Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neural correlates of cognitive decline in ALS: An fNIRS study of the prefrontal cortex

Functional near infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) is a clinically feasible functional neuroimaging modality for detecting early cortical changes due to neurodegenerative diseases that affect cognition. The objective of this preliminary investigation was to test for reduced prefrontal activity in persons with cognitive impairments due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Participants were required to complete two N-back working memory tasks of increasing complexity during fNIRS recordings. Five participants with ALS and age- and gender-matched healthy participants comprised the experimental and control groups, respectively. Significant reductions in prefrontal oxygenation levels were observed for the left and right hemispheres in the ALS group compared to the control group. Reduced prefrontal activation despite intact behavioral performance for a working memory task may suggest early neuroanatomical, neurophysiological and/or compensatory mechanisms in affected individuals. The fNIRS-derived oxygenation measure shows promise as a sensitive neural marker to identify early neuropsychological impairments due to ALS.
Inhibiting translesion DNA synthesis as an approach to combat drug resistance to DNA damaging agents

Anti-cancer agents exert therapeutic effects by damaging DNA. Unfortunately, DNA polymerases can effectively replicate the formed DNA lesions to cause drug resistance and create more aggressive cancers. To understand this process at the cellular level, we developed an artificial nucleoside that visualizes the replication of damaged DNA to identify cells that acquire drug resistance through this mechanism. Visualization is achieved using "click" chemistry to covalently attach azide-containing fluorophores to the ethynyl group present on the nucleoside analog after its incorporation opposite damaged DNA. Flow cytometry and microscopy techniques demonstrate that the extent of nucleotide incorporation into genomic DNA is enhanced by treatment with DNA damaging agents. In addition, this nucleoside analog inhibits translesion DNA synthesis and synergizes the therapeutic activity of certain anti-cancer agents such as temozolomide. The combined diagnostic and therapeutic activities of this synthetic nucleoside analog represent a new paradigm in personalized medicine.
Human Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Osseous Rehabilitation of Induced Osteoradionecrosis: A Rodent Model

Objective Human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) were used to rehabilitate bone damaged by osteoradionecrosis (ORN) in an established animal model. Study Design Prospective animal study. Setting Academic department laboratory. Subjects and Methods After institutional review board and Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approval, 24 athymic nude rats were divided into 5 groups: 4 groups irradiated (20 Gy) by brachytherapy catheter placed at the left hemimandible and 1 mock irradiation control (n = 4). For all groups, ORN was initiated by extraction of the central molar 1 week later. After 28 days, animals (n = 5/group) received injection at the extraction site with saline (SAL), ADSCs, platelet-rich plasma and collagen (PRP/COL), or ADSCs + PRP/COL. Rats were sacrificed 28 days later and their mandibles harvested for histopathology analysis (osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and fibrosis) and bone volume measurement using 3-dimensional micro–computed tomography. Results All but 1 rat survived the experiment period (23/24). Radiographic and histological analysis revealed 60% bone loss in the SAL group compared with the nonirradiated control. Injection of ADSCs increased jaw region bone volume by up to 36% (P < .01). All experimental groups (ADSC, PRP/COL, and ADSC + PRP/COL) showed dramatically decreased osteoclast counts (P < .001) while injection of PRP/COL with or without ADSCs increased osteoblasts. Increased fibrosis was observed after ADSC injection (P < .05). Conclusion The application of human ADSCs to an induced mandibular osteoradionecrosis model in athymic rats results in increased deposition or preservation of bone, demonstrated both histologically and radiographically. This offers an encouraging possible treatment option for translational research in this difficult disease.
The late-modern city as a bazaar : drug markets, illegal enterprise and the 'barricades'

The authors describe drug use and drug-related crime in the contemporary city. In this description, they adopt a notion of the city as a market-place, and more precisely as a 'bazaar', for its multiplicity, incessant bargaining, trade and manoeuvre. In this 'bazaar' legality and illegality intermingle, and moral boundaries are constantly negotiated. They also examine the metaphor of the 'barricades', an important feature of the city in both literary and sociological accounts. Their view of the bazaar and the barricades is discussed in relation to some key features of the drugs economy. Finally, they demystify the image of the drugs economy as somehow being a unique challenge to urban life. This demystification is in large part based on noting similarities between illegal economies and characteristics of official, legal economies
Hyperprolactinemia after neonatal prolactin (PRL) deficiency in rats: evidence for altered anterior pituitary regulation of PRL secretion.

Previous findings from this laboratory suggest a role for milk-borne PRL in the development of the inhibitory neuroendocrine controls over PRL secretion. Thus, rats that consumed milk deficient in PRL on days 2-5 postpartum show reduced concentrations and turnover of DA in the median eminence and elevated serum levels of PRL at 30-35 days of age. The present experiments were undertaken to investigate whether these consequences of neonatal PRL deficiency persist beyond puberty, and whether alterations in pituitary responsiveness to hypothalamic hormones may be involved. Lactating rats received sc injections of either saline or the dopamine (DA) agonist bromocriptine (125 micrograms/rat.day) on each of days 2-5 postpartum, a treatment that reduces the amount of PRL in milk without abolishing lactation. Blood samples were obtained from male and female offspring at various postnatal ages, and PRL concentrations were determined by RIA. Serum PRL concentrations in offspring from both groups were low until after weaning, but the female offspring of bromocriptine-treated mothers showed significantly elevated serum PRL between days 30 and 90 postpartum. Male offspring of bromocriptine-treated mothers also had transiently increased serum PRL levels, which returned to control levels by day 40. The turnover rate of DA in the median eminence, calculated from the rate of decline after synthesis inhibition, was reduced on day 35 in neonatally PRL-deficient offspring, as shown previously. However, no differences in DA turnover between the two groups were apparent on day 60, indicating a recovery of normal dopaminergic activity. Anterior pituitary cells of 100-day-old control and neonatally PRL-deficient animals were dispersed, cultured for 3 days, and then exposed to either TRH, to stimulate PRL release, or to the DA agonist bromocriptine, which inhibits PRL release. Pituitary cells of neonatally PRL-deficient offspring were almost completely unresponsive to bromocriptine with regard to suppression of PRL release and cytoplasmic PRL mRNA levels. In contrast, pituitary cells of neonatal PRL-deficient offspring were somewhat more responsive to TRH in stimulating PRL release and increasing the levels of PRL mRNA. These results suggest that a brief period of PRL deficiency during the neonatal period may result in long-lasting alterations in control of PRL secretion. The resultant hyperprolactinemia may be initiated by a reduction in the release of DA from the hyothalamus, perhaps reflecting a role for milk-derived PRL in the functional development of this neurosecretory system, and maintained in part by a reduction in pituitary responsiveness to DA.
Dynamic kinesthetic boundary for haptic teleoperation of aerial robotic vehicles

This paper introduces a novel dynamic kinesthetic boundary to aid a pilot to navigate an aerial robotic vehicle through a cluttered environment. Classical haptic teleoperation interfaces for aerial vehicles utilize force feedback to provide the pilot with a haptic feel of the robot's interaction with an environment. The proposed approach constructs a dynamic kinesthetic boundary on the master device that provides the pilot with hard boundaries in the haptic workspace to indicate approaching obstacles. An advantage of the proposed approach is that when the vehicle is flying free of obstacles, then the haptic feedback of the joystick can be used to provide a more natural feel of the vehicle dynamics. Furthermore, rather than a gradual onset of virtual potential forces that are felt in the classical approaches, a pilot encountering the dynamic kinesthetic boundary is immediately aware of the presence of the obstacle and can act accordingly. The approach is implemented on an admittance haptic joystick to ensure that the haptic boundaries are faithfully rendered. We prove that in the case of perfect velocity tracking, the proposed algorithm will ensure the vehicle never colliding with the environment. Experiments were conducted on a robotic platform and the results provide verification of the novel approach.
The embryonic epicardium: an essential element of cardiac development

• Introduction • Origin of the epicardium: ontogeny and phylogeny • Epicardial/myocardial cellular and molecular interactions • EPDC contribute to coronary vessels and cardiac connective tissue • Epicardium as the tip of the iceberg: coelomic‐derived cells can be essential for vascularization, growth and maturation of the visceral compartment • Concluding remarks
Exploration of Functional Connectivity During Preferred Music Stimulation in Patients with Disorders of Consciousness

Preferred music is a highly emotional and salient stimulus, which has previously been shown to increase the probability of auditory cognitive event-related responses in patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC). To further investigate whether and how music modifies the functional connectivity of the brain in DOC, five patients were assessed with both a classical functional connectivity scan (control condition), and a scan while they were exposed to their preferred music (music condition). Seed-based functional connectivity (left or right primary auditory cortex), and mean network connectivity of three networks linked to conscious sound perception were assessed. The auditory network showed stronger functional connectivity with the left precentral gyrus and the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during music as compared to the control condition. Furthermore, functional connectivity of the external network was enhanced during the music condition in the temporo-parietal junction. Although caution should be taken due to small sample size, these results suggest that preferred music exposure might have effects on patients auditory network (implied in rhythm and music perception) and on cerebral regions linked to autobiographical memory.
Vascular sources of phenylalanine, tyrosine, lysine, and methionine for casein synthesis in lactating goats.

The contribution to casein biosynthesis of peptides derived from blood was examined in late lactation goats (254 to 295 d in milk). Ratios of mammary uptake of free amino acids (AA) in blood to output of AA in milk protein and ratios of the enrichments of Phe, Tyr, Met, and Lys at isotopic plateau in secreted milk casein to the free AA in arterial and mammary vein blood were monitored during the last 5 h of a 30-h continuous i.v. infusion of [1-13C]Phe, [2H4]Tyr, [5-13CH3]Met, and [2-15N]Lys on two occasions: before (control) and on d 6 of an i.v. infusion of Phe (6 g/d). During the control, uptakes of free Phe and Met were less than their output in milk. This result was comparable with the labeling kinetic results, suggesting that vascular peptides contributed 5 to 11% of Phe and 8 to 18% of Met. Free Tyr and Lys uptakes during the control were sufficient for milk output; however, the labeling kinetics indicated that 13 to 25% of the Tyr and 4 to 13% of the Lys were derived from peptides. Infusion of Phe increased the uptake of free AA but reduced the contribution of peptides toward Phe (0 to 3%) and Tyr (8 to 14%) supply for casein synthesis. Whole body hydroxylation of Phe to Tyr increased from 10 to 18% with the infusion of Phe; within the mammary gland, this conversion was lower (3 to 5%). Results suggest that the mammary utilization of peptides containing Phe and Tyr appears to depend on the supply of free AA in blood.
The relationship between sports teachers’ reports, motor performance and perceived self-efficacy of children with developmental coordination disorders

Abstract Background: Children with developmental coordination disorders (DCD) express fine and gross motor problems, reduced fitness, and low self-efficacy. Yet, the relationship between these characteristics as expressed in daily environments including school, is not well understood. The aim of this study is to examine the relationships between sports activity performance as reported by the sports teacher, gross and fine motor abilities, and self-efficacy among school aged children. Methods: This study included 61 children, aged 6.10–9 years, divided into two groups: 37 children with DCD, and 24 children with typical development and adequate motor performance. The sports teacher of each child filled the Teacher Estimation of Activity Form (TEAF). Each child performed the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (M-ABC) and then completed the Perceived Efficacy and Goal Setting System (PEGS). Results: Based on teachers’ reports, the study group showed significantly lower sports performance than the controls. Significant differences between the groups were also found in fine and gross motor abilities as manifested in the M-ABC. Among children with DCD, sports performance significantly correlated with M-ABC and PEGS scores. The teacher’s report regarding the child’s sports performance significantly predicted children’s motor abilities and self-efficacy. Conclusions: The study highlights that sports teachers may contribute to the screening of children with DCD and emphasize motor aspects that reduce a child’s self-efficacy. Consideration of these outcomes in intervention may minimize the negative impacts of DCD on a child’s development and well-being.
Resolution-Dependent Estimates of Multiple Sclerosis Lesion Loads

ABSTRACT: Background: Changes in brain lesion loads assessed with magnetic resonance imaging obtained at 1.5 Telsa (T) are used as a measure of disease evolution in natural history studies and treatment trials of multiple sclerosis. Methods: A comparison was made between the total lesion volume and individual lesions observed on 1.5 T images and on high-resolution 4 T images. Lesions were quantified using a computer-assisted segmentation tool. Results: There was a 46% increase in the total number of lesions detected with 4 T versus 1.5 T imaging (p<0.005). The 4 T also showed a 60% increase in total lesion volume when compared with the 1.5 T (p<0.005). In several instances, the 1.5 T scans showed individual lesions that coalesced into larger areas of abnormality in the 4 T scans. The relationship between individual lesion volumes was linear (slope 1.231) showing that the lesion volume observed at 4 T increased with the size of the lesion detected at 1.5 T. The 4 T voxels were less than one quarter the size of those used at 1.5 T and there were no consistent differences between their signal-to-noise ratios. Conclusions: The increase in signal strength that accompanied the increase in field strength compensated for the loss in signal amplitude produced by the use of smaller voxels. This enabled the acquisition of images with improved resolution, resulting in increased lesion detection at 4 T and larger lesion volumes.
Zinc therapy improves adverse effects of long term administration of copper on epididymal sperm quality of rats

Background: Industrial copper ingest is a common form of poisoning in animals. Zinc has an important role in the physiology of spermatozoa, in sperm production and viability. Objective: This study was set to investigate whether the adverse effects of long term copper consumption on quality of rat spermatozoa could be prevented by zinc therapy. Materials and Methods: Forty eight mature (6-8 weeks old) male rats were randomly allocated to either control (Cont, n=12) or three treatment groups each containing twelve animals. Animals in the first treatment group was gavaged with copper sulfate, the second treatment group was injected with zinc sulfate, and the third treatment group was given combined treatment of copper and zinc. Control animals received normal saline using the same volume and similar methods. Six rats from each group were sacrificed on day 28 and 56 after treatments for sperm quality evaluations. Results: In spite of testicular weight reduction 56 days after copper consumption in comparison to the control group (p=0.002), there was not a significant difference between the control and combined treatment of copper and zinc group (31.40±0.55 vs. 28.63±0.55, p=0.151). Administration of copper caused a significant decrease in the sperm count, viability and motility after 56 days compared to the control group. However, a complete recovery in sperm count was seen in combined treatment of copper and zinc group after 56 days compared to the control group (p=0.999) and a partial improvement was seen about the percentage of viability and motility (p<0.001). Conclusion: Adverse effects of long term consumption of copper on sperm quality could be prevented by zinc therapy in rats.
Effect of Primary School Teachers Perceived Motivation on Their Performance in Sindh

This mixed study examined the associations and effect of primary school teachers' intrinsic and extrinsic motivation towards their performance assessed by respective head-teachers. The multi-stage random sampling involved 348 teacher-respondents and 40 head-teachers of District Hyderabad, Sindh. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected through adapted questionnaires having 48 five-point Likert-scale items and three open-ended questions. Data were analyzed through SPSS package of 16.00 for descriptive and inferential statistical analyses at 0.05 confidence-intervals. Descriptive statistics revealed that teachers ranked their intrinsic motivation better (mean ranged1.62 to 2.18 for 11items) against extrinsic motivation (mean ranged from 2.50 to 3.97 for 14 items). Teachers' 13 performance items did not catch supporting evidence i.e. means ranged from 1.93 to 3.97 (with 2.82 mean of means) which is disappointing one. Regarding multiple linear regression, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation significantly and moderately predicted respondents' performance, R=. 299a, r2=. 290 (adjusted r2=.284), F(2, 245)=16.979, p<. 001.They accounted for 29.9% variability in respondents' performance showing better effect (unstandard beta=.306 or 30%) of extrinsic motivation t(345)=3.926, p=. 000 against intrinsic one (unstandard beta=.200 or 20%)t(345)=3.926, p=. 001.Regression analysis of demographical predictors reveal unsatisfactory picture despite being significant (p=.000a) with moderate level of correlation, R=. 521a, r2=. 272 (adjusted r2=.239), F(15, 332)=8.265, p<. 001.Only two predictors i.e. teaching experience and average education of family members got significant beta coefficients and p-values (p=<.05) while others (13) discarded. Difference regarding independent-samples t-test and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) reveal that females; widow/widower/divorced; teachers with no other source of income; and teachers with higher academic qualifications, professional qualifications, age, and monthly salary obtain statistically significant and better performance than their counterparts. Feasible suggestions collected through open-ended questions are incorporated in recommendations.
The beginnings of real-time PCR.

Featured Article: Heid CA, Stevens J, Livak KJ, Williams PM. Real time quantitative PCR. Genome Res 1996;6:986–94.1 During the mid-1990s the PCR was becoming a mature technology, impacting such areas such as cloning and automated sequencing. Many scientists were making efforts to tame the quantitative power of PCR. The power of exponential amplification was tremendous, but it had proven hard to control in quantitative applications. Many attempts were made to use so-called end-point quantification. This approach attempted to determine a starting target concentration based on the quantification of the final amplified product. Several aspects of PCR complicated the success of these efforts. A major source of difficulty was that PCR often reaches a plateau stage at which exponential amplification ceases and there is very little to no further product accumulation. Therefore, the product concentration at plateau is similar for all starting target amounts. In essence, it is impossible to accurately quantify starting target concentrations if PCR reaches plateau. Another complication is that PCR, like any enzyme-driven reaction, is sensitive to reaction inhibition. Many of the most interesting biological samples and methods for nucleic acid purification possessed known inhibitors of PCR (e.g., heme from blood). Southern and Northern blots with radioactive probes were the method of choice for many aspiring scientists wishing to have semiquantitative nucleic acid data, although these methods came with their …
Gender Differences in Predictors of Health Behaviors Modification among Patients with Cardiovascular Disease

본 연구는 심혈관질환자의 건강행위를 개선할 수 있는 프로그램을 개발하기 위하여 성별차이를 중심으로 건강행위에 미치는 요인의 차이를 파악하기 위하여 수행된 연구로, 경기도와 충남 소재 2개 대학병원에 내 원한 심혈관질환자 228명(남자 114명, 여자114명)을 대상으로 하였다. 자료수집을 위한 설문조사는 2013년 1월부터 2013년 2월까지 실시하였으며 수집된 자료는 SPSS 20. 0으로 분석하였다. 연구결과 심혈관질환자 남성과 여성사이의 건강행위이행의 유의한 차이가 있었다. 여성이 건강행위 중 운동습관, 스트레스관리, 금 연행위에서 남성보다 건강행위를 더 잘하는 것으로 나타났다. 남성과 여성사이의 건강행위의 예측인자는 남성은 연령, 자기효능감, 의료인 지지, 지각된 장애성, 지각된 민감성, 자율적 동기로 45 %를 차지하였고 여성은 연령, 자율적 동기, 자기효능감, 의료인지지로 51%를 차지하였다. 특히 가장 설명력이 높은 변수는 남성은 자기효능감, 여성은 자율적 동기이었다. 따라서 남성과 여성사이의 건강행위의 예측인자가 유의하게 차이가 있는 본 연구결과를 반영하여 심혈관질환자의 지속적인 건강행위이행을 위하여 간호중재 시 성별 특성에 따른 차별화된 방안이 고려되어야 될 것이다.
Histone H3 transcription in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is controlled by multiple cell cycle activation sites and a constitutive negative regulatory element

The promoters of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae histone H3 and H4 genes were examined for cis-acting DNA sequence elements regulating transcription and cell division cycle control. Deletion and linker disruption mutations identified two classes of regulatory elements: multiple cell cycle activation (CCA) sites and a negative regulatory site (NRS). Duplicate 19-bp CCA sites are present in both the copy I and copy II histone H3-H4 promoters arranged as inverted repeats separated by 45 and 68 bp. The CCA sites are both necessary and sufficient to activate transcription under cell division cycle control. A single CCA site provides cell cycle control but is a weak transcriptional activator, while an inverted repeat comprising two CCA sites provides both strong transcriptional activation and cell division cycle control. The NRS was identified in the copy I histone H3-H4 promoter. Deletion or disruption of the NRS increased the level of the histone H3 promoter activity but did not alter the cell division cycle periodicity of transcription. When the CCA sites were deleted from the histone promoter, the NRS element was unable to confer cell division cycle control on the remaining basal level of transcription. When the NRS element was inserted into the promoter of a foreign reporter gene, transcription was constitutively repressed and did not acquire cell cycle regulation.