Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A study to assess serum and tissue levels of sialic acid and hexosamine in keloids

Background: A keloid is an abnormal proliferation of scar tissue that forms at the site of cutaneous injury. The major component of scar tissue is the fibrous protein collagen, which is a glycoprotein. Sialic acid is a charged sugar that plays a key structural role in glycoprotein biosynthesis. Objectives: Estimation of serum hexosamine and sialic acid in subjects with recurrent keloid formation as well as in normal subjects for comparison and to evaluate the role of these complex proteins in keloid formation. Methods: A total number of 30 cases diagnosed as keloid and 30 controls attending to OPD were involved in the present study. The blood and skin biopsy sample were collected for estimation of biochemical parameters hexosamine and sialic acid. Result: Serum levels of hexosamine (101 +/19.15) and sialic acid (1.435 +/0.34) in keloid subjects are not elevated significantly as compared to normal subjects (Serum Hexosamine 95.73 +/23.09) (Sialic acid 1.483 +/0.40) but significant (p<0.0001) increase in the tissue levels of sialic acid ( 0.98+/0.108) and hexosamine (1.66 +/0.419)are observed in keloid subjects as compared to normal (Sialic acid 0.65+/0.059 hexosamine 0.6+/0.109). Conclusion: There is a significant increase in the levels of sialic acid and hexosamine in keloid tissue due to excessive deposition of collagen and matrix.
Performance Evaluation of D2D Discovery with eNB Based Power Control in LTE-Advanced

Device to device (D2D) communication techniques is one of main themes for the next generation wireless communication techniques. Compared to traditional Wireless Wide Area Network (WAN) communication where all radio links are formed between a user equipment (UE) and a base station (eNB), D2D communication uses a direct link between two different UEs. In the standard organization, 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP), there is an ongoing discussion to adopt the D2D communication in current Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE-A) system. The main target use cases of the D2D in LTE system comprise public safety using direct communication and commercial services using proximal device discovery. Introduction of the D2D discovery inside LTE-A network bring some impacts to existing cellular operation by the in-bane emission property. This paper provides a promising way to support D2D discovery in LTE-A system and analyze the in-band emission impact of D2D discovery on current LTE-A operation. In order to minimize the impact, an eNB based open loop power control algorithm is proposed for D2D discovery. To see the performance of the proposed scheme, system-level simulation results are provided. Our results show that eNB based open loop power control algorithm alleviate the in-band emission impact significantly.
Sulfonylureas in NIDDM

Sulfonylureas have represented the backbone of oral therapy in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus for > 30 yr. Despite this, our knowledge about the mode of actions of these agents is limited, and the use of them is far from rational. Sulfonylureas lower blood glucose concentrations primarily by stimulating insulin secretion. The evidence for clinically significant extrapancreatic effects is scanty. Therefore, the effect of sulfonylurea is limited to patients with preserved β-cell function, with the best effect observed in the early stages of the disease. Sulfonylurea treatment is often started relatively late and is continued when the agents can no longer achieve the treatment goals. Drug dosages are increased to maximum recommended doses, although there is no evidence for a dose-response relationship between the sulfonylurea dose and its biological effect. To rationalize the use of sulfonylureas, we should ask the questions to whom, how much, and for how long? The decision to stop treatment is as important as the decision to start treatment.
Aging of the placenta

It is widely believed that during the relatively short duration of a normal pregnancy the placenta progressively ages and is, at term, on the verge of a decline into morphological and physiological senescence.1-3 This belief is based on the apparent convergence of clinical, structural, and functional data, all of which have been taken, rather uncritically, as supporting this concept of the placenta as an aging organ with, all too often, no distinction being made between time related changes and true aging changes. I will review some of these concepts and consider whether the placenta truly undergoes an aging process. For the purposes of this review an aging change is considered to be one which is intrinsic, detrimental, and progressive and which results in an irreversible loss of functional capacity, an impaired ability to maintain homeostasis, and decreased ability to repair damage. The placenta is unusual in so far as its basic histological structure undergoes a considerable change throughout its lifespan. For some time it has been customary to describe the appearances of the placental villi in terms of their changing appearance as pregnancy progresses, comparing, for instance, typical first trimester villi with those in third trimester placentas. It has often been implied that this changing appearance is an aging process, but it is now recognised that this temporal variability in villous appearances reflects the continual development and branching of the villous tree (fig 1) In recent years the relation between the growth of the villous tree and the villous histological appearances has been formally codified5-8with identification of five types of villi (fig 2). Figure 1 Diagrammatic representation of a peripheral villous tree, showing a large central stem villus: the lateral branches from this are the mature intermediate villi from which the terminal villi protrude. Figure 2 Representation of the peripheral …
Magnetic field shimming in MRI with controlled polarization and SAR limitation

The homogeneity of RF field B1 used in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a crucial problem in such a kind of diagnostic tool. Because of the non homogeneity of the scenario, and of the intrinsic difficulty of such a constraint, the field usually obtained is far from the one required. This is especially the case for recent high-and ultra-high field (B0>7 T), with the consequent increase of the RF frequency of field. As a result, the issue of shimming the B1 field has received considerable attention in the recent literature [1]. The problem is rendered even more complex from the need, in partial and whole body imaging, to keep under control the Specific Absorption Rate (SAR) for partial and whole body imaging. Recent methods have therefore addressed the combined task of optimizing the field and limiting the SAR [2, 3]; these approaches, however, do not address control of the polarization of the RF field itself, which is also a relevant issue. As a matter of fact, even in the presence of a significant homogeneity of the field intensity, degradation of field polarization from the desired circular left-hand to elliptical up to linear polarization is the cause of higher power emission for the coils and a reduced signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) [4]. Herein, we show that controlling the ripple of the RF field is not enough to control the polarization, and we present a method to optimize the field intensity while keeping under control the homogeneity of intensity and polarization of the RF magnetic field B1, as well as SAR limitations for the case of partial body imaging. In particular, the proposed method is able to comply with constraints on SAR and B1 intensity as enforced by FDA [5] or recommended by ICNIRP [6].
Adaptive Error Correction with Dynamic Initial Block Size in Quantum Cryptographic Key Distribution Protocols

We present an extension to the error correction facility that is at the core of classical quantum cryptographic key exchange in the spirit of the BB84 protocol. The Cascade error correction scheme proposed along with the experimental implementation of BB84 can significantly be improved by endowing it with an adaptive initial block size selection strategy that takes into account information from past protocol executions. Additionally, our model comes with learning capabilities enabling the protocol to adapt itself not only according to its past, but also to different environmental conditions which the link is subject to. At the same time, the procedure can widely be automated and can be implemented using known algorithms. We demonstrate the feasibility and efficiency of our proposal using experiments, comparing the classical approach to the dynamic extension, showing a significant efficiency benefit that we gain from an adaptive initial block size choice.
Time Use and Productivity: The Wage Returns to Sleep

We investigate the productivity effects of the single largest use of time - sleep. Using time use diaries from the United States, we demonstrate that later sunset time reduces worker sleep and wages. Sunset time one hour later decreases short-run wages by 0.5% and long-run wages by 4.5%. After investigating this relationship and ruling out alternative hypotheses, we implement an instrumental variables specification that provides the first causal estimates of the impact of sleep on wages. A one-hour increase in average weekly sleep increases wages by 1.5% in the short run and by 4.9% in the long run.
Comprendre et assister la genèse des instruments intellectuels numériques

A l’ere du numerique, la sophistication de l’activite du travailleur intellectuel se traduit notamment par celle de ses outils. Une partie importante de cette activite est alors dediee au developpement d’instruments intellectuels, capables de soutenir efficacement le travail de l’utilisateur en articulant les multiples ressources et outils mis a sa disposition dans son environnement numerique. Le developpement de ces instruments passe notamment par le parametrage des outils, la mise en place des structures informationnelles ou le developpement de schemes d’utilisation. Dans le contexte du travail intellectuel sur ordinateur, nous cherchons a comprendre les phenomenes lies a cette genese instrumentale [9] a travers l’evolution des inscriptions numeriques manipulees par l’utilisateur. In fine, notre objectif est d’exploiter ces observations afin d’assister le travailleur dans la construction de ses instruments, et donc de son activite.
5'-terminal deletions are a common feature of endogenous retrovirus loci located on chromosome 1 of White Leghorn chickens

My previous studies demonstrated that chromosome 1 has all five of the endogenous retrovirus loci associated with nonexpression of viral proteins (gs- chf-) in White Leghorn chickens. The current study was done to localize the two defective endogenous retrovirus loci, ev3 and ev6, to determine whether nonexpression of the viral loci on chromosome 1 is a transcriptional prerequisite or a result of an underlying structural defect. The structure of ev6 is every similar to that of two other gs- chf- -associated loci, ev4 and ev5; all three contain a 5'-terminal deletion that eliminates the viral transcriptional promoter. Unlike the gs- chf- -associated loci, ev6 apparently uses an adjacent cell promoter to produce high levels of viral glycoprotein. The ev6 locus was located on the long arm of chromosome 1 by in situ hybridization, thus indicating that transcription of an endogenous retrovirus locus on chromosome 1 can occur. However, the 5'-terminal deletion in several viral loci on chromosome 1, but not on other chromosomes, suggests that the deletion may result from the events that generate or maintain these loci in the White Leghorn population. The additional finding of ev3, which has an internal deletion, on a microchromosome suggests that the mechanism that produced deletions in many chromosome 1 loci is specific for the 5' terminus.
Cdk1 Protein-mediated Phosphorylation of Receptor-associated Protein 80 (RAP80) Serine 677 Modulates DNA Damage-induced G2/M Checkpoint and Cell Survival*

Background: RAP80, a component of the BRCA1-A complex, is crucial in the cell cycle checkpoint and DNA damage repair. Results: RAP80 phosphorylation by Cdk1 is important for sensitivity to ionizing radiation and G2/M checkpoint control. Conclusion: Cdk1-mediated RAP80 phosphorylation is important for the DNA damage response. Significance: The findings provide new implications for the interplay of the DNA damage signaling pathway and RAP80 phosphorylation. Post-translational phosphorylation plays critical roles in the assembly of signaling and repair proteins in the DNA damage response pathway. RAP80, a component of the BRCA1-A complex, is crucial in cell cycle checkpoint activation and DNA damage repair. However, its molecular mechanism is unclear. In this study, we identified Cdk1 as a new RAP80-binding protein and demonstrated that the Cdk1-cyclin B1 complex phosphorylates RAP80 at Ser-677 using an in vitro kinase assay and a phosphopeptide-specific antibody against phospho-Ser-677 of RAP80. RAP80 Ser-677 phosphorylation occurred in the M phase of the cell cycle when Cdk1 was in an active state. In addition, ionizing radiation (IR) induced RAP80 phosphorylation at Ser-677. Mutation of Ser-677 to alanine sensitized cells to IR and functioned in G2/M checkpoint control. These results suggest that post-translational phosphorylation of RAP80 by the Cdk1-cyclin B1 complex is important for RAP80 functional sensitivity to IR and G2/M checkpoint control.
A critical evaluation of clinical decision support for the detection of drug–drug interactions

Introduction: Incorporation of clinical decision support systems (CDSSs) into computerized physician order entry assists prescribers with medication dosing, identification of duplicate therapies, drug-allergy alerts and drug–drug interactions (DDIs). The generation of DDI alerts is one aspect of CDSS that may improve patient safety and reduce adverse drug events. Areas covered: Currents issues with the generation of DDI alerts, such as alert fatigue, unclear clinical significance and database inconsistencies are a few of the problems that have been identified with DDI alerting. Research has shown that DDI alerting may be improved through the tiering of alerts, generation of patient-specific alert and directing some alerts to clinicians other than physicians. More research in this area, such as how to decrease the variability of database rating systems, improve the identification of clinically significant alerts and increase the patient specificity of the generated DDI alerts, should be conducted. Expert opinion: DDI knowledgebases need to take into account more patient-specific information. Strategies to avoid alert fatigue, such as DDI tiering and reducing signal:noise ratios, are important areas for future study. End-user participation and clinician feedback should be incorporated in the development of DDI knowledgebases to increase alert compliance.
Pronóstico a largo plazo del trastorno bipolar con episodios mixtos.

El objetivo de esta tesis es comparar la evolucion a largo plazo de los pacientes quetenian al menos un episodio mixto a nivel basal con los que experimentaronepisodios maniacos en pacientes con diagnostico de trastorno bipolar I en un areasanitaria de influelcia de Espana (Vitoria) mediante un estudio naturalisticoobservacional.Nuestra hipotesis de trabajo es que los pacientes con episodios mixtos tienen unpronostico peor a largo plazo en terminos de hospitalizacion, de episodios bipolares yde conducta suicida. /Para ello realizamos un seguimiento durante 10 anos de una muestra de I20pacientes diagnosticados de Trastorno Bipolar representativa del area sanitaria deAlava, analizando variables como numero e intensidad de episodios, hospitalizacionesy conducta suicida mediante entrevistas bimensuales.Tras el analisis de los datos podemos concluir que aunque algunas variablescomo abuso de alcohol, sintomas psicoticos y conducta suicida esta mediada por laedad de inicio (el grupo de pacientes con episodios mixtos presentan una edad de iniciomas temprata), la mania mixta supone un factor de peor pronostico a largo plazosufriendo estos pacientes mayor numero de episodios y mas h'ospitalizaciones.
Resolving an adaptive conundrum: reproduction in Caenorhabditis elegans is not sperm-limited when food is scarce

Question: Has the less expensive gamete (sperm) really been selected as the limiting factor in a nematode’s reproduction, as laboratory studies have implied? Hypothesis: Reproductive output of the self-fertilizing hermaphroditic nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is oocyte-limited in the worm’s natural environment: soil. Organism: Sperm depletion and laying of unfertilized oocytes occurs in well-fed laboratory cultures of the self-fertilizing hermaphroditic nematode, Caenorhabditis elegans. This phenomenon has been much discussed as a possible contradiction to the usual expectation of selection for maximum fertility. Methods: Caenorhabditis elegans were maintained in a variety of food regimes, not just the ad libitum Escherichia coli typical of laboratory cultures. Sperm production, oocyte production and body size were measured for nematodes cultured on agar with feeding treatments of serially diluted bacteria suspensions, before and during gamete formation. Body sizes were also measured for worms cultured in soil or compost microcosms. Results: Reproduction was sperm-limited only for nematodes in the highest food treatments (10 6 or more E. coli cells per day); lower food treatments produced smaller worms with considerable excess sperm. Caenorhabditis elegans grown in natural soil or compost microcosms achieved the same sizes as those in treatments that showed oocyte limitation, not the large sizes of those typical of C. elegans in treatments that exhibited sperm limitation. Enriching soil or compost by adding E. coli produced appreciably larger C. elegans, but only if numbers of other invertebrates – potential predators/competitors of C. elegans – were minimized. Even with increased nutrients and reduced numbers of other invertebrates, only a few C. elegans in natural soil or compost were large enough to be consistent with sperm limitation.
The association between vertebrobasilar insufficiency and the risk of dementia: a nationwide register-based retrospective cohort study in Taiwan

Objectives Neurodegenerative disorders are reportedly characterised by decreased regional cerebral blood flow. However, the association between vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) and dementia remains unclear. In this nationwide, population-based, retrospective cohort study, we explored the potential association between VBI and dementia. Design Nationwide population-based cohort study. Setting Patients with VBI were newly diagnosed between 2000 and 2005 from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database. Participants We included 3642 subjects as the VBI group. The control cohort included 14 568 randomly selected age-matched and sex-matched VBI-free individuals. Outcome measures All subjects were followed until the diagnosis of dementia, death or the end of 2010. Patients with VBI, dementia (viz, vascular and non-vascular, including Alzheimer’s) subtypes and other confounding factors were identified according to the International Classification of Diseases Clinical Modification Codes. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was employed to examine adjusted HRs after adjusting for confounding factors. Results Patients with VBI had a 1.807-fold (95% CI 1.643 to 1.988, p<0.001) higher risk to develop all-cause dementia than individuals without VBI. The risk was significantly higher in the VBI group than in the non-VBI group regardless of age (<65 years: HR: 2.997, 95% CI 1.451 to 6.454, p<0.001; ≥65 years: HR: 1.752, 95% CI 1.584 to 1.937, p<0.001). The VBI group had a higher risk of all-cause dementia than the non-VBI group regardless of sex and follow-up time intervals (<1 year, 1–2 years and≥2 years). Conclusion Patients with VBI appear to have an increased risk of developing dementia. Further research is needed to investigate the underlying pathophysiology.
Design of Totally Self-Checking Check Circuits for m-Out-of-n Codes

The design of totally self-checking check circuits for m-out-of-n codes is described. Totally self-checking m-out-of-n checkers provide an error indication whenever the input is not an m-out-of-n code or whenever a fault occurs within the checker itself. Since the checker checks itself, there is no need for additional maintenance access or periodic exercise of the checker to verify its ability to detect errors. The basic structure of the checker relies on the use of majority detection circuits. Various gate level implementations for the majority detection circuits are also presented, although the self-checking capability of the checker does not depend on their particular implementation since they are exhaustively tested by code inputs. The self-testing checkers for k-out-of-2k codes are discussed in the most detail since the totally self-checking checkers for 1-out-of-n and arbitrary m-out-of-n codes are constructed by first translating the code to a k-out-of-2k code via a totally self-checking translator.
Diagnosis and prevention of catheter-related infections

Purpose of reviewTo highlight the major advances in diagnosing and preventing catheter-related infections published in research articles published between March 2004 and May 2007. Recent findingsThe challenge remains to make the diagnosis of catheter-related infection with good accuracy without catheter removal. The differential time to obtain positive qualitative blood culture appeared to be the most accurate available technique. Many catheter-related bloodstream infections are preventable. Simple interventions are often useful and multimodal programs are very efficacious, particularly in the intensive care setting. For long-term catheter-related bloodstream infection prevention, patient education appeared promising. Interesting evidence suggested that anticoagulant, by decreasing the biofilm formation, could decrease the risk of infection. For short-term central venous catheter-related infections research is ongoing on antiseptic dressings. Antiseptic lock appeared promising for preventing long-term central venous catheter bloodstream infections. SummaryNowadays, multimodal programs of catheter infection prevention are efficacious. Levels of catheter-related bloodstream infection of more than one or two per 1000 catheter-days are usually only found in the intensive care unit. It is a prerequisite to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of new techniques of prevention. As catheter-related bloodstream infections become rarer, strategies limiting unnecessary removal of catheters need to be developed and tested.