Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Investigation of the association between Helicobacter pylori infection and normal tension glaucoma.

PURPOSE To investigate whether Helicobacter pylori infection is associated with normal tension glaucoma (NTG). METHODS One hundred consecutive NTG patients (group 1) from an outpatient glaucoma clinic were enrolled. Medical records of the 88 control participants (control 1) of the outpatient clinic, and 104 NTG patients (group 2) and 1116 healthy controls (control 2) (1220 subjects in total) from a primary health care center were reviewed retrospectively to compare the results. Serum samples from all subjects were analyzed for the presence of H. pylori-specific immunoglobulin G antibodies using ELISA. The distributions of serologic H. pylori test results of the NTG patients and control subjects were compared, and possible associations between clinical phenotypes and positive serologic results were assessed. Bilaterality of NTG patients was also analyzed. RESULTS NTG patients had significantly more positive serologic results than did the healthy controls. There were significant differences between group 1 and control 1 patients (P = 0.020; odds ratio [OR], 2.05), group 1 and control 2 patients (P = 0.016; OR, 1.73), and group 2 and control 2 patients (P = 0.008; OR, 1.83). However, no significant association was found between clinical characteristics and a positive serologic result for H. pylori in NTG patients. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that H. pylori infection may be associated with an increased risk for NTG. H. pylori may play a role in the development or progression of NTG as a secondary aggravating factor because of the coexistence of other main causes or it may be the primary cause.
Queue‐based multiple path load balancing routing protocol for MANETs

Congestion in the network is the main cause for packet drop and increased end‐to‐end transmission delay of packet between source and destination nodes. Congestion occurs because of the simultaneous contention for network resources. It is very important to efficiently utilize the available resources so that a load can be distributed efficiently throughout the network. Otherwise, the resources of heavily loaded nodes may be depleted very soon, which ultimately affects network performances. In this paper, we have proposed a new routing protocol named queue‐based multiple path load balancing routing protocol. This protocol discovers several node‐disjoint paths from source to destination nodes. It also finds minimum queue length with respect to individual paths, sorts the node‐disjoint paths based on queue length, and distributes the packets through these paths based on the minimum queue length. Simulation results show that the proposed routing protocol distributes the load efficiently and achieves better network performances in terms of packet delivery ratio, end‐to‐end delay, and routing overhead. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Local ZnCl2 accelerates fracture healing

This study evaluated the effect of local zinc chloride (ZnCl2), an insulin mimetic agent, upon the early and late parameters of fracture healing in rats using a standard femur fracture model. Mechanical testing, radiographic scoring, histomorphometry, qualitative histological scoring, PCNA immunohistochemistry, and local growth factor analysis were performed. Fractures treated with local ZnCl2 possessed significantly increased mechanical properties compared to controls at 4 weeks post fracture. The radiographic scoring analysis showed increased cortical bridging at 4 weeks in the 1.0 (p = 0.0015) and 3.0 (p < 0.0001) mg/kg ZnCl2 treated groups. Histomorphometry of the fracture callus at day 7 showed 177% increase (p = 0.036) in percent cartilage and 133% increase (p = 0.002) in percent mineralized tissue with local ZnCl2 treatment compared to controls. Qualitative histological scoring showed a 2.1× higher value at day 7 in the ZnCl2 treated group compared to control (p = 0.004). Cell proliferation and growth factors, VEGF and IGF‐I, within fracture calluses treated with local ZnCl2 were increased at day 7. The results suggest local administration of ZnCl2 increases cell proliferation, causing increased growth factor production which yields improved chondrogenesis and endochondral ossification. Ultimately, these events lead to accelerated fracture healing as early as 4 weeks post fracture. © 2014 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 32:834–841, 2014.
Design of Reconfigurable 2 Way Wilkinson Power Divider for WLAN Applications

— A Reconfigurable Wilkinson power divider is proposed in this paper. In existing system only a limited number of bandwidth is used at the output ports, in the proposed Wilkinson power divider different band of frequencies are obtained by using PIN diode. By tuning the PIN diode, different frequencies are achieved. The size of the power divider is reduced for the operating frequency and increases the fractional bandwidth.
Human papillomaviruses-related cancers

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are estimated to be the most common sexually transmitted infections worldwide. Meanwhile, it is well established that infection by high-risk HPVs is considered the major cause of cervical cancer since more than 96% of these cancers are positive for high-risk HPVs, especially types 16 and 18. Moreover, during the last 2 decades, numerous studies pointed-out the possible involvement of high-risk HPV in several human carcinomas including head and neck, colorectal and breast cancers. The association between high-risk HPVs and cervical cancer and potentially other human malignancies would necessitate the introduction of vaccines which were generated against the 2 most frequent high-risk HPVs (types 16 and 18) worldwide, including the Middle East (ME) as well as North African countries. The presence of high-risk HPVs in the pathogenesis of human cancers in the ME, which is essential in order to evaluate the importance of vaccination against HPVs, has not been fully investigated yet. In this review, we present an overview of the existing epidemiological evidence regarding the presence of HPV in human cancers in the ME and the potential impact of vaccination against HPV infections and its outcome on human health in this region.
The contribution of hysteroscopy to the detection malignancy in symptomatic postmenopausal women

Abstract Hysteroscopic evaluation of endometrial cavity is widely used in cases of abnormal uterine bleeding. The aim of the present study is to compare the hysteroscopic and histological findings in women suffering from postmenopausal bleeding. Between 1990 and 2009, 425 women aged 47–83 years were included in the study. None of the women had received hormonal therapy or had any malignancy in the past. All women underwent diagnostic hysteroscopy and histologic sampling of the endometrial cavity. Hysteroscopy was successfully completed in 423 women and was suggestive of malignant lesions in 23 cases, which were confirmed histologically. The hysteroscopic findings in three cases were suggestive of atrophic endometrium, atypical hyperplasia and endometrial carcinoma, and the histologic diagnosis confirmed endometrial carcinoma (two cases) and one uterine sarcoma. Hysteroscopy proves to be a safe and effective technique in the diagnosis and management of abnormal uterine bleeding.
Ability of human sera to neutralise the activity of Vero cytotoxins VT1, VT2 and variant forms of VT2.

Sera, from 17 patients with diarrhoea or haemolytic uraemic syndrome, and six healthy adults, were tested for neutralisation of Vero cytotoxins (VT). For all 17 patients there was evidence of infection with Escherichia coli O157. Sera from two controls but from none of the patients neutralised VT1, although two patients were infected by strains producing VT1 and VT2. Sera from all six controls and 14 patients neutralised VT2 derived from strains 933 and E32511, but not variant forms of VT2 derived from strains E32511, E57, B2F1 and H.1. 8. This neutralising activity warrants further investigation, especially as many O157 VTEC carry both VT2 and VT2 variant genes.
The epidemiology of invasive group A streptococcal infection and potential vaccine implications: United States, 2000-2004.

BACKGROUND Invasive group A Streptococcus (GAS) infection causes significant morbidity and mortality in the United States. We report the current epidemiologic characteristics of invasive GAS infections and estimate the potential impact of a multivalent GAS vaccine. METHODS From January 2000 through December 2004, we collected data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Active Bacterial Core surveillance (ABCs), a population-based system operating at 10 US sites (2004 population, 29.7 million). We defined a case of invasive GAS disease as isolation of GAS from a normally sterile site or from a wound specimen obtained from a patient with necrotizing fasciitis or streptococcal toxic shock syndrome in a surveillance area resident. All available isolates were emm typed. We used US census data to calculate rates and to make age- and race-adjusted national projections. RESULTS We identified 5400 cases of invasive GAS infection (3.5 cases per 100,000 persons), with 735 deaths (case-fatality rate, 13.7%). Case-fatality rates for streptococcal toxic shock syndrome and necrotizing fasciitis were 36% and 24%, respectively. Incidences were highest among elderly persons (9.4 cases per 100,000 persons), infants (5.3 cases per 100,000 persons), and black persons (4.7 cases per 100,000 persons) and were stable over time. We estimate that 8950-11,500 cases of invasive GAS infection occur in the United States annually, resulting in 1050-1850 deaths. The emm types in a proposed 26-valent vaccine accounted for 79% of all cases and deaths. Independent factors associated with death include increasing age; having streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, meningitis, necrotizing fasciitis, pneumonia, or bacteremia; and having emm types 1, 3, or 12. CONCLUSIONS GAS remains an important cause of severe disease in the United States. The introduction of a vaccine could significantly reduce morbidity and mortality due to these infections.
Book Review: Cortical Network Resonance and Motor Activity in Humans

Large areas of the human motor cortex are devoted to the control of the contralateral hand and forearm. Just how activities scattered across these motor areas may be brought together in the execution of a given movement remains unclear. There is increasing evidence, largely from animal studies, suggesting that sensory integration involves the synchronization of activity between spatially distributed cortical sites. Here we review recent evidence that cortical activity becomes oscillatory and synchronized between spatially distributed sites during performance of a movement in humans. Cortico-cortical synchronization may occur with a precision in the millisecond range, is essentially limited to those cortical elements active in a given task, and changes in both its distribution and frequency in a task-related manner. Synchronization at specific frequencies may therefore link disparate cortical activities into the functional ensembles underlying voluntary movement in humans.
Propriety Conditions for the Bayesian Autologistic Model—Inference for Histone Modifications

Motivated by inference for a set of histone modifications we consider an improper prior for an autologistic model. We state sufficient conditions for posterior propriety under a constant prior on the coefficients of an autologistic model. We use known results for a multinomial logistic regression to prove posterior propriety under the autologistic model. The conditions are easily verified.
Selective Binding of Synapse-associated Protein 97 to GluR-A α-Amino-5-hydroxy-3-methyl-4-isoxazole Propionate Receptor Subunit Is Determined by a Novel Sequence Motif*

A family of four closely related PDZ domain-containing membrane-associated guanylate kinase homologues (MAGUKs) is involved in the regulation of the amount and functional state of ionotropic glutamate receptors in excitatory synapses. To understand the mechanisms that determine the specificity of these interactions, we examined the structural basis of the highly selective association between the ionotropic GluR subunit GluR-A and synapse-associated protein 97 (SAP97). The C terminus of GluR-A bound to the PDZ domains of SAP97, but not to those of three related MAGUKs, PSD-93, PSD-95, and SAP102. Experiments with single PDZ domains indicated that the strongest contribution was by the second PDZ domain. Unexpectedly, mutation analysis of the GluR-A C terminus revealed that a tripeptide sequence SSG at position −9 to −11 plays an essential role in this binding, in addition to a C-terminal type I PDZ binding motif (leucine at C terminus and threonine at the −2 position). Analysis of the in vitroMAGUK-binding properties of a GluR-D mutant with a one-residue deletion at the C terminus provides further support for the view that an SSG sequence located N-terminally from a type I PDZ binding motif can mediate selective binding to SAP97 and suggest the existence of a novel variation of the PDZ domain-peptide interaction.
The effects of solar radiation and black body re-radiation on thermal comfort

When the sun shines on people in enclosed spaces, such as in buildings or vehicles, it directly affects thermal comfort. There is also an indirect effect as surrounding surfaces are heated exposing a person to re-radiation. This laboratory study investigated the effects of long wave re-radiation on thermal comfort, individually and when combined with direct solar radiation. Nine male participants (26.0 ± 4.7 years) took part in three experimental sessions where they were exposed to radiation from a hot black panel heated to 100°C; direct simulated solar radiation of 600 Wm−2 and the combined simulated solar radiation and black panel radiation. Exposures were for 30 min, during which subjective responses and mean skin temperatures were recorded. The results showed that, at a surface temperature of 100°C (close to maximum in practice), radiation from the flat black panel provided thermal discomfort but that this was relatively small when compared with the effects of direct solar radiation. It was concluded that re-radiation, from a dashboard in a vehicle, for example, will not have a major direct influence on thermal comfort and that existing models of thermal comfort do not require a specific modification. These results showed that, for the conditions investigated, the addition of re-radiation from internal components has an effect on thermal sensation when combined with direct solar radiation. However, it is not considered that it will be a major factor in a real world situation. This is because, in practice, dashboards are unlikely to maintain very high surface temperatures in vehicles without an unacceptably high air temperature. This study quantifies the contribution of short- and long-wave radiation to thermal comfort. The results will aid vehicle designers to have a better understanding of the complex radiation environment. These include direct radiation from the sun as well as re-radiation from the dashboard and other internal surfaces.
Modulational instability characteristics for few cycle pulse propagation in cascaded-quadratic-cubic-quintic nonlinear media

Using phase amplitude ansatz method and standard linear stability analysis, we have investigated modulational instability (MI) for the ultrashort pulse propagation in cascaded quadratic-cubic-quintic nonlinear media. Propagation of wave has been described beyond the slowly varying envelope approximation (SVEA). Controlling the generation of frequency side-bands and hence desired pulse, through engineering of different parameters are being explored.
Novel Glycoside Hydrolases Identified by Screening a Chinese Holstein Dairy Cow Rumen-Derived Metagenome Library

ABSTRACT One clone encoding glycoside hydrolases was identified through functional screening of a rumen bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library. Of the 68 open reading frames (ORFs) predicted, one ORF encodes a novel endo-β-1,4-xylanase with two catalytic domains of family GH43 and two cellulose-binding modules (CBMs) of family IV. Partial characterization showed that this endo-xylanase has a greater specific activity than a number of other xylanases over a wide temperature range at neutral pH and could be useful in some industrial applications.
The role of dendritic cells in T cell selection and survival

Dendritic cells (DC) not only play an important role in the induction of immunity, but also have major functions in thymus and periphery in the absence of nominal antigen. In order to study these and other DC‐functions in vivo, we expressed MHC class II I‐E molecules under the control of the DC‐specific CD11c promoter in C57Bl/6 mice. With this targeted expression we were able to investigate DC functions in vivo without further manipulation of DC. We describe our findings with respect to the two major thymic events of negative and positive selection and demonstrate that DC are able and sufficient to induce negative selection of autoreactive CD4+ thymocytes by clonal deletion but do not induce positive selection. We further demonstrate in thymus‐transplant experiments that DC play a major role in inducing survival of peripheral CD4+ mature T cells. This transgenic model therefore seems to be a valuable tool for the investigation of DC functions in vivo. J. Leukoc. Biol. 66: 331–335; 1999.
A Relational Distance-based Framework for Hierarchical Image Understanding

Understanding images in terms of hierarchical and logical structures is crucial for many semantic tasks, including image retrieval, scene understanding and robotic vision. This paper combines compositional hierarchies, qualitative spatial relations, relational instance-based learning and robust feature extraction in one framework. For each layer in the hierarchy, substructures in the images are detected, classified and then employed one layer up the hierarchy to obtain higher-level semantic structures, by making use of qualitative spatial relations. The approach is applied to street view images. We employ a four-layer hierarchy in which subsequently corners, windows and doors, and individual houses are detected.
One-Step Error Detection and Correction Approach for Voice Word Processor

We propose a one-step error detection and correction interface for a voice word processor. This correction interface performs analysis region detection, user intention understanding and error correction utterance recognition, all from a single user utterance input. We evaluate the performance of each component first, and then compare the effectiveness of our interface to two previous interfaces. Our evaluation demonstrates that each component is technically superior to the baselines and that our one-step error detection and correction method yields an error correction interface that is more convenient and natural than the two previous interfaces. key words: speech recognition, natural language processing, languages and software systems
Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) Signal Transduction and Clearance

Under physiological conditions, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) activation of cells involves the LPS binding protein (LBP) and either membrane or soluble CD14. We find LPS forms a ternary complex with LBP and membrane CD14 (mCD14). Subsequent to complex formation and distinct from signal transduction, LBP and LPS internalize. Internalization can be separated from signal transduction with the anti-LBP antibody 18G4 and the anti-CD14 antibody 18E12. 18G4 inhibits LBP binding to mCD14 without blocking signal transduction or LPS transfer to soluble CD14; 18E12 inhibits signal transduction without affecting LPS binding and uptake. These data show that while LPS signal transduction and LPS clearance utilize both LBP and mCD14, the pathways bifurcate after LPS binding to mCD14.
Multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) applied to FISH-banding

During the last decade not only multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using whole chromosome paints as probes, but also numerous chromosome banding techniques based on FISH have been developed for the human and for the murine genome. This review focuses on such FISH-banding techniques, which were recently defined as ‘any kind of FISH technique, which provide the possibility to characterize simultaneously several chromosomal subregions smaller than a chromosome arm. FISH-banding methods fitting that definition may have quite different characteristics, but share the ability to produce a DNA-specific chromosomal banding’. While the standard chromosome banding techniques like GTG lead to a protein-related black and white banding pattern, FISH-banding techniques are DNA-specific, more colorful and, thus, more informative. For some, even high-resolution FISH-banding techniques the development is complete and they can be used for whole genome hybridizations in one step. Other FISH-banding methods are only available for selected chromosomes and/or are still under development. FISH-banding methods have successfully been applied in research in evolution- and radiation-biology, as well as in studies on the nuclear architecture. Moreover, their suitability for diagnostic purposes has been proven in prenatal, postnatal and tumor cytogenetics, indicating that they are an important tool with the potential to partly replace the conventional banding techniques in the future.
Medication adherence in pediatric asthma: reasoning, responsibility, and behavior.

OBJECTIVE To assess child adherence to preventive asthma medications; to investigate relations between knowledge, reasoning about asthma, and responsibility for management and adherence; and to determine the association between adherence and morbidity. METHODS Participants were 106 children with asthma and their parents. Medication adherence was electronically monitored for 1 month. Participants completed self-report measures. Children were interviewed to assess reasoning about asthma. RESULTS Children's adherence was approximately 48% of prescribed doses. Adherence was negatively related to age (r = -.21, p <.05); minority status, F(1, 98) = 7.55, p <. 01; and morbidity (r = -.26, p <.01). Age was associated with increased child knowledge (r =.47, p <.001), reasoning about asthma (tau =.23, p <.01), and responsibility for asthma management (r =.44, p <.01). These variables were not associated with adherence. CONCLUSIONS Although older children know more about asthma and assume more responsibility for disease management, their adherence is lower than that of younger children. No association was found between adherence and child knowledge, reasoning about asthma, or responsibility for asthma management.
Endothelial Dysfunction in Children with Steroid-Resistant Nephrotic Syndrome

Background: Steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome (SRNS) is associated with early atherosclerosis because of comorbidities including persistent hyperlipidemia and hypertension. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of abnormal carotid intima-media thickening (cIMT) as an early sign of atherosclerosis in a small group of children with SRNS. Methods: A total of 8 children with SRNS (mean age, 10.8±4.2 years at recruitment andmeandisease duration, 40.9±20.7 months) were studied; all children were normotensive. B-mode ultrasound was used to measure cIMT, and the results were compared with healthy controls. Results: Children with SRNS had significantly thicker CIMT (0.44±0.04 mm), compared to the controls (0.37±0.59mm)(P < 0.01). A high level of total cholesterol (5.4±2.0 mmol/L; normal < 5.2 mmol/L) was reported in these children, while normal levels of lowdensity lipoprotein, very-low-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein were found. Also, the mean creatinine level was 45.1±15.0 µmol/L, and the mean urea level was 4.2±1.8 mmol/L. Conclusions: Children with SRNS had an abnormal vascular phenotype with a thicker CIMT, compared to the controls and showed evidence of hypercholesterolemia.