Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sex-Specific Differences in Peripheral Microvascular Blood Flow in Preterm Infants

Microvascular blood flow is related to physiologic instability in newborn preterm infants. We investigated sex-specific differences in basal microvascular blood flow and the ability of the microvasculature to respond to vasoactive stimuli following preterm birth. Ninety-six infants in two gestational age groups (24–28 and 29–36 wk) were studied on days 1–5 of life. Laser Doppler flowmetry was used to measure baseline microvascular blood flow and vasodilatation in response to acetylcholine and local warming. A significant interaction of gestational age and sex was observed for baseline flow at 24 h of age. In the 24–28 wk group, male infants had higher baseline flow than females. Male, but not female, infants born at 24–28 wk exhibited a significant relationship between baseline flow and vasodilatory response to acetylcholine at 24 h of age. By 120 h of age, both sexes exhibited similar responses. Infants born at 24–28 wk exhibited greater vasodilatation in response to local warming than those born at 29–36 wk at 24, 72, and 120 h of age. Sex-specific differences in microvascular blood flow and vasodilatory capacity in the immediate newborn period may affect the transitional circulation, contributing to excess of morbidity and mortality in preterm males.
Knowledge Discovery Process for Description of Spatially Referenced Clusters

Spatial clustering is an important field of spatial data mining and knowledge discovery that serves to partition a spatial data set to obtain disjoint subsets with spatial elements that are similar to each other. Existing algorithms can be used to perform three types of cluster analyses, including clustering of spatial points, regionalization and point pattern analysis. However, all these existing methods do not provide a description of the discovered spatial clusters, which is useful for decision making in many different fields. This work proposes a knowledge discovery process for the description of spatially referenced clusters that uses decision tree learning algorithms. Two proofs of concept of the proposed process using different spatial clustering algorithm on real data are also provided. KeywordsKnowledge Discovery Process; Spatial Clustering; Regionalization; Decision Tree Learning; Spatial Data Mining.
Antiplatelet treatment in diabetic patients with acute coronary syndrome undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention: a GReek AntiPlatElet registry substudy

Background and aims We compared the clinical outcome of diabetic versus nondiabetic patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the GReek AntiPlatElet (GRAPE) registry. Patients and methods GRAPE is a prospective observational study, focusing on contemporary antiplatelet use in moderate-risk to high-risk ACS patients receiving PCI. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), (composite of death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, urgent revascularization, and stroke) and bleeding events (Bleeding Academic Research Consortium definition) at 1 year of follow-up were analyzed using propensity score adjustment. A subanalysis according to diabetes mellitus (DM) status was performed. Results Out of 2047 registered patients, 469 (22.9%) were diabetic. Complete 1-year follow-up was available in 95.1% of patients. MACE occurred in 12.2 and 7.2% of those patients with and without DM, respectively [adjusted hazard ratio (HR), 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.27 (0.89–1.79), P=0.2]. Observed BARC type ≥3 bleeding risk was not higher in diabetic patients: adjusted HR (95% CI)=1.20 (0.79–1.84). In the subgroup of clopidogrel-treated patients (N=238), MACE rate was significantly higher in diabetic compared with nondiabetic cohort [13.4 vs. 9%, adjusted HR (95% CI)=1.68 (1.07–2.64), P=0.03]. In the subgroup of ticagrelor-treated or prasugrel-treated patients (N=228), MACE rate did not differ significantly between diabetic and nondiabetic patients: 9.6 versus 5%, adjusted HR (95% CI)=1.35 (0.77–2.37), P=0.38. Conclusion In ‘real-life’ ACS undergoing PCI, diabetic patients have higher – although not significantly – MACE rate and no difference in bleeding events. This difference in MACE was significant among clopidogrel-treated patients, whereas when newer antiplatelet agents were used the negative impact of DM on ischemic events was eliminated.
Characterizing the statistical properties of mutual information in MIMO channels: insights into diversity-multiplexing tradeoff

We consider Gaussian multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) fading channels assuming that the channel is unknown at the transmitter and perfectly known at the receiver. Taking into account spatial fading correlation both at the transmitter and the receiver, a tight closed-form lower-bounds is provided for ergodic capacity and an accurate closed-form approximations of the variance of mutual information are derived over such channels. Based on these results, we investigate the impact of the number of antennas and transmit and receive correlation on ergodic capacity and on the variance of mutual information and draw insights into the tradeoff between diversity gain and spatial multiplexing gain.
CT coronary angiography and exercise ECG in a population with chest pain and low-to-intermediate pre-test likelihood of coronary artery disease

Objective To evaluate diagnostic accuracy of exercise ECG (ex-ECG) versus 64-slice CT coronary angiography (CT-CA) for the detection of significant coronary artery stenosis in a population with low-to-intermediate pre-test likelihood of coronary artery disease (CAD). Design Retrospective single centre. Setting Tertiary academic hospital. Patients 177 consecutive patients (88 men, 89 women, mean age 53.5±7.6 years) with chest pain and low-to-intermediate pre-test likelihood of CAD were retrospectively enrolled. Interventions All patients underwent ex-ECG, CT-CA and invasive coronary angiography (ICA). Main outcome measure A lumen diameter reduction of ≥50% was considered as significant stenosis for CT-CA. Ex-ECG was classified as positive, negative or non-diagnostic. Results were compared with ICA. Diagnostic accuracy of CT-CA and ex-ECG was calculated using ICA as the reference standard. A parallel comparative analysis using a cut-off value of 70% for significant lumen reduction was also performed too. Results ICA disclosed an absence of significant stenosis (≥50% luminal narrowing) in 85.3% (151/177) patients, single-vessel disease in 9.0% (16/177) patients and multivessel disease in 5.6% (10/177) patients. Prevalence of obstructive disease at ICA was 14.7% (26/177). Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values at the patient level were 100.0%, 98.7%, 92.9%, 100%, respectively, for CT-CA and 46.2%, 16.6%, 8.7%, 64.1%, respectively, for ex-ECG. Agreement between CT-CA and ex-ECG was 20.9%. CT-CA performed equally well in men and women, while ex-ECG had a better performance in men. After considering the cut-off value of 70% for significant stenosis, the difference between CT-CA and ex-ECG remained significant (p<0.01), with a low agreement (21.5%). Conclusions CT-CA provides optimal diagnostic performance in patients with atypical chest pain and low-to-intermediate risk of CAD. Ex-ECG has poor diagnostic accuracy in this population. Concerns are related to risk of radiation dose versus the benefits of correct disease stratification.
Cell signalling mechanisms for insect stress tolerance

Insects successfully occupy most environmental niches and this success depends on surviving a broad range of environmental stressors including temperature, desiccation, xenobiotic, osmotic and infection stress. Epithelial tissues play key roles as barriers between the external and internal environments and therefore maintain homeostasis and organismal tolerance to multiple stressors. As such, the crucial role of epithelia in organismal stress tolerance cannot be underestimated. At a molecular level, multiple cell-specific signalling pathways including cyclic cAMP, cyclic cGMP and calcium modulate tissue, and hence, organismal responses to stress. Thus, epithelial cell-specific signal transduction can be usefully studied to determine the molecular mechanisms of organismal stress tolerance in vivo. This review will explore cell signalling modulation of stress tolerance in insects by focusing on cell signalling in a fluid transporting epithelium – the Malpighian tubule. Manipulation of specific genes and signalling pathways in only defined tubule cell types can influence the survival outcome in response to multiple environmental stressors including desiccation, immune, salt (ionic) and oxidative stress, suggesting that studies in the genetic model Drosophila melanogaster may reveal novel pathways required for stress tolerance.
Recent trends in performance and current state of creatinine assays.

CONTEXT Measured plasma or serum creatinine concentration is a primary component of equations used to calculate estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). In recent years, most assay manufacturers have adopted creatinine calibration procedures that are traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology's Standard Reference Material 967. OBJECTIVES To examine the current performance of creatinine assays, to compare changes in assay performance since 2003, and to examine the reliability of laboratory eGFR calculations. DESIGN Serum samples spiked with different concentrations of creatinine were analyzed by participating laboratories in the College of American Pathologists' LN24 survey. Participants' reported values were compared against values measured by liquid chromatography-isotope dilution mass spectrometry. Participants were asked to calculate the eGFR for certain samples, and results were compared with those obtained from the 4-parameter Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation. RESULTS Biases among current creatinine methods are in the range of -5% to 10%, compared with -7% to 34% seen in a 2003 study. This degree of bias in eGFR calculations is of clinical significance only for concentrations near the cut points used to stage chronic kidney disease. Approximately 20% of laboratories report eGFR values that exceed ±1 mL/min per 1.73 m(2) from the expected eGFR using the 4-parameter Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation. CONCLUSIONS Since 2003, there have been improvements in the performance of creatinine assays, which appear to be related to the adoption of standard reference materials for calibration. The effect of the observed method biases in clinical practice now appears minimal. Laboratories should continue to monitor the accuracy of eGFR calculations.
Pegylated filgrastim is comparable with filgrastim as support for commonly used chemotherapy regimens: a multicenter, randomized, crossover phase 3 study

The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of a single subcutaneous injection of pegylated filgrastim with daily filgrastim as a prophylaxis for neutropenia induced by commonly used chemotherapy regimens. Fifteen centers enrolled 337 chemotherapy-naive cancer patients with normal bone marrow function. All patients randomized into AOB and BOA arms received two cycles of chemotherapy. Patients received a single dose of pegylated filgrastim 100 µg/kg in cycle 1 (AOB) or cycle 2 (BOA) and daily doses of filgrastim 5 µg/kg/day in cycle 1 (BOA) or cycle 2 (AOB). Efficacy and safety parameters were recorded. The primary end point was the rate of protection against grade 4 neutropenia after chemotherapy [defined as the rate at which the absolute neutrophil count (ANC) remained >0.5×109/l throughout the entire cycle]. Ninety-four percent of patients receiving pegylated filgrastim or filgrastim did not develop grade 4 neutropenia. The incidence of ANC<1.0×109/l was 16.0% (50/313) after support with either pegylated filgrastim or filgrastim. The incidences of febrile neutropenia and antibiotic administration were similar in both groups. Notably, faster ANC recovery was observed with pegylated filgrastim support. The ANC nadir was also earlier with pegylated filgrastim (day 7) support than with filgrastim support (day 9), although the depth of nadir was not significantly different. A single subcutaneous injection of pegylated filgrastim 100 &mgr;g/kg provided adequate and safe neutrophil support comparable with daily subcutaneous injections of unmodified filgrastim 5 &mgr;g/kg/day in patients receiving commonly used standard-dose mild-to-moderate myelosuppressive chemotherapy regimens.
Estimating spatial distribution of radiation below the Qinghai Spruce forest canopy in Qilian Mountains using hemispherical images and Airborne LiDAR data

Solar radiation transmission plays is an important process in the energy exchange in forest ecosystem. There are a lot of transmission models developed for a single canopy, but relatively fewer models for studying spatial distribution of radiation below the forest canopy. In this paper, we used a simple model that was related to canopy cover to calculate the solar radiation below the forest canopy. At the same time, the hemispherical photography integrated with airborne LiDAR to provide a data for the model. Especially, LiDAR data was used to obtain the spatial distribution of the canopy cover. We obtained a spatial distribution of solar radiation below the Qinghai Spruce forest canopy in Qilian Mountains. Results showed that modeled average daily total radiation below the canopy was 21.614 MJ/m2/d, ranging from 4.618 to 54.053 MJ/m2/d in our experimental zone.
Proglycogen and Macroglycogen in Equine Skeletal Muscle Response to Exercise in Standardbred Trotters and in Horses with Polysaccharide Storage Myopathy

Bröjer. J. 2006. Proglycogen and macroglycogen in equine skeletal muscle. Response to exercise in Standardbred trotters and in horses with polysaccharide storage myopathy. Doctoral dissertation. ISSN 1652-6880, ISBN 91-576-7090-0 The first aim of the present thesis was to establish a method for determination of proglycogen (PG) and macroglycogen (MG) in equine skeletal muscle. The measurement technique for determination of PG and MG was accurate and gave reproducible results. There was an excellent correlation for total glycogen determined in muscle biopsy specimens between the new PG and MG technique and the traditional acid hydrolysis method. A further aim was to examine the degradation of PG and MG in Standardbreds during a maximal exercise test. Horses performed an incremental maximal treadmill exercise test in one-minute steps until they no longer could keep pace with the treadmill. The exercise test induced an anaerobic metabolic response as demonstrated by decreased glycogen, ATP and creatine phosphate and increased lactate in muscle after exercise. The two fractions of glycogen contributed equally to glycogenolysis, 48% and 52% of total glycogen degradation for PG and MG respectively. A study was also performed to determine the degradation and resynthesis of PG and MG in skeletal muscle after intermittent exercise on a slope. At a training camp well trained Standardbreds performed a training session comprising a warm up period, seven repeated 500 m bouts of uphill exercise and a recovery period. Muscle biopsies were taken at rest, at the end of exercise and 1, 4, 8, 24, 48 and 78 hours post exercise. The exercise caused degradation in MG that was twice as large as for PG. The rate of glycogen resynthesis during 1 to 24 hours post exercise was higher for MG than PG. The rate of muscle glycogen synthesis thereafter was slower and did not differ between MG and PG up to 72 hours. The last study was conducted in order to determine PG, MG, glucose and glucose-6phosphate (G-6-P) in skeletal muscle of horses with polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) before and after light exercise. Horses with PSSM completed repeated intervals of 2 minutes of walking followed by 2 minutes of trotting until muscle cramping developed. Untrained control horses performed a similar exercise test for up to 20 minutes. Before exercise muscle glycogen concentrations were 1.5, 2.2 and 1.7 times higher for PG, MG and total glycogen respectively in PSSM horses compared to control horses. No changes in total glycogen, PG, MG, G-6-P and lactate were found after exercise. However, free glucose concentration increased in skeletal muscle in PSSM horses after exercise indicating that glucose uptake in skeletal muscle is augumented after light exercise.
Clinical applications of mesenchymal stem cells

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are self-renewing, multipotent progenitor cells with multilineage potential to differentiate into cell types of mesodermal origin, such as adipocytes, osteocytes, and chondrocytes. In addition, MSCs can migrate to sites of inflammation and exert potent immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory effects through interactions between lymphocytes associated with both the innate and adaptive immune system. Along with these unique therapeutic properties, their ease of accessibility and expansion suggest that use of MSCs may be a useful therapeutic approach for various disorders. In the clinical setting, MSCs are being explored in trials of various conditions, including orthopedic injuries, graft versus host disease following bone marrow transplantation, cardiovascular diseases, autoimmune diseases, and liver diseases. Furthermore, genetic modification of MSCs to overexpress antitumor genes has provided prospects for clinical use as anticancer therapy. Here, we highlight the currently reported uses of MSCs in clinical trials and discuss their efficacy as well as their limitations.
Zebrafish MiR-430 Promotes Deadenylation and Clearance of Maternal mRNAs

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) comprise 1 to 3% of all vertebrate genes, but their in vivo functions and mechanisms of action remain largely unknown. Zebrafish miR-430 is expressed at the onset of zygotic transcription and regulates morphogenesis during early development. By using a microarray approach and in vivo target validation, we find that miR-430 directly regulates several hundred target messenger RNA molecules (mRNAs). Most targets are maternally expressed mRNAs that accumulate in the absence of miR-430. We also show that miR-430 accelerates the deadenylation of target mRNAs. These results suggest that miR-430 facilitates the deadenylation and clearance of maternal mRNAs during early embryogenesis.
Atherosclerosis and Inflammation

Is atherosclerosis an inflammatory disease that can occur even in the presence of “low” or “healthy” plasma concentrations of cholesterol, as Gary Taubes' article “Does inflammation cut to the heart of the matter? ” (News Focus, 12 April, p. [242][1]) implies? The answer lies in what
Determination of factors affecting kinetics of solid-state transformation of fluconazole polymorph II to polymorph I using diffuse reflectance Fourier transform spectroscopy

Background: It was of interest to investigate the factors affecting kinetics of transformation of fluconazole polymorph II (the metastable form) to fluconazole polymorph I (the stable form) using diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS). Method: Fluconazole polymorphs I and II both were prepared by crystallization in dichloromethane. The two forms were characterized using differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, solubility, and DRIFTS. Transformation of polymorph II to polymorph I was also studied under different isothermal temperatures using DRIFTS. Kinetic analyses of the data were done using model-dependent and model-independent methods. Eighteen solid-state reaction models were used to interpret the experimental results. Results: Based on statistics, the Prout–Tompkins model provided the best fit for the transformation. The activation energy (Ea) value derived from the rate constants of the Prout–Tompkins model was 329 kJ/mol. Model-independent analysis was also applied to the experimental results. The average values calculated using both methods were not significantly different. Factors affecting kinetics of transformation such as mechanical factors, relative humidity, and the effect of seeding were also studied. Mechanical factors, which included trituration and compression, proved to enhance transformation rate significantly. Relative humidity proved to transform both polymorphs to monohydrate form. The presence of seed crystals of polymorph I was proved not to affect the transformation process of polymorph II to polymorph I. Effect of solvent of crystallization (dichloromethane) was studied. A significant change of the rate of transformation was proved in the presence of solvent vapors, and a change on the mechanism was proposed.
Validation of the Insomnia Severity Index in Primary Care

Background: Although insomnia is a prevalent complaint with significant consequences on quality of life, health, and health care utilization, it often remains undiagnosed and untreated in primary care settings. Brief, reliable, and valid instruments are needed to facilitate screening for insomnia in general practice. This study examined psychometric indices of the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) to identify individuals with clinically significant insomnia in primary care settings. Methods: A sample of 410 patients recruited from 6 general medical clinics completed the ISI before their appointment with a primary care physician. A subsample of 101 individuals also completed a semistructured clinical interview by telephone to determine the presence or absence of an insomnia disorder. Reliability and validity indices were computed, as was the discriminative capacity of each individual item. Convergence between ISI total score and the diagnosis derived from the interview was investigated. Receiver operator characteristic analyses were used to determine the optimal ISI cutoff score that correctly identified individuals with an insomnia disorder. Results: ISI internal consistency was excellent (Cronbach α = 0.92), and each individual item showed adequate discriminative capacity (r = 0.65–0.84). The area under the receiver operator characteristic curve was 0.87 and suggested that a cutoff score of 14 was optimal (82.4% sensitivity, 82.1% specificity, and 82.2% agreement) for detecting clinical insomnia. Agreement between the ISI cut score and the diagnostic interview was moderate (κ = 0.62). Conclusions: These findings suggest that the ISI is a valid screening instrument for detecting insomnia among patients consulting in primary care settings.