Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biomedicalization: Technoscientific Transformations of Health, Illness, and U.S. Biomedicine

The first social transformation of American medicine institutionally established medicine by the end of World War II. In the next decades, medicalization—the expansion of medical jurisdiction, authority, and practices into new realms—became widespread. Since about 1985, dramatic changes in both the organization and practices of contemporary biomedicine, implemented largely through the integration of technoscientific innovations, have been coalescing into what the authors call biomedicalization, a second “transformation “ of American medicine. Biomedicalization describes the increasingly complex, multisited, multidirectional processes of medicalization, both extended and reconstituted through the new social forms of highly technoscientific biomedicine. The historical shift from medicalization to biomedicalization is one from control over biomedical phenomena to transformations of them. Five key interactive processes both engender biomedicalization and are produced through it: (1) the political economic reconstitution of the vast sector of biomedicine; (2) the focus on health itself and the elaboration of risk and surveillance biomedicines; (3) the increasingly technological and scientific nature of biomedicine; (4) transformations in how biomedical knowledges are produced, distributed, and consumed, and in medical information management; and (5) transformations of bodies to include new properties and the production of new individual and collective technoscientific identities.
Aspartame: neuropsychologic and neurophysiologic evaluation of acute and chronic effects.

BACKGROUND Neurobehavioral symptoms have been reported anecdotally with aspartame. OBJECTIVE This study sought to determine whether aspartame can disrupt cognitive, neurophysiologic, or behavioral functioning in normal individuals. DESIGN Forty-eight healthy volunteers completed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. The first month was aspartame free. Subjects then consumed sodas and capsules with placebo, aspartame, or sucrose for 20 d each. Order was randomized and subjects were assigned to either a high- (45 mg x kg body wt(-1) x d(-1)) or low- (15 mg x kg body wt(-1) x d(-1)) dose aspartame group. Neuropsychologic and laboratory testing was done on day 10 of each treatment period to determine possible acute effects and on day 20 for possible chronic effects. RESULTS Plasma phenylalanine concentrations increased significantly during aspartame treatment. Neuropsychologic results; adverse experiences; amino acid, insulin, and glucose values; and electroencephalograms were compared by sex and by treatment. No significant differences were found for any dependent measure. CONCLUSION Large daily doses of aspartame had no effect on neuropsychologic, neurophysiologic, or behavioral functioning in healthy young adults.
Synthesis of Cyclodextrin-functionalized Cellulose Nanofibril Aerogel as a Highly Effective Adsorbent for Phenol Pollutant Removal

Cellulose nanofibril (CNF) aerogels with grafted beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD) were prepared for the adsorption of phenol pollutants from water. Compared with regular wood fibers, CNF aerogel not only can immobilize more β-CDs, but also it provides higher porosity and a larger specific surface area for phenol absorption. The CNF-CD aerogel becomes mechanically robust through chemical crosslinking. It can be easily separated from water after adsorbing phenol pollutants without complicated centrifugation or filtration. A series of studies on phenol adsorption was conducted. The results indicated that the CNF-CD aerogel prepared with a suspension concentration of 3% (w/w) had the highest adsorption capability. In addition, the CNF-CD aerogel showed an excellent reusability. The results indicated that the CNF-CD aerogel is an environmentally friendly and promising adsorbent for removing phenol pollutants from water.
Laboratory Evaluation of the Influence of Decentration and Pupil Size on the Optical Performance of a Monofocal, Bifocal, and Trifocal Intraocular Lens.

PURPOSE To assess the influence of decentration and aperture size on the optical quality of different intraocular lenses (IOLs) of the same material, body design, and refractive power using standardized optical bench testing. METHODS Using an optical bench set-up, an aspheric monofocal (CT ASPHINA 409M; Carl Zeiss Meditec, Jena, Germany), an aspheric diffractive bifocal (AT LISA 809M; Carl Zeiss Meditec), and an aspheric diffractive trifocal (AT LISA 839M; Carl Zeiss Meditec) intraocular lens (IOL) were evaluated, each with the same distance power, body design, and material. Modulation transfer function (MTF) values were measured at spatial frequencies of 50 lp/mm and aperture sizes of 3 and 4.5 mm. Each IOL was measured while centered, then decentered by 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 mm. RESULTS MTF values for the monofocal IOL at far focus with 3- and 4.5-mm aperture size were 0.80/0.80 with maximum reduction to 0.77/0.73 for 1-mm decentration, respectively. Centered IOL MTFs of the bifocal and trifocal IOLs were lower for the far focus at 0.46/0.41 and 0.39/0.26, with reduction at 1-mm decentration to 0.35/0.25 and 0.25/0.18, respectively. Values for near focus of the bifocal and trifocal IOLs reduced from 0.27/0.31 and 0.19/0.18 to 0.2/0.21 and 0.12/0.13, respectively. The trifocal intermediate focus MTF reduced from 0.15/0.10 to 0.12/0.08. MTF values of all three lenses decreased significantly under all conditions with decentration of 0.5 to 0.75 mm. CONCLUSIONS Monofocal lenses were least negatively affected by decentration, with mean optical quality reduction of less than 10% for 1-mm decentration at physiological pupil sizes. For diffractive bifocal and trifocal lenses, optical quality at all distances was significantly reduced if decentration exceeded 0.75 mm, with intermediate focus showing the least reduction. [J Refract Surg. 2017;33(12):808-812. ].
Performance Comparison of AODV and DSR in MANET Test-Bed Based on Internet of Things

Mobile Ad hoc Network (MANET) is a collection of self-organizing wireless nodes without any fixed infrastructure and centralized administration. This article presents an investigation with an objective to compare the performance of two typical routing protocols, AODV and DSR, in real multi-hop environment. Apart from testing the end-to-end packet loss, delay and routing path parameters, we also assess the performance of AODV and DSR in terms of some applications based on Internet of Things (IOT), such as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) service, voice service and temperature monitoring service. Two scenes are considered in this work: indoor pre-selected multi-hop scene with Media Access Control (MAC) filtering and outdoor self- organizing multi-hop scene with changeable and complicated wireless links. From the test results, it can be concluded that DSR has a better performance indoors while AODV can better adapt to outdoor complex electromagnetic environment. Additionally, the existing problems found in practical test are analyzed and the possible directions of future improvements in Ad hoc network test-bed are discussed.
The beneficial effects of rehabilitation on hand function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives The hand is one of the main elements of the rehabilitation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) due to deformities, which occur in approximately 90% of patients. It is a serious problem, both in the psychological and functional aspect, connected with muscle strength reduction, a limited range of motion and non-acceptance of the changes in the shape of the limb. The study aimed to assess the effect of rehabilitation on the function of the hand in rheumatoid arthritis. Material and methods The study group consisted of 40 women with RA. The patients had been previously treated at the Rehabilitation Department of the National Institute of Geriatrics, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation in Warsaw. The study group underwent 3 weeks of rehabilitation involving individual therapy, exercises with equipment, patient education and physical therapy. The control group included women without a diagnosis of RA, hands pain-free and fully mobile. In both groups the hand was assessed for grip value, grip quality and manipulative ability. In the study group the basis of pain intensity was noted. The measurements were performed twice – prior to the rehabilitation and after 3 weeks of rehabilitation in women with RA and once in women without hand problems. Results The results obtained revealed marked limitation of hand function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The treatment resulted in an improvement of all assessed parameters except cylindrical grip, in which only a part of the findings was statistically significant. Conclusions The analysis of the study material showed that appropriately adjusted and conducted hand physiotherapy in women with rheumatoid arthritis contributed to the improvement of its function by pain reduction, improved value and quality of grip, and also increased manipulative ability.
Bisphenol A in dental sealants and its estrogen like effect

Bisphenol A or BPA-based epoxy resins are widely used in the manufacture of commercial products, including dental resins, polycarbonate plastics, and the inner coating of food cans. BPA is a precursor to the resin monomer Bis-GMA. During the manufacturing process of Bis-GMA dental sealants, Bisphenol A (BPA) might be present as an impurity or as a degradation product of Bis-DMA through esterases present in saliva. Leaching of these monomers from resins can occur during the initial setting period and in conjunction with fluid sorption and desorption over time and this chemical leach from dental sealants may be bioactive. Researchers found an estrogenic effect with BPA, Bis-DMA, and Bis-GMA because BPA lacks structural specificity as a natural ligand to the estrogen receptor. It generated considerable concern regarding the safety of dental resin materials. This review focuses on the BPA in dental sealants and its estrogen-like effect.
TetR Family Transcriptional Regulator PccD Negatively Controls Propionyl Coenzyme A Assimilation in Saccharopolyspora erythraea

ABSTRACT Propanol stimulates erythromycin biosynthesis by increasing the supply of propionyl coenzyme A (propionyl-CoA), a starter unit of erythromycin production in Saccharopolyspora erythraea. Propionyl-CoA is assimilated via propionyl-CoA carboxylase to methylmalonyl-CoA, an extender unit of erythromycin. We found that the addition of n-propanol or propionate caused a 4- to 16-fold increase in the transcriptional levels of the SACE_3398–3400 locus encoding propionyl-CoA carboxylase, a key enzyme in propionate metabolism. The regulator PccD was proved to be directly involved in the transcription regulation of the SACE_3398–3400 locus by EMSA and DNase I footprint analysis. The transcriptional levels of SACE_3398–3400 were upregulated 15- to 37-fold in the pccD gene deletion strain (ΔpccD) and downregulated 3-fold in the pccD overexpression strain (WT/pIB-pccD), indicating that PccD was a negative transcriptional regulator of SACE_3398–3400. The ΔpccD strain has a higher growth rate than that of the wild-type strain (WT) on Evans medium with propionate as the sole carbon source, whereas the growth of the WT/pIB-pccD strain was repressed. As a possible metabolite of propionate metabolism, methylmalonic acid was identified as an effector molecule of PccD and repressed its regulatory activity. A higher level of erythromycin in the ΔpccD strain was observed compared with that in the wild-type strain. Our study reveals a regulatory mechanism in propionate metabolism and suggests new possibilities for designing metabolic engineering to increase erythromycin yield. IMPORTANCE Our work has identified the novel regulator PccD that controls the expression of the gene for propionyl-CoA carboxylase, a key enzyme in propionyl-CoA assimilation in S. erythraea. PccD represses the generation of methylmalonyl-CoA through carboxylation of propionyl-CoA and reveals an effect on biosynthesis of erythromycin. This finding provides novel insight into propionyl-CoA assimilation, and extends our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms underlying the biosynthesis of erythromycin.
Emergent behavior in active colloids

Active colloids are microscopic particles, which self-propel through viscous fluids by converting energy extracted from their environment into directed motion. We first explain how artificial microswimmers move forward by generating near-surface flow fields via self-phoresis or the self-induced Marangoni effect. We then discuss generic features of the dynamics of single active colloids in bulk and in confinement, as well as in the presence of gravity, field gradients, and fluid flow. In the third section, we review the emergent collective behavior of active colloidal suspensions, focusing on their structural and dynamic properties. After summarizing experimental observations, we give an overview of the progress in modeling collectively moving active colloids. While active Brownian particles are heavily used to study collective dynamics on large scales, more advanced methods are necessary to explore the importance of hydrodynamic and phoretic particle interactions. Finally, the relevant physical approaches to quantify the emergent collective behavior are presented.
The Role of Post-Translational Modifications on Prion-Like Aggregation and Liquid-Phase Separation of FUS

Subcellular mislocalization and aggregation of the human FUS protein occurs in neurons of patients with subtypes of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia. FUS is one of several RNA-binding proteins that can functionally self-associate into distinct liquid-phase droplet structures. It is postulated that aberrant interactions within the dense phase-separated state can potentiate FUS’s transition into solid prion-like aggregates that cause disease. FUS is post-translationally modified at numerous positions, which affect both its localization and aggregation propensity. These modifications may influence FUS-linked pathology and serve as therapeutic targets.
Subgame Perfect Implementation under Approximate Common Knowledge: Evidence from a Laboratory Experiment

A remarkable result, due to Moore and Repullo (1988) is that any social choice function can be implemented as the unique equilibrium of a suitably constructed dynamic game (subgame perfect implementation). A recent literature has questioned whether common knowledge is a critical assumption for various implementation results (eg. Chung and Ely 2003 vis Nash implentation in undominated strategies). Directly related to subgame perfect implementation, Aghion et al. (2009) show that all extensive form mechanisms admit undesirable equilibria under an arbitrarily small p-belief perturbation from common knowledge, and that the desirable equilibrium in Moore-Repullo mechanisms fails to exist under such a perturbation. This paper test these findings in a laboratory experiment and finds that Moore-Repullo mechanisms exhibit this fragility in practice. JEL Classifications:
Drought in a Mature Amazonian Forest

15 Large areas of Amazonian evergreen forests experience seasonal droughts extending for 16 three or more months, and show maximum rates of photosynthesis and evapotranspiration 17 during dry intervals. This apparent resilience is belied by disproportionate mortality of the 18 large trees in manipulations that reduce wet season rainfall, occurring after 2-3 years of 19 treatment. The goal of this study is to characterize the mechanisms that produce these 20 contrasting ecosystem responses. A mechanistic vegetation-hydrology model is developed to 21 test the roles of deep roots and of soil capillary flux to provide water to the forest during the 22 dry season. Also examined is the importance of “root niche separation,” in which roots of 23 overstory trees extend to depth, where during the dry season they use water stored from wet 24 season precipitation, while roots of understory trees are concentrated in shallow layers that 25 access dry season precipitation directly. Observational data on canopy phenology, energy 26 fluxes, soil moisture, and soil and root structure from the Tapajós National Forest, Brazil, 27 provided comprehensive observational constraints on the model. Results strongly suggest 28 that deep roots with root niche separation adaptations explain both the observed resilience 29 during seasonal drought and the vulnerability of canopy-dominant trees to extended deficits 30 of wet season rainfall. These mechanisms appear to provide an adaptive strategy that en31 hances productivity of the largest trees in the face of their disproportionate heat loads and 32 water demand in the dry season. A sensitivity analysis exploring how wet season rainfall 33 affects the stability of the rainforest system is presented. The model can be used to quanti34 tatively predict ecosystem water balances and explore ecosystem tipping points under future 35 climate change. 36
A Comparison of Cochlear Nerve Size in Normal-Hearing Adults Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

OBJECTIVE Cochlear implantation is a clinical and cost-effective treatment for severe hearing loss. Cochlear nerve size assessment by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been investigated for use as a prognostic indicator following cochlear implantation. This study aimed to further that research by assessing nerve size in normal-hearing adults for symmetry. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients with tinnitus presenting to our center retrospectively had their nerve size assessed by MRI. RESULTS The study found no significant differences between right and left cochlear nerves in normal-hearing adults, supporting our hypothesis of symmetry in these individuals. This was a previously unproven and uninvestigated hypothesis. CONCLUSION Nerve size assessment should remain an active area of research in otological disease.
Review of xanthomatous lesions of the sella

Xanthomatous lesions of the sellar region have traditionally been divided into two separate categories, xanthomatous hypophysitis (XH) and xanthogranuloma (XG) of the sellar region. The seminal article on XH, a condition typified by foamy histiocytes and lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates in the pituitary gland/sellar region, but usually little or no hemosiderin pigment, detailed three patients. However, most reports since that time have been single cases, making understanding of the entity difficult. In contrast, the seminal report on XG, characterized by sellar region cholesterol clefts, lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates, marked hemosiderin deposits, fibrosis, multinucleated giant cells around cholesterol clefts, eosinophilic granular necrotic debris, and accumulation of macrophages, included 37 patients, allowing more insights into etiology. Few examples could be linked to adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma, and although ciliated epithelium similar to that of Rathke cleft cyst (RCC) was identified up to 35% of the 37 cases, it could not be proven that XG was related to hemorrhage into RCC. Case reports since that time, however, occasionally linked XG to RCC when an etiology could be identified at all, and a few recognized that a spectrum exists in xanthomatous lesions of the sella. They review literature, adding 23 cases from our own experience, to confirm that overlap occurs between XH and XG, and that the majority—but not all—can be linked to RCC leakage/rupture/hemorrhage. It was suggested that progressive accumulation of hemosiderin pigment in the lesion, possibly caused by the multiple episodes of bleeding, could account for the transition of at least some cases of XH to XG.
Numerical analysis of the influence of the damping rings’ dimensions on interrupted dynamic tension experiment results

This article discusses the influence of the dimensions of the damping rings used for interrupting a dynamic tension experiment on the results of a modified split Hopkinson tension bar. The damping rings enclosed in an external fixture which modifies the classical split Hopkinson tension bar play a significant role in buffering the dynamic tension experiments before the specimen reaches its failure strength. Finite element simulations of high-strain-rate tension experiments are accomplished on Aluminium 7017-T73 alloy specimens when varying the thickness or the cross-sectional area of the damping rings. Finite element analyses described herein are applied to simulate the effects of the variation of the damping rings’ dimensions to provide a reference for improvement of a modified split Hopkinson tension bar experimental apparatus and guidance for future studies in which optimum dimensions for the damping rings can be studied. In view of this research, it can be concluded that the thickness of the damping rings is a factor that can resolutely influence the interrupted dynamic tension experiment results, while their cross-sectional area can be excluded as a factor influencing the results of the modified split Hopkinson tension bar experiments.
Finding Unknown Malice in 10 Seconds: Mass Vetting for New Threats at the Google-Play Scale

An app market's vetting process is expected to be scalable and effective. However, today's vetting mechanisms are slow and less capable of catching new threats. In our research, we found that a more powerful solution can be found by exploiting the way Android malware is constructed and disseminated, which is typically through repackaging legitimate apps with similar malicious components. As a result, such attack payloads often stand out from those of the same repackaging origin and also show up in the apps not supposed to relate to each other. Based upon this observation, we developed a new technique, called MassVet, for vetting apps at a massive scale, without knowing what malware looks like and how it behaves. Unlike existing detection mechanisms, which often utilize heavyweight program analysis techniques, our approach simply compares a submitted app with all those already on a market, focusing on the difference between those sharing a similar UI structure (indicating a possible repackaging relation), and the commonality among those seemingly unrelated. Once public libraries and other legitimate code reuse are removed, such diff/common program components become highly suspicious. In our research, we built this "Diff-Com" analysis on top of an efficient similarity comparison algorithm, which maps the salient features of an app's UI structure or a method's control-flow graph to a value for a fast comparison. We implemented MassVet over a stream processing engine and evaluated it nearly 1.2 million apps from 33 app markets around the world, the scale of Google Play. Our study shows that the technique can vet an app within 10 seconds at a low false detection rate. Also, it outperformed all 54 scanners in VirusTotal (NOD32, Symantec, McAfee, etc.) in terms of detection coverage, capturing over a hundred thousand malicious apps, including over 20 likely zero-day malware and those installed millions of times. A close look at these apps brings to light intriguing new observations e.g., Google's detection strategy and malware authors' countermoves that cause the mysterious disappearance and reappearance of some Google Play apps.