Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes in hospitalization rates for acute coronary syndrome after a two-phase comprehensive smoking ban

Aims The impact of a comprehensive stepwise smoking ban (2007 and 2008) was assessed by analysing the hospitalization rate for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in France, between 2003 and 2009. Methods and results Between 2003 and 2009, 867,164 hospitalizations for ACS were observed among about 23 million administrative reports. The age-and gender-standardized hospitalization rates were calculated and their variation before and after the smoking ban implementation was investigated by Poisson regression that included the ACS seasonal variations and the historical trend. The hospitalization rate decreased by 12.8% (from 269 to 235/100,000) with a significant historical trend reduction (p < 0.10–3) in all groups, but in young women. After adjusting for linear trend, reductions linked to the ban remained not significant in all groups: relative risk (RR) from 0.96 (95% CI 0.91–1.01) in men older than 55 years to 0.99 (95% CI 0.93–1.04) in men aged 55 years or less after the first phase, and from 0.96 (95% CI 0.89–1.04) in men older than 55 years to 1.03 (95% CI 0.94–1.12) in women older than 65 years after the second phase of the ban. Conclusions This study did not demonstrate a significant effect of a two-phases smoking ban on ACS hospitalization rate. A steadily decrease of this rate over the 7-year period, the past preventive measures in France leading to low levels of passive smoking, and the significant increase in active smoking during the studied period may explain this result. Our study highlights the difficulty of proving an effect of smoking bans in a country with an already low ACS incidence.
Multiple Interactions between Cytoplasmic Domains Regulate Slow Deactivation of Kv11.1 Channels*

Background: Cytoplasmic domains of Kv11.1 channels fine-tune their gating kinetics through unknown mechanisms. Results: N-terminal positively charged residues form functional interactions with C-terminal negatively charged residues in Kv11.1 channels. Conclusion: Cytoplasmic charge-charge interactions are critical for slow deactivation kinetics of Kv11.1 channels. Significance: These results help clarify the molecular basis of slow Kv11.1 channel deactivation that is critical to opposing premature beats. The intracellular domains of many ion channels are important for fine-tuning their gating kinetics. In Kv11.1 channels, the slow kinetics of channel deactivation, which are critical for their function in the heart, are largely regulated by the N-terminal N-Cap and Per-Arnt-Sim (PAS) domains, as well as the C-terminal cyclic nucleotide-binding homology (cNBH) domain. Here, we use mutant cycle analysis to probe for functional interactions between the N-Cap/PAS domains and the cNBH domain. We identified a specific and stable charge-charge interaction between Arg56 of the PAS domain and Asp803 of the cNBH domain, as well an additional interaction between the cNBH domain and the N-Cap, both of which are critical for maintaining slow deactivation kinetics. Furthermore, we found that positively charged arginine residues within the disordered region of the N-Cap interact with negatively charged residues of the C-linker domain. Although this interaction is likely more transient than the PAS-cNBD interaction, it is strong enough to stabilize the open conformation of the channel and thus slow deactivation. These findings provide novel insights into the slow deactivation mechanism of Kv11.1 channels.
Differential Induction of Gamma Interferon in Legionella pneumophila- Infected Macrophages from BALB/c and A/J Mice

ABSTRACT Gamma interferon (IFN-γ), a pleiotropic cytokine, is now known to be produced by macrophages as well as by NK cells, γδ cells, and activated T cells. The autocrine biological functions of IFN-γ on the macrophage include the upregulation of major histocompatibility complex MHC class II and the activation to an antiviral state. In this study, the production of IFN-γ by macrophages was demonstrated to correspond to antibacterial activity. Legionella pneumophilareplicates intracellularly in thioglycolate (TG)-elicited macrophages (TG-macrophages) from A/J mice, while TG-macrophages from BALB/c mice restrict bacterial growth after an initial period of growth. BALB/c TG-macrophages were shown to express IFN-γ mRNA at 24 and 28 h, which corresponded to the initiation of anti-L. pneumophilaactivity. Moreover, IFN-γneutralization by antibody treatment of the cultures resulted in increased L. pneumophila growth in the macrophages. In contrast, no IFN-γ mRNA was expressed in TG-macrophages from A/J mice, where L. pneumophila grew unrestricted. As would be expected, IFN-γ treatment decreased bacterial growth. An IFN-γ-mediated antibacterial activity was, however, inducible in A/J macrophages by the addition of interleukin-12 following L. pneumophila infection. Thus, autocrine IFN-γ is involved in anti-L. pneumophila activity associated with different growth patterns and appears to be important during intracellular infection.
HDTV1080p H.264/AVC Encoder Chip Design and Performance Analysis

A H.264/AVC baseline-profile real-time encoder for HDTV-1080p at 30 fps is proposed in this paper. On the basis of the specifications and algorithm optimizations, the dedicated hardware engines and one 32-bit media embedded processor (MeP) equipped with hardware extensions are mapped into the three-stage macroblock pipelining system architecture. This paper describes the design considerations for chief components, including high throughput integer motion estimation, data reusing fractional motion estimation, and hardware friendly mode reduction for intra prediction. The 11.5 Gbps 64 Mb system-in-silicon DRAM is embedded to alleviate the external memory bandwidth. Using TSMC one-poly six-metal 0.18 mum CMOS technology, the prototype chip is implemented with 1140 k logic gates and 108.3 KB internal SRAM. The SoC core occupies 27.1 mm2 die area and consumes 1.41 W at 200 MHz execution speed in typical work conditions.
Exact outage analysis of incremental decode-and-forward opportunistic relaying

In this paper, we investigate a dual-hop decode-and-forward opportunistic relaying scheme where the selected relay chooses to cooperate only if the source-destination channel is of an unacceptable quality. In our study, we derive exact closed-form expression for the outage probability based on the exact statistics of each hop. Furthermore, we perform asymptotic analysis and we deduce the diversity order of the scheme. We validate our analysis by showing that performance simulation results coincide with our analytical results over different network architectures.
Circumcision: Perspective in a Nigerian teaching hospital

Background: The practice and pattern of male infants circumcised is influenced by culture, religion and socio-economic classification. The debate about the benefits and risks of circumcision has made a hospital-based practice the most acceptable. Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the ages, indications, co-morbidity, types and methods of circumcision, usage and mode of anaesthesia and outcome of male circumcision at a tertiary health centre in Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of male circumcision in a paediatric surgery unit was done from January 2002 to December 2007. The data was analysed using SPSS software version 15. Results: There were 438 boys with age ranged between 6 days and 10 years (median 28 days, mean 53.6 days standard deviation 74.2). Neonatal circumcision (<29 days) was 201 (46%) and 318 (72.6%) of the children were circumcised by the 3 rd month of live. Religion or tradition were the major indicators in 384 (87.7%) patients while phimosis 38 (8.7%), paraphimosis 4 (1%), redundant post circumcision skin 10 (2.3%) and defective prepuce in 2 (0.5%) were other indications. Plastibel™ (PD) was used in 214 (48.9%), classical circumcision 194 (44.2%), guillotine technique (GT) and Gomco™ 10 (2.3%) cases each while 10 (2.3%) had a refashioning/re-excision post previous circumcision. There was an increase in use of PD, drop in the use of GT; and increase in the number of circumcision done over the years. Only 39.7% had anaesthesia administered and complication rate was 6.7%. Conclusion: Neonatal circumcision was highest in the hospital-based circumcision practice, which allowed the expected ideals in the use of devices in a tertiary health centre. However, the low rate of anaesthetic use is unacceptable.
Hydration of [d(CGC)r(aaa)d(TTTGCG)](2).

We have studied the hydration and dynamics of RNA C2'-OH in a DNA. RNA hybrid chimeric duplex [d(CGC)r(aaa)d(TTTGCG)](2). Long-lived water molecules with correlation time tau(c) larger than 0.3 ns were found close to the RNA adenine H2 and H1' protons in the hybrid segment. A possible long-lived water molecule was also detected close to the methyl group of 7T in the RNA-DNA junction but not to the other two thymine bases (8T and 9T). This result correlates with the structural studies that only DNA residue 7T in the RNA-DNA junction adopts an O4'-endo sugar conformation (intermediate between B-form and A-form), while the other DNA residues including 3C in the DNA-RNA junction, adopt C1'-exo or C2'-endo conformations (in the B-form domain). Based on the NOE cross-peak patterns, we have found that RNA C2'-OH tends to orient toward the O3' direction, forming a possible hydrogen bond with the 3'-phosphate group. The exchange rates for RNA C2'-OH were found to be around 5-20 s(-1), compared to 26.7(+/-13.8) s(-1) reported previously for the other DNA.RNA hybrid duplex. This slow exchange rate may be due to the narrow minor groove width of [d(CGC)r(aaa)d(TTTGCG)](2), which may trap the water molecules and restrict the dynamic motion of hydroxyl protons. The distinct hydration patterns of the RNA adenine H2 and H1' protons and the DNA 7T methyl group in the hybrid segment, as well as the orientation and dynamics of the RNA C2'-OH protons, may provide a molecular basis for further understanding the structure and recognition of DNA.RNA hybrid and chimeric duplexes.
CrmE, a Novel Soluble Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor Encoded by Poxviruses

ABSTRACT Cytokines and chemokines play a critical role in both the innate and acquired immune responses and constitute prime targets for pathogen sabotage. Molecular mimicry of cytokines and cytokine receptors is a mechanism encoded by large DNA viruses to modulate the host immune response. Three tumor necrosis factor receptors (TNFRs) have been identified in the poxvirus cowpox virus. Here we report the identification and characterization of a fourth distinct soluble TNFR, named cytokine response modifier E (CrmE), encoded by cowpox virus. ThecrmE gene has been sequenced in strains of the orthopoxviruses cowpox virus, ectromelia virus, and camelpox virus, and was found to be active in cowpox virus. crmE is expressed as a secreted 18-kDa protein with TNF binding activity. CrmE was produced in the baculovirus and vaccinia virus expression systems and was shown to bind human, mouse, and rat TNF, but not human lymphotoxin α, conjugates of lymphotoxins α and β, or seven other ligands of the TNF superfamily. However, CrmE protects cells only from the cytolytic activity of human TNF. CrmE is a new member of the TNFR superfamily which is expressed as a soluble molecule that blocks the binding of TNF to high-affinity TNFRs on the cell surface. The remarkable finding of a fourth poxvirus-encoded TNFR suggests that modulation of TNF activity is complex and represents a novel viral immune evasion mechanism.
Supplementary material for “ Identifying differentially methylated sites in samples with varying tumor purity ”

We assume that there are m genomic sites and n cell types, on which methylation is defined in a probabilistic fashion: Zi,k ∈ Σ is the random variable corresponding to the ith site in the kth cell type. For methylation, the alphabet is Σ = {0, 1}, but the methods could be extended e.g. for detecting DNA mutations through the usage of an appropriate alphabet Σ = {A, C, G, T}. Meanwhile, the measurements consist of observations, whose corresponding random variables are Xi,js, which model the read methylation state at the site i for the jth sample type. Each measurement is of a known sample type, and the samples are assumed to be a mixture of the n cell types and be corrupted by random noise. For example, the model for the reads could be defined as (in the first-order case):
All-cause and disease-specific mortality among male, former elite athletes: an average 50-year follow-up

Aim To investigate life expectancy and mortality among former elite athletes and controls. Methods HR analysis of cause-specific deaths sourced from the national death registry for former Finnish male endurance, team and power sports athletes (N=2363) and controls (N=1657). The median follow-up time was 50 years. Results Median life expectancy was higher in the endurance (79.1 years, 95% CI 76.6 to 80.6) and team (78.8, 78.1 to 79.8) sports athletes than in controls (72.9, 71.8 to 74.3). Compared to controls, risk for total mortality adjusted for socioeconomic status and birth cohort was lower in the endurance ((HR 0.70, 95% CI 0.61 to 0.79)) and team (0.80, 0.72 to 0.89) sports athletes, and slightly lower in the power sports athletes (0.93, 0.85 to 1.03). HR for ischaemic heart disease mortality was lower in the endurance (0.68, 0.54 to 0.86) and team sports (0.73, 0.60 to 0.89) athletes. HR for stroke mortality was 0.52 (0.33 to 0.83) in the endurance and 0.59 (0.40 to 0.88) in the team sports athletes. Compared to controls, the risk for smoking-related cancer mortality was lower in the endurance (HR 0.20, 0.08 to 0.47) and power sports (0.40, 0.25 to 0.66) athletes. For dementia mortality, the power sports athletes, particularly boxers, had increased risk (HR 4.20, 2.30 to 7.81). Conclusions Elite athletes have 5–6 years additional life expectancy when compared to men who were healthy as young adults. Lower mortality for cardiovascular disease was in part due to lower rates of smoking, as tobacco-related cancer mortality was especially low.
Identification of two forms of an endogenous murine retroviral env gene linked to the Rmcf locus

The Rmcf gene restricts the replication of recombinant murine mink cell focus-inducing (MCF) viruses in cell cultures derived from mice carrying the resistance allele (Rmcfr) and may play a role in resistance to retrovirus-induced leukemias in vivo. We have characterized the endogenous gp70 expressed by Rmcfr and Rmcfs mice with a panel of type-specific monoclonal antibodies which discriminate xenotropic and MCF gp70. Embryo and tail skin cultures derived from Rmcfr mice (DBA/2 and CBA/N) expressed gp70 bearing a determinant unique to MCF viruses, whereas cultures from Rmcfs mice expressed either no detectable gp70 (NFS/N and IRW) or a gp70 serologically related to a subgroup of xenotropic viruses (C57BL/6, CBA/J, and A/WySn). Studies of progeny embryos derived from a (C57BL/6 X DBA/2) X C57BL/6 backcross established that the Rmcf resistance allele was linked to the expression of the MCF gp70 and that the gene encoding the xenotropic gp70 expressed by C57BL/6 Rmcfs mice was allelic with the MCF gp70 from Rmcfr mice. These data indicate that the Rmcf locus contains an endogenous gp70 gene having two allelic forms, one of which inhibits exogenous MCF infection in vitro by a mechanism of viral interference.
Statistical Analyses of Monozygotic and Dizygotic Twinning Rates

The French mathematician Bertillon reasoned that the number of dizygotic (DZ) pairs would equal twice the number of twin pairs of unlike sexes. The remaining twin pairs in a sample would presumably be monozygotic (MZ). Weinberg restated this idea and the calculation has come to be known as Weinberg's differential rule (WDR). The keystone of WDR is that DZ twin pairs should be equally likely to be of the same or the opposite sex. Although the probability of a male birth is greater than . 5, the reliability of WDR's assumptions has never been conclusively verified or rejected. Let the probability for an opposite-sex (OS) twin maternity be pO, for a same-sex (SS) twin maternity pS and, consequently, the probability for other maternities 1 − pS − pO. The parameter estimates $\hat p_O$ and $\hat p_S$ are relative frequencies. Applying WDR, the MZ rate is m = pS − pO and the DZ rate is d = 2pO, but the estimates $\hat m$ and $\hat d$ are not relative frequencies. The maximum likelihood estimators $\hat p_S$ and $\hat p_O$ are unbiased, efficient, and asymptotically normal. The linear transformations $\hat m = \hat p_S - \hat p_O$ and ${\skew6\hat d} = 2\hat p_O$ are efficient and asymptotically normal. If WDR holds they are also unbiased. For the tests of a set of m and d rates, contingency tables cannot be used. Alternative tests are presented and the models are applied on published data.
Good Management in Light of the Competency-Based Administrative System

The administrative system is a means of achieving the goals of political, economic, social and cultural systems of any society. It seems the nature and content of administrative management system affected by the construction and nature of governing system in every society. Thus, there is a proactive relationship between these systems. Therefore Competency-Based Administrative System is Equivalent to the right-based and democratic governing system and the non meritorious-based administrative system is outcome of the totalitarian regime. In this article, we will attempt to explain the normative and institutional principles of the right-based modern state with adapting a descriptive and analytical approach and then analyze the Constituent elements of administrative system associated with such construction of state.
Clinical relevance of the homologous recombination machinery in cancer therapy

Cancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy kill cancer cells by inducing DNA damage, unless the lesions are repaired by intrinsic repair pathways. DNA double‐strand breaks (DSB) are the most deleterious type of damage caused by cancer therapy. Homologous recombination (HR) is one of the major repair pathways for DSB and is thus a potential target of cancer therapy. Cells with a defect in HR have been shown to be sensitive to a variety of DNA‐damaging agents, particularly interstrand crosslink (ICL)‐inducing agents such as mitomycin C and cisplatin. These findings have recently been applied to clinical studies of cancer therapy. ERCC1, a structure‐specific endonuclease involved in nucleotide excision repair (NER) and HR, confers resistance to cisplatin. Patients with ERCC1‐negative non‐small‐cell lung cancer were shown to benefit from adjuvant cisplatin‐based chemotherapy. Imatinib, an inhibitor of the c‐Abl kinase, has been investigated as a sensitizer in DNA‐damaging therapy, because c‐Abl activates Rad51, which plays a key role in HR. Furthermore, proteins involved in HR have been shown to repair DNA damage induced by a variety of other chemotherapeutic agents, including camptothecin and gemcitabine. These findings highlight the importance of HR machinery in cancer therapy. (Cancer Sci 2008; 99: 187–194)
Segmental paternal uniparental disomy (patUPD) of 14q32 with abnormal methylation elicits the characteristic features of complete patUPD14

Uniparental disomy (UPD) for chromosome 14 is associated with well‐recognized phenotypes, depending on the parent of origin. Studies in mouse models and human patients have implicated the involvement of the distal region of the long arm of chromosome 14 in the distinctive phenotypes. This involvement is supported by the identification of an imprinting cluster at chromosome 14q32, encompassing the differentially methylated regions (DMRs), IG‐DMR and MEG3‐DMR, as well as the maternally expressed genes GTL2, DIO3, and RTL1 and the paternally expressed genes DLK1, RTL1as, and MEG8. Here we report on a preterm female infant with distal segmental paternal UPD14 (upd(14)pat) of 14q32‐14q32.33, which resulted in thoracic deformity secondary to rib abnormalities (“coat‐hanger” rib sign), polyhydramnios, and other congenital abnormalities characteristically described in cases of complete upd(14)pat. Microsatellite investigation demonstrated UPD of markers D14S250 and D14S1010, encompassing a ∼3.5 Mb region of distal 14q and involving the imprinting cluster. This case provided insight into the etiology of the phenotypic effects of upd(14)pat, prompting methylation analysis of the GTL2 promoter and the DMR between GTL2 and DLK1. We compare the physical findings seen in this case with those of patients with other causes of abnormal methylation of 14q32, which consistently result in certain distinct clinical features, regardless of the cytogenetic and molecular etiology. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Taste Sensitivity and Aesthetic Preferences: Is Taste Only a Metaphor?

“Taste” is often used to describe sensitivity to both foods and visual art. We examined whether a biological marker of physical taste sensitivity influenced aesthetic preferences. In three studies, we measured physical taste sensitivity by exposing participants to the chemical phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) and having them rate how bitter it tasted (if they tasted it at all). Across all studies, miscalibrated physical taste sensitivity (extremely high and low taste bud density) related to extreme negative responses to disturbing and provocative artwork. Miscalibrated physical taste sensitivity was related specifically to avoiding (high disgust) disturbing artwork, but not to approach-related negative affect (anger). These findings provide novel evidence regarding biological influences on aesthetic preferences.
Apoptosis in Leishmania species & its relevance to disease pathogenesis.

Apoptosis is a morphologically distinct form of cell death necessary for embryogenesis, tissue homeostasis and disease control in metazoans. Earlier, it was thought that apoptosis is the prerogative of multicellular organisms. However, it is now evident that unicellular organisms are also capable of undergoing apoptosis. In the context of Leishmania spp. , a unicellular eukaryote responsible for causing leishmaniasis, the process of apoptosis is important for successful survival. The flagellated promastigote form of the parasite resides in the midgut of the insect vector, the female sandfly and at this niche; the cell fittest to survive to pass onto the pharynx of the fly is selected by eliminating unfit cells through apoptosis. Within the mammalian host, inside the macrophage, apoptosis is necessary to regulate cell numbers and to minimize immune reactions. With most apoptosis inducing stimuli, L. donovani shows typical features of apoptotic death like cell shrinkage, nuclear condensation and DNA fragmentation. Agents capable of precipitating apoptosis in this parasite include anti-leishmanial drugs like antimony, amphotericin B, pentamidine and miltefosine. Other agents like heat shock, treatment with staurosporine, knocking out centrin gene also precipitate apoptosis of the parasites. A pivotal role in cellular apoptosis is played by the single mitochondrion of Leishmania spp. , where a fall or increase in mitochondrial potential leads to cell death by apoptosis. Ca2+ appears to be a vital ion involved in Leishmania apoptosis and partial inhibition of cytosolic Ca2+ increase achieved by chelating extracellular or intracellular Ca2+ during oxidative stress results in significant rescue of the fall of the mitochondrial membrane potential and consequently apoptosis. Elucidation of the molecular events linked to apoptotic death of Leishmania spp. might help define a more comprehensive view of the cell death machinery in terms of evolutionary origin and identify new target molecules for chemotherapeutic drug development and therapeutic intervention.