Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The evolution of proton pump inhibitors for the treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease

Purpose: This article reviews the diagnosis and current treatment options for gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) available to nurse practitioners, with a focus on advances in proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy. Data Sources: Review of scientific literature and clinical management guidelines for GERD treatment and PPI therapy from the PubMed database, Google Scholar, and other World Wide Web resources. Conclusions: A number of safe and effective treatment options exist for GERD. Recent developments in PPI technology may begin to address unmet needs in PPI therapy. Implications for Practice: GERD is commonly diagnosed and treated by nurse practitioners in the primary care setting. Acid suppression therapy is the primary medical therapy for GERD. PPI therapy provides symptomatic relief of heartburn and regurgitation, as well as effective healing and maintenance of erosive esophagitis. Newer PPIs lengthen the duration of acid suppression and allow for more flexibility in dosing, which may improve medication adherence and decrease episodes of acid breakthrough.
Acquisition cancer stemness, mesenchymal transdifferentiation, and chemoresistance properties by chronic exposure of oral epithelial cells to arecoline

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), one of the most deadliest malignancies in the world, is caused primarily by areca nut chewing in Southeast Asia. The mechanisms by which areca nut participates in OSCC tumorigenesis are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of low dose long-term arecoline (10 μg/mL, 90-days), a major areca nut alkaloid, on enhancement cancer stemness of human oral epithelial (OE) cells. OE cells with chronic arecoline exposure resulted in increased ALDH1 population, CD44 positivity, stemness-related transcription factors (Oct4, Nanog, and Sox2), epithelial-mesenchymal transdifferentiation (EMT) traits, chemoresistance, migration/invasiveness/anchorage independent growth and in vivo tumor growth as compared to their untreated controls. Mechanistically, ectopic miR-145 over-expression in chronic arecoline-exposed OE (AOE) cells inhibited the cancer stemness and xenografic. In AOE cells, luciferase reporter assays further revealed that miR-145 directly targets the 3′ UTR regions of Oct4 and Sox2 and overexpression of Sox2/Oct4 effectively reversed miR-145-regulated cancer stemness-associated phenomenas. Additionally, clinical results further revealed that Sox2 and Oct4 expression was inversely correlated with miR-145 in the tissues of areca quid chewing-associated OSCC patients. This study hence attempts to provide novel insight into areca nut-induced oral carcinogenesis and new intervention for the treatment of OSCC patients, especially in areca nut users.
The effect of Tetraneura ulmi L. galling process on the activity of amino acid decarboxylases and the content of biogenic amines in Siberian elm tissues

Abstract Tetraneura ulmi (L.), a member of Eriosomatinae subfamily, is one of the gall-forming aphids occurring on elms. Sap-sucking behaviour of founding mothers results in the formation of new plant organs. This study documents the changes in the content of plant biogenic amines (putrescine, cadaverine, spermidine, tryptamine, spermine and histamine) and key enzymes of their biosynthesis: lysine decarboxylase (LDC), tyrosine decarboxylase and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) in galls and other parts of Siberian elm (Ulmus pumila L.) leaves during the galling process. The direction and intensity of these changes for particular amines and enzymes were dependent on the stage of gall development and part of the galling leaf. Generally, the amine content tended to increase in gall tissues during the 1st and 2nd period of the galling process and decreased in later phases. LDC and ODC activities were markedly enhanced, especially in gall tissues at the initial stage of the galling process.
Adolescent behavior and PTSD 6–7 years after the World Trade Center terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001

Behavioral problems and psychopathologies were reported in children exposed to the World Trade Center (WTC) attacks in New York City within 2–3 y post-disaster. Little is known of subsequent 9/11 related behavioral and emotional problems. We assessed risk factors for behavioral difficulties and probable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in 489 adolescent enrollees ages 11–18 y of age in the World Trade Center Health Registry cohort using the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) and DISC Predictive Scales (DPS), respectively, as reported by the adolescents. Associations between parental PTSD and adolescent PTSD and behavioral problems were studied in a subset of 166 adolescent-parent pairs in which the parent was also a Registry enrollee. Nearly one-fifth (17.4%) of the adolescents, all of whom were 5–12 y old at the time of the attacks, scored in the abnormal (5.7%) or borderline (11.7%) range of total SDQ. Problems were more frequent in minority, low-income, and single-parent adolescents. Abnormal and borderline SDQ scores were significantly associated with direct WTC exposures and with WTC-related injury or death of a family member. Adolescent PTSD was significantly associated with WTC exposure and with fear of one's own injury or death, and with PTSD in the parent (OR = 5.6; 95% CI 1.1–28.4). This adolescent population should be monitored for persistence or worsening of these problems. Co-occurrence of parent and child mental health symptoms following a disaster may have implications for healthcare practitioners and for disaster response planners.
Plasticity and Fracture Modeling/Experimental Study of a Porous Metal Under Various Strain Rates, Temperatures, and Stress States

A microstructure-based internal state variable (ISV) plasticity-damage model was used to model the mechanical behavior of a porous FC-0205 steel alloy that was procured via a powder metal (PM) process. Because the porosity was very high and the nearest neighbor distance (NND) for the pores was close, a new pore coalescence ISV equation was introduced that allows for enhanced pore growth from the concentrated pores. This coalescence equation effectively includes the local stress interaction within the interpore ligament distance between pores and is physically motivated with these highly porous powder metals. Monotonic tension, compression, and torsion tests were performed at various porosity levels and temperatures to obtain the set of plasticity and damage constants required for model calibration. Once the model calibration was achieved, then tension tests on two different notch radii Bridgman specimens were undertaken to study the damage-triaxiality dependence for model validation. Fracture surface analysis was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to quantify the pore sizes of the different specimens. The validated model was then used to predict the component performance of an automotive PM bearing cap. Although the microstructure-sensitive ISV model has been employed for this particular FC-0205 steel, the model is general enough to be applied to other metal alloys as well. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4025292]
Cause and Effect Extraction from Biomedical Corpus

The objective of the present work is to automatically extract the cause and effect from discourse analyzed biomedical corpus. Cause-effect is defined as a relation established between two events, where first event acts as the cause of second event and the second event is the effect of first event. Any causative constructions need three components, a causal marker, cause and effect. In this study, we consider the automatic extraction of cause and effect realized by explicit discourse connective markers. We evaluated our system using BIONLP/NLPBA 2004 shared task test data and obtained encouraging results.
trans Expression of a Plasmodium falciparum Histidine-rich Protein II (HRPII) Reveals Sorting of Soluble Proteins in the Periphery of the Host Erythrocyte and Disrupts Transport to the Malarial Food Vacuole*

The heme polymer hemozoin is produced in the food vacuole (fv) of the parasite after hemoglobin proteolysis and is the target of the drug chloroquine. A candidate heme polymerase, the histidine-rich protein II (HRPII), is proposed to be delivered to the fv by ingestion of the infected-red cell cytoplasm. Here we show that 97% of endogenous Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) HRPII (PfHRPII) is secreted as soluble protein in the periphery of the red cell and avoids endocytosis by the parasite, and 3% remains membrane-bound within the parasite. Transfected cells release 90% of a soluble transgene PfHRPIImyc into the red cell periphery and contain 10% membrane bound within the parasite. Yet these cells show a minor reduction in hemozoin production and IC50 for chloroquine. They also show decreased transport of resident fv enzyme PfPlasmepsin I, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) marker PfBiP, and parasite-associated HRPII to fvs. Instead, all three proteins accumulate in the ER, although there is no defect in protein export from the parasite. The data suggest that novel mechanisms of sorting (i) soluble antigens like HRPII in the red cell cytoplasm and (ii) fv-bound membrane complexes in the ER regulate parasite digestive processes.
Carotid intima-media thickness and hemodynamic parameters: reproducibility of manual measurements with Doppler ultrasound.

AIMS To evaluate the carotid ultrasound intra- and interobserver agreements in a common clinical scenario when making manual measurements of the intima-media thickness (IMT) and peak systolic (PSV) and end diastolic (EDV) velocities in the common (CCA) and the internal carotid (ICA) arteries. MATERIAL AND METHODS Three different experienced operators performed two time-point carotid ultrasounds in 21 patients with cardiovascular risk factors. Each operator measured freehand the CCA IMT three consecutive times in each examination. The CCA and ICA hemodynamic parameters were acquired just once. For our purpose we took the average (IMTmean) and maximum (IMTmax) IMT values. Quantitative variables were analyzed with the t-student, and ANOVA test. Agreements were evaluated with the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). RESULTS IMTmean intraobserver agreement was better on the left (ICC: 0.930-0.851-0.916, operators 1-2-3) than on the right (ICC: 0.789-0.580-0.673, operators 1-2-3). IMTmax agreements (Left ICC: 0.821-0.723-0.853, operators 1-2-3; Right ICC: 0.669-0.421-0.480, operators 1-2-3) were lower and more variable. Interobserver agreements for IMTmean (ICC: 0.852-0.860; first-second ultrasound) and IMTmax (ICC: 0.859-0.835; first-second ultrasound) were excellent on the left, but fair-good and more variable on the right (IMTmean; ICC: 0.680-0.809; first-second ultrasound; IMTmax; 0.694-0.799; first-second ultrasound). Intraobserver agreements were fair-moderate for PSVs and good-excellent for EDVs. Interobserver agreements were good-excellent for both PSVs and EDVs. Overall, 95% confidence intervals were narrower for the left IMTmean and CCA velocities. CONCLUSIONS Intra and interobserver agreements in carotid ultrasound are variable. In order to improve carotid IMT agreements, IMTmean is preferable over IMTmax.
Variational Inference for Policy Gradient

Inspired by the seminal work on Stein Variational Inference and Stein Variational Policy Gradient, we derived a method to generate samples from the posterior variational parameter distribution by \textit{explicitly} minimizing the KL divergence to match the target distribution in an amortize fashion. Consequently, we applied this varational inference technique into vanilla policy gradient, TRPO and PPO with Bayesian Neural Network parameterizations for reinforcement learning problems.
A model of risk and mental state shifts during social interaction

Cooperation and competition between human players in repeated microeconomic games offer a window onto social phenomena such as the establishment, breakdown and repair of trust. However, although a suitable starting point for the quantitative analysis of such games exists, namely the Interactive Partially Observable Markov Decision Process (I-POMDP), computational considerations and structural limitations have limited its application, and left unmodelled critical features of behavior in a canonical trust task. Here, we provide the first analysis of two central phenomena: a form of social risk-aversion exhibited by the player who is in control of the interaction in the game; and irritation or anger, potentially exhibited by both players. Irritation arises when partners apparently defect, and it potentially causes a precipitate breakdown in cooperation. Failing to model one’s partner’s propensity for it leads to substantial economic inefficiency. We illustrate these behaviours using evidence drawn from the play of large cohorts of healthy volunteers and patients. We show that for both cohorts, a particular subtype of player is largely responsible for the breakdown of trust, a finding which sheds new light on borderline personality disorder.
Factors associated with maternal healthcare services utilization in nine high focus states in India: a multilevel analysis based on 14 385 communities in 292 districts.

BACKGROUND Studies have often ignored examining the role of community- and district-level factors in the utilization of maternity healthcare services, particularly in Indian contexts. The Social Determinants of Health framework emphasizes the role of governance and government policies, the measures for which are rarely incorporated in single-level individual analysis. This study examines factors associated with maternal healthcare utilization in nine high focus states in India, which shares more than half of the total maternal deaths in the country; accounting for individual-, household-, community- and district-level characteristics. METHODS The required data are extracted from the third round of the nationally representative District Level Household and Facility Survey conducted during 2007-08. Multilevel analyses were applied to three maternity outcomes, namely, four or more antenatal care visits, skilled birth attendance and post-natal care after birth. FINDINGS Results show that along with individual-/household-level factors, community and district-level factors influence the pattern of utilization of maternal healthcare services significantly. At the community level, the odds of maternal healthcare utilization were lower in rural areas and in communities with a high concentration of poor and illiterate women. Moreover, the average population coverage of primary health centres (PHCs), availability of labour room in PHC and percentage of registered pregnancies were significant factors at the district level that influenced the use of maternity care services. The study also found a strong association between the extent of previous use of maternal healthcare and its effect on subsequent usage patterns. CONCLUSION This study highlights the role of strengthening public health infrastructure at district level in the study area, and promoting awareness about available healthcare services and subsidized schemes in the community. To reach out to rural and underprivileged communities and to apply a participatory approach from the programme officials are issues to delve into.
Paint Flow and Pigment Dispersion: A Rheological Approach to Coating and Ink Technology

Viscosity. Viscometers: Theory and Reduction to Practice. Interconversion of Viscosity Units. Effect of Temperature, Binder (Polymer) Concentration, Solvent Viscosity, and Molecular Size on Viscosity. Pigment/Binder Geometry. Oil Absorption Values. Critical Pigment Volume Concentration (CPVC). Latex Critical Pigment Volume Concentration (LCPVC). Surface Tension. Work of Dispersion, Work of Transfer (Flushing), and Work of Flocculation. Capillarity. Theoretical Aspects of Pigment Dispersion Stability and Pigment Flocculation. Interface Activity, Surfactants, and Dispersants. Solubility and Interaction Parameters. Volatility: Solvent and Water Evaporation. Paint Flow Relationships (Coating Rheology). Introduction to Pigment Grinding (Dispersion) into Liquid Vehicles. Roller Mills (Three-Roll Mill). Ball and Pebble Mills. Modified Ball Mills (Attritors and Vibration Mills). Sand, Bead, and Shot Mills. High-Speed Disk Disperser. High-Speed Stone and Colloid Mills. High-Speed Impingement Mills. Assessment of Pigment Dispersion. Mill Base Letdown. Pigment Settling. Leveling. Sagging, Slumping, and Draining. Film Applicators. Floating, Flooding, Cratering, Foaming, and Spattering. Index
Predicting the Users' Navigation Patterns in Web, using Weighted Association Rules and Users' Navigation Information

World Wide Web is developing in a chaotic and unfocused process, and this process has resulted in production of documents which are linked with each other, and which are not logically organized. Therefore, the aim of recommender systems is guiding users to find their favorite resources and meet their needs, by using the information obtained from the previous users’ interactions. In this paper, to predict the users’ navigation pattern with high precision, a hybrid algorithm of FCM fuzzy clustering techniques, weighted association rules, and fuzzy systems are presented. This algorithm is implemented in two phases, namely offline and online phases. In offline phase, using the recorded data in log file of the web server, the users’ navigation patterns are extracted. In online phase, the recommender system suggests, as the initial proposed set, a list of the current user’s favorite webpages which he/she has not visited yet. Then it expands this set using HITS algorithm so that the new webpages which have recently been added to the website have the chance to be present in the list of the proposed webpages. The results of the simulation in real-world data indicate the higher efficiency of the proposed algorithm in terms of precision and coverage comparing to other algorithms.
An anti-eavesdropping interference alignment scheme with wireless power transfer

Passive eavesdropping is a main threat for the security of interference alignment (IA) networks. To solve this problem, artificial noise (AN) can be utilized in IA networks. In addition, AN can be exploited as an energy source through wireless power transfer (WPT). In this paper, we propose an AN-assisted IA scheme with WPT. In the scheme, AN is transmitted by each IA transmitter to disrupt the eavesdroppers, with energy harvesting implemented by the power-splitting (PS) method. To enhance the capability of anti-eavesdropping and WPT, the total transmit power of AN is maximized to disrupt the eavesdropper by jointly optimizing the transmit power of legitimate signal and the PS coefficients, with both of the required SINR and harvested energy constrained. Extensive simulation results are presented to validate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Occupational therapists' experiences in integrating a new intervention in collaboration with a researcher

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to describe occupational therapists' expectations and experiences of integrating a new intervention programme within an RCT pilot study, in collaboration with a researcher. Methods: Six occupational therapists participated in a five-day training course (during a one-month period) including lectures, reading articles, and discussions. The data were collected through interviews and written reflections, analysed by a qualitative constant comparative approach. Results: The findings displayed a process of change, primarily in the participants' way of integrating research in their clinical practice. Three main categories were identified as: hope of taking part in a research project, confirmation of anchoring, and experience of scepticism. These categories constituted the core category “The occupational therapist's process of integrating research in a clinical context with the prerequisite being a dialogue and a sharing of responsibility and authority between researcher and occupational therapist”. A tentative model was formulated which described how the various categories were related to one another as well as how change occurred over time in the context in which the study was carried out. Conclusions: One conclusion is the importance of providing opportunities for creating dialogues among researcher and practitioners to narrowing the gap between research and “everyday practice of occupational therapy”.
Selection biases in observational studies affect associations between ‘moderate’ alcohol consumption and mortality

Selection biases may lead to systematic overestimate of protective effects from 'moderate' alcohol consumption. Overall, most sources of selection bias favor low-volume drinkers in relation to non-drinkers. Studies that attempt to address these types of bias generally find attenuated or non-significant relationships between low-volume alcohol consumption and cardiovascular disease, which is the major source of possible protective effects on mortality from low-volume consumption. Furthermore, observed mortality effects among established low-volume consumers are of limited relevance to health-related decisions about whether to initiate consumption or to continue drinking purposefully into old age. Short of randomized trials with mortality end-points, there are a number of approaches that can minimize selection bias involving low-volume alcohol consumption.
What are the characteristics of, and clinical outcomes in men who have sex with men prescribed HIV postexposure prophylaxis following sexual exposure (PEPSE) at sexual health clinics in England?

Objectives To explore the risk factors for, and clinical outcomes in men who have sex with men (MSM) prescribed HIV postexposure prophylaxis following sexual exposure (PEPSE) at sexual health clinics (SHCs) in England. Methods National STI surveillance data were extracted from the genitourinary medicine clinic activity dataset (GUMCADv2) for 2011–2014. Quarterly and annual trends in the number of episodes where PEPSE was prescribed were analysed by gender and sexual risk. Risk factors associated with being prescribed PEPSE among MSM attendees were explored using univariable and multivariable logistic regression. Subsequent HIV acquisition from 4 months after initiating PEPSE was assessed using multivariable Cox proportional hazards models, stratified by clinical risk profiles. Results During 2011–2014, there were 24 004 episodes where PEPSE was prescribed at SHCs, of which 69% were to MSM. The number of episodes where PEPSE was prescribed to MSM increased from 2383 in 2011 to 5944 in 2014, and from 1384 to 2226 for heterosexual men and women. 15% of MSM attendees received two or more courses of PEPSE. Compared with MSM attendees not prescribed PEPSE, MSM prescribed PEPSE were significantly more likely to have been diagnosed with a bacterial STI in the previous 12 months (adjusted OR (95% CI)—gonorrhoea: 11.6 (10.5 to 12.8); chlamydia: 5.02 (4.46 to 5.67); syphilis: 2.25 (1.73 to 2.93)), and were more likely to subsequently acquire HIV (adjusted HR (aHR) (95% CI)—single PEPSE course: 2.54 (2.19 to 2.96); two or more PEPSE courses: aHR (95% CI) 4.80 (3.69 to 6.25)). The probability of HIV diagnosis was highest in MSM prescribed PEPSE who had also been diagnosed with a bacterial STI in the previous 12 months (aHR (95% CI): 6.61 (5.19 to 8.42)). Conclusions MSM prescribed PEPSE are at high risk of subsequent HIV acquisition and our data show further risk stratification by clinical and PEPSE prescribing history is possible, which might inform clinical practice and HIV prevention initiatives in MSM.