Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of illicit drug use among the Italian athlete population with special attention on drugs of abuse: A 10-year review

Abstract The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of illicit drugs use among young adults, in particular elite athletes. This study considers the data obtained from anti-doping analyses performed on nearly 100,000 urine samples from 2000 to 2009 by the World Anti-Doping Agency accredited Italian Anti-Doping Laboratory. The percentage of adverse analytical findings varies on a yearly basis, but it is in the range 1.0–1.8% (not considering atypical findings, such as an altered endogenous steroid profile). Among positive results, there is a high prevalence of stimulants and drugs of abuse. The drug of abuse found most frequently is the tetrahydrocannabinol (cannabis) metabolite, accounting for 0.2–0.4% of the total samples analysed (18% of the positive results). The second most frequently encountered drug is cocaine, as detected from cocaine metabolites, accounting for 0.1% of the total samples analysed (7% of positive results). Other stimulants found included amphetamines, ephedrines, carphedon, modafinil, and anorexic compounds. No amphetamine-like designer drugs were detected. These data are indicative of the widespread prevalence of cocaine and cannabis use among the young adult population. However, due to the particular population studied, it must be considered an underestimation of the phenomenon among elite athletes with respect to the general population.
Perinatal Ischemic Stroke

Perinatal ischemic stroke is not rare in term and near-term infants and is an important antecedent of long-term neurological disability, including congenital hemiplegia (hemiplegic cerebral palsy) and seizure and cognitive disorders. Changes in maternal hemostasis occur in pregnancy and are amplified in the period immediately surrounding birth; stroke and other thromboembolic events are more frequent in both mother and infant in this period. The vasculature and hemostatic mechanisms of placenta as well as brain are likely to be important in the pathobiology of perinatal stroke. Maternal and infant thrombophilias, genetic and acquired, play a role. Rarely is >1 child in a sibship affected, and environmental factors—substantially less studied, to date—are likely to be key determinants of risk.
Bioinformatic prediction and experimental validation of a microRNA-directed tandem trans-acting siRNA cascade in Arabidopsis

Small RNAs play pivotal roles in regulating gene expression in higher eukaryotes. Among them, trans-acting siRNAs (ta-siRNAs) are a class of small RNAs that regulate plant development. The biogenesis of ta-siRNA depends on microRNA-targeted cleavage followed by the DCL4-mediated production of small RNAs phased in 21-nt increments relative to the cleavage site on both strands. To find TAS genes, we have used these characteristics to develop the first computational algorithm that allows for a comprehensive search and statistical evaluation of putative TAS genes from any given small RNA database. A search in Arabidopsis small RNA massively parallel signature sequencing (MPSS) databases with this algorithm revealed both known and previously unknown ta-siRNA-producing loci. We experimentally validated the biogenesis of ta-siRNAs from two PPR genes and the trans-acting activity of one of the ta-siRNAs. The production of ta-siRNAs from the identified PPR genes was directed by the cleavage of a TAS2-derived ta-siRNA instead of by microRNAs as was reported previously for TAS1a, -b, -c, TAS2, and TAS3 genes. Our results indicate the existence of a small RNA regulatory cascade initiated by miR173-directed cleavage and followed by the consecutive production of ta-siRNAs from two TAS genes.
Early decomposition in visual word recognition: Dissociating morphology, form, and meaning

The role of morphological, semantic, and form-based factors in the early stages of visual word recognition was investigated across different SOAs in a masked priming paradigm, focusing on English derivational morphology. In a first set of experiments, stimulus pairs co-varying in morphological decomposability and in semantic and orthographic relatedness were presented at three SOAs (36, 48, and 72 ms). No effects of orthographic relatedness were found at any SOA. Semantic relatedness did not interact with effects of morphological decomposability, which came through strongly at all SOAs, even for pseudo-suffixed pairs such as archer-arch. Derivational morphological effects in masked priming seem to be primarily driven by morphological decomposability at an early stage of visual word recognition, and are independent of semantic factors. A second experiment reversed the order of prime and target (stem-derived rather than derived-stem), and again found that morphological priming did not interact with semantic relatedness. This points to an early segmentation process that is driven by morphological decomposability and not by the structure or content of central lexical representations.
Sex Differences in Cardiac Function After Prolonged Strenuous Exercise

Objective:To evaluate sex differences in left ventricular (LV) function after an ultramarathon, and the association of vascular and training indices with the magnitude of exercise-induced cardiac fatigue. Design:Descriptive field study. Setting:Fat Dog 100 Ultramarathon Trail Race, Canada. Participants:Thirty-four (13 women) recreational runners (aged 28-56 years). Interventions:A 100-km or 160-km mountain marathon. Main Outcome Measures:Baseline baroreceptor sensitivity, heart rate variability, and arterial compliance; Pre-exercise and postexercise echocardiographic evaluations of LV dimensions, volumes, Doppler flow velocities, tissue velocities, strain, and strain rate. Results:Finishers represented 17 men (44.8 ± 6.6 years) and 8 women (45.9 ± 10.2 years; P = 0.758). After ultraendurance exercise, significant reductions (P < 0.05) in fractional shortening (men: 40.9 ± 6.9 to 34.1 ± 7.6%; women: 42.5 ± 6.5 to 34.6 ± 7.9%) diastolic filling (E/A, men: 1.28 ± 0.68 to 1.26 ± 0.33; women: 1.55 ± 0.51 to 1.30 ± 0.27), septal and lateral tissue velocities (E′), and longitudinal strain (men: −21.02 ± 1.98 to −18.44 ± 0.34; women: −20.28 ± 1.90 to −18.44 ± 2.34) were observed. Sex differences were found for baseline cardiac structure and global function, peak late transmitral flow velocity, and estimates of LV filling pressures (P < 0.05). Regression analysis found that higher baseline arterial compliance was associated with lower reductions in cardiac function postexercise, to which sex was a significant factor for E′ of the lateral wall. Faster race pace and greater lifetime ultramarathons were associated with lower reductions in LV longitudinal strain (P < 0.05). Conclusions:Cardiac responses after an ultramarathon were similar between men and women. Greater evidence of exercise-induced cardiac fatigue was found to be associated with lower baseline arterial compliance and training status/experience. Clinical Relevance:These findings suggest that vascular health is an important contributor to the degree of cardiovascular strain incurred as the result of an acute bout of prolonged strenuous exercise.
A sham stimulation-controlled trial of rTMS of the unaffected hemisphere in stroke patients

The authors investigated the use of slow-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) to the unaffected hemisphere to decrease interhemispheric inhibition of the lesioned hemisphere and improve motor function in patients within 12 months of a stroke. Patients showed a significant decrease in simple and choice reaction time and improved performance of the Purdue Pegboard test with their affected hand after rTMS of the motor cortex in the intact hemisphere as compared with sham rTMS.
LPS-induced suppression of gastric motility relieved by TNFR:Fc construct in dorsal vagal complex.

Our previous studies suggested that the cytokine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) may act within the neural circuitry of the medullary dorsal vagal complex (DVC) to affect changes in gastric function, such as gastric stasis, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting. The definitive demonstration that endogenously generated TNF-alpha is capable of affecting gastric function via the DVC circuitry has been impeded by the lack of an antagonist for TNF-alpha. The present studies used localized central nervous system applications of the TNF-adsorbant construct (TNFR:Fc; TNF-receptor linked to the Fc portion of the human immunoglobulin IgG1) to attempt to neutralize the suppressive effects of endogenously produced TNF-alpha. Gastric motility of thiobutabarbital-anesthetized rats was monitored after systemic administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to induce TNF-alpha production. Continuous perfusion of the floor of the fourth ventricle with TNFR:Fc reversed the potent gastroinhibition induced by LPS, i.e., central thyrotropin-releasing hormone-induced increases in motility were not inhibited. This disinhibition of gastric stasis was not seen after intravenous administration of similar doses of TNFR:Fc nor ventricular application of the Fc fragment of human immunoglobulin. These results validate our previous studies that suggest that circulating TNF-alpha may act directly within the DVC to affect gastric function in a variety of pathophysiological states.
Enhancements to constrained novelty search: two-population novelty search for generating game content

Novelty search is a recent algorithm geared to explore search spaces without regard to objectives; minimal criteria novelty search is a variant of this algorithm for constrained search spaces. For large search spaces with multiple constraints, however, it is hard to find a set of feasible individuals that is both large and diverse. In this paper, we present two new methods of novelty search for constrained spaces, Feasible-Infeasible Novelty Search and Feasible-Infeasible Dual Novelty Search. Both algorithms keep separate populations of feasible and infeasible individuals, inspired by the FI-2pop genetic algorithm. These algorithms are applied to the problem of creating diverse and feasible game levels, representative of a large class of important problems in procedural content generation for games. Results show that the new algorithms under certain conditions can produce larger and more diverse sets of feasible strategy game maps than existing algorithms. However, the best algorithm is contingent on the particularities of the search space and the genetic operators used. It is also shown that the proposed enhancement of offspring boosting increases performance in all cases.
Mobile telephone use effects on peripheral audiovestibular function: A case–control study

Low level radio‐frequency (RF) signals may produce disorientation, headache and nausea. This double blind study tested nine case‐subjects, who complained of various symptoms after prolonged mobile telephone use and 21 control subjects. Each subject underwent a series of trials, in which a dummy mobile telephone exposure system was held to each ear for 30 min in (a) pulsed, (b) continuous RF emission or, (c) no emission test modes. In the active pulsed and continuous modes the same mean power as the output of a typical handset was delivered at a carrier frequency of 882 MHz and at a maximum specific absorption rate (SAR) value of 1.3 W kg−1 (± 30%). In Experiment I (auditory), transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAE), which assess the outer hair cells in the inner ear, were conducted. In Experiment II (vestibular) the vestibulo‐ocular reflex was recorded by video‐oculography (VOG), at baseline and immediately post exposure. There were no significant TEOAE changes from baseline to post‐exposure recording for any of the exposures and no significant differences in the TEOAEs' change from baseline to post exposure between cases and controls. The VOG did not identify any effect of the exposure on the vestibular end organ in either cases or controls. In conclusion, 30 min exposure to mobile phone RF did not show any immediate effects on vestibulocochlear function as measured by TEOAE and the VOR. Bioelectromagnetics 29:108–117, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Anti-cryptococcal activity of ethanol crude extract and hexane fraction from Ocimum basilicum var. Maria bonita: mechanisms of action and synergism with amphotericin B and Ocimum basilicum essential oil

Abstract Context: Ocimum basilicum L. (Lamiaceae) has been used in folk medicine to treat headaches, kidney disorders, and intestinal worms. Objective: This study evaluates the anti-cryptococcal activity of ethanol crude extract and hexane fraction obtained from O. basilicum var. Maria Bonita leaves. Materials and methods: The MIC values for Cryptococcus sp. were obtained according to Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute in a range of 0.3–2500 μg/mL. The checkerboard assay evaluated the association of the substances tested (in a range of 0.099–2500 μg/mL) with amphotericin B and O. basilicum essential oil for 48 h. The ethanol extract, hexane fraction and associations in a range of 0.3–2500 μg/mL were tested for pigmentation inhibition after 7 days of treatment. The inhibition of ergosterol synthesis and reduction of capsule size were evaluated after the treatment with ethanol extract (312 μg/mL), hexane fraction (78 μg/mL) and the combinations of essential oil + ethanol extract (78 μg/mL + 19.5 μg/mL, respectively) and essential oil + hexane fraction (39.36 μg/mL + 10 μg/mL, respectively) for 24 and 48 h, respectively. Results: The hexane fraction presented better results than the ethanol extract, with a low MIC (156 μg/mL against C. neoformans T444 and 312 μg/mL against C. neoformans H99 serotype A and C. gattii WM779 serotype C). The combination of the ethanol extract and hexane fraction with amphotericin B and essential oil enhanced their antifungal activity, reducing the concentration of each substance needed to kill 100% of the inoculum. The substances tested were able to reduce the pigmentation, capsule size and ergosterol synthesis, which suggest they have important mechanisms of action. Conclusions: These results provide further support for the use of ethanol extracts of O. basilicum as a potential source of antifungal agents.
Jussi Tolvi Outliers in time series : A review

Outliers have recently been studied more and more in the statistical time series literature, and this interest is also growing in econometrics. This papers reviews some of this literature. A general discussion of time series outliers, including definitions and possible adverse effects of them, is followed by chapters on outlier detection and modelling. These are mainly in an ARMA model setting, but in the final chapter these considerations are extended to some other models as well, such as ARCH and other nonlinear models
Relation between Care Burden, Parenting Style and Resilience among Caregivers of Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Background : Lack of attention and support is causing detrimental physical and emotional impacts among caregivers of children with mental health issues like Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Caregivers of individuals with ADHD bear a heavy emotional, social, and financial strain. Resilience and parenting approaches are crucial for improving the functioning of families with children who have ADHD. Aim of the study : To evaluate the relation between care burden, parenting style and resilience among caregivers of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Research design: A descriptive correlative research design was utilized to achieve the aim of the study. Setting : The study was performed at children and adolescent outpatient clinic of Minia hospital for psychiatric health and addiction treatment Sample: A Convenience sample of 100 caregivers with their children was involved in this research. Tools: tool (I) A structured interview questionnaire covering the demographic characteristics of the studied parents, and their children, tool (II) Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI), tool (III)Parenting Styles Questionnaire and tool (IV)Resilience Scale for Adults. Results: More than three quarter of caregivers had high burden, two thirds of the caregivers had moderate resilience and authoritative parenting style was highly used by the majority of the studied parents. Conclusion: It was concluded that total burden has a significant positive correlation with authoritative as well as permissive style, while there was a significant negative correlation with resilience as well as authoritarian style Recommendations : Counseling services of caregivers and their children with ADHD will be needed.
Registration of head CT images to physical space using a weighted combination of points and surfaces [image-guided surgery]

Most previously reported registration techniques that align three-dimensional image volumes by matching geometrical features such as points or surfaces use a single type of feature. The authors recently reported a hybrid registration technique that uses a weighted combination of multiple geometrical feature shapes. In this study they use the weighted geometrical feature (WGF) algorithm to register computed tomography (CT) images of the head to physical space using the skin surface only, the bone surface only, and various weighted combinations of these surfaces and one fiducial point (centroid of a bone-implanted marker). The authors use data acquired from 12 patients that underwent temporal lobe craniotomies for the resection of cerebral lesions. The authors evaluate and compare the accuracy of the registrations obtained using these various approaches by using as a reference gold standard the registration obtained using three bone-implanted markers. The results demonstrate that a combination of geometrical features can improve the accuracy of CT-to-physical space registration. Point-based registration requires a minimum of three noncollinear points. The position of a bone-implanted marker can be determined much more accurately than that of a skin-affixed marker or an anatomic landmark. A major disadvantage of using bone-implanted markers is that an invasive procedure is required to implant each marker. By combining surface information, the WGF algorithm allows registration to be performed using only one or two such markers. One important finding is that the use of a single, very accurate point (a bone-implanted marker) allows very accurate surface-based registration to be achieved using very few surface points. Finally, the WGF algorithm, which not only allows the combination of multiple types of geometrical information but also handles point-based and surface-based registration as degenerate cases, could form the foundation of a "flexible" surgical navigation system that allows the surgeon to use what he considers the method most appropriate for an individual clinical situation.
Overview of Local Flaps of the Face for Reconstruction of Cutaneous Malignancies: Single Institutional Experience of Seventy Cases

Context: The most common malignant tumours of the face are basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma. While the results of skin graft are less than satisfactory for large areas to cover, distant flaps are bulky with a poor colour match. Local fasciocutaneous flaps provide reasonable option for reconstruction of facial defects with good colour and texture match and good success rate. Aims: This study aimed to analyse the various modalities of reconstruction after resection of facial malignancies and their advantages and disadvantages. Settings and Design: This was a retrospective study. Materials and Methods: Of 70 patients, 34 were managed with V-Y advancement flap, 24 with nasolabial flap, 8 with median forehead flap and 4 with standard forehead flap cover. The duration of follow-up ranged from 6 months to 2 years. Statistical Analysis Used: Nil. Results: Of 34 V-Y advancement flaps, 2 showed suture dehiscence at the apex of triangle which was allowed to heal secondarily with regular dressings. All the 24 nasolabial flaps were healthy without any complication. All patients had satisfactory functional and cosmetic outcomes. Conclusions: In our experience, local flaps give the best results and are the first choice for reconstruction of the face. Most defects can be best closed by nasolabial, V-Y advancement and forehead flap. Outstanding functional and cosmetic results can be achieved. Proper execution requires considerable technical skill and experience.
The metabolic syndrome, testosterone deficiency and erectile dysfunction never come alone

In their paper, Yassin et al. (2008) present a broader concept, the ‘metabolic syndrome, testosterone deficiency and erectile dysfunction never come alone’. The understanding that the male hypogonadal state is associated with other related disease components is important because it leads to a better appreciation and treatment of the whole patient. This can be viewed as the hypogonadal-metabolic-atherogenic disease and ageing connection (Cohen, 2001). Furthermore, it supports the concept that the hypogonadal state participates in both the genesis and evolution of much of the spectrum of obesity and metabolic related cardiovascular states in men. While these explanations are adequate, there are other issues to be considered as part of the extended panorama of the testosterone deficiency state. A constant finding that occurs with both the obesity related conditions and ageing is the relative increase of adipose tissue compared to lean body mass. The increased fat accumulation and storage is fuelled by caloric excess (and also by decreased energy expenditure) and results in abnormalities of metabolic regulation. Visceral adiposity, along with an expanded total body fat mass, is associated with increased aromatase activity, which results in a greater conversion of testosterone to oestradiol. The decreased testosterone concentration then allows for the preferential deposition of abdominal/visceral fat (Marin et al., 1995), whereas the increased oestradiol production eventually leads to the feedback inhibition of LH. This results in a hypogonadal-obesity cycle (Cohen, 1999) and, over time, to a progressive testosterone deficiency state. The metabolic and cardiovascular effects of testosterone deficiency have been clearly defined in two disease states: Klinefelter’s syndrome and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer. It is reported that 44% of patients with Klinefelter’s syndrome (Bojesen et al., 2006) and estimated that 50% of men receiving ADT (Braga-Basaria et al., 2006) develop the metabolic syndrome. Furthermore, lesser degrees of hypotestosteronaemia might be considered to be a risk factor for the metabolic syndrome, even when fewer diagnostic components are found among the clinical and metabolic profiles of male patients. This strongly suggests that many of the clinical manifestations of the metabolic syndrome in men are, in part, the result of deficient sex hormonal activity rather than of insulin resistance alone. Finally, many of the obesity associated states can present with symptoms of erectile dysfunction, infertility, coronary artery disease as well as metabolic abnormalities such as glucose intolerance, with or without the metabolic syndrome, and all require evaluation for the hypogonadal state. It is now apparent that there is a spectrum of metabolic conditions and that hypotestosteronaemia may be just one component of a hypoandrogenic-anabolic-deficiency state (Cohen, 2008). Therefore, Yassin et al. (2008) are correct in stating that the ‘metabolic syndrome, testosterone deficiency and erectile dysfunction never come alone’.