Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Maternal Smoking and Child Psychological Problems: Disentangling Causal and Noncausal Effects

OBJECTIVE: To explore associations of maternal prenatal smoking and child psychological problems and determine the role of causal intrauterine mechanisms. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Maternal smoking and child psychological problems were explored in 2 birth cohorts in Pelotas, Brazil (n = 509, random subsample), and the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) in Britain (n = 6735). Four approaches for exploring causal mechanisms were applied: (1) cross-population comparisons between a high-income and a middle-income country; (2) multiple adjustment for socioeconomic and parental psychological factors; (3) maternal-paternal comparisons as a test of putative intrauterine effects; and (4) searching for specific effects on different behavioral subscales. RESULTS: Socioeconomic patterning of maternal prenatal smoking was stronger in the ALSPAC compared with the Pelotas cohort. Despite this difference in a key confounder, consistency in observed associations was found between these cohorts. In both cohorts, unadjusted maternal smoking was associated with greater offspring hyperactivity, conduct/externalizing problems, and peer problems but not with emotional/internalizing problems. After adjusting for confounders and paternal prenatal smoking, only the association with conduct/externalizing problems persisted in both cohorts (conduct problems in the ALSPAC cohort, odds ratio [OR]: 1.24 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07–1.46], P = . 005; externalizing problems in the Pelotas cohort, OR: 1.82 [95% CI: 1.19–2.78], P = . 005; ORs reflect ordinal odds ratios of maternal smokers having offspring with higher scores). Maternal smoking associations were stronger than paternal smoking associations, although statistical evidence that these associations differed was weak in 1 cohort. CONCLUSION: Evidence from 4 approaches suggests a possible intrauterine effect of maternal smoking on offspring conduct/externalizing problems.
Multi-scale Series Contextual Model for Image Parsing

Contextual information plays an important role in solving high-level vision problems and has been used widely in the field. However, using contextual information in an effective way remains a difficult problem. To address this challenge, we propose a novel framework which utilizes context information in a multi-scale structure for learning discriminative models. We apply a series of linear filters to the context image consecutively to create a scale space representation. The main idea is to take the advantage of the context image at different scales instead of a single scale giving the classifier access to a larger contextual area. Moreover, finest scale context information can be noisy while a scale space structure is more robust against noise, so our proposed method improves robustness as well as accuracy. In this framework, the improvements in accuracy between consecutive classifiers in a series architecture are larger and convergence is faster. Our strategy is general and independent of the classifier type. In other words, it has the potential to be used in any context based framework. We demonstrate performance of the algorithm on two challenging visual recognition tasks: image parsing and texture segmentation. With nearly same computational complexity our model outperforms the state of the art algorithms. Multi-scale Series Contextual Model for Image Parsing Mojtaba Seyedhosseini1,2, António R. C. Paiva1 and Tolga Tasdizen1,2 1 Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute, 2 Dept. of Electrical and Computer Eng., University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112 email: {mseyed,arpaiva,tolga}@sci.utah. edu
On query execution over encrypted data

To ensure the confidentiality of the encrypted data in a database-as-a-service model, the sensitive data need to be encrypted. When this encrypted data are queried, complete record has to be decrypted to fetch the actual results. This paper is concentrating on improving the performance of different query operations, that is, non-aggregate, aggregate, and user-defined query operations on encrypted data. The performance of these query operations over the encrypted data is compared with that of the available methods in terms of the execution time, and it is found that the efficiency of the proposed approach is better than that of the traditional approach. Effectiveness of different types of non-aggregate query operations is identified in terms of filter ratio and false ratio. The analysis has shown that the filter ratio increases and the false ratio decreases with increase in size of sensitive string and the reachability matrix generated for non-aggregate attribute. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Early Increase of Plasma Homocysteine in Sepsis Patients with Poor Outcome

Moderate hyperhomocysteinemia is a well-established coronary risk factor that develops when dietary supply with folate and/or vitamin B12 is inadequate. Recently, stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells were shown to produce homocysteine. Thus, the stimulated immune system may contribute to moderate hyperhomocysteinemia during certain diseases. Because multiple trauma and sepsis are accompanied by often strong inflammatory responses, we investigated whether hyperhomo-cysteinemia may develop in patients. Total homocysteine and cysteine concentrations were measured in 83 plasma specimens from 18 patients (14 men, 4 women; 15 posttrauma with sepsis and 3 with sepsis alone) every third day of follow-up. Finally results were compared with concentrations of cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6, the immune activation marker neopterin and the extent of tryptophan degradation as indicated by the kynurenine-to-tryptophan ratio (kyn/trp). Compared with baseline, average total homocysteine (P < 0.05, d 4-d 10) and cysteine (P < 0.05, d 7-d 13) concentrations increased during follow-up of patients. However, only the increase of homocysteine was related to the survival status: total homocysteine was significantly higher in nonsurvivors (P < 0.05, d 4 and d 10) than in survivors, whereas cysteine concentrations increased in both subgroups. Homocysteine correlated with kyn/trp but not with neopterin concentrations. Increase of total homocysteine is common in patients after trauma with unfavorable outcome. Because all patients received standardized enteral nutrition after the end of hypodynamic shock, inconsistent vitamin supply is unlikely to be the reason for hyperhomocysteinemia in some of the patients; rather, it is associated with a stronger proinflammatory response. Certainly, the number of patients in our study is still small and results can only be regarded as preliminary.
Individual voice recognition in a territorial frog (Rana catesbeiana)

Some territorial animals display low levels of aggression towards a familiar territorial neighbour in its usual territory, but exhibit high levels of aggression towards neighbours in novel locations and unfamiliar individuals. Here, we report results from a field playback study that investigated whether territorial males of the North American bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) could discriminate between the acoustic signals of simulated neighbours and strangers in the absence of contextual cues associated with a specific location. Following repeated exposures to synthetic bullfrog calls from a particular location, subjects responded significantly less aggressively to a familiar call, compared with an unfamiliar one, when both calls were broadcast from familiar and novel locations, indicating that bullfrogs could recognize a neighbou's calls independently of the contextual cues provided by the direction of the neighbour's territory. Subjects responded equally aggressively to unfamiliar calls broadcast from either a familiar or a novel location, which indicates that they could perceive unfamiliar calls as those of a stranger, regardless of where the stranger was encountered. Together, these two results provide evidence that a frog possesses a capacity for individual voice recognition.
Practical Experience Gained from Modeling Security Goals: Using SGITs in an Industrial Project

Security inspections, especially in the early development stage, are becoming increasingly important for bringing security-relevant aspects into software systems. Nowadays, such inspections often do not focus in detail on security. The well-known and approved benefits of inspections do not exploit their full potential regarding security. Thus, we have developed the Security Goal Indicator Tree (SGIT) for eliminating existing shortcomings. SGITs are a new approach for modeling and checking security-relevant aspects during the entire software development lifecycle. This article describes the modeling of such security-goal-based trees as part of requirements engineering. Initial experience was gathered from creating SGITs in an industrial environment. After the probands of our industry partner received training on existing security models, the necessary knowledge for creating security models was collected and applied. This resulted in three context-specific SGITs discussed in this article.
AVPR1A Variant Associated with Preschoolers' Lower Altruistic Behavior

The genetic origins of altruism, defined here as a costly act aimed to benefit non-kin individuals, have not been examined in young children. However, previous findings concerning adults pointed at the arginine vasopressin receptor 1A (AVPR1A) gene as a possible candidate. AVPR1A has been associated with a range of behaviors including aggressive, affiliative and altruistic phenotypes, and recently a specific allele (327 bp) of one of its promoter region polymorphisms (RS3) has been singled out in particular. We modeled altruistic behavior in preschoolers using a laboratory-based economic paradigm, a modified dictator game (DG), and tested for association between DG allocations and the RS3 “target allele. ” Using both population and family-based analyses we show a significant link between lower allocations and the RS3 “target allele,” associating it, for the first time, with a lower proclivity toward altruistic behavior in children. This finding helps further the understanding of the intricate mechanisms underlying early altruistic behavior.
Radiometric method for testing susceptibility of mycobacteria to pyrazinamide in 7H12 broth

The test of susceptibility to pyrazinamide requires an acid environment (pH less than or equal to 5.5). This, however, is not favorable to the growth of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, especially in solid agar media. To obviate this difficulty, we developed a testing method with 7H12 broth medium and based on radiometric readings of the growth. The radiometric method employed in this study (BACTEC system) provides an opportunity to detect the dynamics of growth by daily recording of the growth index, which reflects the metabolic activity of the multiplying bacteria. In our technique, M. tuberculosis isolates were initially cultivated at pH 6.8. After logarithmic growth had begun, phosphoric acid solution was added to obtain pH 5.5. When pyrazinamide was added simultaneously with the acid, the growth index of susceptible cultures decreased, whereas it continued to increase in pH 5.5 control vials and in tests with pyrazinamide-resistant strains.
Frequency detuning effects in a loop-back WDM-PON employing gain-saturated RSOAs

We report that, in a loop-back wavelength-division-multiplexed passive optical network link with gain-saturated reflective semiconductor optical amplifiers, the upstream performance is strongly affected not only by the gain saturation but also by the selective spectral filtering caused by the frequency difference between the optical downstream signal and the cascaded filter's passband. We experimentally investigate these effects and propose to use an additional negatively detuned optical filter at an optical network terminal to improve the upstream transmission performance
Low-complexity two-dimensional data encoding for memory inter-cell interference reduction

Inter-cell coupling interference (ICI) affects capacity, performance, reliability and endurance of semiconductor memories, particularly NAND Flash. Constrained coding of a row of cells has been proposed for ICI mitigation by forbidding data patterns that induce interference above a chosen threshold level. We expand the interference model to two dimensions, and derive the severity function for row-by-row data programming. We propose a two-dimensional interference-constrained coding algorithm, based on adaptive one-dimensional encoding. Adaptation occurs at each encoding step, based on the data in the current row and in the previous one. Similarly, decoding is done in reverse. We explore the capacity bounds with the proposed constraints.
Association of tumor necrosis factor-alpha gene promoter polymorphism with low attenuation areas on high-resolution CT in patients with COPD.

STUDY OBJECTIVES Alveolar septal cell apoptosis may contribute to the pathogenesis of emphysema. Because tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha is assumed to play an important role in the induction of apoptosis, and allele 2 of the polymorphism at position--308 in the promoter of the TNF-alpha gene has been associated with alteration of TNF-alpha secretion in vitro, we hypothesized that genotypes containing this allele would show more destructive emphysematous changes of the lung. DESIGN The percentage ratio of the low attenuation area to the corresponding lung area was evaluated using a visual scoring system for CT findings in patients with COPD (n = 84), and these patients were classified into two groups: those with a visual score < 11 and those with a visual score > or = 11. A polymerase chain reaction-based assay was developed to determine the TNF-alpha genotype (TNF-alpha-308*1/2) between subjects with high and low visual scores on chest CT scans. RESULTS The TNF-alpha-308*1/2 allele frequency tended to differ between patients with a visual score < 11 (0.90/0.10) and those with a visual score > or = 11 (0.81/0.19) [odds ratio, 2.15; 95% confidence interval, 0.87 to 5.30; p = 0.09]. CONCLUSION These results indicate that the TNF-alpha-308 allele 2 may be partly associated with the extent of emphysematous changes in patients with COPD.
The role of the renal afferent and efferent nerve fibers in heart failure

Renal nerves contain afferent, sensory and efferent, sympathetic nerve fibers. In heart failure (HF) there is an increase in renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA), which can lead to renal vasoconstriction, increased renin release and sodium retention. These changes are thought to contribute to renal dysfunction, which is predictive of poor outcome in patients with HF. In contrast, the role of the renal afferent nerves remains largely unexplored in HF. This is somewhat surprising as there are multiple triggers in HF that have the potential to increase afferent nerve activity, including increased venous pressure and reduced kidney perfusion. Some of the few studies investigating renal afferents in HF have suggested that at least the sympatho-inhibitory reno-renal reflex is blunted. In experimentally induced HF, renal denervation, both surgical and catheter-based, has been associated with some improvements in renal and cardiac function. It remains unknown whether the effects are due to removal of the efferent renal nerve fibers or afferent renal nerve fibers, or a combination of both. Here, we review the effects of HF on renal efferent and afferent nerve function and critically assess the latest evidence supporting renal denervation as a potential treatment in HF.
Embryonic mesodermal defects in 5 integrin-deﬁcient mice

-null embryos have pronounced defects in posterior trunk and yolk sac mesodermal structures, suggesting a role for 5 1 integrin in mesoderm formation, movement or function. However, the embryos progress signiﬁcantly further than embryos null for ﬁbronectin, for which 5 1 integrin is a receptor, suggesting the involvement of other ﬁbronectin receptors. In vitro studies on cells derived from the 5 null embryos conﬁrm that the 5 1 integrin is not expressed on mutant cells and show that the mutant cells are able to assemble ﬁbronectin matrix, form focal contacts, and migrate on ﬁbronectin despite the complete absence of the 5 1 ﬁbronectin receptor integrin. All these functions have previously been thought to involve or require 5 1 . The results presented show that these cellular functions involving ﬁbronectin can proceed using other receptors.
Thrombolysis for acute pulmonary embolism in Chinese patients.

Sir, Acute pulmonary embolism is potentially fatal unless treated early. Thrombolytic therapy is beneficial for patients with acute pulmonary embolism who are hypotensive and have arterial hypoxaemia1, and those who are clinically stable but with echocardiographic evidence of right heart failure.2 However, in the Pulmonary Embolism Registry, the rate of major bleeding was higher in patients receiving thrombolytic therapy (21%) than in those on anticoagulation treatment (7.8%). In one study examining risk factors associated with bleeding in patients receiving thrombolysis for pulmonary embolism,3 the relative risk of bleeding was 3.9 among patients aged >70 years compared with those aged <50 years. With age as a continuous variable, the risk of bleeding increased by 4% for each additional year.3 The Food and Drug Association (FDA)‐approved regimen of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rtPA) for treatment of acute pulmonary embolism is 100 mg as a continuous peripheral intravenous infusion over 2 h.4 In our centre, we try to give a lower dose of rtPA for treatment of acute massive pulmonary embolism in the elderly. We assume …
Sonographic evaluation of mullerian anomalies in women with polycystic ovaries

Background: Mullerian anomalies are relatively common and contributing to the problems of infertility and poor pregnancy outcomes. But their molecular pathophysiology has been insufficiently studied. On the other hand, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is found in nearly 80% of women with hyperandrogenism and also in 8%-25% of normal ones. It seems that anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) which inhibits the formation of the mullerian ducts in male increases in women with PCOS. Therefore, the aim of the study is whether PCOS is associated with mullerian anomalies. Methods: In this case-control study, 83 women with PCOS and 83 cases without PCOS were evaluated with transvaginal ultrasound (TVS) for the diagnosis of mullerian anomalies. The results of each group were compared with other groups. Results: In the PCOS patients, TVS revealed mullerian anomalies in the uterine cavity in 29 out of 83 women. Among 29 patients who had lesions in their uterine cavity, 27 cases had septate uterus and two had arcuate uterus. In the healthy women, TVS revealed 6 septate uterus and 4 arcuate uterus abnormality cases of the uterine cavity. There were significant correlation between polycystic ovary syndrome of the patients and the mullerian anomalies lesions (i.e. septate and arcuate uterus) which were seen in them. Conclusion: Mullerian anomalies were more common in women with PCOS and the most common anomaly was uterine septum. In fact, the present results revealed that it seemed a cause-effect relationship between the mullerian anomalies and PCO syndrome may in fact exist.
Reduced albumin binding promotes the stability and activity of topotecan in human blood.

Topotecan, a semisynthetic water-soluble analogue of camptothecin, is the first topoisomerase I targeting anticancer agent to enter comparative phase III clinical trials. Here we elucidate the biophysical factors underlying the markedly improved bloodstream stability and cytotoxic activity of topotecan relative to camptothecin. Each agent contains an alpha-hydroxy-delta-lactone ring that hydrolyzes under physiological pH to yield a biologically-inactive carboxylate form. In human plasma, camptothecin lactone converts rapidly and completely to its carboxylate form due to a 200-fold binding preference by serum albumin (HSA) for the latter [Mi, Z. , & Burke, T.G. (1994) Biochemistry 33, 10540-12545]. Time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy measurements reveal that neither topotecan lactone nor carboxylate associates with HSA, thereby resulting in a significantly higher level of lactone stability in plasma for topotecan (t1/2 = 23.1 min, percent lactone at equilibrium of 17.6) relative to camptothecin (t1/2 = 10.6 min, percent lactone at equilibrium of < 0.2). Moreover, studies with HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells reveal that a physiologically-relevant level (40 mg/mL) of HSA dramatically attenuates the cytotoxic activity of camptothecin in excess of 2600-fold (for a 72 h exposure, the IC50 value of 1.5 nM in the absence of HSA increased to 4 microM in the presence of HSA). The activities of other clinically relevant anticancer analogues, 9-aminocamptothecin and SN-38, were also strongly modulated by the presence of 40 mg/mL HSA. In marked contrast, the presence of HSA effected no change on the cytotoxic activity of topotecan (IC50 = 12 nM both in the absence and in presence of HSA). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Extracellular Acidic pH Inhibits Oligodendrocyte Precursor Viability, Migration, and Differentiation

Axon remyelination in the central nervous system requires oligodendrocytes that produce myelin. Failure of this repair process is characteristic of neurodegeneration in demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis, and it remains unclear how the lesion microenvironment contributes to decreased remyelination potential of oligodendrocytes. Here, we show that acidic extracellular pH, which is characteristic of demyelinating lesions, decreases the migration, proliferation, and survival of oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs), and reduces their differentiation into oligodendrocytes. Further, OPCs exhibit directional migration along pH gradients toward acidic pH. These in vitro findings support a possible in vivo scenario whereby pH gradients attract OPCs toward acidic lesions, but resulting reduction in OPC survival and motility in acid decreases progress toward demyelinated axons and is further compounded by decreased differentiation into myelin-producing oligodendrocytes. As these processes are integral to OPC response to nerve demyelination, our results suggest that lesion acidity could contribute to decreased remyelination.