Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Maximum-Volume Symmetric Gauge Ball Problem on the Convex Cone of Positive Definite Matrices and Convexity of Optimal Sets

In this paper we show that the radius of the largest symmetric gauge ball inscribed in the convex cone ${\mathrm{PD}}(n)$ of $n\times n$ positive definite matrices equipped with the Finsler metric inherited from a unitarily invariant norm is precisely the minimal eigenvalue of its center. We then solve Todd's largest dual ellipsoids problem [Math. Program. Ser. B, 117 (2009), pp. 425-434] for unitarily invariant norms, i.e., the problem of maximizing the product of the unitarily invariant norm distances to boundaries of the cone and its dual cone. We further show that the optimal set of maximizers forms a convex cone and is a closed geodesically convex subset of the Riemannian manifold ${\mathrm{PD}}(n)$. This in particular provides a one-parameter family of strictly increasing solid convex (in both a Euclidean and a Riemannian sense) cones of positive definite matrices which starts from the optimal set and covers ${\mathrm{PD}}(n)$.
Delayed conduction and its implications in murine Scn5a(+/-) hearts: independent and interacting effects of genotype, age, and sex.

SCN5A haploinsufficiencies are implicated in clinical arrhythmic conditions associated with cardiac conduction disorders. We examined myocardial conduction and its dispersion, and relationships between them, in murine Scn5a+/– hearts modelling such clinical conditions. A 64- channel, multi-electrode array of electrode spacing 0.55-mm compared patterns of right ventricular activation in intrinsically beating Langendorff-perfused, male and female, and young (3 months) and old (>12-month-old), Scn5a+/− and WT hearts, from which monophasic action potentials were also obtained. Mean ventricular activation times (T*MEAN), spatial dispersions (D*S) between recording channels within a given cardiac cycle, and maximum activation times (T*MAX) representing the slowest possible conduction in any given heart were all higher in old male Scn5a+/– compared to young male and old female Scn5a+/– and old male WT. Temporal dispersions (D*T) of ventricular activation times at given recording channels were similarly higher in old male Scn5a+/– compared to old male WT. In contrast, T*MEAN, D*T, D*S and T*MAX were indistinguishable between all WT groups. All groupings of D*T, D*S and T*MAX gave linear correlations with T*MEAN, each with indistinguishable slopes. In contrast, measures of monophasic action potential duration were indistinguishable between all groups. Genotype, age and sex thus exert significant (p
Usefulness and limitations of QuantiFERON-TB Gold in Japanese rheumatoid arthritis patients: proposal to decrease the lower cutoff level for assessing latent tuberculosis infection

We aimed to determine the sensitivity and specificity of QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT-G) in Japanese rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with a past history of tuberculosis (TB). We assessed whether it is possible to decrease the cutoff using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. We evaluated chest computed tomography (CT) findings, prior history of treatment, and contact with active TB in 370 RA patients. Forty-nine patients before initiation of treatment with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors were divided into two groups: 22 with a past history of TB and 27 without. We estimated the efficacy of QFT-G compared with the tuberculin skin test and antituberculosis (anti-TB) glycolipid antigen antibody. QFT-G was positive (≥0.35 IU/ml) in 13.6% with a past history of TB, increasing to 27.3% at the intermediate range cutoff of 0.1 IU/ml. The sensitivity and specificity of QFT-G was 0.27 and 1.00, respectively, at 0.1 IU/ml. Using ROC analysis, the area under the curve (AUC) of QFT-G but not for the other two tests was significantly large. QFT-G is a useful diagnostic method due to its superior specificity, but the use of a cutoff value of 0.35 IU/ml will likely result in an underestimate. We propose that a lower interferon-γ (IFN-γ) titer of 0.1 IU/ml be adopted when deciding to administer anti-TB drugs before initiation of TNF inhibitors.
Reliable Eigenvalues of Symmetric Tridiagonals

For the eigenvalues of a symmetric tridiagonal matrix $T$, the most accurate algorithms deliver approximations which are the exact eigenvalues of a matrix $\widetilde{T}$ whose entries differ from the corresponding entries of $T$ by small relative perturbations. However, for matrices with eigenvalues of different magnitudes, the number of correct digits in the computed approximations for eigenvalues of size smaller than $\Vert T\Vert_{2}$ depends on how well such eigenvalues are defined by the data. Some classes of matrices are known to define their eigenvalues to high relative accuracy but, in general, there is no simple way to estimate well the number of correct digits in the approximations. To remedy this, we propose a method that provides sharp bounds for the eigenvalues of $T$. We present some numerical examples to illustrate the usefulness of our method.
Differences between the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI) and the modified HAQ (mHAQ) score before and after infliximab treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

We conducted a 1-year prospective study to clarify differences between the Health Assessment Questionnaire disability index (HAQ-DI) and the modified HAQ (mHAQ) score among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with infliximab. A total of 87 patients were scheduled to receive infliximab infusion at a dose of 3 mg/kg at weeks 0, 2, and 6, and every 8 weeks thereafter for 54 weeks; all patients received a full examination at each infusion appointment. The 28-joint disease activity score (DAS28) and functional capability of each patient was assessed at each visit, using the HAQ-DI and the mHAQ score. A strong correlation was observed between the HAQ-DI and the mHAQ score at baseline (r = 0.892). Over the course of the treatment, the mean mHAQ score changed similarly to the HAQ-DI, but the mean HAQ-DI was significantly higher than the mean mHAQ score at each time-point (for the HAQ-DI vs. mHAQ score, baseline: 1.5 ± 0.7 vs. 0.9 ± 0.6, p < 0.0001; 6 weeks: 1.1 ± 0.7 vs. 0.6 ± 0.5, p < 0.0001; 30 weeks: 1.0 ± 0.7 vs. 0.6 ± 0.5, p < 0.0001; 54 weeks: 0.9 ± 0.7 vs. 0.6 ± 0.6, p = 0.0006). In the categories of “eating”, “reaching”, and “other activities”, the scores for several items excluded from the mHAQ score were significantly higher than those included in the mHAQ score over the year-long study period. We identified items contributing to significant differences between the HAQ-DI and the mHAQ score among RA patients treated with infliximab.
Elevated level of serum cystatin-C concentration is a useful predictor for myelosuppression induced by methotrexate for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis

Methotrexate (MTX) is indispensable for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, a small number of patients treated with MTX occasionally encounter some life-threatening events, including myelosuppression. Renal insufficiency, one of risk factors for these events, is difficult to assess because the serum creatinine concentration level and estimated glomerular filtration rate are sometimes inaccurately determined in aged RA patients. As a better indicator to evaluate this pathology, we measured the serum cystatin-C (Cys-C) level in 78 RA patients ≥50 years who were treated with MTX and observed for a year. The measurement achieved successful screening of two patients with leukocytopenia, one with interstitial lung disease (ILD), and two with liver dysfunction. An additional four referral inpatients with MTX-induced adverse events (three with pancytopenia, one with ILD) were enrolled for analysis, amounting to 82 patients. The logistic regression analysis showed that a correlation was observed between myelotoxicity and serum Cys-C level (elevation per 0.1 mg/dl; odds ratio 2.34, 95% confidence interval 1.08–5.09, p = 0.03). In conclusion, elderly RA patients potentially have subclinical renal insufficiency detected by the serum Cys-C concentration level. The elevated level of serum Cys-C is a more sensitive indicator to predict MTX-induced myelotoxicity than that of serum creatinine.
Spontaneous perirenal hematoma due to Wegener’s granulomatosis after initiation of immunosuppressant

Spontaneous perirenal hematoma (SPH) is a rare, life-threatening condition. We present a patient with Wegener’s granulomatosis (WG) who developed SPH soon after the initiation of immunosuppressant therapy. Few cases of SPH as a complication of WG have been reported, though a rupture of an aneurysm in patients with polyarteritis nodosa can lead to SPH. Though immunosuppressant therapy is considered to be the first-line therapy for SPH with vasculitis, SPH could still occur after the initiation of an adequate treatment regimen.
Risk of major bleeding and stroke associated with the use of vitamin K antagonists, nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants and aspirin in patients with atrial fibrillation: a cohort study

AIMS Nonvitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) are now available for the prevention of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) as an alternative to vitamin K antagonists (VKA) and aspirin. The comparative effectiveness and safety in daily practice of these different drug classes is still unclear. The objective of this study was to evaluate the risk of major bleeding and stroke in AF patients using NOACs, VKAs or aspirin. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was conducted among AF patients using the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (March 2008-October 2014). New users of VKAs, NOACs and low dose aspirin were followed from the date of first prescription of an antithrombotic drug until the occurrence of stroke or major bleeding. Analyses were adjusted for a history of comorbidities and drug use with Cox regression analysis. RESULTS A total of 31 497 patients were eligible for the study. The hazard ratio (HR) of major bleeding was 2.07 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.27-3.38] for NOACs compared with VKAs, which was mainly attributed by the increased risk of gastrointestinal bleeding (HR 2.63, 95% CI 1.50-4.62). This increased bleeding risk was restricted to women (HR 3.14, 95% CI 1.76-5.60). Aspirin showed a similar bleeding risk as VKAs. NOACs showed equal effectiveness as VKA in preventing ischaemic stroke (HR 1.22, 95% CI 0.67-2.19). VKAs were more effective than aspirin (HR 2.18, 95% CI 1.83-2.59). CONCLUSIONS NOACs were associated with a higher risk on gastrointestinal bleeding, particularly in women. The use of NOACs in patients who are vulnerable for this type of bleeding should be carefully considered. NOACs and VKAs are equally effective in preventing stroke. Aspirin was not effective in the prevention of stroke in AF.
Erratum: The Simplex and Projective Scaling Algorithms as Iteratively Reweighted Least Squares Methods

The projective scaling algorithm in Karmarkar [Combinatorica, 4 (1984), pp. 373–395] and Dantzig’s simplex method (see [Linear Programming and Extensions, Princeton University Press, 1963]) are usually thought of as fundamentally different approaches to linear programming. When viewed in Dantzig’s column space geometry, however, both algorithms turn out to be iteratively reweighted least squares methods. The projective scaling algorithm (and the affine scaling method in Dikin [Soviet Math. Dokl., 8 (1967), pp. 674–675]) can then be derived as a natural generalization of the simplex method. This derivation shows how the dual variables arise in the interior methods. The insight is essentially geometric; suitable figures are provided.
Macroscopic Models for Superconductivity

This paper reviews the derivation of some macroscopic models for superconductivity and also some of the mathematical challenges posed by these models. The paper begins by exploring certain analogies between phase changes in superconductors and those in solidification and melting. However, it is soon found that there are severe limitations on the range of validity of these analogies and outside this range many interesting open questions can be posed about the solutions to the macroscopic models.
Effect of Hyperosmolality on β-Defensin Gene Expression by Human Corneal Epithelial Cells

Purpose: As human β-defensins (hBD) are important antimicrobial peptides at epithelial surfaces, including the ocular surface, we tested the effect of hyperosmolar conditions on the expression of these peptides by human corneal epithelial cells (HCECs). Methods: Simian virus 40-transformed HCECs (n = 5) or primary cultured HCECs (n = 5) were treated with serum-free media or serum-free hyperosmolar (400-500 mOsm/kg) media for 24 hours or serum-free 500 mOsm/kg media for 12 to 48 hours. The effect of hyperosmolality on interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-induced hBD-2 expression was also tested. IL-6 expression was studied as a marker of IL-1β function. Expression of hBD-1, -2, and -3 and IL-6 mRNA was detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The levels of active IL-1β (culture supernatants and cell lysates) and pro-IL-1β (cell lysates) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: HCECs constitutively expressed hBD-1 and -3 but not hBD-2. Hyperosmolar media had no effect on the basal expression of hBD-1 or -3 and did not induce the expression of hBD-2. Treatment with 500 mOsm/kg media for 24 hours decreased the ability of IL-1β to upregulate hBD-2 and IL-6 expression. Active or pro-IL-1β was not detected in any cell culture sample. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the hyperosmolar environment observed in diseases such as dry eye does not alter defensin expression. However, a hyperosmolar environment may influence cytokine function in ocular surface cells and thus affect their response to injury and inflammation.
Major depressive disorder in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

ObjectiveTo investigate the point prevalence of major depressive disorder (MDD) as diagnosed by the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to determine whether MDD is related to features of RA disease, such as disease activity or physical dysfunction.MethodsOf the patients with RA who participated in the IORRA survey conducted in October 2005, 162 were evaluated using the M.I. N.I. , the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale, and the two-question depression screen for MDD. RA clinical features were obtained from the concomitant IORRA cohort database. Relationships between MDD and RA disease features were analyzed by the Wilcoxon rank sum test and Pearson’s chi-square test.ResultsThe point prevalence of MDD as diagnosed by the M.I. N.I. was 6.8 % in our Japanese patients with RA. The percentage of depressive patients was determined to be 23.5, 17.3, or 7.4 % according to the CES-D scale with cut-off points of 16, 19, or 27, respectively, and 14.2 % according to the two-question depression screen. The best cut-off point for CES-D for risk of MDD diagnosed by M.I. N.I. in this study was determined to be 23, with 11.7 % depressive patients having the highest sum of sensitivity and specificity. No relationship between MDD and RA disease activity was detected.ConclusionBy using the well-established structural interview instrument M.I. N.I. , we determined the point prevalence of MDD in the RA patients enrolled in this study to be 6.8 %, leading to the conclusion that concomitant MDD does not seem to influence disease activity in RA patients.
Oxford Handbook of Ophthalmology

The Oxford Handbook of Ophthalmology comprises a systematic synopsis of ophthalmic disease directed towards diagnosis, interim assessment, and ongoing management. Assessment boxes for common clinical conditions and algorithms for important clinical presentations illustrate this practical approach. The information is easily accessed, being presented in a standard format with areas of importance highlighted. Key sections for the trainee include clinical skills, aids to diagnosis, and investigations and their interpretation.
The Fentanyl Patch Boil‐Up – A Novel Method of Opioid Abuse

Fentanyl is a potent opioid analgesic used in the treatment of pain. Transdermal fentanyl patches are now widely utilized as an acceptable and efficacious method of medication delivery. Unfortunately, the potential for their abuse is well recognized. Previous case reports have documented deaths after intravenous (IV) misuse of fentanyl which had been extracted from Duragesic (liquid reservoir type) patches. We present a case of IV fentanyl abuse after the extraction from a Mylan (matrix type) patch. This method of abuse has not previously been described in the literature.
A Condition for Convexity of a Product of Positive Definite Quadratic Forms

A sufficient condition for the convexity of a finite product of positive definite quadratic forms is given in terms of the condition numbers of the underlying matrices. When only two factors are involved, the condition is also necessary. This complements and improves a result recently obtained by Zhao [Appl. Math. Optim. , 62 (2010), pp. 411–434]. As a special case, a necessary and sufficient condition is given for the Kantorovich function (xTAx)(xTA-1x), where A is positive definite, to be convex. (A corrected version of this paper has been appended to the originally posted pdf.)
Inversion Formulas for a Cylindrical Radon Transform

In this paper we study the inversion of a generalized Radon transform that maps a function in three dimensional space to a family of cylindrical integrals. We derive local backprojection-type inversion formulas for this cylindrical Radon transform. Our inversion formulas can be implemented in a straightforward manner with $\mathcal{O}(\mathtt{N}^{4/3})$ floating point operations, where $\mathtt{N}$ is the number of spatial reconstruction points. Numerical results are presented which demonstrate the accuracy and validity of the derived algorithms.
Triangulating the square and squaring the triangle: quadtrees and Delaunay triangulations are equivalent

We show that Delaunay triangulations and compressed quadtrees are equivalent structures. More precisely, we give two algorithms: the first computes a compressed quadtree for a planar point set, given the Delaunay triangulation; the second finds the Delaunay triangulation, given a compressed quadtree. Both algorithms run in deterministic linear time on a pointer machine. Our work builds on and extends previous results by Krznaric and Levcopolous [40] and Buchin and Mulzer [10]. Our main tool for the second algorithm is the well-separated pair decomposition (WSPD) [13], a structure that has been used previously to find Euclidean minimum spanning trees in higher dimensions [27]. We show that knowing the WSPD (and a quadtree) suffices to compute a planar EMST in linear time. With the EMST at hand, we can find the Delaunay triangulation in linear time [21]. As a corollary, we obtain deterministic versions of many previous algorithms related to Delaunay triangulations, such as splitting planar Delaunay triangulations [19, 20], preprocessing imprecise points for faster Delaunay computation [9, 42], and transdichotomous Delaunay triangulations [10, 15, 16].
Opposite Modulatory Effects of Selective and Non‐Selective Cyclooxygenase Inhibition on Cardiovascular and Autonomic Consequences of Cyclosporine in Female Rats

Non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and the immunosuppressant drug cyclosporine (CSA) are concurrently administered in arthritis. Here, we investigated whether diclofenac (non‐selective inhibitor of cyclooxygenase‐1 and 2, COX‐1/COX‐2), celecoxib (selective COX‐2 inhibitor) or SC560 (selective COX‐1 inhibitor) interact variably with haemodynamic effects of CSA in conscious female rats. Changes caused by CSA (10 mg/kg i.v.) in blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), HR variability (HRV) and myocardial contractility were assessed in the absence and presence of individual NSAIDs (10 mg/kg each). Compared with vehicle values, CSA caused immediate and sustained (i) increases in BP and decreases in pulse pressure index (PPI) and HR, (ii) elevations in left ventricular (LV) contractility (dP/dtmax) and isovolumic relaxation constant (Τau) and (iii) increases in the time‐ and frequency‐domain indices of HRV and shifted the cardiac sympathovagal balance towards parasympathetic dominance. CSA hypertension was abolished in rats pre‐treated with celecoxib and intensified in the presence of diclofenac or SC560. Alternatively, the CSA‐evoked decreases in PPI, increases in HRV indices and cardiac parasympathetic dominance were blunted by celecoxib in contrast to no effect for diclofenac or SC560. Similarly, celecoxib, but not other NSAIDs, eliminated the elevated LV contractility (dP/dtmax) and isovolumic relaxation constant (Τau, τ), which reflect cardiac systolic and diastolic function, respectively, that accompanied the CSA‐induced pressure load. The data underscore the preferential capacity of selective COX‐2 inhibition by celecoxib to mitigate CSA hypertension and consequent alterations in cardiac performance and autonomic balance. By contrast, CSA effects are preserved or even exacerbated after COX‐1 inhibition.
Metabolic syndrome in a sample of patients with bipolar disorder in Sharkia governorate

Introduction Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a group of metabolic abnormalities that include abnormal glucose metabolism, central obesity, dyslipidemia, reduced high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and hypertension. Patients and methods A random sample consisted of 50 bipolar patients recruited from psychiatric outpatient′s clinics of Zagazig University Hospitals, whether or not would be admitted to the inpatients wards. The following scales were administered: Young Mania Rating Scale, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, and Zagazig Depression Scale. Results Our cross-sectional observation confirms that MetS is highly prevalent in patients with bipolar disorder. We found a prevalence of MetS of 64% among patients with bipolar disorder, which is approximately double (30%) the rate reported in our general population sample. Conclusion There is a need for psychoeducational programs including healthier eating habits and lifestyle advice in patients with bipolar disorder. Clinicians should be aware of the metabolic issues when treating these patients.
Maraviroc: a CCR5 antagonist

HIV requires binding to both the CD4 molecule and a coreceptor to enable entry into the cell. CCR5 is a chemokine receptor that is utilized as a coreceptor by the majority of virus in early asymptomatic HIV infection. Maraviroc is a novel small molecule CCR5 antagonist which, in Phase IIb/III clinical trials up to 48 weeks, has been shown to be efficacious as part of an optimized antiretroviral regimen against CCR5 tropic HIV-1 in treatment-experienced patients. A further trial has demonstrated its noninferiority to efavirenz in achieving a HIV viral load less than 400 copies/ml as part of highly active antiretroviral therapy in treatment-naive individuals. It has recently received regulatory approval for use in North America and Europe in treatment-experienced patients. With increasing use, the role of maraviroc in the treatment of HIV-infected patients will be more clearly defined.