Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes in Impact Signals and Muscle Activity in Response to Different Shoe and Landing Conditions

Abstract Few rigorous scientific studies have investigated how the corresponding neuromuscular activity in the lower extremity occurs during different landing control movements in response to different impact signals. This study aimed to determine the potential shoe effects on impact signals, neuromuscular responses and their possible interactions in different human landing movements. Twelve male basketball players were required to wear high-cushioned basketball shoes (BS) and minimally cushioned control shoes (CC) to perform active drop jump landings (DJL) and passive landings (PL). Ground reaction forces and EMG amplitude (root mean square, EMGRMS) of the leg muscles within 50 ms before and after the landing movements were collected simultaneously. No shoe effect was found on the characteristics of impact signals and neuromuscular activity during the contact phase of DJL. By contrast, for PL, the values of maximal ground reaction force and the peak loading rate were evidently lower in the BS condition than in the CC condition (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the EMGRMS of all muscles demonstrated a significant decrease in the BS condition compared with the CC condition within 50 ms after contact (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that under the condition in which related muscles are activated improperly, a neuromuscular adaptation occurs in response to different impact signals.
Performance Analysis of Dual-Hop AF Relaying Systems over Mixed $\eta{-}\mu$ and $\kappa{-} \mu$ Fading Channels

This paper investigates the end-to-end performance of a dual-hop amplify-and-forward (AF) relaying communication system where the source-to-relay and the relay-to-destination channels are subject to different fading conditions. The relay is assumed to either possess perfect channel state information (CSI) or have a fixed gain. We consider the case where the one hop's channel is subject to η - μ fading, whereas the other hop's channel is subject to κ- μ fading. This mixed fading propagation channel is capable of accurately modeling various practical dual-hop transmissions. Examples of such environments are encountered in micro-/macrocellular systems and/or hybrid satellite/terrestrial wireless communication systems, where typically, only the one hop's channel has a line-of-sight (LOS) component. For both CSI-assisted and fixed-gain relaying and for integer-valued fading parameters, exact analytical expressions in the form of rapidly convergent infinite series for the outage probability (OP) and average bit error probability (ABEP) of several modulation schemes are derived. Moreover, for CSI-assisted relaying and arbitrary-valued fading parameters, closed-form lower bounds [tight for high values of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR)] for the OP and ABEP performance are obtained. The analysis is also substantiated by obtaining previously published equivalent performance expressions as special cases of our generic fading models, namely, those available for Nakagami- m and Rice fading channels. In addition, the derived analytical expressions have been numerically evaluated, and the performance evaluation results have been further validated by comparing them with equivalent results that have been obtained by means of Monte Carlo computer simulations.
Animal Models of Cystic Fibrosis Pathology: Phenotypic Parallels and Divergences

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene. The resultant characteristic ion transport defect results in decreased mucociliary clearance, bacterial colonisation, and chronic neutrophil-dominated inflammation. Much knowledge surrounding the pathophysiology of the disease has been gained through the generation of animal models, despite inherent limitations in each. The failure of certain mouse models to recapitulate the phenotypic manifestations of human disease has initiated the generation of larger animals in which to study CF, including the pig and the ferret. This review will summarise the basic phenotypes of three animal models and describe the contributions of such animal studies to our current understanding of CF.
Organizational Factors Affecting the Likelihood of Cancer Screening Among VA Patients

Background:Preventive service delivery, including cancer screenings, continues to pose a challenge to quality improvement efforts. Although many studies have focused on person-level characteristics associated with screening, less is known about organizational influences on cancer screening. Objectives:This study aims to understand the association between organizational factors and adherence to cancer screenings. Methods:This study employed a cross-sectional design using organizational-level, patient-level, and area-level data. Dependent variables included breast, cervical, and colorectal cancer screening. Organizational factors describing resource sufficiency were constructed using factor analyses from a survey of 250 Veterans Affairs primary care directors. We conducted random-effects logistic regression analyses, modeling cancer screening as a function of organizational factors, controlling for patient-level and area-level factors. Results:Overall, 87% of the patients received mammograms, 92% received cervical and 78% had colorectal screening. Quality improvement orientation increased the odds of cervical [odds ratio (OR): 1.27; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.03–1.57] and colorectal cancer screening (OR: 1.10; 95% CI, 1.00–1.20). Authority in determining primary care components increased the odds of mammography screening (OR: 1.23; 95% CI, 1.03–1.51). Sufficiency in clinical staffing increased the odds of mammography and cervical cancer screenings. Several patient-level factors, serving as control variables, were associated with achievement of screenings. Conclusions:Resource sufficiency led to increased odds of screening possibly because they promote excellence in patient care by conveying organizational goals and facilitate goal achievement with resources. Complementary to patient-level factors, our findings identified organizational processes associated with better performance, which offer concrete strategies in which facilities can evaluate their capabilities to implement best practices to foster and sustain a culture of quality care.
Hepatoprotective effect of endogenous nitric oxide during ischemia‐reperfusion in the rat

The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective or deleterious effects of endogenous nitric oxide (NO) on liver cells during hepatic ischemia‐reperfusion (IR) in the rat. Injury to hepatocytes and endothelial cells was evaluated by determining cytolysis‐marker activity in plasma (alanine transaminase [ALT]; aspartate transaminase [AST]) and plasma hyaluronic acid (HA) concentration. Clamping the hepatic pedicle for 45 minutes caused a significant increase in plasma AST and ALT activity after 30 minutes of reperfusion, which reached a maximum (+270% and +740%, respectively) after 6 hours of reperfusion. Plasma HA concentration was significantly higher (+130%) only after 6 hours of reperfusion. Administration of a nonselective NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor, Nω‐nitro‐L ‐arginine (L ‐NNA; 10 mg/kg iv), 30 minutes before IR, caused marked aggravation of postischemic liver injury, as shown by plasma ALT and AST activity and HA concentration. This deleterious effect was partially prevented by the simultaneous injection of L ‐arginine, the endogenous NO precursor (100 mg/kg iv). Interestingly, L ‐arginine alone limited postischemic damage (AST, −25%; ALT, −45%; HA, −21% vs. untreated IR rats at 6 hours reperfusion). Pretreatment with the Guanosine 3′:5′‐cyclic monophosphate‐independent vasodilator, prazosin, partially reversed L ‐NNA effects, but it did not protect untreated IR animals. Pretreatment with aminoguanidine, a selective inhibitor of inducible NOS, did not aggravate hepatic IR injury. Thus, endogenous NO, probably produced by an early and transient activation of a constitutive NOS, protects both hepatocytes and endothelial cells against liver ischemia–reperfusion injury, and this effect is not entirely a result of vasorelaxation.
Compared to Whom?: Inequality, Social Comparison, and Happiness in the United States

We contribute to the literature on positional goods and subjective well-being by providing new evidence on the following questions: Is the effect of income on subjective well-being mainly relative or absolute? Does the intensity of social comparison condition the effect of income on well-being? Does the reference group for comparison condition this effect? We present results from the Social Status, Consumption, and Happiness Survey, a national survey of Americans conducted in 2012. The findings suggest that the more highly individuals rate their income relative to others, the happier they are; that individuals who find it important to compare their income to that of others are less happy; and that the reference group that is salient for comparison conditions the association between income and well-being. We situate these findings in the literatures on the dynamics of inequality, social comparison, and well-being.
Drawing on Memory: Exploring the Expertise of a Police Artist

The use by the police of artists to draw likenesses of suspects is on the increase, yet there are few studies of their professional prowess. In the current study, art students observed one of six target faces before either drawing a likeness of the person themselves or collaborating with an experienced police artist. The likenesses produced by the police artist were judged as consistently superior to those made by the students, despite the artist working indirectly from the witnesses' verbal directions. Instructions to judge the target face in terms of likely character and personality led to better drawings than instruction to examine physical features when students worked with the artist but not when they drew on their own. These findings are discussed in terms of police practice and face processing theory.
Effects of the apolipoprotein E polymorphism on levels of lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins among Mexican-Americans in Starr County, Texas.

Genetic variability has been implicated as a significant contributor to the variation in levels of lipids, lipoproteins, and apolipoproteins (apos) through a variety of direct and indirect investigations. Among the direct investigations, apo E has been shown to be polymorphic and to explain a small but statistically significant proportion of the variability in cholesterol. The apo E polymorphism was typed in 964 randomly selected Mexican-Americans from Starr County, Tex. , and its effects determined on levels of cholesterol, triglycerides, total high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, subfractions (HDL2 and HDL3), alpha- and beta-lipoprotein cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and apos A-I, A-II, B, C-II, C-III, and E. Effects are reported for the entire sample and in each of three groups, namely, premenopausal females, postmenopausal women, and males. In the entire sample, significant effects were observed on cholesterol, beta-lipoprotein cholesterol, LDL, apo B, and apo E. There is evidence for significant physiological interaction of the apo E polymorphism effect in females by menopausal status. This is most evident for apo E levels, in which 5.9% of the variability in the entire sample is explained by the apo E polymorphism. In premenopausal females, however, the polymorphism accounts for 27.5% of the variability. In postmenopausal women and males, there is no significant effect. It is shown that the apo E polymorphism can be treated as a two-locus, two-allele system. Doing so identifies substitutions in amino acid position 158 as the mediators of most of the observed effects of this polymorphism.
Parenting a child with haemophilia while living in a non-metropolitan area

Abstract The experience of living in a non-metropolitan area and parenting a child with haemophilia is relatively unknown. Using Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA), the following study explored the experiences of seven parents, from which four themes emerged: ‘bearing the brunt of diagnosis’ captures the impact of the diagnosis; ‘if you can’t help me, who can? ’ reveals experiences with the health system; ‘tackling the challenge of treatment’ encompasses difficulties in adhering to the treatment regime; ‘I need you to understand’ reflects desires for others support and understanding. These themes should be considered when developing support systems and interventions for parents living in non-metropolitan areas.
Three-dimensional analysis and ultrastructural design of mitotic spindles from the cdc20 mutant of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The three-dimensional organization of mitotic microtubules in a mutant strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been studied by computer-assisted serial reconstruction. At the nonpermissive temperature, cdc20 cells arrested with a spindle length of approximately 2.5 microns. These spindles contained a mean of 81 microtubules (range, 56-100) compared with 23 in wild-type spindles of comparable length. This increase in spindle microtubule number resulted in a total polymer length up to four times that of wild-type spindles. The spindle pole bodies in the cdc20 cells were approximately 2.3 times the size of wild-type, thereby accommodating the abnormally large number of spindle microtubules. The cdc20 spindles contained a large number of interpolar microtubules organized in a "core bundle. " A neighbor density analysis of this bundle at the spindle midzone showed a preferred spacing of approximately 35 nm center-to-center between microtubules of opposite polarity. Although this is evidence of specific interaction between antiparallel microtubules, mutant spindles were less ordered than the spindle of wild-type cells. The number of noncore microtubules was significantly higher than that reported for wild-type, and these microtubules did not display a characteristic metaphase configuration. cdc20 spindles showed significantly more cross-bridges between spindle microtubules than were seen in the wild type. The cross-bridge density was highest between antiparallel microtubules. These data suggest that spindle microtubules are stabilized in cdc20 cells and that the CDC20 gene product may be involved in cell cycle processes that promote spindle microtubule disassembly.
Tyrosine Phosphorylation of Cortactin Is Required for H2O2-mediated Injury of Human Endothelial Cells*

Injury of endothelial cells induced by reactive oxygen species plays an important role in the development of early stages of vascular diseases such as hypertension and atherosclerosis. Exposure of human umbilical vein endothelial cells to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a common form of reaction oxygen species, triggers a series of intracellular events, including actin cytoskeletal reorganization, cytoplasm shrinkage, membrane blebbing and protein-tyrosine phosphorylation. The effect of H2O2 on endothelial cells is dramatically enhanced when a survival pathway involving extracellular signal-regulated kinase is blocked by PD098059. In contrast, the injury of endothelial cells mediated by H2O2 is inhibited by PP2, a selective specific inhibitor for protein-tyrosine kinase Src. Cortactin, a filamentous actin (F-actin)-associated protein, becomes phosphorylated at tyrosine residues upon stimulation by H2O2 in a manner dependent on the activity of Src. The level of tyrosine phosphorylation of cortactin is correlated with the formation of membrane blebs. Overexpression of wild-type cortactin tagged with green fluorescent protein in endothelial cells via a retroviral vector substantiates the H2O2-induced morphological changes, whereas overexpression of a green fluorescent protein-cortactin mutant deficient in tyrosine phosphorylation renders endothelial cells resistant to H2O2. The functional role of cortactin in H2O2-mediated shape changes was also evaluated in NIH 3T3 cells. Stable 3T3 transfectants expressing wild-type cortactin in the presence of either H2O2/PD098059 or H2O2alone at 200 μm exhibited a dramatic shape change characterized by rounding up or aggregation. However, the similar changes were not detected with cells overexpressing a cortactin mutant deficient in tyrosine phosphorylation. These data demonstrate an important role of the Src/cortactin-dependent actin reorganization in the injury of endothelial cells mediated by reactive oxygen species.
Modeling the effect of bubble plumes on high frequency acoustic propagation in shallow water

In this paper we model the effect of bubbles on high frequency acoustic propagation in shallow water under strong winds. Underwater bubble clouds provide locally significant modifications of the sound speed field. The modified sound speed field contributes to a major transmission loss to sound propagation and scattering of the signals. We adopt the bubble field model developed by Norton, et al., generate range dependent discrete bubble plumes and compute the sound speed profile of each bubble plume. We expand our previous work on modeling the effect of rough sea surface and bubble plumes, to include both β- and γ-plumes in the model. We particularly compare cases where the random distribution of β- and γ-plumes are generated differently. With a bubble perturbed sound speed field, we model the communication channel using a rough surface parabolic equation model to generate a complex pressure field at a selected set of ranges and depths. These pressure fields form the basic frequency response of the channel. Our results show that under strong winds, bubbles contribute to large transmission loss and cannot be neglected. The dominant contribution to attenuation is due to β plumes rather than γ plumes. However γ plumes cannot be ignored because their existence affects the spacing between β plumes. And the spacing between β plumes is a significant factor, which results in less attenuation compared to closely spaced β plumes.
Mortality of mice as affected by variation of the x-ray dose and number of nucleated rat bone marrow cells injected.

Transplantation of rat granulocyte precursors was demonstrated in mice that had received 710 r of x-rays (LD∼30) and injection of rat bone marrow. X-ray doses of 400–1300 r, followed by injection of rat bone marrow (140 × 106 cells), resulted in a bimodal mortality curve, with maximum (100 per cent) and minimum (22 per cent) 30-day mortality occurring at 710 and 950 r, respectively, in mice that showed positive rat bone marrow transplant. Persistence of the foreign transplant among some of the 30-day survivors of these experimental groups resulted in additional deaths beyond this period. Injection of varying amounts of rat bone marrow cells (25 × 106 to 300 × 106) into mice that had received 710, 800, or 950 r resulted in different mortalities and rates of mortality for each respective bone marrow dose and x-ray dose. The results obtained in this study are in agreement with the hypothesis that injection of foreign bone marrow into x-radiated mice may result in an in vivo antigen (transplanted foreign hematopoietic tissue)-antibody (recovering immune mechanism of irradiated host) reaction, the degree (chronic or acute) and effects of which are dependent on the two variables: ( a ) x-ray dose applied to the host and ( b ) number of bone marrow cells injected.
Clinical Characteristics of Bilateral versus Unilateral Chronic Subdural Hematoma

Objective Chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH) is a common intracranial hemorrhage that is associated with significant morbidity. Bilateral lesions are occasionally found in neurosurgical practice. The purpose of this study is to analyze clinical characteristics of bilateral CSDH compared with unilateral CSDH. Methods Between January 2005 and January 2013, the authors treated 114 surgical patients with CSDH. Clinical presentations, precipitating factors, computed tomography (CT) findings, postoperative complications, and outcomes of patients were retrospectively analyzed in the bilateral and unilateral CSDH groups. Results Bilateral CSDH was identified in 28 (24.6%) of the 114 CSDH patients. The mean age was 77.85 years in the bilateral CSDH group. The frequency of altered consciousness as a presenting symptom was significantly higher in the bilateral CSDH, and that of hemiparesis was significantly higher in the unilateral CSDH (p=0.015). Diabetes mellitus was more common in the bilateral CSDH (p=0.001). CT scans revealed significant differences in the degree of midline shift (p=0.001). The mean modified Rankin scale at discharge was 1.5 in the bilateral CSDH group and 0.6 in the unilateral group (p=0.019). Conclusion Bilateral CSDH showed different clinical characteristics from unilateral CSDH. Bilateral CSDH is prone to occurrence in the patient of old and diabetics. The patients of bilateral CSDH seem to reveal worse mental status and neurologic sign than unilateral CSDH in both baseline and postoperative state.
Impact of burkholderia infection on lung transplantation in cystic fibrosis.

RATIONALE Lung transplantation offers the only survival option for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) with end-stage pulmonary disease. Infection with Burkholderia species is typically considered a contraindication to transplantation in CF. However, the risks posed by different Burkholderia species on transplantation outcomes are poorly defined. OBJECTIVES To quantify the risks of infection with Burkholderia species on survival before and after lung transplantation in patients with CF. METHODS Multivariate Cox survival models assessed hazard ratios of infection with Burkholderia species in 1,026 lung transplant candidates and 528 lung transplant recipients. Lung allocation scores, incorporating Burkholderia infection status, were calculated for transplant candidates. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Transplant candidates infected with different Burkholderia species did not have statistically different mortality rates. Among transplant recipients infected with B. cenocepacia, only those infected with nonepidemic strains had significantly greater post-transplant mortality compared with uninfected patients (hazard ratio [HR], 2.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-6.12; P = 0.04). Hazards were similar between uninfected transplant recipients and those infected with B. multivorans (HR, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.27-1.56; P = 0.34). Transplant recipients infected with B. gladioli had significantly greater post-transplant mortality than uninfected patients (HR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.05-4.74; P = 0.04). Once hazards for species/strain were included, lung allocation scores of B. multivorans-infected transplant candidates were comparable to uninfected candidate scores, whereas those of candidates infected with nonepidemic B. cenocepacia or B. gladioli were lower. CONCLUSIONS Post-transplant mortality among patients with CF infected with Burkholderia varies by infecting species. This variability should be taken into account in evaluating lung transplantation candidates.
An Integrative Review of the Effects of Social Presence on Distance Education

Social presence has drawn great attention in the last three decades. A large number of studies attempted to prove that social presence exerted an effect on distance learning through including more interaction. This integrative review provided a comprehensive summary of current studies on social presence, identified problems in measuring social presence, and evaluated the effects of social presence on learning. Data were collected from 189 social presence studies in the area of distance education from 1976 to 2012. Data were analyzed qualitatively followed by a quantitative meta-analysis. This study revealed that social presence was still illusive and difficult to define. Due to its ambiguity, many doubts exist related to the measurement of social presence. The results of this study suggest future researchers should be cautious when advocating the importance of social presence in distance learning.