Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neurological manifestations of celiac disease.

UNLABELLED Celiac disease (CD/ Nontropicalsprue, gluten-sensitive enteropathy) is a malabsortive condition in which an allergic reaction to the cereal grain-protein gluten (present in wheat, rye and barley) causes small intestine mucosal injury. The onset is in the first four decades of life, with a female to male ratio of 2:1. It may be associated with a wide spectrum of neurological manifestations including cerebellar ataxia, epileptic seizures, dementia, neuropathy, myopathy and multifocal leucoencephalopathy. We report three patients with neurological manifestations related with CD: one with cerebellar ataxia, one with epilepsy and one with cognitive impairment. The diagnosis of CD was confirmed by serologic tests (antiendomysial and antigliadin antibodies) and biopsy of the small intestine. In two patients the neurological symptoms preceded the gastrointestinal abnormalities and in all of them gluten restriction failed to improve the neurological disability. CONCLUSION CD should be ruled out in the differential diagnosis of neurological dysfunction of unknown cause, including ataxia, epilepsy and dementia. A gluten free diet, the mainstay of treatment, failed to improve the neurological disability.
A Relationship between Carotenoid Accumulation and the Distribution of Species of the Fungus Neurospora in Spain

The ascomycete fungus Neurospora is present in many parts of the world, in particular in tropical and subtropical areas, where it is found growing on recently burned vegetation. We have sampled the Neurospora population across Spain. The sampling sites were located in the region of Galicia (northwestern corner of the Iberian peninsula), the province of Cáceres, the city of Seville, and the two major islands of the Canary Islands archipelago (Tenerife and Gran Canaria, west coast of Africa). The sites covered a latitude interval between 27.88° and 42.74°. We have identified wild-type strains of N. discreta, N. tetrasperma, N. crassa, and N. sitophila and the frequency of each species varied from site to site. It has been shown that after exposure to light Neurospora accumulates the orange carotenoid neurosporaxanthin, presumably for protection from UV radiation. We have found that each Neurospora species accumulates a different amount of carotenoids after exposure to light, but these differences did not correlate with the expression of the carotenogenic genes al-1 or al-2. The accumulation of carotenoids in Neurospora shows a correlation with latitude, as Neurospora strains isolated from lower latitudes accumulate more carotenoids than strains isolated from higher latitudes. Since regions of low latitude receive high UV irradiation we propose that the increased carotenoid accumulation may protect Neurospora from high UV exposure. In support of this hypothesis, we have found that N. crassa, the species that accumulates more carotenoids, is more resistant to UV radiation than N. discreta or N. tetrasperma. The photoprotection provided by carotenoids and the capability to accumulate different amounts of carotenoids may be responsible, at least in part, for the distribution of Neurospora species that we have observed across a range of latitudes.
Sexuality following trauma injury: A literature review

Restoration of the quality of life (QoL) of trauma injury survivors is the aim of trauma rehabilitation. It is generally acknowledged that sexuality is an important component of QoL; however, rehabilitation services frequently fall short of including sexuality as a matter of routine. The literature was reviewed to examine the experiences of trauma survivors from three groups: spinal cord injury (SCI), traumatic brain injury (TBI) and burns. The focus was on the impact of trauma on the QoL to identify future research directions and to advocate for the inclusion of sexuality as an integral part of rehabilitation. Databases searched were Proquest, Ovid, Cinahl, Medline, PsycInfo and Cochrane Central Register of controlled trials. A total of 36 eligible studies were included: SCI (n = 25), TBI (n = 6), burns (n = 5). Four themes were identified across the three trauma groups that were labeled as physiological impact of trauma on sexuality, cognitive-genital dissociation (CGD), sexual disenfranchisement (SD) and sexual rediscovery (SR). Trauma injury has a significant impact on sexuality, which is not routinely addressed within rehabilitation services. Further sexuality research is required among all trauma groups to improve rehabilitation services and in turn QoL outcomes for all trauma survivors.
Formation of spatial representations in evolving autonomous robots

In this paper we describe how a population of evolving robots can autonomously develop forms of spatial representation that allow them to discriminate different locations of their environment. Developed representation forms consist of patterns of activations of internal neurons that are generated by integrating sequences of sensory-motor states while the robots interact autonomously with their environment. Moreover, these representation forms are allocentric, i.e. they allow evolved robots to identify a given spatial location independently from the robots' initial position and orientation in the environment. The analysis on the robots' representation system indicate that it can be characterized as a limit cycle resulting from the transient dynamic between fixed attractor points that alternate while the robot move in the environment. We also demonstrate how the evolved representation systems display remarkable generalization properties. We conclude the paper by discussing the characteristics of the representation system developed by the robots and its relation with other models described in the literature
Molecular characterization of the pathogen-specific, 34-kilodalton membrane immunogen of Treponema pallidum

The 34-kilodalton (kDa) antigen of Treponema pallidum subsp. pallidum (T. pallidum) is a pathogen-specific integral membrane protein. DNA sequence analysis of the cloned gene revealed an open reading frame encoding a primary product of 204 residues with a molecular mass of 22,087 daltons. Sequences that correspond to a consensus Escherichia coli promoter and a ribosome-binding site were found upstream from the AUG start codon that begins the open reading frame, suggesting that the cloned gene can use its own regulatory sequences for expression. Examination of the deduced amino acid sequence revealed the presence of a typical procaryotic leader peptide 19 amino acids long; processing results in a mature molecule with a molecular mass of 20,123 daltons. Pulse-chase experiments with E. coli minicells confirmed that the 34-kDa antigen is synthesized as a higher-molecular-weight precursor that is processed to a mature form with the electrophoretic mobility that is characteristic for this protein. The presence in the leader peptide of the sequence Phe-Ser-Ala-Cys suggested that the 34-kDa antigen is a proteolipid. Although hydropathy analysis of the deduced amino acid sequence of the mature 34-kDa antigen predicted that the molecule was primarily hydrophilic, both the native and recombinant 34-kDa molecules displayed hydrophobic biochemical behavior by fractionating into the detergent phase after extraction of intact organisms with Triton X-114. Cell fractionation experiments with E. coli showed that the 34-kDa molecule was localized in both the inner and outer membranes of the recombinant host. The combined data demonstrate that the 34-kDa antigen is an integral membrane protein that behaves in a biochemically consistent manner in both T. pallidum and E. coli.
Origins of Albino and Hooded Rats: Implications from Molecular Genetic Analysis across Modern Laboratory Rat Strains

Albino and hooded (or piebald) rats are one of the most frequently used laboratory animals for the past 150 years. Despite this fact, the origin of the albino mutation as well as the genetic basis of the hooded phenotype remained unclear. Recently, the albino mutation has been identified as the Arg299His missense mutation in the Tyrosinase gene and the hooded (H) locus has been mapped to the ∼460-kb region in which only the Kit gene exists. Here, we surveyed 172 laboratory rat strains for the albino mutation and the hooded (h) mutation that we identified by positional cloning approach to investigate possible genetic roots and relationships of albino and hooded rats. All of 117 existing laboratory albino rats shared the same albino missense mutation, indicating they had only one single ancestor. Genetic fine mapping followed by de novo sequencing of BAC inserts covering the H locus revealed that an endogenous retrovirus (ERV) element was inserted into the first intron of the Kit gene where the hooded allele maps. A solitary long terminal repeat (LTR) was found at the same position to the ERV insertion in another allele of the H locus, which causes the so called Irish (hi) phenotype. The ERV and the solitary LTR insertions were completely associated with the hooded and Irish coat patterns, respectively, across all colored rat strains examined. Interestingly, all 117 albino rat strains shared the ERV insertion without any exception, which strongly suggests that the albino mutation had originally occurred in hooded rats.
Department of Economics Working Paper Series

Over the twentieth century, the amount of time that married women devoted to working in the market increased dramatically. This paper explores the implications for the allocation of womens' time stemming from: (1) the durable goods revolution associated with the introduction of new technologies, from running water to modern appliances, that significantly reduced the time demands of home production; (2) the increase in the relative wage of women, from roughly 50% to over 80%; and (3) changes in childcare requirements associated with changes in fertility patterns. To do so, we construct a life-cycle model with home production and childcare constraints. The parameters of the childcare production function are chosen to match micro evidence from U.S. time use data. We find that the increase in the relative wage of women is the most important explanation of the increase in married womens' market work time over the twentieth century. Increases in relative wages and decreases in fertility can also explain a large part of the observed decrease in housework. The model finds that the the declining price of durable goods has an appreciable effect only since 1980.
Incidence, Sources, and Self-Management of Depression in Persons Attending a Rural Health Clinic in Southeastern North Carolina

The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence, sources, and self-management strategies of depression in a sample of 48 persons visiting a primary care clinic in rural Southeastern North Carolina. Forty percent of the participants met the criteria of clinical depression on the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). Highest rates of depression found in single, African American men who were employed with adequate health insurance were attributed primarily to work related stressors in dealing with overwhelming social problems of other rural residents, as well as economic stressors. Critical incident interviews identified depression self-management strategies and sources of social support.
Cognitive impairments, psychological dysfunction, and coping styles in patients with chronic whiplash syndrome.

OBJECTIVE To investigate underlying mechanisms of cognitive dysfunction in whiplash syndrome, focusing on psychologic factors and coping mechanisms. BACKGROUND Patients with whiplash often experience cognitive-functioning impairments, although neurologic and neuropsychologic test results do not always support this. Psychologic factors are also hypothesized to influence the existence of whiplash-related cognitive impairments. This has led to a controversy about the etiology of these experiences. METHODS In this retrospective study, 31 patients with whiplash were compared with 30 neurologic patients and a non-neurologic control group (i.e., subjects with "nonorganic" psychologic symptoms) on memory, attention, and cognitive flexibility. In addition, psychologic questionnaires (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory, Symptom Checklist, and Utrecht Coping List) were used to investigate psychologic functioning and coping in these patient groups. RESULTS Patients with whiplash performed similarly to neurologic patients on the cognitive tasks and performed worse on memory and attention tasks compared with the control group. Furthermore, patients with whiplash had high scores on subscales measuring somatization and displayed a predominantly active and palliative coping style. CONCLUSIONS Somatization, in combination with inadequate coping, might play a role in the development, persistence, or aggravation of whiplash-related symptoms, such as pain or cognitive dysfunction.
Heme oxygenase‐2 deletion impairs macrophage function: implication in wound healing

Heme oxygenase (HO)‐2 deficiency impairs wound healing and exacerbates inflammation following injury. We examine the impact of HO‐2 deficiency on macrophage function and the contribution of macrophage HO‐2 to inflammatory and repair responses to injury. Corneal epithelial debridement was performed in control and macrophage‐depleted HO‐2‐/‐ and wild‐type (WT) mice and in bone marrow chimeras. Peritoneal macrophages were collected for determination of phagocytic activity and classically activated macrophage (M1)‐alternatively activated macrophage (M2) polarization. Depletion of macrophages delayed corneal healing (13.2%) and increased neutrophil infiltration (54.1%) by day 4 in WT mice, whereas in HO‐2‐/‐ mice, it did not worsen the already impaired wound healing and exacerbated inflammation. HO‐2‐/‐ macrophages displayed an altered M1 phenotype with no significant expression of M2 or M2‐like activated cells and a 31.3% reduction in phagocytic capacity that was restored by inducing HO‐1 activity or supplementing biliverdin. Macrophage depletion had no effect, whereas adoptive transfer of WT bone marrow improved wound healing (34% on day 4) but did not resolve the exaggerated inflammatory response in HO‐2‐/‐ mice. These findings indicate that HO‐2‐deficient macrophages are dysfunctional and that macrophage HO‐2 is required for proper macrophage function but is insufficient to correct the impaired healing of the HO‐2‐/‐ cornea, suggesting that corneal epithelial expression of HO‐2 is a key to resolution and repair in wound healing. —Bellner, L. , Marrazzo, G. , van Rooijen, N. , Dunn, M. W. , Abraham, N. G. , Schwartzman, M. L. , Heme oxygenase‐2 deletion impairs macrophage function: implication in wound healing. FASEB J. 29, 105–115 (2015). www.fasebj. org
DNA Repair Protein Involved in Heart and Blood Development

ABSTRACT Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1, a key enzyme in repairing abasic sites in DNA, is an embryonic lethal in mice. We are examining its role in embryogenesis in zebra fish. Zebra fish contain two genomic copies (zfAPEX1a and zfAPEX1b) with identical coding sequences. zfAPEX1b lacks introns. Recombinant protein (ZAP1) is highly homologous with and has the same enzymatic properties as its human orthologue. ZAP1 is highly expressed throughout development. Embryos microinjected with morpholino oligonucleotide (MO) targeting the translation start site die at approximately the midblastula transition (MBT) without apoptosis. They are rescued with mRNA for human wild-type APEX1 but not for APEX1 encoding endonuclease-defective protein. Rescued embryos develop dysmorphic hearts, pericardial edema, few erythrocytes, small eyes, and abnormal notochords. Although the hearts in rescued embryos form defective loops ranging from no loop to one that is abnormally shaped, cardiac myosin (cmlc2) is present and contraction occurs. Embryos microinjected with MO targeting zfAPEX1a intron-exon junctions also pass the MBT with similar abnormalities. We conclude that AP endonuclease 1 is involved in both repairing DNA and regulating specific early stages of embryonic development.
Universal phase diagram for vortex states of layered superconductors in strong magnetic fields

We report on a Monte Carlo study of the lowest-Landau-level limit of the Lawrence-Doniach model for a layered superconductor. We have studied order parameter correlation functions for indications of the broken translational symmetry and the off-diagonal long-range order present in the mean-field-theory vortex lattice. Our results are consistent with a single first-order phase transition between a low-temperature three-dimensional vortex solid phase, with both broken translational symmetry and off-diagonal long-range order, and a high-temperature vortex liquid phase with no broken symmetries. We construct a universal phase diagram in terms of dimensionless parameters characterizing intralayer and interlayer couplings. The universal phase boundary extracted from our simulations and the associated latent heats and magnetization jumps are compared with experiment and with numerical results obtained for related models. {copyright} {ital 1997} {ital The American Physical Society}
Laparoscopic diagnosis and treatment of nonpalpable testis.

INTRODUCTION Treatment of the cryptorchid testicle is justified due to the increased risk of infertility and malignancy as well as the risk of testicular trauma and psychological stigma on patients and their parents. Approximately 20% of cryptorchid testicles are nonpalpable. In these cases, the videolaparoscopic technique is a useful alternative method for diagnosis and treatment. MATERIALS AND METHODS We present data concerning 90 patients submitted to diagnostic laparoscopy for impalpable testicles. Forty-six patients (51.1%) had intra-abdominal gonads. In 25 testicles of 19 patients, we performed a two stage laparoscopic Fowler-Stephens orchiopexy. The other 27 patients underwent primary laparoscopic orchiopexy, in a total of 29 testicles. RESULTS We obtained an overall 88% success rate with the 2 stage Fowler-Stephens approach and only 33% rate success using one stage Fowler-Stephens surgery with primary vascular ligature. There was no intraoperative complication in our group of patients. In the laparoscopic procedures, the cosmetic aspect is remarkably more favorable as compared to open surgeries. Hospital stay and convalescence were brief. CONCLUSIONS In pediatric age group, the laparoscopic approach is safe and feasible. Furthermore, the laparoscopic orchiopexy presents excellent results in terms of diagnosis and therapy of the impalpable testis, which is why this technique has been routinely incorporated in our Department.
Novel dry electrodes for ECG monitoring

The development, fabrication and characterization of two novel dry bioelectrodes—conductive and capacitive ones—for biopotential monitoring are presented. The new electrodes have the potential to improve the applicability of dry electrodes in ambulant recording of ECG by reducing motion artifacts as well as the contact impedance to the skin. Furthermore, a passive filter network is integrated into the new electrodes to suppress slow offset fluctuation of the ECG signal caused e.g. by motions like breathing or changes in the electrode–skin interface properties. Compared to standard gel electrodes these new electrodes exhibit equivalent and superior contact impedances and biosignals. The integrated filter network effectively suppresses fluctuating offset potentials.
Education and drug use in Sweden—a nationwide register‐based study

To analyse educational variations in prescriptions dispensed in Sweden. A better knowledge of the use of drugs in the population, including socioeconomic distribution, is a prerequisite in efforts to estimate whether drugs are being prescribed and used according to need. This knowledge may also facilitate the identification of selection or confounding factors when analysing outcome or adverse side effects of drug treatment.
Discounted deterministic Markov decision processes and discounted all-pairs shortest paths

We present algorithms for finding optimal strategies for discounted, infinite-horizon, Determinsitc Markov Decision Processes (DMDPs). Our fastest algorithm has a worst-case running time of <i>O</i>(<i>mn</i>), improving the recent bound of <i>O</i>(<i>mn</i><sup>2</sup>) obtained by Andersson and Vorbyov [2006]. We also present a randomized <i>O</i>(<i>m</i><sup>1/2</sup><i>n</i><sup>2</sup>)-time algorithm for finding Discounted All-Pairs Shortest Paths (DAPSP), improving an <i>O</i>(<i>mn</i><sup>2</sup>)-time algorithm that can be obtained using ideas of Papadimitriou and Tsitsiklis [1987].
Analyses and Solutions for the Buckling of Thin and Flexible Electrostatic Inchworm Climbing Robots

Planar and flexible climbing robots suffer from buckling while climbing on a vertical surface. This paper analyzes two different modes: one-end free buckling and two-ends fixed buckling. As an example for buckling analyses, the paper focuses on an electrostatic climbing robot that features thin body. As the body of the robot has only 2.5 mm of thickness, it is more prone to buckling than any other flexible robots, making it the best example for the buckling problem. Based on the analyses, the paper proposes a buckling-free control strategy for the electrostatic robots. The proposed strategy guarantees the force balance between adhesive force and weight force, as well as the elastic stability of the robot. To implement the strategy, the paper investigates the available region of the proper forces and optimal parameters on the prototype robot. A prototype of climbing robot was developed to verify the analyses and solutions, weighing merely 29 g (excluding battery and control circuits). It successfully climbed up a vertical wall without buckling, carrying the payload of 0.4 N.
Grouped and Hierarchical Model Selection through Composite Absolute Penalties

Extracting useful information from high-dimensional data is an important part of the focus of today’s statistical research and practice. Penalized loss function minimization has been shown to be eective for this task both theoretically and empirically. With the virtues of both regularization and sparsity, the L1-penalized L2 minimization method Lasso has been popular in regression models. In this paper, we combine dierent norms including L1 to form an intelligent penalty in order to add side information to the fitting of a regression or classification model to obtain reasonable estimates. Specifically, we introduce the Composite Absolute Penalties (CAP) family which allows the grouping and hierarchical relationships between the predictors to be expressed. CAP penalties are built by defining groups and combining the properties of norm penalties at the across group and within group levels. Grouped selection occurs for non-overlapping groups. In that case, we give a Bayesian