Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A new method to determine reflex latency induced by high rate stimulation of the nervous system

High rate stimulations of the neuromuscular system, such as continuous whole body vibration, tonic vibration reflex and high frequency electrical stimulation, are used in the physiological research with an increasing interest. In these studies, the neuronal circuitries underlying the reflex responses remain unclear due to the problem of determining the exact reflex latencies. We present a novel “cumulated average method” to determine the reflex latency during high rate stimulation of the nervous system which was proven to be significantly more accurate than the classical method. The classical method, cumulant density analysis, reveals the relationship between the two synchronously recorded signals as a function of the lag between the signals. The comparison of new method with the classical technique and their relative accuracy was tested using a computer simulation. In the simulated signals the EMG response latency was constructed to be exactly 40 ms. The new method accurately indicated the value of the simulated reflex latency (40 ms). However, the classical method showed that the lag time between the simulated triggers and the simulated signals was 49 ms. Simulation results illustrated that the cumulated average method is a reliable and more accurate method compared with the classical method. We therefore suggest that the new cumulated average method is able to determine the high rate stimulation induced reflex latencies more accurately than the classical method.
Calibration of Mg/Ca thermometry in planktonic foraminifera from a sediment trap time series

[1] Paired Mg/Ca and δ18O measurements on planktonic foraminiferal species (G. ruber white, G. ruber pink, G. sacculifer, G. conglobatus, G. aequilateralis, O. universa, N. dutertrei, P. obliquiloculata, G. inflata, G. truncatulinoides, G. hirsuta, and G. crassaformis) from a 6-year sediment trap time series in the Sargasso Sea were used to define the sensitivity of foraminiferal Mg/Ca to calcification temperature. Habitat depths and calcification temperatures were estimated from comparison of δ18O of foraminifera with equilibrium calcite, based on historical temperature and salinity data. When considered together, Mg/Ca (mmol/mol) of all species, except two, show a significant (r = 0.93) relationship with temperature (T °C) of the form Mg/Ca = 0.38 (±0.02) exp 0.090 (±0.003)T, equivalent to a 9.0 ± 0.3% change in Mg/Ca for a 1°C change in temperature. Small differences exist in calibrations between species and between different size fractions of the same species. O. universa and G. aequilateralis have higher Mg/Ca than other species, and in general, data can be best described with the same temperature sensitivity for all species and pre-exponential constants in the sequence O. universa > G. aequilateralis ≈ G. bulloides > G. ruber ≈ G. sacculifer ≈ other species. This approach gives an accuracy of ±1.2°C in the estimation of calcification temperature. The ∼9% sensitivity to temperature is similar to published studies from culture and core top calibrations, but differences exist from some literature values of pre-exponential constants. Different cleaning methodologies and artefacts of core top dissolution are probably implicated, and perhaps environmental factors yet understood. Planktonic foraminiferal Mg/Ca temperature estimates can be used for reconstructing surface temperatures and mixed and thermocline temperatures (using G. ruber pink, G. ruber white, G. sacculifer, N. dutertrei, P. obliquiloculata, etc.). The existence of a single Mg thermometry equation is valuable for extinct species, although use of species-specific equations will, where statistically significant, provide more accurate evaluation of Mg/Ca paleotemperature.
A prospective observational study on different poisoning cases and their outcomes in a tertiary care hospital

Objectives: Poisonings and snake bites constitute major health-care problems worldwide. This observational study was conducted to identify factors associated with outcomes in such cases and to suggest strategies to improve them. Methods: This is a prospective study conducted in the emergency medicine department of a tertiary care hospital. The study included 102 poisoning and 64 snake bite cases. Data regarding demographics, mode of poisoning, lag time in treatment, first aid, outside and indoor treatment, co-morbid illness, duration of hospitalisation and final outcome were collected in a prestructured proforma. Results: The age of the patients ranged from 11 to 68 years and incidence was more common among males (69.9%) compared to females (30.1%). The major types of poisonings included organophosphorus compounds (16.3%), aluminium phosphide (12%), drug overdose (10.8%) and corrosives (6%). There were 18 (18.6%) and 1 (1.6%) deaths in poisoning and snake bite cases, respectively. In poisoning cases, the duration of hospitalisation was significantly decreased if patient received outside treatment (p = 0.02) and if he or she had lesser lag time in reaching the hospital (p = 0.009). Conclusions: Measures to reduce lag time and provide immediate treatment at initial encounter may be effective in reducing duration of hospitalisation and possibly mortality in poisoning and snake bite cases.
Impact of Changes in Catheter Management on Infectious Complications Among Children With Central Venous Catheters

Abstract Objectives: To characterize and enumerate central venous catheter (CVC)-related complications among children with chronic illnesses, and to reduce the complication rate through changes in CVC management and education. Design: A prospective obser vational study followed by an educational program and a nonrandomized inter ventional trial. Setting: The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, a tertiary, pediatric facility. Patients: 268 children with Broviac, Hickman, or Infusaport catheters in place during 58,290 catheter days. Interventions: Development and implementation of protocols for cleaning insertion site and hub, use of nonocclusive dressings, and manipulation of access; formal staff and parental education about protocols. Results: CVC-related infections fell from 4.58/1,000 catheter-days preinter vention to 3.83 postintervention (risk ratio [RR], 0.20; 95% confidence interval [CI95], 0.89-1.622; P=.25); exit-site infections fell from 0.58 to 0.11 (CI95, 1.22-45.64; P=.02); rates among infants on the surgical service fell from 15.46 to 6.67 (RR, 2.31; CI95, 1.10-4.30; P=.02). Conclusions: Education and changes in management protocols reduced the incidence of exit-site infections among all patients and reduced the overall infectious complication rate among the infants receiving parenteral nutrition on the surgical ser vice. Other interventions are needed to decrease further the infectious complications in these children
Uniform female-biased sex ratios in alpine willows.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY The development of biased sex ratios in dioecious plant species has been ascribed to either (1) factors influencing differential adult mortality of male and female plants or (2) factors acting at an early life stage that determine seed sex ratio or seedling survival. METHODS To discriminate between these two competing hypotheses, we surveyed sex and age of 379 individuals from five species of the genus Salix across 11 alpine valleys in the southwest Yukon. KEY RESULTS We observed uniformly female-biased sex ratios of approximately 2:1 across all adult age cohorts and patch sizes of the five willow species. No spatial variation in sex ratio occurred that could be associated with site-specific characteristics such as elevation or aspect. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that the female-biased sex ratios in the alpine willow species investigated in this study are not a consequence of ecological processes acting on established adult plants. The sex ratio is instead determined at an early life stage by a mechanism that remains unknown.
MicroRNA profiling of mouse liver in response to DENV-1 infection by deep sequencing

Background Dengue caused by dengue virus (DENV) serotypes -1 to -4 is the most important mosquito-borne viral disease in the tropical and sub-tropical countries worldwide. Yet many of the pathophysiological mechanisms of host responses during DENV infection remain largely unknown and incompletely understood. Methods Using a mouse model, the miRNA expressions in liver during DENV-1 infection was investigated using high throughput miRNA sequencing. The differential expressions of miRNAs were then validated by qPCR, followed by target genes prediction. The identified miRNA targets were subjected to gene ontology (GO) annotation and pathway enrichment analysis to elucidate the potential biological pathways and molecular mechanisms associated with DENV-1 infection. Results A total of 224 and 372 miRNAs out of 433 known mouse miRNAs were detected in the livers of DENV-1-infected and uninfected mice, respectively; of these, 207 miRNAs were present in both libraries. The miR-148a-3p and miR-122-5p were the two most abundant miRNAs in both groups. Thirty-one miRNAs were found to have at least 2-fold change in upregulation or downregulation, in which seven miRNAs were upregulated and 24 miRNAs were downregulated in the DENV-1-infected mouse livers. The miR-1a-3p was found to be the most downregulated miRNA in the DENV-1-infected mouse livers, with a significant fold change of 0.10. To validate the miRNA sequencing result, the expression pattern of 12 miRNAs, which were highly differentially expressed or most abundant, were assessed by qPCR and nine of them correlated positively with the one observed in deep sequencing. In silico functional analysis revealed that the adaptive immune responses involving TGF-beta, MAPK, PI3K-Akt, Rap1, Wnt and Ras signalling pathways were modulated collectively by 23 highly differentially expressed miRNAs during DENV-1 infection. Conclusion This study provides the first insight into the global miRNA expressions of mouse livers in response to DENV-1 infection in vivo and the possible roles of miRNAs in modulating the adaptive immune responses during DENV-1 infection.
The Endophytic Symbiont—Pseudomonas aeruginosa Stimulates the Antioxidant Activity and Growth of Achyranthes aspera L.

A plant growth promoting bacterial endophyte designated as AL2-14B isolated from the leaves of Achyranthes aspera L. was identified as Pseudomonas aeruginosa based on its phenotypic and physiological features, and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. AL2-14B had plant growth stimulating attributes including siderophore and indole acetic acid release, inorganic phosphate solubilization, along with nitrogenase, ammonification, and protease activities. It also exhibited antifungal property against Rhizoctonia solani. The plantlets grown in germ-free condition were inoculated with AL2-14B and studied for the colonization of endophyte. Significant increase in population of AL2-14B between 3rd and 5th days after inoculation was recorded. The treatment of plants with endophytic P. aeruginosa AL2-14B increased nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium (NPK) contents in plant by 3.8, 12.59, and 19.15%, respectively. Significant enhancement of shoot and root length, dry leaf, dry shoot and dry root weight, and leaf surface area as compared to control (P < 0.05) was recorded in AL2-14B inoculated plants. The antioxidant activities increased in plants grown in germ-free conditions and inoculated with AL2-14B. The present study emphasizes on the role of diazotrophic endophyte P. aeruginosa AL2-14B in stimulating growth of A. aspera L. and improvement of its medicinal properties. Significant increase in growth and antioxidant content of P. aeruginosa AL2-14B treated plants suggests the possibility of an economical and eco-friendly mean of achieving antioxidants rich, healthier A. aspera plants.
Use of porous tantalum metaphyseal cones for severe tibial bone loss during revision total knee replacement.

BACKGROUND The best treatment method for large tibial bone defects during revision knee replacement has not been established. The purpose of this study was to determine the initial results obtained with a unique reconstructive implant, the porous tantalum metaphyseal cone, designed as an alternative treatment for severe tibial bone loss following total knee arthroplasty. METHODS Porous tantalum metaphyseal cones were implanted during fifteen revision total knee replacements in eight women and seven men who had an average age of 68.1 years at the time of the procedure. The patients had had an average of 3.5 prior total knee replacements. According to the Anderson Orthopaedic Research Institute bone defect classification, eight knees had a Type-3 defect and seven knees had a Type-2B bone defect. All patients were followed clinically and radiographically. RESULTS The patients were followed for an average of thirty-four months (range, twenty-four to forty-seven months). Overall, the average Knee Society clinical scores improved from 52 points preoperatively to 85 points at the time of the final follow-up. At the final follow-up evaluation, all fifteen porous metaphyseal cones showed evidence of osseointegration with reactive osseous trabeculation at points of contact with the tibia. There was no evidence of loosening or migration of any of these tibial reconstructions at the time of final follow-up. CONCLUSIONS At the time of short-term follow-up, the porous tantalum metaphyseal tibial cones effectively provided structural support for the tibial implants in this series. The potential for long-term biologic fixation may provide durability for these tibial reconstructions. Long-term follow-up and comparison with alternative reconstructive techniques will be required to evaluate the true effectiveness of this treatment approach.
Treatment of follicular lymphoma: current status

With the recent proliferation of treatment options for patients with follicular lymphoma (FL), median survival has been shown to have improved, from 84 months between 1983 and 1989 to 93 months between 1993 and 1999. Nevertheless, relapse is common in this patient group, and treatment options that extend the duration of remission without increased toxicity are still required. Rituximab has made a major contribution to the treatment of patients with FL, improving outcomes and making new treatment schedules possible. It is now a standard practice to administer rituximab with first-line combination chemotherapy in patients with FL. In addition, a number of current trials are examining the potential role of rituximab maintenance therapy in improving outcomes in FL. However, at present it is not clear which schedules or combinations are the most effective, and further randomised controlled trials of treatment strategies incorporating rituximab are needed to provide the evidence that will allow clinicians to maximise the potential of this drug. Second-line options for the treatment of FL include allogeneic stem cell transplantation, radioimmunotherapy targeted to CD20 and, in selected patients, autologous stem cell transplantation. New treatment approaches for FL currently being investigated in the second-line setting include the proteasome inhibitor, bortezomib and novel anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies.
Measuring Risk Literacy: The Berlin Numeracy Test

We introduce the Berlin Numeracy Test, a new psychometrically sound instrument that quickly assesses statistical numeracy and risk literacy. We present 21 studies (n=5336) showing robust psychometric discriminability across 15 countries (e.g., Germany, Pakistan, Japan, USA) and diverse samples (e.g., medical professionals, general populations, Mechanical Turk web panels). Analyses demonstrate desirable patterns of convergent validity (e.g., numeracy, general cognitive abilities), discriminant validity (e.g., personality, motivation), and criterion validity (e.g., numerical and non-numerical questions about risk). The Berlin Numeracy Test was found to be the strongest predictor of comprehension of everyday risks (e.g., evaluating claims about products and treatments; interpreting forecasts), doubling the predictive power of other numeracy instruments and accounting for unique variance beyond other cognitive tests (e.g., cognitive reflection, working memory, intelligence). The Berlin Numeracy Test typically takes about three minutes to complete and is available in multiple languages and formats, including a computer adaptive test that automatically scores and reports data to researchers (http://www.riskliteracy.org). The online forum also provides interactive content for public outreach and education, and offers a recommendation system for test format selection. Discussion centers on construct validity of numeracy for risk literacy, underlying cognitive mechanisms, and applications in adaptive decision support.