Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diphenylarsinic acid poisoning from chemical weapons in Kamisu, Japan

We noted a new clinical syndrome with prominent cerebellar symptoms in apartment building residents in Kamisu, Japan. The well that provided drinking water contained diphenylarsinic acid, a degradation product of diphenylcyanoarsine or diphenylchloroarsine, which were developed for use as chemical weapons, inducing severe vomiting and sneezing. Characteristics of diphenylarsinic acid poisoning include brainstem–cerebellar and cerebral symptoms. Mental retardation associated with brain atrophy in magnetic resonance images was evident in some infants. We must be vigilant to prevent or minimize the effects of further diphenylarsinic acid poisoning in Japan or elsewhere. Ann Neurol 2004;56:741–745
Marital stress and children's externalizing behavior as predictors of mothers’ and fathers’ parenting

Abstract Previous research suggests that mothers’ and fathers’ parenting may be differentially influenced by marital and child factors within the family. Some research indicates that marital stress is more influential in fathers’ than mothers’ parenting, whereas other research shows that children's difficult behavior preferentially affects mothers’ parenting. The present study examined marital stress and children's externalizing behavior in middle childhood as predictors of mothers’ versus fathers’ consistency, monitoring, and support and care in early adolescence, and the subsequent associations of these parenting behaviors with externalizing behavior 1.5 years later. Pathways were examined within a longitudinal mediation model testing for moderation by parent gender (N = 276 mothers, N = 229 fathers). Children's externalizing behavior in middle childhood was found to more strongly inversely predict mothers’ versus fathers’ monitoring in early adolescence. In contrast, marital stress more strongly predicted low monitoring for fathers than for mothers. Regardless of parent gender, marital stress predicted lower levels of parental consistency, and children's externalizing behavior predicted lower levels of parental support. Mothers’ monitoring and fathers’ support in early adolescence predicted lower levels of externalizing behavior 1.5 years later. The results are discussed with respect to family transactions relative to parent gender and implications for intervention.
Chronic intermittent asphyxia increases platelet reactivity in rats

Sleep‐disordered breathing is associated with chronic intermittent asphyxia and with a variety of cardiovascular abnormalities. Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality are linked to altered platelet function, and platelet function is affected in sleep‐disordered breathing. As there is evidence that chronic continuous hypoxia may alter platelet number and function, the aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that chronic intermittent asphyxia affects platelet count, activation and aggregation. Rats were treated with a hypercapnic hypoxic gas mixture (minimum of 6–8% O2, maximum of 10–14% CO2) for 15 s, twice per minute for 8 h per day for 3 weeks. Blood was analysed for platelet count, platelet activation (CD62p expression using flow cytometry), response to low dose ADP, haematocrit, red cell count and haemoglobin concentration. A platelet function analyser measured the closure time of an aperture, dependent on platelet aggregation. Compared to controls (n= 16), chronic intermittent asphyxia (n= 13) reduced body weight and increased right ventricular weight but had no significant effect on platelet count (control, 880.4 ± 20.1; treated: 914.1 ± 35.2 × 103μl−1; mean ±s.e.m.), on the reduction in platelet count in response to ADP (control, reduced to 206.7 ± 49.0; treated, reduced to 193.8 ± 35.9 × 103μl−1), or on the percentage of platelets positive for CD62p (control, 5.2 ± 0.7; treated, 6.0 ± 0.8%). Chronic intermittent asphyxia significantly (P= 0.037) reduced the closure time (control, 90.9 ± 7.7; treated, 77.7 ± 3.8 s), indicating greater adhesion and aggregation. There was no significant difference in haematocrit, red cell count and haemoglobin concentration. In conclusion, chronic intermittent asphyxia has no effect on platelet count but does increase platelet aggegation in rats. These data support the idea that chronic intermittent asphyxia alters platelet function in sleep‐disordered breathing.
Fracture toughness of SmBaCuO bulk superconductors at cryogenic temperatures

Fracture toughness of Sm123 bulk superconductors with 16.7 and 28.6 mol% of Sm211 particles have been investigated by Vickers hardness test at cryogenic temperatures. The hardness test was carried out on [001] plane for two types of SmBCO bulk materials during 40-293 K. However, the hardness of Sm29 increased to 7,380 MPa with decreasing temperatures. In addition, fracture toughness of Sm17 and Sm29 are discussed calculating from Vickers hardness, median cracks length, Young's modulus and applied load. The fracture toughness of Sm17 became constant to 0.8 MPa/spl radic/m following the hardness property. The fracture toughness of Sm29 decreased from 0.73 Mpa/spl radic/m at 293 K to 0.67 Mpa/spl radic/m at 40 K.
The Risk and Protective Factors for Adolescents with an Addicted Parent

This research project was a qualitative study that explored the risk and protective factors for adolescents who are growing up with a parent who is addicted to drugs and/or alcohol using a sample of eight participants. Specifically, this research looked at the possible protective factors that may help an adolescent from becoming addicted to drugs and/or alcohol themselves. Also, this research looked at the possible risk factors that may have helped an adolescent fall into addiction like his or her parents. In addition, the study explored possible behavioral patterns exhibited in adolescents who are growing up in a home with addiction and become addicted themselves. The themes that emerged from the data for risk factors for adolescents who grow up in a home with an addicted parent and who become addicted to drugs and/or alcohol themselves were a) parental chemical health modeling, b) traumatic experiences in adolescence and/or adulthood and c) genetic predisposition. In comparison, the themes that emerged for protective factors for adolescents who grow up in a home with an addicted parent and do not become addicted to drugs and/or alcohol were a) engagement with others and in activities, b) resilience and c) a faith in God. The predominant theme that emerged for the behavioral patterns of adolescents who grow up in an addicted home and become addicted to drugs and/or alcohol themselves was oppositional defiance. Overall, the data from this study had some similar findings as other research, but also provided new findings. It is imperative that clinicians continue to stay knowledgeable regarding the risk and protective factors for adolescents who are growing up in a home with parental addiction. Research showed that these factors are always changing and different for every adolescent. It is important for THE RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS 3 social workers to be aware of the diversity of these factors that could help or hinder an adolescent from following in their parent’s footsteps of addiction. THE RISK AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS 4
Mechanisms of adrenomedullin-induced vasodilation in the rat kidney.

To explore the mechanisms of adrenomedullin-induced vasorelaxation, we tested the effects of adrenomedullin on renal function in rats in vivo and measured the release of endothelium-derived nitric oxide from isolated perfused rat kidney (using a chemiluminescence assay) and the diameters of the glomerular arterioles in the hydronephrotic kidney. Adrenomedullin decreased blood pressure in a dose-dependent manner (3 nmol/kg: -29 +/- 2% [SEM]; P < .01) and slightly increased the glomerular filtration rate and urinary sodium excretion (+108%; P < .05). These changes were associated with significant increases in urinary excretion of cyclic AMP (+54%; P < .05). Adrenomedullin decreased renal vascular resistance (10(-7) mol/L adrenomedullin: -41 +/- 2%; P < . 001) and increased release of nitric oxide (+5.1 +/- 0.7 fmol/min per gram kidney weight; P < .001) in the isolated kidney. This increase in nitric oxide release was abolished by the inhibitor NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, and it also reversed the decrease in renal vascular resistance seen with adrenomedullin. Renal responses of deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt hypertensive rats to adrenomedullin were significantly smaller than those of control rats for both release of nitric oxide (10(-7) mol/L adrenomedullin: +0.8 +/- 0.2 fmol/min per gram kidney weight; P < . 01 versus control) and renal vasodilation (-28 +/- 6%; P < .05). Videomicroscopic analysis revealed that adrenomedullin increased the diameters of both afferent and efferent arterioles (3 nmol/kg: +11%; P < .05). Thus, adrenomedullin-induced renal vasodilation is partially endothelium dependent and is attenuated in deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt hypertension, probably due to endothelial damage.
Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt: Indications, complications, survival and its use as a bridging therapy to liver transplant in Western Australia

Insertion of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) is an established therapeutic option to treat the complications of portal hypertension. The purpose of this study is to review the experience of a single Australian institute with TIPS and evaluation of result to emphasize the indication, aetiology of portal hypertension, prognostic factors, complications and survival. Use of TIPS as a bridge to liver transplantation was also analysed.
Growth Physics in Nitella: a Method for Continuous in Vivo Analysis of Extensibility Based on a Micro-manometer Technique for Turgor Pressure.

THE VIEW THAT THE PLANT CELL GROWS BY THE YIELDING OF THE CELL WALL TO TURGOR PRESSURE CAN BE EXPRESSED IN THE EQUATION: rate = cell extensibility x turgor. All growth rate responses can in principle be resolved into changes in the 2 latter variables. Extensibility will relate primarily to the yielding properties of the cell wall, turgor primarily to solute uptake or production. Use of this simple relationship in vivo requires that at least 2 of the 3 variables be measured in a growing cell. Extensibility is not amenable to direct measurement. Data on rate and turgor for single Nitella cells can, however, be continuously gathered to permit calculation of extensibility (rate/turgor). Rate is accurately obtained from measurements on time-lapse film. Turgor is estimated in the same cell, to within 0.1 atm or less, by measurement of the ability of the cell to compress gas trapped in the closed end of a capillary the open end of which is in the cell vacuole. The method is independent of osmotic equilibrium. It operates continuously for several days, over a several fold increase in cell length, and has response time of less than one minute. Rapid changes in turgor brought on by changes in tonicity of the medium, show that extensibility, as defined above, is not constant but has a value of zero unless the cell has about 80% of normal turgor. Because elastic changes are small, extensibility relates to growth. Over long periods of treatment in a variety of osmotica the threshold value for extensibility and growth is seen to fall to lower values to permit resumption of growth at reduced turgor. A brief period of rapid growth (5x normal) follows the return to normal turgor. All variables then become normal and the cycle can be repeated. The cell remains essentially at osmotic equilibrium, even while growing at 5x the normal rate. The method has potential for detailed in vivo analyses of "wall softening. "
Particle-based non-Newtonian fluid animation for melting objects

This paper presents a new visually realistic animation technique for objects that melt and flow. It simulates viscoplastic properties of materials such as metal, plastic, wax, polymer and lava. The technique consists in modeling the object by the transition of a non-Newtonian fluid with high viscosity to a liquid of low viscosity. During the melting, the viscosity is formulated using the general Newtonian fluids model, whose properties depend on the local temperature. The phase transition is then driven by the heat equation. The fluid simulation framework uses a variation of the Lagrangian method called smoothed particle hydrodynamics. This paper also includes several schemes that improve the efficiency and the numerical stability of the equations
PSA evolution: a prognostic factor during treatment of advanced prostatic carcinoma with total androgen blockade. Data from a Belgian multicentric study of 546 patients.

OBJECTIVES To study the prognostic value of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response and its relationship with other initial prognostic factors during the treatment of advanced prostatic carcinoma with total androgen blockade. METHODS Five hundred forty-six patients with advanced loco-regional (M0) or distant metastatic (M1) prostatic carcinoma treated with flutamide combined with either orchiectomy or LHRH analogues were included in this analysis. Initial patients characteristics and the PSA response were evaluated in relation to progression-free survival using a univariate and multivariate (Cox regression) analysis. RESULTS The following prognostic factors were indicative of a decrease in progression-free survival: the absence of PSA normalization (< 4 ng/ml) after 3 or 6 months, M1 stage, high G grade, ECOG performance status > 1, presence of pain and absence of dysuria. In M1 patients the combination of PSA normalization after 3 or 6 months with initial G grade and ECOG performance status had the strongest predictive value. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that PSA normalization after 3 or 6 months along with initial tumor stage, grade and health status of the patient are the most important prognostic factors related to progression-free survival in the hormonal treatment of advanced prostatic carcinoma.
Inpatients' use, understanding, and attitudes towards traditional, complementary and alternative therapies at a provincial New Zealand hospital.

AIM To assess the use and attitudes towards traditional, complementary and alternative medicine and therapies (TCAM) by inpatients of a provincial hospital. METHODS Ninety-two Gisborne Hospital inpatients were interviewed face-to-face over a 4-week period using a standardised questionnaire. RESULTS Of the 92 people interviewed, 84 patients (91%) had used an average of 6.4 TCAM modalities. Most common therapies used were massage (n=62), vitamins (n=5), chiropractor (n=45), and herbal therapies (n=41). Of the 84 people who have used TCAM, 79 (94%) used more than one therapy. Nineteen patients (23%) used 10 or more different therapies. Maori and Non-Maori respondents used the majority of TCAM modalities equally apart from a few notable exceptions. Only 10 (11%) of the 92 patients in this study recalled having been asked by a doctor if they were using TCAM. Fifty-five (65%) of those who use TCAM believed that it is safe. CONCLUSION This study of in-patients interviewed at Gisborne Hospital had the highest rate of TCAM use published to date. Most of these patients intend to continue using TCAM (86%), seek pluralistic care for their maladies and select from a broad array of modalities rooted in the community. Patients are not telling their doctors about this use, not because patients fear disapproval, but they are simply not being asked. Patients do not volunteer this information because they believe that TCAM use is safe and are unaware of its potential risks. There are ethnic trends in the selection of TCAM modalities and potential exists to reach some hard to reach populations through integrated care. The high prevalence of TCAM use in an in-patient population and patients' naivety regarding risks and interactions underscores the need for greater cooperation between orthodox and complementary practitioners, effective regulation with emphasis given to public safety, the need for new funding for TCAM research, increased undergraduate and postgraduate medical TCAM education, and better information made available to the public.
Extending a database system with procedures

This paper suggests that more powerful database systems (DBMS) can be built by supporting database procedures as full-fledged database objects. In particular, allowing fields of a database to be a collection of queries in the query language of the system is shown to allow the natural expression of complex data relationships. Moreover, many of the features present in object-oriented systems and semantic data models can be supported by this facility. In order to implement this construct, extensions to a typical relational query language must be made, and considerable work on the execution engine of the underlying DBMS must be accomplished. This paper reports on the extensions for one particular query language and data manager and then gives performance figures for a prototype implementation. Even though the performance of the prototype is competitive with that of a conventional system, suggestions for improvement are presented.
Vaccines with the MF59 Adjuvant Do Not Stimulate Antibody Responses against Squalene

ABSTRACT Squalene is a naturally occurring oil which has been used in the development of vaccine adjuvants, such as the oil-in-water emulsion MF59. In past years, by use of noncontrolled and nonvalidated assays, a claim was made that antisqualene antibodies were detectable in the sera of individuals with the so-called Gulf War syndrome. Using a validated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the quantitation of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies against squalene, we demonstrated that antisqualene antibodies are frequently detectable at very low titers in the sera of subjects who were never immunized with vaccines containing squalene. More importantly, vaccination with a subunit influenza vaccine with the MF59 adjuvant neither induced antisqualene antibodies nor enhanced preexisting antisqualene antibody titers. In conclusion, antisqualene antibodies are not increased by immunization with vaccines with the MF59 adjuvant. These data extend the safety profile of the MF59 emulsion adjuvant.
Significant Prevalence and Genetic Diversity of Norovirus Infection in Irish Children

Pediatric gastroenteritis places a considerable disease burden on children of the developed world. The national surveillance of gastroenteritis in Ireland is a combined virological and epidemiologic surveillance program. The objectives of this study were to characterize the norovirus (NoV) genotypes associated with viral gastroenteritis in children ≤5 y of age, and compare these strains with those detected in adult specimens. A total of five different NoV genotypes were associated with infection in Irish children [Genogroup II/type 2 (GII/2),GII/4,GII/6,GII/b,GII/14] whereas only GII/4 strains were identified in adults. This significant genotypic difference in the NoV strains associated with pediatric and adult infection was found in both community- and hospital-based infection. To assess the burden that NoV places on Irish children, the relative prevalence of norovirus, rotavirus, and adenovirus was determined in hospitalized symptomatic children ≤5 y old. Our results identified NoV as a major cause of gastroenteritis in children ≥4 mo of age and determined that NoV and adenovirus infection are equally significant in children in the first 5 y of life. This group of pediatric patients reported diarrhea as their most common symptom raising the question whether Kaplan criteria are the most effective method for clinically diagnosing outbreaks of enteric infection in pediatric patients.
Welfare Migration

This chapter reviews and discusses major theories and empirical studies about the welfare magnet hypothesis, i.e. whether immigrants are more likely to move to countries with generous welfare systems. Although economic theory predicts that welfare generosity affects the number, composition and location of immigrants, the empirical evidence is rather mixed. We offer possible explanations for the existence of such mixed evidence and highlight that the literature so far has overlooked the presence of different migration regimes, as well as the possibility of reverse causality between welfare spending and immigration.
Pharmacotherapy for diabetic peripheral neuropathy pain and quality of life: A systematic review

In the Views & Reviews article “Pharmacotherapy for diabetic peripheral neuropathy pain and quality of life: A systematic review” by J.M. Waldfogel et al.,1 two studies (NCT01474772 and NCT01455415) were incorrectly referenced as unpublished, resulting in several errors. The second …
An analysis of the concurrent and predictive validity of curriculum based measures CBM), the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP), and the New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) for reading

This study examined the concurrent validity of four different reading assessments that are commonly used to screen students at risk for reading difficulties by measuring the correlation of the third grade Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) in Reading with three specific versions of curriculum based measurement: DIBELS oral reading fluency (ORF), AIMSweb ORF, and AIMSweb Maze. In addition, correlations were calculated among each of these measures with the third grade New England Common Assessment Program (NECAP) measure of reading achievement. Multiple regression analyses also were conducted to provide information on the predictive validity of CBM and MAP in determining risk for reading difficulty, as measured by a high stakes assessment (e.g., NECAP). Reading performance data were collected on 137 third grade students in the fall and winter. Significant correlations were found among each measure of reading at each point in time (p < .001). Correlations ranged from . 972 (DIBELS ORF and AIMSweb ORF) to . 621 (Maze and NECAP). Within each measure, ORF had the highest correlations between fall and winter measures (r = .952), followed by the MAP (r = .872) and Maze (r = .746), respectively. Regression analyses revealed that the MAP assessment in the fall best predicted MAP scores in the winter (p < .001), followed by oral reading fluency (p < .05). MAP was also the best predictor of NECAP scores for the general population of students (p < .001), as well as those students receiving supplemental reading support (p < .001). When MAP was removed from the equation, ORF was the most significant predictor of performance on the NECAP for general education (p < .001) and at-risk readers (p < .001). Educational implications and suggestions for further research are discussed. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I am grateful to Dr. Rachel Brown-Chidsey for her guidance with every step of this project. Thank you to the administrators and third grade teachers who cooperated with this project.