Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sleep problems in a Down syndrome population

Objective: To determine the prevalence of sleep problems in children with Down syndrome. Design and setting: A community prevalence study in a child population of 100 000 in England. Participants: 58 children with Down syndrome aged to 0.65–17.9 years (mean 8.6 years). Interventions: Child sleep Habits Questionnaire. Results: Compared to published data for typically developing populations, children with Down syndrome were reported to have significantly greater bedtime resistance, sleep anxiety, night waking, parasomnias, sleep disordered breathing and day-time sleepiness. Amongst children 4 years and older, 66% rarely fell asleep in their own beds, 55% were always restless during sleep and 40% usually woke at least once during the night. Importantly, 78% seemed tired during the day at least 2 days per week, suggesting inadequate sleep. Conclusions: Parents report universal sleep problems in school aged children with Down syndrome. Paediatricians should routinely enquire about sleep behaviour in these children.
Deafferentation induces novel axonal projections in the auditory brainstem after hearing onset

Deafferentation of neural tissue can result in cell death, morphological changes, and/or alterations in sources of innervation. These changes often occur during a limited period of development. In the auditory brainstem, the ventral cochlear nucleus (VCN) projects to the contralateral but not ipsilateral medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB). This pathway is part of a circuit that computes interaural intensity differences used in sound localization. Previous studies have shown that, after the cochlea is removed early in postnatal development, cells in the VCN on the deafferented side die, and the intact VCN innervates MNTB on both sides of the brain. These changes after cochlea removal are limited to an early postnatal period that preceeds hearing onset. In this study, we lesioned the VCN directly to evaluate plasticity in axonal pathways after hearing onset. We found that novel projections from the intact VCN to ipsilateral MNTB emerge after lesions performed as late as postnatal day 25. The morphological sequence of events is similar to that seen during the initial development of this pathway. These data suggest that plasticity in the auditory brainstem is possible when pathways are challenged with denervation of target nuclei. The results show that the opportunity for plasticity in auditory brainstem circuitry is more prolonged than previously thought and that novel pathways can form after the normal pathways are fully mature and functional. Moreover, sensitive periods for changes in individual pathways are independently regulated. J. Comp. Neurol. 497:589–599, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Microleakage of different dowel systems luted with resin cements

Aims: The purpose of this study was to compare microleakage of dowel systems: Stainless steel dowel system (SSD), resin-supported polyethylene fiber dowels (RSPFD), Zirconia dowels (ZD) and glass fiber dowels (GFD) luted with two different resin cements. Materials and Methods: The root canals of 96 teeth were restored and two resin cements (Multilink Automix and Clearfil Esthetic cement) were used in cementation procedure. Using the computerized fluid filtration method, microleakage of the specimens was measured at 1 week, and 6 months. Results: The data indicated that the microleakage values varied according to the luting cement used (P < 0.05). The initial microleakage of ParaPost was similar with the other dowel systems, but this microleakage increased over time (P < 0.05). In contrast; microleakage of Ribbond, Cosmopost and Superpost dowels remained constant (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Esthetic dowels tested exhibited less microleakage compared to stainless steel dowel system. Statistically, Multilink Automix cement showed higher microleakage than Clearfil Esthetic cement.
Image analysis of the tapetal-like reflex in carriers of X-linked retinitis pigmentosa.

PURPOSE To increase understanding of the tapetal-like reflex (TLR), a unique retinal feature in carriers of X-linked retinitis pigmentosa (XLRP). METHODS Color fundus photographs of XLRP carriers were digitized at high resolution. A mathematical model of the imaging system was used to restore the digital retinal images. TLR was separated from the retinal background with an automated segmentation method. Mathematical morphology was used to estimate directional properties. Images from serial photos were registered and compared to study temporal progression. RESULTS Quantitative analysis of well-focused funduscopic images show point-like unit reflexes forming the TLR. The average unit reflex is circularly symmetric with a diameter of approximately 8.5 microns and has a maximum reflectance 40% higher than that of the neighboring nonreflex retina. Two or more unit reflexes form small elongate patches that can cluster together into larger patches. Both smaller and larger patches have a strong preferential direction toward the fovea. Comparison of images taken 23 years apart in one patient and 3 years apart in another patient show no detectable changes in the size and location of the reflexes. CONCLUSIONS The pattern of reflexes at high and low resolution suggests that the TLR represents an X-inactivation mosaic. Based on the size of the unit reflexes, the authors speculate that the cone photoreceptors participate in the TLR. The stability of the reflex over more than two decades questions the longstanding assumption that the TLR is a stage of the retinal degeneration.
Is there loss or qualitative changes in the expression of thyroid peroxidase protein in thyroid epithelial cancer?

There is disagreement concerning the expression of thyroid peroxidase (TPO) in thyroid cancer, some studies finding qualitative as well as quantitative differences compared to normal tissue. To investigate TPO protein expression and its antigenic properties, TPO was captured from a solubilizate of thyroid microsomes by a panel of murine anti-TPO monoclonal antibodies and detected with a panel of anti-human TPO IgGκ Fab. TPO protein expression in 30 samples of malignant thyroid tissue was compared with TPO from adjacent normal tissues. Virtual absence of TPO expression was observed in 8 cases. In the remaining 22 malignant thyroid tumours the TPO protein level varied considerably from normal to nearly absent when compared to normal thyroid tissue or tissues from patients with Graves’ disease (range less than 0.5 to more than 12.5 μg mg–1 of protein). When expressed TPO displayed similar epitopes, to that of TPO from Graves’ disease tissue. The results obtained by the TPO capturing method were confirmed by SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis with both microsomes and their solubilizates. The present results show that in about two-thirds of differentiated thyroid carcinomas, TPO protein is expressed, albeit to a more variable extent than normal; when present, TPO in malignant tissues is immunologically normal. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer. com
Establishment of a new method to quantitatively evaluate hyphal fusion ability in Aspergillus oryzae

Hyphal fusion is involved in the formation of an interconnected colony in filamentous fungi, and it is the first process in sexual/parasexual reproduction. However, it was difficult to evaluate hyphal fusion efficiency due to the low frequency in Aspergillus oryzae in spite of its industrial significance. Here, we established a method to quantitatively evaluate the hyphal fusion ability of A. oryzae with mixed culture of two different auxotrophic strains, where the ratio of heterokaryotic conidia growing without the auxotrophic requirements reflects the hyphal fusion efficiency. By employing this method, it was demonstrated that AoSO and AoFus3 are required for hyphal fusion, and that hyphal fusion efficiency of A. oryzae was increased by depleting nitrogen source, including large amounts of carbon source, and adjusting pH to 7.0. Graphical Abstract We established a new method to quantitatively evaluate hyphal fusion efficiency in the industrial filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae, and demonstrated that the fusion efficiency was varied by media composition.
Mental health promotion as a new goal in public mental health care: a randomized controlled trial of an intervention enhancing psychological flexibility.

OBJECTIVES We assessed whether an intervention based on acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) and mindfulness was successful in promoting positive mental health by enhancing psychological flexibility. METHODS Participants were 93 adults with mild to moderate psychological distress. They were randomly assigned to the group intervention (n = 49) or to a waiting-list control group (n = 44). Participants completed measures before and after the intervention as well as 3 months later at follow-up to assess mental health in terms of emotional, psychological, and social well-being (Mental Health Continuum-Short Form) as well as psychological flexibility (i.e., acceptance of present experiences and value-based behavior, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II). RESULTS Regression analyses showed that compared with the participants on the waiting list, participants in the ACT and mindfulness intervention had greater emotional and psychological well-being after the intervention and also greater psychological flexibility at follow-up. Mediational analyses showed that the enhancement of psychological flexibility during the intervention mediated the effects of the intervention on positive mental health. CONCLUSIONS The intervention is effective in improving positive mental health by stimulating skills of acceptance and value-based action.
Towards Model-Based Diagnosis of Coordination Failures

With increasing deployment of multi-agent and distributed systems, there is an increasing need for failure diagnosis systems. While successfully tackling key challenges in multi-agent settings, model-based diagnosis has left open the diagnosis of coordination failures, where failures often lie in the boundaries between agents, and thus the inputs to the model--with which the diagnoser simulates the system to detect discrepancies--are not known. However, it is possible to diagnose such failures using a model of the coordination between agents. This paper formalizes model-based coordination diagnosis, using two coordination primitives (concurrence and mutual exclusion). We define the consistency-based and abductive diagnosis problems within this formalization, and show that both are NP-Hard by mapping them to other known problems.
FUNCTIONAL BRAIN MAPPING AND ITS APPLICATIONS TO NEUROSURGERY

FUNCTIONAL BRAIN MAPPING may be useful for both preoperative planning and intraoperative neurosurgical decision making. “Gold standard” functional studies such as direct electrical stimulation and recording are complemented by newer, less invasive techniques such as functional magnetic resonance imaging. Less invasive techniques allow more areas of the brain to be mapped in more subjects (including healthy subjects) more often (including pre- and postoperatively). Expansion of the armamentarium of tools allows convergent evidence from multiple brain mapping techniques to bear on pre- and intraoperative decision making. Functional imaging techniques are used to map motor, sensory, language, and memory areas in neurosurgical patients with conditions as diverse as brain tumors, vascular lesions, and epilepsy. In the future, coregistration of high resolution anatomic and physiological data from multiple complementary sources will be used to plan more neurosurgical procedures, including minimally invasive procedures. Along the way, new insights on fundamental processes such as the biology of tumors and brain plasticity are likely to be revealed.
Don't Make That Face: a report on anthropomorphizing an interface

A study was performed, comparing two identical systems, which were equipped with different interfaces. One was a conventional data interaction, written in "standard" terse neutral English. The other was an anthropomorphized, conversational style interface. Users performed a set of tasks and gave feedback on the effect and affect of the systems. Our hypotheses were (1) that the affective measures would be improved in the conversational situation but (2) the standard interface would score higher on effective measures. The first hypothesis was weakly supported by the results; however, there was no support for the second hypothesis.
Socioeconomic Status and the Incidence of Atrial Fibrillation in Whites and Blacks: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

Background No previous studies have examined the interplay among socioeconomic status, sex, and race with the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods and Results We prospectively followed 14 352 persons (25% black, 75% white, 55% women, mean age 54 years) who were free of AF and participating in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. Socioeconomic status was assessed at baseline (1987–1989) through educational level and total family income. Incident AF through 2009 was ascertained from electrocardiograms, hospitalizations, and death certificates. Cox regression was used to estimate hazard ratios and 95% CIs of AF for education and family income. Interactions were tested between socioeconomic status and age, race, or sex. Over a median follow‐up of 20.6 years, 1794 AF cases occurred. Lower family income was associated with higher AF risk (hazard ratio 1.45, 95% CI 1.27 to 1.67 in those with income less than $25 000 per year compared with those with $50 000 or more per year). The association between education and AF risk varied by sex (P=0.01), with the lowest education group associated with higher AF risk in women (hazard ratio 1.88, 95% CI 1.55 to 2.28) but not in men (hazard ratio 1.15, 95% CI 0.97 to 1.36) compared with the highest education group. Adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors attenuated the associations. There were no interactions with race or age. Blacks had lower AF risk than whites in all income and education groups. Conclusions Lower family income was associated with a higher AF risk overall, whereas the impact of education on AF risk was present only in women. Differences in socioeconomic status do not explain the lower risk of AF in blacks compared with whites.
Noise in hospital rooms and sleep disturbance in hospitalized medical patients

Objectives Hospitalized patients are vulnerable to sleep disturbances because of environmental stresses including noise. While most previous studies on hospital noise and sleep have been performed for medical machines in intensive care units, there is a limited data for patients hospitalized in medical wardrooms. The purpose of present study was to measure noise level of medical wardrooms, identify patient-perceived sources of noise, and to examine the association between noise levels and sleep disturbances in hospitalized patients. Methods Noise dosimeters were used to measure noise level in 29 inpatient wardrooms at a university hospital. Sleep pattern and disturbance were assessed in 103 hospitalized patients, using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Leeds Sleep Evaluation Questionnaire. Results The mean equivalent continuous noise level for 24 hours was 63.5 decibel A (dBA), which was far higher than 30 dBA recommended by the World Health Organization for hospital wardrooms. Other patients sharing a room were perceived as the most common source of noise by the patients, which was usually preventable. Of the patients in the study, 86% had bad sleep as assessed by the PSQI. The sleep disturbance was significantly correlated with increasing noise levels in a dose response manner. Conclusions Systemic organizational interventions are needed to keep wardrooms private and quiet to reduce sleep disturbance.
Benefits from Participation in the Chemo Club: Psychosocial Insights on an Exercise Program for Cancer Patients

Recent research has established the important beneficial relationship between exercise and cancer rehabilitation and survivorship. However, the complexities of this interrelationship are as yet underexplored. This article presents the findings of a recent qualitative research study that examined the psychosocial benefits associated with involvement in an exercise club (the Chemo Club) specifically designed for cancer patients during or postchemotherapy from the perspectives of the patients. The findings validate the important benefits involvement in the Chemo Club provides its members and highlight the need for further initiates, hospital based and external, to establish such services for cancer patients.
Extending the Interview to All Medical School Candidates—Computer-Based Multiple Sample Evaluation of Noncognitive Skills (CMSENS)

Background Most medical school candidates are excluded without benefit of noncognitive skills assessment. Is development of a noncognitive preinterview screening test that correlates with the well-validated Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI) possible? Method Study 1: 110 medical school candidates completed MMI and Computer-based Multiple Sample Evaluation of Noncognitive Skills (CMSENS)—eight 1-minute video-based scenarios and four self-descriptive questions, with short-answer-response format. Seventy-eight responses were audiotaped, 32 typewritten; all were scored by two independent raters. Study 2: 167 candidates completed CMSENS—eight videos, six self-descriptive questions, typewritten responses only, scored by two raters; 88 of 167 underwent the MMI. Results Results for overall test generalizability, interrater reliability, and correlation with MMI, respectively, were, for Study 1, audio-responders: 0.86, 0.82, 0.15; typewritten-responders: 0.72, 0.81, 0.51; and for Study 2, 0.83, 0.95, 0.46 (correlation with disattenuation was 0.60). Conclusions Strong psychometric properties, including MMI correlation, of CMSENS warrant investigation into future widespread implementation as a preinterview noncognitive screening test.
Illiquidity Premia in the Equity Options Market

Standard option valuation models leave no room for option illiquidity premia. Yet we find the risk-adjusted return spread for illiquid over liquid equity options is $3.4\%$ per day for at-the-money calls and $2.5 \%$ for at-the-money puts. These premia are computed using option illiquidity measures constructed from intraday effective spreads for a large panel of U.S. equities, and they are robust to different empirical implementations. Our findings are consistent with evidence that market makers in the equity options market hold large and risky net long positions, and positive illiquidity premia compensate them for the risks and costs of these positions. Received September 25, 2012; editorial decision September 17, 2017 by Editor Andrew Karolyi. Authors have furnished an Internet Appendix, which is available on the Oxford University Press Web site next to the link to the final published paper online.
Transcriptional up‐regulation of MMPs 12 and 13 by asbestos occurs via a PKCδ‐dependent pathway in murine lung

Asbestos is a known inflammatory, carcinogenic, and fibrotic agent, but the mechanisms leading to asbestos‐induced lung diseases are unclear. Using a murine inhalation model of fibrogenesis, we show that asbestos causes significant increases in mRNA levels of lung matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs 12 and 13) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMP1), as well as increased activities of MMP 2, 9, and 12 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF). Asbestos‐exposed PKCδ knockout (PKCδ−/−) mice exhibited decreased expression of lung MMP12 and MMP13 compared with asbestos‐exposed wild‐type mice. Studies using small molecule inhibitors in murine alveolar epithelial type II cells (C10) and primary lung fibroblasts confirmed that asbestos transcriptionally up‐regulates MMPs via an EGFR (or other growth factor receptors)/PI3K/PKCδ/ERK1/2 pathway. Moreover, use of a broad‐spectrum MMP inhibitor showed that MMPs play an important role in further enhancing asbestos‐induced signaling events by activating EGFR. These data reveal a potentially important link between asbestos signaling and integrity of the extracellular matrix (ECM) that likely contributes to asbestos‐induced lung remodeling and diseases. —Shukla, A. , Barrett, T. F. , Nakayama, K. I. , Nakayama, K. , Mossman, B. T. , Lounsbury, K. M. Transcriptional up‐regulation of MMP12 and 13 by asbestos occurs via a PKCδ‐dependent pathway in murine lung. FASEB J. 20, E160–E169 (2006)
Highly Accurate Derivatives for LCL-Filtered Grid Converter With Capacitor Voltage Active Damping

The middle capacitor voltage of an LCL-filter, if fed back for synchronization, can be used for active damping. An extra sensor for measuring the capacitor current is then avoided. Relating the capacitor voltage to existing popular damping techniques designed with capacitor current feedback would however demand a noise-sensitive derivative term. Digital implementation of this derivative term is generally a challenge with many methods presently developed for resolving it. These methods are however still facing drawbacks, which have comprehensively been explained in this paper. Two derivatives are then proposed, based on either second-order or nonideal generalized integrator. Performances of these derivatives have been found to match the ideal “s” function closely. Active damping based on capacitor voltage feedback can therefore be realized accurately. Experimental results presented have verified the effectiveness of the proposed derivative, which can similarly be used with other applications, where differentiation is needed.
Dry Sliding Wear Behavior of Glass-Epoxy Composite

The effect of variations in sliding velocity and applied load on the wear behavior of glass-epoxy composite is studied by measuring the weight changes and observing the surface features using scanning electron microscopy. Sliding velocities and loads in the range 1-5 m/s and 20-60 N respectively were used in the experiments with wear test pin having flat face of the pin in contact with hardened rotating steel disc. The wear loss increases with the increasing applied load and sliding velocities. The scanning pictures show assorted features like tendency for the matrix to adhere towards the fiber, less debris formation, network of cracks, agglomeration of debris and broken fibers depending on the load and velocity employed.
A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of glucosamine sulphate as an analgesic in osteoarthritis of the knee.

OBJECTIVES A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of the relative effectiveness of glucosamine sulphate and placebo in managing pain in osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. METHODS Eighty patients with OA of the knee were recruited from a rheumatology out-patient clinic and received either glucosamine sulphate 1500 mg daily for 6 months or dummy placebo. The primary outcome measure was patients' global assessment of pain in the affected knee. RESULTS Area under the curve analysis for the primary outcome measure showed no difference between placebo and glucosamine [mean difference 0.15 mm, 95% confidence interval (CI) -8.78 to 9.07]. The placebo response was 33%. There was a statistically significant difference between groups in knee flexion (mean difference 13 degrees, 95% CI -23.13 to -1.97), but this difference was small and could have been due to measurement error. CONCLUSIONS As a symptom modifier in OA patients with a wide range of pain severities, glucosamine sulphate was no more effective than placebo.