domain knowledge is now a reality. The DBpedia project aims at converting Wikipedia content into structured intelligence through the Linked Open Data paradigm and currently holds a vital role in the growth of the Web of Data as a multilingual interlinking kernel. However, its main classification system relies on a time-consuming manual procedure that aims at mapping Wikipedia infobox data to a common ontology. We present Airpedia, a tool that automatically generates class and property mappings for any DBpedia language chapter. We support our findings with the deployment of the Swedish, Ukrainian, and Esperanto DBpedias. Evaluations demonstrate that Airpedia is not only comparable to humans in terms of precision, but also provides a recall leap, with special regard to entities lacking infoboxes.
Gene expression and molecular changes in cerebral arteries following subarachnoid hemorrhage in the rat.

OBJECT The authors investigated early changes in the cerebral arteries of rats that occur after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). METHODS Messenger RNA was investigated by performing microarray and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses, and protein expression was shown by performing immunohistochemical studies. The array data indicated that the initial processes that occur after SAH involve activation of genes involved in angiogenesis, inflammation, and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. The real-time PCR investigation confirmed upregulation of genes that were observed using the microarray to be regulated, including iNOS, MMP13, and cxcl2. The authors also verified the upregulation of previously implicated genes for G-protein-coupled receptors (endothelin B [ETB], angiotensin 1 [AT1], and AT2) and metalloproteinase 9. The results of an immunohistochemical study confirmed that receptor genes that were seen to be regulated produced an increase in protein expression. Double immunostaining of rat cerebral arteries with endothelial cell- or smooth-muscle cell-specific antibodies verified that an increase in ETB, 5-hydrotryptamine (5-HT1B), and 5-HT1D receptor expression occurs in smooth-muscle cells. CONCLUSIONS Processes occurring after SAH lead to enhanced arterial contractility and ECM remodeling either directly or through angiogenesis and inflammation. These processes are active via an increase in metalloproteinase expression, the presence of proangiogenic factors, and the expression of proinflammatory genes.
Room Temperature Ferromagnetism in Lithium-Doped ZnO

Here we report our study on the lithium-doped ZnO films prepared by sol-gel method. The films are polycrystalline wurtzite structure and the average particle size is about 50 nm. All the films are ferromagnetic, and the film with Li content of 8 at. % has the largest saturation magnetization of about 55 memu/g. The photoluminescence spectra show that the films have weak emission near ultraviolet region and strong emission in visible regions. The Li atoms in Zn sites can induce Zn vacancies and a low acceptor level in the energy gap, which are required for ferromagnetism. The first-principles calculations demonstrate that the ferromagnetism in the Li-doped ZnO originates from the induced magnetic moment of oxygen atoms in the nearest neighbor sites to Li-Zn vacancy pair.
Factors Associated With Abnormal Gastric Emptying in Alcohol-related Chronic Pancreatitis

Background Patients with alcohol-related chronic pancreatitis (ARCP) may present with abnormal gastric emptying (GE), which has been ascribed mainly to nutrient maldigestion. Nevertheless, many patients also have diabetes with autonomic dysfunction and malnutrition and the role of these factors on abnormal GE has not been investigated. Goals To determine the influences of malabsorption, diabetes, malnutrition, and autonomic dysfunction on GE abnormalities in patients with ARCP. Study Forty ARCP outpatients and 18 healthy controls were studied. GE was measured by scintigraphy after a standard, liquid, nutrient meal labeled with 99mTechnetium-phytate. Autonomic function was evaluated by cardiovascular tests. The influence of each factor on abnormal GE was assessed by Bayesian multiple regression analysis. Results In the ARCP group, GE was abnormal in 19 patients (47.5%), who showed either accelerated (N=12) or delayed emptying (N=7). Diabetes was highly prevalent (P<0.01) in ARCP patients with either rapid or delayed GE (18/19). Multiple regression analysis showed that not only diabetes, but also autonomic dysfunction has significant effects on abnormal GE, whereas malabsorption and malnutrition seemed not to be associated to abnormal emptying. Conclusions A substantial proportion of patients with ARCP may have abnormal GE. Either delayed or accelerated GE seem to be related to underlying diabetes mellitus and autonomic neuropathy rather than to nutrient malabsorption and malnutrition.
Five-year weight changes associate with blood pressure alterations independent of changes in serum insulin

Objective: In overweight-related hypertension, the effect of weight changes on blood pressure (BP) is believed to be mediated by insulin. To test this hypothesis, we studied 5-year changes in weight, BP, and insulin in a general population of Danish adults (n = 3443; mean age 45.7 ± 7.6 years). Methods: We assessed the glucose–insulin metabolism by a standard oral glucose tolerance test. We divided the antihypertensive and antidiabetic medication-free participants into three groups: weight loss (n = 515), weight stable (n = 1778), and weight gain (n = 1150). Results: Losing on average 6.5 kg body weight, the weight loss group experienced a 28.2% reduction [(95% confidence interval [CI] −31 to −25); P < 0.001] in fasting insulin and a 23.9% reduction [(95% CI −28 to −19); P < 0.001] in 2-h insulin. Gaining on average 6.4 kg, the weight gain group experienced a 12.5% increase [(95% CI 9 to 16); P < 0.001] in fasting insulin and 32.8% increase [(95% CI 28 to 38); P < 0.001] in 2-h insulin. Using linear regression adjusting for differences in sex, age, family history of hypertension, baseline BMI, SBP and DBP, lifestyle risk factors, and their 5-year changes, weight loss was associated with a decrease in SBP of −1.8 mmHg (95% CI −2.8 to −0.7), whereas weight gain with an increase in SBP of 1.9 mmHg (95% CI 1.2 to 2.6), both with P less than 0.001. Adding fasting insulin, 2-h insulin, &Dgr;fasting insulin, and &Dgr;2-h insulin only marginally attenuated the association, and furthermore, none of the insulin variables was significantly associated with SBP or DBP (P ≥ 0.08). The results for changes in DBP were similar to SBP. Conclusion: Five-year weight changes associate with BP alterations independent of the insulin changes.
Block diagonalization with subspace based external interference mitigation

In this work we propose a variation to the Block Diagonalization (BD) algorithm described that mitigates the interference from an external interference source which does not participate in the joint transmission inherent to the BD algorithm. The idea consists of precoding the signal at the transmission side so that the received signal at each receiver lies in a subspace orthogonal to the subspace containing the external interference. It is similar to how interference alignment algorithms work, but here instead of limiting the caused interference at the unintended receivers to a specific subspace, we are limiting the desired signal at the intended receivers. Since this “limiting” aspect reduces the dimensions available for the useful signal, a trade-off is involved between how many useful streams can be transmitted and how much of the external interference energy can be canceled. The proposed algorithm is analyzed and we show different metrics that can be used to determine the “good point” in this trade-off.
Epidemiology of bronchial asthma among preparatory school children in Assiut district

Background: The prevalence of asthma and allergies is increasing in both Western and developing countries. Few studies evaluated asthma prevalence in Egypt . Objectives: Determination of the prevalence and risk factors of asthma among preparatory school children in Assiut district, in Upper Egypt. Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among preparatory school students in Assiut city and two rural areas in Assiut district in Upper Egypt. Twelve schools were selected randomly from different regions in Assiut city and two rural areas one to the North and the other to the South of Assiut city. The total coverage of the students included was 1048 (482 boys and 566 girls). Data were collected by self-administered questionnaire (in Arabic Language) which was filled by the participants. Results: Of the 1048 positively responding subjects, 65 fitted the diagnosis of asthma with over all prevalence of 6.2%. No significant difference was found between urban and rural areas (P = 0.075). Using logistic regression analysis: a positive family history of allergy and the presence of other one or more allergic diseases were significantly associated risk factors for asthma. Exposure to dust, cigarette smoke, playing and physical activity, common cold attacks, and special food or drinks were the most common triggering factors for asthma exacerbations . Conclusion: Bronchial asthma is a significant health problem among children and adolescents in Assiut district and needs special medical care. Wider scale multi-center studies in upper Egypt and other localities of Egypt are needed to outline the profile of bronchial asthma among children and adolescents in the whole country. Keywords: prevalence of asthma, preparatory school children, Assiut district Egypt J Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2012;10(2):109-117
ADAPTAÇÃO DA ESCALA DE COPING DE BILLINGS E MOOS (ECBM) PARA SURDOS: UM ESTUDO PI-LOTO

O objetivo deste estudo e traduzir e adaptar a Escala de Coping de Billings e Moos (ECBM), para surdos usuarios da Lingua Brasileira de Sinais (LIBRAS). A metodologia e similar em alguns aspectos a utilizada por Chaveiro (2011), para a construcao de instrumentos adaptados para a populacao surda em LIBRAS e as Normas da ABNT, NBR 15.290 que estabelece regras especificas para filmagem em LIBRAS. A amostra do estudo foi composta de 4 surdos, com a idade de 27 a 38 anos do sexo feminino, 2 surdas bilingues, que utilizam a LIBRAS como primeira forma de comunicacao e o portugues como segunda forma, e outras 2 que utilizam apenas a LIBRAS. As participantes preencheram a escala em portugues primeiro e em seguida, a adaptada e traduzida para LIBRAS no formato de video, sendo a aplicacao realizada em grupo. Houve algumas dificuldades na adaptacao e traducao, principalmente nas expressoes da escala que sao idiomaticas do portugues, muitas sem conceitos equivalentes entre o portugues e a LIBRAS. A ECBM adaptada em LIBRAS possibilitou que os surdos se expressassem com autonomia e liberdade, permitindo investigar as estrategias de coping mais utilizadas por eles.
Distinct involvement of CD45 in antigen receptor signalling in CD4+ and CD8+ primary T cells

We demonstrate that pretreatment of primary CD4+, but not CD8+ T cells with anti‐CD45 inhibits activation signals induced through the T cell receptor for antigen (TCRαβ). Specifically, anti‐TCRαβ‐mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C‐γ1 is inhibited, and this in turn correlates with the inhibition of subsequent Ca2+ mobilization and DNA synthesis. In marked contrast, none of these activation parameters are affected by anti‐CD45 in CD8+ T cells. Perturbation of TCRαβ signalling in CD4+ cells is observed in conditions which do not detectably affect the level of CD45 expression, or its membrane distribution. Further, changes in the intrinsic phosphatase activity of CD45 are not detectable. While anti‐CD45 ablates TCRαβ signalling, anti‐CD3ϵ‐mediated activation is unaffected. This suggests that elements of the antigen receptor complex can be functionally uncoupled, and indicates that the requirements for CD45 in signalling through these two elements are different. The results demonstrate that the involvement of CD45 in coupling TCRαβ to second messenger‐generating pathways is under distinct physical and/or functional constraints in primary CD4+ and CD8+ T cells.
Refractory nature of normal human diploid fibroblasts with respect to oncogene-mediated transformation

Human cells are known to be more refractory than rodent cells against oncogenic transformation in vitro. To date, the molecular mechanisms underlying such resistance remain largely unknown. The combination of simian virus 40 early region and H-Ras V12 has been effective for transformation of rat embryo fibroblasts, but not for human cells. However, the additional ectopic expression of the telomerase catalytic subunit (hTERT) was reported to be capable of causing transformation of normal human cells. In this study, however, we demonstrate that the combined expression of the above-mentioned three genetic elements is not always sufficient to transform normal human diploid fibroblasts (HDF). Although the expression and function of these introduced genetic elements were essentially the same, among four HDF, TIG-1 and TIG-3 were resistant to transformation. The other two (BJ and IMR-90) showed transformed phenotypes, but they were much restricted compared with rat embryo fibroblasts in expressing simian virus 40 early region and H-Ras V12. In correlation with these phenotypes, TIG-1 and TIG-3 remained diploid after the introduction of these genetic elements, whereas BJ and IMR-90 became highly aneuploid. These results strongly suggest that the lack of telomerase is not the sole reason for the refractory nature of HDF against transformation and that normal human cells have still undefined intrinsic mechanisms rendering them resistant to oncogenic transformation.
Effect of ethnicity and age or menopause on the structure and geometry of iliac bone

We measured indices of bone volume (cancellous, cortical) and bone surface (cancellous, endocortical, and intracortical) in intact full‐thickness transiliac bone biopsies obtained from 144 healthy women aged 20–74 (35 black and 109 white, 62 premenopausal and 82 postmenopausal). The data were analyzed by two‐way analysis of variance of the four groups defined by age/menopause and ethnicity and by linear regression of major variables on age. None of the interaction terms was significant, and none of the regression slopes on age differed between blacks and whites, indicating that the effects of ethnicity and of age/menopause were independent. Accordingly, the data were also analyzed separately for the effects of ethnicity (pre‐ and postmenopausal combined) and age/menopause (blacks and whites combined). The analyses led to the following conclusions. (1) Blacks have more cancellous and cortical bone than whites in the ilium; the difference was due to thicker trabeculae and thicker cortices with no difference in trabecular number or cortical porosity. (2) The magnitude of the black/white differences was the same throughout the age range covered by the study, indicating differences in peak adult values, not in rates of loss with age. (3) As the result of age/menopause, there were significant reductions in all indices of the amount and structure of bone except for trabecular thickness; the magnitude of the reductions was the same in blacks and whites. (4) Cancellous bone loss was mainly the result of the complete removal of some trabecular elements with increased separation between remaining elements. Cortical bone loss was due to thinning from the endocortical surface with a small but significant contribution from increased cortical porosity, due to an increased number of intracortical canals. These patterns of bone loss were the same in blacks and whites. (5) Although the percentage losses of bone with age/menopause were higher for cancellous than for cortical bone, the absolute amounts of bone lost were about the same for cortical as for cancellous bone. (6) The ratio of surface to tissue volume decreased with age/menopause in cancellous bone but increased in cortical bone; rates of bone loss would change in the same manner if the loss per unit of surface remained constant. (7) The total extent of bone surface in the ilium did not change with age/menopause, so that the surface/volume ratio for the entire bone increased; volumetric bone turnover would increase and bone age decrease if remodeling activity per unit of surface remained constant.