Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Strengthening and neuromuscular reeducation of the gluteus maximus in a triathlete with exercise-associated cramping of the hamstrings.

STUDY DESIGN Case report. OBJECTIVE To highlight the effects of an intervention program consisting of strengthening and neuromuscular reeducation of the gluteus maximus in an elite triathlete with exercise-associated muscle cramping (EAMC). BACKGROUND Researchers have described 2 theories concerning the etiology of EAMC: (1) muscle fatigue and (2) electrolyte deficit. As such, interventions for EAMC typically consist of stretching/strengthening of the involved muscle and/or supplements to restore electrolyte imbalances. CASE DESCRIPTION The patient was a 42-year-old male triathlete with a primary complaint of recurrent cramping of his right hamstring muscle, which prevented him from completing races at his desired pace. Strength testing revealed gluteus maximus muscle weakness bilaterally. Electromyographic (EMG) analysis (surface electrodes, 1560 Hz) revealed that the right hamstrings were being activated excessively during terminal swing and the first half of the stance phase (48.1% maximum voluntary isometric contraction [MVIC]). OUTCOMES Following the intervention, the patient was able to complete 3 triathlons without hamstring cramping. Strength testing revealed that the right hip extension strength improved from 35.6 to 54.7 kg, and activation of the hamstrings during terminal swing and the first half of the stance phase decreased to 36.4% of MVIC. DISCUSSION A program of gluteus maximus strengthening and neuromuscular training eliminated EAMC of the hamstrings in this patient. Given that the hamstrings and gluteus maximus work as agonists to decelerate the thigh during terminal swing phase and control hip flexion during loading response of running, we postulate that strengthening of the gluteus maximus decreased the relative effort required by the hamstrings, thus reducing EAMC. The results of the EMG evaluation that was performed as part of this case report provides support for this hypothesis. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapy, level 4.
A magnetomechanical hysteresis model for giant magnetostrictive device

This paper presents a magnetomechanical hysteresis model for a giant magnetostrictive device. In the model, the magnetization is characterized by the Jiles-Atherton model and the improved magnetomechanical effect model, the magnetic force is modeled by an equivalent magnetic circuit. In order to obtain optimal parameters of the model, a genetic algorithm is used. Comparisons between the experimental and calculated results show the validity of the model.
Trichinella spiralis Paramyosin Binds to C8 and C9 and Protects the Tissue-Dwelling Nematode from Being Attacked by Host Complement

Background Paramyosin is a thick myofibrillar protein found exclusively in invertebrates. Evidence suggested that paramyosin from helminths serves not only as a structural protein but also as an immunomodulatory agent. We previously reported that recombinant Trichinella spiralis paramyosin (Ts-Pmy) elicited a partial protective immunity in mice. In this study, the ability of Ts-Pmy to bind host complement components and protect against host complement attack was investigated. Methods and Findings In this study, the transcriptional and protein expression levels of Ts-Pmy were determined in T. spiralis newborn larva (NBL), muscle larva (ML) and adult worm developmental stages by RT-PCR and western blot analysis. Expression of Ts-Pmy at the outer membrane was observed in NBL and adult worms using immunogold electron microscopy and immunofluorescence staining. Functional analysis revealed that recombinant Ts-Pmy(rTs-Pmy) strongly bound to complement components C8 and C9 and inhibited the polymerization of C9 during the formation of the membrane attack complex (MAC). rTs-Pmy also inhibited the lysis of rabbit erythrocytes (ER) elicited by an alternative pathway-activated complement from guinea pig serum. Inhibition of native Ts-Pmy on the surface of NBL with a specific antiserum reduced larvae viability when under the attack of complement in vitro. In vivo passive transfer of anti-Ts-Pmy antiserum and complement-treated larvae into mice also significantly reduced the number of larvae that developed to ML. Conclusion These studies suggest that the outer membrane form of T. spiralis paramyosin plays an important role in the evasion of the host complement attack.
Graph manifolds and taut foliations

We examine the existence of foliations without Reeb components, taut foliations, and foliations with no S S-leaves, among graph manifolds. We show that each condition is strictly stronger than its predecessor(s), in the strongest possible sense; there are manifolds admitting foliations of each type which do not admit foliations of the succeeding type(s).
Cell–cell signalling in sexual chemotaxis: a basis for gametic differentiation, mating types and sexes

While sex requires two parents, there is no obvious need for them to be differentiated into distinct mating types or sexes. Yet this is the predominate state of nature. Here, we argue that mating types could play a decisive role because they prevent the apparent inevitability of self-stimulation during sexual signalling. We rigorously assess this hypothesis by developing a model for signaller–detector dynamics based on chemical diffusion, chemotaxis and cell movement. Our model examines the conditions under which chemotaxis improves partner finding. Varying parameter values within ranges typical of protists and their environments, we show that simultaneous secretion and detection of a single chemoattractant can cause a multifold movement impediment and severely hinder mate finding. Mutually exclusive roles result in faster pair formation, even when cells conferring the same roles cannot pair up. This arrangement also allows the separate mating types to optimize their signalling or detecting roles, which is effectively impossible for cells that are both secretors and detectors. Our findings suggest that asymmetric roles in sexual chemotaxis (and possibly other forms of sexual signalling) are crucial, even without morphological differences, and may underlie the evolution of gametic differentiation among both mating types and sexes.
DIFFERENCES IN AGILITY AND EXPLOSIVE POWER OF BASKETBALL PLAYERS IN RELATION TO THEIR POSITIONS ON THE TEAM

Basketball is a sports game which consists of rapid changes in direction of movement, sudden stopping and starting for driving and dribbling and a great number of jumps. The various positions on a basketball team precisely determine the requirements for specific forms of movement, even though contemporary basketball strives for all players in all positions to possess the aforementioned abilities. A sample of 15 male basketball players, divided into three groups of five players each, based on their positions on the team, including the guard, forward and center position, was used to determine differences in agility (Agility T Test, Hexagon Agility Тest, Illinois Agility Test и Lane Agility Drill) and explosive power (the Squat jump, Countermovement Jump, Drop Jump and One-legged Counter Movement Jump). To determine the differences between the basketball players in relation to their positions on the team, the ANOVA analysis for independent samples was used as was a post-hoc analysis. The research results have indicated that there is a difference between the guard position compared to the forward and center position.
Differential regulation of membrane-associated mucins in the human ocular surface epithelium.

PURPOSE Membrane-associated mucins present in the apical cells of the ocular surface epithelium (MUC1, -4, and -16) are believed to contribute to the maintenance of a hydrated and wet-surfaced epithelial phenotype. Serum and retinoic acid (RA) have been used to treat drying ocular surface diseases. The goal of this study was to determine whether serum or RA regulates the production of membrane-associated mucins in human conjunctival epithelial cells. METHODS A telomerase-immortalized human conjunctival epithelial cell line (HCjE) was used. Cells were cultured in serum-free medium to confluence and then cultured with either 10% calf serum or with 100 nM RA for 0 to 72 hours. Conventional RT-PCR was used to determine the expression of retinoic acid receptors (RARs) and quantitative real-time PCR was used to investigate the mRNA expression of MUC1, -4, and -16. Protein levels were assayed by immunoblot analysis, using the antibodies HMFG-2, 1G8, or OC125, which are specific to MUC1, -4 and -16, respectively. To determine whether RA-associated MUC4 mRNA induction is a direct or indirect effect, HCjE cells were treated with RA and the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide (1.0 microg/mL) for 12 hours. RESULTS MUC1 and -16, but not -4, mRNAs were detectable in HCjE cells grown in serum-free medium. Real-time PCR revealed that MUC4 mRNA was significantly induced by serum 3 hours after its addition, and that MUC1 and MUC16 mRNA levels were significantly upregulated at 72 hours. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the MUC1, -4, and -16 proteins increased over time after addition of serum. Conventional RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that RAR-alpha and -gamma mRNA were expressed in native human conjunctival tissue as well as in the HCjE cells. Treatment with RA upregulated the expression of both MUC4 and -16 mRNA and protein, but MUC1 was unaffected. Because the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide did not prevent the RA-associated induction of MUC4 mRNA, the action of RA on the MUC4 promoter may be direct. CONCLUSIONS The membrane-associated mucins of the ocular surface epithelia, MUC1, -4, and -16, are differentially regulated by serum and RA in the telomerase-immortalized human conjunctival epithelial cell line. Serum derived from vessels in the conjunctiva may play an important role in mucin regulation in the ocular surface epithelia. These data also support the clinical efficacy of autologous serum and RA application in patients with ocular surface diseases. Furthermore, the data suggest that MUC4 and -16 are particularly important hydrophilic molecules involved in maintenance of a healthy ocular surface.
Interaction of SPIN90 with Dynamin I and Its Participation in Synaptic Vesicle Endocytosis

SH3 protein interacting with Nck, 90 kDa (SPIN90) is an Nck-binding protein that contains one Src homology 3 (SH3) domain, three proline-rich domains (PRDs), a serine/threonine-rich region, and a hydrophobic C-terminal region. Previously, we have shown that SPIN90 plays roles in the sarcomere assembly in cardiac muscles and in the formation of focal contacts in HeLa cells. Besides in heart, SPIN90 is also highly expressed in the brain, but its role in the neuronal system is completely unknown. Here, we found that SPIN90 is expressed in the presynaptic compartment in which it binds dynamin I, a key component of the endocytic machinery, and that it participates in synaptic vesicle endocytosis. Pull-down analysis and coimmunoprecipitation proved the associations of SPIN90 with dynamin I through SH3-PRD interaction. Overexpression of SPIN90 or knocking down SPIN90 by small interfering RNA impaired synaptic vesicle endocytosis. We further confirmed by the rescue experiments that the endocytic defects by SPIN90 expression come from its interaction with dynamin I. Exocytosis kinetics was not affected by SPIN90 expression. Together, our findings suggest that SPIN90 could modulate the interactions of dynamin I with other endocytic proteins that cooperate in the coated vesicle formation, thus regulating synaptic vesicle endocytosis.
“Serving the Lord”: Christianity, Work, and Social Engagement in China

This study examines how Chinese evangelical Protestant employees view work and the workplace, through the lens of their religion, and how they seek to influence the broader society, in a highly restrictive religious domain in China. Using the concept of everyday religion, I examined how these employees seek to integrate faith into their work and the workplace, and the issues and challenges they face in the process. While existing China-focused studies have mainly looked at the experience of the business elite and Christian bosses, I inquired into the experience of the employees, specifically the professional class. It was found that they did not see a clear boundary between the ‘religious’ and the ‘secular’ in the workplace. At the same time, they discursively constructed a distinction between their own Christian work ethos and that of their non-Christian colleagues. This discursive self-othering was double-edged. While it enabled the Christian employees to construct a distinctive workplace and social identity, it risked resulting in them being perceived negatively by non-Christian colleagues, as belonging to a “different kind” (linglei), thus, accentuating the social gulf and tension that might have already existed between the Christian and the non-Christian employees. Most regard the workplace as an important arena for the concrete expressions of their Christian faith and values in everyday life. In doing so, they seek a moral transformation of the workplace, as a way to transform the wider society. I argue that their effort to influence their colleagues and transform the workplace culture is an important kind of unobtrusive social engagement, without open mobilization in civil society.
The Expression and Function of Notch Pathway Genes in the Developing Rat Eye

The Notch gene plays a role in the development of disparate tissues in multiple organisms. Because the vertebrate eye is an excellent model system for both patterning and cell fate determination, two processes that can involve Notch, we examined the expression patterns of Notch 1 andNotch 2, and their ligands Delta andJagged, in the developing rat eye. Notch 1 and Delta were found to be expressed in the neural retina during the period of cell fate determination and differentiation. Notch 2 was found to be expressed in the non-neuronal derivatives of the optic cup, including the pigment epithelium, optic stalk, and ciliary body. Jagged was expressed in distinct regions within the optic vesicle, ciliary body, and lens, with patterns that changed over time. The potential function of Notch 1 in cell-type specification and differentiation was examined by introducing a constitutively active form of Notch 1 in vivo using a replication-incompetent retrovirus. This form of Notch 1 was found to cause abnormal growth and interfere with the differentiation of multiple retinal cell types.
Information overload in group communication: from conversation to cacophony in the Twitch chat

As social media replace traditional communication channels, we are often exposed to too much information to process. The presence of too many participants, for example, can turn online public spaces into noisy, overcrowded fora where no meaningful conversation can be held. Here, we analyse a large dataset of public chat logs from Twitch, a popular video-streaming platform, in order to examine how information overload affects online group communication. We measure structural and textual features of conversations such as user output, interaction and information content per message across a wide range of information loads. Our analysis reveals the existence of a transition from a conversational state to a cacophony—a state with lower per capita participation, more repetition and less information per message. This study provides a quantitative basis for further studies of the social effects of information overload, and may guide the design of more resilient online conversation systems.
Robustly Stable Signal Recovery in Compressed Sensing With Structured Matrix Perturbation

The sparse signal recovery in the standard compressed sensing (CS) problem requires that the sensing matrix be known a priori. Such an ideal assumption may not be met in practical applications where various errors and fluctuations exist in the sensing instruments. This paper considers the problem of compressed sensing subject to a structured perturbation in the sensing matrix. Under mild conditions, it is shown that a sparse signal can be recovered by l1 minimization and the recovery error is at most proportional to the measurement noise level, which is similar to the standard CS result. In the special noise free case, the recovery is exact provided that the signal is sufficiently sparse with respect to the perturbation level. The formulated structured sensing matrix perturbation is applicable to the direction of arrival estimation problem, so has practical relevance. Algorithms are proposed to implement the l1 minimization problem and numerical simulations are carried out to verify the results obtained.
The application of VAT and indirect 'cascade' taxes on financial services : the case of Greece, a comparative evaluation with Spain and Portugal

This thesis aimed to investigate: a) the distortions arising from the existing system of indirect taxation of financial services in Greece and the EU Member States; b) the economic effects of taxing financial services under the V AT system in Greece including the estimation of the fiscal revenue loss under the currently applied financial exemptions; c) the economic effects on total tax revenues, expenditures and growth of the existing indirect financial taxes in Greece, Spain and Portugal. The research design included a review and synthesis of the academic literature and was based on: a) comparative study of the relevant legislation, b) construction of input-output/ economic tables for financial sectors, and c) analysis of time-series data, employing mainly the Johansen methodology to test for cointegration among the variables. The analytical research yielded: a) a detailed profile, through the study of legislation, of VAT treatment of financial services in Greece and the other EU Member States, identifying similarities and differences as well as potential sources for distortions of competition; b) estimation of the economic effects of taxing financial services under the Greek VAT system, using the input-output/economic tables; c) a detailed profile of the indirect tax structure in Greece, Spain and Portugal, estimating the marginal productivity and elasticity of indirect taxes (i.e. VAT, consumption and indirect financial taxes) as well as the average effective tax rates on consumption; d) identification of the impact of consumption and indirect financial taxes on total revenues, expenditures and growth (employing the Johansen methodology to test for cointegration). These findings enabled us to draw conclusions about: a) the economic implications of taxing financial services under the VAT system in Greece. We obtained an estimate of 5.51% of VAT revenues over the period 1989-1998 for the fiscal revenue loss of exempting financial sectors from VAT in Greece; b) the economic effects of consumption taxes (i.e. taxes that fall only on final consumption) and indirect financial taxes (i.e. taxes that may fall on intermediate and investment goods) identifying similarities and differences in Greece, Spain and Portugal. We found that consumption taxes (including VAT) may affect permanently the level of real output. This effect could be either negative or positive depending on the whole tax structure in each country. On the other hand, although indirect financial taxes may have a positive impact on total tax rate, their effects on growth are minor and negative. However, indirect financial taxes are important for spending decisions in Spain and Portugal. In addition, the thesis enabled the deyelopment of guidelines and of a transitional operational model for the indirect taxation of financial services. Finally, the limitations of this thesis are outlined in the conclusions and concrete avenues for future research are provided.
A Design of Experiments Approach Defining the Relationships Between Processing and Microstructure for Ti-6Al-4V

Abstract : A study was conducted to evaluate the relative significance of input parameters on Ti- 6A1-4V deposits produced by an electron beam freeform fabrication process under development at the NASA Langley Research Center. Five input parameters where chosen (beam voltage beam current, translation speed, wire feed rate, and beam focus), and a design of experiments (DOE) approach was used to develop a set of 16 experiments to evaluate the relative importance of these parameters on the resulting deposits. Both single-bead and multi-bead stacks were fabricated using 16 combinations, and the resulting heights and widths of the stack deposits were measured. The resulting microstructures were also characterized to determine the impact of these parameters on the size of the melt pool and heat affected zone. The relative importance of each input parameter on the height and width of the multi-bead stacks will be discussed.
The Regulation of the CNS Innate Immune Response Is Vital for the Restoration of Tissue Homeostasis (Repair) after Acute Brain Injury: A Brief Review

Neurons and glia respond to acute injury by participating in the CNS innate immune response. This involves the recognition and clearance of “not self ” pathogens and “altered self ” apoptotic cells. Phagocytic receptors (CD14, CD36, TLR–4) clear “not self” pathogens; neurons and glia express “death signals” to initiate apoptosis in T cells.The complement opsonins C1q, C3, and iC3b facilitate the clearance of apoptotic cells by interacting with CR3 and CR4 receptors. Apoptotic cells are also cleared by the scavenger receptors CD14, Prs-R, TREM expressed by glia. Serpins also expressed by glia counter the neurotoxic effects of thrombin and other systemic proteins that gain entry to the CNS following injury. Complement pathway and T cell activation are both regulated by complement regulatory proteins expressed by glia and neurons. CD200 and CD47 are NIRegs expressed by neurons as “don't eat me” signals and they inhibit microglial activity preventing host cell attack. Neural stem cells regulate T cell activation, increase the Treg population, and suppress proinflammatory cytokine expression. Stem cells also interact with the chemoattractants C3a, C5a, SDF-1, and thrombin to promote stem cell migration into damaged tissue to support tissue homeostasis.
Turkish Daily Press Framing and Representation of Syrian Women Refugees and Gender-Based Problems: Implications for Social Integration

Abstract Based on a content analysis of 856 news items sampled from Turkish local and national dailies between January 2013 and December 2015, this study investigates the media coverage and framing of Syrian women refugees in Turkey. It identified13 categories of gender-based problems related to different forms of violence, sexual abuse, specifically cases of forced and early marriage as second wives, and forced prostitution, and reproductive health challenges, which were analyzed through the texture of 6 distinct frames, extracted from the news data by the use of frame analysis tools. Then the study develops hypotheses regarding the type of media framing of Syrian refuge women in Turkey, their mental health and social integration into the host society.