Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
H2S as a Physiologic Vasorelaxant: Hypertension in Mice with Deletion of Cystathionine γ-Lyase

Studies of nitric oxide over the past two decades have highlighted the fundamental importance of gaseous signaling molecules in biology and medicine. The physiological role of other gases such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is now receiving increasing attention. Here we show that H2S is physiologically generated by cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE) and that genetic deletion of this enzyme in mice markedly reduces H2S levels in the serum, heart, aorta, and other tissues. Mutant mice lacking CSE display pronounced hypertension and diminished endothelium-dependent vasorelaxation. CSE is physiologically activated by calcium-calmodulin, which is a mechanism for H2S formation in response to vascular activation. These findings provide direct evidence that H2S is a physiologic vasodilator and regulator of blood pressure.
Ovarian reserve in women with polycystic ovary syndrome who underwent laparoscopic ovarian drilling

Objective. To evaluate ovarian reserve assessed by hormones and sonography in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) undergoing laparoscopic ovarian drilling (LOD). Methods. This was a cross-sectional study. Twenty-one PCOS women undergoing LOD were enrolled in the study (the LOD group). Their day-3 anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), inhibin B, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) levels, antral follicles count (AFC) and summed ovarian volume representing ovarian reserve were compared with those of PCOS women who did not undergo LOD (the PCOS group) and those of normal ovulatory women (the control group). Results. There were no differences in age and body mass index between groups. AMH levels seemed to be lower in the LOD (4.60 ± 3.16 ng/ml) than in the PCOS (5.99 ± 3.36 ng/ml) groups, but did not reach statistical significance. Day-3 FSH levels were significantly higher and AFC was significantly lower in the LOD than in the PCOS group. AMH levels, AFC and summed ovarian volume were significantly greater, but FSH was significantly lower, in the PCOS group compared with the control group. There were no differences in inhibin B levels between groups. Conclusion. This study showed that ovarian reserve assessed by hormonal levels and sonography seems to be lower in the LOD than in the PCOS group. The PCOS women both with and without LOD had significantly greater ovarian reserve than the age-matched controls having normal ovulatory menstruation.
Enclosure, Common Right and the Property of the Poor

Although considerable research has been conducted into the dynamics of commons in rural settings, we still know very little about common property within cities. Given the hegemony of certain models of property, the urban commons has been overlooked and ignored. Urban commons do not look like property to us. This can lead, I argue, to real injustice. Based, in part, on empirical research in Vancouver, I attempt to map out the urban commons of the poor, particularly in relation to the dynamics of inner-city gentrification. This commons, produced through intensive patterns of use and collective habitation, is fiercely moral, reliant upon political claims and the exclusion of interests that threaten enclosure. For inner-city activists contesting displacement, the commons is real. As such, gentrification, and related dynamics, can usefully be thought of as forms of enclosure, or what David Harvey terms `dispossession by accumulation'. I conclude by asking what urban policy, political praxis and property theory might look like if they acknowledged the collective property interest of the poor in the inner-city commons.
Naming Speed and Phonological Awareness as Predictors of Reading Development.

This article investigates how well kindergarten phonological awareness (PA) and naming speed (NS) account for reading development to Grade 5. The authors use regression analyses to predict reading development, with mental ability and prior achievement controlled, and follow the reading development of children having combinations of adequate or inadequate PA and NS. PA was most strongly related to reading in the first 2 years of school, and NS's initially weaker relationship increased with grade level. Children with weak PA and slow NS were most likely to develop reading difficulties by Grade 5, followed by children with slow NS alone. The authors discuss the roles of NS and PA in reading development and the need to clarify the constructs underlying NS. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)
INTERACTION OF FATTY ACID AND GLUCOSE OXIDATION BY CULTURED HEART CELLS

Chick embryo heart cells in tissue culture actively oxidize [1-14C]palmitate to 14CO2. Fatty acid oxidation by cell monolayers was linear with time and increasing protein concentration. The addition of carnitine to the assay medium resulted in a 30–70% increase in the rate of fatty acid oxidation. The specific activity of palmitic acid oxidation did not change significantly with time in culture and was also the same in rapidly proliferating and density-inhibited cell cultures. Addition of unlabeled glucose to the assay medium resulted in a 50% decrease in 14CO2 production from [1-14C]palmitate. Conversely, palmitate had a similar sparing effect on [14C]glucose oxidation to 14CO2. Lactate production accounted for most of the glucose depleted from the medium and was not inhibited by the presence of palmitate in the assay. Thus, the sparing action of the fatty acids on glucose oxidation appears to be at the mitochondrial level. The results indicate that although chick heart cells in culture are primarily anaerobic, they can oxidize fatty acid actively.
Attributes of interdisciplinary research teams: a comprehensive review of the literature.

PURPOSE To solve large complex health-related problems, there has been a progressive movement towards interdisciplinary research teams; however, there has been minimal investigation into the attributes of successful teams. The purpose of this literature review was to examine the attributes that are important for the effective functioning of these teams. METHOD Literature from medicine, nursing and psychology databases, published between 1990 and 2010, was reviewed. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Thematic organization of the findings identified seven attributes important to effective interdisciplinary research teams: team purpose, goals, leadership, communication, cohesion, mutual respect and reflection. These attributes are described in depth. CONCLUSION Identification of these attributes could form the basis of a new measure to monitor interdisciplinary research team effectiveness, identify weaknesses and promote team development.
A Genome Wide Association Study on Age at First Calving Using High Density Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Chips in Hanwoo (Bos taurus coreanae)

Age at first calving is an important trait for achieving earlier reproductive performance. To detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) for reproductive traits, a genome wide association study was conducted on the 96 Hanwoo cows that were born between 2008 and 2010 from 13 sires in a local farm (Juk-Am Hanwoo farm, Suncheon, Korea) and genotyped with the Illumina 50K bovine single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chips. Phenotypes were regressed on additive and dominance effects for each SNP using a simple linear regression model after the effects of birth-year-month and polygenes were considered. A forward regression procedure was applied to determine the best set of SNPs for age at first calving. A total of 15 QTL were detected at the comparison-wise 0.001 level. Two QTL with strong statistical evidence were found at 128.9 Mb and 111.1 Mb on bovine chromosomes (BTA) 2 and 7, respectively, each of which accounted for 22% of the phenotypic variance. Also, five significant SNPs were detected on BTAs 10, 16, 20, 26, and 29. Multiple QTL were found on BTAs 1, 2, 7, and 14. The significant QTLs may be applied via marker assisted selection to increase rate of genetic gain for the trait, after validation tests in other Hanwoo cow populations.
Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells are differentially mobilized depending on the duration of Flt3-ligand administration

Background Flt3-ligand is a cytokine that induces relatively slow mobilization of hematopoietic cells in animals and humans in vivo. This provides a time-frame to study hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell migration kinetics in detail. Design and Methods Mice were injected with Flt3-ligand (10 μg/day, intraperitoneally) for 3, 5, 7 and 10 days. Mobilization of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells was studied using colony-forming-unit granulocyte/monocyte and cobblestone-area-forming-cell assays. The radioprotective capacity of mobilized peripheral blood mononuclear cells was studied by transplantation of 1.5×106 Flt3-ligand-mobilized peripheral blood mononuclear cells into lethally irradiated (9.5 Gy) recipients. Results Hematopoietic progenitor cell mobilization was detected from day 3 onwards and prolonged administration of Flt3-ligand produced a steady increase in mobilized progenitor cells. Compared to Flt3-ligand administration for 5 days, the administration of Flt3-ligand for 10 days led to a 5.5-fold increase in cobblestone-area-forming cells at week 4 and a 5.0-fold increase at week 5. Furthermore, transplantation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells mobilized by 5 days of Flt3-ligand administration did not radioprotect lethally irradiated recipients, whereas peripheral blood mononuclear cells mobilized by 10 days of Flt3-Ligand administration did provide 100% radioprotection of the recipients with significant multilineage donor chimerism. Compared to the administration of Flt3-ligand or interleukin-8 alone, co-administration of interleukin-8 and Flt3-ligand led to synergistic enhancement of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell mobilization on days 3 and 5. Conclusions These results indicate that hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells show different mobilization kinetics in response to Flt3-ligand, resulting in preferential mobilization of hematopoietic progenitor cells at day 5, followed by hematopoietic stem cell mobilization at day 10.
Microkernel Mechanisms for Improving the Trustworthiness of Commodity Hardware

Trustworthy isolation is required to consolidate safety and security critical software systems on a single hardware platform. Recent advances in formally verifying correctness and isolation properties of a microkernel should enable mutually distrusting software to co-exist on the same platform with a high level of assurance of correct operation. However, commodity hardware is susceptible to transient faults triggered by cosmic rays, and alpha particle strikes, and thus may invalidate the isolation guarantees, or trigger failure in isolated applications. To increase trustworthiness of commodity hardware, we apply redundant execution techniques from the dependability community to a modern microkernel. We leverage the hardware redundancy provided by multicore processors to perform transient fault detection for applications and for the microkernel itself. This paper presents the mechanisms and framework for microkernel based systems to implement redundant execution for improved trustworthiness. It evaluates the performance of the resulting system on x86-64 and ARM platforms.
Effects of Physical Tracing on Estimates of Loss to Follow-Up, Mortality and Retention in Low and Middle Income Country Antiretroviral Therapy Programs: A Systematic Review

Background A large proportion of patients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) in low and middle income countries (LMICs) have unknown treatment outcomes and are classified as lost to follow-up (LTFU). Physical tracing of patients classified as LTFU is common; however, effects of tracing on outcomes remains unclear. The objective of this systematic review is to compare estimates of LTFU, mortality and retention in LMIC in cohorts of patients with and without physical tracing. Methods and Findings We systematically identified studies in LMIC programmatic settings using MEDLINE (2003–2011) and HIV conference abstracts (2009–2011). Studies reporting the proportion LTFU 12-months after ART initiation were included. Tracing activities were determined from manuscripts or by contacting study authors. Studies were classified as “tracing studies” if physical tracing was available for the majority of patients. Summary estimates from the 2 groups of studies (tracing and non-tracing) for LTFU, mortality, stop of ART, transfers out, and retention on ART were determined. 261 papers and 616 abstracts were identified of which 39 studies comprising 54 separate cohorts (n = 187,666) met inclusion criteria. Of those, physical tracing was available for 46% of cohorts. Treatment programs with physical tracing activities had lower estimated LTFU (7.6% vs. 15.1%; p<.001), higher estimated mortality (10.5% vs. 6.6%; p = .006), higher retention on ART (80.0 vs. 75.8%; p = .04) and higher retention at the original site (80.0% vs. 72.9%; p = .02). Conclusions Knowledge of patient tracing is critical when interpreting program outcomes of LTFU, mortality and retention. The reduction of the proportion LTFU in tracing studies was only partially explained by re-classification of unknown outcomes. These data suggest that tracing may lead to increased re-engagement of patients in care, rather than just improved classification of unknown outcomes.
A Randomized Feasibility Study of a 12-Week Community-Based Exercise Program for People With Huntington's Disease

Background and Purpose: The beneficial role of exercise as a treatment approach in Huntington's disease (HD) has support from both preclinical work and small-scale studies; however, there have been no controlled studies of gym-based exercise in people with HD. This phase 2 randomized trial (ISRCTN 59910670) assessed feasibility, safety, acceptability, and benefit of a structured exercise program. Methods: Thirty-one participants (16 men; mean [SD] age = 50.4 [11.4] years) were randomly allocated to intervention (n = 16) or control group (usual care; n = 15). The intervention entailed a weekly supervised gym session of stationary cycling and resistance exercises, and a twice weekly independent home-based walking program. Retention and adherence rates and adverse events were recorded. Acceptability was determined from subjective reports of tolerability and physiological measures recorded during the gym sessions. Assessment of benefit included measures of physical abilities, disease severity, and quality of life (36-Item Short Form Health Survey). Analysis of covariance was used to test outcomes of interest. Results: The retention rate was 81% (9 of the 11 individuals who started the intervention completed it) and of the 9 who completed the program, 7 attended more than 75% (9/12) of the gym sessions. There were no related adverse events and the intervention was well tolerated by most participants. The between-group effect estimate for the Mental Component Summary score of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (n = 9; intervention, n = 13; control) was 7 (95% CI: 0.4–13.7) Moderate effect sizes for cognitive outcomes and measures of walking were also observed. Discussion and Conclusions: Observed effect sizes for clinical outcomes suggest the structured exercise program has benefit for persons with HD; larger scale trials are warranted. Video Abstract available (see Video, Supplemental Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/JNPT/A60) for more insights from the authors.
Discriminant validity of the psychopathy checklist in a forensic psychiatric population

The association between psychopathy and other mental disorders was investigated in 80 male forensic patients. Psychopathy was assessed with the Psychopathy Checklist (PCL). Diagnoses of other mental disorders were based on Axis I and Axis II criteria listed in the third edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-III) and on two standardized psychiatric rating scales
Performance analysis of single‐phase, multiphase, and multicomponent lattice‐Boltzmann fluid flow simulations on GPU clusters

The lattice‐Boltzmann method is well suited for implementation in single‐instruction multiple‐data (SIMD) environments provided by general purpose graphics processing units (GPGPUs). This paper discusses the integration of these GPGPU programs with OpenMP to create lattice‐Boltzmann applications for multi‐GPU clusters. In addition to the standard single‐phase single‐component lattice‐Boltzmann method, the performances of more complex multiphase, multicomponent models are also examined. The contributions of various GPU lattice‐Boltzmann parameters to the performance are examined and quantified with a statistical model of the performance using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). By examining single‐ and multi‐GPU lattice‐Boltzmann simulations with ANOVA, we show that all the lattice‐Boltzmann simulations primarily depend on effects corresponding to simulation geometry and decomposition, and not on the architectural aspects of GPU. Additionally, using ANOVA we confirm that the metrics of Efficiency and Utilization are not suitable for memory‐bandwidth‐dependent codes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Variability modeling to support customization and deployment of multi-tenant-aware Software as a Service applications

More and more companies are offering their software by following the Software as a Service (SaaS) model. The promise of the SaaS model is to exploit economies of scale on the provider side by hosting multiple customers (or tenants) on the same hardware and software infrastructure. However, to attract a significant number of tenants, SaaS applications have to be customizable to fulfill the varying functional and quality requirements of individual tenants. In this paper, we describe how variability modeling techniques from software product line engineering can support SaaS providers in managing the variability of SaaS applications and their requirements. Specifically, we propose using explicit variability models to systematically derive customization and deployment information for individual SaaS tenants. We also demonstrate how variability models could be used to systematically consider information about already deployed SaaS applications for efficiently deploying SaaS applications for new tenants. We illustrate our approach by a running example for a meeting planning application.
Gastrointestinal toxicity with celecoxib vs nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis: the CLASS study: A randomized controlled trial. Celecoxib Long-term Arthritis Safety Study.

CONTEXT Conventional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are associated with a spectrum of toxic effects, notably gastrointestinal (GI) effects, because of inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX)-1. Whether COX-2-specific inhibitors are associated with fewer clinical GI toxic effects is unknown. OBJECTIVE To determine whether celecoxib, a COX-2-specific inhibitor, is associated with a lower incidence of significant upper GI toxic effects and other adverse effects compared with conventional NSAIDs. DESIGN The Celecoxib Long-term Arthritis Safety Study (CLASS), a double-blind, randomized controlled trial conducted from September 1998 to March 2000. SETTING Three hundred eighty-six clinical sites in the United States and Canada. PARTICIPANTS A total of 8059 patients (>/=18 years old) with osteoarthritis (OA) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were enrolled in the study, and 7968 received at least 1 dose of study drug. A total of 4573 patients (57%) received treatment for 6 months. INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomly assigned to receive celecoxib, 400 mg twice per day (2 and 4 times the maximum RA and OA dosages, respectively; n = 3987); ibuprofen, 800 mg 3 times per day (n = 1985); or diclofenac, 75 mg twice per day (n = 1996). Aspirin use for cardiovascular prophylaxis (</=325 mg/d) was permitted. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Incidence of prospectively defined symptomatic upper GI ulcers and ulcer complications (bleeding, perforation, and obstruction) and other adverse effects during the 6-month treatment period. RESULTS For all patients, the annualized incidence rates of upper GI ulcer complications alone and combined with symptomatic ulcers for celecoxib vs NSAIDs were 0.76% vs 1.45% (P =.09) and 2. 08% vs 3.54% (P =.02), respectively. For patients not taking aspirin, the annualized incidence rates of upper GI ulcer complications alone and combined with symptomatic ulcers for celecoxib vs NSAIDs were 0.44% vs 1.27% (P =.04) and 1.40% vs 2.91% (P =.02). For patients taking aspirin, the annualized incidence rates of upper GI ulcer complications alone and combined with symptomatic ulcers for celecoxib vs NSAIDs were 2.01% vs 2.12% (P =.92) and 4.70% vs 6.00% (P =.49). Fewer celecoxib-treated patients than NSAID-treated patients experienced chronic GI blood loss, GI intolerance, hepatotoxicity, or renal toxicity. No difference was noted in the incidence of cardiovascular events between celecoxib and NSAIDs, irrespective of aspirin use. CONCLUSIONS In this study, celecoxib, at dosages greater than those indicated clinically, was associated with a lower incidence of symptomatic ulcers and ulcer complications combined, as well as other clinically important toxic effects, compared with NSAIDs at standard dosages. The decrease in upper GI toxicity was strongest among patients not taking aspirin concomitantly. JAMA. 2000;284:1247-1255
Relationships of Equipment Use and Play Positions to Motor Development at Eight Months Corrected Age of Infants Born Preterm

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between both use of infant equipment and play positions and motor development of infants born preterm who were classified as high risk. Subjects were 60 parent-infant dyads attending a developmental follow-up clinic. Methods Parents reported the duration of infant equipment use and the predominant positions in which their infants played in the previous month. Infants were assessed using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale (AIMS). Results Equipment use was not related to motor development; however, the duration of carrying was negatively related to the sit subscale of the AIMS (r = −0.31, p < 0.05). As a group, the infants in this sample spent more time in the relatively less active play positions of sitting and supine than in the positions of prone and standing. Conclusions Therapists should consider the use of equipment and specific play positions to enhance motor development of infants born preterm and work with parents to promote an understanding of the importance of providing their infants with opportunities to develop early motor competencies.
Young American and Chinese Children's Everyday Mathematical Activity

This study examined possible cultural and SES differences in the type, frequency, and complexity of 4- and 5-year-old American and Chinese children's everyday mathematical activities during free play. 60 American children, 30 each from lower- and middle-socioeconomic status (SES) families, and 24 Chinese children, 12 each from lower- and middle-SES families, participated in the study. Each participant was videotaped during free play for 15 min. The results showed that during free play American and Chinese children exhibit similar types of mathematical activity. Yet, Chinese children engage in a considerably greater amount of mathematical activity, particularly pattern and shape, than do American children. However, closer examination revealed that Chinese and American children do not differ in the complexity of mathematical activities. The results failed to reveal significant differences in the frequency and complexity of everyday mathematics between lower- and middle-SES groups in both cultures.
Olfactory identification in LRRK2 G2019S mutation carriers: a relevant marker?

Olfactory impairment is a potential marker for impending phenoconversion to Parkinson disease (PD) that may precede the development of disease by several years. Because of low specificity, it may be of greater predictive value in those with genetic mutations and its potential as a marker for developing LRRK2 PD should be evaluated.