Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prediction of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbation using physiological time series patterns

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Recent clinical research has indicated a strong association between physiological homeostasis and the onset of COPD exacerbation. Thus the analysis of these variables may yield a means of predicting a COPD exacerbation in the near future. However, the accuracy of existing prediction methods based on statistical analysis of periodic snapshots of physiological variables is still far from satisfactory, due to lack of integration of long-term and interactive effects of the physiological variables. Therefore, developing a relatively accurate method for predicting COPD exacerbation is an outstanding challenge. In this paper, a regression-based machine learning technique was developed, using trend pattern variables extracted from COPD patients' longitudinal physiological records, to classify subjects into “low-risk” and “high-risk” categories, indicating their risk of suffering a COPD exacerbation event. Experimental results from cross validation assessment of the classifier model show an average accuracy of 79.27% using this method.
A Temporal Mining Framework for Classifying Un-Evenly Spaced Clinical Data

Summary Background Clinical time-series data acquired from electronic health records (EHR) are liable to temporal complexities such as irregular observations, missing values and time constrained attributes that make the knowledge discovery process challenging. Objective This paper presents a temporal rough set induced neuro-fuzzy (TRiNF) mining framework that handles these complexities and builds an effective clinical decision-making system. TRiNF provides two functionalities namely temporal data acquisition (TDA) and temporal classification. Method In TDA, a time-series forecasting model is constructed by adopting an improved double exponential smoothing method. The forecasting model is used in missing value imputation and temporal pattern extraction. The relevant attributes are selected using a temporal pattern based rough set approach. In temporal classification, a classification model is built with the selected attributes using a temporal pattern induced neuro-fuzzy classifier. Result For experimentation, this work uses two clinical time series dataset of hepatitis and thrombosis patients. The experimental result shows that with the proposed TRiNF framework, there is a significant reduction in the error rate, thereby obtaining the classification accuracy on an average of 92.59% for hepatitis and 91.69% for thrombosis dataset. Conclusion The obtained classification results prove the efficiency of the proposed framework in terms of its improved classification accuracy.
TRIM14 is a mitochondrial adaptor that facilitates retinoic acid-inducible gene-I–like receptor-mediated innate immune response

Significance The innate immune system plays a key role in host defense that involves the detection of microbial components and a series of signaling events that lead to production of interferons and cytokines. Recently, the identification of mitochondrial antiviral-signaling (MAVS) protein placed mitochondria at the forefront of the innate immune response against virus infection. However, how the MAVS signaling complex is assembled and regulated on the mitochondria outer membrane is only partially understood. Here we show that tripartite motif 14 (TRIM14) facilitates the assembly of the MAVS complex assembly. Upon virus infection, TRIM14 recruits NF-κB essential modulator (NEMO) to the MAVS complex via ubiquitin chains. Knockdown of TRIM14 disrupts the MAVS–NEMO association and attenuates the antiviral response. Our results thus provide a missing link in MAVS-mediated innate immune signaling. Innate immunity provides the first line of host defense against invading microbial pathogens. This defense involves retinoic acid-inducible gene-I–like receptors that detect viral RNA and activate the mitochondrial antiviral-signaling (MAVS) protein, an adaptor protein, leading to activation of the innate antiviral immune response. The mechanisms by which the MAVS signalosome assembles on mitochondria are only partially understood. Here, we identify tripartite motif 14 (TRIM14) as a mediator in the immune response against viral infection. TRIM14 localizes to the outer membrane of mitochondria and interacts with MAVS. Upon viral infection, TRIM14 undergoes Lys-63–linked polyubiquitination at Lys-365 and recruits NF-κB essential modulator to the MAVS signalosome, leading to the activation of both the IFN regulatory factor 3 and NF-κB pathways. Knockdown of TRIM14 disrupts the association between NF-κB essential modulator and MAVS and attenuates the antiviral response. Our results indicate that TRIM14 is a component of the mitochondrial antiviral immunity that facilitates the immune response mediated by retinoic acid-inducible gene-I–like receptors.
Parabrachial nucleus projection towards the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus: Electrophysiological and anatomical observations in the rat

It has been proposed that the pontine parabrachial nucleus (PBN) participates in the regulation of body fluid balance and the release of vasopressin from the neurohypophysis, although the pathways mediating the latter response are uncertain. This study in the rat, utilizing anatomical and electrophysiological methods, describes a projection from the lateral PBN towards the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus (SON). Rats received iontophoretic injections of the anterograde tracer Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA‐L, 2% solution). After 14–17 days, rats were sacrificed and their brains prepared for immunofluorescent visualization of projections to the SON region. PHA‐L‐labelled terminals were found primarily in perinuclear regions immediately dorsal to the SON. In contrast, injections within the medial PBN and the nearby Kölliker‐Fuse nucleus did not reveal labelling in or around the SON. Extracellular recordings from 86 of 118 antidromically identified neurons in anaesthetized rats revealed a set of complex synaptic responses after stimulation in the PBN. Excitatory responses (in 82 of 86 cells) of short (< 100 msec, 39/82 cells) and long (> 100 msec, 43/82) duration were observed in both vasopressin‐ and oxytocin‐secreting cells of the SON, while 4/86 cells displayed a depressant response to PBN stimulation. In the adjacent perinuclear zone, 22/39 nonneurosecretory cells responded with an increase in their excitability consequent to an identical stimulus. These data suggest a predominantly facilitatory influence of lateral PBN neurons on SON neurosecretory cells in the rat, and that the PBN‐SON projection is an indirect one that utilizes an interneuronal network located in the perinuclear zone adjacent to the SON.
Superior Labral Tears of the Shoulder: Pathogenesis, Evaluation, and Treatment

&NA; Lesions of the superior glenoid labrum and biceps anchor are a well‐recognized cause of shoulder pain. Advances in shoulder arthroscopy have led to improvements in recognizing and managing superior labral anterior‐posterior (SLAP) tears. Recent biomechanical studies have postulated several theories for the pathogenesis of SLAP tears in throwing athletes and the effect of these injuries on normal shoulder kinematics. Advances in softtissue imaging techniques have resulted in improved accuracy in diagnosing SLAP tears. However, the diagnosis of clinically relevant SLAP tears remains challenging because of the lack of specific examination findings and the frequency of concomitant shoulder injuries. Definitive diagnosis of suspected SLAP tears is confirmed on arthroscopic examination. Advances in surgical techniques have made it possible to achieve secure repair in selected patterns of injury. Recent outcomes studies have shown predictably good functional results and an acceptable rate of return to sport and/or work with arthroscopic treatment of SLAP tears.
Retention factors for participants of an inner-city community-based asthma intervention study.

Participant retention is a significant challenge for asthma field trials examining the effectiveness of prevention strategies in inner-city communities. Here, the authors evaluate factors associated with participant retention in an inner-city, pediatric, asthma intervention trial in Atlanta, Georgia, during 1998-2000. Demographic, clinical, residential, personnel, and logistical variables were analyzed by chi-square and Wilcoxon rank sum nonparametric tests to compare children who remained in the asthma study with those who were dropped. Of the 489 participants, 486 (99%) were African-American, 467 (96%) were non-Hispanic, 281 (57%) were male, and 142 (29%) remained in the study. Of the 347 dropouts, 149 (43%) were dropped because of missing study visits. Retention rates were significantly higher (P<.05) for participants enrolled in the second year of the study (2nd yr=43%, 1st yr=19%), for those who lived longer at the same residence (> or = 3 yrs=36%, 2-3 yrs=26%, 1-<2 yr=22%), and for those enrolled during a face-to-face follow-up home visit, rather than at the emergency department (ED) (follow-up=38%, ED=27%). Neither sex nor enrollment season were associated with retention. These findings underscore the importance of performing a comprehensive pilot study and considering a home residency period for participant enrollment eligibility, along with alternative study methods that take into account the challenges of retaining participants.
TIPS with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene-covered stent: results of an Italian multicenter study.

OBJECTIVE Our objective is to describe the results of a multicenter prospective trial on the safety and efficacy of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS) using the Viatorr stent-graft. SUBJECTS AND METHODS From 2001 to 2003, 114 patients (75 men and 39 women; mean age, 59.3 years) with portal hypertension underwent TIPS with the Viatorr stent-graft. Indications for treatment were variceal bleeding (n = 49, 43.0%), refractory ascites (n = 52, 45.6%), hypertensive gastropathy (n = 10, 8.8%), Budd-Chiari syndrome (n = 1, 0.9%), and hepatorenal syndrome (n = 2, 1.7%). Eight patients (7.0%) had Child-Pugh class A cirrhosis; 60 (52.6%), Child-Pugh class B; and 46 (40.4%), Child-Pugh class C. Patients were monitored by color Doppler sonography and phlebography. RESULTS The procedure was successful in 113 (99.1%) of 114 patients; in one patient, creation of the track was not feasible. The mean portosystemic pressure gradient decreased from 21.8 to 8.7 mm Hg. Three minor immediate complications (2.6%) occurred (two cases of self-limiting hemoperitoneum and one extrahepatic portal puncture requiring covered stenting). At a mean follow-up of 11.9 months, the overall mortality rate was 31.0% (35/113), with a 30-day mortality rate of 8.8% (10/113). Mortality was significantly higher in patients in Child-Pugh class C with refractory ascites and with post-procedural encephalopathy. Cumulative primary patency rates were 91.9%, 79.9%, and 75.9% at 6, 12, and 24 months' follow-up, respectively. Restenosis occurred in 15 patients (13.3%) within the stent (n = 8, 53.3%) or at the ends of the portal (n = 1, 6.7%) or hepatic (n = 6, 40%) veins and was solved by percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (n = 11), stenting (n = 3), or parallel TIPS (n = 1). The secondary patency rate was 98.2%. Post-procedural encephalopathy occurred in 27 patients (23.9%). CONCLUSION The Viatorr stent-graft is safe and effective in TIPS creation, with high primary patency rates. Covering the entire track up to the inferior vena cava can increase patency.
Mechanical and Electrophysiological Effects of Preconditioning in Isolated Ischemic/Reperfused Rat Hearts

Changes in action potential duration (APD) were studied during ischemic/reperfusion injury preceded or not by preconditioning in isolated rat hearts. Hearts were perfused on a Langendorff apparatus with Krebs-Henseleit carbonate buffer and submitted to 25-min global low-flow ischemia (coronary flow, 0.3 mol x min-1) followed by 30-min reperfusion. In hearts that had been preconditioned, two intermittent periods of total ischemia for 5 min each, separated by 5-min reflow, were performed before low-flow ischemia. At the end of the ischemic period, APs were significantly prolonged in nonpreconditioned hearts; this prolongation was abolished by preconditioning. Moreover, preconditioning increased the recovery of the contractile function. Therefore, ischemia can widen APD. The results also showed that in rats, preconditioning can be produced in a manner qualitatively similar to preconditioning in other species. Verapamil (3 x 10(-9) mol x min(-1)) or 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, 3 x 10(-6) mol x min(-1)) applied exclusively during low-flow ischemia significantly improved postischemic contractile function in nonpreconditioned hearts (25.9 +/- 4.4. and 37.9 +/- 2.4 vs. 12.9 +/- 5.3%, respectively) as well as in preconditioned hearts (61.8 +/- 4.2 and 55.5 +/- 4.7 vs. 36.0 +/- 1.4%, respectively). With verapamil, this protection was associated with a decrease in APD at 90% of repolarization in the nonpreconditioned hearts (APD90 32.2 +/- 0.1 vs. 71.1 +/- 6.7 ms at the end of ischemia). With 4-AP, this same protection was associated with an increase in APD in the preconditioned hearts (APD90 67.7 +/- 0.7 vs. 48.5 +/- 2.6 ms at the end of ischemia). Both agents given during a 25-min ischemic challenge improved myocardial recovery in nonpreconditioned and preconditioned hearts, despite discordant effects on the AP. Furthermore, the action of these agents was cumulative with the effect of preconditioning.
Comparison of 2‐year clinical outcomes with sirolimus and paclitaxel‐eluting stents for patients with diabetes: Results of the Registro Regionale AngiopLastiche Emilia‐Romagna Registry

Background: Long‐term outcomes of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) with sirolimus‐eluting stents (SES) compared to paclitaxel‐eluting‐stents (PES) in unselected diabetics in routine practice is still debated. Objective: This study compared the 2‐year incidence of MACE (all‐cause mortality, nonfatal myocardial infarction and target vessel revascularization) of SES and PES in a real‐world setting of patients with diabetes. Design: Observational, multicenter, nonrandomized study. Setting: Prospective web‐based registry (REAL Registry; study period, 2002–2005) comprising all 13 hospitals performing PCI. Patients: Among the 945 eligible patients treated with either SES alone (n = 606) or PES alone (n = 339), 29% were insulin‐requiring, 72% had multivessel coronary disease, 26% had prior myocardial infarction and 10% had poor left ventricular function. Measurements: Unadjusted and propensity score‐adjusted 2‐year clinical outcome. Results: After propensity score adjustment, 2‐year MACE incidence in the SES and PES groups was equivalent (23.3% vs. 23.7%, HR 1.01, 95%CI 0.72–1.42, P = 0.96). Adjusted 2‐year angiographic stent thrombosis occurred in 1.1% of the SES patients versus 2.6% of the PES patients (P = 0.15). In this large, real‐world, diabetic population treated with DES, there was no difference in outcome between SES and PES. Further studies are needed to demonstrate the long‐term safety of different types of DES in patients with diabetes. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Shp2/MAPK signaling controls goblet/paneth cell fate decisions in the intestine

Significance The mammalian intestine is covered by an extended villus epithelium that contains absorptive enterocytes and secretory cell types that are replenished from stem cells in the lower parts of crypts. Signals that control stem cells are known, but those that regulate differentiation of secretory lineages are less well understood. Here we used mouse genetics and intestinal organoid cultures to characterize the intricate signaling networks in the crypts that regulate the choice between secretory goblet and paneth cells and stem cells. MAPK suppression in the crypts increases Wnt/β-catenin signaling and promotes paneth and stem cells. High MAPK signals in the crypts decreases paneth cells and stem cells and favors goblet cell properties. Mechanistically, MAPK regulates Wnt/β-catenin signaling on the posttranslational level. In the development of the mammalian intestine, Notch and Wnt/β-catenin signals control stem cell maintenance and their differentiation into absorptive and secretory cells. Mechanisms that regulate differentiation of progenitors into the three secretory lineages, goblet, paneth, or enteroendocrine cells, are not fully understood. Using conditional mutagenesis in mice, we observed that Shp2-mediated MAPK signaling determines the choice between paneth and goblet cell fates and also affects stem cells, which express the leucine-rich repeat-containing receptor 5 (Lgr5). Ablation of the tyrosine phosphatase Shp2 in the intestinal epithelium reduced MAPK signaling and led to a reduction of goblet cells while promoting paneth cell development. Conversely, conditional mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1 (Mek1) activation rescued the Shp2 phenotype, promoted goblet cell and inhibited paneth cell generation. The Shp2 mutation also expanded Lgr5+ stem cell niches, which could be restricted by activated Mek1 signaling. Changes of Lgr5+ stem cell quantities were accompanied by alterations of paneth cells, indicating that Shp2/MAPK signaling might affect stem cell niches directly or via paneth cells. Remarkably, inhibition of MAPK signaling in intestinal organoids and cultured cells changed the relative abundance of Tcf4 isoforms and by this, promoted Wnt/β-catenin activity. The data thus show that Shp2-mediated MAPK signaling controls the choice between goblet and paneth cell fates by regulating Wnt/β-catenin activity.
ER-endosome contact sites in endosome positioning and protrusion outgrowth.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) makes abundant contacts with endosomes, and the numbers of contact sites increase as endosomes mature. It is already clear that such contact sites have diverse compositions and functions, but in this mini-review we will focus on two particular types of ER-endosome contact sites that regulate endosome positioning. Formation of ER-endosome contact sites that contain the cholesterol-binding protein oxysterol-binding protein-related protein 1L (ORP1L) is coordinated with loss of the minus-end-directed microtubule motor Dynein from endosomes. Conversely, formation of ER-endosome contact sites that contain the Kinesin-1-binding protein Protrudin results in transfer of the plus-end-directed microtubule motor Kinesin-1 from ER to endosomes. We discuss the possibility that formation of these two types of contact sites is coordinated as a 'gear-shift' mechanism for endosome motility, and we review evidence that Kinesin-1-mediated motility of late endosomes (LEs) to the cell periphery promotes outgrowth of neurites and other protrusions.
Sistemas de patriarcado y regímenes de bienestar en América Latina ¿Una cosa lleva a la otra?

Este estudio se enfoca en un tipo especifico de desigualdad, escasamente explorada de manera comparativa en nuestra region: la de genero. En que medida los rasgos principales de los mercados laborales, de las politicas publicas y de la organizacion de las familias, da cuenta de mayores o menores grados de igualdad entre hombres y mujeres?
Uptake of metals by food plants grown on soils 10 years after biosolids application

Potentially hazardous trace elements such as Cd, Cu, Cr, Ni and Zn are expected to accumulate in biosolids–amended soil and remain in the soil for a long period of time. In this research, uptake of metals by food plants including cabbage, carrot, lettuce and tomato grown on soils 10 years after biosolids application was studied. All the five metals were significantly accumulated in the biosolids-amended soils. The accumulation of metal in soil did not result in significant increase in concentrations of Cu, Cr and Ni in the edible plant tissues. However, the Cd and Zn concentrations of the edible tissues of plants harvested from the biosolids receiving soils were significantly enhanced in comparison with those of the unaffected soils. The plant uptake under Greenfield sandy loam soil was generally higher than those under the Domino clayey loam soil. The metal concentration of edible plant tissue exhibited increasing trends with respect to the concentrations of the ambulated metals. The extents of the increases were plant species dependent. The indigenous soil metals were absorbed by the plants in much higher rates than those of the biosolids–receiving soils. It appeared that the plant uptake of the indigenous soil-borne metal and the added biosolids-borne metals are independent of one another and mathematically are additive.
Glucocorticoids up‐regulate the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus

Immunoreactivity against glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was used as a dynamic index in adrenalectomized rats subjected or not to corticosterone replacement to investigate whether glucocorticoids may interact with astrocytes in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), the master component of the central circadian clock. GFAP staining in the SCN was significantly higher in rats having received implants that restored physiological plasma levels of corticosterone within diurnal or nocturnal limits than in non‐normalized rats. The effects of corticosterone were similar in the parvocellular portion of the paraventricular nucleus but were opposite in the hippocampus, another major site of negative feed‐back regulation of the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis, where a decreased GFAP staining was observed in discrete regions of the dentate gyrus. This indicates that glucocorticoids may positively or negatively regulate GFAP, depending on the target brain structure. In the SCN, that contains only few if any glucocorticoid receptors, indirect mechanisms that may involve serotoninergic neurons are probably responsible for the effects of corticosterone level. It is proposed that the corticosterone‐induced increase in GFAP staining in that nucleus accounts for dynamic changes in neurone‐astrocyte interactions that might occur in relation with natural fluctuations of glucocorticoids over the 24 h period.GLIA 29:212–221, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.