Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Serum DNase I activity in systemic lupus erythematosus: correlation with immunoserological markers, the disease activity and organ involvement

Abstract Background: Decreased activity of serum desoxyribonuclease I (DNase I) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has been reported, but its role as a biomarker in SLE is still unelucidated. Methods: Seventy-seven SLE patients (aged 39.6±13.1 years) were studied for serum DNase I activity, levels of antinuclear (ANA), anti-dsDNA [high-avidity ELISA, conventional ELISA and indirect immunofluorescence (IIF)], anti-nucleosome, anti-histone antibodies, complement components C3 and C4. SLE disease activity was evaluated by disease activity index (SLEDAI-2K). Thirty-five patients were serologically and clinically followed for 3–12 months (mean 5.6±2.8). Thirty-seven healthy blood donors were the control group. Results: DNase I activity in SLE patients was lower than in healthy controls (p<0.01). DNase I activity was in positive correlation with SLEDAI-2K (p<0.01), levels of ANA, anti-dsDNA, anti-nucleosome and anti-histone antibodies (p<0.01) and in negative correlation with C3 concentration (p<0.05). The highest correlation was found between DNase I activity and anti-dsDNA concentrations determined by high-avidity ELISA (r=0.624), followed by IIF (r=0.541) and conventional ELISA (r=0.405). In the follow-up study, DNase I activity also correlated with SLEDAI-2K (p<0.01). SLE patients with low DNase I activity more frequently had SLE-specific cutaneous lesions (p<0.05). Conclusions: Monitoring of DNase I activity simultaneously with SLEDAI-2K might be a useful tool in the follow-up of SLE. An increase of DNase I activity characterized relapse in most SLE patients, although it did not reach the levels of healthy individuals. A decrease of DNase I activity in SLE flare-ups might be a functional biomarker of a subset of patients with specific dysfunction of apoptotic chromatin degradation.
Contrôle glycémique informatisé en réanimation

L'hyperglycemie est tres souvent presente chez le patient de reanimation, liee a une insulinoresistance et une production accrue de glucose par le foie. La relation entre hyperglycemie en reanimation et pronostic defavorable etait deja etablie lorsque Van den Berghe et al montra une reduction de mortalite associee a une insulinotherapie intensive visant a normaliser la glycemie. Du fait de l'impossibilite a reproduire cet effet benefique et de la mise en evidence d'une surmortalite associee a un controle glycemique strict par rapport a un controle visant une glycemie < 10mmol/L (etude NICE-SUGAR), le premier objectif de cette these fut de rechercher a l'aide d'une etude multicentrique (etude CGAO-REA) une association entre utilisation d'un logiciel facilitant le controle glycemique strict et reduction de mortalite. Malgre le resultat negatif de l'etude CGAO-REA, l'interet d'un systeme informatise demeure en raison de la complexite du controle glycemique. Sont ainsi discutes les sujets suivants appliques a la reanimation : aleas du controle glycemique, methodes de mesure de la glycemie, controleurs glycemiques, insulinoresistance, variabilite glycemique, impact du statut diabetique et systemes informatises. Le deuxieme objectif de cette these est de detailler les nouveaux objectifs du controle glycemique en reanimation et d'en presenter l'evolution et les perspectives. En s'inspirant des diabetologues engages dans le developpement d'un pancreas artificiel et en generalisant les evaluations in silico, des equipes pluridisciplinaires pourraient construire une station de controle informatisee afin d'obtenir un controle glycemique optimise et individualise en reanimation.
Les Megalosauridae (Dinosauria, Theropoda) : Nouvelle découverte et révision systématique : implications phylogénétiques et paléobiogéographiques

Les Megalosauridae (Dinosauria, Theropoda) sont l'un des groupes les plus enigmatiques de dinosaures carnivores, n'etant connu[e]s que par un materiel relativement fragmentaire en comparaison avec celui des autres dinosaures carnivores. Le decouverte de Poekilopleuron ? valesdunensis nov. Sp. Dans le Jurassique moyen de Normandie nous apporte de nombreuses informations sur l'anatomie de ces theropodes et sert de base a une revision detaillee des autres genres de theropodes europeens, couramment rattaches aux Megalosauridae. Megalosaurus bucklandii, premier theropode non-avien jamais decrit, est considere comme un nomen dubium. Deux analyses de parcimonie basee sur une matrice de donnees comportant 107 caracteres osteologiques controles d'abord chez 18 taxons, et ensuite chez 24 taxons ont ete realisees. L'arbre de consensus strict de l'analyse a 24 taxons (234 pas ; CI=0,61 ; RI=0,75) est de la forme (Tetanurae (Spinosauridae (Spinosauridae + Megalosauridae) + Neotetanurae (Allosauroidae + Coelurosauria))). Les Megalosauridae apparaissent monophyletiques et incluent les genres Poekilopleuron, Eustreptospondylus, Streptospondylus, Lourinhanosaurus et Afrovenator. Metriacanthosaurus et Erectopus, longtemps consideres comme proches des Megalosauridae, sont rattaches aux Allosauroidae. Une nouvelle classification des theropodes est proposee. L'arbre phylogenetique tire des analyses de parcimonie indique que les lignees menant aux Ceratosauria, aux Spinosauroidea, aux Allosauroidae et aux Coelurosauria etaient deja individualisees au Jurassique inferieur ? L'inclination de l'ensemble des Spinosauroidea a un regime alimentaire piscivore est suggeree.
Status of smear-positive TB patients at 2-3 years after initiation of treatment under a DOTS programme.

OBJECTIVE To describe the status of cases 2-3 years after the initiation of treatment under DOTS. SETTING After DOTS implementation in Tiruvallur district, south India, we followed up a cohort of smear-positive TB patients registered during 2002-03 after initiation of treatment. RESULTS The overall mortality rate was 15.0% and among the remaining 18.6% had active disease. In multivariate analysis, a higher mortality rate was independently associated with age, sex, occupation, treatment outcome and initial body weight of patients. CONCLUSION The mortality and morbidity rates are still high during follow-up and needs to be curtailed by addressing these issues effectively in TB control programme.
CE: Military Sexual Trauma in Male Service Members

&NA;The experience of military sexual trauma (MST), which can result from assault, battery, or harassment of a sexual nature, may jeopardize the mental health of service members as well as that of their family members, colleagues, and community members. Although a greater proportion of female than male service members are subjected to MST, the Department of Defense estimates that the absolute numbers of affected men and women, across all ranks and branches of military service, are nearly equal because roughly 85% of military members are men. Little research has explored the effects of MST on men. This article discusses the unique ways in which men may experience MST, and examines how social stereotypes of masculinity, myths surrounding sexual assault, and military culture and structure often influence a man's interpretation of an attack and his likelihood of reporting the incident or seeking treatment. It describes current treatments for MST-related mental health conditions and addresses implications for nurses and other health care professionals.
Modeling and analysis of noise effects on broadband power-line communications

Power line noise is known to affect the performance of broadband power-line communications significantly. This paper presents a frequency-domain approach to characterize and model the statistical variation of power-line noise. The model considers both the background noise and the impulsive noise. The background noise model is based on statistical analysis of the results from two long-term measurements of noise spectrum conducted at two separate sites of a laboratory and a residential apartment. On the other hand, the impulsive noise model is obtained by direct measurements from the noise sources (i.e., various electrical household appliances). The amount of impulse noise reaching a power-line communications (PLC) receiver can then be determined with consideration of the channel transfer characteristics between the noise sources and the PLC receiver. Using these noise models, the performance of two major classes of digital modulation schemes, namely single-carrier modulation and multicarrier modulation, are analyzed and compared. It is found that the multicarrier scheme performs better than the single-carrier scheme when subjected to the observed power-line noise with non-Gaussian statistics.
[Sex differences in mortality at one-month and at one-year after an acute coronary syndrome].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE We aimed to delineate the sex differences in short-term (one-month) and long-term (one-year) cardiac death after an acute coronary syndrome. PATIENTS AND METHOD After the publication of the new myocardial infarction definition, we prospectively analyzed 1,324 consecutive patients admitted with a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome to a tertiary hospital. 483 (37%) of these patients had myocardial infarction with ST-elevation, 439 (33%) had myocardial infarction without ST elevation (troponin I > 1 ng/ml) and 402 (30%) had an unstable angina (troponin I < 1 ng/ml). RESULTS Within 1-year of follow-up, 177 deaths (13.4%) were detected. There was a similar rate of cardiac death in female and male patients with 'non-ST elevation myocardial infarction' (one-month: 9.7% vs 7.1%, p = NS; one-year: 16.7% vs 13.2%, p = NS) and with unstable angina (one-month: 3% vs 1.9%, p = NS; one-year: 3% vs 5.6%, p = NS). Among patients with 'ST-elevation myocardial infarction' women showed a higher rate of cardiac death at one-month (21.5% vs 9.8%; p < 0.0001) and at one-year (28.9% vs 14.1%, p < 0.0001) than men. In the multivariate analysis, independent predictors of cardiac death in 'ST-elevation myocardial infarction' at one-year were age > 70 years (p < 0.0001), Killip class > 1 (p < 0.0001) and lack of reperfusion (p = 0.003) but not having a female sex. CONCLUSIONS Patients with 'non-ST elevation acute coronary syndromes' did not display sex differences with regard to mortality. Women with 'ST-elevation myocardial infarction' had a higher mortality; however, these differences were not independently related to a female sex but to a worse baseline clinical profile and a lesser rate of reperfusion.
Effects of lateral reticular nucleus lesions on the exercise pressor reflex in cats.

Electrical stimulation of ventral roots gives rise to a reflex cardiovascular reponse similar to that observed during static exercise. Although the afferent limb of the reflex is known to be comprised of small diameter afferent fibers from the contracting muscle, little is known of the central nervous system pathway(s) involved. The lateral reticular nucleus of the brainstem is known to be an important site of integration for numerous types of visceral and somatic afferent information, many of which give rise to cardiovascular responses. However, the linkage between the small diameter muscle afferents responsible for the exercise pressor reflex and the lateral reticular nucleus has not been established. In anesthetized cats (n = 7), stimulation of L7 and Si ventral roots increased mean arterial pressure (18.6 ± 2.4 mm Hg) and heart rate (7.4 ± 1.7 beats/min). Following bilateral lesions of the lateral reticular nucleus, the increases in mean arterial pressure and in heart rate were essentially abolished (P < 0.005) (mean arterial pressure increased 1.9 ± 0.8 mm Hg and heart rate increased 0.7 ± 0.5 beats/min). Unilateral lateral reticular nucleus lesions and control lesions in pressor sites outside the lateral reticular nucleus (n = 5) did not affect the exercise pressor reflex. The lateral reticular nucleus lesions also produced decreases (P < 0.01) both in resting mean arterial pressure (—27 ± 5.5 mm Hg) and heart rate (—31.0 ± 8 beats/min). These data suggest that the lateral reticular nucleus is important in the central pathway of the exercise pressor reflex and mediates a tonic pressor influence at rest. (Circ Res 51: 4OO-403, 1982)
Saccule degeneration and ductus reuniens obstruction.

Temporal bone changes in a 25-year-old white woman with unilateral saccule degeneration and displacement and encapsulation of the otolithic membrane are described. Fibrous nodules containing clumped statoconia were present, obliterating the cochlear portion of the ductus reuniens, with marked distension of the cochlear cecum vestibulare. The patient had had acute labyrinthitis four years prior to death, with continuing episodes of vertigo and tinnitus. Two years before death, a primary malignant melanoma of the skin had been removed. Both temporal bones, at death, contained metastatic melanoma within the internal auditory canals. The possibility of the changes representing focal complications of a previous viral labyrinthitis, or complications due to venous obstruction from tumor metastases, is discussed.
SIMULATION NUMERIQUE ET MODELISATION DE L'ECOULEMENT AUTOUR DES PAROIS MULTI-PERFOREES

La multi-perforation est un systeme de refroidissement couramment utilise pour refroidir les parois des chambres de combustion des turbines a gaz aeronautiques. Le principe est de percer dans ces parois des milliers de petites perforations par lesquelles de l'air de refroidissement est injecte a l'interieur de la chambre. Lors de simulations numeriques de chambre de combustion, la resolution de l'ecoulement pres de ces parois multi-perforees est trop couteuse en temps de calcul. C'est pourquoi l'objectif de cette these est de proposer un modele prenant en compte l'effet de la multi-perforation sur l'ecoulement dans la chambre de combustion et a l'exterieur, dans le contournement. En vue de la modelisation, des Simulations des Grandes Echelles ont ete realisees aﬁn d'acquerir une connaissance approfondie de l'ecoulement autour des parois multi-perforees. La conﬁguration d'etude est celle d'une paroi perforee d'extension inﬁnie, representee par une unique perforation dans un domaine periodique incluant les deux cotes de la paroi. Une methode speciﬁque pour generer l'ecoulement a la fois dans la perforation et des deux cotes de la paroi a ete developpee dans le cas isotherme puis adapte au cas anisotherme. Les donnees ainsi generees ont permis d'orienter le travail de modelisation vers les aspects les plus importants de l'ecoulement de multi-perforation. Ce travail de these a abouti a l'ecriture d'un modele adiabatique de multi-perforation maintenant couramment utilise dans l'equipe CFD-Combustion du CERFACS.
Brief‐exposure to preoperative bevacizumab reveals a TGF‐β signature predictive of response in HER2‐negative breast cancers

To best define biomarkers of response, and to shed insight on mechanism of action of certain clinically important agents for early breast cancer, we used a brief‐exposure paradigm in the preoperative setting to study transcriptional changes in patient tumors that occur with one dose of therapy prior to combination chemotherapy. Tumor biopsies from breast cancer patients enrolled in two preoperative clinical trials were obtained at baseline and after one dose of bevacizumab (HER2‐negative), trastuzumab (HER2‐positive) or nab‐paclitaxel, followed by treatment with combination chemo‐biologic therapy. RNA‐Sequencing based PAM50 subtyping at baseline of 46 HER2‐negative patients revealed a strong association between the basal‐like subtype and pathologic complete response (pCR) to chemotherapy plus bevacizumab (p ≤ 0.0027), but did not provide sufficient specificity to predict response. However, a single dose of bevacizumab resulted in down‐regulation of a well‐characterized TGF‐β activity signature in every single breast tumor that achieved pCR (p ≤ 0.004). The TGF‐β signature was confirmed to be a tumor‐specific read‐out of the canonical TGF‐β pathway using pSMAD2 (p ≤ 0.04), with predictive power unique to brief‐exposure to bevacizumab (p ≤ 0.016), but not trastuzumab or nab‐paclitaxel. Down‐regulation of TGF‐β activity was associated with reduction in tumor hypoxia by transcription and protein levels, suggesting therapy‐induced disruption of an autocrine‐loop between tumor stroma and malignant cells. Modulation of the TGF‐β pathway upon brief‐exposure to bevacizumab may provide an early functional readout of pCR to preoperative anti‐angiogenic therapy in HER2‐negative breast cancer, thus providing additional avenues for exploration in both preclinical and clinical settings with these agents.
Quantitative Structure - Pharmacokinetics Relationships for Plasma Protein Binding of Basic Drugs.

PURPOSE Binding of drugs to plasma proteins is a common physiological occurrence which may have a profound effect on both pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. The early prediction of plasma protein binding (PPB) of new drug candidates is an important step in drug development process. The present study is focused on the development of quantitative structure - pharmacokinetics relationship (QSPkR) for the negative logarithm of the free fraction of the drug in plasma (pfu) of basic drugs. METHODS A dataset includes 220 basic drugs, which chemical structures are encoded by 176 descriptors. Genetic algorithm, stepwise regression and multiple linear regression are used for variable selection and model development. Predictive ability of the model is assessed by internal and external validation. Results. A simple, significant, interpretable and predictive QSPkR model is constructed for pfu of basic drugs. It is able to predict 59% of the drugs from an external validation set within the 2-fold error of the experimental values with squared correlation coefficient of prediction 0.532, geometric mean fold error (GMFE) 1.94 and mean absolute error (MAE) 0.17. CONCLUSIONS PPB of basic drugs is favored by the lipophilicity, the presence of aromatic C-atoms (either non-substituted, or involved in bridged aromatic systems) and molecular volume. The fraction ionized as a base fB and the presence of quaternary C-atoms contribute negatively to PPB. A short checklist of criteria for high PPB is defined, and an empirical rule for distinguishing between low, high and very high plasma protein binders is proposed based. This rule allows correct classification of 69% of the very high binders, 71% of the high binders and 91% of the low binders in plasma. This article is open to POST-PUBLICATION REVIEW. Registered readers (see "For Readers") may comment by clicking on ABSTRACT on the issue's contents page.
Pose and position estimations of regular shapes in monocular images

This paper presents approaches for pose and position estimations of two-dimensional regular shapes including rectangles and circles as well as particular kinds of triangles in monocular images. Part of this problem has been settled with parameters of digital cameras calibrated, which is not infeasible for all encountered images. Take the formulation of an image as perspective projection and the effective focal length of the cameras behind can be uniquely determined by only one general perspective rectangle in the image. Then with no additional condition required, the poses of those shapes concerned here with respect to the camera coordinate system can be calculated. Further, their positions can also be estimated with reasonable prior knowledge about lengths or areas. Experiment shows results desirably according with both the real fact and people's perceptions. Compared with other methods, ours are not just less complex, numerically solvable and intuitionistic but robust to errors in coordinates and changes made to images.
A trust-based security enforcement in disruption-tolerant networks

We propose an approach to enforce security in disruption- and delay-tolerant networks (DTNs) where long delays, high packet drop rates, unavailability of central trusted entity etc. make traditional approaches unfeasible. We use trust model based on subjective logic to continuously evaluate trustworthiness of security credentials issued in distributed manner by network participants to deal with absence of centralised trusted authorities.
Reproductive efficiency of Pelibuey and Romanov × Pelibuey ewes synchronized with synthetic progesterone and low doses of PMSG under a hot environment

Thirty-nine multiparous ewes (19 Pelibuey and 20 Romanov × Pelibuey) treated with fluoroge - stone acetate impregnated intravaginal sponges were used to evaluate the effects of low pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) doses and genotype on their reproductive efficiency under heat stress conditions. The sponge treatment lasted for 12 days, and 24 h before sponge removal, ewes of each genotype were injected with 140 or 280 IU of PMSG. Ewes showing estrus were naturally mated twice. Reproductive performance was not affected ( P > 0.05) by the dose × genotype interaction. All treated ewes presented estrus signs within a 48-h period after sponge removal. Shorter ( P 0.05) by dose or genotype. In conclusion, under heat stress conditions, low PMSG doses as 140 or 280 IU can be used to successfully induce and/or synchronize the estrus in Pelibuey ewes and their crosses with Romanov, regardless of reduced fertility observed in crossed Pelibuey ewes. If a more predictable and compact estrus is required, administration of 280 IU of PMSG is recommended.
Impact of a Single Oral Acute Dose of Aflatoxin B1 on Liver Function/Cytokines and the Lymphoproliferative Response in C57Bl/6 Mice

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a mycotoxin found in food and feed, exerts harmful effects on humans and animals. The liver is the earliest target of AFB1, and its effects have been evaluated in animal models exposed to acute or chronic doses. Considering the possibility of sporadic ingestion of AFB1-contaminated food, this study investigated the impact of a single oral dose of AFB1 on liver function/cytokines and the lymphoproliferative response in mice. C57BL/6 mice were treated with a single oral AFB1 dose (44, 442 or 663 μg AFB1/kg of body weight) on the first day. Liver function (ALT, γ-GT, and total protein), cytokines (IL-4, IFN-γ, and IL-17), histopathology, and the spleen lymphoproliferative response to mitogens were evaluated on the 5th day. Although AFB1 did not produce any significant changes in the biochemical parameters, 663 μg AFB1/kg-induced hepatic upregulation of IL-4 and IFN-γ, along with liver tissue injury and suppression of the lymphoproliferative response to ConA (p < 0.05). In conclusion, a single oral dose of AFB1 exposure can induce liver tissue lesions, liver cytokine modulation, and immune suppression in C57BL/6 mice.