PURPOSE To describe the methodology and assess the reliability of novel computer-based semiautomated software that quantifies retinal arteriolar central light reflex (CR) from digital retinal photographs. METHODS A total of 150 optic disc-centered digital color retinal photographs were selected from a population-based cross-sectional study of persons aged 40 to 80 years (the Singapore Malay E...

We describe a method of model checking called Computing Range Reduction (CRR). The CRR method is based on derivation of clauses that reduce the set of traces of reachable states in such a way that at least one counterexample remains (if any). These clauses are derived by a technique called Partial Quantifier Elimination (PQE). Given a number n, the CRR method finds a counterexample of length le...

AIMS Hypoglycemia is a severe side effect of intensive insulin therapy. Recurrent hypoglycemia (RH) impairs the counter-regulatory response (CRR) which restores euglycemia. During hypoglycemia, ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) production of nitric oxide (NO) and activation of its receptor soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) are critical for the CRR. Hypoglycemia also increases brain reactive oxygen s...

Preoperative 5-fluorouracil- (5-FU-) based chemoradiotherapy is a standard treatment for locally advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the effect of 5-FU-based chemoradiotherapy on CRC is limited due to the development of chemoradiation resistance (CRR), and the molecular mechanisms underlying this resistance are yet to be investigated. Recently, circular RNAs (circRNAs), which can functio...

OBJECTIVE We demonstrated previously that chronic maternal micronutrient restriction altered the body composition in rat offspring and may predispose offspring to adult-onset diseases. Chromium (Cr) regulates glucose and fat metabolism. The objective of this study is to determine the long-term effects of maternal Cr restriction on adipose tissue development and function in a rat model. RESEAR...

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are widely prescribed for patients with comorbid diabetes and depression. Clinical case studies in diabetic patients, however, suggest that SSRI therapy may exacerbate hypoglycemia. We hypothesized that SSRIs might increase the risk of hypoglycemia by impairing hormonal counterregulatory responses (CRR). We evaluated the effect of the SSRI sertral...

Hypoglycemia initiates the counter regulatory response (CRR), in which the sympathetic nervous system, glucagon, and glucocorticoids restore glucose to appropriate concentrations. During starvation, low leptin restrains energy utilization, enhancing long-term survival. To ensure shortterm survival during hypoglycemia in fasted animals, the CRR must overcome this energy-sparing program and nutri...

Approximately half the world's population now has replacement-level fertility or below. The UK experience in accommodating to a changing dependency ratio provides some generalizable insights. A mechanistic approach assuming a fixed retirement age and a need to raise fertility or increase immigration in order to maintain pensions at a fixed proportion of the gross domestic product (GDP) is overs...

Chronic kidney disease related mineral and bone disease (CKD-MBD) is a worldwide challenge in hemodialysis patients. In china, the number of dialysis patients is growing but few data are available about their bone disorders. In the current study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of clinical factors on the serum phosphorus clearance in the 80 maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) patients. Six clinical ...

The concept of an automatic structure has been generalized from groups [ECH+] to semigroups [CRRT]. Several authors [CRR, Hof, Kam] have asked the following question: Let S be a finitely generated semigroup embeddable in a group and let G be its universal group [CP, Chapter ]. If G is automatic, must S be automatic? Examples in favour of this implication include: free groups and s...