Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Application of Rho Antagonist to Neuronal Cell Bodies Promotes Neurite Growth in Compartmented Cultures and Regeneration of Retinal Ganglion Cell Axons in the Optic Nerve of Adult Rats

Inactivation of Rho promotes neurite growth on inhibitory substrates and axon regeneration in vivo. Here, we compared axon growth when neuronal cell bodies or injured axons were treated with a cell-permeable Rho antagonist (C3-07) in vitro and in vivo. In neurons plated in compartmented cultures, application of C3-07 to either cell bodies or distal axons promoted axonal growth on myelin-associated glycoprotein substrates. In vivo, an injection of C3-07 into the eye promoted regeneration of retinal ganglion cell (RGC) axons in the optic nerve after microcrush lesion. Delayed application of C3-07 promoted RGC growth across the lesion scar. Application of C3-07 completely prevented RGC cell death for 1 week after axotomy. To investigate the mechanism by which Rho inactivation promotes RGC growth, we studied slow axonal transport. Reduction in slow transport of cytoskeletal proteins was observed after axotomy, but inactivation of Rho did not increase slow axonal transport rates. Together, our results indicate that application of a Rho antagonist at the cell body is neuroprotective and overcomes growth inhibition but does not fully prime RGCs for active growth.
Tribological behaviour of Al2O3/inorganic fullerene-like WS2 composite layer sliding against plastic

With the aim of proposing new materials with good properties for dry sliding contact, aluminium oxide layers Al2O3 with inorganic fullerene-like tungsten disulfide IF-WS2 - were obtained and tested. The results of tribological tests, surface topography measurements and SEM analysis are presented. The top layer of the anodised (porous) aluminium-oxide film was loaded with fullerene-like nanoparticles (NP) of WS2 (IF-WS2). Ethanol (method A) and glycol ethylene (method B) were used as dispersive liquids. The tribological properties were investigated by conducting wear tests of Al2O3/IF-WS2 (inorganic fullerene-like tungsten disulfide) coatings against a TG15 plastic (politertrafluotoethylene - graphite) counter-body under pin-on-plate reciprocating motion in dry contact conditions. Non-parametric statistical ANOVA (by Kruskal-Wallis) showed that Al2O3/IF-WS2 layers (method B) had a higher dispersion of the results of both the friction coefficient and the wear intensity of TG15 material while they were in contact. A lower value of wear intensity and a smaller spread of data predispose the Al2O3/IF-WS2 layer produced by method A more to a sliding contact compared to the layer obtained by method B.
Effects of Warm-mix Asphalt Additives on Asphalt Mixture Characteristics and Pavement Performance

The primary objective of this research is to evaluate the feasibility of several WMA mixtures as potential asphalt paving mixtures for Nebraska pavements. To that end, three well-known WMA additives (i.e., Sasobit, Evotherm, and Advera synthetic zeolite) were evaluated. For a more realistic evaluation of the WMA approaches, trial pavement sections of the WMA mixtures and their HMA counterparts were implemented in Antelope County, Nebraska. More than one ton of field-mixed loose mixtures were collected at the time of paving and were transported to the NDOR and UNL laboratories to conduct comprehensive laboratory evaluations and pavement performance predictions of the individual mixtures involved. Various key laboratory tests were conducted to identify mixture properties and performance characteristics. These laboratory test results were then incorporated into other available data and the MEPDG software to predict the long-term field performance of the WMA and HMA trial sections. Pavement performance predictions from the MEPDG were also compared to two-year actual field performance data that have annually been monitored by the NDOR pavement management team. The WMA additives evaluated in this study did not significantly affect the viscoelastic stiffness characteristics of the asphalt mixtures. WMA mixtures generally presented better rut resistance than their HMA counterparts, and the WMA with Sasobit increased the rut resistance significantly, which is in good agreement with other similar studies. However, two laboratory tests—the AASHTO T283 test and semi-circular bend fracture test with moisture conditioning—to assess moisture damage susceptibility demonstrated identical results indicating greater moisture damage potential of WMA mixtures. MEPDG results simulating 20-year field performance presented insignificant pavement distresses with no major performance difference between WMA and HMA, which has been confirmed by actual field performance data. Although only two-year field performance is available to date, both the WMA and HMA have performed well. No cracking or other failure modes have been observed in the trial sections. The rut depth and the roughness of WMA and HMA sections were similar. i To all my beloved kiths and kins ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has helped me complete my thesis. First, I thank my academic advisor, Dr. Yong Rak Kim for his continuous support, encouragement and instruction during the last two years of my Master's degree. Dr. Kim was always giving me advice whenever I met problems in my research. From him, I learn how to be persistent to accomplish my research. I am also grateful …
Measuring social participation: reliability of the LIFE-H in older adults with disabilities

Purpose: Much more attention should be paid to instruments documenting social participation as this area is increasingly considered a pivotal outcome of a successful rehabilitation. The purpose of this study was to document the reliability of a participation measure, the Assessment of Life Habits (LIFE-H), in older adults with functional limitations. Methods: Eighty-four individuals with physical disabilities living in three different environments were assessed twice with the LIFE-H, an instrument that documents the quality of social participation by assessing a person's performance in daily activities and social roles (life habits). Results: The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) computed for intrarater reliability exceeded 0.75 for seven out of the 10 life habits categories. For interrater reliability, the total score and daily activities subscore are highly reliable (ICC ⩽ 0.89), and the social roles subscore is moderately reliable (ICC = 0.64). ‘Personal care’ is the category with the highest ICC, and for five other categories ICCs are moderate to high (< 0.60). Conclusion: LIFE-H is a valuable addition to instruments that mostly emphasize the concepts of function or functional independence. It is particularly meaningful to evaluate the participation of older adults in significant social role domains such as recreation and community life. It may be considered among the instruments having the best fit with the ICF definition of participation (the person's involvement in a life situation) and a majority of its related domains.
Active Automata Learning: From DFAs to Interface Programs and Beyond

This paper reviews the development of active learning in the last decade under the perspective of treating of data, a major source of undecidability, and therefore a key problem to achieve practicality. Starting with the first case studies, in which data was completely disregarded, we revisit different steps towards dealing with data explicitly in active learning: We discuss Mealy Machines as a model for systems with (data) output, automated alphabet abstraction refinement as a two-dimensional extension of the partition-refinement based approach of active learning for inferring not only states but also optimal alphabet
Rapid Effects of Hearing Song on Catecholaminergic Activity in the Songbird Auditory Pathway

Catecholaminergic (CA) neurons innervate sensory areas and affect the processing of sensory signals. For example, in birds, CA fibers innervate the auditory pathway at each level, including the midbrain, thalamus, and forebrain. We have shown previously that in female European starlings, CA activity in the auditory forebrain can be enhanced by exposure to attractive male song for one week. It is not known, however, whether hearing song can initiate that activity more rapidly. Here, we exposed estrogen-primed, female white-throated sparrows to conspecific male song and looked for evidence of rapid synthesis of catecholamines in auditory areas. In one hemisphere of the brain, we used immunohistochemistry to detect the phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), a rate-limiting enzyme in the CA synthetic pathway. We found that immunoreactivity for TH phosphorylated at serine 40 increased dramatically in the auditory forebrain, but not the auditory thalamus and midbrain, after 15 min of song exposure. In the other hemisphere, we used high pressure liquid chromatography to measure catecholamines and their metabolites. We found that two dopamine metabolites, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and homovanillic acid, increased in the auditory forebrain but not the auditory midbrain after 30 min of exposure to conspecific song. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that exposure to a behaviorally relevant auditory stimulus rapidly induces CA activity, which may play a role in auditory responses.
High Pre‐Transplant Soluble CD30 Levels are Predictive of the Grade of Rejection

In renal transplantation, serum soluble CD30 (sCD30) levels in graft recipients are associated with increased rejection and graft loss. We investigated whether pre‐transplant sCD30 concentrations are predictive of the grade of rejection. Pre‐transplant sera of 51 patients with tubulointerstitial rejection (TIR), 16 patients with vascular rejection (VR) and an age‐matched control group of 41 patients with no rejection (NR) were analyzed for sCD30. The transplant biopsies were immunostained for C4d. The median sCD30 level was significantly elevated in the group with VR (248 Units (U)/mL, range: 92–802) when compared with TIR (103 U/mL, range: 36–309, p < 0.001) and NR (179 U/mL, range: 70–343, p < 0.03). Moreover, patients with TIR had significantly lower sCD30 levels compared to NR. Based on C4d staining, a TH2 driven process, the median sCD30 levels were significantly raised in C4d+ patients compared with C4d− group (177 U/mL vs. 120 U/mL, p < 0.05). sCD30 levels measured at time of transplantation correlate with the grade of rejection. High pre‐transplant levels are associated with antibody‐mediated rejection which carries a poorer prognosis. sCD30 could be another tool to assess immunological risk prior to transplantation and enable a patient centered approach to immunosuppression.
A Semantic Infrastructure for Personalisable Context-Aware Environments

Although a number of initiatives provide personalized context-aware guidance for niche use-cases, a standard framework for context awareness remains lacking. This article explains how semantic technology has been exploited to generate a centralized repository of personal activity context. This data drives advanced features such as, personal situation recognition and customizable rules for the context-sensitive management of personal devices and data sharing. As a proof-of-concept, we demonstrate how an innovative context-aware system has successfully adopted such an infrastructure.
The Effect of Styrene-Butadiene- Styrene on Moisture Damage Resistance of Asphalt Mixtures

The moisture damage is one of the main failure modes affecting on the flexible pavement performance. The stripping action of water helping to reduce the bonding strength between the asphalt binder and the aggregate particles. The moisture damage resistance depends on many factors: asphalt binder, aggregate type, and mineral filler. This study has been made to evaluate the effect of SBS on the moisture sensitivity. The asphalt mixtures are divided into two types: the unmodified, and the modified. The SBS content was (0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 3.0.3.5, 4.0) % by the weight of asphalt. The performance tests include: Marshall Test, Indirect Tensile Strength Ratio test, and the Index of Retained Strength test. The tests results show that the asphalt mixtures modified by SBS have shown a developed in the Marshall properties, and increasing the moisture damage resistance. However, the using of (3% SBS) by the weight of asphalt has the best effect on the Marshall properties, and on the moisture damage resistance, which increase the pavement performance against the environmental effects.
Reliability and validity of the Global Pain Scale with chronic pain sufferers.

BACKGROUND Many pain scales exist today; however, a comprehensive, easy-to-analyze test has yet to be available to evaluate a patient's pain and understand the sociocultural, cognitive, and affective factors contributing to a patient's overall pain experience. Many scales have attempted to create an all-encompassing pain assessment but remain incomplete in their assessment of pain and the contributing aspects of pain. OBJECTIVE To present the Global Pain Scale (GPS) as an alternative to current pain assessments and evaluate the reliability and construct validity of the GPS. METHODS Two hundred sixty-two undergraduates with chronic pain at a large midwestern university participated in this survey study. Participants reported in which of 14 specific body regions they have pain, the frequency of pain, and treatment history for their pain. Participants completed 4 scales--GPS, the West Haven Yale Scale (WHY), the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), and the short form McGill (SF-MPQ)--in a randomized order. RESULTS The GPS demonstrated high criterion validity and high construct validity (including both convergent and discriminant validity). The total GPS scale and each of the subscales were reliable. The total GPS score was significantly correlated with all other subscales, excluding those for which there is a theoretical reason for them to not be correlated with our participant population. LIMITATIONS A sample of college students was used, thus decreasing the generalizability of these findings to patients approximating our sample. CONCLUSIONS The GPS is a valid scale that is concise and easily interpreted. The GPS is a comprehensive assessment of pain evaluating pain, emotions, clinical outcomes, and daily activities. This may be a valuable tool for evaluation and treatment planning for interventional pain management physicians.
Understanding collaboration between nurses and physicians as knowledge at work.

BACKGROUND Collaboration between nurses and physicians is linked to positive outcomes for patients, especially in the intensive care unit. However, effective collaboration poses challenges because of traditional barriers such as sex and class differences, hierarchical organizational structures in health-care, and physicians' belief that they are the final arbiter of clinical decisions. OBJECTIVE To further analyze the results of an investigation on how intensive care unit culture, expressed through everyday practices, affected the care of patients who became confused. METHODS A model of the types of knowledge (case, patient, and person) used in clinical work was used to analyze the breakdown in collaboration detected in the original study. RESULTS Breakdown of collaboration occurred because of the types of knowledge used by physicians and nurses. Certain types of knowledge were privileged even when not applicable to the clinical problem, whereas other types were dismissed even when applicable. CONCLUSION Viewing collaboration through the conceptual lens of knowledge use reveals new insights. Collaboration broke down in the specific context of caring for patients with confusion because the use of case knowledge, rather than patient knowledge, was prominent in the intensive care unit culture.
Efficacy of Posaconazole in a Murine Disseminated Infection by Candida tropicalis

ABSTRACT We evaluated the efficacy of posaconazole against Candida tropicalis in a systemic infection model with immunosuppressed mice. Posaconazole at 50 mg/kg of body weight/day prolonged the survival of mice and reduced the fungal tissue burden of mice infected with any of the five strains tested, with the exception of one strain that had a high MIC against this drug. Our results demonstrate the efficacy of posaconazole in the treatment of invasive murine infection caused by C. tropicalis.
Corporate financial communication and the internet: manipulating investor audiences?

– The aim of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of how the internet interacts with businesses and markets. The authors aims to focus on the internet press releases of annual results to illustrate how corporate communication is used and managed strategically online. , – The authors describe the increasing importance of the internet for communicating firms' performance to investors, financial media and the stock market, then identify and discuss a number of techniques that might be used to potentially manipulate the online presentation of financial results. Thus the authors conducted a content analysis of the internet press releases in two consecutive years (2008 and 2009) by a wide range of companies listed in the IBEX 35 share index. , – This paper provides in‐depth insights into content analysis techniques by providing examples of how potentially misleading disclosure practices are included in press releases. Moreover the paper investigates the use of seven potentially misleading disclosure practices appearing in press releases that optimise the way in which company results are presented. , – Regulators may consider the normalisation of the content of internet press releases to avoid or reduce opportunistic disclosure practices. Moreover, investors should be aware of the use of these practices to reduce the misleading effect when processing corporate information. , – This pioneering study analyses and provides evidence of potentially misleading internet‐based disclosure strategies. Furthermore the paper proposes a set of measures for corporate information presentation.
Olfactory Outcomes after Endoscopic Sinus Surgery for Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Objective To use combined pre- and postsurgical olfactory outcomes to assess the impact of endoscopic sinus surgery on chronic rhinosinusitis−related olfactory impairment. Data Sources CINAHL, Cochrane, OVID, EMBASE, PubMed, and SCOPUS. Each database was searched from inception up to October 2015. Review Methods Studies were included that reported subjective or objective olfactory data in chronic rhinosinusitis patients before and after endoscopic sinus surgery. Results Thirty-one studies were used in the meta-analysis. Weighted mean differences of olfactory measures demonstrated significant improvement in mixed CRS patients (those with and without polyps) through visual analog scales (−0.83, P = .001), altered taste/smell item on Sinonasal Outcome Test (−1.32, P < .00001), 40-item Smell Identification Test (3.49, P = .0010), and Sniffin’ Sticks identification (0.34, P = .03). Chronic rhinosinusitis mixed patients demonstrated nonsignificant improvements via Sniffin’ Sticks threshold (1.60, P = .16) and Brief Smell Identification Test (0.20, P = .32). When separated, polyp patients and dysosmic patients experienced the highest levels of olfactory improvement. Polyp patients improved by 7.87 (P = .006) on the 40-item Smell Identification test, 11.54 (P < .0001) with the Sniffin’ Sticks total score, and 2.57 (P < .00001) through Sniffin’ Sticks identification. Dysosmic patients improved by 5.75 via the 40-item Smell Identification Test (P = .0001). Conclusion Endoscopic sinus surgery improves nearly all subjective and objective measures of olfaction in chronic rhinosinusitis patients. Patients with nasal polyposis or preoperative olfactory dysfunction improve to a greater degree.
K/BxN Serum-Transfer Arthritis as a Model for Human Inflammatory Arthritis

The K/BxN serum-transfer arthritis (STA) model is a murine model in which the immunological mechanisms occurring in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other arthritides can be studied. To induce K/BxN STA, serum from arthritic transgenic K/BxN mice is transferred to naive mice and manifestations of arthritis occur a few days later. The inflammatory response in the model is driven by autoantibodies against the ubiquitously expressed self-antigen, glucose-6-phosphate isomerase (G6PI), leading to the formation of immune complexes that drive the activation of different innate immune cells such as neutrophils, macrophages, and possibly mast cells. The pathogenesis further involves a range of immune mediators including cytokines, chemokines, complement factors, Toll-like receptors, Fc receptors, and integrins, as well as factors involved in pain and bone erosion. Hence, even though the K/BxN STA model mimics only the effector phase of RA, it still involves a wide range of relevant disease mediators. Additionally, as a murine model for arthritis, the K/BxN STA model has some obvious advantages. First, it has a rapid and robust onset of arthritis with 100% incidence in genetically identical animals. Second, it can be induced in a wide range of strain backgrounds and can therefore also be induced in gene-deficient strains to study the specific importance of disease mediators. Even though G6PI might not be an essential autoantigen, for example, in RA, the K/BxN STA model is a useful tool to understand how autoantibodies, in general, drive the progression of arthritis by interacting with downstream components of the innate immune system. Finally, the model has also proven useful as a model wherein arthritic pain can be studied. Taken together, these features make the K/BxN STA model a relevant one for RA, and it is a potentially valuable tool, especially for the preclinical screening of new therapeutic targets for RA and perhaps other forms of inflammatory arthritis. Here, we describe the molecular and cellular pathways in the development of K/BxN STA focusing on the recent advances in the understanding of the important mechanisms. Additionally, this review provides a comparison of the K/BxN STA model to some other arthritis models.
Deliberate total parathyroidectomy: a potentially novel therapy for tumor-induced hypophosphatemic osteomalacia.

BACKGROUND Tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) is an acquired hypophosphatemic metabolic bone disorder that can be cured by removing or ablating the offending tumor. However, when the tumor cannot be localized, lifelong therapy with oral phosphate and calcitriol or cinacalcet with close monitoring is required. CASE REPORT A 56-year-old man was diagnosed with TIO in 1990. Initial therapy consisted of oral phosphate and calcitriol with symptomatic and biochemical improvement and healing of osteomalacia. Eight years later, hypercalcemic hyperparathyroidism developed, requiring subtotal parathyroidectomy with a transient increase in serum phosphate and normalization of serum calcium and PTH. Recurrent hypercalcemic hyperparathyroidism developed after 10 years of medical therapy. A deliberate total parathyroidectomy produced a prompt rise in serum phosphate into the normal range > 3.0 mg/dL and remained normal during the next 4 years of follow-up, despite continued very high serum fibroblast growth factor-23 levels throughout the 23-year follow-up. CONCLUSION We report an unusual case of a TIO patient with long-term follow-up who developed recurrent hypercalcemic hyperparathyroidism on long-term oral phosphate therapy. Deliberate total parathyroidectomy normalized serum phosphate despite persistently elevated fibroblast growth factor-23 levels. Total parathyroidectomy offers a potentially novel therapy in some patients with TIO in whom medical therapy is not feasible or the tumor is unresectable.