Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Osteoprotegerin reduces the development of pain behaviour and joint pathology in a model of osteoarthritis

Background Increased subchondral bone turnover may contribute to pain in osteoarthritis (OA). Objectives To investigate the analgesic potential of a modified version of osteoprotegerin (osteoprotegerin-Fc (OPG-Fc)) in the monosodium iodoacetate (MIA) model of OA pain. Methods Male Sprague Dawley rats (140–260 g) were treated with either OPG-Fc (3 mg/kg, subcutaneously) or vehicle (phosphate-buffered saline) between days 1 and 27 (pre-emptive treatment) or days 21 and 27 (therapeutic treatment) after an intra-articular injection of MIA (1 mg/50 µl) or saline. A separate cohort of rats received the bisphosphonate zoledronate (100 µg/kg, subcutaneously) between days 1 and 25 post-MIA injection. Incapacitance testing and von Frey (1–15 g) hind paw withdrawal thresholds were used to assess pain behaviour. At the end of the study, rats were killed and the knee joints and spinal cord removed for analysis. Immunohistochemical studies using Iba-1 and GFAP quantified levels of activation of spinal microglia and astrocytes, respectively. Joint sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin or Safranin-O fast green and scored for matrix proteoglycan and overall joint morphology. The numbers of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive osteoclasts were quantified. N=10 rats/group. Results Pre-emptive treatment with OPG-Fc significantly attenuated the development of MIA-induced changes in weightbearing, but not allodynia. OPG-Fc decreased osteoclast number, inhibited the formation of osteophytes and improved structural pathology within the joint similarly to the decrease seen after pretreatment with the bisphosphonate, zoledronate. Therapeutic treatment with OPG-Fc decreased pain behaviour, but did not improve pathology in rats with established joint damage. Conclusions Our data suggest that early targeting of osteoclasts may reduce pain associated with OA.
Neural Correlates of Syntactic Ambiguity in Sentence Comprehension for Low and High Span Readers

Syntactically ambiguous sentences have been found to be difficult to process, in particular, for individuals with low working memory capacity. The current study used fMRI to investigate the neural basis of this effect in the processing of written sentences. Participants with high and low working memory capacity read sentences with either a short or long region of temporary syntactic ambiguity while being scanned. A distributed left-dominant network in the peri-sylvian region was identified to support sentence processing in the critical region of the sentence. Within this network, only the superior portion of Broca's area (BA 44) and a parietal region showed an activation increase as a function of the length of the syntactically ambiguous region in the sentence. Furthermore, it was only the BA 44 region that exhibited an interaction of working memory span, length of the syntactic ambiguity, and sentence complexity. In this area, the activation increase for syntactically more complex sentences became only significant under longer regions of ambiguity, and for low span readers only. This finding suggests that neural activity in BA 44 increases during sentence comprehension when processing demands increase, be it due to syntactic processing demands or by an interaction with the individually available working memory capacity.
Single dose cefotaxime plus metronidazole versus three dose cefuroxime plus metronidazole as prophylaxis against wound infection in colorectal surgery: multicentre prospective randomised study.

OBJECTIVE--To establish whether a single preoperative dose of cefotaxime plus metronidazole was as effective as a standard three dose regimen of cefuroxime plus metronidazole in preventing wound infection after colorectal surgery. DESIGN--Prospective randomised allocation to one of two prophylactic antibiotic regimens in a parallel group trial. Group sequential analyses of each 250 patients were performed. SETTING--14 District general and teaching hospitals. PATIENTS--1018 Adults having colorectal operations were randomised, of whom 943 were evaluated. Demographic features, conditions requiring surgery, and operative procedures were similar in the two groups. Most patients had surgery for carcinoma of the colon or rectum. INTERVENTIONS--Group 1 received cefotaxime 1 g intravenously plus metronidazole 500 mg intravenously preoperatively. Group 2 received cefuroxime 1.5 g intravenously plus metronidazole 500 mg intravenously preoperatively, followed by cefuroxime 750 mg intravenously plus metronidazole 500 mg intravenously eight hours and 16 hours postoperatively. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES--Development of surgical wound infection (as evidenced by the presence of pus), death, or discharge from hospital. RESULTS--Wound condition was scored on a five point scale on alternate days until discharge or for up to 20 days postoperatively. Wound infection rates were: group 1, 32/453 (7.1%; 95% confidence interval 4.7% to 9.4%); group 2, 33/454 (7.3%; 95% confidence interval 4.9% to 9.6%). Death rates (group 1: 26/470 (5.5%); group 2: 31/471 (6.6%], the incidence of postoperative complications, the median duration of hospital stay (12 days), and antibiotic tolerance were all similar in the two groups. Pooled data from groups 1 and 2 showed that wound infections were more frequent when minor faecal contamination had occurred at operation and when the duration of operation exceeded 90 minutes (greater than 90 min 11.2% of cases; less than 90 min 4.8%) and were associated with an extended hospital stay. CONCLUSIONS--A single preoperative dose of cefotaxime plus metronidazole is an efficacious as a three dose regimen of cefuroxime plus metronidazole in preventing wound infection after colorectal surgery and has practical advantages in eliminating the need for postoperative antibiotics.
Factors associated with distance and time traveled to cleft and craniofacial care.

BACKGROUND Information on travel distance and time to care for children with birth defects is lacking. We examined factors associated with travel distance and time to cleft care among children with orofacial clefts. METHODS In 2006, a mail/phone survey was administered in English and Spanish to all resident mothers of children with orofacial clefts born 2001 to 2004 and identified by the North Carolina birth defects registry. We analyzed one-way travel distance and time and the extent to which taking a child to care was a problem. We used multivariable logistic regression to examine the association between selected sociodemographic factors and travel distance (≤60 miles and >60 miles) and time (≤60 min and >60 min) to cleft care. RESULTS Of 475 eligible participants, 51.6% (n = 245) responded. Of the respondents, 97.1% (n = 238) were the child's biological mother. Approximately 83% (n = 204) of respondents were non-Hispanic White; 33.3% (n = 81) were college educated; and 50.0% (n = 115) had private health insurance. One-way mean and median travel distances were 80 and 50 miles, respectively (range, 0-1058 miles). One-way mean and median travel times were 92 and 60 min, respectively (range, 5 min to 8 hr). After adjusting for selected sociodemographics, travel distance varied significantly by maternal education, child's age, and cleft type. Travel time varied significantly by child's age. Approximately 67% (n = 162) reported taking their child to receive care was not a problem. CONCLUSION Approximately 48% of respondents traveled > 1 hr to receive cleft care. Increasing access to care may be important for improving health outcomes among this population.
A Simultaneous D‐Optimal Designed Study for Population Pharmacokinetic Analyses of Mycophenolic Acid and Tacrolimus Early After Renal Transplantation

Mycophenolic acid (MPA) and tacrolimus (TAC) are immunosuppressive agents used in combination with corticosteroids for the prevention of acute rejection after solid organ transplantation. Their pharmacokinetics (PK) show considerable unexplained intraindividual and interindividual variability, particularly in the early period after transplantation. The main objective of the present work was to design a study based on D‐optimality to describe the PK of the 2 drugs with good precision and accuracy and to explain their variability by means of patients' demographics, biochemical test results, and physiological characteristics. Pharmacokinetic profiles of MPA and TAC were obtained from 65 stable adult renal allograft recipients on a single occasion (ie, day 15 after transplantation). A sampling schedule was estimated based on the D‐optimality criterion with the POPED software, using parameter values from previously published studies on MPA and TAC modeling early after transplantation. Subsequently, a population PK model describing MPA and TAC concentrations was developed using nonlinear mixed‐effects modeling. Optimal blood‐sampling times for determination of MPA and TAC concentrations were estimated to be at 0 (predose) and at 0.24, 0.64, 0.98, 1.37, 2.38, and 11 hours after oral intake of mycophenolate and TAC. The PK of MPA and TAC were best described by a 2‐compartment model with first‐order elimination. For MPA, the absorption was best described by a transit compartment model, whereas first‐order absorption with a lag time best described TAC transfer from the gastrointestinal tract. Parameters were estimated with good precision and accuracy. While hematocrit levels and CYP3A5 genetic polymorphism significantly influenced TAC clearance, the pharmaceutical formulation and MRP2 genetic polymorphism were retained as significant covariates on MPA absorption and elimination, respectively. The prospective use of the simultaneous D‐optimal design approach for MPA and TAC has allowed good estimation of MPA and TAC PK parameters in the early period after transplantation characterized by a very high unexplained variability. The influence of some relevant covariates could be shown.
E-Loyalty and E-Satisfaction of E-Commerce

With the introduction of E-commerce and on-line consumer shopping trends the importance of building and maintain E-loyalty in electronic market places has come into picture in marketing theory and practice. Managing customer trust, satisfaction and loyalty attitudes of E-commerce services is very important for the long-term growth of businesses. As the competition in e-commerce is intensified, it becomes more important for online shopping. This paper makes an attempt to find loyalty and satisfaction of customers in organized E-commerce sites. The samples are collected from users who regularly do the transactions in E-commerce sites in Vijayawada and Guntur. Andhra Pradesh, India. The study suggest that E-retailers and E-sellers ought to build a brand and promote its brand awareness through sales promotion, advertising and other marketing activities, if brand awareness is high it's brand loyalty will also increase. Whether it's comes to retail outlets or E-commerce sites. Finally satisfaction influences positively and significantly the e-loyalty of the cyber consumers.
A ”multi-user” approach towards a channel decoder for convolutional, turbo and LDPC codes

In this paper we present the concept of a high-throughput multi-mode channel decoder architecture that consists of a tightly coupled array of independently programmable processing cores. Every core is capable of decoding low-density parity-check (LDPC), convolutional turbo (CTC) and con-volutional codes (CC) either independently or jointly with other cores. This approach allows parallel handling of several separate decoding processes in one decoder engine as well as performing a single high-throughput decoding, opening up a new level of flexibility for channel decoding. The multi-mode decoder core as well as the multi-core approach are explained and simulation results presented. A case study of the proposed architecture was implemented in a 65nm-process using an area of 0.44 mm2. At 200 MHz, throughputs of up to 86 Mbps could be reached.
Micronutrients may influence the efficacy of ectomycorrhizas to support tree seedlings in a lowland African rain forest

In the lowland rain forest of SW Cameroon, a field experiment tested whether ectomycorrhizal hyphal connections might affect the growth and survival of seedlings of a principal tree species, Microberlinia bisulcata, close to its adults. Nursery‐raised seedlings were planted into fine‐, medium‐, and coarse‐mesh root bags, and as no‐bag controls, in replicate subplots. The bags prevented fungal hyphae, and fine‐ and medium‐sized roots, respectively, entering from the outside forest floor root mat. Harvests were taken after 1 and 2 yr, with non‐destructive recording in between. Seedlings grew in typically low‐light locations. Survivorship did not differ between treatments (33%), but seedlings grew significantly better in terms of stem dry mass by harvest 2 in the medium‐mesh compared with other treatments. Treatment 1 to 3 seedlings had stem masses 25, 44, and 5% higher than controls, respectively. Using a method of differences across treatments, the positive effect of ectomycorrhizas on growth was 13.6%, while the negative effect of root competition (RCM) was 31.2% (net outcome = 17.6%). Adjustment was made to account for root penetration damaging some mesh bags. Differences in growth in replicate subplots were, however, much larger than those for treatments. Elemental analysis of seedling plant parts showed few differences between treatments, but phosphorus was high in stems, aluminum and iron were very high in roots, and copper was deficiently low in leaves. Soil analyses revealed very low copper levels, suggesting with the seedling results that this element was critically limiting for seedlings. Ectomycorrhizas are probably important for copper uptake (as for phosphorus), so roots may have been competing for this element. Because seedlings were growing in the shade and the soil was inhibitory to roots, they could not form network connections enough to positively out‐balance root competition. The efficacy of ectomycorrhizal networks for at least seedling establishment in this forest is low.
Car driving performance in hemianopia: an on-road driving study.

PURPOSE To study driving performance in people with homonymous hemianopia (HH) assessed in the official on-road test of practical fitness to drive by the Dutch driver's licensing authority (CBR). METHODS Data were collected from a cohort (January 2010-July 2012) of all people with HH following the official relicensure trajectory at Royal Dutch Visio and the CBR in the Netherlands. Driving performance during the official on-road tests of practical fitness to drive was scored by professional experts on practical fitness to drive, using the visual impairments protocol and a standardized scoring of visual, tactical and operational aspects. Age ranged from 27 to 72 years (mean = 52, SD = 11.7) and time since onset of the visual field defect ranged from 6 to 41 months (mean = 15, SD = 7.5). RESULTS Fourteen (54%) participants were judged as fit to drive. Besides poor visual scanning during driving, specific tactical, and operational weaknesses were observed in people with HH that were evaluated as unfit to drive. Results suggest that judgement on practical fitness to drive cannot be based on solely the visual field size. Visual scanning and operational handling of the car were found to be more impaired with longer time not driven, while such an effect was not found for tactical choices during driving. CONCLUSIONS Training programs aimed at improving practical fitness to drive in people with HH should focus on improving both visual scanning, as well as driving aspects such as steering stability, speed adaptation, and anticipating environmental changes.
Neural Correlates of Sequence Learning with Stochastic Feedback

Although much is known about decision making under uncertainty when only a single step is required in the decision process, less is known about sequential decision making. We carried out a stochastic sequence learning task in which subjects had to use noisy feedback to learn sequences of button presses. We compared flat and hierarchical behavioral models and found that although both models predicted the choices of the group of subjects equally well, only the hierarchical model correlated significantly with learning-related changes in the magneto-encephalographic response. The significant modulations in the magneto-encephalographic signal occurred 83 msec before button press and 67 msec after button press. We also localized the sources of these effects and found that the early effect localized to the insula, whereas the late effect localized to the premotor cortex.
RANKINGS OF ECONOMICS DEPARTMENTS IN NEW ZEALAND

I compare the research records of the 7 major economics departments in New Zealand, from 1990 onwards. The information, taken from the Econlit database, covers more than 500 economics journals, as of November 2000. Quality weights for the journals were taken from the study by Laband and Piette (1994). Four different departmental ranking measures were computed The resulting ranking of departments is common to all the measures used. Auckland comes in first, followed by Victoria University of Wellington, Canterbury, Otago, Lincoln, Waikato, and Massey.
Characterisation of a PVCP-based tissue-mimicking phantom for quantitative photoacoustic imaging

Photoacoustic imaging can provide high resolution images of tissue structure, pathology and function. As these images can be obtained at multiple wavelengths, quantitatively accurate, spatially resolved, estimates for chromophore concentration, for example, may be obtainable. Such a capability would find a wide range of clinical and pre-clinical applications. However, despite a growing body of theoretical papers on how this might be achieved, there is a noticeable lack of studies providing validated evidence that it can be achieved experimentally, either in vitro or in vivo. Well-defined, versatile and stable phantom materials are essential to assess the accuracy, robustness and applicability of multispectral Quantitative Photoacoustic Imaging (qPAI) algorithms in experimental scenarios. This study assesses the potential of polyvinyl chloride plastisol (PVCP) as a phantom material for qPAI, building on previous work that focused on using PVCP for quality control. Parameters that might be controlled or tuned to assess the performance of qPAI algorithms were studied: broadband acoustic properties, multiwavelength optical properties with added absorbers and scatterers, and photoacoustic efficiency. The optical and acoustic properties of PVCP can be tuned to be broadly representative of soft tissue. The Grüneisen parameter is larger than expected in tissue, which is an advantage as it increases the signal-to-noise ratio of the photoacoustic measurements. Interestingly, when the absorption was altered by adding absorbers, the absorption spectra measured using high peak power nanosecond-pulsed sources (typical in photoacoustics) were repeatably different from the ones measured using the low power source in the spectrophotometer, indicative of photochemical reactions taking place.
Compensated Heading Angles for Outdoor Mobile Robots in Magnetically Disturbed Environment

Heading information is critically important for autonomous mobile robots as it is necessary for scanning or sweeping predetermined areas for specific tasks. Fusing sensor data including angular rates, acceleration, and geomagnetic fields provide heading and attitude. However, the geomagnetic field is often interfered with by ferromagnetic objects or other magnetic sources, resulting in incorrect heading information. This paper describes an algorithm that detects and rejects magnetic disturbances contained in a geomagnetic field. This algorithm combined with an extended Kalman filter is implemented in a relatively low-cost, small-scale microprocessor and sensor module. The algorithm is detailed for parameters that detect magnetic disturbances. The algorithm is also evaluated outdoors by driving a mobile robot on a lawn with apparent ferromagnetic objects and on the flat roof of a ferroconcrete building that includes iron bars and electrical wires in or under the roof. The experimental results on a flat roof indicate that the algorithm improves the accuracy of the heading significantly by reducing the peak-to-peak error by 32.9% (or the rms error by 69.9%).
Uncomplicated crown fracture: A biological management option

Dental trauma often results in a fractured anterior tooth crown. The conventional management of these cases involves a direct composite resin restoration, which is riddled with disadvantages. More recently, reattachment of the fractured segment has been suggested as a treatment modality. The present article reports a case of uncomplicated crown fracture of an incisor tooth managed by reattachment, with a 12month follow-up.
Circumferential wires as a supplement to intramedullary nailing in unstable trochanteric hip fractures

Background and purpose Fixation of unstable trochanteric fractures is challenging. Application of a circumferential wire may facilitate bone contact and avoid postoperative fracture displacement. However, the use of circumferential wires remains controversial due to possible disturbance of the blood supply to the underlying bone. We evaluated the results of applied circumferential wires, concentrating mainly on complications and reoperations. Patients and methods 60 patients with unstable trochanteric fractures and use of circumferential wires (1 or more) and an intramedullary nail were included from 2 centers. We retrospectively assessed complications and reoperation rates within the first postoperative year. Results In 37 of the 60 patients, 2 or more circumferential wires were used. Anatomic reduction was achieved in 24 of the patients and a total cortical displacement of ≤ 10 mm was achieved in 26 other patients. 6 of the 43 patients with radiographic audit after 12 weeks sustained a subsequent fractu.