Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Force production capacity and functional reflex activity in young and elderly men

Background and aims: There is growing evidence that biological aging results in impaired force production of the lower extremities and deficits in reflex activity. This study therefore investigated maximal and explosive force production capacity, functional reflex activity (FRA) during gait perturbations, and the relationship between variables of force production capacity and FRA in young and elderly men. Methods: Twenty-eight young (age 27±3 yrs, n=14) and old (age 67±4 yrs, n=14) healthy active men were tested for decelerating impulses on a treadmill and for their maximal isometric leg extension force (MIF) and rate of force development (RFD) on a leg-press. Results: MIF and RFD were significantly lower in the elderly than in younger participants (MIF ≈45%, p<0.01; RFD ≈50%, p<0.01). Elderly subjects showed significant decreases in FRA in the prime mover which compensated for the decelerating impulse (FRA ≈29%, p<0.05). No significant correlations were found between FRA, MIF or RFD. Conclusions: Lower MIF, RFD and impaired FRA were found in old compared with young men. The absence of significant correlations between measures of strength performance and FRA may indicate that different mechanisms within the neuromuscular system are responsible for these capacities. This result may imply that force production and functional reflex activity are independent of each other and may have to be trained complementarily.
Transforming growth factor‐β signaling at the tumor–bone interface promotes mammary tumor growth and osteoclast activation

Understanding the cellular and molecular changes in the bone microenvironment is important for developing novel therapeutics to control breast cancer bone metastasis. Although the underlying mechanism(s) of bone metastasis has been the focus of intense investigation, relatively little is known about complex molecular interactions between malignant cells and bone stroma. Using a murine syngeneic model that mimics osteolytic changes associated with human breast cancer, we examined the role of tumor–bone interaction in tumor‐induced osteolysis and malignant growth in the bone microenvironment. We identified transforming growth factor‐β receptor 1 (TGF‐βRI) as a commonly upregulated gene at the tumor‐bone (TB) interface. Moreover, TGF‐βRI expression and activation, analyzed by nuclear localization of phospho‐Smad2, was higher in tumor cells and osteoclasts at the TB interface as compared to the tumor‐alone area. Furthermore, attenuation of TGF‐β activity by neutralizing antibody to TGF‐β or TGF‐βRI kinase inhibitor reduced mammary tumor‐induced osteolysis, TGF‐βRI expression and its activation. In addition, we demonstrate a potential role of TGF‐β as an important modifier of receptor activator of NF‐κB ligand (RANKL)‐dependent osteoclast activation and osteolysis. Together, these studies demonstrate that inhibition of TGF‐βRI signaling at the TB interface will be a therapeutic target in the treatment of breast cancer‐induced osteolysis. (Cancer Sci 2009; 100: 71–81)
Influence of phase noise and interchannel interference on the performance of optical heterodyne FSK receiver

The moments approach is generally considered a systematic way to perform the analysis of coherent optical systems. Exact moments of the filtered signal corrupted by phase noise enable the construction of the Gaussian quadrature rule, which may be used to calculate the system error probability. In this paper, we extend the method to a wider class of systems to include the cases where the interchannel interference may be significant. We derive the essential equations in the matrix form and compare the moments approach with numerical simulation and Fokker-Planck approach. To illustrate the results, we apply the moment's method to two-channel optical heterodyne FSK system with dual-filter receiver structure, and evaluate the required channel spacing to have less than 1 dB penalty due to crosstalk.
Protocol Design Beyond Graph-Based Models

In this paper we shed new light on the fundamental gap between graph-based models used by protocol designers and fading channel models used by communication theorists in wireless networks. We experimentally demonstrate that graph-based models capture real-world phenomena inadequately. Consequentially, we advocate studying models beyond graphs even for protocol-design. In the main part of the paper we present an archetypal multi-hop situation. We show that the theoretical limits of any protocol which obeys the laws of graph-based models can be broken by a protocol explicitly defined for the physical model. Finally, we discuss possible applications, from data gathering to media access control.
Enzyme induction and histopathology elucidate aryl hydrocarbon receptor–mediated versus non–aryl hydrocarbon receptor–mediated effects of Aroclor 1268 in American mink (Neovison vison)

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations reported in preferred prey and blubber of bottlenose dolphins from the Turtle‐Brunswick River estuary (Georgia, USA) suggest the potential for adverse effects. However, PCBs in Turtle‐Brunswick River estuary dolphins are primarily derived from Aroclor 1268, and predicting toxic effects of Aroclor 1268 is uncertain because of the mixture's unique composition and associated physiochemical characteristics. These differences suggest that toxicity benchmarks for other PCB mixtures may not be relevant to dolphins exposed to Aroclor 1268. American mink (Neovison vison) were used as a surrogate model for cetaceans to characterize mechanisms of action associated with Aroclor 1268 exposure. Mink share similarities in phylogeny and life history with cetaceans and are characteristically sensitive to PCBs, making them an attractive surrogate species for marine mammals in ecotoxicity studies. Adult female mink and a subsequent F1 generation were exposed to Aroclor 1268 through diet, and effects on enzyme induction, histopathology, thyroid hormone regulation, hematology, organ weights, and body condition index were compared to a negative control and a 3,3′,4,4′,5‐pentachlorobiphenyl (PCB 126)–positive control. Aroclor 1268 dietary exposure concentrations ranged from 1.8 µg/g wet weight to 29 µg/g wet weight. Anemia, hypothyroidism, and hepatomegaly were observed in mink exposed to Aroclor 1268 beyond various dietary thresholds. Cytochrome P450 induction and squamous epithelial proliferation jaw lesions were low in Aroclor 1268 treatments relative to the positive control. Differences in enzyme induction and the development of squamous epithelial proliferation jaw lesions between Aroclor 1268 treatments and the positive control, coupled with effects observed in Aroclor 1268 treatments not observed in the positive control, indicate that mechanisms additional to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor–mediated pathway are associated with Aroclor 1268 exposure. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:619–634. © 2015 SETAC
Passive vibration control: a structure–immittance approach

Linear passive vibration absorbers, such as tuned mass dampers, often contain springs, dampers and masses, although recently there has been a growing trend to employ or supplement the mass elements with inerters. When considering possible configurations with these elements broadly, two approaches are normally used: one structure-based and one immittance-based. Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages. In this paper, a new approach is proposed: the structure–immittance approach. Using this approach, a full set of possible series–parallel networks with predetermined numbers of each element type can be represented by structural immittances, obtained via a proposed general formulation process. Using the structural immittances, both the ability to investigate a class of absorber possibilities together (advantage of the immittance-based approach), and the ability to control the complexity, topology and element values in resulting absorber configurations (advantages of the structure-based approach) are provided at the same time. The advantages of the proposed approach are demonstrated through two case studies on building vibration suppression and automotive suspension design, respectively.
Elevated Serum Uric Acid is Associated With Angiotensinogen in Obese Patients With Untreated Hypertension

This study investigated the correlation between elevated serum uric acid (SUA) and angiotensinogen in obesity patients with hypertension. A total of 162 obese and 162 nonobese men with hypertension were recruited in this study. Plasma angiotensinogen levels were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Fasting insulin (FINS) was evaluated by radioimmunoassay. Compared with nonobese patients, obese patients exhibited higher levels of angiotensinogen, FINS, and homeostasis model assessment index‐insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) (P<.001 for all). Moreover, these indexes significantly increased in obese patients in the highest tertile of SUA when compared with those in the lowest tertile of SUA (P<.001, P=.002, P=.007, respectively). In the obese group, SUA levels were significantly related to angiotensinogen, FINS, and HOMA‐IR, respectively. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that obesity × uric acid was an independent contributor to angiotensinogen (β=0.257, P<.001). In conclusion, elevated SUA is strongly related to angiotensinogen in an obesity‐dependent manner in hypertension.
Shaping of self-control behavior and temporal regulation

Three experiments used procedures to increase the selection of larger, more delayed reinforcers over smaller immediate reinforcers and observed the consequences of training on fixed-interval schedule performance. Six infants from a previous experiment (Darcheville, Rivière, & Wearden, 1993) showed impulsivity under a self-control paradigm and presented high rates of responses under FI schedules. The first training (the same as Schweitzer & Sulzer-Azaroff, 1988) consisted in gradually increasing the duration of the delay to the larger reinforcer over many sessions. The second consisted of gradually increasing the delay of the smaller reinforcers. The third training comprised signaled FI schedules. The follow-up assessments found that infants who began showing impulsive behavior and a high rate of responses under FI schedules are likely to choose delayed reinforcers and to adjust their rates of response under FI schedules after training. Moreover, correlation between self-control behavior and temporal regulation was obtained each time.
Large-Scale Evaluation of Candidate Genes Identifies Associations between VEGF Polymorphisms and Bladder Cancer Risk

Common genetic variation could alter the risk for developing bladder cancer. We conducted a large-scale evaluation of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in candidate genes for cancer to identify common variants that influence bladder cancer risk. An Illumina GoldenGate assay was used to genotype 1,433 SNPs within or near 386 genes in 1,086 cases and 1,033 controls in Spain. The most significant finding was in the 5′ UTR of VEGF (rs25648, p for likelihood ratio test, 2 degrees of freedom = 1 × 10−5). To further investigate the region, we analyzed 29 additional SNPs in VEGF, selected to saturate the promoter and 5′ UTR and to tag common genetic variation in this gene. Three additional SNPs in the promoter region (rs833052, rs1109324, and rs1547651) were associated with increased risk for bladder cancer: odds ratio (95% confidence interval): 2.52 (1.06–5.97), 2.74 (1.26–5.98), and 3.02 (1.36–6.63), respectively; and a polymorphism in intron 2 (rs3024994) was associated with reduced risk: 0.65 (0.46–0.91). Two of the promoter SNPs and the intron 2 SNP showed linkage disequilibrium with rs25648. Haplotype analyses revealed three blocks of linkage disequilibrium with significant associations for two blocks including the promoter and 5′ UTR (global p = 0.02 and 0.009, respectively). These findings are biologically plausible since VEGF is critical in angiogenesis, which is important for tumor growth, its elevated expression in bladder tumors correlates with tumor progression, and specific 5′ UTR haplotypes have been shown to influence promoter activity. Associations between bladder cancer risk and other genes in this report were not robust based on false discovery rate calculations. In conclusion, this large-scale evaluation of candidate cancer genes has identified common genetic variants in the regulatory regions of VEGF that could be associated with bladder cancer risk.
Choosing to conform: The discursive complexities of choice in relation to feminine beauty practices

There exists the idea that western societies are now postfeminist, implying that remaining differences between men and women should be understood as a result of the free exercise of individual choice. Yet this postfeminist promise of liberation is overwhelmingly packaged within the crushingly cruel beauty images that western women are judged against and incited to emulate. Theorizing female agency in light of choice and liberation discourses has been the topic of much recent feminist literature, to which this article seeks to contribute. We utilized a feminist post-structuralist framework to examine how young Australian women position themselves as freely choosing and able to throw off oppression. We discuss these findings in relation to the conception of the neoliberal feminine subject; described as someone who playfully expresses herself by freely choosing her level of participation in socially promoted beauty practices; in turn resulting in a resistance to being seen as inflexible, or critical of wider social influences
Co‐morbidity after oesophageal cancer surgery and recovery of health‐related quality of life

Although health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) recovers after surgery for oesophageal cancer in most long‐term survivors, one in seven patients experiences a deterioration in HRQoL for reasons yet unknown. The aim of this study was to assess whether co‐morbidities diagnosed after surgery influence recovery of HRQoL.
Research on Unproctored Internet Testing

BEN-ROY DORoosevelt UniversityThis article will focus on two areas ofresearch:measurementequivalenceofproc-tored and unproctored administration ofcognitive measures and the effect of cheat-ing through the use of item preknowledgeand two-step testing.Score Equivalence andMeasurement EquivalencePrior research on the score equivalence ofInternettestingacrossproctoredandunproc-toredsettingsgivesussomewhatinconsistentresults.Onegroupofresearchersfoundcom-parable results across proctored and unproc-toredconditions. Oswald, Carr, and Schmidt(2001) found no differences in internal struc-ture or mean test scores for cognitive ability,although they found differences for noncog-nitive measures. Other researchers foundhigher mean scores in unproctored than inproctored conditions (e.g., Beaty, Fallon,Shepherd, & Barrett, 2002; Do, Shepherd, &Drasgow, 2005). Yet, other researchers found that althoughthere was signiﬁcant score difference, theproctored condition, not the unproctoredcondition, has better scores. For instance,Shepherd, Do, and Drasgow (2003) foundthat proctored participants scored higher onthe working with information scale thanunproctored participants, with a small effectsize. In another study using two-step testingwhere qualified unproctored participantswereinvitedtoparticipateinaproctoredcon-firmation test, Nye, Do, Drasgow, and Fine(2008) found that participants in the proc-tored condition scored higher than those inthe unproctored condition, with small tomoderate effect sizes.How do we reconcile the inconsistencyamong those three groups of results? Inunproctored Internet tests (UITs), althoughjob applicants may cheat with help froma smart friend or experienced worker toreceive higher test scores, they may also besubject to distractions in a nonstandardizedenvironment and thus obtain lower testscores. These factors could be the reasonweareseeinginconsistentresultsfromthosethree groups of studies.To ensure test results from UITare compa-rabletoproctoredcounterparts,itisimportantto look beyond score equivalence and focusonthepsychometricproperties ofthetestanditemsacrosstestadministrationmodes.Absentrandom assignment of people to conditions,observed mean score differences may reﬂectactual sample differences of the groups, asopposed to measurement nonequivalence orthe presence of some effect across groups. Inaddition, it is important to ensure that testingconditions exhibit no bias, such that a test oritem does not unfairly favor one group ofexamineesoveranother.Measurementequiv-alence is one way to address these issues.
Evaluation of the Effect of Radiofrequency Radiation Emitted From Wi-Fi Router and Mobile Phone Simulator on the Antibacterial Susceptibility of Pathogenic Bacteria Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli

Mobile phones and Wi-Fi radiofrequency radiation are among the main sources of the exposure of the general population to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF). Previous studies have shown that exposure of microorganisms to RF-EMFs can be associated with a wide spectrum of changes ranged from the modified bacterial growth to the alterations of the pattern of antibiotic resistance. Our laboratory at the nonionizing department of the Ionizing and Non-ionizing Radiation Protection Research Center has performed experiments on the health effects of exposure to animal models and humans to different sources of electromagnetic fields such as cellular phones, mobile base stations, mobile phone jammers, laptop computers, radars, dentistry cavitrons, magnetic resonance imaging, and Helmholtz coils. On the other hand, we have previously studied different aspects of the challenging issue of the ionizing or nonionizing radiation-induced alterations in the susceptibility of microorganisms to antibiotics. In this study, we assessed if the exposure to 900 MHz GSM mobile phone radiation and 2.4 GHz radiofrequency radiation emitted from common Wi-Fi routers alters the susceptibility of microorganisms to different antibiotics. The pure cultures of Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli were exposed to RF-EMFs generated either by a GSM 900 MHz mobile phone simulator and a common 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi router. It is also shown that exposure to RF-EMFs within a narrow level of irradiation (an exposure window) makes microorganisms resistant to antibiotics. This adaptive phenomenon and its potential threats to human health should be further investigated in future experiments. Altogether, the findings of this study showed that exposure to Wi-Fi and RF simulator radiation can significantly alter the inhibition zone diameters and growth rate for L monocytogenes and E coli. These findings may have implications for the management of serious infectious diseases.
Coordinated Regulation of SIV Replication and Immune Responses in the CNS

Central nervous system (CNS) invasion during acute-stage HIV-infection has been demonstrated in a small number of individuals, but there is no evidence of neurological impairment at this stage and virus infection in brain appears to be controlled until late-stage disease. Using our reproducible SIV macaque model to examine the earliest stages of infection in the CNS, we identified immune responses that differentially regulate inflammation and virus replication in the brain compared to the peripheral blood and lymphoid tissues. SIV replication in brain macrophages and in brain of SIV-infected macaques was detected at 4 days post-inoculation (p.i.). This was accompanied by upregulation of innate immune responses, including IFNβ, IFNβ-induced gene MxA mRNA, and TNFα. Additionally, IL-10, the chemokine CCL2, and activation markers in macrophages, endothelial cells, and astrocytes were all increased in the brain at four days p.i. We observed synchronous control of virus replication, cytokine mRNA levels and inflammatory markers (MHC Class II, CD68 and GFAP) by 14 days p.i. ; however, control failure was followed by development of CNS lesions in the brain. SIV infection was accompanied by induction of the dominant-negative isoform of C/EBPβ, which regulates SIV, CCL2, and IL6 transcription, as well as inflammatory responses in macrophages and astrocytes. This synchronous response in the CNS is in part due to the effect of the C/EBPβ on virus replication and cytokine expression in macrophage-lineage cells in contrast to CD4+ lymphocytes in peripheral blood and lymphoid tissues. Thus, we have identified a crucial period in the brain when virus replication and inflammation are controlled. As in HIV-infected individuals, though, this control is not sustained in the brain. Our results suggest that intervention with antiretroviral drugs or anti-inflammatory therapeutics with CNS penetration would sustain early control. These studies further suggest that interventions should target HIV-infected individuals with increased CCL2 levels or HIV RNA in the CNS.
Knockout of 5-Lipoxygenase Results in Age-Dependent Anxiety-Like Behavior in Female Mice

Background The enzyme 5-lipoxygenase (5LO) has been implicated in a variety of neurological and psychiatric disorders including anxiety. Knockout of 5LO has previously been shown to alter anxiety-like behavior in mice at a young age but the effect of 5LO knockout on older animals has not been characterized. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we used the elevated plus maze behavioral paradigm to measure anxiety-like behavior in female mice lacking 5LO (5LO-KO) at three different ages. Adolescent 5LO-KO animals did not significantly differ from wild-type (WT) animals in anxiety-like behavior. However, adult and older mice exhibited increased anxiety-like behavior compared to WT controls. Conclusions These results indicate that 5LO plays a role in the development of the anxiety-like phenotype in an age-dependent manner in female mice. Future work should further investigate this interaction as 5LO may prove to be an important molecular target for the development of novel anxiolytic therapies.
Doxycycline-Induced Acute Pancreatitis: A Rare Adverse Event

Doxycycline is a broad-spectrum antibiotic belonging to the tetracycline group which acts by inhibiting bacterial protein synthesis. It is considered to be a relatively safe drug. We report a case of doxycycline-induced acute pancreatitis (DIAP) in an adult female patient who was started on the usual therapeutic dose 1 week before for acne vulgaris. The WHO causality assessment was possible, and the Naranjo scale confirmed it as “definite” adverse drug reaction. A brief literature review on case reports previously reporting DIAP has also been summarized.
Polyvinyl Acetate Film-Based Quartz Crystal Microbalance for the Detection of Benzene, Toluene, and Xylene Vapors in Air

Vapors of volatile organic compounds such as benzene, toluene, and xylene (BTX) may cause health concerns. The sensitive detection of these compounds in air remains challenging. In this study, we reported on modification of the Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) sensing chip using polyvinyl acetate (PVAc) film as active coating for the analysis of BTX vapors. The PVAc film was deposited on the QCM sensing chip surface by a spin coating technique. The morphology of the PVAc films was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The sensitivities of PVAc based QCM system for benzene, toluene, and xylene analyses were 0.018, 0.041, and 0.081 Hz/ppm, respectively. The high sensitivity of the proposed QCM system for analysis of BTX vapors is believed to be due to the effective interaction between the PVAc film and BTX molecules. The analyte vapor pressure appears to also affect the sensitivity. These data show that the prepared QCM sensor has a low time constant, good reproducibility, and excellent stability. It offers an alternative to the developed methods for detection of BTX and possibly other aromatic hydrocarbons in the air.