Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relationship Between Blood Pressure and Physical and Cognitive Function in the Oldest Old

Thanks are due to Giovanni XXIII Institute, the residents, their relatives, and nursing home staff for their willingness, along with Vincenzo Vulcano, MD, blind investigator. Additionally we want to thank the Alzheimer Centre Team of S. Pietro in Casale: Mirco Vanelli Coralli (MD), Monica Faiolo (Social Worker), Stefania Siano (Psychologist). We thank also Prof. Ada Dormi (University of Bologna) for the helpful statistical advice. We also want to show our gratitude to Giuseppe Bertolucci, President of the Cineteca of Bologna, recently deceased. The Cineteca, member of the F ed eration Internationale des Archives du Film and of the Association des Cin emath eques Europ eennes, is a place for film and audiovisual archival conservation and restoration, training, research, and publishing. Finally, the scientific team includes Giancarlo Savorani (Psychogeriatrician Principal Investigator); Lucio Tondi, Valeria Ribani, Ruggero Tedesco, and Elisa Pini (health professionals); and Eugenio Melloni, Luisa Grosso, Enza Negroni, Igor Bellinello, and Davide Sorlini (filmmakers) with the collaboration of Giuseppe Bertolucci. The cost of each memofilm was approximately 1,000 Euro. This study was funded by UNIPOL Gruppo Finanziario S.p.a. Partial preliminary results presented as a poster at the 19th Alzheimer Europe Conference “Stars for Help,” Brussels, Belgium, May 28–30, 2009, and at 13th Congress of the European Federation of Neurological Societies “EFNS,” Florence, Italy, September 12–15, 2009. Author Contributions: Dr. Savorani had full access to all of the data in the study and takes responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of the data analysis. Study concept and design: Savorani, Tondi, Ribani, Tedesco, Pini, Melloni, Bertolucci. Acquisition of data: Vulcano (blind investigator). Analysis and interpretation of data: Savorani, Tondi, Ribani, Pini, Melloni. Drafting of manuscript: Savorani, Pini, Tondi, Ribani, Tedesco, Melloni, Bertolucci. Critical revision of manuscript for important intellectual content: Savorani, Pini. Sponsor’s Role: None.
Counseling Heterosexual Spouses of Bisexual Men and Women and Bisexual-Heterosexual Couples

SUMMARY In approximately two million current or former marriages in the United States, one of the spouses is bisexual, gay, or lesbian. When lesbian, gay, or bisexual spouses disclose their sexual orientation, their heterosexual spouses face unique issues. Their coping proceeds through common stages from initial trauma to eventual transformation. Mixed-orientation couples, too, progress through typical stages as they deal with complex relationship challenges. Heterosexual spouses of bisexual partners and bisexual-heterosexual couples face the additional challenge of understanding bisexuality. Resolving the issues and coming to terms with the disclosure for spouses and couples may take more than three years. Peer support and counseling help spouses clarify their needs, goals, and values during this period. For therapists working with such clients, scant literature about heterosexual spouses in these marriages and bisexual-heterosexual couples and the general lack of knowledge about bisexuality and mixed-orientation relationships make it difficult to know how best to counsel spouses. Counseling is most effective when therapists know the core issues of heterosexual spouses, typical stages of their resolving them, and the common path through which bisexual-heterosexual couples progress. With effective counseling, heterosexual spouses and bisexual-heterosexual couples are more likely to resolve issues constructively and to grow in individual strength and mutual understanding.
Convergent Tree-Reweighted Message Passing for Energy Minimization

Algorithms for discrete energy minimization are of fundamental importance in computer vision. In this paper, we focus on the recent technique proposed by Wainwright et al. (Nov. 2005)- tree-reweighted max-product message passing (TRW). It was inspired by the problem of maximizing a lower bound on the energy. However, the algorithm is not guaranteed to increase this bound - it may actually go down. In addition, TRW does not always converge. We develop a modification of this algorithm which we call sequential tree-reweighted message passing. Its main property is that the bound is guaranteed not to decrease. We also give a weak tree agreement condition which characterizes local maxima of the bound with respect to TRW algorithms. We prove that our algorithm has a limit point that achieves weak tree agreement. Finally, we show that, our algorithm requires half as much memory as traditional message passing approaches. Experimental results demonstrate that on certain synthetic and real problems, our algorithm outperforms both the ordinary belief propagation and tree-reweighted algorithm in (M. J. Wainwright, et al., Nov. 2005). In addition, on stereo problems with Potts interactions, we obtain a lower energy than graph cuts
Contribution of Vestibular-Evoked Myogenic Potential (VEMP) testing in the assessment and the differential diagnosis of otosclerosis

Background The aim of this prospective clinical study was to evaluate the clinical importance of Vestibular-Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMPs) in the assessment and differential diagnosis of otosclerosis and otologic diseases characterized by “pseudo-conductive” components. We also investigated the clinical appearance of balance disorders in patients with otosclerosis by correlating VEMP results with the findings of caloric testing and pure tone audiometry(PTA). Material/Methods Air-conducted(AC) 4-PTA, bone-conducted(BC) 4-PTA, air-bone Gap(ABG), AC, BC tone burst evoked VEMP, and calorics were measured preoperatively in 126 otosclerotic ears. Results The response rate of the AC-VEMPs and BC-VEMPs was 29.36% and 44.03%, respectively. Statistical differences were found between the means of ABG, AC 4-PTA, and BC 4-PTA in the otosclerotic ears in relation to AC-VEMP elicitability. About one-third of patients presented with disequilibrium. A statistically significant interaction was found between calorics and dizziness in relation to PTA thresholds. No relationship was found between calorics and dizziness with VEMPs responses. Conclusions AC and BC VEMPs can be elicited in ears with otosclerosis. AC-VEMP is more vulnerable to conductive hearing loss. Evaluation of AC-VEMP thresholds can be added in the diagnostic work-up of otosclerosis in case of doubt, enhancing differential diagnosis in patients with air-bone gaps. Otosclerosis is not a cause of canal paresis or vertigo.
Detergents as Tools in Membrane Biochemistry*

Detergents are invaluable tools for studying membrane proteins. However, these deceptively simple, amphipathic molecules exhibit complex behavior when they self-associate and interact with other molecules. The phase behavior and assembled structures of detergents are markedly influenced not only by their unique chemical and physical properties but also by concentration, ionic conditions, and the presence of other lipids and proteins. In this minireview, we discuss the various aggregate forms detergents assume and some misconceptions about their structure. The distinction between detergents and the membrane lipids that they may (or may not) replace is emphasized in the most recent high resolution structures of membrane proteins. Detergents are clearly friends and foes, but with the knowledge of how they work, we can use the increasing variety of detergents to our advantage.
Multiple sources of support, affective commitment, and citizenship behaviors: The moderating role of passive leadership

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating role of passive leadership in the relationships of perceived support from organization, coworkers, and physicians to affective commitment and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) among hospital employees. Design/methodology/approach – Using a sample of 182 hospital employees and a time-lagged design in which predictors and moderator were assessed at Time 1 and self-reported OCB was obtained 2.5 years later, the authors examined whether passive leadership moderates the relationships of perceived supports to commitment and their indirect effects on OCB. Findings – Analyses indicate that at high levels of passive leadership, the relationship between support from organization and coworkers and commitment is less positive and the relationship between support from physicians and commitment is negative. Moreover, the indirect effect of perceived support from coworkers and physicians on OCB through affective commitment is weaker at high levels .
SNP Discovery and QTL Mapping of Sclerotinia Basal Stalk Rot Resistance in Sunflower using Genotyping‐by‐Sequencing

Basal stalk rot (BSR), caused by the ascomycete fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary, is a serious disease of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in the cool and humid production areas of the world. Quantitative trait loci (QTL) for BSR resistance were identified in a sunflower recombinant inbred line (RIL) population derived from the cross HA 441 × RHA 439. A genotyping‐by‐sequencing (GBS) approach was adapted to discover single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. A genetic linkage map was developed comprised of 1053 SNP markers on 17 linkage groups (LGs) spanning 1401.36 cM. The RILs were tested in five environments (locations and years) for resistance to BSR. Quantitative trait loci were identified in each environment separately and also with integrated data across environments. A total of six QTL were identified in all five environments: one of each on LGs 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, and 17. The most significant QTL, Qbsr‐10.1 and Qbsr‐17.1, were identified at multiple environments on LGs 10 and 17, explaining 31.6 and 20.2% of the observed phenotypic variance, respectively. The remaining four QTL, Qbsr‐4.1, Qbsr‐9.1, Qbsr‐11.1, and Qbsr‐16.1, were detected in only one environment on LGs 4, 9, 11, and 16, respectively. Each of these QTL explains between 6.4 and 10.5% of the observed phenotypic variation in the RIL population. Alleles conferring increased resistance were contributed by both parents. The potential of the Qbsr‐10.1 and Qbsr‐17.1 in marker‐assisted selection (MAS) breeding are discussed.
Comparative Analysis of Serine/Arginine-Rich Proteins across 27 Eukaryotes: Insights into Sub-Family Classification and Extent of Alternative Splicing

Alternative splicing (AS) of pre-mRNA is a fundamental molecular process that generates diversity in the transcriptome and proteome of eukaryotic organisms. SR proteins, a family of splicing regulators with one or two RNA recognition motifs (RRMs) at the N-terminus and an arg/ser-rich domain at the C-terminus, function in both constitutive and alternative splicing. We identified SR proteins in 27 eukaryotic species, which include plants, animals, fungi and “basal” eukaryotes that lie outside of these lineages. Using RNA recognition motifs (RRMs) as a phylogenetic marker, we classified 272 SR genes into robust sub-families. The SR gene family can be split into five major groupings, which can be further separated into 11 distinct sub-families. Most flowering plants have double or nearly double the number of SR genes found in vertebrates. The majority of plant SR genes are under purifying selection. Moreover, in all paralogous SR genes in Arabidopsis, rice, soybean and maize, one of the two paralogs is preferentially expressed throughout plant development. We also assessed the extent of AS in SR genes based on a splice graph approach (http://combi.cs.colostate.edu/as/gmap_SRgenes). AS of SR genes is a widespread phenomenon throughout multiple lineages, with alternative 3′ or 5′ splicing events being the most prominent type of event. However, plant-enriched sub-families have 57%–88% of their SR genes experiencing some type of AS compared to the 40%–54% seen in other sub-families. The SR gene family is pervasive throughout multiple eukaryotic lineages, conserved in sequence and domain organization, but differs in gene number across lineages with an abundance of SR genes in flowering plants. The higher number of alternatively spliced SR genes in plants emphasizes the importance of AS in generating splice variants in these organisms.
Behavioural and neural correlates of auditory attention.

The auditory attention skills of alterting, orienting, and executive control were assessed using behavioural and neuroimaging techniques. Initially, an auditory analgue of the visual attention network test (ANT) (FAN, McCandliss, Sommer, Raz, & Posner, 2002) was created and tested alongside the visual ANT in a group of 40 healthy subjects. The results from this study showed similarities between auditory and visual spatial orienting. An fMRI study was conducted to investigate whether the similar behavioural measures of auditory and visual executive control were the result of common cortical mechanisms. The results were consistent with a supramodal anterior network involved in conflict monitoring and resolution. Auditory orienting of attention was investigated through a series of behavioural experiments. The first investigated listeners' ability to benefit from cues to location, to pitch, and to both location and pitch, in a vowel-identification task. Subjects were able to benefit from all three types of cues but did not gain additive benefit from being cued to both location and pitch, suggesting that attention was being directed to an auditory object comprising both features. The following seven experiments investigated auditory spatial orienting in non-spatial tasks. These experiments revealed a robust exogenous (automatic) auditory orienting effect, which was relatively insensitive to task differences. However, endogenous (voluntary) auditory orienting effects were small and highly variable across subjects. It is hypothesised that differences between auditory and visual spatial orienting reflect the relative importance of spatial information in the two modalities, and differences in the neural coding of auditory and visual spatial information.
Relationships between national culture and Lean Management: A literature Review

In an increasingly volatile, globalized, and demanding market, Lean is the differential factor that could increase companies' competitiveness and efficiency. In spite of the abundant literature addressing Lean system's technical aspects, there has been little discussion on the importance of national culture in Lean's implementation process. It has been proven that the implementation of lean practices do not always produce the intended results and national culture has been highlighted as one of the contextual variables that may explain the success or failure of Lean practices. Since companies are influenced by the culture of the country where they're located, some comparative advantages may occur due to their location, making it necessary to adjust Lean's implementation process to national culture. The purpose of this article is to propose a literature review to examine the relationship between national culture and Lean Management. This study explores the assertions and/or contradictions found in the literature regarding the cultural dimensions that may act as enablers or withholders to the lean principles and practices.
Metal Toxicity at the Synapse: Presynaptic, Postsynaptic, and Long-Term Effects

Metal neurotoxicity is a global health concern. This paper summarizes the evidence for metal interactions with synaptic transmission and synaptic plasticity. Presynaptically metal ions modulate neurotransmitter release through their interaction with synaptic vesicles, ion channels, and the metabolism of neurotransmitters (NT). Many metals (e.g., Pb 2+, Cd 2+, and Hg +) also interact with intracellular signaling pathways. Postsynaptically, processes associated with the binding of NT to their receptors, activation of channels, and degradation of NT are altered by metals. Zn 2+, Pb 2+, Cu 2+, Cd 2+, Ni 2+, Co 2+, Li 3+, Hg +, and methylmercury modulate NMDA, AMPA/kainate, and/or GABA receptors activity. Al 3+, Pb 2+, Cd 2+, and As 2 O 3 also impair synaptic plasticity by targeting molecules such as CaM, PKC, and NOS as well as the transcription machinery involved in the maintenance of synaptic plasticity. The multiple effects of metals might occur simultaneously and are based on the specific metal species, metal concentrations, and the types of neurons involved.
DETECTION OF A NOVEL REACTIVE METABOLITE OF DICLOFENAC: EVIDENCE FOR CYP2C9-MEDIATED BIOACTIVATION VIA ARENE OXIDES

A new glutathione adduct (M4) was tentatively identified, likely as 2′-hydroxy-3′-(glutathione-S-yl)-monoclofenac, using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis of incubations of diclofenac with human liver microsomes. The same conjugate was not detected in incubations with either rat or monkey liver microsomes. Formation of M4 was mediated specifically by CYP2C9 in human liver microsomes, as evidenced by the following observations: 1) cDNA-expressed CYP2C9-catalyzing formation of M4; 2) inhibition of M4 formation by sulfaphenazole, a CYP2C9-selective inhibitor; and 3) strong correlation between the production of M4 and CYP2C9-mediated tolbutamide 4-hydroxylase activities in a panel of human liver microsome samples. Formation of M4 suggests the existence of a new reactive intermediate as diclofenac-2′,3′-oxide. A tentative pathway states that diclofenac is oxidized to diclofenac-2′,3′-oxide that reacts with glutathione (GSH) to form a thioether conjugate at the C-3′ position, followed by a concomitant loss of chlorine to give rise to M4. Furthermore, a likely mechanism leading to the formation of diclofenac oxides is rationalized: CYP2C9-catalyzed oxidation at the C-3′ position of the dichlorophenyl ring to form a cationic σ-complex that subsequently results in diclofenac-3′,4′-oxide and diclofenac-2′,3′-oxide; the former oxide is converted to 4′-hydroxy-diclofenac as a major metabolite and can be trapped by GSH to produce 4′-hydroxy-3′-glutathione-S-yl diclofenac (M2), whereas the latter oxide forms 3′-hydroxy-diclofenac and can be trapped by GSH to produce M4. This mechanism is consistent with the structural modeling of the CYP2C9-diclofenac complex, which reveals that both the C-3′ and C-4′ of the dichlorophenyl ring are proximate to the heme group.
Sulfasalazine for rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVES To estimate the short-term efficacy and toxicity of sulfasalazine for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). SEARCH STRATEGY We searched the Cochrane Musculoskeletal Group trials register, and Medline, up to July 1997, using the search strategy developed by the Cochrane Collaboration (Dickersin 1994). The search was complemented with bibliography searching of the reference list of the trials retrieved from the electronic search. Key experts in the area were contacted for further published and unpublished articles. SELECTION CRITERIA All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and controlled clinical trials (CCTs) comparing sulfasalazine against placebo in patients with RA. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two reviewers determined the studies to be included based on inclusion and exclusion criteria (GW, MSA). Data were independently abstracted by two reviewers (EB, MSA), and checked by a third reviewer (BS) using a pre-developed form for the rheumatoid arthritis sub-group of the Cochrane Musculoskeletal Group. The same two reviewers, using a validated scale (Jadad 1996) assessed the methodological quality of the RCTs and CCTs independently. Rheumatoid arthritis outcome measures were extracted from the publications. The pooled analysis was performed using standardized mean differences (SMDs) for joint counts, pain, and global and functional assessments. Weighted mean differences (WMDs) were used for erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Toxicity was evaluated with pooled odds ratios (OR) for withdrawals. A chi-square test was used to assess heterogeneity among trials. Fixed effects models were used throughout and random effects for outcomes showing heterogeneity. MAIN RESULTS Six trials, including 468 patients were included. A statistically significant benefit was observed for sulfasalazine when compared to placebo for tender and swollen joint scores, pain and ESR. The standardized weighted mean difference between treatment and placebo was -0.49 for tender and swollen joint scores, and -0.42 for pain. The difference for ESR was -17.6mm. Withdrawals from adverse reactions were significantly higher in the sulfasalazine group (OR=3.0). Patients receiving placebo were four times more likely to discontinue treatment because of lack of efficacy than patients receiving sulfasalazine. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS Sulfasalazine appears to have a clinically and statistically significant benefit on the disease activity of patients with RA. Its effects on overall health status and radiological progression are not clear at this time, but would appear to be modest.
Contraction‐mediated glycogenolysis in mouse skeletal muscle lacking creatine kinase: the role of phosphorylase b activation

Skeletal muscle that is deficient in creatine kinase (CK−/−) exhibits accelerated glycogenolysis during contraction. Understanding this phenomenon could provide insight into the control of glycogenolysis during contraction. Therefore, glycogen breakdown was investigated in isolated extensor digitorum longus CK−/− muscle. Muscles were stimulated to produce repeated tetani for 20 s in the presence of sodium cyanide to block mitochondrial respiration. Accumulation of lactate after stimulation was similar in wild‐type (WT) and CK−/− muscles, whereas accumulation of glucose‐6‐phosphate was twofold higher in CK−/− muscles, indicating greater glycogenolysis in CK−/− muscles. Total phosphorylase activity was decreased by almost 30 % in CK−/− muscle (P < 0.001). Phosphorylase fractional activity (−/+ 3.3 mm AMP) was similar in both groups in the basal state (about 10 %), but increased to a smaller extent in CK−/− muscles after stimulation (39 ± 4 % vs. 52 ± 4 % in WT, P < 0.05). Inorganic phosphate, the substrate for phosphorylase, increased marginally in CK−/− muscles after stimulation (basal = 25.3 ± 2.2 µmol (g dry muscle)−1; stimulated = 33.9 ± 2.3 µmol (g dry muscle)−1), but substantially in WT muscles (basal = 11.4 ± 0.7 µmol (g dry muscle)−1; stimulated = 54.2 ± 4.5 µmol (g dry muscle)−1). Kinetic studies of phosphorylase b (dephosphorylated enzyme) from muscle extracts in vitro demonstrated higher relative activities in CK−/− muscles (60–135 %) in response to low AMP concentrations (up to 50 µm) in both the basal state and after stimulation (P < 0.05), whereas no differences in activity between CK−/− and WT muscles were observed at high AMP concentrations (> 100 µm). These data indicate that allosteric activation of phosphorylase b accounts for the accelerated glycogenolysis in CK−/− muscle during contraction.
Reactive Commitments: Reasoning Dialectically about Responsibility

Philosophy has recently been presented with, and started to take seriously, sociological studies in which our ‘folk concepts’ are elaborated. The most interesting concepts studied are moral concepts, and results have been achieved that seem to sharply contradict the speculation of philosophers and to threaten the very way in which moral philosophy has been done in the past. In this paper, I consider certain results in empirical studies of the folk concept of responsibility. I will then sketch a version of a reactive attitude theory that allows for a genuine sense in which our intuitions about responsibility may be incoherent in a certain sense but without making moral reasoning radically contextual.