Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Is deltoid muscle biopsy useful in isolated camptocormia? A prospective study

Camptocormia is a marked anterior curvature of the thoracolumbar spine that may be caused by parkinsonism, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), myasthenia gravis (MG) and muscle disease. The interest of a systematic muscle biopsy has not been evaluated until now. In our study, the aim was to prospectively evaluate the proportion of patients with isolated camptocormia without ALS, MG and parkinsonism who have an underlying myopathy.
Cervical Screening within HIV Care: Findings from an HIV-Positive Cohort in Ukraine

Introduction HIV-positive women have an increased risk of invasive cervical cancer but cytologic screening is effective in reducing incidence. Little is known about cervical screening coverage or the prevalence of abnormal cytology among HIV-positive women in Ukraine, which has the most severe HIV epidemic in Europe. Methods Poisson regression models were fitted to data from 1120 women enrolled at three sites of the Ukraine Cohort Study of HIV-infected Childbearing Women to investigate factors associated with receiving cervical screening as part of HIV care. All women had been diagnosed as HIV-positive before or during their most recent pregnancy. Prevalence of cervical abnormalities (high/low grade squamous intraepithelial lesions) among women who had been screened was estimated, and associated factors explored. Results Overall, 30% (337/1120) of women had received a cervical screening test as part of HIV care at study enrolment (median 10 months postpartum), a third (115/334) of whom had been tested >12 months previously. In adjusted analyses, women diagnosed as HIV-positive during (vs before) their most recent pregnancy were significantly less likely to have a screening test reported, on adjusting for other potential risk factors (adjusted prevalence ratio (APR) 0.62, 95% CI 0.51–0.75 p<0.01 for 1st/2nd trimester diagnosis and APR 0.42, 95% CI 0.28–0.63 p<0.01 for 3rd trimester/intrapartum diagnosis). Among those with a cervical screening result reported at any time (including follow-up), 21% (68/325) had a finding of cervical abnormality. In adjusted analyses, Herpes simplex virus 2 seropositivity and a recent diagnosis of bacterial vaginosis were associated with an increased risk of abnormal cervical cytology (APR 1.83 95% CI 1.07–3.11 and APR 3.49 95% CI 2.11–5.76 respectively). Conclusions In this high risk population, cervical screening coverage as part of HIV care was low and could be improved by an organised cervical screening programme for HIV-positive women. Bacterial vaginosis testing and treatment may reduce vulnerability to cervical abnormalities.
Palaeoenvironmental Shifts Drove the Adaptive Radiation of a Noctuid Stemborer Tribe (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Apameini) in the Miocene

Between the late Oligocene and the early Miocene, climatic changes have shattered the faunal and floral communities and drove the apparition of new ecological niches. Grassland biomes began to supplant forestlands, thus favouring a large-scale ecosystem turnover. The independent adaptive radiations of several mammal lineages through the evolution of key innovations are classic examples of these changes. However, little is known concerning the evolutionary history of other herbivorous groups in relation with this modified environment. It is especially the case in phytophagous insect communities, which have been rarely studied in this context despite their ecological importance. Here, we investigate the phylogenetic and evolutionary patterns of grass-specialist moths from the species-rich tribe Apameini (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae). The molecular dating analyses carried out over the corresponding phylogenetic framework reveal an origin around 29 million years ago for the Apameini. Ancestral state reconstructions indicate (i) a potential Palaearctic origin of the tribe Apameini associated with a major dispersal event in Afrotropics for the subtribe Sesamiina; (ii) a recent colonization from Palaearctic of the New World and Oriental regions by several independent lineages; and (iii) an ancestral association of the tribe Apameini over grasses (Poaceae). Diversification analyses indicate that diversification rates have not remained constant during the evolution of the group, as underlined by a significant shift in diversification rates during the early Miocene. Interestingly, this age estimate is congruent with the development of grasslands at this time. Rather than clade ages, variations in diversification rates among genera better explain the current differences in species diversity. Our results underpin a potential adaptive radiation of these phytophagous moths with the family Poaceae in relation with the major environmental shifts that have occurred in the Miocene.
Effects of water exchange and abiotic factors on zooplankton and epibenthic fauna in shrimp ponds

Assemblages of zooplankton and epibenthic invertebrates were collected from a commercial Penaeus monodon (Fabricius) pond at fortnightly intervals over an entire grow-out season. The pond inlet and outlet water were also sampled intensively over three 1-week periods throughout the season. Before stocking the ponds with shrimp postlarvae, copepods dominated the zooplankton. Immediately after the ponds were stocked, there was a rapid decline in zooplankton numbers, particularly the dominant larger copepods, suggesting heavy predation by shrimp postlarvae. For the rest of the season, barnacle nauplii were the dominant zooplankton component in the pond. Pond water exchanges had little detectable influence on the composition or density of the zooplankton assemblage. Instead, the dominance of barnacle nauplii appeared to have been maintained by steady recruitment due to barnacle reproduction in the pond. While changes in the biomass of pond zooplankton were not correlated with physico-chemical characteristics, changes in density were positively correlated with temperature, and negatively correlated with pH, dissolved oxygen and secchi disc readings. Epibenthic faunal density peaked at the end of the season, while the biomass peaked during the middle part of the season. Sergestids (Acetes sibogae Hansen) were the most abundant epibenthic taxa. No correlations were found between physico-chemical parameters and epibenthic fauna biomass or density. Abundances of epibenthic fauna were not related to zooplankton densities, suggesting that trophic interactions between these assemblages is not important. No Acetes were captured in samples of outlet water, and only on a single occasion were large numbers captured in the inlet water; after this, there was a notable increase in the number of Acetes in the pond. This evidence, together with the lack of an increase in the size of Acetes during the season, suggests that water exchange is an important but unpredictable source of recruitment of epibenthic fauna into the pond. The results emphasize the benefits of ensuring that appropriate zooplankton assemblages have been introduced into the ponds, when they are filled, to support the shrimp immediately after stocking. This will depend on the initial inoculum and may be difficult to manipulate with water exchanges once established. Assemblages of epibenthic fauna appear more likely to change with exchanges and may need to be monitored across the season, particularly if their presence reduces production through adverse impacts such as competition with postlarvae, introduction of disease or deteriorated water quality.
Breast cancer identification: KDD CUP winner's report

We describe the ideas and methodologies that we developed in addressing the KDD Cup 2008 on early breast cancer detection, and discuss how they contributed to our success. The most important components of our solution were 1) the identification of predictive information in the patient identifier, 2) a linear SVM on the 117 provided features, and 3) a heuristic post-processing approach to optimize the evaluation criteria.
No difference in lifestyle changes by adding individual counselling to group-based rehabilitation RCT among coronary heart disease patients

Aims: First, to examine whether autonomy-supportive and self-efficacy-enhancing individual lifestyle counselling was associated with improved maintenance of heart-protective diets and smoking cessation compared with group-based counselling. Second, to investigate to what extent reported motivation was associated with maintenance of dietary changes. Methods: A randomized controlled trial and longitudinal study of predictor variables in a four-week heart rehabilitation setting with two years follow-up. A total of 176 (38 female) patients were included, mainly with coronary heart disease. The main outcome measures were dietary changes and smoking cessation. Motivational factors were tested for predictive power in the three dietary outcomes: daily intake of fruit and vegetables, a low saturated fat diet, and weekly intake of fish dinners. Results: No clinically significant difference in improvement of dietary maintenance was found between the two groups. The between-group difference in smoking status change was statistically insignificant (p=0.12). Both groups showed an improvement in their dietary measures. Self-efficacy predicted an increased frequency of eating fish dinners (p=0.001) and more daily units of fruit and vegetables (p<0.001). Autonomous motivation had a marginal association with increased intake of fruits and vegetables (p=0.08) and was significantly associated with a lower saturated fat diet (p=0.001). Conclusions: Among this highly motivated group of rehabilitation patients, no effect was found of adding autonomy-supportive, individual counselling to group-based interventions. Based on longitudinal documentation, this cardiac rehabilitation programme improves long-term maintenance of dietary changes, and this maintenance is related to autonomous motivation and self-efficacy.
Regression and Sentinel Lymph Node Status in Melanoma Progression

Background The purpose of this study was to assess the role of regression and other clinical and histological features for the prognosis and the progression of cutaneous melanoma. Material/Methods Between 2005 and 2016, 403 patients with melanoma were treated and followed at our Department of Dermatology. Of the 403 patients, 173 patients had cutaneous melanoma and underwent sentinel lymph node (SLN) biopsy and thus were included in this study. Results Histological regression was found in 37 cases of melanoma (21.3%). It was significantly associated with marked and moderate tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) and with negative SLN. Progression of the disease occurred in 42 patients (24.2%). On multivariate analysis, we found that a positive lymph node and a Breslow index higher than 2 mm were independent variables associated with disease free survival (DFS). These variables together with a mild TIL were significantly correlated with overall survival (OS). The presence of regression was not associated with DFS or OS. Conclusions We could not demonstrate an association between regression and the outcome of patients with cutaneous melanoma. Tumor thickness greater than 2 mm and a positive SLN were associated with recurrence. Survival was influenced by a Breslow thickness >2 mm, the presence of a mild TIL and a positive SLN status.
Association between UGT2B7 gene polymorphisms and fentanyl sensitivity in patients undergoing painful orthognathic surgery

Background Fentanyl is often used instead of morphine for the treatment of pain because it has fewer side effects. The metabolism of morphine by glucuronidation is known to be influenced by polymorphisms of the UGT2B7 gene. Some metabolic products of fentanyl are reportedly metabolized by glucuronate conjugation. The genes that are involved in the metabolic pathway of fentanyl may also influence fentanyl sensitivity. We analyzed associations between fentanyl sensitivity and polymorphisms of the UGT2B7 gene to clarify the hereditary determinants of individual differences in fentanyl sensitivity. Results This study examined whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the UGT2B7 gene affect cold pain sensitivity and the analgesic effects of fentanyl, evaluated by a standardized pain test and fentanyl requirements in healthy Japanese subjects who underwent uniform surgical procedures. The rs7439366 SNP of UGT2B7 is reportedly associated with the metabolism and analgesic effects of morphine. We found that this SNP is also associated with the analgesic effects of fentanyl in the cold pressor-induced pain test. It suggested that the C allele of the rs7439366 SNP may enhance analgesic efficacy. Two SNPs of UGT2B7, rs4587017 and rs1002849, were also found to be novel SNPs that may influence the analgesic effects of fentanyl in the cold pressor-induced pain test. Conclusions Fentanyl sensitivity for cold pressor-induced pain was associated with the rs7439366, rs4587017, and rs1002849 SNPs of the UGT2B7 gene. Our findings may provide valuable information for achieving satisfactory pain control and open to new avenues for personalized pain treatment.
Utilization of sugarcane BagAsse ash for stabilization/solidification of lead-contaminated soils

Recently, many researchers are interested in using agricultural waste as an additive to remediate the contaminated soils. In this study, the effectiveness of sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) as the substitution binder to Ordinary Portlant Cement (OPC) content in Stabilization/Solidification (S/S) method was investigated through the physical and chemical characteristics namely the Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) and Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP). Synthetic contaminated soil was prepared in bulk by mixing soil samples with lead nitrate to achieve the concentration of 500 ppm. The OPC and SCBA varying from 5 % to 20 % were added to stabilize and solidify the contaminated soils. The cylindrical specimens (D = 38 mm, H = 76 mm), was compacted in five layers with 50 blows each. A further 3, 7, 14 and 28 days were allowed for curing in the temperature 25±2 ◦C and humidity > 80%. Results indicate that all samples containing OPC and SCBA satisfy the US EPA strength requirement of 0.35 MPa for S/S sample. The TCLP testing shows that sample containing OPC with SCBA has been successful treated which produced the leachability below US EPA limit for lead of 5 mg/L. In conclusion, the use of SCBA as part of replacement of OPC has been successful in increasing the strength and reducing the leachability compared to untreated sample.
Analysis of the Effect of Loading Process on Tribological System Properties

KUČERA MARIAN, MAJDAN RADOSLAV, ABRAHÁM RUDOLF, KUČERA MARIÁN, HAAS PETER. 2016. Analysis of the Eff ect of Loading Process on Tribological System Properties. Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis, 64(3): 825–833. The eff ect of loading on the properties of selected sliding pair is monitored and analysed in the submitted contribution. The obtained results of dynamic loading were also compared with static loading. The experimental tests were performed using the testing machine Tribotestor M10. Steel 11 600 was selected as a material sample for the sha as it belongs to commonly used materials in the manufacturing of agricultural components of sha type or pin type. A full-bronze centrifugally moulded bearing shell from the material CuSn12 was selected as the second element of friction pair. Two oils were selected for lubrication of friction node – the mineral gear oil Madit PP80 and ecological oil Plantohyd 46 S. The selected friction pairs were tested in three loading regimes according to the methodology (two dynamic processes and one static process). 60 tribological tests were performed, i.e. 10 for each type of loading and lubrication. The weight losses of the friction pair elements were part of the tracked and analysed parameters. The polluted oil was examined using the ferrographic analysis to verify the weight losses. The abrasion particles of friction pair and their contribution to oil pollution were also analysed. Following the performed experiments diff erent eff ects of loading regimes may be concluded, essentially in terms of wear size and the number and size of wear particles as well. The obtained results confi rmed that the power spectral density of generated signal is probably an important criterion for assessment in terms of simulated random dynamic load in given experiment. In terms of technical application in loading processes – power spectral density is actually the amount of energy supplied to the process.
Language disturbances associated to insular and entorhinal damage: study of a patient affected by herpetic encephalitis

The herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) patient reported in this study presented a left hemisphere lesion limited to the left insula and to the left anterior parahippocampal region. The patient was followed longitudinally, focusing on the aphasia type, the language recovery, and the integrity of semantic representations. The language deficit was of fluent type, without phonological impairment, and showed a good but incomplete recovery after four months. A semantic impairment was possible at the onset, but recovered quickly and did not present a disproportionate impairment of living categories.
jmbReview Effect of Exogenous Proline on Metabolic Response of Tetragenococcus halophilus under Salt Stress

Tetragenococcus halophilus, a moderately halophilic grampositive lactic acid bacteria, is able to survive in hyperosmotic environments. This halophilic bacterium was reported to be mainly isolated from soy sauce [1-3], a well-known condiment in Southeast Asia, Japan, and China. As expected, addition of T. halophilus as a starter culture could promote formation of the desired odor and improve the flavor of soy sauce [4, 5]. Additionally, T. halophilus contributes to the formation of aroma in fish sauce by production of numerous amino acids and volatile compounds [6]. In many industrial processes, however, T. halophilus frequently suffered from hostile environmental conditions. Among these challenges, salt stress is one of the unavoidable constraints, which affects the metabolic activity and the survival of T. halophilus since it causes dehydration of the cells. In response to salt stress, cells have evolved a variety of adaptation mechanisms, including modification of cellular membrane fatty acids, changing of the corresponding gene expression, and upregulation of stress response proteins to withdraw the potentially lethal damage [7-9]. Additionally, halophilic microorganisms generally take up or synthesize various compatible solutes to cope with hyperosmotic stress [10, 11]. Compatible solutes are low-molecular-weight compounds that can be largely accumulated under hyperosmotic stress but do not interfere with cellular central metabolism. Proline, an important compatible solute, is accumulated in many bacterial and plant cells in response to osmotic stress [12, 13], and exogenous addition of proline could improve the cell growth and fermentation production under osmotic stress [14, 15]. Moreover, proline also plays a pivotal role in resistance to other environmental stresses. For example, a proline-accumulating strain was found to be more tolerant to freezing stress than the wild-type strain [16]. Received: February 23, 2017 Revised: June 20, 2017 Accepted: June 23, 2017
Grounding sound change in ideal observer models of perception

An important predictor of historical sound change, functional load, fails to capture insights from speech perception. Building on ideal observer models of word recognition, we devise a new definition of functional load that incorporates both a priori predictability and perceptual information. We explore this new measure with a simple model and find that it outperforms traditional measures.
An Idiographic Analysis of Amotivation in Compulsory School Physical Education

The purpose of this study was to provide an in-depth account of amotivation in compulsory school physical education by examining its major causes, the way it is displayed, and how it can be tackled. From an initial participant pool of 390 British schoolchildren ages 14 to 15 years, 21 of them (15 girls and 6 boys) were selected to participate in semi-structured interviews. They were categorized as being amotivated based on their responses to a questionnaire measuring motivation in physical education. Three main perceived causes of amotivation were identified in the interviews: learned helplessness beliefs, low need satisfaction, and contextual factors. Amotivation was mainly displayed by nonattendance, low involvement in the class, and low intention to be physically active after leaving school. Students’ suggestions for reducing amotivation focused on the enhancement of positive affect, need satisfaction, and structural/organizational changes. The findings are discussed in conjunction with contemporary motivation theories and models of amotivation.
A novel and rapid method of determining the effect of unclassified MLH1 genetic variants on differential allelic expression.

Germline mutations in mismatch repair genes predispose patients to Lynch Syndrome and the majority of these mutations have been detected in two key genes, MLH1 and MSH2. In particular, about a third of the missense variants identified in MLH1 are of unknown clinical significance. Using the PeakPicker software program, we have conducted a proof-of-principle study to investigate whether missense variants in MLH1 lead to allelic imbalances. Lymphocyte RNA extracted from patients harboring known MLH1 variants was used to quantify the ratio of variant to wild-type transcript, while patient lymphocyte DNA was used to establish baseline allelic expression levels. Our analysis indicated that the missense variants c.350C>T, c.793C>T, and c. 1852_1853AA>GC, as well as the truncating variant c.1528C>T were all associated with significantly unbalanced allelic expression. However, the variants c.55A>T and c.2246T>C did not demonstrate an allelic imbalance. These results illustrate a novel and efficient method to investigate the pathogenicity of unclassified genetic variants discovered in mismatch repair genes, as well as genes implicated in other inherited diseases. In addition, the PeakPicker methodology has the potential to be applied in the diagnostic setting, which, in conjunction with results from other assays, will help increase both the accuracy and efficiency of genetic testing of colorectal cancer, as well as other inherited diseases.