Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Acute effects of anterior thigh foam rolling on hip angle, knee angle, and rectus femoris length in the modified Thomas test

Background. Foam rolling has been shown to acutely increase range of motion (ROM) during knee flexion and hip flexion with the experimenter applying an external force, yet no study to date has measured hip extensibility as a result of foam rolling with controlled knee flexion and hip extension moments. The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effects of foam rolling on hip extension, knee flexion, and rectus femoris length during the modified Thomas test. Methods. Twenty-three healthy participants (male = 7; female = 16; age = 22 ± 3.3 years; height = 170 ± 9.18 cm; mass = 67.7 ± 14.9 kg) performed two, one-minute bouts of foam rolling applied to the anterior thigh. Hip extension and knee flexion were measured via motion capture before and after the foam rolling intervention, from which rectus femoris length was calculated. Results. Although the increase in hip extension (change = +1.86° (+0.11, +3.61); z(22) = 2.08; p = 0.0372; Pearson’s r = 0.43 (0.02, 0.72)) was not due to chance alone, it cannot be said that the observed changes in knee flexion (change = −1.39° (−5.53, +2.75); t(22) = −0.70; p = 0.4933; Cohen’s d = − 0.15 (−0.58, 0.29)) or rectus femoris length (change = −0.005 (−0.013, +0.003); t(22) = −1.30; p = 0.2070; Cohen’s d = − 0.27 (−0.70, 0.16)) were not due to chance alone. Conclusions. Although a small change in hip extension was observed, no changes in knee flexion or rectus femoris length were observed. From these data, it appears unlikely that foam rolling applied to the anterior thigh will improve passive hip extension and knee flexion ROM, especially if performed in combination with a dynamic stretching protocol.
The Dnmt2 RNA methyltransferase homolog of Geobacter sulfurreducens specifically methylates tRNA-Glu

Dnmt2 enzymes are conserved in eukaryotes, where they methylate C38 of tRNA-Asp with high activity. Here, the activity of one of the very few prokaryotic Dnmt2 homologs from Geobacter species (GsDnmt2) was investigated. GsDnmt2 was observed to methylate tRNA-Asp from flies and mice. Unexpectedly, it had only a weak activity toward its matching Geobacter tRNA-Asp, but methylated Geobacter tRNA-Glu with good activity. In agreement with this result, we show that tRNA-Glu is methylated in Geobacter while the methylation is absent in tRNA-Asp. The activities of Dnmt2 enzymes from Homo sapiens, Drosophila melanogaster, Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Dictyostelium discoideum for methylation of the Geobacter tRNA-Asp and tRNA-Glu were determined showing that all these Dnmt2s preferentially methylate tRNA-Asp. Hence, the GsDnmt2 enzyme has a swapped transfer ribonucleic acid (tRNA) specificity. By comparing the different tRNAs, a characteristic sequence pattern was identified in the variable loop of all preferred tRNA substrates. An exchange of two nucleotides in the variable loop of murine tRNA-Asp converted it to the corresponding variable loop of tRNA-Glu and led to a strong reduction of GsDnmt2 activity. Interestingly, the same loss of activity was observed with human DNMT2, indicating that the variable loop functions as a specificity determinant in tRNA recognition of Dnmt2 enzymes.
Non-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol-associated actions of ezetimibe: an overview

Ezetimibe, an intestinal cholesterol absorption inhibitor, lowers circulating low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels both when administered as monotherapy and in combination with other hypolipidaemic drugs, mostly statins. This review focuses on the effects of ezetimibe on non-LDL-C-associated variables. In most studies, ezetimibe effectively reduced triglyceride and increased high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. The authors also consider the effect of ezetimibe on other variables such as C-reactive protein levels, insulin sensitivity and endothelial function. Ezetimibe is useful in patients with sitosterolaemia (a rare inherited disorder) as it significantly reduces plasma phytosterol concentrations. Ezetimibe fulfils two of the three essential characteristics of any drug (efficacy and safety). However, clinical studies are required to provide evidence of its ability to reduce vascular events.
A cross-linguistic evaluation of script-specific effects on fMRI lateralization in late second language readers

Behavioral and neuroimaging studies have provided evidence that reading is strongly left lateralized, and the degree of this pattern of functional lateralization can be indicative of reading competence. However, it remains unclear whether functional lateralization differs between the first (L1) and second (L2) languages in bilingual L2 readers. This question is particularly important when the particular script, or orthography, learned by the L2 readers is markedly different from their L1 script. In this study, we quantified functional lateralization in brain regions involved in visual word recognition for participants' L1 and L2 scripts, with a particular focus on the effects of L1–L2 script differences in the visual complexity and orthographic depth of the script. Two different groups of late L2 learners participated in an fMRI experiment using a visual one-back matching task: L1 readers of Japanese who learnt to read alphabetic English and L1 readers of English who learnt to read both Japanese syllabic Kana and logographic Kanji. The results showed weaker leftward lateralization in the posterior lateral occipital complex (pLOC) for logographic Kanji compared with syllabic and alphabetic scripts in both L1 and L2 readers of Kanji. When both L1 and L2 scripts were non-logographic, where symbols are mapped onto sounds, functional lateralization did not significantly differ between L1 and L2 scripts in any region, in any group. Our findings indicate that weaker leftward lateralization for logographic reading reflects greater requirement of the right hemisphere for processing visually complex logographic Kanji symbols, irrespective of whether Kanji is the readers' L1 or L2, rather than characterizing additional cognitive efforts of L2 readers. Finally, brain-behavior analysis revealed that functional lateralization for L2 visual word processing predicted L2 reading competency.
Neurosarcoidosis presenting with lower-back and leg pain.

Ozer F, Ozturk O, Meral H, Serdaroglu P, Yayla V: Camptocormia in a patient with Parkinson disease and a myopathy with nemaline rods. Am J Phys Med Rehabil 2007;86:3–6. Camptocormia, also referred to as bent spine, is a gait disorder characterized by hyperflexion of the thoracolumbar spine that develops in recumbent position while walking and that disappears in supine position. Myopathy is one of the frequent causes of camptocormia. A 77-yr-old male patient who was followed up with the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis for 2 yrs was admitted with progressive gait deterioration. Hyperflexion of trunk, disappearing in supine position, was detected and diagnosed as camptocormia. He also exhibited the signs of parkinsonism. A paraspinal muscle biopsy showed myopathy with rods in many muscle fibers. Camptocormia in this patient may be attributable to the myopathic weakness of thoracolumbar paraspinal muscles. The normal biceps brachii muscle biopsy refers to the isolated affection of paraspinal muscles in this patient. A camptocormia (bent spine) case of myopathy with nemaline rods associated with Parkinson disease is presented.
Gender, race, local labor markets and occupational devaluation

Abstract Many studies find that the gender composition of an occupation influences the earnings of incumbents while failing to find parallel effects for race. We suggest that minority representation does not have the same impact on occupational earnings that gender does for several reasons. We explore whether gender and minority composition effects are evident in local labor markets. Data on the fifty largest occupations in one hundred metropolitan areas culled from the 1990 Census form the basis of our analysis. For incumbents in each occupation, we estimate an individual-level earnings equation with controls for education, age, hours and weeks worked and industry. The gender and race composition of an occupation in each metropolitan area are independent variables. We find that the area-specific gender composition of an occupation sometimes has the expected depressing effect on wages, supporting a local-labor market perspective, while a parallel finding for racial composition is rarely evident.
Individual Differences for Self-Regulating Task-Oriented Reading Activities.

The goal of this study is to analyze the self-regulation processes present in task-oriented reading activities. In the 1st experiment, we examined the following self-regulation processes in the context of answering questions about an available text: (a) monitoring the comprehension of the question, (b) self-regulating the search process, and (c) monitoring the decision to search. Skilled and less skilled comprehenders from 7th and 8th grades read 2 texts and answered 16 questions while all their actions were recorded on a computer. We hypothesized that skilled comprehenders would differ from less skilled comprehenders on the 1st 2 processes on the basis of their general comprehension skills but that their superiority in the 3rd process would be based on specific characteristics of the interaction between the reader and the text. The results support our hypotheses. In the 2nd experiment, we hypothesized that monitoring the decision to search would be equivalent to judgments of learning (JOLs). Eighth graders made JOLs before answering every question, and then they decided whether to search the text. Our hypothesis was confirmed. Our study reveals that task-oriented reading places specific demands on readers related to metacognitive monitoring
The Classroom Social Environment and Changes in Adolescents’ Motivation and Engagement During Middle School

The authors investigated how students’ (N = 233) perceptions of the social environment of their eighth-grade classroom related to changes in motivation and engagement when they moved from seventh to eighth grade. In general, prior motivation and engagement were strong predictors of subsequent motivation and engagement, whereas gender, race, and prior achievement were not related to changes in motivation or engagement. A higher-order classroom social environment factor accounted for significant changes in all motivation and engagement outcomes. Four distinct dimensions of the social environment were differentially important in explaining changes in various indices of motivation and engagement. In general, however, students’ perceptions of teacher support, and the teacher as promoting interaction and mutual respect were related to positive changes in their motivation and engagement. Students’ perceptions of the teacher as promoting performance goals were related to negative changes in student motivation and engagement. Implications for recent educational reform initiatives were also discussed.
The generation game is the cooperation game: the role of grandparents in the timing of reproduction.

Coall & Hertwig (C&H) demonstrate the importance of grandparents to children, even in low fertility societies. We suggest policy-makers interested in reproductive timing in such contexts should be alerted to the practical applications of this cooperative breeding framework. The presence or absence of a supportive kin network could help explain why some women begin their reproductive careers “too early” or “too late. ”
Spontaneous Activity Patterns in Primary Visual Cortex Predispose to Visual Hallucinations

According to theoretical frameworks casting perception as inference, vision results from the integration of bottom-up visual input with top-down expectations. Under conditions of strongly degraded sensory input, this may occasionally result in false perceptions in the absence of a sensory signal, also termed “hallucinations. ” Here, we investigated whether spontaneous prestimulus activity patterns in sensory circuits, which may embody a participant's prior expectations, predispose the observer toward false perceptions. Specifically, we used fMRI to investigate whether the representational content of prestimulus activity in early visual cortex is linked to subsequent perception during a challenging detection task. Human participants were asked to detect oriented gratings of a particular orientation that were embedded in noise. We found two characteristics of prestimulus activity that predisposed participants to hallucinations: overall lower prestimulus activity and a bias in the prestimulus activity patterns toward the to-be-detected (expected) grating. These results suggest that perceptual hallucinations may be due to an imprecise and biased state of sensory circuits preceding sensory evidence collection. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT When sensory stimulation is strongly degraded, we occasionally misperceive a stimulus when only noise is present: a perceptual hallucination. Using fMRI in healthy participants, we investigated whether the state of early visual cortex preceding stimulus onset predisposes an observer to hallucinations. We found two characteristics of prestimulus activity that predisposed participants to hallucinations: overall lower prestimulus activity and a bias in the prestimulus activity patterns toward the expected grating. These results suggest that perceptual hallucinations are due to an imprecise and biased state of sensory circuits preceding sensation.
Not Enough Time or a Low Priority? Barriers to Evidence‐Based Practice for Allied Health Clinicians

Introduction: Evidence‐based practice (EBP) is a key principle in the delivery of effective and high‐quality health care. Existing research suggests that allied health professionals are generally supportive of EBP but rarely participate in activities associated with EBP. Methods: This mixed‐method study used 8 focus groups of allied health professionals and managers and a questionnaire of all participants to explore the attitudes and barriers to EBP in a large metropolitan health service. Qualitative data were analyzed using a thematic analysis of focus group transcriptions. Questionnaire data were analyzed descriptively. Results: Fifty clinicians and 10 managers across 7 allied health disciplines participated in the study. The questionnaire identified that clinicians have a positive attitude but low participation in EBP. Qualitative data revealed that EBP was not highly valued by clinicians and managers or viewed as a core component of clinical care, with activities directly related to maintaining patient flow viewed as higher priorities. Lack of skills and resources and difficulty associated with implementing evidence into practice were further barriers. Discussion: Achieving higher uptake of EBP among allied health clinicians requires a cultural shift, placing higher value on these activities despite the challenging context of constant pressures to increase patient flow. Addressing EBP through small group projects rather than considering it to be an individual responsibility may be more acceptable to both clinicians and managers, with added benefits of peer support for both evaluating evidence and translation into practice.
Dietary quality may enhance survival related to cognitive impairment in Taiwanese elderly

Background Impaired cognition increases mortality in the aged. It is unclear how dietary quality might affect this relationship. Objective To examine how dietary diversity and cognition might interact to determine survival. Design In a Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (NAHSIT 1999–2000), 1,839 representative elderly were followed for mortality up to 10 years. The dietary quality measure was a dietary diversity score (DDS, range: 0–6) to present six food groups (dairy, meat, rice and grains, fruit, vegetable,fat and oil) derived from a 24-h dietary recall. Cognitive function was evaluated by the validated Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ). Results Those with cognitive impairment (SPMSQ≥3 errors) had 2.56 (95% confidence intervals (CI), 1.99–3.28) times the all-cause-mortality risk of those with intact cognition. After control for potential confounders, the adjusted hazard ratio (HR) remained significant (1.46, 95% CI: 1.06–2.02). Significant interactions for DDS and cognition were found (p<0.001). Jointly, compared to normal-SPMSQ-highest DDS, the greatest HR is where impaired cognition is combined with the lowest DDS (HR 2.24, 95% CI: 1.19–4.24). Increased DDS was associated with improvement in survival that is especially evident in those with 1–2 errors where the greatest HR reduction was found, and for fruit. Attributability for mortality amounted to 18% for impaired cognition and 33% for least diverse diet. Conclusions Dietary diversity may improve survival in relation to impaired cognitive function.
Long-Term Self-Assessment of Urinary Continence After Stress Urinary Incontinence Surgery

Objectives To evaluate the long-term subjective urinary continence status and quality of life after 3 types of primary operation for stress urinary incontinence. Methods One hundred thirty-four consecutive patients who underwent anti-incontinence surgery (laparoscopic colposuspension, classic tension-free vaginal tape procedure, or open colposuspension) 6 to 9 years ago were mailed short-form questionnaires of the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire—Urinary Incontinence. For statistical analysis, the Student t test, the &khgr;2 test, and the analysis-of-variance test were used. Results Eighty-seven patients (64.9%) returned the questionnaire. The mean follow-up was 7.48 years (range, 6–9 years). Patients in the tension-free vaginal tape group were significantly older (P < 0.001). After primary operation, 7.4% (2 of the 27 patients) in the laparoscopic colposuspension group, 23.53% (8/34) in the classic tension-free vaginal tape group, and 11.5% (3/26) in the open colposuspension group were continent. Repeated operative treatment was more frequent in the laparoscopic colposuspension (18.5%) and open colposuspension (30%) groups compared with the tension-free vaginal tape group (0%; P ⩽ 0.003). Calculated scores from the questionnaire from all 3 groups indicated moderate to severe recurrent urinary incontinence with equal prevalence of symptoms of stress, urge, or mixed urinary incontinence. Conclusions Subjective urinary continence 6 to 9 years after primary operative treatment was low for all analyzed procedures.
A low-Ca2+ response operon encodes the V antigen of Yersinia pestis

Yersinia pestis has a virulence regulon called the low-Ca2+ response that is mediated by the plasmid pCD and manifested as regulation of growth and of expression of several virulence-associated properties by Ca2+ and temperature. We used Mu dI(Ap lac) to obtain a mutation in pCD1 of Y. pestis KIM that rendered the bacteria unable to express one of these properties, the V antigen. This mutant also had lost the Ca2+ requirement for growth at 37 degrees C and was avirulent in mice. Two-dimensional protein gel electrophoresis showed that the Mu dI(Ap lac) insertion had eliminated 13,000- and 18,000-molecular-weight proteins in addition to the V antigen. We mapped the Mu dI(Ap lac) insertion within pCD1, cloned the HindIII fragment spanning the insertion location, prepared two subclones of this fragment, and identified the proteins these clones expressed in Escherichia coli minicells. The data indicated that the V gene lies within an operon containing three genes; lcrG (encoding the 13,000-molecular-weight protein), lcrV (encoding the 38,000-molecular-weight V antigen), and lcrH (encoding the 18,000-molecular-weight protein). Therefore, the V operon contains the structural gene for V antigen, at least one virulence gene, and at least one Ca2+-dependence gene.
Cdk5 regulates axonal transport and phosphorylation of neurofilaments in cultured neurons

Phosphorylation has long been considered to regulate neurofilament (NF) interaction and axonal transport, and, in turn, to influence axonal stability and their maturation to large-caliber axons. Cdk5, a serine/threonine kinase homologous to the mitotic cyclin-dependent kinases, phosphorylates NF subunits in intact cells. In this study, we used two different haptenized NF subunits and manipulated cdk5 activity by microinjection, transfection and pharmacological inhibition to monitor the effect of Cdk5-p35 on NF dynamics and transport. We demonstrate that overexpression of cdk5 increases NF phosphorylation and inhibits NF axonal transport, whereas inhibition both reduces NF phosphorylation and enhances NF axonal transport in cultured chicken dorsal-root-ganglion neurons. Large phosphorylated-NF `bundles' were prominent in perikarya following cdk5 overexpression. These findings suggest that Cdk5-p35 activity regulates normal NF distribution and that overexpression of Cdk5-p35 induces perikaryal accumulation of phosphorylated-NFs similar to those observed under pathological conditions.
Training Evaluation: An Analysis of the Stakeholders' Evaluation Needs.

Purpose – In recent years, the literature on program evaluation has examined multi‐stakeholder evaluation, but training evaluation models and practices have not generally taken this problem into account. The aim of this paper is to fill this gap.Design/methodology/approach – This study identifies intersections between methodologies and approaches of participatory evaluation, and techniques and evaluation tools typically used for training. The study focuses on understanding the evaluation needs of the stakeholder groups typically involved in training programs. A training program financed by the European Social Fund in Italy is studied, using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies (in‐depth interviews and survey research). Findings – The findings are as follows: first, identification of evaluation dimensions not taken into account in the return on investment training evaluation model of training evaluation, but which are important for satisfying stakeholders' evaluation needs; second, identification.
Management Education as if Both Matter

Management is often taught as if it were immaterial—a set of abstract formulae, case histories and flow diagrams. These may be useful, but only if tested and put to use in the material practice of managing. Education makes matters worse if it becomes the simple consumption of this insubstantial fare. This article proposes seven principles for educators who want to take seriously both the subject matter of managing and the subjective commitment to education.
Treatment options after sorafenib failure in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

Second line therapy after failure of sorafenib continues to be under study. Prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma is measured in months, with median overall survival reaching 10.7 months with sorafenib. Because of the modest net benefit sorafenib has contributed, and rising incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma in the world, continued efforts are ongoing to look for efficient upfront, second line, or combination therapies. Herein we review the most relevant to date published literature on treatment options beyond sorafenib, reported studies, ongoing investigational efforts, and possibilities for future studies in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.