Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relation between HLA typing and clinical presentations in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus patients in Al-Qassim region, Saudi Arabia.

BACKGROUND Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a disease with diverse clinical presentations due to interaction between genetic and environmental factors. SLE is associated worldwide with polymorphisms at various loci, including the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), although inconsistencies exist among these studies. AIMS This study was carried out to investigate, the association of HLA-DRB1, DRB3, DRB4, DRB5, and DQB1 alleles in SLE patients and clinical presentations at Qassim, Saudi Arabia. METHODS Fifty one patients with SLE-84.3% of whom had kidney involvement were studied in a case control study for HLA-DRB1, DRB3, DRB4, DRB5, and DQB1. RESULTS It was found that DRB3 is a protective gene among Saudi's against SLE, HLA DRB3, HLA DRB1*11 frequency was increased in patients with serositis with a p value of (0.004), (0.047) respectively, increased frequency of HLA DQB1*3 among SLE patients with skin manifestations with a p value of (0.041), the frequency of HLA DRB1*15 alleles was increased among SLE patients with nephritis with a p value of (0.029), the frequency of HLA DRB1*11 among those with hematological manifestations with a p value of (0.03) and the frequency DRB1*10 was found to be increased among SLE patients with neurological manifestations with a p value of (0.002). CONCLUSION In contradistinction to what have been found among other populations DRB3 is a protective gene among Saudi's against SLE. No evidence for a role of the HLA-DRB1, DRB4, DRB5, DQB1 alleles. There was an increased HLA DRB3 frequency with serositis, DQB1*3 skin manifestations, HLA DRB1*15 with nephritis, DRB1*10 with hematological manifestations and DRB1*11 with neurological manifestations.
A ‘touch’ of the White platelet syndrome

Investigations into structural defects in platelets from a large family with the White platelet syndrome (WPS) separated the members into three groups. The first group of 22 members was the subject of our first report (White JG, Key NS, King RA, Vercellotti GM. The white platelet syndrome: A new autosomal dominant platelet disorder. Platelets 2004;15:173–184). A third group of 13 members had no abnormalities of platelet ultrastructure. The second group of 17 members, the focus of the present study, had a ‘touch’ of the WPS. Platelet counts, mean platelet volumes (MPVs) and platelet responses to aggregating agents were normal in ‘touch’ patients in contrast to platelets of those with the full WPS in whom these parameters were abnormal. Up to 13% of the full WPS platelets contained large, fully developed Golgi complexes, up to seven in number, extruding innumerable vesicles from the trans-Golgi face and filling the cytoplasm of many platelets. Many Golgi complexes had centrioles associated with them. ‘Touch’ platelets had one or two Golgi complexes of intermediate size in 3–5% of their platelets. Golgi vesicles were uncommon and centrioles absent. Gray platelets and hypogranular cells were infrequent in patients with a ‘touch’ of the WPS, whereas up to 44% of the platelets from those with the WPS were gray or hypogranular. Elements of the dense tubular system were prominent in full WPS platelets, together with their formation into areas of cytoplasmic sequestration and autodigestion. These features were absent in ‘touch’ platelets. As commonly observed in full WPS platelets, mitochondria were larger and more numerous than alpha granules in some ‘touch’ cells. Both ‘touch’ and full WPS platelets frequently contained giant and rod-shaped granules. Dense bodies, however, were normal in size and number in ‘touch’ platelets, and half normal size in full WPS platelets. The separation of ultrastructural abnormalities in the two varieties of the WPS suggests that genetic defects involve more than a single gene and the genes are variable in their penetrance. Genetic studies to determine if this is the case are currently in progress.
Molecular cloning of the gene of a penicillin-binding protein supposed to cause high resistance to beta-lactam antibiotics in Staphylococcus aureus

A novel penicillin-binding protein, PBP-2' (Mr about 75,000), is known to be induced in excessively large amount by most beta-lactam compounds in cells of a clinically isolated strain of Staphylococcus aureus, TK784, that is highly resistant to beta-lactams and also most other antibiotics. This protein has very low affinities to most beta-lactam compounds and has been supposed to be the cause of the resistance of the cells to beta-lactams. A 14-kilobase DNA fragment was isolated from the cells that carried the gene encoding this penicillin-binding protein and also a genetically linked marker that is responsible for the resistance to tobramycin. This DNA was cloned on plasmid pACYC184 and was shown to cause both production of PBP-2' and resistance to tobramycin in Escherichia coli cells. However, the formation of PBP-2' in E. coli was only moderate and was independent of normal inducer beta-lactams. The PBP-2' formed in the E. coli cells showed slow kinetics of binding to beta-lactams similar to that of PBP-2' formed in the original S. aureus cells and gave a similar pattern of peptides to the latter when digested with the proteolytic V8 enzyme of S. aureus.
Movement‐related synchronization of gamma activity is lateralized in patients with dystonia

There is evidence for synchronization at frequencies both under 30 Hz and over 60–80 Hz in the so‐called gamma frequency band in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Gamma activity increases after dopaminergic therapy and during voluntary movement, suggesting that it might be physiological and relate to motor processing in the basal ganglia (BG). We recorded local field potential (LFP) activity during a choice reaction time task in 11 patients with dystonia undergoing implantation of the internal globus pallidus for therapeutic stimulation. The spectral content of the LFP was averaged with respect to movement onset over 6–11 Hz, 18–25 Hz and 60–80 Hz, separately for responses ipsilateral and contralateral to movement. There was a perimovement increase in 60–80 Hz activity in the LFP, but only contralateral to movement. In contrast, low‐frequency LFP activity decreased symmetrically during movement. This occurred earlier in the 18–25 Hz band than in the 6–11 Hz band, and was followed by a postmovement increase in oscillatory activity in the 18–25 Hz band that was contralateral to movement. The presence of a lateralized movement‐related increase in gamma activity in the BG of patients with dystonia, similar to that recorded in patients with treated PD, suggests that this may be a residual feature of normal BG function. Moreover, the results provide further support for functional distinctions between BG oscillatory activities of different frequency.
Social psychological contributions to the decade of the brain. Doctrine of multilevel analysis.

The 1990s were declared by Congress to be the "decade of the brain. " This declaration is important to all psychologists, not only neuroscientists, because with this declaration come expectations of the cognitive and behavioral sciences generally and because the brain does not exist in isolation but rather is a fundamental component of developing and aging individuals who themselves are mere actors in the larger theater of life. This article examines the importance of a multilevel, integrative approach to the study of mental and behavioral phenomena in the decade of the brain, reviews how this approach highlights the synergistic relationship between theoretical and clinically relevant research, and illustrates how this approach can foster the transition from microtheories to general psychological theories.
Modified substrate integrated wave guide (SIW) horn antenna

A modified substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) horn antenna is proposed in this paper. A probe is used as the feed line of the antenna in order to avoid parasitic radiation and high conductor loss. The proposed antenna is numerically investigated using HFSS software package. Radiation properties of the antenna including reflection coefficient, gain and radiation patterns are reported and compared with those of a conventional SIW horn antenna of the same sized aperture. Results show that wider impedance bandwidth and higher gain can be obtained by the proposed antenna.
Is abnormal glucose tolerance in antipsychotic-naive patients with nonaffective psychosis confounded by poor health habits?

INTRODUCTION Some but not all previous studies have found abnormal glucose tolerance or fasting glucose concentrations in antipsychotic-naïve patients with nonaffective psychosis. Our finding of abnormal glucose tolerance in patients with nonaffective psychosis could not be attributed to confounding by age, ethnicity, gender, smoking, socioeconomic status (SES), hypercortisolemia, or body mass index (BMI). However, other factors merit consideration as potential confounders of this association. METHODS An extended sample of newly diagnosed, antipsychotic-naive patients with schizophrenia and related disorders and matched controls were administered an oral glucose tolerance test. Confounding factors related to diet, self-care/access to care, and drug abuse were evaluated. RESULTS After accounting for the variance due to age, ethnicity, gender, smoking, SES, morning cortisol concentrations, BMI (or waist-hip ratio), our previous finding of abnormal glucose tolerance in these patients was confirmed. This difference could not be attributed to confounding by substance abuse; blood concentrations of vitamin B12, folate, or homocysteine; aerobic conditioning as measured by resting heart rate; or duration of untreated psychosis. DISCUSSION These results provide further evidence that people with schizophrenia and related disorders have abnormal glucose tolerance and an increased risk of diabetes prior to antipsychotic treatment and independent of health habits and access to care. Other measures should also be examined.
Reflectarray design by induced electromotive force method

A design method of reflectarray by the induced electromotive force method is proposed. The effect of oblique incidence from a primary source to a reflectarray element is included in the design process of the reflectarray by the proposed method. The CPU time for design of the reflectarray by the proposed method is small because mutual coupling between reflectarray elements are ignored. The reflectarray which consists of a dipole and parasitic dipole element is designed by the proposed method and the performance of the proposed method is shown.
Toward an empirical taxonomy and model of evolution for telecommunications technologies

A major group of information technologies pervading businesses in the 1990s are communication-based technologies. Given the diversity and complexity of these technologies, it is surprising that they have been the subject of precious little empirical research. This study examines the use of these technologies in American businesses. The data suggest preliminary patterns along which these technologies can be structured to facilitate both practice and research.
Relationship of Age at Onset, Chronologic Age, and Adequacy of Preoperative Performance to Verbal Memory Change After Anterior Temporal Lobectomy

Summary We examined the relationship of age of onset of epilepsy, chronological age at time of operation, and adequacy of preoperative memory performance to pre‐ to postoperative verbal memory decline. Patients who underwent left (n = 50) or right (n = 51) anterior temporal lobectomy (ATL) were administered tests of verbal episodic (list learning, paragraph recall) and semantic memory (visual naming, vocabulary), both preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. As a group, left ATL patients showed the classic selective decrease on measures of episodic but not semantic memory. However, examination of episodic memory outcome showed considerable individual variability. Stepwise regression analyses indicated that both later age at onset and older chronologic age were significant and selective predictors of episodic memory decrease for left ATL patients. Adequacy of preoperative memory performance was a nonspecific predictor, associated with decrease in postoperative memory performance for both left and right ATL patients and for multiple types of memory indices. The clinical and theoretical implications are discussed.
A Survey on Modeling of Human States in Communication Behavior

The Technical Committee on Communication Behavior Engineering addresses the research question “How do we construct a communication network system that includes users? ”. The growth in highly functional networks and terminals has brought about greater diversity in users’ lifestyles and freed people from the restrictions of time and place. Under this situation, the similarities of human behavior cause traffic aggregation and generate new problems in terms of the stabilization of network service quality. This paper summarizes previous studies relevant to communication behavior from a multidisciplinary perspective and discusses the research approach adopted by the Technical Committee on Communication Behavior Engineering. key words: modeling, mental process, user satisfaction, QoE, user experience, user behavior, social network, human-network interaction
Identification and Targeted Cultivation of Abundant Novel Freshwater Sphingomonads and Analysis of Their Population Substructure

ABSTRACT Little is known with respect to bacterial population structures in freshwater environments. Using complementary culture-based, cloning, and high-throughput Illumina sequencing approaches, we investigated microdiverse clusters of bacteria that comprise members with identical or very similar 16S rRNA gene sequences. Two 16S rRNA phylotypes could be recovered by cultivation in low-nutrient-strength liquid media from two lakes of different trophic status. Both phylotypes were found to be physiologically active in situ throughout most of the year, as indicated by the presence of their rRNA sequences in the samples. Analyses of internal transcribed spacer (ITS1) sequences revealed the presence of seven different sequence types among cultured representatives and the cloned rrn fragments. Illumina sequencing yielded 8,576 ITS1 sequences that encompassed 15 major and numerous rare sequence types. The major ITS1 types exhibited distinct temporal patterns, suggesting that the corresponding Sphingomonadaceae lineages occupy different ecological niches. However, since strains of the same ITS1 type showed highly variable substrate utilization patterns, the potential mechanism of niche separation in Sphingomonadaceae cannot be explained by substrate utilization alone and may be related to other traits.
The Effect of Latanoprost, Bimatoprost, and Travoprost on Circadian Variation of Intraocular Pressure in Patients With Open-angle Glaucoma

PurposeTo evaluate the efficacy of latanoprost, bimatoprost, and travoprost given in the evening over the 24-hour curve in newly diagnosed open-angle glaucoma patients. MethodsThis 8-week, randomized, parallel group, masked evaluator study compared the efficacy of once daily administration of latanoprost 0.005%, bimatoprost 0.03%, and travoprost 0.004% ophthalmic solutions. After enrollment at baseline, 48 patients were randomized to 3 treatment groups: latanoprost (n=17), bimatoprost (n=16), and travoprost (n=15). At baseline and 8 weeks of therapy, masked evaluators measured intraocular pressure (IOP) at 8 AM, 10 AM, 1 PM, 4 PM, 8 PM, 11 PM, and 3 AM. ResultsBaseline mean IOP levels were similar across the groups. By week 8, reductions were observed in all 3 groups (P<0.001 for each). Travoprost-treated patients' IOP levels were reduced 8.7 and 8.1 mm Hg at 8 and 10 AM, respectively. Latanoprost-treated patients experienced 4.8 and 5.3 mm Hg reductions, whereas bimatoprost-treated patients experienced 5.5 and 4.9 mm Hg reductions at these time points. The amount of IOP reduction seen at 8 and 10 AM in travoprost group was significantly higher when compared with latanoprost and bimatoprost-treated group (P<0.001). ConclusionsLatanoprost, bimatoprost, and travoprost were comparable in their ability to reduce IOP in open-angle glaucoma patients. On the basis of our data, the IOP reduction of these drugs is indistinguishable within statistical parameters.
Increase of duodenal and ileal mucosal cytotoxic lymphocytes in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

OBJECTIVE Intestinal gamma/delta- intraepithelial lymphocytes (IEL) have increased in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). To further characterise intestinal immune activation in these children, we have quantitated cytotoxic lymphocytes in intestinal mucosa. METHODS We studied 23 children with JIA suffering from gastrointestinal symptoms with gastroduodenoscopy and colonoscopy. The control children (n=20) had GI-symptoms but eventually shown not to have any significant gastrointestinal disease. Granzyme A (GrA) and Granzyme B (GrB) expressing lymphocytes in the epithelium and lamina propria were counted in immunostained sections of ileal and duodenal biopsies. RESULTS The number of GrB expressing IELs was increased in duodenal mucosa in patients with JIA. In the ileum the number of both GrB and GrA positive IELs was similarly increased. No significant differences in the counts of the lamina propria GrA or GrB expressing cells were observed. Granzyme expression was not associated with the duration or with the severity of the disease, or with medication. CONCLUSIONS These observations suggest that lymphocyte cytotoxicity is abnormally increased in the intestinal mucosa in JIA. Since a similar pattern of activation has been seen in food allergy and celiac disease, we speculate that some luminal, possibly a nutritional factor may be involved in JIA as well. Further studies are needed to see whether cytotoxic activation plays any role in the pathogenesis of JIA.
SecurityViews: A Dynamic Security for View-Oriented Programming

In wide-enterprise information systems, the same objects play different functional roles during their lifecycle. The development and the distributtion of these functional roles can be realized using one of the aspect oriented software development techniques, in particular view oriented programming (VOP). Generally speaking, views are code fragments, which provide the implementation of different functionalities for the same object domain and theses views can be used as a units for distribution to improve performance issues. Therefore, using VOP encompasses a combination of views, which can be distributed, attached, detached dynamically throughout their object views lifecycle. In this context, an issue has to be addressed when a distributed object offers different views to different clients. A security access problem would be if a client somehow tries to perform an operation of a view, which is not attached by that client. Another issue has to be addressed is to manage views in a transparent way (implicitly) for clients. We propose a dynamic adaptation and security model based on Java security model to deal with theses issues.
Risk of cytomegalovirus disease in high‐risk liver transplant recipients on valganciclovir prophylaxis: A systematic review and meta‐analysis

Valganciclovir (VGC) was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2004 as cytomegalovirus (CMV) prophylaxis except for liver transplant recipients because of their high incidence of CMV disease with this drug. However, surveys have shown its common off‐label use for CMV prophylaxis in liver transplant recipients. We aimed to evaluate the risk of CMV disease with VGC prophylaxis in liver transplant recipients. All studies that evaluated liver transplant recipients and used VGC (900 or 450 mg daily) for the prevention of CMV disease were included. Five controlled studies (n = 483) were pooled with a random effects model; five single‐arm studies (n = 380) were pooled for the prevalence rate of CMV disease. The risk of CMV disease with VGC versus ganciclovir was 1.81 [95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.00‐3.29, P = 0.05, I2 = 0%]. For high‐risk (donor‐positive/recipient‐negative) patients, the risk of CMV disease was 1.96 (95% CI = 1.05‐3.67, P = 0.035, I2 = 0%). The risk of CMV disease remained significant with 900 mg of VGC daily (P = 0.04) but not with 450 mg of VGC daily (P = 0.76). The risk of leukopenia with VGC was 1.87 (95% CI = 1.03‐3.37, P = 0.04, I2= 0%). In single‐arm trials, the overall CMV disease rate was 12% (95% CI = 9%‐16%, P < 0.001), and the rate for high‐risk patients was 20% (95% CI = 10%‐38%, P = 0.002). In conclusion, 900 mg of VGC daily may not be safe as CMV prophylaxis in high‐risk liver transplant recipients because of the significant 2‐fold increase in the risk of CMV disease and the 1.9‐fold increase in the risk of leukopenia. Alternative CMV prophylaxis should be used for liver transplant recipients. Liver Transpl, 2012. © 2012 AASLD.
Tumor Necrosis Factor&agr; Modulates Matrix Production and Catabolism in Nucleus Pulposus Tissue

Study Design. This study examines changes in the production of extracellular matrix molecules as well as the induction of tissue degradation in in vitro formed nucleus pulposus (NP) tissues following incubation with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)&agr;. Objective. To characterize the response of NP cells to TNF-&agr;, a proinflammatory cytokine present in herniated NP tissues. Summary of Background Data. TNF-&agr; is a proinflammatory cytokine expressed by NP cells of degenerate intervertebral discs. It is implicated in the pain associated with disc herniation, although its role in intervertebral disc degeneration remains poorly understood. Methods. In vitro formed NP tissues were treated with TNF-&agr; (up to 50 ng/mL) over 48 hours. Tissues were assessed for histologic appearance, proteoglycan and collagen contents, as well as proteoglycan and collagen synthesis. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the effect of TNF-&agr; on NP cell gene expression. Proteoglycan degradation was assessed by immunoblot analysis. Results. At doses of 1–5 ng/mL, TNF-&agr; induced multiple cellular responses, including: decreased expression of both aggrecan and type II collagen genes; decreases in the accumulation and overall synthesis of aggrecan and collagen; increased expression of MMP-1, MMP-3, MMP-13, ADAM-TS4, and ADAM-TS5; and induction of ADAM-TS dependent proteoglycan degradation. Within 48 hours, these cellular responses resulted in NP tissue with only 25% of its original proteoglycan content. Conclusions. Because low levels of TNF-&agr;, comparable to those present physiologically, induced NP tissue degradation, this suggests that TNF-&agr; may contribute to the degenerative changes that occur in disc disease.
Using Document Structure on Retrieving Webpages at the Web-CLEF 2006

We present a report on our participation in the mixed monolingual web task of the 2006 Cross-Language Evaluation Forum (CLEF). We compared the result of web page retrieval based on the page content, page title, and anchor page. The retrieval effectiveness for the combination of page content, page title, and anchor texts was better than that of the combination of page title and page title only. Applying the pseudo-relevance feedback improved the retrieval performance of the queries.