Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Common Connexin-40 Gene Promoter Variant Affects Connexin-40 Expression in Human Atria and Is Associated With Atrial Fibrillation

Background—A common single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the promoter of the Connexin-40 (Cx40) gene GJA5 was suggested to affect Cx40 promoter activity and the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), but the role of other common Cx40 polymorphisms is unknown. Methods and Results—Eight SNPs within the Cx40 gene region were tested for association with Cx40 levels measured in atrial tissue from 61 individuals. The previously described Cx40 promoter SNP (rs35594137, −44G→A) was not associated with Cx40 mRNA levels. However, a common SNP (rs10465885) located in the TATA box of an alternative Cx40 promoter was strongly associated with Cx40 mRNA expression (P<0.0001) and displayed strong and consistent allelic expression imbalance in human atrial tissue. A promoter-luciferase assay in cultured murine cardiomyocytes demonstrated reduced activity of the promoter containing the minor allele of this SNP (P<0.0001). Both rs35594137 and rs10465885 were tested for association with early-onset lone AF (⩽60 years of age) in 384 cases and 3010 population control subjects. rs10465885 was associated with the AF phenotype (odds ratio, 1.18; P=0.046). This result was confirmed in a meta-analysis including 2 additional early-onset lone AF case-control cohorts (odds ratio, 1.16, P=0.022). rs35594137 was not associated with the lone AF phenotype in any of the cohorts studied or in a combined analysis. Conclusions—A previously described Cx40 promoter SNP was not found to influence Cx40 expression or risk of AF. We describe an alternate promoter polymorphism that directly affects levels of Cx40 mRNA in vivo and is associated with early-onset lone AF.
Efficacy of Endoscopic Ultrasound-guided Celiac Plexus Block and Celiac Plexus Neurolysis for Managing Abdominal Pain Associated With Chronic Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Cancer

Background/Goals Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided celiac plexus block (CPB) and celiac plexus neurolysis (CPN) have become important interventions in the management of pain due to chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. However, only a few well-structured studies have been performed to evaluate their efficacy. Given limited data, their use remains controversial. Herein, we evaluate the efficacy of EUS-guided CPB and CPN in alleviating chronic abdominal pain due to chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer respectively. Study Methods Using Medline, Pubmed, and Embase databases from January 1966 through December 2007, a thorough search of the English literature for studies evaluating the efficacy of EUS-guided CPB and CPN for the management of chronic abdominal pain due to chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer was conducted, along with a hand search of reference lists. Studies that involved less than 10 patients were excluded. Data on pain relief was extracted, pooled, and analyzed. Results A total of 9 studies were included in the final analysis. For chronic pancreatitis, 6 relevant studies were identified, comprising a total of 221 patients. EUS-guided CPB was effective in alleviating abdominal pain in 51.46% of patients. For pancreatic cancer, 5 relevant studies were identified with a total of 119 patients. EUS-guided CPN was effective in alleviating abdominal pain in 72.54% of patients. Conclusions EUS-guided CPB was 51.46% effective in managing chronic abdominal pain in patients with chronic pancreatitis, but warrants improvement in patient selection and refinement of technique, whereas EUS-guided CPN was 72.54% effective in managing pain due to pancreatic cancer and is a reasonable option for patients with tolerance to narcotic analgesics.
Genome Scale Transcriptomics of Baculovirus-Insect Interactions

Baculovirus-insect cell technologies are applied in the production of complex proteins, veterinary and human vaccines, gene delivery vectors‚ and biopesticides. Better understanding of how baculoviruses and insect cells interact would facilitate baculovirus-based production. While complete genomic sequences are available for over 58 baculovirus species, little insect genomic information is known. The release of the Bombyx mori and Plutella xylostella genomes, the accumulation of EST sequences for several Lepidopteran species, and especially the availability of two genome-scale analysis tools, namely oligonucleotide microarrays and next generation sequencing (NGS), have facilitated expression studies to generate a rich picture of insect gene responses to baculovirus infections. This review presents current knowledge on the interaction dynamics of the baculovirus-insect system‚ which is relatively well studied in relation to nucleocapsid transportation, apoptosis, and heat shock responses, but is still poorly understood regarding responses involved in pro-survival pathways, DNA damage pathways, protein degradation, translation, signaling pathways, RNAi pathways, and importantly metabolic pathways for energy, nucleotide and amino acid production. We discuss how the two genome-scale transcriptomic tools can be applied for studying such pathways and suggest that proteomics and metabolomics can produce complementary findings to transcriptomic studies.
Parallel and distributed algorithms for finite constraint satisfaction problems

The authors develop two new algorithms for solving a finite constraint satisfaction problem (FCSP) in parallel. In particular, they give a parallel algorithm for the EREW PRAM model and a distributed algorithm for networks of interconnected processors. If an FCSP can be represented by an acyclic constraint network of size n with width bounded by a constant then: the parallel algorithm takes O(log n) time using O(n) processors and there is a mapping of this problem to a distributed computing network of poly(n) processors which stabilizes in O(log n) time. <<ETX>>
Effects of autonomic neuropathy on coronary blood flow in patients with diabetes mellitus.

BACKGROUND C ardiac sympathetic signals play an important role in the regulation of myocardial perfusion. We hypothesized that sympathetically mediated myocardial blood flow would be impaired in diabetics with autonomic neuropathy. METHODS AND RESULTS We studied 28 diabetics (43+/-7 years old) and 11 age-matched healthy volunteers. PET was used to delineate cardiac sympathetic innervation with [(11)C]hydroxyephedrine ([(11)C]HED) and to measure myocardial blood flow at rest, during hyperemia, and in response to sympathetic stimulation by cold pressor testing. The response to cardiac autonomic reflex tests was also evaluated. Using ultrasonography, we also measured brachial artery reactivity during reactive hyperemia (endothelium-dependent dilation) and after sublingual nitroglycerin (endothelium-independent dilation). Based on [(11)C]HED PET, 13 of 28 diabetics had sympathetic-nerve dysfunction (SND). Basal flow was regionally homogeneous and similar in the diabetic and normal subjects. During hyperemia, the increase in flow was greater in the normal subjects (284+/-88%) than in the diabetics with SND (187+/-80%, P=0.084) and without SND (177+/-72%, P=0.028). However, the increase in flow in response to cold was lower in the diabetics with SND (14+/-10%) than in those without SND (31+/-12%) (P=0.015) and the normal subjects (48+/-24%) (P<0.001). The flow response to cold was related to the myocardial uptake of [(11)C]HED (P<0.001). Flow-mediated brachial artery dilation was impaired in the diabetics compared with the normal subjects, but it was similar in the diabetics with and without SND. CONCLUSIONS Diabetic autonomic neuropathy is associated with an impaired vasodilator response of coronary resistance vessels to increased sympathetic stimulation, which is related to the degree of SND.
Chromium interaction with TiO2 dispersoids in oxide dispersion strengthened ferritic steel

AbstractAuger electron spectroscopy and energy filtering TEM were used to study alloying element distributions in the vicinity of matrix–TiO2 dispersoid interphase boundaries in an Fe–Cr ferritic steel strengthened by dispersed TiO2 particles. Pronounced interfacial Cr segregation was found to occur in the course of annealing at 700°C. The Cr segregation also leads to Cr diffusion into the dispersoids and to the formation of oxide phases with different Cr/Ti ratios. The observed Cr segregation is described in terms of diffusion into the field of elastic stresses.
Involvement of Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 1 in disease progression in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

BACKGROUND The role of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is uncertain. A study was undertaken to detect the virus in IPF as well as to clarify the influence of EBV on the clinical features of the disease. METHODS Twenty nine lung specimens were obtained from patients with IPF, as well as five specimens from patients with systemic sclerosis with pulmonary fibrosis (SSc) and 15 specimens from controls. EBV DNA and EBV latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) were detected using the PCR method and immunohistochemical analysis, respectively. RESULTS EBV DNA was detected in 24 of 25 patients with IPF (96%), in all five patients with SSc (100%), and in 10 of 14 controls (71%). The detection ratio was significantly higher in patients with IPF than in controls (p = 0.047, odds ratio (OR) = 9.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.9 to 96.9). Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that cuboidal epithelial cells were positively stained with anti-LMP1 antibody in nine of the 29 lung specimens from IPF patients. In contrast, neither the patients with SSc nor the control subjects showed positive staining. In the follow up periods LMP1 positive patients with IPF died more frequently from respiratory failure than LMP1 negative patients (4/9 versus 1/20; p = 0.022, OR = 15.20, 95% CI 1. 3 to 168.0). CONCLUSIONS EBV LMP1 positivity may be associated with more rapid disease progression in IPF.
Dynamics and control for redundant robots

A unified formulation of kinematic equation and its general solution for both conventional and redundant robots is presented. It provides the dynamics and control analysis of redundant robots. Through this formulation, the dynamic modeling problem in robotic system with redundancy as well as the control strategies by utilizing several advanced control schemes are developed. The theoretical results show that a redundant robot has many advantages, but it may be more difficult to deal with than a nonredundant conventional counterpart. Explicit formulas in dynamics and control for redundant robots are outlined. <<ETX>>
FP-Split SPADE-An Algorithm for Finding Sequential Patterns

Sequential Pattern Mining (SPM) is one of the key areas in Web Usage Mining (WUM) with broad applications such as analyzing customer behavior from weblog files. The current algorithms in this area can be classified into two broad areas, namely, apriori-based and pattern-growth based. Apriori based algorithms for mining sequential patterns need to scan the database many times as they focus on candidate generation and test approach. A lot of research has been done so far, but even the best apriori based algorithm for SPM in terms of number of database scans is SPADE that scans the database three times for discovering sequential patterns. Pattern growth based algorithms avoid the candidate generation step and the best pattern growth algorithm known so far is Prefix Span that needs to scan the database at least twice. In this paper, a novel algorithm for SPM is proposed called FP-Split SPADE that reduced the database scan to only one by creating an FP-Split tree and applying SPADE algorithm on the tree instead on sequence database that greatly improved the efficiency of mining sequential patterns.
Neural networks based variable bit rate traffic prediction for traffic control using multiple leaky bucket

This work presents a novel feedback rate regulator using the multiple leaky bucket (MLB) for variable bit rate (VBR) self-similar traffic that is based on the traffic load prediction by time-delayed neural networks in ATM networks. In the MLB mechanism, the leak rate and buffer capacity of each leaky bucket (LB) can be dynamically adjusted based on the buffer occupancy. A finite-duration impulse response (FIR) multilayer neural network is used to predict the incoming traffic load and pass the information to the feedback rate regulator. Ten real world MPEG1 and ten synthesized traffic traces are used to validate the performance of the MLB and the MLB with an FIR prediction mechanism. Simulation results demonstrate that the cell loss rate using MLB and MLB with an FIR filter-based predictor can be significantly reduced compare to the conventional leaky bucket method.
Adverse electomagnetic effects on large networks

This paper provides a holistic view of adverse electromagnetic effects on large electric and electromagnetic systems caused by the High Altitude EMP (HEMP) and/or High Power Electromagnetic (HPM) weapons. For illustration we use systems theory to: assess the interaction between the Electric Power Grid and the Public Data Network; and propose a new paradigm for survivability based on random graph theory and percolation theory. Theoretical models and analytical results are rendered.
Change in Overactive Bladder Symptoms After Surgery for Stress Urinary Incontinence in Women

OBJECTIVE: To assess change in overactive bladder (OAB) symptoms up to 5 years after surgery and to identify associated predictors of change from baseline. METHODS: This is a secondary analysis of data from three multicenter urinary incontinence (UI) surgical trials of women with stress-predominant mixed UI assigned to Burch colposuspension, autologous fascial sling, or retropubic or transobturator midurethral slings. The primary outcome was improvement of 70% or greater from baseline in symptoms measured by the Urinary Distress Inventory–Irritative subscale. Surgical groups were compared within respective trials. Generalized linear models were fit using 1-year and up to 5-year data. RESULTS: Significant improvements in Urinary Distress Inventory–Irritative scores were reported by each surgical group 1 year after surgery (P<.001). Most women (50–71%) reported improvement in OAB symptoms. Improvements were similar between midurethral sling groups at 1 year (65.5% compared with 70.7%, P=.32; odds ratio [OR] 0.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.57–1.20 for retropubic compared with transobturator sling) and throughout the 5-year follow-up period. More women reported OAB symptom improvement after Burch compared with pubovaginal sling (67.9% compared with 56.6%, P=.01; OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.10–2.31 for Burch compared with sling); this group difference at 1 year persisted throughout the 5-year follow-up. At 1-year, 50.0–64.3% of patients reported 70% greater improvement in UI. This proportion declined to 36.5–54.1% at 5 years (P<.001). Preoperative use of anticholinergics and urodynamic parameters was not predictive of OAB symptom change after surgery. CONCLUSION: Most women with stress-predominant mixed UI experienced significant improvement in OAB symptoms after incontinence surgery although this initial improvement diminished over time. Obesity blunted symptom improvement. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II
Bone metabolism in adolescents with anorexia nervosa

Adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN) are at risk for low bone mass at multiple sites, associated with decreased bone turnover. Bone microarchitecture is also affected, with a decrease in bone trabecular volume and trabecular thickness, and an increase in trabecular separation. The adolescent years are typically the time when marked increases occur in bone mass accrual towards the attainment of peak bone mass, an important determinant of bone health and fracture risk in later life. AN often begins in the adolescent years, and decreased rates of bone mass accrual at this critical time are therefore also concerning for deficits in peak bone mass. Factors contributing to low bone density and decreased rates of bone accrual include alterations in body composition such as low body mass index and lean body mass, and hormonal alterations such as hypogonadism, a nutritionally acquired resistance to GH and low levels of IGF-I, relative hypercortisolemia, low levels of leptin, and increased adiponectin (for fat mass) and peptide YY. Therapeutic strategies include optimizing weight and menstrual recovery, and adequate calcium and vitamin D replacement. Oral estrogen-progesterone combination pills are not effective in increasing bone density in adolescents with AN. Recombinant human IGF-I increases levels of bone formation markers in the short term, while long-term effects remain to be determined. Bisphosphonates act by decreasing bone resorption, and are not optimal for use in adolescents with AN, in whom the primary defect is low bone formation.
Fairest constant sum-rate transmission for cooperative data exchange: An M-convex minimization approach

We consider the fairness in cooperative data exchange (CDE) problem among a set of wireless clients. In this system, each client initially obtains a subset of the packets. They exchange packets in order to reconstruct the entire packet set. We study the problem of how to find a transmission strategy that distributes the communication load most evenly in all strategies that have the same sum-rate (the total number of transmissions) and achieve universal recovery (the situation when all clients recover the packet set). We formulate this problem by a discrete minimization problem and prove its M-convexity. We show that our results can also be proved by the submodularity of the feasible region shown in previous works and are closely related to the resource allocation problems under submodular constraints. To solve this problem, we propose to use a steepest descent algorithm (SDA) based on M-convexity. By varying the number of clients and packets, we compare SDA with a deterministic algorithm (DA) based on submodularity in terms of convergence performance and complexity. The results show that for the problem of finding the fairest and minimum sum-rate strategy for the CDE problem SDA is more efficient than DA when the number of clients is up to five.
Primitive Concepts of Number and the Developing Human Brain

ABSTRACT Counting is an evolutionarily recent cultural invention of the human species. In order for humans to have conceived of counting in the first place, certain representational and logical abilities must have already been in place. The focus of this article is the origins and nature of those fundamental mechanisms that promoted the emergence of the human number concept. Five claims are presented that support an evolutionary view of numerical development: (1) number is an abstract concept with an innate basis in humans; (2) maturational processes constrain the development of humans’ numerical representations between infancy and adulthood; (3) there is evolutionary continuity in the neural processes of numerical cognition in primates; (4) primitive logical abilities support verbal counting development in humans; and (5) primitive neural processes provide the foundation for symbolic numerical development in the human brain. We support these claims by examining current evidence from animal cognition, child development, and human brain function. The data show that at the basis of human numerical concepts are primitive perceptual and logical mechanisms that have evolutionary homologs in other primates and form the basis of numerical development in the human brain. In the final section of this article, we discuss some hypotheses for what makes human numerical reasoning unique by drawing on evidence from human and non-human primate neuroimaging research.
Dementia is the major cause of functional dependence in the elderly: 3-year follow-up data from a population-based study.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this investigation was to study the role of dementia and other common age-related diseases as determinants of dependence in activities of daily living (ADL) in the elderly. METHODS The study population consisted of 1745 persons, aged 75 years and older, living in a district of Stockholm. They were examined at baseline and after a 3-year follow-up interval. Katz's index was used to measure functional status. Functional dependence at baseline, functional decline, and development of functional dependence at follow-up were examined in relation to sociodemographic characteristics and chronic conditions. RESULTS At baseline, factors associated with functional dependence were age, dementia, cerebrovascular disease, heart disease, and hip fracture. However, only age and dementia were associated with the development of functional dependence and decline after 3 years. In a similar analysis, including only nondemented subjects. Mini-Mental State Examination scores emerged as one of the strongest determinants. The population attributable risk percentage of dementia in the development of functional dependence was 49%. CONCLUSIONS In a very old population, dementia and cognitive impairment make the strongest contribution to both the development of long-term functional dependence and decline in function.
Design of a wearable research tool for warm mediated social touches

Social touches are essential in interpersonal communication, for instance to show affect. Despite this importance, mediated interpersonal communication oftentimes lacks the possibility to touch. A human touch is a complex composition of several physical qualities and parameters, but different haptic technologies allow us to isolate such parameters and to investigate their opportunities and limitations for affective communication devices. In our research, we focus on the role that temperature may play in affective mediated communication. In the current paper, we describe the design of a wearable `research tool' that will facilitate systematic research on the possibilities of temperature in affective communication. We present use cases, and define a list of requirements accordingly. Based on a requirement fulfillment analysis, we conclude that our research tool can be of value for research on new forms of affective mediated communication.
ARIA/HRG regulates AChR epsilon subunit gene expression at the neuromuscular synapse via activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and Ras/MAPK pathway

AChR-inducing activity (ARIA)/heregulin, a ligand for erbB receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), is likely to be one nerve-supplied signal that induces expression of acetylcholine receptor (AChR) genes at the developing neuromuscular junction. Since some RTKs act through Ras and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), we investigated the role of these pathways in ARIA signaling. Expression of activated Ras or Raf mimicked ARIA-induction of AChR epsilon subunit genes in muscle cells; whereas dominant negative Ras or Raf blocked the effect of ARIA. ARIA rapidly activated erk1 and erk2 and inhibition of both erks also abolished the effect of ARIA. ARIA stimulated association of PI3K with erbB3, expression of an activated PI3K led to ARIA-independent AChR epsilon subunit expression, and inhibition of PI3K abolished the action of ARIA. Thus, synaptic induction of AChR genes requires activation of both Ras/MAPK and PI3K signal transduction pathways.
A General Lagrange Theorem

The ordinary continued fractions expansion of a real number is based on the Euclidean division. Variants of the latter yield variants of the former, all encompassed by a more general Dynamical Systems framework. For all these variants the Lagrange Theorem holds: a number has an eventually periodic expansion if and only if it is a quadratic irrational. This fact is surely known for specific expansions, but the only proof for the general case that I could trace in the literature follows as an implicit corollary from much deeper results by Boshernitzan and Carroll on interval exchange transformations. It may then be useful to have at hand a simple and virtually computation-free proof of a general Lagrange Theorem.