Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Both structural damage and inflammation of the spine contribute to impairment of spinal mobility in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Objective To study the relationship between spinal mobility, radiographic damage of the spine and spinal inflammation as assessed by MRI in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Methods In this subanalysis of the Ankylosing Spondylitis Study for the Evaluation of Recombinant Infliximab Therapy cohort, 214 patients, representing an 80% random sample, were investigated. Only baseline data were used. MRI inflammation was assessed by the AS spinal MRI activity (ASspiMRI-a) score, structural damage by the modified Stoke AS Spine Score (mSASSS) and spinal mobility by the linear definition of the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI). Univariate correlations were calculated on baseline values using Spearman rank correlation. Independent associations between the variables of interest were investigated by multivariate linear regression analysis. Associations with clinical disease activity, C-reactive protein, disease duration, age, gender, body mass index and HLA-B27 status were also investigated. Subanalyses were performed according to disease duration. Results BASMI correlated moderately well with mSASSS (Spearman's ρ=0.6) and weakly with ASspiMRI-a (ρ=0.3). A best-fit model for BASMI included both mSASSS (regression coefficient (B)=0.865, p<0.001) and ASspiMRI-a (B=0.236, p=0.018). In patients with a disease duration ≤3 years, B was greater for ASspiMRI-a than for mSASSS (0.595 vs 0.380), while in patients with a disease duration >3 years B was greater for mSASSS than for ASspiMRI-a (0.924 vs 0.156). Conclusion Spinal mobility impairment in AS is independently determined both by irreversible spinal damage and by reversible spinal inflammation. Spinal mobility impairment is more influenced by spinal inflammation in early disease, and by structural damage in later disease.
Dilemmas in rationing health care services: the case for implicit rationing

With tension between the demand for health services and the cost of providing them, rationing is increasingly evident in all medical systems. Until recently, rationing was primarily through the ability to pay or achieved implicitly by doctors working within fixed budgets. Such forms of rationing are commonly alleged to be inequitable and inefficient and explicit rationing is advocated as more appropriate. Utilisation management in the United States and quasi-markets separating purchasing from provision in the United Kingdom are seen as ways of using resources more efficiently and are increasingly explicit. There is also advocacy to ration explicitly at the point of service. Mechanic reviews the implications of these developments and explains why explicit approaches are likely to focus conflict and dissatisfaction and be politically unstable. Explicit rationing is unlikely to be as equitable as its proponents argue and is likely to make dissatisfaction and perceived deprivation more salient. Despite its limitations, implicit rationing at the point of service is more sensitive to the complexity of medical decisions and the needs and personal and cultural preferences of patients. All systems use a mix of rationing devices, but the clinical allocation of services should substantially depend on the discretion of professionals informed by practice guidelines, outcomes research, and other informational aids.
Linear-Processor NC Algorithms for Planar Directed Graphs I: Strongly Connected Components

Finding strongly connected components is a fundamental step in many algorithms for directed graphs. In sequential computation this problem has an optimal linear-time algorithm. In parallel computation, however, it remains an open problem whether polylogarithmic time and a linear number of processors are sufficient for computing the strongly connected components on a parallel random-access machine. This paper provides the first nontrivial partial solution to the open problem: for a planar directed graph of size n the strongly connected components can be computed deterministically in $O(\log ^3 n)$ time with ${n / {\log n}}$ processors. The algorithm runs on a parallel random-access machine that allows concurrent reads and concurrent writes in its shared memory and, in case of a write conflict, permits an arbitrary processor to succeed.
Modeling and analysis of Buck converter based on parallel current mode control strategy

In this paper, a novel control method is introduced which refers to the concept of parallel current-mode control algorithm to obtain good dynamic performance for Buck converter undergoing a rapid load change and input voltage change. The duty cycle consisting of two terms: voltage term and current term is simple for implementation . Since there are only three additions and two multiplications. Besides, the small-signal model of parallel current-mode controlled Buck converter is presented for the design of compensator to satisfy steady and dynamic requirement of the system. The simulation not only verifies the validity of the compensation, but also demonstrates that the parallel current mode control has superior performance as compared with peak mode control.
Methylation of exons 1D, 1F, and 1H of the glucocorticoid receptor gene promoter and exposure to adversity in preschool-aged children

Abstract Epigenetic modifications to the genome are a key mechanism involved in the biological encoding of experience. Animal studies and a growing body of literature in humans have shown that early adversity is linked to methylation of the gene for the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), which is a key regulator of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis as well as a broad range of physiological systems including metabolic and immune function. One hundred eighty-four families participated, including n = 74 with child welfare documentation of moderate-severe maltreatment in the past 6 months. Children ranged in age from 3 to 5 years, and were racially and ethnically diverse. Structured record review and interviews in the home were used to assess a history of maltreatment, other traumas, and contextual life stressors, and a composite variable assessed the number exposures to these adversities. Methylation of regions 1D, 1F, and 1H of the GR gene was measured via sodium bisulfite pyrosequencing. The composite measure of adversity was positively correlated with methylation at exons 1D and 1F in the promoter of the GR gene. Individual stress measures were significantly associated with a several CpG sites in these regions. GR gene methylation may be a mechanism of the biobehavioral effects of adverse exposures in young children.
IITP at EmoInt-2017: Measuring Intensity of Emotions using Sentence Embeddings and Optimized Features

This paper describes the system that we submitted as part of our participation in the shared task on Emotion Intensity (EmoInt-2017). We propose a Long short term memory (LSTM) based architecture cascaded with Support Vector Regressor (SVR) for intensity prediction. We also employ Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) based feature selection algorithm for obtaining an optimized feature set for training and evaluation. System evaluation shows interesting results on the four emotion datasets i.e. anger, fear, joy and sadness. In comparison to the other participating teams our system was ranked 5th in the competition.
Mode of action of copper complexes of some 2,2'-bipyridyl analogs on Paracoccus denitrificans

Copper complexes of 2,2'-bipyridyl and related compounds and CuSO4 inhibited the growth of paracoccus denitrificans. The copper(I) complex of 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline [Cu(DMP)2NO3] showed the highest activity, whereas the copper(II) complex of 1,10-phenanthroline and CuSO4 inhibited the growth to a lesser extent. The uncomplexed ligands (1,10-phenanthroline and 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline) showed little activity, but in the presence of noninhibitory amounts of CuSO4 this activity increased markedly. Copper ions therefore proved to be essential for the growth-inhibitor effect. The extent of inhibition appeared to be strongly dependent on the initial cell density and on the growth medium. No selective inhibition of deoxyribonucleic acid, ribonucleic acid, or protein synthesis was observed with Cu(DMP)2NO3. Respiratory electron transport of P. denitrificans appeared to be strongly inhibited by Cu(DMP)2NO3 and to a somewhat lesser extent by CuSO4. Both aerobic and anaerobic respirations were inhibited to the same extent, and from the cytochrome redox kinetics it is concluded that the site of this inhibition in the respiratory electron transport chain must be located before cytochrome b. Cu(DMP)2NO3 did not significantly influence the H+/O ratio with whole cells of P. denitrificans, suggesting that the efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation is not affected by CU(DMP)2NO3. Growing cultures of P. denitrificans showed a decrease in intracellular potassium ion content in the presence of increasing amounts of Cu(DMP)2NO3. It is concluded that interference with the cytoplasmic membrane, resulting in inhibition of respiratory electron transport, probably constitutes the main mode of action of copper complexes of 2,2'-bipyridyl analogs on P. denitrificans.
T134, a Small-Molecule CXCR4 Inhibitor, Has No Cross-Drug Resistance with AMD3100, a CXCR4 Antagonist with a Different Structure

ABSTRACT T22, an analog of polyphemusin II (18 amino acid residues), was found to block T-tropic human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) entry into target cells as a CXCR4 inhibitor. We synthesized T134, a small analog (14 amino acid residues) of T22 with reduced positive charges. T134 exhibited highly potent activity and significantly less cytotoxicity in comparison to that of T22. T134 prevents the anti-CXCR4 monoclonal antibody from binding to peripheral blood mononuclear cells but has no effect on the binding of anti-CCR5 monoclonal antibodies. Since T134 inhibits the binding of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) to MT-4 cells, it seems that T134 prevents HIV-1 entry by binding to CXCR4. The bicyclam AMD3100 has also been shown to block HIV-1 entry via CXCR4 but not via CCR5. Both T134 and AMD3100 are CXCR4 antagonists and low-molecular-weight compounds but have different structures. Our results indicate that T134 is active against wild-type T-tropic HIV-1 strains and against AMD3100-resistant strains.
A Successful Rescue of Systematic Inflammatory Response Syndrome Resulting From Severe Wound Infection

This article reports a critical case of systematic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) due to wound infection. By intensive local wound treatment including debridement, topical negative pressure, and topical antibiotics, SIRS was effectively controlled, vital signs stabilized, and the wound healed in 45 days. This case reflects the close association between wound infection and SIRS while highlighting early diagnosis of local pathology and local treatment.
Adalimumab trough concentrations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis treated with concomitant disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs

Several factors—including immunogenicity—influence pharmacokinetics of adalimumab. The formation of antidrug antibodies (ADAb) leads to lower adalimumab trough concentrations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA),1 ,2 and thus associated with a diminished clinical response.3 A previous paper demonstrated that methotrexate (MTX) had a dose-dependent effect on the percentage of patients that tested positive for ADAb against adalimumab.4 Moreover, prior research has shown that patients with RA concomitantly treated with MTX had higher adalimumab trough concentrations than patients without, which was also dose dependent, resulting in a more frequently achieved European League Against Rheumatism good response status.5 ,6 These studies suggest an additional beneficial effect of concomitant MTX therapy for patients with RA treated with adalimumab. However, in PsA, the benefit of MTX is not yet clear.7 Also, some patients do …
S-nitrosoglutathione reduces the rate of embolization in humans.

BACKGROUND Antiplatelet agents presently used in the secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease fail to prevent the majority of cases of recurrent stroke and systemic embolization. An evaluation of the efficacy of new agents is hampered by a lack of in vivo models in humans. Asymptomatic cerebral embolic signals (ES) may be detected with the use of transcranial Doppler ultrasonography. These signals are particularly common after carotid endarterectomy, and this provides a situation in which new antiplatelet agents can be evaluated. With this model, we determined the effectiveness of S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), a nitric oxide donor with relative platelet specificity, in reducing cerebral embolization. METHODS AND RESULTS Transcranial Doppler ultrasound recordings from the ipsilateral middle cerebral artery were made after carotid endarterectomy in 12 control patients and 12 patients receiving intravenous GSNO from the induction of anesthesia until 2 hours after skin closure. Recording times were 0.5 to 3.5, 6 to 7, and 24 to 25 hours after skin closure. The Doppler signal was recorded onto tape, and analysis for ES was performed, with the investigators blinded to treatment group. All patients received aspirin 300 mg/d before surgery and 5000 IU of heparin during surgery. The median (range) number of ES detected during the initial 3-hour postoperative recording was markedly reduced in the GSNO group compared with the control group: 7.5 (0 to 61) versus 38.5 (1 to 219) (P=0.018). This difference persisted until 6 hours after surgery. CONCLUSIONS Despite the administration of aspirin and heparin, frequent embolization occurred and was markedly reduced after the administration of GSNO. This demonstrates the potential use of platelet-specific nitric oxide donors in the treatment of thromboembolic disease. This model of cerebral embolism may allow determination of the effectiveness of new antiplatelet agents in humans.
Is it time to consider comorbid substance abuse as a new indication for antipsychotic drug development?

Comorbid drug abuse in schizophrenia has been consistently reported as high, with estimates ranging between 10–70%. Comorbid addictive states in schizophrenia are possibly multifactorial, yet recent research assigns a significant neurobiological role in its genesis. Abnormalities in hippocampal/cortical function in schizophrenia which mediate reward and reinforcement behavior are identified as central to the development and maintenance of comorbid addictive states. Preliminary data suggest that the vulnerability of patients with schizophrenia to substance use disorders may be a primary disease symptom. The management of comorbid substance abuse in schizophrenia relies on the use of antipsychotic medications. Recent data raise the concern about whether first-generation antipsychotics in long-term use can conversely lead to enhancement of the abused substance’s reinforcing properties. Some recent reports have assigned a favorable outcome to clozapine and second-generation antipsychotics, pointing to a possible differential role for various antipsychotics. In view of the high prevalence of comorbid drug abuse in schizophrenia, its impact on outcome of treatment and the recent emerging neurobiological information, it is my contention that comorbid drug abuse constitutes a dimension by itself and deserves to receive an indication in the development of new antipsychotics similar to negative symptoms or cognitive deficits.
Massive Black Hole Growth and Formation

I review current difficulties in understanding the origin of the supermassive black holes we now think reside in almost all normal to large galaxies. For example, it is not obvious how so much matter can be rapidly packed into such a small volume so as to produce the accreting supermassive black holes observed out to redshifts z > 6, when the Universe less than a tenth of its current age. I then discuss possible solutions to some of these difficulties. Of interest to this conference, I will try to shed some light (not very successfully) on whether these black holes reach their current masses mainly by the accretion of gas or by the merger and coalescence of smaller black holes.
Oligodendrocyte Pathophysiology and Treatment Strategies in Cerebral Ischemia

Oligodendrocytes (OLs), the myelin‐forming cells of the central nervous system, form a functional unit with axons and play a crucial role in axonal integrity. An episode of hypoxia–ischemia causes rapid and severe damage to these particularly vulnerable cells via multiple pathways such as overactivation of glutamate and ATP receptors, oxidative stress, and disruption of mitochondrial function. The cardinal effect of OL pathology is demyelination and dysmyelination, and this has profound effects on axonal function, transport, structure, metabolism, and survival. The OL is a primary target of ischemia in adult‐onset stroke and especially in periventricular leukomalacia and should be considered as a primary therapeutic target in these conditions. More emphasis is needed on therapeutic strategies that target OLs, myelin, and their receptors, as these have the potential to significantly attenuate white matter injury and to establish functional recovery of white matter after stroke. In this review, we will summarize recent progress on the role of OLs in white matter ischemic injury and the current and emerging principles that form the basis for protective strategies against OL death.
Evidence basis for using perineural dexmedetomidine to enhance the quality of brachial plexus nerve blocks: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Background. Dexmedetomidine has been proposed as a perineural local anaesthetic (LA) adjunct to prolong peripheral nerve block duration; however, results from our previous meta-analysis in the setting of brachial plexus block (BPB) did not support its use. Many additional randomized trials have since been published. We thus conducted an updated meta-analysis. Methods. Randomized trials investigating the addition of dexmedetomidine to LA compared with LA alone (Control) in BPB for upper extremity surgery were sought. Sensory and motor block duration, onset times, duration of analgesia, analgesic consumption, pain severity, patient satisfaction, and dexmedetomidine-related side-effects were analysed using random-effects modeling. We used ratio-of-means (lower confidence interval [point estimate]) for continuous outcomes. Results. We identified 32 trials (2007 patients), and found that dexmedetomidine prolonged sensory block (at least 57%, P < 0.0001), motor block (at least 58%, P < 0.0001), and analgesia (at least 63%, P < 0.0001) duration. Dexmedetomidine expedited onset for both sensory (at least 40%, P < 0.0001) and motor (at least 39%, P < 0.0001) blocks. Dexmedetomidine also reduced postoperative oral morphine consumption by 10.2mg [-15.3, -5.2] (P < 0.0001), improved pain control, and enhanced satisfaction. In contrast, dexmedetomidine increased odds of bradycardia (3.3 [0.8, 13.5](P = 0.0002)), and hypotension (5.4 [2.7, 11.0] (P < 0.0001)). A 50-60µg dexmedetomidine dose maximized sensory block duration while minimizing haemodynamic side-effects. No patients experienced any neurologic sequelae. Evidence quality for sensory block was high according to the GRADE system. Conclusions. New evidence now indicates that perineural dexmedetomidine improves BPB onset, quality, and analgesia. However, these benefits should be weighed against increased risks of motor block prolongation and transient bradycardia and hypotension.
THREE-YEAR SAFETY AND VISUAL ACUITY RESULTS OF EPIMACULAR 90STRONTIUM/90YTTRIUM BRACHYTHERAPY WITH BEVACIZUMAB FOR THE TREATMENT OF SUBFOVEAL CHOROIDAL NEOVASCULARIZATION SECONDARY TO AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term safety and visual acuity outcomes associated with epimacular strontium 90 brachytherapy combined with intravitreal bevacizumab for the treatment of subfoveal choroidal neovascularization because of age-related macular degeneration. Methods: Thirty-four treatment-naive patients with predominantly classic, minimally classic, and occult subfoveal choroidal neovascularization lesions participated in this prospective, 2-year, nonrandomized multicenter study. Subjects from 1 center (n = 19) were reconsented and followed-up for 3 years. Each subject received a single 24-Gy beta irradiation treatment via an intraocular delivery device and 2 planned injections of bevacizumab at treatment and 1 month later. Additional bevacizumab therapy was permitted based on prespecified retreatment criteria. Adverse events were observed, and best-corrected visual acuity was measured using Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study vision charts. Subjects were evaluated every 3 months during the first year of follow-up and every 6 months during Years 2 and 3 of follow-up. Results: All 34 subjects were followed-up for 24 months and 19 were followed-up through 36 months. With up to 24 months of follow-up, 12 of 24 phakic patients (50%) exhibited ≥2 grades of progression in Lens Opacification Classification System (LOCS) II lens classification; 5 eyes underwent cataract extraction before the Month 36 visit. There was 1 case of nonproliferative retinopathy identified at 36 months of follow-up that did not have an adverse effect on visual acuity, was stable at 43 months of follow-up, and was isolated to the parafoveal region. Mean best-corrected visual acuity demonstrated an average gain of +15.0 and −4.9 letters at 12 months and 24 months, respectively; the drop in mean gain at Month 24 was largely attributable to cataract formation. At 36 months (n = 19), the mean best-corrected visual acuity was +3.9, 90% (17 of 19) of eyes had lost <15 letters from baseline, 53% (10 of 19) had gained ≥1 letter, and 21% (4 of 19) had gained ≥15 letters. Through 36 months, 11 eyes required additional bevacizumab retreatment therapy and received a mean of 3.0 injections (range, 2–7 injections). Conclusion: Epimacular brachytherapy shows promise as a therapeutic option for subfoveal neovascular age-related macular degeneration. The procedure was safe and well tolerated, with a reasonable risk–benefit profile that warrants further study in larger subject populations. The most common adverse event was cataract progression/formation. Surgical complications are similar to those expected from standard vitrectomy trials. This novel device is currently being evaluated in two prospective, randomized, controlled trials in treatment-naive subjects (CABERNET) and in subjects already treated with anti–vascular endothelial growth factor therapy (MERLOT).
Optimal matching between energy consumption of Base Stations and traffic load in green cellular networks

Energy efficiency has become significantly important in designing future green mobile communication systems. In this paper, a novel energy efficiency metric, which is per energy per area capacity, is proposed to quantify the matching degree between energy consumption of Base Stations (BSs) and the traffic load. Based on BS power consumption model and Shannon capacity formula, the deployment strategies of different base station types are discussed, and the matching degree maximization is formulated as a convex optimization problem. The optimal cell size is proved to be the solution, which can be obtained by our presented iterative algorithm. Through theoretical inference and experimental simulations, we find that macro BS outperforms micro BS when the traffic density is pretty low, while it becomes reversed if the value exceeds the boundary. Besides, the heavier traffic demand results in a smaller optimal cell size.