Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Analysis of topical cyclosporine treatment of patients with dry eye syndrome: effect on conjunctival lymphocytes.

OBJECTIVE To study the effect of topical cyclosporine on lymphocyte activation within the conjunctiva of patients with moderate to severe dry eye syndrome (Sjögren and non-Sjögren). METHODS Biopsy specimens were obtained at baseline and after 6 months of cyclosporine treatment from eyes of 32 patients with moderate to severe dry eye syndrome; 19 were cyclosporine treated (0.05% cyclosporine, n = 13; 0.1% cyclosporine, n = 6) and 13 were vehicle treated. Within this group there were 12 with Sjögren syndrome and 20 with non-Sjögren syndrome. Biopsy tissue was analyzed using immunohistochemical localization of binding of monoclonal antibodies to lymphocytic markers CD3, CD4, and CD8 as well as lymphocyte activation markers CD11a and HLA-DR. RESULTS In cyclosporine-treated eyes, biopsy results of conjunctivae showed decreases in the number of cells positive for CD3, CD4, and CD8, while in vehicle-treated eyes, results showed increases in these markers, although these differences were not statistically significant. Following treatment with 0.05% cyclosporine, there was a significant decrease in the number of cells expressing the lymphocyte activation markers CD11a (P<.05) and HLA-DR (P<.05), indicating less activation of lymphocytes as compared with vehicle treatment. Within the Sjögren patient subgroup, those treated with 0.05% cyclosporine also showed a significant decrease in the number of cells positive for CD11a (P<.001) as well as CD3 (P<.03), indicating a reduction in number of activated lymphocytes. CONCLUSION Treatment of dry eye syndrome with topical cyclosporine significantly reduced the numbers of activated lymphocytes within the conjunctiva. Arch Ophthalmol. 2000;118:1489-1496
Oral Anticoagulants With Dual Antiplatelet Therapy Versus Clopidogrel in Patients After Percutaneous Coronary Intervention: A Meta-Analysis

Background: In patients on oral anticoagulation (OAC), dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) is often indicated after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Areas of Uncertainty: We sought to investigate the effects of triple antithrombotic therapy (TT) versus dual therapy (DT) with OAC and clopidogrel on all-cause mortality, cardiovascular death, major bleeding, myocardial infarction (MI), stroke, and stent thrombosis. Data Sources: We systematically searched on MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL for randomized controlled or cohort studies, which investigated the comparative effects of TT versus DT. We performed a meta-analysis of 6 studies (1 randomized control study and 5 cohort studies). Results: The included studies enrolled 7259 patients; 4630 (63.8%) were on TT and 2629 (36.2%) were on DT. The average follow-up time was 1.4 years. No significant differences were found between TT and DT in all-cause mortality (P = 0.70; I2 = 64%), stent thrombosis (P = 0.41), myocardial infarction (P = 0.43; I2 = 0%), stroke (P = 0.36; I2 = 0%), and major bleeding (P = 0.43; I2 = 0%). Conclusions: In patients who are on OAC with vitamin K antagonist and underwent percutaneous coronary intervention, no significant differences were found in mortality, ischemic, and hemorrhagic complications between the patients treated with TT and DT. Thus, tailored treatment based on individual thromboembolic and bleeding risk might be the most reasonable approach in these patients.
ATP2B1 and blood pressure: from associations to pathophysiology

Purpose of review Recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revealed that the ATP2B1 gene is associated with hypertension not only in people of European origin, but also in Japanese, Chinese, and Koreans. However, ATP2B1 has never been considered to be a candidate gene for essential hypertension. Thus, this review summarizes the findings obtained in GWAS regarding the role of the ATP2B1 gene in essential hypertension, as well as recent suggestions about the mechanisms responsible for the effects of the ATP2B1 gene on calcium homeostasis. We also review the findings of studies involving spontaneously hypertensive rats and tissue-specific ATP2B1 knockout mice examining the effects of ATP2B1 on hypertension. Recent findings The ATP2B1 gene has been revealed to be a hypertension-susceptibility gene in large-scale GWAS studies. Meta-analysis of the ATP2B1 gene polymorphisms associated with hypertension confirmed that ATP2B1 is significantly associated with hypertension in East Asians. Moreover, vascular smooth muscle cell ATP2B1 knockout mice exhibited high blood pressure in radio telemetry-based experiments. Summary The ATP2B1 gene has been demonstrated to have a strong influence on blood pressure. Detailed analysis of tissue-specific knockout mice is expected to further confirm the role of ATP2B1 in the near future.
From equator to pole: splitting chromosomes in mitosis and meiosis

During eukaryotic cell division, chromosomes must be precisely partitioned to daughter cells. This relies on a mechanism to move chromosomes in defined directions within the parental cell. While sister chromatids are segregated from one another in mitosis and meiosis II, specific adaptations enable the segregation of homologous chromosomes during meiosis I to reduce ploidy for gamete production. Many of the factors that drive these directed chromosome movements are known, and their molecular mechanism has started to be uncovered. Here we review the mechanisms of eukaryotic chromosome segregation, with a particular emphasis on the modifications that ensure the segregation of homologous chromosomes during meiosis I.
Encoding properties of haltere neurons enable motion feature detection in a biological gyroscope

The halteres of dipteran insects are essential sensory organs for flight control. They are believed to detect Coriolis and other inertial forces associated with body rotation during flight. Flies use this information for rapid flight control. We show that the primary afferent neurons of the haltere’s mechanoreceptors respond selectively with high temporal precision to multiple stimulus features. Although we are able to identify many stimulus features contributing to the response using principal component analysis, predictive models using only two features, common across the cell population, capture most of the cells’ encoding activity. However, different sensitivity to these two features permits each cell to respond to sinusoidal stimuli with a different preferred phase. This feature similarity, combined with diverse phase encoding, allows the haltere to transmit information at a high rate about numerous inertial forces, including Coriolis forces.
Neurotoxicity of Acute Glutamate Transport Blockade Depends on Coactivation of Both NMDA and AMPA/Kainate Receptors in Organotypic Hippocampal Cultures

Excessive activation of glutamate receptors is neurotoxic, contributing to brain injury caused by cerebral ischemia. The pharmacology of glutamate neurotoxicity is difficult to study in animals because it is efficiently cleared from the extracellular space by a family of glutamate transporters. We have investigated the receptor specificity of endogenous glutamate's toxic effects in organotypic cultures of the hippocampus by acute blockade of these transporters. The organotypic cultures used in these transporters. The organotypic cultures used in these experiments preserve the intrinsic connections and regional differentiation of the hippocampus in long term culture and may more closely reproduce the pharmacology of the mature brain region. Membrane injury was measured with digital fluorescence imaging of the vital dye, propidium iodide, 24 h after a 30-min exposure to glutamate receptor agonists or to antagonists of glutamate transport. Confirming our previous results, bath-applied, exogenous glutamate caused dose-dependent neuronal injury. Glutamate was less potent than the selective agonists NMDA, AMPA, and quisqualate. Blockade of glutamate transport with the selective antagonists threo-hydroxy-aspartate and pyrrolidine-dicarboxylic acid also caused dose-dependent neuronal injury. Endogenous or exogenous glutamate toxicity was caused by a coactivation of both NMDA and AMPA/kainate receptors; blockade of either was sufficient to substantially prevent neuronal injury. Protective effects of combined application of antagonists were generally less than additive. We conclude that AMPA/kainate receptors play a more prominent role in glutamate neurotoxicity in organotypic cultures than in dissociated cortical or hippocampal cultures, acting together with NMDA receptors to cause neuronal injury.
Serial Changes in Atrial Natriuretic Peptide and Endothelin-1 Concentrations

Aim: The study was designed to assess temporal changes in atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and endothelin-1 (ET) concentrations in patients hospitalized for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and their relationships to cardiac performance determined by radionuclide ventriculography. Patients and Methods: 20 patients with first AMI were studied. Blood samples were drawn within the first 4–18 h, after 18–24 h, and on days 2, 3 and 6. Plasma concentrations of ANP and ET were measured in blood samples taken simultaneously. Radionuclide ventriculography was performed on the day of discharge to determine left-ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left-ventricular end-diastolic volume index, end-systolic volume index and left-ventricular stroke volume index. Results: Median concentrations of ET decreased from 2.15 pmol/l on admission to 1.45 pmol/l at discharge (32%, p < 0.001). Median ANP rose from 29 to 79 pg/ml (172%, p < 0.001). The increment in ANP and the decrease in ET concentrations from admission to discharge was inversely correlated (r = –0.81, p < 0.005). ANP was inversely correlated to LVEF (r = –0.82, p < 0.001) and to the end-systolic volume index at discharge (r = –0.73, p < 0.003). Conclusion: Dynamic and inverse fluctuations in ET and ANP occur within the 1st week of AMI. The magnitude of endocrine activation in the ANP-ET system seems to reflect an impairment in the left-ventricular systolic performance.
Experience on endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography at tertiary referral center in Thailand: risks and complications.

BACKGROUND Several complications from ERCP have been described, including pancreatitis, hemorrhage, perforation, and cholangitis. The actual incidences and risk factors in Thailand have never been analyzed. MATERIAL AND METHOD The authors retrospectively reviewed the outcome of ERCP at Chulalongkorn University Hospital between September 2000 and December 2002. Potential risk factors were statistically assessed. RESULTS The incidence of post-ERCP pancreatitis, hemorrhage, perforation and cholangitis was 3.6%, 2.1%, 1.2% and 6%, respectively. Risk factors of pancreatitis were the suspected diagnosis of sphincter of Oddi dysfunction and pancreatic interventions, especially through minor papilla. Prophylactic pancreatic duct stent prior to precut sphincterotomy may reduce the incidence of pancreatitis. Hemorrhage was associated with duodenal diverticulum. The incidence of cholangitis was higher in biliary duct dilation and cholangiocarcinoma, especially hilar involvement. CONCLUSION Incidence of these complications was comparable to international series with similar risk factors. Cholangitis developed more frequently probably due to a higher incidence of cholangiocarcinoma.
Evaluation of serum transforming growth factor β1 and C-reactive protein levels in migraine patients.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Migraine is a frequent form of head-ache. Although many mechanisms describing onset of migraine with and without visual aura have been suggested, the aetiology of migraine headaches is still not clear. Neurogenic inflammation may play a key role in the development of migraine headaches. We evaluated the discriminative power of serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) in patients who presented to our clinic with migraine headaches with or without visual aura. MATERIAL AND METHODS We designed a prospective case-control study of 51 patients with migraine (27 with migraine with aura and 24 with migraine without aura; all had headache) and compared them with 27 healthy subjects during the study period. Demographic and clinical characteristics recorded were age, sex, marital status, occupation, characteristics of headache, laboratory values, and serum CRP and TGF-β1 levels. Statistical analyses used Student t-test, the χ2 test, and ANOVA followed by the post-hoc Bonferroni test for multiple comparisons. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC)-curve analysis for CRP and TGF-β1 was also conducted. RESULTS There was no difference between the groups in terms of demographic characteristics, marital status, and socioeconomic status. Statistically, white blood cell levels, serum glucose levels, triglyceride levels, high-density lipoprotein levels, and serum CRP and TGF-β1 were significantly higher in patients with migraine (p < 0.05). The ROC curve results in this study identified that CRP and TGF-β1 may discriminate patients who have different types of migraine headache. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that serum CRP and TGF-β1 levels may be diagnostic factors to differentiate migraine patients with and without aura. These findings show that neurogenic inflammation may have a role in the aetiology of migraines.
Biodegradable polymeric scaffolds for musculoskeletal tissue engineering.

Biodegradable scaffolds have played an important role in a number of tissue engineering attempts over the past decade. The goal of this review article is to provide a brief overview of some of the important issues related to scaffolds fabricated from synthetic biodegradable polymers. Various types of such materials are available; some are commercialized and others are still in the laboratories. The properties of the most common of these polymers are discussed here. A variety of fabrication techniques were developed to fashion polymeric materials into porous scaffolds, and a selection of these is presented. The very important issue of scaffold architecture, including the topic of porosity and permeability, is discussed. Other areas such as cell growth on scaffolds, surface modification, scaffold mechanics, and the release of growths factors are also reviewed. A summary outlining the common themes in scaffold-related science that are found in the literature is presented.
Targeting tumor hypoxia in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an endemic head and neck cancer in Southeast Asia. Although concurrent chemoradiotherapy generally results in good clinical response for early diseases, posttreatment relapse and distant metastasis are major causes for NPC deaths. There is an urgent need for more effective therapies for advanced NPC. Recent studies have demonstrated tumor hypoxia can be a therapeutic target in NPC.
Scattering from a Building with Random Distribution of Windows on its Face

Scattering from buildings with doors and windows on the building faces and gaps in between the adjacent buildings is analyzed. Such a building is modelled as randomly distributed conducting screens/strips of finite width and of arbitrary length representing the wall surface and slits representing windows, doors or gaps between the buildings. These randomly distributed strips are illuminated by a line source and current induced on the surface of the strips and the scattered field within the microcell using method of moments (MoM) is calculated. A Monte Carlo simulation is carried out to find the field at the observation point (i.e. receiver) for an ensemble of randomly generated walls. Results obtained via MoM are compared with the field comprising line of sight and reflected field and it is observed that diffraction from the edges of the strips has a major contribution in the total field at the receiver. It is concluded that for future wireless communication such contribution should be counted for in the propagation prediction models
Constraint in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty

Abstract Instability is an important cause of failure following total knee arthroplasty. Increasing component constraint may reduce instability, but doing so also can cause increased forces to be transmitted to fixation and implant interfaces, which may lead to premature aseptic loosening. Constraint is defined as the effect of the elements of knee implant design that provides the stability needed to counteract forces about the knee after arthroplasty in the presence of a deficient soft‐tissue envelope. Determining the amount of constraint necessary can be challenging. Most primary total knee arthroplasties are performed for knees without substantial deformity or the need for difficult ligament balancing; in these cases, either a posterior‐stabilized or a posterior cruciate‐retaining design is appropriate. In certain situations, such as patients with prior patellectomies, rheumatoid arthritis, or substantial preoperative deformities, a posterior‐stabilized knee may be favored. With their large posts, varus‐valgus constrained implants typically are reserved for patients with substantial coronal plane instability, which is difficult to balance with a posterior‐stabilized or cruciate‐retaining implant alone. Rotatinghinge knee implants usually are recommended for patients with severe deformity or instability that cannot be managed with a varus‐valgus implant.
STBCs with orthogonal decoder for highly time-selective channels

We present bit-error-rate (BER) analyses of Orthogonal Space-Time Block Codes (O-STBCs) and their modified version (MO-STBCs) combined with the Orthogonal Decoder (OD) over uncorrelated and time-selective fading channels of generalized statistics. First, we quantify the effective diversity achieved by STBCs (O-STBCs and MO-STBCs) by resorting to a statistical characterization of the diversity gain of both schemes with OD. We, then, expand the theoretical BER expressions of O-STBCs, derived for the block fading channels, to MO-STBCs with OD in a more practical time-selective fading channel with Gray-code-mapped M-ary phase-shift-keying (PSK) modulation and M-ary quadratic-amplitude modulation (QAM). Moreover, through our BER expressions, we pinpoint the relationship between the effective diversity and BER performance of STBCs with OD, which elucidates the reason why MO-STBCs with OD architecture is very robust to the highly time-selective fading expected in 4th Generation Wireless Networks (4G). Finally, the theoretical results in conformity with the simulated ones demonstrates the accuracy of our analysis.
Abuse of elderly people by their carers.

OBJECTIVE--To assess the prevalence of abuse of elderly people by their carers and the characteristics of abusers and the abused. DESIGN--Information on abuse and risk factors was collected over six months from carers and patients. Risk factors were identified in the abused group and compared with those in a non-abused control group. SETTING--Carers were interviewed at home; patients were examined in the wards of Putney and Barnes geriatric hospitals, London. SUBJECTS--All patients referred from any source for respite care to the geriatric services over a six month period and their carers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Amount of physical and verbal abuse or neglect. Quantification of risk factors and correlation with the presence or absence of abuse. RESULTS--45% Of carers openly admitted to some form of abuse. Few patients admitted abuse. The most significant risk factor for physical abuse was alcohol consumption by the carer (p less than 0.001). Other significant risk factors were a poor pre-morbid relationship and previous abuse over many years. Abuse was often reciprocated and was associated with social dysfunction in many patients. Service delivery, respite care, and level of mental and physical disability were not significantly associated with abuse. CONCLUSION--The high level of abuse found in elderly patients in respite care was particularly associated with alcohol abuse and long term relationships of poor quality, which are difficult to change. Even with increased provision of services, care in the community may not be the best solution for these people.
Basic aspects of partial discharge on-site testing of long length transmission power cables

More and more transmission power cable circuits with lengths up to several tens of kilometers will be installed and put into operation. This contribution discusses basic aspects of selecting an on-site test voltage and the partial discharge measurement under on-site testing conditions of power cable lines with long length. On the one side, the generation of suitable test voltages for high capacitive loads, especially long cables, is evaluated and experiences of on-site measurements are described. On the other hand, the challenges for sensitive partial discharge measurement on long length power cables are discussed. Under this scope, partial discharge measurement by dual-sided measurement technique is described and examples are shown.
Value of the Texture Feature for Solitary Pulmonary Nodules and Mass Lesions Based on PET/CT

Abstract&#12305;Objective The aim of this study was to explore the clinical value of the combination of prior knowledge of physicians and texture features for differentiation of malignant from benign solitary pulmonary nodules(SPNs) and mass lesions based on 18F-FDG PET/CT.Methods 143 patients with known solitary pulmonary nodule or mass were enrolled in the study. All the patients underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT examination.Two physicians judged the benign and malignant lesions of lung and the skewness, Angular Second Moment(ASM) and coarseness of PET/CT fusion images were measured. All patients were verified by pathological results or follow-up imagings after treatments.Results 106 patients were found to have malignant tumors and 37 patients were found with benign lesions.The sensitivity of prior knowledge&#65292;texture feature and combination of the two methods for diagnosis of pulmonary lesions were 88.7&#65285;,84.9&#65285;and 96.2%,respectively. Conclusion The result implies that combined texture feature of PET/ CT images may has potential to discriminate benign and malignant lesions and make up for deficiencies in individual parameters,and that the combination of the two methods generates better discrimination results than using one modality alone and plays a positive role for discrimination between benign and malignant lesions at present situation.