Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Plasma FGF23 and Calcified Atherosclerotic Plaque in African Americans with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) is a phosphaturic hormone implicated in disorders of serum phosphorus concentration and vitamin D. The role of FGF23 in vascular calcification remains controversial. Methods: Relationships between FGF23 and coronary artery calcified atherosclerotic plaque (CAC), aortoiliac calcified plaque (CP), carotid artery CP, volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), albuminuria, and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were determined in 545 African Americans with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and preserved kidney function in African American-Diabetes Heart Study participants. Generalized linear models were fitted to test associations between FGF23 and cardiovascular, bone, and renal phenotypes, and change in measurements over time, adjusting for age, gender, African ancestry proportion, body mass index, diabetes duration, hemoglobin A1c, blood pressure, renin-angiotensin-system inhibitors, statins, calcium supplements, serum calcium, and serum phosphate. Results: The sample was 56.7% female with a mean (SD) age of 55.6 (9.6) years, diabetes duration of 10.3 (8.2) years, eGFR 90.9 (22.1) ml/min/1.73 m2, urine albumin:creatinine ratio (UACR) 151 (588) (median 13) mg/g, plasma FGF23 161 (157) RU/ml, and CAC 637 (1,179) mg. In fully adjusted models, FGF23 was negatively associated with eGFR (p < 0.0001) and positively associated with UACR (p < 0.0001) and CAC (p = 0.0006), but not with carotid CP or aortic CP. Baseline FGF23 concentration did not associate with changes in vBMD or CAC after a mean of 5.1 years follow-up. Conclusions: Plasma FGF23 concentrations were independently associated with subclinical coronary artery disease, albuminuria, and kidney function in the understudied African American population with T2D. Findings support relationships between FGF23 and vascular calcification, but not between FGF23 and bone mineral density, in African Americans lacking advanced nephropathy.
Activation of pertussis toxin‐sensitive CXCL12 (SDF‐1) receptors mediates transendothelial migration of T lymphocytes across lymph node high endothelial cells

In this study we examined the role of chemokines in regulating T lymphocyte transmigration across the lining high endothelial cells (HEC) of high endothelial venules (HEV). The roles played byCCL21 (SLC), CCL19 (MIP‐3β, ELC) and CXCL12 (SDF‐1) were assessed using an in vitro transendothelial migration culture system, which constitutively supports high levels of lymphocyte transmigration. We determined that transmigration of T lymphocytes across HEC is inhibitable by treatment of the T lymphocytes with pertussis toxin (PTX) (80% inhibition). This was attributed to blockade of Gi‐protein coupled receptors of T lymphocytes, since a non‐ADP‐ribosylating form of PTX had no significant effect on transendothelial migration. Inhibition of Gi‐protein‐coupled receptors onthe endothelium had no effect on T cell transmigration. Treatment of T lymphocytes with a desensitizing concentration of CXCL12 caused a 60% reduction in T lymphocyte migration across HEC, and the CXCR4 antagonist SDF‐1P2G reduced transmigration by 40%. Desensitizing concentrations of CCL21 and CCL19 had no significant effects on T lymphocyte transendothelial migration. Homologous desensitization of T lymphocytes to each chemokine was confirmed in a transwell migration assay. An approximately 3‐kb mRNA corresponding to rat SDF‐1β was constitutively expressed in HEC and cell surface CXCL12was detectable by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Together, these findings support a pivotal role for HEC‐expressed CXCL12 and its receptor on T cells in the regulation of T lymphocyte homing tolymph nodes.
Semen providers and their three families

Background: In 1985 the Swedish government introduced legislation that required all semen providers to furnish identifying information on themselves which would then be made available to their biological/provider offspring when they are deemed to have ‘sufficient maturity’. The purpose of the legislation was to protect the child's rights and needs. The aim of this paper is to examine the degree to which semen providers have considered the implications of their decision to donate upon their three families; their birth family, the family they form with their partner, and the recipient family. Methods: Thirty semen providers from two Swedish clinics were sent self-completion questionnaires collecting both quantitative and qualitative information. The initial response rate was 100%. Questions requested demographic information; the degree to which semen providers had consulted with or advised their partners, family, existing offspring and acquaintances about their semen donation; views and attitudes of semen providers towards donor offspring, anonymity, information sharing, payments to semen providers, community acceptance of DI and semen providers, experience of donation, recruitment/screening procedures. Results: Almost all respondents had told their partners that they were providing semen, however, a much smaller proportion had told their birth families. Almost two thirds of semen providers were positive or very positive about the prospect of meeting their offspring at some time in the future, with older men expressing more enthusiasm. Conclusions: The findings suggest that semen providers have only partially considered and addressed the full implications of having semen provider offspring. The age of semen providers could be influential in determining some attitudes and views.
Regulation of the Ah gene battery via Ah receptor-dependent and independent processes in cultured adult rat hepatocytes.

A number of genes under the control of the arylhydrocarbon (Ah) receptor were tested for the effects of glucocorticoids on their expression in cultured primary rat hepatocytes. Treatment of cultured hepatocytes with 1.0 microM dexamethasone potentiated the induction (2- to 3-fold) of cytochrome P4501A1, glutathione S-transferase Ya subunit (GSTYa), and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase gene expression by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), whereas the glucocorticoid agonist suppressed PAH induction of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (QOR) subunit and aldehyde dehydrogenase 3C gene expression by 60-80%. These results were seen at the level of enzyme activity for induction by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and at the level of enzyme activity, protein, and specific mRNA for induction by 1,2-benzanthracene. Two of these rat genes, GSTYa and QOR are also induced by electrophilic agents, such as t-butylhydroquinone. In the presence of t-butylhydroquinone, dexamethasone caused a similar level of potentiation of GSTYa subunit expression and suppression of QOR subunit expression as was seen with the PAH, 1,2-benzanthracene. Studies using the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, RU38486, demonstrated that the modulation of PAH induction by glucocorticoids of cytochrome P4501A1 and QOR activity is apparently dependent on action of the glucocorticoid receptor. These results suggest that the positive and negative changes observed are the result of specific alterations in the rates of transcription of these genes because of the action of the glucocorticoid receptor, thereby affecting regulation of GSTYa and QOR by both Ah receptor-dependent and independent mechanisms. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A secondary RNA polymerase sigma factor from Streptococcus pyogenes

The important human pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes (the group A streptococcus or GAS) causes diseases ranging from mild, self‐limiting pharyngitis to severe invasive infections. Regulation of the expression of GAS genes in response to specific environmental differences within the host is probably key in determining the course of the infectious process, however, little is known of global regulators of gene expression in GAS. Although secondary RNA polymerase sigma factors act as global regulators of gene expression in many other bacteria, none has yet been isolated from the GAS. The newly available GAS genome sequence indicates that the only candidate secondary sigma factor is encoded by two identical open reading frames (ORFS). These ORFS encode a protein that is 40% identical to the transcription factor ComX, believed to act as an RNA polymerase sigma factor in Streptococcus pneumoniae. To test whether the GAS ComX homologue functions as a sigma factor, we cloned and purified it from Escherichia coli. We found that in vitro, this GAS protein, which we call σX, directed core RNA polymerase from Bacillus subtilis to transcribe from two GAS promoters that contain the cin‐box region, required for transcription by S. pneumoniae ComX in vivo. On the other hand, GAS σX did not promote transcription of a GAS promoter (hasA) expected to be dependent on σA, the housekeeping or primary RNA polymerase sigma factor. Addition of monoclonal antibody that inhibited σA‐directed transcription had no effect on σX‐directed transcription, showing that the latter was not the result of contaminating σA. Transcription of both cin‐box‐containing promoters initiated downstream of the cin‐box and two different single basepair substitutions in the cin‐box of the cinA promoter each caused a severe reduction of σX‐directed transcription in vitro. Thus, the cin‐box is required for σX‐directed transcription.
National program for preventing mother–child HIV transmission in Thailand: successful implementation and lessons learned

Objective To describe the development, components, and initial uptake of Thailand's national program for preventing mother–child HIV transmission. Design Historical review, interpretation of experience, national program monitoring. Setting Public health system, Thailand. Participants Policymakers, clinicians, HIV-infected pregnant women. Intervention Voluntary counseling and HIV testing of pregnant women; short-course zidovudine for HIV-infected women and their infants and formula feeding for infants. Main outcome measures Program components implemented and program uptake. Results Research, monitoring and evaluation of pilot projects, training, and policymaking provided the information, experience, infrastructure, and guidance to develop a program for preventing mother–child HIV transmission that was implemented in all Ministry of Public Health hospitals in Thailand in 2000. A national system was established to monitor program implementation. Monitoring reports were received from 669 hospitals in 65 provinces for the period October 2000 through July 2001. During this period, 93% of 318 721 women who gave birth were tested for HIV; 69% of 3958 HIV-infected women giving birth received zidovudine; and 86% and 80% of the 3865 children born to HIV-infected women received zidovudine and infant formula, respectively, through the program. Conclusions A national program for preventing mother–child HIV transmission was successfully implemented in Thailand. Early monitoring indicates good program uptake. Lessons learned from implementing this program include the importance of paying attention to counseling, communication, and training in the program, and using pilot projects and focused monitoring and evaluation data to guide the program development, expansion, and improvement.
Board-Level Thermal Cycling and Drop-Test Reliability of Large, Ultrathin Glass BGA Packages for Smart Mobile Applications

Glass substrates are emerging as a key alternative to silicon and conventional organic substrates for high-density and high-performance systems due to their outstanding dimensional stability, enabling sub-5-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> lithographic design rules, excellent electrical performance, and unique mechanical properties, key in achieving board-level reliability at body sizes larger than <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$15\times15$ </tex-math></inline-formula> mm<sup>2</sup>. This paper describes the first demonstration of the board-level reliability of such large, ultrathin glass ball grid array (BGA) packages directly mounted onto a system board, considering both their thermal cycling and drop-test performances. To investigate board-level reliability, glass BGA packages, <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$18.5\times18.5$ </tex-math></inline-formula> mm<sup>2</sup> in body size and 100 <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> in thickness, were first designed and fabricated with a daisy-chain pattern. The glass test vehicles were fabricated at panel level, and then BGA balled by ball drop process with SAC105 solder balls, 250 <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> in diameter at 400-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> pitch. After singulation, the glass packages were mounted onto printed circuit boards using standard surface mount technology assembly processes, and then subjected to reliability testing through thermal cycling and drop tests following JEDEC reliability standards. The effect of the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of glass was evaluated by investigating low- and high-CTE glass substrates, with the CTEs of 3.8 and 9.8 ppm/°C, respectively. While all glass packages passed 1000 thermal cycles at −40/125 °C as predicted by thermomechanical modeling using the Engelmaier–Wild model, the fatigue life of high-CTE samples exceeded 5000 thermal cycles. In addition, 28/30 drop-test samples passed the required 40 and 200 drops on corner and inner circuits, respectively, with no clear effect of the glass CTE. The predominant failure modes were systematically identified for both reliability tests.
Topiramate modulation of kainate‐induced calcium currents is inversely related to channel phosphorylation level

Topiramate (TPM) is a structurally novel broad‐spectrum anticonvulsant known to modulate the activity of several ligand‐ and voltage‐gated ion channels in neurons. These include an inhibitory effect on the AMPA and kainate subtypes of glutamate receptors, mixed modulatory effects (usually positive) on some types of GABAA receptors, negative modulatory effects on some types of voltage‐gated Na+ and Ca2+ channels, and a positive modulatory effect on at least one type of K+ channel. The nature of these effects at the molecular level has not been established, but two previous studies have implicated the phosphorylation state of these receptor/channel complexes as an influencing factor in the activity of TPM. Here, we report that the ability of TPM to inhibit a kainate‐induced accumulation of free Ca2+ in cultured neurons from rat cerebral cortex is inversely related to the level of cAMP‐dependent protein kinase (cAPK) mediated phosphorylation of kainate‐activated receptors/channels. Specifically, when cell cultures were pre‐treated with forskolin or dibutyryl cAMP, indirect activators of cAPK, the activity of TPM was abolished, whereas when the cells were pre‐treated with H89, an inhibitor of cAPK, the relative activity of TPM was enhanced. The results of this study support the hypothesis that TPM binds to phosphorylation sites on AMPA and kainate receptors, but only in the dephosphorylated state and thereby exerts an allosteric modulatory effect on channel conductance.
Aneruptive Fever Associated with Antibodies to Rickettsia helvetica in Europe and Thailand

ABSTRACT We report that eight patients from France, Italy, and Thailand had serological evidence of Rickettsia helvetica infection. The infection presented as a mild disease in the warm season and was associated with fever, headache, and myalgia but not with a cutaneous rash. R. helvetica should be suspected in patients with unexplained fever, especially following a bite from an Ixodes sp. tick.
A Componential Analysis of Visual Attention in Children With ADHD

Objective: Inattentive behaviour is a defining characteristic of ADHD. Researchers have wondered about the nature of the attentional deficit underlying these symptoms. The primary purpose of the current study was to examine this attentional deficit using a novel paradigm based upon the Theory of Visual Attention (TVA). Method: The TVA paradigm enabled a componential analysis of visual attention through the use of a mathematical model to estimate parameters relating to attentional selectivity and capacity. Children’s ability to sustain attention was also assessed using the Sustained Attention to Response Task. The sample included a comparison between 25 children with ADHD and 25 control children aged 9-13. Results: Children with ADHD had significantly impaired sustained attention and visual processing speed but intact attentional selectivity, perceptual threshold and visual short-term memory capacity. Conclusion:The results of this study lend support to the notion of differential impairment of attentional functions in children with ADHD.
CYCLOPHOSPHAMIDE THERAPY IN CHILDHOOD NEUROBLASTOMA.

THE role of chemotherapy in the management of the child with neuroblastoma remains to be defined. Until recently, conventional therapy has consisted of a combination of surgery and radiotherapy, whereas chemotherapy has usually been reserved for palliation of children with advanced metastatic disease. This approach can be attributed to the fact that no specific agent has been of consistent value in the treatment of this neoplasm. Since the introduction of cyclophosphamide to clinical investigation in this country in 1958 reports from various investigators1 2 3 have indicated a more consistent pattern of response with this drug, especially in advanced disease, than has .
SemLinker, a Modular and Open Source Framework for Named Entity Discovery and Linking

This paper presents SemLinker, an open source system that discovers named entities, connects them to a reference knowledge base, and clusters them semantically. SemLinker relies on several modules that perform surface form generation, mutual disambiguation, entity clustering, and make use of two annotation engines. SemLinker was evaluated in the English Entity Discovery and Linking track of the Text Analysis Conference on Knowledge Base Population, organized by the US National Institute of Standards and Technology. Along with the SemLinker source code, we release our annotation files containing the discovered named entities, their types, and position across processed documents.
Stress, Central Neurotransmitters, and the Mechanism of Action of &agr;2‐Adrenoceptor Agonists

&NA; In the past, treatment of hypertension frequently involved bed rest, a procedure known to reduce the activity of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), generally implied in the defense reaction of the organism that is elicited by salient, environmental stimuli. Evidence is presented that brain noradrenaline (NA) neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) and major parts of the SNS respond by burst activation in concert to stressful stimuli implying novelty or fear. &agr;‐Adrenoceptor agonists such as clonidine exert a powerful inhibitory action on both LC neurons and the SNS, thereby reducing the impact of salient environmental events on the organism. Our most recent data suggest that clonidine can reduce burst firing of catecholamine neurons and cause a more regular firing pattern. This may explain reduced release of coexisting neuropeptides such as neuropeptide Y (NPY) in sympathetic nerves, which we have observed following clonidine treatment, since such neuropeptides are particularly effectively released in burst sequences. Coexisting neuropeptides have been thought to be involved in learning processes and the encoding of short‐term memory. Consequently, treatment with &agr;2‐adrenoceptor agonists may imply reduced engraving of stressful events, conveyed by central and peripheral catecholamine neurons.
Practice patterns in hypertension.

management are driven by interpretive pathological reports, be they related to biopsy, cytology, cytogenetics or hematology, it is inappropriate for the pathologist to be left out of the patient-contact loop. The most appropriate person to explain, and even show, the pathologic features is the pathologist, whose training involves not only the pattern recognition of tissue diagnosis but also the natural history of the disorder and its basic biology. Many patients must find it difficult to accept a diagnosis when only a slip of paper is given as proof of their illness. In my experience with prenatal diagnosis I often face questions. “Was a mistake made? Could there be a mix-up in the specimens? ” When I see families, I have the karyotype with me and can demonstrate the changes and explain the laboratory’s quality control. How much more difficult must it be for a man faced with therapeutic decisions about prostate cancer or a woman with malignant melanoma not to be offered the opportunity to see and discuss the biopsy results with the person who interpreted them. I believe that every pathology report should include a statement that the pathologist would be pleased to discuss the diagnosis with the patient. Such contact will allow patients to satisfy themselves about the validity of the diagnosis and would also give the pathologist a deservedly higher profile in patient management.
Ship sources of ambient noise

The rapid increase in world shipping results in an increase in low-frequency ambient noise at an average rate of about 1/2 dB per year. During the past 10 years there has been a virtual revolution in the sizes and speeds of merchant ships, resulting in significant increases in the noise radiated by the average ship. This trend is continuing. In this paper, the trends in world merchant shipping will be presented, including important changes in propulsion plants as well as in numbers and sizes of ships. The need for radiated noise measurements of these new ship types will be stressed. Ambient noise is also dependent on the geographical distribution of shipping. The LRAPP-sponsored program to establish standard shipping distributions for the Northern Hemisphere will be discussed, and the reliability of current information will be assessed.
Reduction in HTLV‐I proviral load and spontaneous lymphoproliferation in HTLV‐I–associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis patients treated with humanized anti‐tac

Human T‐lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV‐I)‐associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a neurological disease that results from an interaction of retroviral infection and immune activation. In this study, five doses (1 mg/kg) of humanized anti‐Tac antibody were administered to 9 HAM/TSP patients at weeks 0,2,6,10, and 14. Preliminary immunological studies on HAM/TSP patients treated with humanized anti‐Tac indicate that there is a selective down‐regulation of activated T cells and a decrease in the HTLV‐I viral load in peripheral blood lymphocytes, most likely through the selective removal of HTLV‐I–infected, activated CD4+ lymphocytes.
Thermal analysis of on-chip interconnects in multicore systems

As the temperature increases, interconnect delay increases due to the linear increase in electrical resistivity. This degrades the performance and shortens the interconnects life time. Package reliability will also be severely affected by the resulting thermal hotspots, thus impacting the overall performance of multicore systems. We approach this challenge by proposing to use thermal management techniques with the help of architectural thermal model of a multicore system running on a network with interconnects spawning across it. In this regard we have analysed the spatial thermal profile of the global Cu nanowire for on-chip interconnects in 65nm CMOS technology from ST microelectronics. The average temperature rise ΔT due to signaling, along the length of the conductor has been found to be around 6.8°C for a global interconnection link. The impact of this temperature rise along the interconnects has been analysed with two different signal transmission systems namely current-mode and voltage-mode signaling.