Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association between Physical Activity and Neighborhood Environment among Middle-Aged Adults in Shanghai

Objective. To determine the perceived neighborhood environment (NE) variables that are associated with physical activity (PA) in urban areas in China. Methods. Parents of students at two junior high schools in Shanghai, one downtown and the other in the suburbs, were recruited to participate in the study. They completed an International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and Neighborhood Environment Walkability Scale-Abbreviated (NEWS-A) survey. Participant physical activity was also objectively measured using accelerometers. Results. Participants from downtown areas were more positively associated with transportation PA and leisure-time PA than respondents living in the suburbs. Residential density was found to be a significant positive predictor of recreational or leisure-based PA. Street connectivity was negatively associated with leisure time PA for respondents. Moderate-vigorous PA was found to be negatively associated with traffic safety. There were no significant associations between environmental factors and transportation PA. Women had higher levels of moderate-vigorous PA than men. Conclusions. The results of this study demonstrate that residential density, street connectivity, and traffic safety have a significant impact on Chinese middle-aged adults' PA, suggesting urban planning strategies for promoting positive public health outcomes.
Distribution and Differentiation of Wild, Feral, and Cultivated Populations of Perennial Upland Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) in Mesoamerica and the Caribbean

Perennial forms of Gossypium hirsutum are classified under seven races. Five Mesoamerican races would have been derived from the wild race ‘yucatanense’ from northern Yucatán. ‘Marie-Galante’, the main race in the Caribbean, would have developed from introgression with G. barbadense. The racial status of coastal populations from the Caribbean has not been clearly defined. We combined Ecological Niche Modeling with an analysis of SSR marker diversity, to elucidate the relationships among cultivated, feral and wild populations of perennial cottons. Out of 954 records of occurrence in Mesoamerica and the Caribbean, 630 were classified into four categories cultivated, feral (disturbed and secondary habitats), wild/feral (protected habitats), and truly wild cotton (TWC) populations. The widely distributed three first categories cannot be differentiated on ecological grounds, indicating they mostly belong to the domesticated pool. In contrast, TWC are restricted to the driest and hottest littoral habitats, in northern Yucatán and in the Caribbean (from Venezuela to Florida), as confirmed by their climatic envelope in the factorial analysis. Extrapolating this TWC climatic model to South America and the Pacific Ocean points towards places where other wild representatives of tetraploid Gossypium species have been encountered. The genetic analysis sample comprised 42 TWC accessions from 12 sites and 68 feral accessions from 18 sites; at nine sites, wild and feral accessions were collected in close vicinity. Principal coordinate analysis, neighbor joining, and STRUCTURE consistently showed a primary divergence between TWC and feral cottons, and a secondary divergence separating ‘Marie-Galante’ from all other feral accessions. This strong genetic structure contrasts strikingly with the absence of geographic differentiation. Our results show that TWC populations of Mesoamerica and the Caribbean constitute a homogenous gene pool. Furthermore, the relatively low genetic divergence between the Mesoamerican and Caribbean domesticated pools supports the hypothesis of domestication of G. hirsutum in northern Yucatán.
Evolution of Network Biomarkers from Early to Late Stage Bladder Cancer Samples

We use a systems biology approach to construct protein-protein interaction networks (PPINs) for early and late stage bladder cancer. By comparing the networks of these two stages, we find that both networks showed very significantly different mechanisms. To obtain the differential network structures between cancer and noncancer PPINs, we constructed cancer PPIN and noncancer PPIN network structures for the two bladder cancer stages using microarray data from cancer cells and their adjacent noncancer cells, respectively. With their carcinogenesis relevance values (CRVs), we identified 152 and 50 significant proteins and their PPI networks (network markers) for early and late stage bladder cancer by statistical assessment. To investigate the evolution of network biomarkers in the carcinogenesis process, primary pathway analysis showed that the significant pathways of early stage bladder cancer are related to ordinary cancer mechanisms, while the ribosome pathway and spliceosome pathway are most important for late stage bladder cancer. Their only intersection is the ubiquitin mediated proteolysis pathway in the whole stage of bladder cancer. The evolution of network biomarkers from early to late stage can reveal the carcinogenesis of bladder cancer. The findings in this study are new clues specific to this study and give us a direction for targeted cancer therapy, and it should be validated in vivo or in vitro in the future.
Estimation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis load in raw bulk tank milk in Emilia‐Romagna Region (Italy) by qPCR

Consumption of milk and dairy products is considered one of the main routes of human exposure to Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP). Quantitative data on MAP load in raw cows’ milk are essential starting point for exposure assessment. Our study provides this information on a regional scale, estimating the load of MAP in bulk tank milk (BTM) produced in Emilia‐Romagna region (Italy). The survey was carried out on 2934 BTM samples (88.6% of the farms herein present) using two different target sequences for qPCR (f57 and IS900). Data about the performances of both qPCRs are also reported, highlighting the superior sensitivity of IS900‐qPCR. Seven hundred and eighty‐nine samples tested MAP‐positive (apparent prevalence 26.9%) by IS900 qPCR. However, only 90 of these samples were quantifiable by qPCR. The quantifiable samples contained a median load of 32.4 MAP cells mL−1 (and maximum load of 1424 MAP cells mL−1). This study has shown that a small proportion (3.1%) of BTM samples from Emilia‐Romagna region contained MAP in excess of the limit of detection (1.5 × 101 MAP cells mL−1), indicating low potential exposure for consumers if the milk subsequently undergoes pasteurization or if it is destined to typical hard cheese production.
FOR NEAR TERM OPERATIONAL USE OF INTEGRATED CONVECTIVE WEATHER-ATM DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS *

Thunderstorm-related delays dominate the overall U.S. airspace delay statistics and continue to increase (Figure 1), even though a number of new weather information systems and air traffic management (ATM) decision support tools have been deployed since 1999. The FAA is also concerned that anticipated increases in air traffic will result in much worse convective weather season delays by 2014 (Hughes, 2006).
Cluster organization and response characteristics of the giant fiber pathway of the blowfly Calliphora erythrocephala

Intersegmental descending neurons (DNs) link the insect brain to the thoracic ganglia. Iontophoresis of cobalt or fluorescent dyes reveals DNs as uniquely identifiable elements, the dendrites of which are situated within a characteristic region of the lateral deutocerbrum. Here we demonstrate that DNs occur as discrete groups of elements termed DN clusters (DNCs). A DNC is a characteristic combination of neurons that arises from a multiglomerular complex in which the main components of each glomerulus are a characteristic ensemble of sensory afferents. Other neurons involved in the complex are local interneurons, heterolateral interneurons that connect DNCs on both sides of the brain, and neurons originating in higher centers of the brain. We describe the structure, relationships, and projections of eight DNs that contribute to a descending neuron cluster located ventrally in the lateral deutocerebrum, an area interposed between the ventral antennal lobes and the laterally disposed optic lobes. We have named this cluster the GDNC because its most prominent member is the giant descending neuron (GDN), which plays a cardinal role in the midleg “jump” response and which is implicated in the initiation of flight. The GDN and its companion neurons receive primary mechanosensory afferents from the antennae, terminals of wide‐ and small‐field retinotopic neurons originating in the lobula, and endings derived from sensory interneurons that originate in leg neuropil of the thoracic ganglia.
Intima-media thickness correlates with features of metabolic syndrome in young people with a clinical diagnosis of familial hypercholesterolaemia.

BACKGROUND Familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) is a monogenic lipid metabolism disorder characterised by markedly elevated serum low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol level due to a mutation in the LDL receptor gene. Clinical features of FH include premature atherosclerosis and coronary artery disease. AIM To explore associations between noninvasive markers of atherosclerosis including intima-media thickness (IMT) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) and blood lipids, blood pressure (BP) and obesity in a group of young patients with FH. METHODS Study population included 36 patients aged < 35 years with the diagnosis of FH based on the Simon Broome Register criteria, and their 49 relatives who comprised the control group free of FH. RESULTS Mean IMT values were higher in FH patients than controls (0.60 ± 0.19 vs. 0.53 ± 0.07 mm, respectively, p < 0.05). Mean body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were similar in patients and controls. The prevalence of carotid atherosclerotic plaques was significantly higher among FH patients (n = 6) than in controls (n = 1) (21.4% vs. 2.6%, p = 0.012). Arterial hypertension was present in 27.8% of patients with FH and 16.3% of subjects in the control group. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) in FH patients correlated significantly with age (r = 0.35), BMI (r = 0.48) and waist circumference (r = 0.47), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) correlated with BMI (r = 0.42) and waist circumference (r = 0.41). PWV correlated significantly with age (r = 0.44), SBP (r = 0.63) and DBP (r = 0.52). We did not find any correlations between IMT and serum lipids, BP or obesity indices in FH patients. CONCLUSIONS Our findings show a higher rate of arterial hypertension in young FH patients compared to their relatives free of FH, with significant associations between BP and indices of obesity and arterial stiffness. Intensive lipid lowering and antihypertensive therapy along with a reduction in central fat may be considered a mandatory treatment strategy in young FH patients to prevent atherosclerosis and increased arterial stiffness.
Fractal Nature of Regional Myocardial Blood Flow Heterogeneity

Spatial variation in regional flows within the heart, skeletal muscle, and in other organs, and temporal variations in local arteriolar velocities and flows is measurable even with low resolution techniques. A problem in the assessment of the importance of such variations has been that the observed variance increases with increasing spatial or temporal resolution in the measurements. This resolution-dependent variance is now shown to be described by the fractal dimension, D. For example, the relative dispersion (RD=SD/mean) of the spatial distribution of flows for a given spatial resolution, is given by: RD(m)=RD(mref)·[m/mref]1-D, where m is the mass of the pieces of tissue in grams, and the reference level of dispersion, RD(mref), is taken arbitrarily to be the RD found using pieces of mass mref, which is chosen to be 1 g. Thus, the variation in regional flow within an organ can be described with two parameters, RD(mref) and the slope of the logarithmic relationship denned by the spatial fractal dimension D5. In the heart, this relation has been found to hold over a wide range of piece sizes, the fractal D5 being about 1.2 and the correlation coefficient 0.99. A D, of 1.2 suggests moderately strong correlation between local flows; a D5,=1.0 indicates uniform flow and a D5,= 1.5 indicates complete randomness.
Characteristic fragmentation of bacteriohopanepolyols during atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation liquid chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry.

Bacteriohopanepolyols (BHPs) fragment via characteristic pathways during atmospheric pressure chemical ionisation liquid chromatography/ion trap mass spectrometry (APCI-LC/MS(n)). Comparison of the MS(2) spectra of bacteriohopane-32,33,34,35-tetrol (BHT) and 2 beta-methylbacteriohopane-32,33,34,35-tetrol has confirmed the previously proposed ring-C cleavage occurring between C-9 and 11 and C-8 and 14. This fragmentation, diagnostic of all hopanoids, also occurs in BHPs containing an amino group (-NH(2)) at C-35 although the higher relative stability of the ion limits this fragmentation to a minor process after protonation of the basic nitrogen function. Studies of a number of cell cultures including a prochlorophyte (Prochlorothrix hollandica) and a cyanobacterium (Chlorogloeopsis LA) demonstrate the power of this technique to detect composite BHPs with a complex biological functionality at C-35. We also report the first observation of intact pentafunctionalised bacteriohopanepolyols using this method.
For Personal Use. Mass Reproduce Only with Permission from Mayo Clinic Proceedings a . Review Vitamin D Insufficiency

T he past decade has seen renewed interest in the sunshine vitamin, vitamin D, because new data suggest that its benefits extend beyond healthy bones. Accompanying this renewed interest has been a proliferation of published studies related to the effects of vitamin D in many varying clinical conditions. This article discusses the definition of vitamin D insufficiency, identifies the sources of variation in vitamin D status, reviews the evidence for the clinical benefits of vitamin D, and recognizes indications for vitamin D testing. Representative studies were selected to highlight some of the limitations of current knowledge related to vitamin D insufficiency and the clinical benefits of vitamin D. We selected studies with the strongest level of evidence for clinical decision making related to vitamin D and health outcomes from our personal libraries of the vitamin D literature and from a search of the PubMed database using the term WJUBNJO % in combination with the following terms related to the potential nonskeletal benefits of vitamin D: Vitamin D deficiency, which classically manifests as bone disease (either rickets or osteomalacia), is characterized by impaired bone mineralization. More recently, the term vitamin D insufficiency has been used to describe low levels of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D that may be associated with other disease outcomes. Reliance on a single cutoff value to define vitamin D deficiency or insuf-ficiency is problematic because of the wide individual variability of the functional effects of vitamin D and interaction with calcium intakes. In adults, vitamin D supplementation reduces the risk of fractures and falls. The evidence for other purported beneficial effects of vitamin D is primarily based on observational studies. We selected studies with the strongest level of evidence for clinical decision making related to vitamin D and health outcomes from our personal libraries of the vitamin D literature and from a search of the PubMed database using the term vitamin D in combination with the following terms related to the potential nonskeletal benefits of vitamin Conclusive demonstration of these benefits awaits the outcome of controlled clinical trials. the following hierarchy: meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs), RCTs, nonrandomized intervention studies, meta-analyses of observational studies (cohort and case-control studies), and observational studies. 1 The road to the discovery of vitamin D began with recognition of the childhood bone disease of rickets. The first formal medical treatise on rickets was published by Francis Glisson in 1650, when it was identified …
Measuring Fat Mass in Small Birds by Dual‐Energy X‐Ray Absorptiometry

In numerous studies, body condition of animals trapped in the wild has been expressed either as a function of body mass or as a ratio of body mass to some linear body measurement, such as snout-vent length in mammals, or simply by visual assessment of stored fat (Brown 1996). However, using body mass or a body mass : length ratio is problematic in that neither measure truly accounts for body composition and, depending on the source of additional body mass, be it water, fat, carbohydrates, or protein, this method may yield different, even spurious, results. Visual estimates of fat reserves are qualitative at best. Despite these limitations, biologists rely on “body condition,” so measured, as a variable in many analyses, including animal decisions in game theory and other models (Elissa et al. 1999; Pasquet et al. 1999), which may lead to cascades of incorrect conclusions with serious theoretical and applied implications. Different direct and nondestructive methods have been used to measure body condition. These methods include the ratio of total body water to body mass (Karasov and Pinshow 1998), total body electrical conductivity (TOBEC; Walsberg 1988), or bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA; Nyboer 1991). Each
Mechanistic Aspects of the Cathodic Delamination of Organic Coatings

Abstract The literature apertaining to XPS studies of three classes of organic coatings (polybutadiene, epoxy co-polymers, and fusion bonded epoxy) on steel are reviewed in the light of the current theories of cathodic disbondment. All three mechanisms (oxide reduction, polymer hydrolysis, and interfacial failure) are readily identified by XPS, and guidelines are presented for assessing the failure mechanism from kinetic data, without the added confidence provided by the surface analyses. In some systems two of the mechanisms are shown to be involved, either simultaneously, or in a two-stage manner. It is concluded that all three mechanisms currently advocated in the literature have their own realms of applicability, and both physical and electrochemical parameters will determine which of them will be dominant for a particular coatings system.
Research on information systems in developing countries: Current landscape and future prospects

The current landscape of the information systems research literature concerned with developing countries is surveyed by examining a range of research articles published from 2000 onward. These are discussed in terms of the key challenges addressed, including the role of technology, and the methodological and theoretical approaches used. Prospects for future research are discussed, based on a conceptual view as to how to study information and communication technologies (ICTs) in developing countries, to classify existing work, identify gaps, and suggest future opportunities. The authors contribute to the important debate on how ICTs in general, and information systems research in particular, can make a positive difference in the developing countries. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Subpicosecond studies of carrier dynamics in laser-induced breakdown

In this paper, we present measurements of the excited carrier density in various wide band gap oxides irradiated by short laser pulses, at intensities below and above breakdown threshold. This is achieved with the help of time resolved interferometry in the frequency domain, a technique which was successfully used to study the dynamics of photoexcited carriers in insulators. The result obtained in different experimental conditions, distance from the surface, pump intensities and duration, during or after the pump pulse, are discussed and compared to the models recently developed to explain optical breakdown.
Mandibulofacial dysostosis, severe lower eyelid coloboma, cleft palate, and alopecia: A new distinct form of mandibulofacial dysostosis or a severe form of Johnson–McMillin syndrome?

We describe a patient with a phenotype characterized by mandibulofacial dysostosis with severe lower eyelid coloboma, cleft palate, abnormal ears, alopecia, delayed eruption and crowded teeth, and sensorioneural hearing loss. The karyotype and the screening for mutations in the coding region of TCOF1 gene were normal. The clinical signs of our case overlap the new mandibulofacial dysostosis described by Stevenson et al. [ 2007 ] and the case with Johnson–McMillin syndrome described by Cushman et al. [ 2005 ]. The similar clinical signs, mainly, the severe facial involvement observed in these cases suggest that they can represent a new distinct form of mandibulofacial dysostosis or the end of the spectrum of Johnson–McMillin syndrome. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Rain, Rain, Go Away, Come Again Another Day. Weather Preferences of Summer Tourists in Mountain Environments

Weather and climate are important factors for travel decision-making and overall tourist satisfaction. As central motivators for destination choice, they directly and indirectly influence demand patterns and can be a resource and limitation for tourism at the same time. In this paper, results of an in-situ survey of mountain summer tourists (n = 733) in the Alps in Southern Germany are presented. Respondents rated ‘rain’ as the most important aspect of weather during their holiday. During a 7-day holiday, 2.1 days of continuous rain are accepted, and 3.1 days of days with thunderstorms. The ideal temperature range is between 21 and 25 °C, thus lying 4–7 degrees lower than for beach tourism. Temperatures below 15 °C and above 30 °C are perceived as unacceptable. Statistically significant differences were found for several tourist types: Older tourists are more sensitive to heat, tourists with sports activities are more tolerant to cool temperatures, first-time visitors are more sensitive to rain and families with children prefer higher temperatures. From the results, some implications for mountain destinations arise: mountain destinations could be promoted as a heat refuge, and attracting sports tourists might be a promising way to reduce weather sensitivity; however, some variety of well-promoted weather independent attractions seems to be mandatory.
Pathological Analysis of Ocular Lesions in a Murine Model of Sjögren’s Syndrome

Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by severe inflammation of exocrine glands such as the salivary and lacrimal glands. When it affects the lacrimal glands, many patients experience keratoconjunctivitis due to severely dry eyes. This study investigated the pathological and immunological characteristics of ocular lesions in a mouse model of SS. Corneal epithelial injury and hyperplasia were confirmed pathologically. The number of conjunctival mucin-producing goblet cells was significantly decreased in the SS model mice compared with control mice. Expression levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and C-X-C motif chemokine (CXCL) 12 were significantly higher in the corneal epithelium of the SS model mice than in control mice. Inflammatory lesions were observed in the Harderian, intraorbital, and extraorbital lacrimal glands in the SS model mice, suggesting that the ocular glands were targeted by an autoimmune response. The lacrimal glands of the SS model mice were infiltrated by cluster of differentiation (CD)4+ T cells. Real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) revealed significantly increased mRNA expression of TNF-α, TGF-β, CXCL9, and lysozyme in the extraorbital lacrimal glands of the SS model mice compared with control mice. These results add to the understanding of the complex pathogenesis of SS and may facilitate development of new therapeutic strategies.