Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A citywide smoking ban reduced maternal smoking and risk for preterm births: a Colorado natural experiment.

BACKGROUND Few reports exist on the association of a public smoking ban with fetal outcomes and maternal smoking in the United States. We sought to evaluate the effect of a citywide smoking ban in comparison to a like municipality with no such ban in Colorado on maternal smoking and subsequent fetal birth outcomes. METHODS A citywide smoking ban in Colorado provided a natural experiment. The experimental citywide smoking ban site was implemented in Pueblo, Colorado. A comparison community was chosen that had no smoking ban, El Paso County, with similar characteristics of population, size, and geography. The two sites served as their own controls, as each had a preban and postban retrospective observation period: preban was April 1, 2001, to July 1, 2003; postban was April 1, 2004, to July 1, 2006. Outcomes were maternal smoking (self-report), low birth weight (LBW) (defined as <2500 g or as <3000 g), and preterm births (<37 weeks gestation) in singleton births from mothers residing in these cities and reported to the State Department of Public Health. A difference-in-differences estimator was used to account for site and temporal trends in multivariate models. RESULTS Compared to El Paso County preban, the odds of maternal smoking and preterm births were, respectively, 38% (p<0.05) and 23% (p<0.05) lower in Pueblo. The odds for LBW births decreased by 8% for <3000 g and increased by 8.4% for <2500 g; however, neither was significant. CONCLUSIONS This is the first evidence in the United States that population-level intervention using a smoking ban improved maternal and fetal outcomes, measured as maternal smoking and preterm births.
Structure-based design and optimization of antihypertensive peptides to obtain high inhibitory potency against both renin and angiotensin I-converting enzyme

The human renin–angiotensin system (RAS) plays an essential role in regulating blood pressure and systemic vascular resistance. Renin and angiotensin I-converting enzyme (ACE) are two key enzymes in RAS and have long been recognized as attractive antihypertensive targets. Here, a synthetic strategy was proposed integrating quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR), molecular dynamics (MD) simulation and binding free energy analysis to discover novel dual renin and ACE peptidic inhibitors. With the strategy a number of candidates were generated virtually, from which eight promising peptides were selected and synthesized for biological assay. Consequently, three peptides (RYLP, YTAWVP and YRAWVL) were successfully identified to have satisfactory inhibitory profile against both renin and ACE with IC50 values of <1 mM and <10 μM, respectively. Structural analysis and energetic dissection revealed different binding modes of peptide to renin and ACE; a peptide only inserts its C-terminus into the active site of ACE, whereas the whole peptide packs tightly against renin. In addition, when limited to structural diversity it is hard to reconcile the renin and ACE inhibitory activities of short peptides such as dipeptides. These findings can be used to guide peptide optimization with improved biological activity.
Control of Stomatal Distribution on the Arabidopsis Leaf Surface

Stomata regulate gas exchange and are distributed across the leaf epidermis with characteristic spacing. Arabidopsisstomata are produced by asymmetric cell divisions. Mutations in the gene TOO MANY MOUTHS (TMM) disrupt patterning by randomizing the plane of formative asymmetric divisions and by permitting ectopic divisions. TMM encodes a leucine-rich repeat–containing receptor-like protein expressed in proliferative postprotodermal cells. TMM appears to function in a position-dependent signaling pathway that controls the plane of patterning divisions as well as the balance between stem cell renewal and differentiation in stomatal and epidermal development.
Learning to Recommend Product with the Content of Web Page

Recommender systems improve access to relevant products and information by making suggestions based on page ranking technology. Existing approaches to learning to rank, however, did not consider the pages in the deep web which have valuable information. In this paper, we present a novel product recommendation algorithm based on the content of web pages including the product information and customer reviews. Our algorithm uses the customer reviews to calculate the score of dynamic web pages. The paper further focus on classifying the semantic orientation of the customer reviews through a progressed Bayesian Classifier and calculating the support value of each review. In addition, we also analyze the change tendency of customer reviews based on the temporal dimension. Experimental results shows that this approach can produce accurate recommendations.
A cost-effectiveness analysis of self-debriefing versus instructor debriefing for simulated crises in perioperative medicine in Canada

Purpose High-fidelity simulation training is effective for learning crisis resource management (CRM) skills, but cost is a major barrier to implementing high-fidelity simulation training into the curriculum. The aim of this study was to examine the cost-effectiveness of self-debriefing and traditional instructor debriefing in CRM training programs and to calculate the minimum willingness-to-pay (WTP) value when one debriefing type becomes more cost-effective than the other. Methods This study used previous data from a randomized controlled trial involving 50 anesthesiology residents in Canada. Each participant managed a pretest crisis scenario. Participants who were randomized to self-debrief used the video of their pretest scenario with no instructor present during their debriefing. Participants from the control group were debriefed by a trained instructor using the video of their pretest scenario. Participants individually managed a post-test simulated crisis scenario. We compared the cost and effectiveness of self-debriefing versus instructor debriefing using net benefit regression. The cost-effectiveness estimate was reported as the incremental net benefit and the uncertainty was presented using a cost-effectiveness acceptability curve. Results Self-debriefing costs less than instructor debriefing. As the WTP increased, the probability that self-debriefing would be cost-effective decreased. With a WTP ≤Can$200, the self-debriefing program was cost-effective. However, when effectiveness was priced higher than cost-savings and with a WTP >Can$300, instructor debriefing was the preferred alternative. Conclusion With a lower WTP (≤Can$200), self-debriefing was cost-effective in CRM simulation training when compared to instructor debriefing. This study provides evidence regarding cost-effectiveness that will inform decision-makers and clinical educators in their decision-making process, and may help to optimize resource allocation in education.
Aging in rat causes hepatic hyperresposiveness to interleukin‐1β which is mediated by neutral sphingomyelinase‐2

The process of aging has recently been shown to substantially affect the ability of cells to respond to inflammatory challenges. We demonstrate that aging leads to hepatic hyperresponsiveness to interleukin 1β (IL‐1β), and we examine the factors that could be responsible for this phenomenon. IL‐1β‐induced phosphorylation of c‐jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) in hepatocytes isolated from aged rats was 3 times more potent than that in hepatocytes from young rats. Moreover, JNK was activated by substantially lower doses of IL‐1β. These age‐related changes in JNK phosphorylation correlated with diminished IL‐1β–induced degradation of interleukin‐1 receptor–associated kinase‐1 (IRAK‐1). Expression levels of IL1β receptor I, total JNK, IRAK‐1, and transforming growth factor‐β–activated kinase‐1 (TAK‐1) were not affected by aging. However, increased neutral sphingomyelinase activity was observed in hepatocytes from old animals, which we show is caused by induction of the plasma membrane localized neutral sphingomyelinase‐2 (NSMase‐2). We provide evidence that NSMase‐2 is both required and sufficient for the onset of IL‐1β hyperresponsiveness during aging. Overexpression of NSMase‐2 in hepatocytes from young rats leads both to a reduction in IRAK‐1 degradation and potentiation of JNK phosphorylation, mimicking that seen in hepatocytes from old animals. More importantly, inhibition of NSMase activity in hepatocytes from aged rats using either scyphostatin or short interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA) leads to reversion to the “young” phenotype of IL‐1β response. Conclusion: These results show that the process of aging causes increased basal NSMase‐2 activity in hepatocytes, which in turn leads to IRAK‐1 stabilization, JNK potentiation, and ultimately IL‐1β hyperresponsiveness. (HEPATOLOGY 2007.)
Nanodiamonds activate blood platelets and induce thromboembolism.

AIM Nanodiamonds (NDs) have been evaluated for a wide range of biomedical applications. Thus, thorough investigation of the biocompatibility of NDs has become a research priority. Platelets are highly sensitive and are one of the most abundant cell types found in blood. They have a central role in hemostasis and arterial thrombosis. In this study, we aim to investigate the direct and acute effects of carboxylated NDs on platelet function. METHODS In this study, pro-coagulant parameters such as platelet aggregability, intracellular Ca(2+) flux, mitochondrial transmembrane potential (ΔΨm), generation of reactive oxygen species, surface exposure of phosphatidylserine, electron microscopy, cell viability assay and in vivo thromboembolism were analyzed in great detail. RESULTS Carboxylated NDs evoked significant activation of human platelets. When administered intravenously in mice, NDs were found to induce widespread pulmonary thromboembolism, indicating the remarkable thrombogenic potential of this nanomaterial. CONCLUSION Our findings raise concerns regarding the putative biomedical applications of NDs pertaining to diagnostics and therapeutics, and their toxicity and prothrombotic properties should be critically evaluated.
Period of susceptibility for cross‐modal plasticity in the blind

Cross‐modal plasticity in blind subjects contributes to sensory compensation when vision is lost early in life, but it is not known if it does so when visual loss occurs at an older age. We used H215O positron emission tomography to identify cerebral regions activated in association with Braille reading, and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation to induce focal transient disruption of function during Braille reading, in 8 subjects who became blind after age 14 years (late‐onset blind), after a lengthy period of normal vision. Results were compared with those previously reported obtained from congenitally and early‐onset blind subjects. As shown by H215O positron emission tomographic scanning, the occipital cortex was strongly activated in the congenitally blind and early‐onset blind groups but not in the late‐onset blind group. Occipital repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation disrupted the Braille reading task in congenitally blind and early‐onset blind subjects but not in late‐onset blind subjects. These results indicate that the susceptible period for this form of functionally relevant cross‐modal plasticity does not extend beyond 14 years. Ann Neurol 1999;45:451–460
Survival after liver transplantation in the United Kingdom and Ireland compared with the United States

Background and objective: Surgical mortality in the US is widely perceived to be superior to that in the UK. However, previous comparisons of surgical outcome in the two countries have often failed to take sufficient account of case-mix or examine long-term outcome. The standardised nature of liver transplantation practice makes it uniquely placed for undertaking reliable international comparisons of surgical outcome. The objective of this study is to undertake a risk-adjusted disease-specific comparison of both short- and long-term survival of liver transplant recipients in the UK and Ireland with that in the US. Methods: A multicentre cohort study using two high quality national databases including all adults who underwent a first single organ liver transplant in the UK and Ireland (n = 5925) and the US (n = 41 866) between March 1994 and March 2005. The main outcome measures were post-transplant mortality during the first 90 days, 90 days to 1 year and beyond the first year, adjusted for recipient and donor characteristics. Results: Risk-adjusted mortality in the UK and Ireland was generally higher than in the US during the first 90 days (HR 1.17; 95% CI 1.07 to 1.29), both for patients transplanted for acute liver failure (HR 1.27; 95% CI 1.01 to 1.60) and those transplanted for chronic liver disease (HR 1.18; 95% CI 1.07 to 1.31). Between 90 days and 1 year post-transplantation, no statistically significant differences in overall risk-adjusted mortality were noted between the two cohorts. Survivors of the first post-transplant year in the UK and Ireland had lower overall risk-adjusted mortality than those transplanted in the US (HR 0.88; 95% CI 0.81 to 0.96). This difference was observed among patients transplanted for chronic liver disease (HR 0.88; 95% CI 0.81 to 0.96), but not those transplanted for acute liver failure (HR 1.02; 95% CI 0.70 to 1.50). Conclusions: Whilst risk-adjusted mortality is higher in the UK and Ireland during the first 90 days following liver transplantation, it is higher in the US among those liver transplant recipients who survived the first post-transplant year. Our results are consistent with the notion that the US has superior acute perioperative care whereas the UK appears to provide better quality chronic care following liver transplantation surgery.
Role of the Plasmodium Export Element in Trafficking Parasite Proteins to the Infected Erythrocyte

The intracellular survival of Plasmodium falciparum within human erythrocytes is dependent on export of parasite proteins that remodel the host cell. Most exported proteins require a conserved motif (RxLxE/Q/D), termed the Plasmodium export element (PEXEL) or vacuolar targeting sequence (VTS), for targeting beyond the parasitophorous vacuole membrane and into the host cell; however, the precise role of this motif in export is poorly defined. We used transgenic P. falciparum expressing chimeric proteins to investigate the function of the PEXEL motif for export. The PEXEL constitutes a bifunctional export motif comprising a protease recognition sequence that is cleaved, in the endoplasmic reticulum, from proteins destined for export, in a PEXEL arginine‐ and leucine‐dependent manner. Following processing, the remaining conserved PEXEL residue is required to direct the mature protein to the host cell. Furthermore, we demonstrate that N acetylation of proteins following N‐terminal processing is a PEXEL‐independent process that is insufficient for correct export to the host cell. This work defines the role of each residue in the PEXEL for export into the P. falciparum‐infected erythrocyte.
On the determinants of democracy in the Arab World

In this paper, we re-examine the "modernization theory" according to which economic development promotes democracy. Results for a panel of 17 Arab countries over the period 1990-2013, reveal that income per capita has a positive and statically significant effect on democracy. Our findings remain robust even after the inclusion of other potential determinants of democracy. Interestingly, we show that education, corruption and trade openness foster the emergence of democracy. However, it seems that urbanization, resource rents and the rise of democracy in neighboring countries impede democratic changes in the region.
Parasitic effect-free, high voltage MOS ICs with shielded source structure

A shielded source structure is proposed for complete elimination of both "parasitic bipolar effect" in high voltage NMOS transistors and "latch up effect" in low voltage CMOS logic circuits, that strictly limit the area of safety operation (ASO) and noise margin for high voltage MOS ICs. The proposed structure, characterized by a p+ground layer formed under an n+source layer, prevents forward-biasing of the source junction and, in consequence, parasitic bipolar transistor or SCR turn-on, even at the drain avalanche breakdown condition. To verify these advantages, a 4 bit, 80 µm long offset-gate high voltage NMOS transistor array and low voltage n-Well CMOS buffer circuits, both with shielded source structure, were experimentally fabricated on the same chip by the same process. Since high voltage NMOS transistors showed more than 600 V drain breakdown voltage with no secondary breakdown and CMOS logic part was confirmed to withstand "latch up", a truly parasitic effect-free, large noise immunity high voltage MOS IC was realized.
The effect of different types of insoles or shoe modifications on medial loading of the knee in persons with medial knee osteoarthritis: a randomised trial

Many conservative treatments exist for medial knee osteoarthritis (OA) which aims to reduce the external knee adduction moment (EKAM). The objective of this study was to determine the difference between different shoes and lateral wedge insoles on EKAM, knee adduction angular impulse (KAAI), external knee flexion moment, pain, and comfort when walking in individuals with medial knee OA. Seventy individuals with medial knee OA underwent three‐dimensional walking gait analysis in five conditions (barefoot, control shoe, typical wedge, supported wedge, and mobility shoe) with pain and comfort recorded concurrently. The change in EKAM, KAAI, external knee flexion moment, pain, and comfort were assessed using multiple linear regressions and pairwise comparisons. Compared with the control shoe, lateral wedge insoles and barefoot walking significantly reduced early stance EKAM and KAAI. The mobility shoe showed no effect. A significant reduction in latter stance EKAM was seen in the lateral wedge insoles compared to the other conditions, with only the barefoot condition reducing the external knee flexion moment. However, the mobility shoe showed significant immediate knee pain reduction and improved comfort scores. Different lateral wedge insoles show comparable reductions in medial knee loading and in our study, the mobility shoe did not affect medial loading. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of Orthopaedic Research Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 33:1646–1654, 2015.
Simvastatin, an HMG-coenzyme A reductase inhibitor, improves endothelial function within 1 month.

BACKGROUND Cholesterol-lowering therapy can improve cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with atherosclerosis. Although the mechanisms responsible are unclear, these benefits precede macroscopic changes in the vasculature. Emerging evidence that improvement in endothelial function may occur requires substantiation; in particular, it is unclear how early any such improvement would be detectable after initiation of therapy. METHODS AND RESULTS This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study evaluated the effect of simvastatin (20 mg daily for 4 weeks) on endothelium-dependent and endothelium-independent vasodilation and on the response to the inhibitor of nitric oxide synthesis, NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA), in the forearm vasculature of subjects with moderate elevation of total serum cholesterol (6.0 to 10.0 mmol/L) by use of strain-gauge plethysmography. Studies were repeated after 3 more months of open therapy. When the results are expressed as percentage changes in flow in the infused arm relative to the noninfused arm, the vasodilator response to acetylcholine was significantly increased after 4 weeks of treatment with simvastatin (P < .0005), and this improvement was further enhanced after 3 months (P < .005). Concurrently, simvastatin augmented the vasoconstrictor response to L-NMMA, an effect that was maintained at 3 months (P < .0005). The response to the endothelium-independent vasodilator sodium nitroprusside was unaltered. CONCLUSIONS These observations indicate that within 1 month of treatment with simvastatin, both the stimulated and basal nitric oxide dilator functions of the endothelium are augmented, and the benefits of this HMG-coenzyme A reductase inhibitor persist with continued therapy.
Thalamocortical connections in newborn mice

Thalamocortical axons reach the developing neocortex and become distributed within the cortical subplate during the third week of gestation. The present study is an analysis of the organization of connections that link thalamus and cortical subplate (corresponding to future layers V and VI) at birth. This age antedates the ascent of thalamic axons to contact cells of the supragranular layers, their principal targets in the adult cortex. At birth thalamic nuclear subdivisions are explicit; field‐characteristic cytoarchitectonic features, relating principally to the infragranular layers, delineate the majority of neocortical fields. The projection of principal relay nuclei upon the majority of fields of the cerebral convexity has been mapped by means of retrograde transport of HRP. Nucleus‐to‐field interrelationships as well as topologic order of the overall thalamic projection prove to be identical to that in the adult animal. The neonatal projection appears to be somewhat more divergent than that of the adult.
A National Longitudinal Study of the Psychological Consequences of the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks: Reactions, Impairment, and Help-Seeking

Abstract This article examines the evolution of psychological and behavioral reactions following the September 2001 terrorist attacks in a nationally representative sample, and describes where people turned for support, information, and counseling. From November 9 to November 28, 2001, we resurveyed 395 (71%) of the original 560 adults 19 years or older within the United States who participated in our national random-digit-dialing telephone survey conducted on September 14 to September 16, 2001, about their terrorism-related psychological distress and behavior. Sixteen percent of adults had persistent distress, reporting one or more substantial distress symptoms in both September and November. Adults with persistent distress reported accomplishing less at work (65%); avoiding public gathering places (24%); and using alcohol, medications, or other drugs to relax, sleep, or feel better because of worries about terrorism (38%). Seventy-five percent talked with family and friends; however, 43% reported sometimes feeling unable to share their terrorism-related thoughts and feelings with others because it made others uncomfortable. Few reported receiving counseling or information about psychological distress from general medical providers (11%). These findings suggest that a significant number of adults across the country were continuing to experience terrorism-related distress and disruption of their daily lives approximately 2 months after September 11; many turned to family and friends for support, but at times many felt uncomfortable doing so, and few used clinicians as a source of information or support. Clinicians and policymakers should consider how the healthcare system and other community organizations might provide a coordinated community-wide response for individuals needing information and counseling following terrorist events.
A compact quad-band PIFA by using defected ground structure

The development of compact antennas plays an important role in rapidly growing mobile communication market. This paper presents a novel design technique of the quad-band small internal antenna which covers GSM-900/DCS-1800/PCS-1900/IMT-2000 bands. The handset antenna is developed within the limits of a 44times25times4 mm3 volume. This proposed antenna describes a new idea of increasing operational bandwidth for the compact planar inverted F antenna (PIFA). The proposed idea introduces the open-end slots in the ground plane almost all under the radiating patch. The size reduction method is attractive from the point of view of practical antenna implementation.