Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Predicting gallstone pancreatitis with laboratory parameters: a meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES In order to define the usefulness of biochemical laboratory values in distinguishing gallstone from non-gallstone acute pancreatitis, we performed a meta-analysis. METHODS Studies that utilized the bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate transaminase in the evaluation of the gallstone pancreatitis were included. RESULTS Using receiver operating characteristic curves for each of these four parameters, we determined that the ALT level was the most clinically useful parameter. The higher the serum level of ALT, the greater its specificity and positive predictive value in diagnosing gallstone pancreatitis. At ALT levels greater than or equal to 150 IU/L (approximately a 3-fold elevation), the probability of gallstone pancreatitis is 95%. Our analyses of total bilirubin and alkaline phosphatase serum levels indicate that these tests are not useful in the diagnosis of gallstone pancreatitis. Aspartate transaminase levels are nearly as useful as ALT. CONCLUSIONS A > or = 3-fold elevation of ALT in the presence of acute pancreatitis has a positive predictive value of 95% in diagnosing acute gallstone pancreatitis.
Energy Efficiency with Computational Topology and Routing in Wireless Sensors Networks

topology and routing are the major area where energy is needed to activate a number of functions integrated in wireless sensor network. In this research, reducing energy consumption and increasing energy efficiency (EE) are the main aims when specific algorithm of routing protocol and topology are employed in WSN. In order to solve the main points through this research, we studied the novelties of the routing protocols based on ant colony optimization (ACO). In these studies, accurate distance between the sensor nodes based on the specific topology is also analyzed. From these approaches EE can be enhanced in future WSNs which have either 2D or 3D topologies.
Effect of occupational EMF exposure from radar at two different frequency bands on plasma melatonin and serotonin levels

Abstract Objective: To delineate the effect of chronic electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure from radar on plasma melatonin and serotonin levels in occupationally exposed military personnel. Subjects and methods: A total of 166 male military personnel participated in the study out of which only 155 joined for blood draw. They were divided into three sets: Control group (n = 68), exposure group I (n = 40) exposed to 8–12 GHz and exposure group II (n = 58) working with radar at 12.5–18 GHz frequency. The three groups were further split into two groups according to their years of service (up to 10 years and > 10 years) in order to investigate the effect of years of exposure from radar. Melatonin and serotonin levels were estimated by enzyme immunoassay in fasting blood samples collected from 06:00–07:00 h. EMF measurements were recorded at different locations using Satimo EME Guard ‘Personal Exposure Meter’ and Narda ‘Broad Band Field Meter’. Results: The group I exposed population registered a minor though not significant decrease in plasma melatonin concentration while the other group II exposed population registered statistically significant decline in melatonin concentration when compared with controls. Highly significant increase in plasma serotonin levels was found in exposure group II when compared to control whereas marginal non-significant rise was also registered in exposure group I in comparison to control. Exposure in terms of length of service up to 10 years did not produce any significant effect in the indoleamine levels in both the exposure groups when they were compared with their respective control groups. Whereas, length of service greater than 10 years was observed to decrease and increase respectively the melatonin and serotonin concentration significantly in exposure group II but not in exposure group I. However, correlation test did not yield any significant association between years of service and melatonin or serotonin levels respectively in both the exposure sets I and II. No significant association was observed between melatonin and serotonin levels as well. Conclusion: The study showed the EMF ability to influence plasma melatonin and serotonin concentration in radar workers, significantly in 12.5–18 GHz range with service period greater than 10 years.
The long-term outcomes of presymptomatic infants transplanted for Krabbe disease: Report of the workshop held on July 11 and 12, 2008, Holiday Valley, New York

Krabbe disease (globoid cell leukodystrophy) is an autosomal recessive disorder of white matter resulting from deficiency of galactosylceramide beta-galactosidase (GALC) and the consequent accumulation of galactosylceramide and psychosine. Although most patients present within the first 6 months of life, i.e., the early infantile or “classic” phenotype, others present later in life including in adolescence and adulthood. The only available treatment for infants with early infantile Krabbe disease is hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), typically using umbilical cord blood. Although transplanted children are far better neurologically than they would have been had they followed the typical fulminant course of early infantile Krabbe disease, anecdotal reports have surfaced suggesting that the majority of presymptomatic children transplanted for Krabbe disease have developed motor and language deterioration. The cause and extent of the deterioration is unknown at this time. With the advent of universal newborn screening for Krabbe disease in New York State and the projected start of screening in Illinois in 2010, understanding the outcome of treatment becomes of paramount importance. Thus, the purpose of this workshop was to bring together child neurologists, geneticists, neurodevelopmental pediatricians, transplanters, neuroradiologists, neurophysiologists, developmental neurobiologists, neuroscientists, and newborn screeners to review the results of the transplantation experience in humans and animals and, if neurologic deterioration was confirmed, develop possible explanations as to causation. This workshop was the first attempt at a multicenter crossdiscipline evaluation of the results of HCT for Krabbe disease. A broad range of individuals participated, including clinicians, academicians, and authorities from the National Institutes of Health, American College of Medical Genetics, and Department of Health and Human Services.
Highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 virus induces cytokine dysregulation with suppressed maturation of chicken monocyte‐derived dendritic cells

One of the major causes of death in highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) infection in chickens is acute induction of pro‐inflammatory cytokines (cytokine storm), which leads to severe pathology and acute mortality. DCs and respiratory tract macrophages are the major antigen presenting cells that are exposed to mucosal pathogens. We hypothesized that chicken DCs are a major target for induction of cytokine dysregulation by H5N1 HPAIV. It was found that infection of chicken peripheral blood monocyte‐derived dendritic cells (chMoDCs) with H5N1 HPAIV produces high titers of progeny virus with more rounding and cytotoxicity than with H9N2 LPAIV. Expression of maturation markers (CD40, CD80 and CD83) was weaker in both H5N1 and H9N2 groups than in a LPS control group. INF‐α, ‐β and ‐γ were significantly upregulated in the H5N1 group. Pro‐inflammatory cytokines (IL‐1β, TNF‐α and IL‐18) were highly upregulated in early mid (IL‐1), and late (IL‐6) phases of H5N1 virus infection. IL‐8 (CXCLi2) mRNA expression was significantly stronger in the H5N1 group from 6 hr of infection. TLR3, 7, 15 and 21 were upregulated 24 hr after infection by H5N1 virus compared with H9N2 virus, with maximum expression of TLR 3 mRNA. Similarly, greater H5N1 virus‐induced apoptotic cell death and cytotoxicity, as measured by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase‐mediated dUTP nick end labeling and lactate dehydrogenase assays, respectively, were found. Thus, both H5N1 and H9N2 viruses evade the host immune system by inducing impairment of chMoDCs maturation and enhancing cytokine dysregulation in H5N1 HPAIV‐infected cells.
Continuous monitoring of hemorrhagic brain strokes via contrast source inversion

We consider the differential microwave imaging for continuous monitoring of hemorrhagic brain strokes where our aim is to determine the change of bleeding in sequential time frames. The scattered electromagnetic field is measured in two different time steps, and the difference in the scattered field is used as the data of the inversion scheme. The imaging is performed via contrast source inversion. However, since the data of the inversion scheme consists of the difference of the scattered field measurements, the algorithm produces a differential contrast function instead of a complete reconstruction. This function carries information about the difference in the electromagnetic parameters of the brain, that is the relative size of the blood region, between two measurements. The numerical simulations with a realistic head model demonstrate that the method is capable of detecting changes in multiple blood regions, and provides information about the locations and the types of these changes.
Prevalence of Dry Eye Syndrome After Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation

Purpose: To evaluate the prevalence, severity, and effect of dry eye in patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT) and to correlate the findings to the duration after transplantation. Methods: A total of 222 eyes of 111 patients after aHSCT at the Department of Bone Marrow Transplantation, Sheba Medical Center, Israel in a consecutive 3-year period. All patients underwent a full ophthalmic examination and filled the ocular surface disease index (OSDI) questionnaire to assess ocular involvement in the form of dry eye syndrome or any other ocular manifestation. The main outcome measures were best-corrected visual acuity, tear break-up time, corneal fluorescein staining, Schirmer test, and OSDI questionnaire. Results: A total of 111 patients were recruited. In 37%, a diagnosis of ocular graft versus host disease was previously made and 46% had no previous ocular examination. Schirmer test was less than 5 mm in 50% of all patients, and in 30% of patients with undiagnosed ocular involvement. The mean OSDI score was 13, and in 28% it was above 20. Correlation was found between visual acuity decrease and high OSDI score to the diagnosis of ocular graft versus host disease and signs of dry eye syndrome. A trend of worsening dry eye was observed up to the second half of the second year posttransplantation. Conclusions: Although many patients are either asymptomatic or do not seek ophthalmic examination, severe dry eye is a common finding after aHSCT. Mandatory follow-up, patient education, and early treatment may improve the quality of life.
CHARACTERIZATION OF NATURAL KILLER AND ANTIBODY-DEPENDENT CELLULAR CYTOTOXICITY OF PRETERM INFANTS AGAINST HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS-INFECTED CELLS. • 1776

The odds risk of vertical transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to preterm infants is almost four times that of term infants and may relate to maternal and neonatal factors. We characterized the competence of early nonspecific cellular immunity, namely natural killer cytotoxicity (NKC) and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from preterm (n = 20) and term neonates (n = 28) versus adult controls against a T cell line infected with the human T cell lymphotrophic virus-III(B) using a chromium-51 release assay. PBMC from term neonates exhibited levels of NKC activity equal to adults against HIV-infected targets, yet the NKC capacity of preterm neonatal PBMC was significantly diminished. The ADCC activity of both term and preterm neonatal PBMC against HIV-infected targets was significantly less than that of adult PBMC. Overnight stimulation of a subset of samples with IL-12 augmented the NKC activity of both infant groups and adults, whereas the ADCC activity remained unchanged. These findings demonstrate that term neonates are deficient in ADCC against HIV-infected targets, whereas preterm infants are deficient in both NKC and ADCC, which may relate, in part, to the increased risk of transmission of HIV with preterm delivery. In addition, IL-12 has the potential to augment both term and preterm neonatal antiviral defense.
Alcohol Consumption and Cancer of the Gastrointestinal Tract

Epidemiological data have identified chronic alcohol consumption as a significant risk factor for upper gastrointestinal cancer (oropharynx, hypopharynx, esophagus) and colorectal cancer. Pathophysiological mechanisms include generation of acetaldehyde (AA) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), induction of cytochrome P 4502E1 (CYP2E1), and local and nutritional factors. Genetic polymorphisms of alcohol-metabolizing enzymes may individually influence the risk of carcinogenesis. AA, the first and major metabolite of ethanol, has proven to be the most carcinogenic and mutagenic agent in alcohol-associated cancer. Gastrointestinal bacteria as well as various isozymes of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) are capable of metabolizing ethanol to AA thus leading to an increased cell turnover of the gastrointestinal mucosa after chronic alcohol consumption. In Caucasians, ADH1C polymorphism is most important, for the ADH1C*1 transcription results in an ADH isoenzyme 2.5 times more active than that from ADH1C*2, which is associated with an increase in AA production. Additionally, oxidative stress due to an induction of CYP2E1 in the gastrointestinal mucosa of alcoholics should be considered as another key factor in alcohol-induced carcinogenesis. Nutritional deficiencies, i.e. lack of folic and retinoic acid, as well as malnutrition itself may also contribute to the development of gastrointestinal cancer.
Molar Intercuspal Dimensions: Genetic Input to Phenotypic Variation

Molecular studies indicate that epigenetic events are important in determining how the internal enamel epithelium folds during odontogenesis. Since this process of folding leads to the subsequent arrangement of cusps on molar teeth, we hypothesized that intercuspal distances of human molar teeth would display greater phenotypic variation but lower heritabilities than overall crown diameters. Intercuspal distances and maximum crown diameters were recorded from digitized images of dental casts in 100 monozygotic and 74 dizygotic twin pairs. Intercuspal distances displayed less sexual dimorphism in mean values but greater relative variability and fluctuating asymmetry than overall crown measures. Correlations between intercuspal distances and overall crown measures were low. Models incorporating only environmental effects accounted for observed variation in several intercuspal measures. For those intercuspal variables displaying significant additive genetic variance, estimates of heritability ranged from 43 to 79%, whereas those for overall crown size were higher generally, ranging from 60 to 82%. Our finding of high phenotypic variation in intercuspal distances with only moderate genetic contribution is consistent with substantial epigenetic influence on the progressive folding of the internal enamel epithelium, following formation of the primary and secondary enamel knots.
Interactions between Hb, Mg, DPG, ATP, and Cl determine the change in Hb-O2 affinity at high altitude.

Ascent to high altitude (HA) causes an increase in erythrocyte 2,3-diphsophoglycerate (DPG) and standard PO2 at 50% O2 saturation, PCO2 40 Torr, and blood pH 7.4 (P50,st). We studied the early phase of acclimatization to HA of mountaineers without and with a history of HA pulmonary edema. Tests were performed before ascent and after arrival at HA (4,559 m), approximately 22 h after the departure from low altitude (HA1) and on the following 3 days at HA (HA2-HA4). We investigated the relation between changes in DPG and P50,st, since at moderate altitude P50,st increases more rapidly than DPG, indicating that other factors may contribute to the change in P50,st. Combined effects of interaction between allosteric effectors of hemoglobin (Hb) (DPG, ATP, Cl) and Mg, which competes with Hb for DPG and ATP binding, might explain that phenomenon. Therefore concentrations of liganded Hb species were calculated from the total erythrocyte concentrations of the ligands by use of published binding constants and were related to changes in Hb-O2 affinity. P50,st increased at HA by approximately 4.5 Torr; the concentration of total DPG and ATP increased by 28 and 19%, respectively. Whereas P50,st reached a plateau already at HA1, the concentration of DPG reached its highest value at HA4. The erythrocyte Cl concentration decreased, whereas cellular Hb and Mg concentrations increased slightly. The sum of concentrations of all liganded Hb species increased, reaching 79% of its total change within 22 h after ascent; this can mainly be attributed to the change in the concentration of Hb[DPG] (+77% of total increase). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Haplotypes of angiotensinogen in essential hypertension.

The M235T polymorphism of the angiotensinogen gene (AGT) has been associated with essential and pregnancy-induced hypertension. Generation of haplotypes can help to resolve whether the T235 allele itself predisposes to the development of hypertension or acts as a marker of an unknown causal molecular variant. We identified 10 diallelic polymorphisms at the AGT locus and genotyped both a series of 477 probands of hypertensive families and 364 controls, all French Caucasians, as well as a series of 92 hypertensives and 122 controls from Japan. Despite a large ethnic difference in gene frequency, a significant association of T235 with hypertension was observed both in Cancasians (.46 vs. .38, P = .004) and in Japanese (.91 vs. .76, P = .002). In both groups, the G-->A substitution located at position -6 upstream of the initial transcription site occurred at the same frequency and in complete linkage disequilibrium with the T235 allele. No other polymorphism was found to be consistently associated with hypertension. Five informative haplotypes subdividing the T235 allele were generated. Whereas two of them were associated with hypertension in Caucasians, none of these two haplotypes (H3 and H4) reached statistical significance in Japanese. The analysis of the AGT-GT repeat revealed marked linkage disequilibriums between each of the diallelic polymorphisms and some (GT)n alleles, with similar patterns in the two populations. The strong disequilibrium between M235 and (GT)16 explained the increased frequency of that particular allele in French controls compared with hypertensives (.42 vs. .36, P < .01). The haplotype combining the M235T and G-6A polymorphisms appears as the ancestral allele of the human AGT gene and as the one associated with hypertension.
A Multicycle Q-Modulation for Dynamic Optimization of Inductive Links

This paper presents a new method, called multicycle Q-modulation,to modulate the quality factor (Q) of the receiver (Rx) coil and dynamically optimize the load impedance to maximize the power transfer efficiency (PTE) in two-coil links. A key advantage of the proposed method is that it can be easily implemented using off-the-shelf components without requiring fast switching at or above the carrier frequency, which is more suitable for integrated circuit design. Moreover, the proposed technique does not need any sophisticated synchronization between the power carrier and Q-modulation switching pulses. The multicycle Q-modulation is analyzed theoretically by a lumped circuit model, and verified in simulation and measurement using an off-the-shelf prototype. Automatic resonance tuning in the Rx, combined with multicycle Q-modulation helped maximizing PTE of the inductive link dynamically in the presence of environmental and loading variations, which can otherwise significantly degrade the PTE in multicoil settings. In the prototype conventional two-coil link, the proposed method increased the power amplifier plus inductive-link efficiency from 4.8% to 16.5% at (RL = 1 kW, d23 = 3 cm), and from 23% to 28.2% at (RL = 100 Ω, d23 = 3 cm) after 11% change in the resonance capacitance, while delivering 168.1 mW to the load (PDL).
Neutrophil migration during endotoxemia

Endotoxemia is marked by a global activation of inflammatory responses, which can lead to shock, multiple organ failure, and the suppression of immune and wound healing processes. Neutrophils (PMNs) play a central role in some of these responses by accumulating in tissues and releasing reactive oxygen species and proteases that injure host structures. This review focuses on altered PMN migratory responses that occur during endotoxemia and their consequences in the development of pulmonary infection. The inflammatory mediators that might be responsible for these altered responses are discussed. The oxidant potential of PMNs is increased after exposure to endotoxin both in vitro and during clinical and experimental endotoxemia. However, other functions such as chemotaxis and phagocytosis are often depressed in these same cells. Endotoxin exposure renders PMNs hyperadhesive to endothelium. The sum of these effects produces activated inflammatory cells that are incapable of leaving the vasculature. As such, the endotoxic PMN is more likely to promote tissue injury from within microvascular beds than to clear pathogens from extravascular sites. Moreover, the functional characteristics of endotoxic PMNs are similar to those observed during trauma, burn injury, sepsis, surgery, and other inflammatory conditions. Accordingly, several clinical conditions might have a common effector in the activated, yet migratorially dysfunctional, PMN. Direct effects of endotoxin on PMNs as well as effects of endogenous mediators released during endotoxemia are discussed. Understanding PMN behavior during endotoxemia may provide basic and critical insights that can be applied to a number of inflammatory scenarios. J. Leukoc. Biol. 66: 10–24; 1999.