Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Racial Differences in the Relationship Between Blood Pressure and Risk of Retinopathy Among Individuals With NIDDM

OBJECTIVE To assess whether the prevalence of retinopathy differs between blacks and whites with diabetes and to examine differences between blacks and whites in the relationship between risk factors for and prevalence of retinopathy. Population data suggest diabetic retinopathy is either more prevalent or more severe in blacks than in whites. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We analyzed data from a screening study for retinopathy among patients with diabetes, conducted in Maryland from 1986–1990. RESULTS After adjusting for age, duration of diabetes, type of treatment for diabetes, and presence or absence of high blood pressure, black men with NIDDM were ∼23% more likely to have retinopathy than other race-sex groups (not statistically significant). We also found a different relationship between systolic blood pressure and retinopathy prevalence in blacks than in whites among individuals with NIDDM. Among blacks, the risk increased as systolic blood pressure increased, even within the normal range, and reached statistical significance at > 150 mmHg. Among whites, the risk was increased only among those with high systolic blood pressure (>140 mmHg) and did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS Our data are consistent with the hypothesis that differences exist between blacks and whites in risk of diabetic retinopathy, and that the effect of blood pressure on risk of retinopathy differs between blacks and whites.
Cell Wall Integrity Signaling in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

SUMMARY The yeast cell wall is a highly dynamic structure that is responsible for protecting the cell from rapid changes in external osmotic potential. The wall is also critical for cell expansion during growth and morphogenesis. This review discusses recent advances in understanding the various signal transduction pathways that allow cells to monitor the state of the cell wall and respond to environmental challenges to this structure. The cell wall integrity signaling pathway controlled by the small G-protein Rho1 is principally responsible for orchestrating changes to the cell wall periodically through the cell cycle and in response to various forms of cell wall stress. This signaling pathway acts through direct control of wall biosynthetic enzymes, transcriptional regulation of cell wall-related genes, and polarization of the actin cytoskeleton. However, additional signaling pathways interface both with the cell wall integrity signaling pathway and with the actin cytoskeleton to coordinate polarized secretion with cell wall expansion. These include Ca2+ signaling, phosphatidylinositide signaling at the plasma membrane, sphingoid base signaling through the Pkh1 and -2 protein kinases, Tor kinase signaling, and pathways controlled by the Rho3, Rho4, and Cdc42 G-proteins.
An Altered aroA Gene Product Confers Resistance to the Herbicide Glyphosate

The hypothesis that the herbicide glyphosate (N-phosphonomethylglycine) acts on plants and microorganisms by inhibiting synthesis of 5-enolpyruvyl-3-phosphoshikimate, a precursor to aromatic amino acids, was tested. Salmonella typhimurium was treated with ethyl methanesulfonate, and mutants mapping at the aroA locus, which encodes 5-enolpyruvyl-3-phosphoshikimate synthetase, were isolated by selection for glyphosate resistance. One of the mutants results in the synthesis of a 5-enolpyruvyl-3-phosphoshikimate synthetase that is resistant to inhibition by glyphosate. The mutant aroA gene and the corresponding wild-type allele were cloned. The mutation confers high resistance to glyphosate when introduced in Escherichia coli in the presence or absence of the wild-type aroA allele.
Idiopathic interstitial pneumonias and the concept of the trump card.

O ver the last several years, the clinical-radiologic-pathologic classification of idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIPs) has undergone fine-tuning and some remodeling to define discrete identities for these diseases. Publication in 2002 of the American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society International Multidisciplinary Consensus Classification scheme 1 represented an important milestone in this process. In this scheme, provisional criteria for diagnosis of idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) were provided, with recognition that additional investigation was necessary to solidly establish the characteristics of this process and its relationships to other IIPs. At about the same time, the existence of a relationship between NSIP and usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) was suggested by Flaherty et al. 2 These investigators discovered that 26% of patients receiving multilobar surgical lung biopsy for suspected idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) had " discordant UIP " (NSIP in at least one lobe and UIP in at least one lobe), and that patients with a discordant UIP pattern had survival more closely resembling concordant UIP (UIP pattern in all lobes) than concordant NSIP (NSIP pattern in all lobes). Although survival for the discordant UIP group was slightly better than that of the concordant UIP group for the first 5 years, the survival curves intersected between 5 years and 6 years. In this issue, the article by Monaghan and colleagues (see page 522) confirms these findings and further emphasizes the advantages of obtaining surgical lung biopsy samples from multiple sites. In this retrospective analysis of a cohort of 64 patients undergoing multiple biopsies of single or multiple lobes for suspected cryptogenic fibrosing alveolitis (CFA)/IPF, which were histologically reclassified using the methods of Flaherty et al, 2 25 patients showed concordant UIP, 8 patients showed discordant UIP, and 31 patients showed concordant NSIP. At 5 years after biopsy, survival rates for the concor-dant NSIP, discordant UIP, and concordant UIP groups were 75%, 37%, and 17%, respectively, and the survival difference between the NSIP and UIP groups remained significant after controlling for all other variables assessed. These results agree with those of other studies 3–7 that have documented superior survival for NSIP as compared to UIP. Monaghan et al also show differences in mean patient age between groups, with discordant UIP occupying the intermediate position between con-cordant UIP and concordant NSIP, as was also noted by Flaherty et al. 2 These findings raise interesting questions about the natural history and independence vs relatedness of these IIP patterns …
Modèle de langue pour l'ordonnancement conjoint d'entités pertinentes dans un réseau d'informations hétérogènes

Dans ce papier, nous proposons un nouveau modele, appele BibRank, ayant pour objectif d'ordonnancer conjointement des ressources heterogenes, documents et auteurs, d'un reseau bibliographique selon leur degre de pertinence vis-a-vis d'une requete. Ce modele utilise le principe de propagation des scores des entites en considerant a la fois la structure du reseau et le sujet de la requete. De plus, ce modele introduit deux indicateurs de proximite thematique entre entites connectees suivant le type des entites reliees. Pour les relations entre entites homogenes, cet indicateur detecte les citations marginales tandis que pour les relations entre entites heterogenes, il utilise deux sources d'evidence : le sujet du document et l'expertise de l'auteur. Des experimentations, menees en utilisant le reseau bibliographique CiteSeerX, montrent l'efficacite du modele d'ordonnancement propose.
Antileishmanial Activity of a Linalool-Rich Essential Oil from Croton cajucara

ABSTRACT The in vitro leishmanicidal effects of a linalool-rich essential oil from the leaves of Croton cajucara against Leishmania amazonensis were investigated. Morphological changes in L. amazonensis promastigotes treated with 15 ng of essential oil per ml were observed by transmission electron microscopy; leishmanial nuclear and kinetoplast chromatin destruction, followed by cell lysis, was observed within 1 h. Pretreatment of mouse peritoneal macrophages with 15 ng of essential oil per ml reduced by 50% the interaction between these macrophages and L. amazonensis, with a concomitant increase by 220% in the level of nitric oxide production by the infected macrophages. Treatment of preinfected macrophages with 15 ng of essential oil per ml reduced by 50% the interaction between these cells and the parasites, which led to a 60% increase in the amount of nitric oxide produced by the preinfected macrophages. These results provide new perspectives on the development of drugs with activities against Leishmania, as linalool-rich essential oil is a strikingly potent leishmanicidal plant extract (50% lethal doses, 8.3 ng/ml for promastigotes and 8.7 ng/ml for amastigotes) which inhibited the growth of L. amazonensis promastigotes at very low concentrations (MIC, 85.0 pg/ml) and which presented no cytotoxic effects against mammalian cells.
The group-size paradox: effects of learning and patch departure rules

In many species, foraging in groups can enhance individual fitness. However, groups are often predicted to be larger than the size that maximizes individual fitness. This is because individual foragers are expected to continue joining a group until the fitness in the group falls to the level experienced by solitary foragers. If such a process were pervasive, social foraging, paradoxically, would provide little evolutionary advantages. We propose a solution to the group-size paradox by allowing foragers to learn about habitat quality and leave food patches when their current intake rate falls below that expected for the whole habitat. By using a simulation model, we show that under a wide range of population sizes, foragers using such rules abandon under- and overcrowded patches, ensuring that group size remains close to the optimal value. The results hold in habitats with varying patch quality, but we note that the lack of food renewal in patches can disrupt the process of group formation. We conclude that groups of optimal sizes can occur frequently if fitness functions are peaked and resources patchily distributed, without the need to invoke relatedness between joiners and established group members, group defense against joiners, or other mechanisms that were proposed earlier to prevent groups from becoming too large. Copyright 2005.
Optimizing Itinerary Selection and Charging Association for Mobile Chargers

Wireless power transfer provides a promising way to extend the battery lifetime of our energy-hungry rechargeable devices. Previous studies have envisioned using mobile vehicles/robots/drones equipped with high capacity batteries as mobile chargers to replenish those devices, and they mainly focus on maximizing network lifetime, optimizing efficiency of charging scheduling, minimizing total charging delay, etc. However, existing methods may be insufficient and inflexible when the energy consumption of rechargeable devices fluctuates over time, or when rechargeable devices are sparse. In this paper, we consider how to efficiently provide flexible wireless charging using pre-planned charging itineraries. We present the Itinerary Selection and Charging Association (ISCA) problem: given a set of rechargeable devices and a set of candidate charging itineraries, how can we select itineraries and determine a corresponding charging association to minimize the amount of energy which is due to mobile chargers’ movement and wireless charging loss, so that every device gets its required energy. We prove that ISCA is NP-complete by reducing the set cover problem to it. We start solving this problem by first looking at the case in which an itinerary can only be used once, and we propose an algorithm with approximation ratio of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$O(\ln M)$</tex-math><alternatives><inline-graphic xlink:href="zhang-ieq1-2641446.gif"/> </alternatives></inline-formula> and a practical heuristic algorithm, where <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX"> $M$</tex-math><alternatives><inline-graphic xlink:href="zhang-ieq2-2641446.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula> is the number of devices. For the general case in which an itinerary may be used multiple times, we propose an approximation algorithm of factor 10 using the Primal-Dual schema. Evaluations results from real field experiments and extensive simulations show that the proposed algorithms have near-optimal performance and PDA reduces the amount of wasted energy by up to 65 percent compared with a set cover-based algorithm.
What have we learned about social media by studying Facebook? A decade in review

A recent review published by Rains and Brunner documented an overwhelming preponderance of the Facebook brand in scholarship about social networking sites (SNS). This follow-up analysis shows that Facebook is still over-privileged when examining the broader umbrella of social media brands; the social networking hegemon constitutes over half of all scholarship across an array of social media, including SNS, media sharing sites, (micro)blogging platforms, virtual communities, and others. This study builds upon Rains and Brunner’s critiques about the over-reliance on the Facebook brand and calls for more scholarship that examines social media as part of larger media repertoires, is more inclusive of indigenous social media brands and their users, and provides greater diversity in terms of academic context. In doing, it serves as the most comprehensive review of social media scholarship to date. Implications for future research are discussed.
Optical fiber sensor technology

The current state of the art of optical fiber sensors is reviewed. The principles of operation are detailed and the various types of fiber sensors are outlined. Achievable performance and limitations are discussed and a description of technology used to fabricate the sensor is presented. The characteristics of acoustic, magnetic, gyro, laser diode, and other sensors are described. Trends in the development of this sensor technology and expected application areas are briefly outlined.
Voltage and pH-induced channel closure of porin OmpF visualized by atomic force microscopy.

Gram-negative bacteria are protected by an outer membrane in which trimeric channels, the porins, facilitate the passage of small solutes. The pores are formed by membrane-spanning antiparallel beta-strands, which are connected by short turns on the periplasmic side and long loops on the extracellular side. Voltage and pH-dependent conformational changes of these extracellular loops have now been visualized by atomic force microscopy of two-dimensional crystals of Escherichia coli porin OmpF. The observed conformational changes accompany the closure of the channel entrance, and suggest that this is a mechanism that the cells have evolved to protect themselves from drastic changes of the environment.
High-Density Lipoprotein Restores Endothelial Function in Hypercholesterolemic Men

Background—Hypercholesterolemia is a risk factor for atherosclerosis-causing endothelial dysfunction, an early event in the disease process. In contrast, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol inversely correlates with morbidity and mortality representing a protective effect. Therefore, we investigated the effects of reconstituted HDL on endothelial function in hypercholesterolemic men. Methods and Results—Endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilation to intraarterial acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside (SNP), respectively, was measured by forearm venous occlusion plethysmography in healthy normo- and hypercholesterolemic men. In hypercholesterolemics, the effects of reconstituted HDL (rHDL; 80 mg/kg IV over 4 hours) on acetylcholine- and SNP-induced changes in forearm blood flow were assessed in the presence or absence of the nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor L-NMMA. Hypercholesterolemics showed reduced vasodilation to acetylcholine but not to SNP compared with normocholesterolemics (P <0.0001). rHDL infusion increased plasma HDL cholesterol from 1.3±0.1 to 2.2±0.1 mmol/L (P <0.0001, n=18) and significantly enhanced the acetylcholine-induced increase in forearm blood flow without affecting that induced by SNP. rHDL infusion also improved flow-mediated dilation of the brachial artery (to 4.5±0.9% from 2.7±0.6%, P =0.02). NO synthase inhibition prevented the improvement in acetylcholine-induced vasodilation while leaving the response to SNP unchanged. Albumin infusion in an equivalent protein dose had no effect on vasomotion or lipid levels. Conclusions—In hypercholesterolemic patients, intravenous rHDL infusion rapidly normalizes endothelium-dependent vasodilation by increasing NO bioavailability. This may in part explain the protective effect of HDL from coronary heart disease and illustrates the potential therapeutic benefit of increasing HDL in patients at risk from atherosclerosis.
Orthodontic biomaterials: from the past to the present.

‘‘Men will never barter their souls or spill blood for it; yet this time-tested stainless steel, with the single exception of intrinsic value, offers more desirable characteristics to the fine-metal worker than do the precious metals themselves. The craftsman asks only that his material be chemically inert, naturally beautiful, strong yet amenable to his artistry; it is the buyer who measures precious metals by price. ’’ (Commercial advertisement touting stainless steel [ca 1935]1)
Survey of albumin purification methods for the analysis of albumin‐organic toxicant adducts by liquid chromatography‐electrospray ionization‐tandem mass spectrometry

HSA has been shown to react with many organic toxicants to form adducts that are useful biomarkers for exposure. Albumin isolation is an important first step for the analysis of these protein‐toxicant adducts. We tested several approaches to isolate albumin from serum treated with an electrophilic organic toxicant known to form adducts with albumin, i.e., sulfur mustard agent (HD) (2,2'‐dichloroethyl sulfide), in order to evaluate these techniques as purification methods. To select the most efficient isolation strategy, methods were evaluated using gel electrophoresis, total protein quantitation, and peptide‐adduct identification by MS. Results suggest that the albumin‐rich fractions obtained can be used to identify exposure by quantitating the albumin adducts to electrophilic organic toxicants such as HD. The HiTrap Blue HP albumin isolation system appears to display the most promising results for purifying albumin to detect HD‐adducts, exhibiting high purification efficiency, satisfactory albumin recovery, promising specificity, and a higher loading capacity for serum.
Software Support for Software-Independent Auditing

Electronic voting machines have the potential to make the election process more efficient, but concerns over their reliability and security could undermine confidence in election results. The most effective way of verifying election results is by auditing physical copies of the ballots that have been verified by the voter. Since manually viewing every ballot is unrealistic, a variety of algorithms can be used to determine which ballots or precincts to audit. These algorithms generate a list of ballots (or precincts) to audit and declare the election outcome correct (with a certain confidence level) if the audited physical ballot matches the corresponding electronic records. Many of these algorithms are complicated and require a computer on which to run. Since this computer is susceptible to the same issues as electronic voting machines, we want to be able to trust the output of these algorithms without trusting the computer on which the auditing algorithms run. We created an online auditing system with three goals in mind. First, we ensure softwareindependence by publishing a log that allows anyone to verify (either manually or by using a computer) that the audit procedures were followed correctly. This allows the computer running the auditing algorithms to be untrusted. Second, we implemented recently published auditing algorithms that reduce the number of precincts or ballots to be inspected. Third, we provide a user-friendly interface that can be used by ordinary government officials. Additionally, the modular design of our system does not restrict the algorithms that can be used, allowing it to satisfy the variety of legal requirements in different states.
Three-dimensional time-of-flight (3d tof) magnetic resonance angiography (mra) and contrast-enhanced mra of intracranial aneurysms treated with platinum coils

Background: Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) is less prone to flow-related signal intensity loss than three-dimensional time-of-flight (3D TOF) MRA and may therefore be more sensitive for detection of residual patency in platinum coil-treated intracranial aneurysms. Purpose: To compare MRA and CE-MRA in the follow-up of intracranial aneurysms treated with platinum coils. Material and Methods: CE-MRA and 3D TOF MRA (pre- and postcontrast injection) of the intracranial vasculature was performed at 1.5T in 38 patients (47 aneurysms) referred for DSA in the follow-up of coiled intracranial aneurysms. Results: DSA showed aneurysm patency in 22/47 investigations. Patent aneurysm components were observed with CE-MRA in 18/22 cases, and with 3D TOF MRA in 21/22 cases. There was no significant difference in patent aneurysm component size between CE-MRA and 3D TOF MRA. In addition, CE-MRA showed six, 3D TOF MRA before contrast injection showed seven, and 3D TOF MRA after contrast injection showed eight cases with patent aneurysm components not observed on DSA. Conclusion: 3D TOF MRA was highly sensitive for detection of patent aneurysm components, and at least as sensitive as CE-MRA. Residual aneurysm patency seems to be better visualized with MRA than with DSA in some cases.
Effects of Oxygen on Recombinant Protein Expression

Efforts to increase cell growth and protein yields need to be complemented by the maintenance of the quality of the protein produced. Elevated oxygen pressure or rapid increases in oxygen content can cause oxidative stress within the cells, leading to oxidation of specific proteins and nucleotide sequences. In addition, transient or steady‐state anoxic conditions can cause limitations in amino acid production and plasmid stability. Major pathways and mechanisms of oxidative damage to proteins expressed in bacteria are reviewed. Damage to nucleic acids involved in gene expression also is considered. The methodologies for identifying oxidative damage to macromolecules are improving but are not yet adequate for on‐line feedback. This limits our ability to integrate information about these phenomena and the cellular responses into a quantitative model. Enough information is available, however, to consider changes in the time profile of dissolved oxygen as a cause for poor process performance.
On-line resource sharing in communication networks using infinitesimal perturbation analysis of stochastic fluid models

In this paper we study the problem of resource allocation in communication networks, specifically bandwidth and buffer allocation. We adopt a stochastic fluid model (SFM) and derive sensitivity estimators of the performance measures of interest (average workload and packet loss volume) with respect of the control parameters (bandwidth share and buffer thresholds). These estimators are shown to be unbiased (with respect to the fluid-based measures), they require no knowledge of the underlying stochastic processes that drive the system (model free) and are very easy to implement.