Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quality of Life in Patients with Osteoporotic Vertebral Fractures

Study Design A case-control study. Purpose To examine several dimensions of health-related quality of life (HRQL) in postmenopausal women with osteoporotic vertebral fractures, compared with a control group. Overview of Literature Osteoporotic vertebral fractures are a major cause of morbidity among postmenopausal women. There have been many reports of a decrease in the quality of life in patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures. However,few reports have analyzed which dimensions contribute to the decline in quality of life. Methods One thousand five hundred forty-five postmenopausal women aged 50 years and older from 17 study sites in nationwide hospitals were in enrolled in the study (between April 2008 and January 2009). HRQL was measured using the European Quality of Life 5 Domains (EQ-5D), and visual analogue scale (VAS). Results The average VAS of the case group was 57.80, and that of the control group was 64.10 (p=0.001). All domains of the EQ-5D score were significantly worse in the case group (p=0.001). Among the case group, the average VAS of the 559 patients (45%) who were operated on was 56.8, and that of the remaining 680 patients (55%) who were treated conservatively was 58.6 (p=0.135). Among the case group, the averages of each EQ-5D domain of the 559 patients (45%) who were operated on were: 1.87 in mobility, 1.81 in self-care, 1.99 in usual activities, 2.11 in pain, and 1.62 in anxiety or depression. Those of the 680 patients (55%) who were treated conservatively were: 1.72 in mobility, 1.60 in self-care, 1.76 in usual activities, 1.98 in pain, and 1.57 in anxiety or depression. Except for the domain of anxiety or depression, scores for the other domains were all significantly worse in the patients who were operated on (p=0.001). Conclusions Health related quality of life in the patients with osteoporotic vertebral fractures was significantly worse in both the EQ-5D domains and VAS. Among the osteoporotic vertebral fracture patients, the patients who were operated on had a worse quality of life in EQ-5D.
Walk the Talk: Financial Fairness in European Club Football

Abstract UEFA’s Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations represent the most restrictive regulatory intervention European club football has ever seen. Put simply, it demands from clubs to operate on the basis of their own football-related incomes. While the policy has attracted considerable attention from the economic and social sciences, very few contributions systematically investigate it from a philosophical-ethical perspective. The present paper fills this research gap by posing questions on FFP in relation to fair play as a normative concept. We draw on sport economic assessments concerning potential outcomes of FFP and argue that the policy should go beyond the mere pragmatic goal of promoting financial sustainability and truly aim for creating a level playing field, otherwise it should not be labeled ‘fair play’.
Beyond the Stalled Gender Revolution: Historical and Cohort Dynamics in Gender Attitudes from 1977 to 2016

Abstract:It remains unclear to what extent shifts in gender attitudes are products of changes in micro-level characteristics, macro-level social transformations, or net cohort and period transitions. We test these questions on 20 waves of data from the General Social Survey, 1977–2016 (N = 45,125). Compositional change in individual characteristics accounts for almost 78 percent of the cohort variation in gender attitudes, but only 32 percent of the historical transformations. Macro dynamics are responsible for an additional 60 percent of the historical change in gender attitudes. Two structural forces are associated with historical transitions in American gender attitudes: gender equality inthelabor forceandtheriseofmen's overwork. Each of these factors accounts for a significant proportion of the period variation in gender attitudes in our analysis, and the rise of men's overwork appears to account for the puzzle of the "stalled revolution" in the 1990s and its "restart" in the mid-2000s. The conservative swing in 1994–2004 correlates with the rise of overwork, as the proportion of men who overwork soared during this period when traditional gender roles were reinforced.
Retroactive Evaluation of International Maritime Organization Ballast Water Standards

Since the opening of the St. Lawrence Seaway in 1959, ship ballast water has become the dominant vector for non-indigenous species introduction to the Laurentian Great Lakes. In 2004, the adoption of ballast water management and discharge standards by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) was an important step in reducing the risk of further invasions. Using data reported in the literature on maximum natural densities and maximum salinity tolerance, the efficacy of ballast water exchange (BWE) (IMO Regulation D-1) in reducing invasion risk of six current invaders to the Great Lakes was evaluated. In addition, reported values for maximum natural densities and minimum particle size of these six representative species were used to retroactively evaluate the efficacy of discharge performance standards (IMO Regulation D-2); treatment technologies available to meet these performance standards were also considered. The salinity shock from open ocean water BWE would have minimized the risk of introduction for the Zebra Mussel, the Eurasian Ruffe, and the amphipod Echinogammarus ischnus. Raised salinity associated with BWE would have been less effective in preventing the introduction of resting eggs of the Spiny Water Flea Bythotrephes longimanus, and all stages of the diatom Thalassiosira baltica. A lack of salinity tolerance data on Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (VHSV) precluded assessment of the efficacy of BWE in preventing its introduction. Based on maximum natural densities reported in the literature, the number of organisms per volume of ballast water must be reduced by a factor of 100 to 100,000 to meet discharge performance standards. It was not possible to assess the number of VHSV requiring inactivation, since performance standards for viruses are not specified under Regulation D-2. For all species and life stages, with the exception of VHSV, physical removal through media filtration could be used to meet Regulation D-2. All of the representative species would be inactivated using oxidizing biocides. Although such treatment technologies could reduce densities to those required under Regulation D-2, the total number of organisms remaining in a given ballast tank may still be sufficiently high to enable the establishment of viable populations.
Exploring Relationship Satisfaction and Attachment Behaviors in Single- and Dual-Trauma Couples: A Pilot Study

Much has been done to examine the impact of traumatic stress on interpersonal dynamics of couples in which 1 partner is the identified trauma survivor (single-trauma couples). However, there are fewer empirical evaluations of couples in which both partners have experienced a traumatic event (dual-trauma couples). Using a sample of 35 couples, this pilot study examined relationship satisfaction and attachment behaviors of dyads in which 1 versus both partners reported trauma exposure. Four multiple-group actor–partner interdependence models assessed trauma’s impact on single- and dual-trauma couples. Preliminary results suggested several significant differences between single- and dual-trauma couple types. Among single-trauma couples, higher number of trauma experiences by wives predicted lower levels of relationship satisfaction in husbands, whereas among dual-trauma couples, higher number of traumas for wives predicted higher levels of attachment behavior in husbands. For dual-trauma couples, husband posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms predicted lower levels of relationship satisfaction for both themselves and their wives. PTSD symptoms also predicted lower levels of both husband and wives’ own attachment behaviors. Findings invite further exploration into a more dynamic conceptualization of the recursive relationship between cumulative trauma exposure and interpersonal relationships that may better explain the impact of traumatic stress within couple relationships.
The Line-of-Sight Proximity Effect and the Mass of Quasar Host Halos

We show that the Lyα optical depth statistics in the proximity regions of quasar spectra depend on the mass of the dark matter halos hosting the quasars. This is owing to both the overdensity around the quasars and the associated infall of gas toward them. For a fiducial quasar host halo mass of (3.0 ± 1.6) × 1012 h−1 M☉, as inferred by Croom and coworkers from clustering in the 2dF QSO Redshift Survey, we show that estimates of the ionizing background (Γbkg) from proximity effect measurements could be biased high by a factor of ≈2.5 at z = 3 owing to neglecting these effects alone. The clustering of galaxies and other AGNs around the proximity effect quasars enhances the local background but is not expected to skew measurements by more than a few percent. Assuming the measurements of Γbkg based on the mean flux decrement in the Lyα forest to be free of bias, we demonstrate how the proximity effect analysis can be inverted to measure the mass of the dark matter halos hosting quasars. In ideal conditions, such a measurement could be made with a precision comparable to the best clustering constraints to date from a modest sample of only about 100 spectra. We discuss observational difficulties, including continuum flux estimation, quasar systematic redshift determination, and quasar variability, which make accurate proximity effect measurements challenging in practice. These are also likely to contribute to the discrepancies between existing proximity effect and flux decrement measurements of Γbkg.
The possiblity of observing nonlinear path effect in earthquake-induced seismic wave propagation

Observations of the dependence of elastic-wave velocities on stress in the lithosphere, ultrasonic modeling, and field experiments using controllable sources reveal that significant nonlinear elastic effects may occur in seismic wave propagation. Theoretical modeling involving nonlinear wave equation shows that the most pronounced and practically observable implication of the nonlinear elasticity in broadband-signal propagation is the gradual enrichment of the spectra in high-frequency components. We check the significance of nonlinear path effects using the strong ground motion data from two accelerograph arrays in Taiwan. The data cover the motions with peak ground accelerations from 1 to 161 Gal (cm/sec2) and peak surface strains from 10−4 to 10−7. The differences between the average spectra of seismic waves recorded by groups of stations separated by distances of 20 to 40 km are examined to identify the possible nonlinear path effect. Mixed results have been obtained. In the SMART2 array, the increase in high-frequency energy is detected in compliance with the theory, which corroborates elastic nonlinearity. On the other hand, in the NCCU array, no symptoms of nonlinear wave propagation are found. Poor signal-to-noise conditions and restrictions imposed by the frequency band of standard instrumentation might be accountable for the negative result.
Phase I clinical study of fish oil fatty acid capsules for patients with cancer cachexia: cancer and leukemia group B study 9473.

The purpose of this study was to determine the maximum tolerated dose and dose-limiting toxicities of fish oil fatty acid capsules containing omega-3 fatty acid ethyl esters. Twenty-two patients with neoplastic disease not amenable to curative therapy who had lost 2% of body weight over a previous 1 month time period were given an escalating dose of fish oil fatty acids. The maximum tolerated dose was found to be 0.3 g/kg per day of this preparation. This means that a 70-kg patient can generally tolerate up to 21 1-g capsules/day containing 13.1 g of eicosapentaenoic acid + docosahexaenoic acid, the two major omega-3 fatty acids. Dose-limiting toxicity was gastrointestinal, mainly diarrhea, and a poorly described toxicity designated as "unable to tolerate in esophagus or stomach. " A patient with chronic lymphocytic leukemia taking the fish oil provided an unusual opportunity to perform a detailed biochemical study of the effect of fish oil capsules on the lipids of malignant cells at several sequential time points in treatment. Studies of the malignant lymphocytes, serum, and whole blood of this one patient revealed an increase in eicosapentaenoic acid, the major component of the fish oil capsules, during fish oil capsule treatment. This study provides a scientific basis for the selection of omega-3 fatty acid doses for future studies in cancer. The maximum tolerated dose found is considerably higher than anticipated from published studies of many human diseases. The observation of a modification of the lipids of leukemic cells, serum, and blood in a patient with chronic leukemia provides a biochemical basis for a possible effect of fish oil supplements on cancer cachexia and tumor growth.
Dysregulation of PAK1 Is Associated with DNA Damage and Is of Prognostic Importance in Primary Esophageal Small Cell Carcinoma

Primary esophageal small cell carcinoma (PESCC) is a rare, but fatal subtype of esophageal carcinoma. No effective therapeutic regimen for it. P21-activated kinase 1 (PAK1) is known to function as an integrator and an indispensable node of major growth factor signaling and the molecular therapy targeting PAK1 has been clinical in pipeline. We thus set to examine the expression and clinical impact of PAK1 in PESCC. The expression of PAK1 was detected in a semi-quantitative manner by performing immunohistochemistry. PAK1 was overexpressed in 22 of 34 PESCC tumors, but in only 2 of 18 adjacent non-cancerous tissues. Overexpression of PAK1 was significantly associated with tumor location (p = 0.011), lymph node metastasis (p = 0.026) and patient survival (p = 0.032). We also investigated the association of PAK1 with DNA damage, a driven cause for malignancy progression. γH2AX, a DNA damage marker, was detectable in 18 of 24 (75.0%) cases, and PAK1 expression was associated with γH2AX (p = 0.027). Together, PAK1 is important in metastasis and progression of PESCC. The contribution of PAK1 to clinical outcomes may be involved in its regulating DNA damage pathway. Further studies are worth determining the potentials of PAK1 as prognostic indicator and therapeutic target for PESCC.
Metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma presenting as facial nerve palsy and facial pain

Facial nerve palsy due to temporal bone metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has rarely been reported. We experienced a rare case of temporal bone metastasis of HCC that initially presented as facial nerve palsy and was diagnosed by surgical biopsy. This patient also discovered for the first time that he had chronic hepatitis B and C infections due to this facial nerve palsy. Radiation therapy greatly relieved the facial pain and facial nerve palsy. This report suggests that hepatologists should consider metastatic HCC as a rare but possible cause of new-onset cranial neuropathy in patients with chronic viral hepatitis.
Assessment and Correction of on-Orbit Radiometric Calibration for FY-3 VIRR Thermal Infrared Channels

FengYun-3 (FY-3) Visible Infrared Radiometer (VIRR), along with its predecessor, Multispectral Visible Infrared Scanning Radiometer (MVISR), onboard FY-1C&D have had continuous global observation more than 14 years. This data record is valuable for weather prediction, climate monitoring, and environment research. Data quality is vital for satellite data assimilations in Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) and quantitative remote sensing applications. In this paper, the accuracies of radiometric calibration for VIRR onboard FY-3A and FY-3B, in thermal infrared (TIR) channels, are evaluated using the Low Earth Orbit (LEO)-LEO simultaneous nadir overpass intercalibration method. Hyperspectral and high-quality observations from Infrared Atmosphere Sounding Instrument (IASI) onboard METOP-A are used as reference. The biases of VIRR measurements with respect to IASI over one-and-a-half years indicate that the TIR calibration accuracy of FY-3B VIRR is better than that of FY-3A VIRR. The brightness temperature (BT) measured by FY-3A/VIRR is cooler than that measured by IASI with monthly mean biases ranging from −2 K to −1 K for channel 4 and −1 K to 0.2 K for channel 5. Measurements from FY-3B/VIRR are more consistent with that from IASI, and the annual mean biases are 0.84 ± 0.16 K and −0.66 ± 0.18 K for channels 4 and 5, respectively. The BT biases of FY-3A/VIRR show scene temperature-dependence and seasonal variation, which are not found from FY-3B/VIRR BT biases. The temperature-dependent biases are shown to be attributed to the nonlinearity of detectors. New nonlinear correction coefficients of FY-3A/VIRR TIR channels are reevaluated using various collocation samples. Verification results indicate that the use of the new nonlinear correction can greatly correct the scene temperature-dependent and systematic biases.
Identification of an Integration Center for Cross-talk between Protein Kinase C and G Protein Modulation of N-type Calcium Channels*

The modulation of presynaptic calcium channel activity by second messengers provides a fine tuning mechanism for neurotransmitter release. In neurons, the activation of certain G protein-coupled receptors reduces N-type channel activity by ∼60%. In contrast, activation of protein kinase C (PKC) results in an approximately 50% increase in N-type channel activity, and subsequent G protein inhibition is antagonized. Here, we describe the molecular determinants that control the dual effects of PKC-dependent phosphorylation. The double substitution of two adjacent PKC consensus sites in the calcium channel domain I-II linker (Thr422, Ser425) to alanines abolished both PKC-dependent up-regulation and the PKC-G protein cross-talk. The single substitution of Ser425 to glutamic acid abolished PKC up-regulation but had no effect on G protein modulation. Replacement of Thr422 with glutamic acid eliminated PKC-dependent up-regulation and mimicked the effects of PKC phosphorylation on G protein inhibition. Our data suggest that Thr422 mediates the antagonistic effect of PKC on G protein modulation, while phosphorylation of either Thr422 or Ser425 are sufficient to increase N-type channel activity. Thus, Thr422 serves as a molecular switch by which PKC is able to simultaneously trigger the up-regulation of channel activity and antagonize G protein inhibition.
Transgenes for insect resistance reduce herbivory and enhance fecundity in advanced generations of crop–weed hybrids of rice

Gene flow from transgenic crops allows novel traits to spread to sexually compatible weeds. Traits such as resistance to insects may enhance the fitness of weeds, but few studies have tested for these effects under natural field conditions. We created F2 and F3 crop–weed hybrid lineages of genetically engineered rice (Oryza sativa) using lines with two transgene constructs, cowpea trypsin inhibitor (CpTI) and a Bt transgene linked to CpTI (Bt/CpTI). Experiments conducted in Fuzhou, China, demonstrated that CpTI alone did not significantly affect fecundity, although it reduced herbivory. In contrast, under certain conditions, Bt/CpTI conferred up to 79% less insect damage and 47% greater fecundity relative to nontransgenic controls, and a 44% increase in fecundity relative to the weedy parent. A small fitness cost was detected in F3 progeny with Bt/CpTI when grown under low insect pressure and direct competition with transgene‐negative controls. We conclude that Bt/CpTI transgenes may introgress into co‐occurring weedy rice populations and contribute to greater seed production when target insects are abundant. However, the net fitness benefits that are associated with Bt/CpTI could be ephemeral if insect pressure is lacking, for example, because of widespread planting of Bt cultivars that suppress target insect populations.
Sufficient Dimension Reduction and Modeling Responses Conditioned on Covariates: An Integrated Approach via Convex Optimization

Given observations of a collection of covariates and responses (Y,X) ∈ R^p × R^q, sufficient dimension reduction (SDR) techniques aim to identify a mapping f: R^q → R^k with k ≪ q such that Y|f(X) is independent of X. The image f(X) summarizes the relevant information in a potentially large number of covariates X that influence the responses Y. In many contemporary settings, the number of responses p is also quite large, in addition to a large number q of covariates. This leads to the challenge of fitting a succinctly parameterized statistical model to Y|f(X), which is a problem that is usually not addressed in a traditional SDR framework. In this paper, we present a computationally tractable convex relaxation based estimator for simultaneously (a) identifying a linear dimension reduction f(X) of the covariates that is sufficient with respect to the responses, and (b) fitting several types of structured low-dimensional models-factor models, graphical models, latent-variable graphical models - to the conditional distribution of Y|f(X). We analyze the consistency properties of our estimator in a high-dimensional scaling regime. We also illustrate the performance of our approach on a newsgroup dataset and on a dataset consisting of financial asset prices.
Evidence for a central origin of the low-frequency oscillation in RR-interval variability.

BACKGROUND Short-term variability of RR interval and blood pressure occurs predominantly at low frequency (LF; approximately 0.1 Hz) and high frequency (approximately 0.25 Hz). The arterial baroreflex is thought to be the predominant determinant of the LF component of RR variability. Patients with severe congestive heart failure (CHF) have an attenuated or absent LF oscillation in RR variability. The left ventricular assist device (LVAD) offers a unique possibility for analysis of spectral oscillations in RR interval independent of any effects of blood pressure that influence these oscillations via the baroreflex. METHODS AND RESULTS We performed spectral analysis of RR, blood pressure, and respiration in 2 patients with CHF before and after LVAD implantation. LF components of the RR-interval and blood pressure variability were absent in both CHF patients before LVAD implantation. After LVAD implantation, spectral analysis of the RR interval showed restoration of a clear and predominant LF oscillation in the native hearts of both patients, with no such oscillation evident in the blood pressure profile. CONCLUSIONS During total circulatory support with the LVAD, the LF oscillation in RR interval of the native heart, absent in CHF, is restored. This LF oscillation in RR interval occurs in the absence of LF oscillations in blood pressure and thus is unlikely to be explained by baroreflex mechanisms. Hence, the absence of LF oscillation in the RR interval in CHF is functional and is reversible by LVAD circulation. The presence of a predominant LF oscillation in RR interval independent of any oscillation in blood pressure suggests that the LF oscillation is a fundamental property of central autonomic outflow.