Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Protection From AMP 579 Can Be Added to That From Either Cariporide or Ischemic Preconditioning in Ischemic Rabbit Heart

AMP 579, an adenosine A1/A2 receptor agonist, is cardioprotective when administered at reperfusion. Pretreatment with the Na+/H+ exchanger inhibitor cariporide or ischemic preconditioning (PC) also limits infarct size. To gain insight into the mechanism of AMP 579 we investigated whether its protection could be added to that from either cariporide or PC. In situ rabbit hearts were subjected to 45 min of regional ischemia followed by 3 h of reperfusion. Infarct size in the control group was 55.8 ± 3.9% of the risk zone. PC significantly reduced infarct size to 26.0 ± 6.7% (p<0.05). AMP 579 (30 &mgr;g/kg) given just before reperfusion followed by 3 &mgr;g/kg/min infusion for 70 min also limited infarct size (32.1 ± 1.8%,) but the combination of AMP 579 and PC showed a significantly greater limitation of infarct size (5.5 ± 2.7%, p < 0.05). Because cariporide pretreatment was so protective (8.5 ± 3.7% infarction), we had to increase the ischemic insult to 60 min to test for any additive effect of the combination of AMP 579 + cariporide. Infarct size in the untreated group was 66.0 ± 4.9% of the risk zone. Cariporide (0.5 mg/kg) 5 min prior to ischemia significantly reduced infarct size to 41.5 ± 7.7%. When cariporide pre-treatment was combined with AMP 579 at reperfusion, infarction was further limited (14.2 ± 4.5%). Because AMP 579's protection can be added to that of either cariporide or PC, AMP 579's mechanism of protection probably differs from either of them. The combination of AMP 579 + cariporide was particularly efficacious and could be useful in the surgical setting.
Adverse neurodevelopmental effects and hearing loss in children associated with manganese in well water, North Carolina, USA

Aim Heavy metals such as manganese, arsenic and lead can act as neurotoxins. There have been few human studies of neurobehavioral/neurodevelopmental effects of arsenic and manganese on children in the United States. Since 1998, North Carolina has tested all new private wells for manganese, arsenic and lead. This study was conducted to evaluate adverse neurodevelopmental effects (delayed milestones, speech/language disorders and hearing loss) in children and metal concentrations in well water. Methods A quasi-regression model of the number of children (0–35 months of age) with adverse neurodevelopmental effects as outcome measures and aggregate mean metal concentration (arsenic, lead, and manganese) in private well water in each county as exposures. Results Over 70,000 private well water samples from 1998 to 2011 were analyzed for metal content. From 2008 to 2011, an average of 17,000 children was enrolled in the Infant Toddler Program. On average, 1.7% of children in this age range in each county had a speech/language disorder, 0.24% had a diagnosis of delayed milestones, and 0.026% had a diagnosis of hearing loss. The county mean manganese concentration was significantly and positively associated with the prevalence of delayed milestones and hearing loss in the children. No association was found for metal concentrations and speech/language disorders. Conclusion This ecological study indicates that further investigation of manganese in well water and associated neurodevelopmental health outcomes in children is needed.
Preschool Life Skills Using the Response to Intervention Model With Preschoolers With Developmental Disabilities

Teaching young children key social skills in preschool can increase prosocial behavior and reduce classroom behavior problems. Previous preschool life skills (PLS) programming has taught young children to request teacher assistance and tolerate delays or denials in the delivery of materials, friendship skills, and functional communication skills. The purpose of the current study was to extend the PLS literature by assessing the level of instruction necessary to teach children with autism spectrum disorders and developmental disabilities to respond to their name, request attention and assistance, and tolerate delays and denials. A multiple-baseline across-behaviors design was used to demonstrate the effects of instruction, differential reinforcement, and error-correction procedures that systematically increased in intrusiveness as necessary for participants to acquire skills. Five participants acquired skills using general instructional strategies, and 3 participants required individualized instruction to learn skills. The training required varied across participants and skills. Prebaseline and postmastery probes were conducted in the classroom with adults and peers to test for generalization. In general, participants showed poor generalization of the acquired skills with peers and adults.
Exploitation and Exploration Climates’ Influence on Performance and Creativity: Diminishing Returns as Function of Self-Efficacy

In response to calls for multilevel research examining individual and meso-level processes to understand how exploitation and exploration dynamics play out in teams, we propose that individual in-role performance (cf. exploitation) and creativity (cf. exploration) are associated with team exploitation and exploration climate respectively, and this influence is moderated by domain specific performance and creative self-efficacy respectively. Studying 317 engineers in 70 teams across three national regions, we theorize and find domain-specific evidence that when individual self-efficacy is high, team climate has diminishing performance (exploitation climate × performance self-efficacy) and creative (exploration climate × creative self-efficacy) benefits. By simultaneously studying creativity and performance, our study helps understand the differences and communalities in the drivers of those outcomes in identifying both the domain-specific character of these influences and the similarity in how these influences play out.
Characterization of Erwinia amylovora Strains from Bulgaria by Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis

The aim of this study was to characterize genetically Bulgarian Erwinia amylovora strains using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis. Fifty E. amylovora strains isolated from different hosts, locations, as well as in different years were analysed by PFGE after XbaI, SpeI, and XhoI digestion of the genomic DNA. The strains were distributed into four groups according to their XbaI-generated profile. About 82% of the strains displayed a PFGE profile identical to that of type Pt2. Three strains belonged to the Central Europe Pt1 type. Two new PFGE profi les, not reported so far, were established - one for a strain isolated from Malus domestica and another for all Fragaria spp. strains. The same grouping of the strains was obtained after analysis of the SpeI digestion patterns. On the basis of PFGE profiles, after XbaI and SpeI digestion, a genetic differentiation between the strains associated with subfamily Maloideae and subfamily Rosoideae was revealed. The presence of more than one PFGE profi le in the population of E. amylovora in Bulgaria suggests a multiple source of inoculum
Brain Regional Heterogeneity and Toxicological Mechanisms of Organophosphates and Carbamates

The brain is a well-organized, yet highly complex, organ in the mammalian system. Most investigators use the whole brain, instead of a selected brain region(s), for biochemical analytes as toxicological endpoints. As a result, the obtained data is often of limited value, since their significance is compromised due to a reduced effect, and the investigators often arrive at an erroneous conclusion(s). By now, a plethora of knowledge reveals the brain regional variability for various biochemical/neurochemical determinants. This review describes the importance of brain regional heterogeneity in relation to cholinergic and noncholinergic determinants with particular reference to organophosphate (OP) and carbamate pesticides and OP nerve agents.
Acute Low-Back Pain: An Objective Analysis of Conservative Therapy

The roles of bedrest, antiinflammatory medication, and analgesic medication in the treatment of acute back strain were objectively analyzed to determine whether they have a measurable effect on the return of patients to full daily activities as well as on the relief of pain. Two hundred patients were studied prospectively. Each patient had the diagnosis of acute back strain, which was defined as nonradiating low-back pain. The results of the patient's neurologic examination, straight leg raising test, and lumbosacral spine roentgenograms had to be within normal limits for the patient to be included in the study. The results showed that bedrest, as compared with ambulation, will decrease the amount of time lost from work by 50%. Bedrest will also decrease the amount of discomfort by 60%. Analgesic medication, when combined with bedrest, will further decrease the amount of pain incurred, particularly when used in the first three days of the healing process. However, analgesic medication will not allow a more prompt return to work. Antiinflammatory medication, when added to bedrest in the treatment of lumbago, does not provide an advantage over bedrest alone.
Applied Sport Psychology Consultation: Effects of Academic Training, Past Athletic Experience, and Interpersonal Skill on Female Athletes' Ratings

Applied sport psychology consultation is a relatively new phenomenon with limited empirical underpinnings. The purpose of the study was to evaluate three applied sport psychology consultant personal and professional characteristics within Strong's social influence model that have been suggested to impact consultants' effectiveness in working directly with athletes and their performance problems. The three consultant characteristics were academic training, past athletic experience, and interpersonal skill. Division I female athletes (N = 187) read written preconsultation information and watched a 10- minute vignette between a consultant and an athlete. Participants completed the Counselor Rating Form-Short (CRFS), the Sport Psychology Consultant Evaluation Form (CEF), and questions concerning willingness to work with the consultant. The data from the dependent measures were analyzed by a 2 (level of consultant academic training) X 2 (level of consultant past athletic experience) X 2 (level of consultant interpersonal skill) MANOVA. Results indicated that applied sport psychology consultants' academic training and past athletic experience had only limited influence on the participants' perceptions about the consultants. The Division I female athletes unambiguously rated consultants with positive interpersonal skills more favorably on all dependent measures regardless of the consultants' level of academic training or past athletic experience. Directions for future research and implication of the findings on training and certification in applied sport psychology are discussed.
Complications of buttress plate stabilization of cervical corpectomy.

STUDY DESIGN A retrospective analysis of 14 patients treated with cervical corpectomy and buttress plate fixation. OBJECTIVES To determine the complications of buttress plate fixation following multilevel cervical corpectomies. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Buttress plate fixation of multilevel cervical corpectomy has recently been reported. Biomechanical data suggests that it is preferable to long plates spanning the entire corpectomy site. There are no clinical studies that have specifically addressed the complications of this type of plate fixation. METHODS The records and radiographs of all patients who had undergone cervical buttress plate fixation following anterior cervical corpectomy for myelopathy were independently reviewed. Twelve of the patients had three-level corpectomies and two had two-level corpectomies. All patients had placement of a short plate at the inferior end of the construct with sufficient overhang to act as a buttress against graft extrusion. Three patients underwent posterior cervical fusion in addition to the anterior procedure. RESULTS Graft extrusion. One patient had complete graft extrusion on the third post-operative night. A second patient who had undergone circumferential fusion had minimal plate dislodgement secondary to graft settling. Pseudarthrosis. Three patients had pseudarthroses. Two of these required revision posterior surgery. Neurologic. None of the patients suffered neurologic complications. With the exception of the one patient who died, the rest of the patients all improved by at least one Nurick grade. CONCLUSION The most catastrophic complication in the present series was plate dislodgement causing airway compromise and eventually resulting in death. Surgeons who utilize these types of buttress plates without additional posterior instrumentation should be aware of the potential complications of buttress plate fixation.
Role of IL-17A on Resolution of Pulmonary C. neoformans Infection

The current studies evaluated the role of interleukin (IL)-17A in the induction of protective immunity against pulmonary cryptococcosis in mice. Protection against pulmonary infection with C. neoformans strain H99γ was associated with increased IL-17A production. Signaling through the IFN-γ receptor (R) was required for increased IL-17A production, however, a Th17-type cytokine profile was not observed. Neutrophils were found to be the predominant leukocytic source of IL-17A, rather than T cells, suggesting that the IL-17A produced was not part of a T cell-mediated Th17-type immune response. Depletion of IL-17A in mice during pulmonary infection with C. neoformans strain H99γ resulted in an initial increase in pulmonary fungal burden, but had no effect on cryptococcal burden at later time points. Also, depletion of IL-17A did not affect the local production of other cytokines. IL-17RA−/− mice infected with C. neoformans strain H99γ survived the primary infection as well as a secondary challenge with wild-type cryptococci. However, dissemination of the wild-type strain to the brain was noted in the surviving IL-17RA−/− mice. Altogether, our results suggested that IL-17A may be important for optimal protective immune responsiveness during pulmonary C. neoformans infection, but protective Th1-type immune responses are sufficient for protection against cryptococcal infection.
The Diversity of Human Relationships: Relationships between adult children and their parents

Intergenerational solidarity: myths and findings Relationships between elderly parents and their adult children are not a traditional topic for those research disciplines that otherwise concern themselves with parent–child relationships during childhood and youth – that is, family sociology, developmental psychology, and socialization research. The subject started to interest researchers when a demographic change became more evident during the 1950s: a steady increase in the number of elderly and very old people. Interest began to focus on the sociostructural effects of this previously unknown type of age structure on intergenerational relationships between aging parents and their adult offspring. Early studies showed that, contrary to general opinion, lively relationships existed between adult children and their parents, but that both parents and children preferred not to live under the same roof. At almost the same time new expressions were coined, such as “inner closeness through external distance” (Tartler, 1961) and “intimacy at a distance” (Rosenmayr & Kockeis, 1965), that still aptly characterize attitudes of parents and children today. Virtually the same results were found in the United States (Shanas et al., 1968; Sussman, 1965). Despite this, the opinion was, and is still being upheld, that traditional care for the elderly within the family is coming to an end as a result of modernization processes such as urbanization, bureaucratization, and individualization. Although this sweeping statement is unfounded, as historical family research shows (Mitterauer, 1976; Ehmer, 1982), the never-ending lamentations of cultural pessimists about vanishing family solidarity still beg confirmation.
Emerging Evidence for Intensive Short-Term Dynamic Psychotherapy with Personality Disorders and Somatic Disorders

CME EducationaL Objectives 1. Review the outcome evidence of prior meta-analytic reviews of intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP). 2. Provide an additional meta-analysis of ISTDP for the treatment of personality and somatic disorders. 3. Suggest areas for future study in the use of psychodynamic psychotherapy for personality and somatic disorders. The literature reviewing studies of psychodynamic psychotherapy clearly demonstrates evidence for the efficacy of both short-term and long-term models. Meta-analytic reviews synthesizing effects across different psychodynamic psychotherapy formats have been conducted for common mental disorders, depression, depression in the setting of personality disorder, personality disorders, and somatic disorders. Psychodynamic psychotherapy demonstrates superiority to control condition, and no significant difference to other formal psychotherapies, including cognitive behavioral therapies. Building upon a recently published systematic review and meta-analysis,11 the aim of this article is to further examine the evidence for a contemporary psychodynamic psychotherapy treatment protocol, intensive short-term dynamic psychotherapy (ISTDP), in the treatment of personality and somatic disorders.
High-visfatin levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: evidence from a meta-analysis

Abstract Objective: Previous studies regarding visfatin levels in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) showed conflicting results. To evaluate the visfatin levels in PCOS, a meta-analysis was performed. Methods: A comprehensive literature search of eligible studies in Embase, Pubmed and the Cochrane Library was undertaken through November 2014. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to estimate the strength of the association. Results: A total of 1341 subjects (695 cases and 646 controls) were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled analysis results indicated that the visfatin levels were significantly higher in PCOS patients than that of controls (SMD = 1.19, 95% CI 0.77–1.60, p = 0.000). The results from stratified analysis and univariate analysis suggested that high-visfatin levels were not related to body mass index (BMI), insulin resistance (IR) and total testosterone ratio. Significant heterogeneity was observed in all analysis. Conclusion: Our results indicate that high-circulating visfatin level is an intrinsic characteristic of PCOS, which suggests visfatin could be a potential biomarker for PCOS.
The role of the primate frontopolar cortex in mnemonic and choice behaviour

The role of the primate frontopolar cortex (FPC) has been investigated using human neuroimaging, lesion and disruption techniques. The results of these investigations have led to a variety of theories regarding the function of this region. It has been linked to the formation of task sets, the performance of multiple tasks, reasoning, context-specific memory (including episodic memory, prospective memory and source memory), attention to internally or externally generated information, mentalising and decision-making. It has not previously been possible to study this area using animal lesion techniques. Here, behavioural experiments conducted using non-human primates (rhesus macaque monkeys) who have received lesions to the frontal pole investigate the contribution of this region to context-specific memory, decision-making and social cognition. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is used to investigate changes in functional network connectivity which occur after lesions to this region. A long-lasting impairment is observed in contextual memory judgements (specifically, how recently a stimulus was encountered) after lesions to the frontal pole. An analysis of the influence of the outcomes of previous choices on behaviour on an analogue to the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST) indicate that monkeys with lesions to area 10 may be less influenced by the outcomes of an extended history of rewards than control animals. Long-lasting widespread disruption to functional networks after lesions to this region indicate that indirect anatomical connections from this region to posterior areas play a crucial role in the normal functioning of posterior networks.
Microstructure-Property Relationship in Advanced Ni-Based Superalloys

Ni based superalloys have been developed more or less empirically over the past 60 years from a simple Ni-Cr matrix to the present multi element and phase systems[1], having a fully austenitic face centred cubic (fcc) structure which maintains a superior tensile, fatigue and creep properties at high temperature to a body centred cubic (bcc) alloy[1]. One of the major applications of Ni superalloys is gas turbine engines. They comprise over 50% of the weight of advanced aircraft engines and include wrought and cast turbine blades and powder metallurgy (P/M) route turbine discs [1].
Learning in a Large Function Space: Privacy-Preserving Mechanisms for SVM Learning

The ubiquitous need for analyzing privacy-sensitive information—including health records, personal communications, product ratings and social network data—is driving significant interest in privacy-preserving data analysis across several research communities. This paper explores the release of Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifiers while preserving the privacy of training data. The SVM is a popular machine learning method that maps data to a high-dimensional feature space before learning a linear decision boundary. We present efficient mechanisms for finite-dimensional feature mappings and for (potentially infinite-dimensional) mappings with translation-invariant kernels. In the latter case, our mechanism borrows a technique from large-scale learning to learn in a finite-dimensional feature space whose inner-product uniformly approximates the desired feature space inner-product (the desired kernel) with high probability. Differential privacy is established using algorithmic stability, a property used in learning theory to bound generalization error. Utility—when the private classifier is pointwise close to the non-private classifier with high probability—is proven using smoothness of regularized empirical risk minimization with respect to small perturbations to the feature mapping. Finally we conclude with lower bounds on the differential privacy of any mechanism approximating the SVM.
An endoluminal robotic platform for Minimally Invasive Surgery

During past years, Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) has been introduced in the medical scenario, leading to the miniaturization of robotic systems and harboring the concept of inserting functional units into the human body for performing surgery. An innovative endoluminal robotic platform for Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS), and more specifically for NOTES, has been developed and tested. The platform is composed of a miniaturized camera robot coupled with an anchoring frame conceived to assure adequate robotic stability inside the abdominal cavity during surgical tasks. The anchoring frame consists of a Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) actuated magnetic frame attached to the abdominal wall by means of permanent magnets. A dedicated docking mechanism has been integrated in order to assure positioning and anchoring of robotic modules. All platform elements have been specifically designed for NOTES applications: the magnetic frame and the robotic camera module have a diameter of 14 mm and 12 mm respectively. In this work, the endoluminal platform has been illustrated and its potentialities demonstrated in in-vitro conditions on a human phantom.