Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fatigue in pediatric patients with familial Mediterranean fever

Abstract Objectives: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is characterized by recurrent, self-limited attacks of fever with serositis involving the peritoneum, pleura and joints. Fatigue is a common problem in many pediatric rheumatic diseases; however, has not been evaluated systematically in FMF patients. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to evaluate fatigue and its possible allied factors in patients with FMF. Methods: Patients with FMF, aged between 10 and 21 years, were assessed by completed validated fatigue questionnaire (Checklist Individual Strength-20). As a control group, patients with chronic rheumatic diseases and healthy children without any chronic disease were included. Results: The study group comprised 111 patients with FMF, 54 with other chronic rheumatic diseases and 79 healthy subjects. While the CIS-20 total score and subscale scores (including subjective experience of fatigue) were similar between patients with FMF and those with other chronic rheumatic diseases (p > .05); both groups had significantly higher scores when compared with healthy subjects (p < .05). FMF patients with musculoskeletal complaints had significantly higher scores of subjective experiences of fatigue when compared to those without those complaints. Conclusions: Fatigue is a common but unrecognized complaint in patients with FMF. Familial Mediterranean fever seems to be a chronic disease with inter attack ongoing complaints.
The role of social capital in regional innovation systems: Creative social capital and its institutionalization process

In the literature on regional innovation systems, one strand of study has identified a number of gaps that limit the efficiency and effectiveness of regional innovation systems, including so‐called ‘managerial gaps’, ‘structural holes’, ‘innovation gaps’, and ‘valleys of death’. Our project aims to demonstrate how social capital, in a creative tension that balances bonding and bridging elements, may contribute to reducing these specific gaps identified in the regional innovation systems literature. This perspective is analysed within a particular context: the Mondragon Cooperative Group in the Basque Country. En la literatura sobre sistemas regionales de innovacion, una linea de estudio ha identificado una serie de vacios que limitan la eficiencia y la eficacia de los sistemas regionales de innovacion, como los llamados"vacios de gestion","vacios estructurales","vacios de innovacion" y "valles de la muerte". Este proyecto tiene por objeto demostrar como el capital social, en una tension creativa que equilibra los elementos de union y de puente, puede contribuir a reducir estos vacios especificos identificados en la literatura de los sistemas regionales de innovacion. Esta perspectiva se analiza en un contexto en particular: el Grupo Cooperativo Mondragon en el Pais Vasco. 地域のイノベーションシステムに関する研究論文において、あるテーマの一連の研究により、いわゆる「マネジリアルギャップ (managerial gaps)」、「構造的空隙 (structural holes)」 「イノベーションギャップ (innovation gaps)」、「死の谷 (valleys of death)」など、地域のイノベーションシステムの効率性と効果を制限する多くのギャップが存在することが確認されている。 本プロジェクトは、結合的要素とブリッジング的要素の均衡を取る創造的緊張の中で、社会資本がイノベーションシステムに関する研究論文中に認められるこれらの特異的なギャップの軽減に貢献する可能性があることを証明することを目的としている。 スペインのバスク州のモンドラゴン協同組合企業 (the Mondragon Cooperative Group in the Basque Country)という特定のコンテクストにおいて、この見解を分析する。
The Potential Role of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and Imaging in Cancer Diagnosis Incorporating Complex Mathematical Methods

Infrared spectroscopy and imaging technology can provide new diagnostic capabilities for cancer research applications and to physicians directly involved in patient treatment. A methodology that permits the phenotypical description of cells and tissues is introduced, as well as a variety of new evaluation techniques that allow researchers and physicians to evaluate the infrared data at different levels of sophistication. The detection of cell alterations in the case of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) demonstrates the capability of infrared spectroscopy to identify and stage this type of cancer, providing new prospects for diagnosis and treatment. The pathological study of oral tissue affected by Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) illustrates the potential of Infrared Spectroscopy and Imaging for tissue diagnosis and cancer staging based in altered cell biochemistry, without using stains or any other marker technology. An example of combined fluid, cell and tissue analysis of thyroid cancers based on infrared technology is introduced to demonstrate the possibility of earlier detection of gland abnormalities and biochemical alterations in cell extracts using fine needle aspirates. Simple statistical techniques such as bivariate histogram analysis can distinguish between normal and altered cells and tissues when applied to infrared spectra and images. More complex mathematical techniques such as Principal Component Analysis (PCA) or Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) provide additional evaluation capabilities that can relate spectra of an unknown sample to an infrared reference database of known cell states. It is documented how this new infrared technology could enhance the diagnoses, treatment decisions and prognoses of patients in the field of cancer medicine.
Mathematical Models for Interest Rate Dynamics

We present a study of mathematical models of interest rate products. After an introduction to the mathematical framework, we study several basic one-factor models, and then explore multifactor models. We also discuss the Heath-JarrowMorton model and the LIBOR Market model. We conclude with a discussion of some modified models that involve stochastic volatility.
THE WORD “EDUCATION” IN SOCIAL MEDIA

The word education, which can be expressed as a systematic way of giving the knowledge and skills to the individuals, is mentioned frequently in social media. The fastest-growing network twitter is also the optimal platform to get information from the usage of the “education” word by social communities. From this point of view, utilizing from twitter, this study aimed to investigate how the word “education” is used in social media. The usage frequency of the word “education”, the most frequently used terms together with the word “education” and also the location information of education tweets were acquired to evaluate the comments of the individuals on the word. The followings and followers numbers of the people who make education sharing are also stated to see the popularity of these people in social media.
A novel class of large and infectious defective RNAs of Citrus tristeza virus.

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV)-infected plants contain one or more populations of defective RNAs (dRNAs), mostly with a size range of ca. 2.0 to 5.0 kb. Several CTV dRNAs have been characterized and found to consist mainly of the two termini of the genomic RNA, with extensive internal deletions. The present paper describes a new class of large ( approximately 12.0 kb) dRNAs from three different CTV isolates with two unusual features. First is their composition with intact replicase genes. These dRNAs contained a large 5' portion of the genomic RNA terminus, which apparently corresponded to the recently described 5' large single-stranded subgenomic RNA (sgRNA) of ORF1a+1b (Che et al., 2001). The 3' portion of the large dRNAs varied among the 10 different cDNA clones examined in this work. In 2 dRNAs this portion consisted of truncated ORF10 (p20), and in 5 dRNAs it contained truncated ORF11 (p23). Two dRNA molecules were found with a 3' portion that started in the exact 5' position of the intergenic region between the p20 and p23 ORFs. In one dRNA, this portion coincided with the full-length sgRNA corresponding to ORF10. The second unusual feature was their ability to be readily transmitted mechanically to citrus plants by stem slashing and also to Nicotiana benthamiana protoplasts. The possibility that these dRNAs may be encapsidated and be capable of self-replication is discussed.
Barcoding Atlantic Canada's commonly encountered marine fishes

Marine fishes from the northwest Atlantic Ocean were analysed to determine whether barcoding was effective at identifying species. Our data included 177 species, 136 genera, 81 families and 28 orders. Overall, 88% of nominal species formed monophyletic clusters based on >500 bp of the CO1 region, and the average bootstrap value for these species was 98%. Although clearly effective, the percentage of species that were distinguishable with barcoding based on the criterion of reciprocal monophyletic clusters was slightly lower than has been documented in other studies of marine fishes. Eelpouts, sculpins and rocklings proved to be among the most challenging groups for barcoding, although we suspect that difficult identifications based on traditional (morphology based) taxonomy played a role. Within several taxa, speciation may have occurred too recently for barcoding to be effective (e.g. within Sebastes, Thunnus and Ammodytes) or the designation of distinct species may have been erroneous (e.g. within Antimora and Macrourus). Results were consistent with previous work recognizing particularly high levels of divergence within certain taxa, some of which have been recognized as distinct species (e.g. Osmerus mordax and Osmerus dentex; and Liparis gibbus and Liparis bathyarcticus), and some of which have not (e.g. within Halargyreus johnsonii and within Mallotus villosus). The results from this study suggest that morphology‐based identification and taxonomy can be challenging in marine fishes, even within a region as well characterized as Atlantic Canada. Barcoding proved to be a very useful tool for species identification that will likely find a wide range of applications, including the fisheries trade, studies of range expansion, ecological analyses and population assessments.
Cytomegalovirus Seropositivity Drives the CD8 T Cell Repertoire Toward Greater Clonality in Healthy Elderly Individuals1

The deterioration in immune function with aging is thought to make a major contribution to the increased morbidity and mortality from infectious disease in old age. One aspect of immune senescence is the reduction in CD8 T cell repertoire as due to the accumulation of oligoclonal, memory T cells and a reduction in the naive T cell pool. CD8 T cell clonal expansions accumulate with age, but their antigenic specificity remains unknown. In this study, we show that in elderly individuals seropositivity for human CMV leads to the development of oligoclonal populations of CMV-specific CTL that can constitute up to one-quarter of the total CD8 T cell population. Furthermore, CMV-specific CTL have a highly polarized membrane phenotype that is typical of effector memory cells (CD28−, CD57+, CCR7−). TCR analyses show that CMV-specific CTL have highly restricted clonality with greater restriction in the larger expansions. Clonal analysis of the total CD8 T cell repertoire was compared between CMV-seropositive and CMV-seronegative donors. Thirty-three percent more clonal expansions were observed in CMV-seropositive donors in comparison with seronegative individuals. These data implicate CMV as a major factor in driving oligoclonal expansions in old age. Such a dramatic accumulation of virus-specific effector CTL might impair the ability to respond to heterologous infection and may underlie the negative influence of CMV seropositivity on survival in the very elderly.
Interstitial Cells of the White Matter in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Deficit and Nondeficit Schizophrenia

An increased density of neurons in the white matter of the neocortex has been found in schizophrenia, and the original reports suggested this abnormality was restricted to a subgroup of patients. In a study of the inferior parietal cortex, we found that deficit schizophrenia subjects, but not nondeficit subjects, had an increased density of ICWMs. We extended that finding by comparing the density of microtubule-associated protein 2-immunoreactive ICWMs in deficit schizophrenia (N = 3), nondeficit schizophrenia (N = 4), and control (N = 5) subjects, using postmortem tissue from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (Brodmann area 46). The deficit group differed significantly from the other two groups; the respective mean (SD) density values for the deficit, nondeficit, and control groups were 1.27 (.10), . 53 (.39), and . 76 (.20) cells per 10−6 cubic microns. These group differences provide further evidence that deficit and nondeficit schizophrenia differ in their pathophysiology.
The modulation of N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptors by redox and alkylating reagents in rat cortical neurones in vitro.

1. The properties of sulfhydryl redox modulation of the N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor have been examined in rat cortical neurones in culture. Electrophysiological measurements were performed with the whole‐cell and outside‐out patch variants of the patch‐clamp technique. 2. The disulphide reducing agent dithiothreitol (DTT; 0.1‐10 mM) potentiated 10 microM NMDA‐mediated whole‐cell currents when applied slowly alone via the superfusate. The initial rate of reduction, as well as the degree of potentiation, was dependent on the concentration of DTT although the process was complicated by the fact that a second, large component appeared at a concentration of 10 mM of this agent. 3. DTT (0.1‐10 mM) was also rapidly applied together with the agonist from a perfusion pipette. With this method, the second component was not readily apparent, and the concentration of DTT producing a half‐maximal potentiation of the NMDA response was 1.9 +/‐ 0.3 mM. Two other disulphide reducing agents, ethylene glycol bisthioglycolate and meso‐bis(N,N‐dimethyl)adipamide‐2,5‐dithiol, also potentiated NMDA responses, but were not as effective as DTT. 4. Following a 4 mM DTT treatment, we observed that the NMDA receptor underwent spontaneous oxidation with a half‐time of 1.9 min. In contrast, the sulfhydryl oxidizing agent 5,5'‐dithio‐bis‐(2‐nitro‐benzoic acid) (DTNB; 500 microM) produced a more rapid reversal of the effects of DTT (t1/2 = 0.6 min). The spontaneously oxidized receptor could be further oxidized with DTNB and fully reduced with DTT. 5. After receptor oxidation with 500 microM DTNB, NMDA produced whole‐cell responses with an EC50 of 68.4 +/‐ 9.4 microM, whereas after reduction with 4 mM DTT the EC50 for NMDA was 32.5 +/‐ 3.4 microM. In addition, the maximum response after reduction with DTT was substantially increased over that observed after oxidation. 6. Single channel measurements performed on outside‐out patches revealed that reduction produced a dramatic increase in the number of NMDA‐induced channel openings. We observed a 2.1 +/‐ 0.2‐fold increase in the frequency of openings during reduction with 500 microM DTT when compared to patches which had been exposed to 500 microM DTNB. Small but significant differences were observed in the single channel conductance for the oxidized (34.6 +/‐ 1.1 pS) and reduced (37.6 +/‐ 1.5 pS) states of the receptor. In contrast, no significant changes were seen in the arithmetic mean channel open time between the two redox conditions (5.4 +/‐ 0.3 ms after oxidation, 6.0 +/‐ 0.7 ms after reduction). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Current UK practice in emergency laparotomy.

INTRODUCTION Emergency laparotomy is a common procedure, with 30,000-50,000 performed annually in the UK. This large scale study reports the current spectrum of emergency laparotomies, and the influence of the surgical procedure, underlying pathology and subspecialty of the operating surgeon on mortality. METHODS Anonymised data on consecutive patients undergoing an emergency laparotomy were submitted for a three-month period. The primary outcome measure was unadjusted 30-day mortality. Appendicectomy and cholecystectomy were among the procedures excluded. RESULTS Data from 1,708 patients from 35 National Health Service hospitals were analysed. The overall 30-day mortality rate was 14.8%. 'True' emergency laparotomies (ie those classified by the National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death as immediate or urgent) comprised 86.5% of cases. The mortality rate rose from 8.0% among expedited cases to 14.3% among urgent cases and to 25.7% among laparotomies termed immediate. Among the most common index procedures, small bowel resection exhibited the highest 30-day mortality rate of 21.1%. The presence of abdominal sepsis was associated with raised 30-day mortality (17.5% in the presence of sepsis vs 12.6%, p=0.027). Colorectal procedures comprised 44.3% and within this group, data suggest that mortality from laparotomy may be influenced by surgical subspecialisation. CONCLUSIONS This report of a large number of patients undergoing emergency laparotomy in the UK confirms a remarkably high mortality by modern standards across the range. Very few pathologies or procedures can be considered anything other than high risk. The need for routine consultant involvement and critical care is evident, and the case distribution helps define the surgical skill set needed for a modern emergency laparotomy service. Preliminary data relating outcomes from emergency colonic surgery to surgical subspecialty require urgent further study.
Expression of epiregulin and amphiregulin and K-ras mutation status predict disease control in metastatic colorectal cancer patients treated with cetuximab.

PURPOSE The antiepidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) antibody cetuximab shows activity in multiple epithelial tumor types; however, responses are seen in only a subset of patients. This study was conducted to identify markers that are associated with disease control in patients treated with cetuximab. PATIENTS AND METHODS One hundred ten patients with metastatic colorectal cancer were enrolled onto a cetuximab monotherapy trial. Transcriptional profiling was conducted on RNA from mandatory pretreatment metastatic biopsies to identify genes whose expression correlates with best clinical responses. EGFR and K-ras mutation analyses and EGFR gene copy number analyses were performed on DNA from pretreatment biopsies. RESULTS Gene expression profiles showed that patients with tumors that express high levels of the EGFR ligands epiregulin and amphiregulin are more likely to have disease control with cetuximab (EREG, P = .000015; AREG, P = .000025). Additionally, patients whose tumors do not have K-ras mutations have a significantly higher disease control rate than patients with K-ras mutations (P = .0003). Furthermore, patients with tumors that have high expression of EREG or AREG also have significantly longer progression-free survival (PFS) than patients with low expression (EREG: P = .0002, hazard ratio [HR] = 0.47, and median PFS, 103.5 v 57 days, respectively; AREG: P < .0001, HR = 0.44, and median PFS, 115.5 v 57 days, respectively). CONCLUSION Patients with tumors that have high gene expression levels of epiregulin and amphiregulin and patients with wild-type K-ras are more likely to have disease control on cetuximab treatment. The identified markers could be developed further to select patients for cetuximab therapy.
Energy-efficient cooperative spectrum sensing with a merged clustering measure

The article presents an analysis of correlation-based clustering procedure in cooperative spectrum sensing. The motivation is to assess if it is more beneficial in terms of energy efficiency to group nodes according to the received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) on the link between Primary User and node or according to the distance between nodes. To this end, a merged clustering measure is introduced. Then a number of network topologies are compared via computer simulations.
Oblique Stepwise Rise and Growth of the Tibet Plateau

Two end member models of how the high elevations in Tibet formed are (i) continuous thickening and widespread viscous flow of the crust and mantle of the entire plateau and (ii) time-dependent, localized shear between coherent lithospheric blocks. Recent studies of Cenozoic deformation, magmatism, and seismic structure lend support to the latter. Since India collided with Asia ∼55 million years ago, the rise of the high Tibetan plateau likely occurred in three main steps, by successive growth and uplift of 300- to 500-kilometer-wide crustal thrust-wedges. The crust thickened, while the mantle, decoupled beneath gently dipping shear zones, did not. Sediment infilling, bathtub-like, of dammed intermontane basins formed flat high plains at each step. The existence of magmatic belts younging northward implies that slabs of Asian mantle subducted one after another under ranges north of the Himalayas. Subduction was oblique and accompanied by extrusion along the left lateral strike-slip faults that slice Tibet's east side. These mechanisms, akin to plate tectonics hidden by thickening crust, with slip-partitioning, account for the dominant growth of the Tibet Plateau toward the east and northeast.
The flavonoid quercetin protects and prevents against potassium dichromate–induced systemic peroxidation of lipids and diminution in renal clearance of para-aminohippuric acid and inulin in the rat

It is well known that exposure to chromium (Cr) can lead to nephrotoxicity. Quercetin is a flavonoid of interest because of its proposed health-promoting effects. The aim of this work was to elucidate the role of quercetin against the nephrotoxicity caused by Cr in rats. Quercetin may have positive effects in combating, or helping to prevent, nephrotoxicity. It was observed that a single dose of potassium dichromate resulted in both an increase of systemic peroxidation of lipids and a decrease of the renal clearance of para-aminohippuric acid and inulin. Our results show that treatment with quercetin protected and prevented against these damaging effects.
Genetic and environmental determinants of lipid profile in black and white youth: a study of four candidate genes.

OBJECTIVE To identify genotypes and gene-environment interactions, which may explain ethnic differences on lipid profile in Black and White youth. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS Healthy adolescents and young adults (N=413, 18.6 +/-2.8 yrs, 44% Black, 53% Male) drawn from a cardiovascular study. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), and triglyceride (TG) concentrations were obtained from frozen plasma. The ApoB Glu4154Lys, LDL receptor (LDLR) T1773C, PPARgamma Pro12Ala, and TNFalpha -308G/A polymorphisms were genotyped. Analyses adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), socioeconomic status (SES), and interactions. RESULTS The ApoB Glu4154Lys polymorphism interacted with obesity and age to predict TC levels. As BMI increased, 4154Lys ApoB allele carriers had higher TC levels than 4154Glu homozygotes (difference=0.23 mmol/L at BMI=30 kg/m2, 0.54 at BMI=40, P<.05). Juvenile, but not adult, ApoB 4154Lys allele carriers had higher TC (0.34 mmol/L, P<.01). Male -308A TNFalpha allele carriers had lower HDLC (0.10 mmol/L, P<.01). Carriers of the T1 773 LDLR allele had higher TG (0.26 mmol/ L, P<.01). No effect of the PPARgamma Pro12Ala polymorphism was found; the 12Ala PPARgamma allele was rare among Blacks (2%). CONCLUSIONS The ApoB, TNFalpha, and LDLR candidate genes influenced lipid profiles in youth independent of environmental factors. The T1773 LDLR allele, which is rare among Blacks (7%), may contribute to lower TG in Blacks. The -308A TNFalpha allele may contribute to lower HDLC in males. These gene effects and gene-environment interactions may inform prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.