Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Understanding Older Adults’ Usage of Community Green Spaces in Taipei, Taiwan

As the world’s population ages, there is an increasing need for community environments to support physical activity and social connections for older adults. This exploratory study sought to better understand older adults’ usage and perceptions of community green spaces in Taipei, Taiwan, through direct observations of seven green spaces and nineteen structured interviews. Descriptive statistics from observations using the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC) confirm that older adults use Taipei’s parks extensively. Our analyses of interviews support the following recommendations for age-friendly active living initiatives for older adults: make green spaces accessible to older adults; organize a variety of structured activities that appeal to older adults particularly in the morning; equip green spaces for age-appropriate physical activity; and, promote the health advantages of green spaces to older adults.
Potential of Early [18F]-2-Fluoro-2-Deoxy-D-Glucose Positron Emission Tomography for Identifying Hypoperfusion and Predicting Fate of Tissue in a Rat Embolic Stroke Model

Background and Purpose— Experimental stroke models are essential to study in vivo pathophysiological processes of focal cerebral ischemia. In this study, an embolic stroke model in rats was applied (1) to characterize early development of regional cerebral blood flow and metabolism with positron emission tomography (PET) using [15O]H2O and [18F]-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG); and (2) to identify potential parameters for predicting tissue fate. Methods— Remote occlusion of the middle cerebral artery was induced in 10 Wistar rats by injection of 4 TiO2 macrospheres. Sequential [15O]H2O-PET (baseline, 5, 30, 60 minutes after middle cerebral artery occlusion) and FDG-PET measurements (75 minutes after middle cerebral artery occlusion) were performed. [15O]H2O-PET data and FDG kinetic parameters were compared with MRIs and histology at 24 hours. Results— Regional cerebral blood flow decreased substantially within 30 minutes after middle cerebral artery occlusion (41% to 58% of baseline regional cerebral blood flow; P<0.001) with no relevant changes between 30 and 60 minutes. At 60 minutes, regional cerebral blood flow correlated well with the unidirectional transport parameter K1 of FDG in all animals (r=0.86±0.09; P<0.001). Tissue fate could be accurately predicted taking into account K1 and net influx rate constant Ki of FDG. The infarct volume predicted by FDG-PET (375.8±102.3 mm3) correlated significantly with the infarct size determined by MRI after 24 hours (360.8±93.7 mm3; r=0.85). Conclusions— Hypoperfused tissue can be identified by decreased K1 of FDG. Acute ischemic tissue can be well characterized using K1 and Ki allowing for discrimination between infarct core and early viable tissue. Because FDG-PET is widely spread, our findings can be easily translated into clinical application for early diagnoses of ischemia.
Impact of dose-rate on the low-dose hyper-radiosensitivity and induced radioresistance (HRS/IRR) response

Abstract Purpose: To ask whether dose-rate influences low-dose hyper- radiosensitivity and induced radioresistance (HRS/IRR) response in rat colon progressive (PRO) and regressive (REG) cells. Methods: Clonogenic survival was applied to tumorigenic PRO and non-tumorigenic REG cells irradiated with 60Co γ-rays at 0.0025–500 mGy.min−1. Both clonogenic survival and non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathway involved in DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) repair assays were applied to PRO cells irradiated at 25 mGy.min−1 with 75 kV X-rays only. Results: Irrespective of dose-rates, marked HRS/IRR responses were observed in PRO but not in REG cells. For PRO cells, the doses at which HRS and IRR responses are maximal were dependent on dose-rate; conversely exposure times during which HRS and IRR responses are maximal (tHRSmax and tIRRmax) were independent of dose-rate. The tHRSmax and tIRRmax values were 23 ± 5 s and 66 ± 7 s (mean ± standard error of the mean [SEM], n = 7), in agreement with literature data. Repair data show that tHRSmax may correspond to exposure time during which NHEJ is deficient while tIRRmax may correspond to exposure time during which NHEJ is complete. Conclusion: HRS response may be maximal if exposure times are shorter than tHRSmax irrespective of dose, dose-rate and cellular model. Potential application of HRS response in radiotherapy is discussed.
Zein film: Effects of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Atmospheric Cold Plasma

Dielectric barrier discharge atmospheric plasma is a novel nonthermal technology for the food and packaging industry. The effects of dielectric barrier discharge plasma on the surface, structural, thermal, and moisture sorption properties of edible zein films have been examined. Plasma treatment increased the surface roughness and equillibrium moisture content of the zein film in a direct relationship with the applied voltage level. No significant difference in the thermal stability of the zein film is also observed after plasma treatment. Dielectric barrier discharge plasma treatments of zein film lead to a change in the protein conformation which is confirmed by X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy. The evaluation of films modifications by plasma discharge will contribute to enhance the in-package decontamination studies of food products by plasma. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40803.
Antenatal glucocorticoids reset the level of baseline and hypoxemia-induced pituitary-adrenal activity in the sheep fetus during late gestation.

This study examined the effects of dexamethasone treatment on basal hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function and HPA responses to subsequent acute hypoxemia in the ovine fetus during late gestation. Between 117 and 120 days (term: approximately 145 days), 12 fetal sheep and their mothers were catheterized under halothane anesthesia. From 124 days, 6 fetuses were continuously infused intravenously with dexamethasone (1.80 +/- 0.15 microg.kg(-1). h(-1) in 0.9% saline at 0.5 ml/h) for 48 h, while the remaining 6 fetuses received saline at the same rate. Two days after infusion, when dexamethasone had cleared from the fetal circulation, acute hypoxemia was induced in both groups for 1 h by reducing the maternal fraction of inspired O2. Fetal dexamethasone treatment transiently lowered fetal basal plasma cortisol, but not ACTH, concentrations. However, 2 days after treatment, fetal basal plasma cortisol concentration was elevated without changes in basal ACTH concentration. Despite elevated basal plasma cortisol concentration, the ACTH response to acute hypoxemia was enhanced, and the increment in plasma cortisol levels was maintained, in dexamethasone-treated fetuses. Correlation of fetal plasma ACTH and cortisol concentrations indicated enhanced cortisol output without a change in adrenocortical sensitivity. The enhancements in basal cortisol concentration and the HPA axis responses to acute hypoxemia after dexamethasone treatment were associated with reductions in pituitary and adrenal glucocorticoid receptor mRNA contents, which persisted at 3-4 days after the end of treatment. These data show that prenatal glucocorticoids alter the basal set point of the HPA axis and enhance HPA axis responses to acute stress in the ovine fetus during late gestation.
A Sociocultural Analysis of Death Anxiety among Older Japanese Urbanites in a Citizens' Movement

By examining the experiences of death anxiety and attitudes toward personal deaths among members of a citizens' movement, the Grave-Free Promotion Society (GFPS), this study considers the applicability of the view that culture and high self-esteem serve as defenses against death anxiety in Japan's changing society. The GFPS promotes the scattering of ashes over the conventional interment of cremated remains in a family grave. GFPS members often lack descendants to care for a family grave, the neglect of which is thought to endanger the deceased's peaceful rest. By returning the dead to nature through ash scattering, the GFPS provides an alternative strategy of managing its members' posthumous well-being. GFPS members often report that their choice of ash scattering has reduced their anxiety about their personal deaths and improved the quality of their lives. Based upon these findings, this study offers some suggestions for increasing cultural sensitivities of test instruments commonly used to examine death anxiety among older persons for use in a Japanese context.
Association of promoter polymorphism -857C/T (rs1799724) in tumor necrosis factor gene with intracerebral hemorrhage in Korean males

Abstract Background and purpose: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) has been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of hemorrhagic stroke, having deleterious effects on cerebral arteries by promoting inflammation and apoptosis in vascular and immune cells. In this study, we investigated genetic association between TNF gene and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in a Korean population. Methods: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of TNF gene [−857C/T (rs1799724) and -308G/A (rs1800629)] were selected and genotyped using direct sequencing in 144 ICH patients and 455 control subjects. Genotype distribution and allele frequency were compared between cases and controls using logistic regression. Results: −857C/T was significantly associated with ICH in log-additive [odds ratio (OR) = 1.60, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.14–2.24, p = 0.0081], and recessive models (OR = 3.25, 95% CI = 1.28–8.27, p = 0.016). The frequency of the −857TT genotype increased in ICH patients. Allele frequency analysis also showed that the −857T allele was associated with an increased risk of ICH (OR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.15–2.30, p = 0.006). In the analysis according to the gender, we found that the association of −857C/T was gender–different. The −857C/T was significantly associated with ICH only in males (OR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.24–3.19, p = 0.0043 in males; OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 0.76–2.22, p = 0.34 in females). Conclusion: These results suggest that promoter polymorphism of TNF gene, −857C/T, may be involved in the susceptibility of ICH in males.
Aerobic De-Epoxydation of Trichothecene Mycotoxins by a Soil Bacterial Consortium Isolated Using In Situ Soil Enrichment

Globally, the trichothecene mycotoxins deoxynivalenol (DON) and nivalenol (NIV) are among the most widely distributed mycotoxins that contaminate small grain cereals. In this study, a bacterial consortium, PGC-3, with de-epoxydation activity was isolated from soil by an in situ soil enrichment method. Screening of 14 soil samples that were sprayed with DON revealed that 4 samples were able to biotransform DON into de-epoxydized DON (dE-DON). Among these, the PGC-3 consortium showed the highest and most stable activity to biotransform DON into dE-DON and NIV into dE-NIV. PGC-3 exhibited de-epoxydation activity at a wide range of pH (5–10) and temperatures (20–37 °C) values under aerobic conditions. Sequential subculturing with a continued exposure to DON substantially reduced the microbial population diversity of this consortium. Analyses of the 16S rDNA sequences indicated that PGC-3 comprised 10 bacterial genera. Among these, one species, Desulfitobacterium, showed a steady increase in relative abundance, from 0.03% to 1.55% (a 52-fold increase), as higher concentrations of DON were used in the subculture media, from 0 to 500 μg/mL. This study establishes the foundation to further develop bioactive agents that can detoxify trichothecene mycotoxins in cereals and enables for the characterization of detoxifying genes and their regulation.
An individualised acoustically transparent earpiece for hearing devices

Abstract Objective: An important and often still unresolved problem of hearing devices such as assistive listening devices and hearing aids is limited user acceptance – a primary reason is poor conservation quality of the acoustic environment. Approaching a possible solution to this problem, an earpiece prototype is presented and evaluated. The prototype is individually and automatically calibrated in situ to provide acoustical transparency, i.e., achieving an audio perception alike to the open ear. Design: A comprehensive evaluation was performed, comprising technical measurements on an advanced dummy head and listening tests, in which listeners directly compared sound perception through the prototype and a simulated open ear canal reference. Study sample: Ten normal hearing subjects, including five expert listeners, participated in the listening test. Results: The technical evaluation verified good achievement of acoustical transparency. The psychoacoustic results showed that a reliable distinction between the two conditions presented was not possible for relevant communication sounds. Conclusion: The prototype can be described as an initial realisation of an acoustically transparent hearing system, i.e. a device that does not disturb the perception of external sounds. In further developments, the device can be considered as the basis for systems integrating high sound quality, hearing support and other desired modifications.
Title: Opposing effects of Runx2 and estradiol on breast cancer cell proliferation: in vitro identification of reciprocally-regulated gene signature related to clinical letrozole responsiveness

Purpose : To assess the clinical significance of the interaction between estrogen and Runx2 signaling, previously demonstrated in vitro. Experimental design: MCF7/Rx2 dox BCa cells were treated with estradiol and/or doxycycline to induce Runx2, and global gene expression was profiled to define genes regulated by estradiol, Runx2, or both. Anchorage-independent growth was assessed by soft agar colony formation assays. Expression of gene-sets defined using the MCF7/Rx2 dox system was analyzed in pre- and on-treatment biopsies from hormone receptor-positive patients undergoing neo-adjuvant letrozole treatment in two independent studies, and short-term changes in gene expression were correlated with tumor size reduction or Ki67 index at surgery. Results: Reflecting its oncogenic property, estradiol strongly promoted soft agar colony formation, whereas Runx2 blocked this process suggesting tumor suppressor property. Transcriptome analysis of MCF7/Rx2 dox cells treated with estradiol and/or doxycycline demonstrated reciprocal attenuation of Runx2 and estrogen signaling. Correspondingly in BCa tumors, expression of estradiol- and Runx2-regulated genes was inversely correlated; and, letrozole increased expression of Runx2-stimulated genes as defined in the MCF7/Rx2 dox model. Of particular interest was a gene-set upregulated by estradiol and downregulated by Runx2 in vitro; its short-term response to letrozole treatment associated with tumor size reduction and Ki67 index at surgery better than other estradiol-regulated gene-sets. Conclusion: This work provides clinical evidence for the importance of antagonism between Runx2 and E2 signaling in BCa. Likely sensing the tension between them, letrozole responsiveness of a genomic node, positively regulated by estradiol and negatively regulated by Runx2 in vitro, best correlated with the clinical efficacy of letrozole treatment.
Otoplasty: Clinical Protocol and Long-term Results

Objective: To evaluate the long-term results after otoplasty on prominent ears. Design: Between 1988 and 1993, ear protrusion was measured preoperatively and postoperatively in pediatric patients undergoing otoplasty by means of a standard protocol based on the Frankfort horizontal line. Patients were asked to return for follow-up measurements a minimum of 1 year after surgery. At the time of follow-up, a patient satisfaction survey was completed by the patients and their families. Setting: The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, a tertiary care children's hospital. Participants: Thirty-one of 51 patients returned for follow-up an average of 3.7 years after surgery. Results: One third of ears returned to their original position, one third of ears stayed in a position equal to the immediate postoperative position, and one third of ears had final positions between the preoperative and postoperative positions. At the superior rim, an average of 58% of the operative medialization was lost. Good to excellent ear-to-ear symmetry was obtained in 78% of patients who returned for follow-up. Retrospective chart review showed a revision surgery rate of 3%; stitch granulomas were removed in 9% of patients. The patient satisfaction survey found that 85% of patients were happy or very happy with their ears. Conclusions: With time, a substantial loss of correction can be expected in most (but not all) patients who undergo otoplasty, particularly at the upper pole. Overall, patients and their families are happy with the results of otoplasty surgery. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 1996;122:773-777
Attentional Focus and Performance Anxiety: Effects on Simulated Race-Driving Performance and Heart Rate Variability

Previous studies have demonstrated that an external focus can enhance motor learning compared to an internal focus. The benefits of adopting an external focus are attributed to the use of less effortful automatic control processes, while an internal focus relies upon more effort-intensive consciously controlled processes. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of a distal external focus with an internal focus in the acquisition of a simulated driving task and subsequent performance in a competitive condition designed to increase state anxiety. To provide further evidence for the automatic nature of externally controlled movements, the study included heart rate variability (HRV) as an index of mental effort. Sixteen participants completed eight blocks of four laps in either a distal external or internal focus condition, followed by two blocks of four laps in the competitive condition. During acquisition, the performance of both groups improved; however, the distal external focus group outperformed the internal focus group. The poorer performance of the internal focus group was accompanied by a larger reduction in HRV, indicating a greater investment of mental effort. In the competition condition, state anxiety increased, and for both groups, performance improved as a function of the increased anxiety. Increased heart rate and self-reported mental effort accompanied the performance improvement. The distal external focus group also outperformed the internal focus group across both neutral and competitive conditions and this more effective performance was again associated with lower levels of HRV. Overall, the results offer support for the suggestion that an external focus promotes a more automatic mode of functioning. In the competitive condition, both foci enhanced performance and while the improved performance may have been achieved at the expense of greater compensatory mental effort, this was not reflected in HRV scores.
Polymorphisms of tumor-necrosis factor-α−308 and lymphotoxin-α + 250: Possible modulation of susceptibility to apoptosis in chronic lymphocytic leukemia and non-Hodgkin lymphoma mononuclear cells

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and lymphotoxin alpha (LT-α) have been shown to play an important role in the pathogenesis of limphoproliferative disease. Both cytokines regulate cell-survival and cell-death in leukemic cells. TNF-α and LT-α are highly produced in chronic lymphotic leukemia (CLL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) patients. Genetic polymorphism within regulatory regions of these cytokine genes can alter their expression levels. This study investigates an influence of TNF-α−308 and LT-α + 250 polymorphisms on the activity of alkaline DNase in mononuclear cells of both patient groups as a potent biochemical marker of DNA fragmentation in the terminal phase of apoptosis. Study was performed on mononuclear cells of CLL and NHL patients. SNP were obtained by PCR-RFLP method. The activity of alkaline DNase was measured by spectrophotometric method. The study provided evidence of the influence of TNFG/A genotype and A alleles in the susceptibility to NHL, since the association of LT-αG/G genotype with CLL was observed. High-producing TNF-α−308/LT-α + 250 heterozygous haplotype is associated with high NHL incidence. The investigated SNP influence the activity of alkaline DNase in CLL and NHL patients. The observed polymorphisms may modulate susceptibility of leukemic cells to apoptosis by way of DNase activity.
CYCLIC LOADING AND FRACTURE TOUGHNESS OF STEELS

Abstract— The paper considers the effect of cyclic loading and loading rate upon fracture toughness characteristics of steels at room and low temperatures. It is shown that fracture toughness of a low-alloy ferrite-pearlite steel with 0·1% C (steel 1) and for 15G2AFDps steel of the same class (steel 2) are 2 to 2·5 times lower under cyclic loading (50 and 0·5 Hz) and dynamic loading (K= 1·5 × 106MPa √m s−1) than under static loading (K= 0·6 to 9 MPa √m s−1). For quenched and low-tempered 45 steel at 293 K and for armco-iron at 77 K fracture toughness characteristics do not depend on the loading condition. Macro- and micro-fractographic investigations revealed a correlation between the plastic zone size and the length of brittle fracture areas which are formed in steels 1 and 2, and in armco-iron during unstable propagation of the fatigue crack. Dependence of the decrease of the critical stress intensity factor under cyclic loading on the number of load cycles are obtained for repeating (R= 0) and alternating bending (R=−1) of specimens with a crack. A model for the transition from stable to unstable crack propagation is proposed involving crack velocity in the zone ahead of the crack tip damaged by cyclic plastic deformation. A new approach is suggested to the classification of materials on the basis of the sensitivity of fracture toughness characteristics to cyclic conditions of loading.
Measurement-based Quality Assessment of Requirements Specifications for Software-Intensive Systems

Requirements engineering is the process of discovering, analyzing and communicating the purpose of an envisioned software-intensive system. In this thesis, we propose an approach to assess the fitness of its documented results for down-stream development (e.g., implementation or testing) based on measuring their intrinsic properties. Our results suggest that measurement-based quality assessment is no silver bullet but can provide useful estimations of certain quality aspects under specific conditions.
Cardioprotective effect of the PPAR ligand 1 tetradecylthioacetic acid in type 2 diabetic mice 2 3

tetradecylthioacetic acid in type 2 diabetic mice 2 3 Ahmed M. Khalid, Anne Dragøy Hafstad, Terje S. Larsen, David L. Severson, Neoma 4 Boardman, Martin Hagve, Rolf K. Berge and Ellen Aasum 5 6 (Ahmed M. Khalid and Anne D. Hafstad have made equal contributions to this paper) 7 1 Cardiovascular Research Group, Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Health 8 Sciences, University of Tromsø, Norway 9 2 Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of 10 Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, T2N 4N1, Canada 11 3 The Lipid Research Group, Institute of Medicine, University of Bergen, Norway 12 13 14 Running title: Protection of the diabetic heart 15 16 17 18 19 Correspondence to: 20 Ellen Aasum 21 Cardiovascular Research Group, 22 Department of Medical Biology, 23 Faculty of Health Sciences 24 University of Tromsø 25 N-9037 Tromsø, Norway. 26 27 Phone: +47 77 64 67 56 28 Fax: +47 77 64 54 40 29 email: ellen.aasum@uit.no 30 31 Articles in PresS. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol (March 18, 2011). doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00357. 2010