Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of inhalation of corticosteroids on exercise induced asthma: randomised double blind crossover study of budesonide in asthmatic children.

1 Green MF. Geriatric endocrinology. In: Keynes WM and Fowler PBS, eds. Tutorials in postgraduate medicine. Clinical endocrinology. London: William Heinemann, 1984:661-75. 2 Saeger W. Pathology of the pituitary gland. In: Belchetz PE, ed. Management of pituitary disease. London: Chapman and Hall, 1984:253-89. 3 Daniel PM, Treip CS. The pathology of the hypothalamus. Clin Endocrinol Metab 1977 ;6:3-19. 4 Sheehan HL, Davis JC. Post-partum hypopituitarism. Springfield: Charles C Thomas, 1982.
Longitudinal Examination of Alcohol Use: A Predictor of Risky Sexual Behavior and Trichomonas vaginalis Among African-American Female Adolescents

Background: Alcohol use has been linked to risky sexual practices among adolescents. However, limited research on alcohol use and risky sexual behavior has been conducted on African-American female adolescents. This study examined high quantity of alcohol as a longitudinal predictor of risky sexual behavior and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among African-American female adolescents, a high-risk population for STDs. Methods: Three hundred ninety-three adolescent females, 15 to 21 years, were assessed on sociodemographics, alcohol use, and risky sexual behaviors. Participants also provided 2 swab specimens that were assayed for STDs. High quantity of alcohol use was defined as ≥3 drinks in 1 sitting. Results: Binary generalized estimating equation models were conducted assessing the impact of alcohol use at baseline on risky sexual behavior and STDs over a 12-month period. Age, intervention group, and baseline outcome measures were entered as covariates. The results indicated that high quantity of alcohol use predicted positive TV test results, inconsistent condom use, high sexual sensation seeking, multiple sexual partners, sex while high on alcohol or drugs, and having anal sex over a 12-month follow-up period. Conclusions: These findings suggest that HIV/STD-related behavioral interventions for African-American adolescents should discuss the link between alcohol and HIV/STD-risk behavior. A deeper understanding is paramount to the development of efficacious prevention programs at individual and community levels.
A new TDOA/FDOA-based recursive geolocation algorithm

In this paper, geolocation problem using noisy differences in time of arrival (TDOA) and frequency difference of arrival (FDOA) measurements is considered, and a sub-BLUE solution is proposed, a new TDOA/FDOA based recursive geolocation algorithm is also developed. The efficiency of the new algorithms is illustrated with simulation results.
Effects of cardiovascular exercise on the selection of preferred listening levels using iPods

The present project evaluated the effect of cardiovascular exercise on the selection of preferred listening levels using iPods. The participants in this study included 15 Louisiana Tech University students ranging in age from 19 and 30 years. The inclusion criteria for participants was as follows: (1) normal hearing sensitivity; (2) no known neurological, cognitive, or otologic impairment; (3) removal from excessive noise for at least 48 hours prior to testing; and (4) endurance in running on a treadmill for the duration of ten minutes. Pre-test audiometric thresholds and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAEs) were obtained in a sound treated booth. Participants were then instructed to set the level of an iPod to his/her preferred listening level while running on a treadmill. Real ear SPL measurements of the iPod output were obtained. Lastly, post-test audiometric thresholds and DPOAEs were re-obtained in the sound treated booth. Mean data results showed that when listeners' set their iPod at their preferred listening level while running on a treadmill, hazardous music intensity levels may not have been selected. However, results of the individual data analysis revealed that five of 15 listeners set their iPods at intensity levels above 90 dB SPL. Results of preand post-test audiometric thresholds revealed that participants selected iPod intensity levels that resulted in a clinically significant temporary threshold shift at 2000 and 4000 Hz in the right ear and at 1000 and 8000 Hz in the left ear. Results of the preand post-test
The early roentgenographic changes in essential coxa plana: their significance in pathogenesis.

1. Generalized retardation of skeletal maturation was present in all but 1 of 30 patients.2. The affected femur was displaced slightly in all patients.3. The first roentgenographic changes in the EOC were segmental fracture, flattening, and sclerosis, in that temporal order, in the anterior superior lateral quadrant of the EOC. A strip of gas density filled the space between the edges of the fracture and the space between the edge of the EOC and its overlying cartilage directly peripheral to the fracture in several patients.4. The early roentgenographic changes are best seen in the "frog" position and are usually invisible in the standard frontal projections of the hips.5. Metaphyseal defects were not seen in the first examination in any patient, but were clearly visible in many cases 4 to 12 months later. They were always radiolucent and were always located in the anterior segment of the metaphysis, directly beneath the cartilage plate and the fractured and flattened ventral segment of the EOC.
Uncertainty and Campaigns

Campaigns change how some people vote. How campaigns have this effect is less well understood. The prevailing view is that these effects occur by changing the content of voters’ attitudes such as partisanship or issue positions (persuasion) and by changing the weights voters applied to these determinants of vote choice (priming). Recent research has challenged this view and suggests that the support for these priming and persuasion effects is overstated. Unfortunately, no research directly specifies and tests the specific psychological mechanism responsible for campaign priming. In this article, I draw on the differences in the forms of attitude strength and demonstrate that changes in citizens’ uncertainty are responsible for these effects. The results suggest that persuasion and changes in uncertainty (but not ambivalence or importance) are responsible for the changes in voters’ decisions during the campaign. Substantively, the largest effects occur because of changes in the uncertainty voters have about the nature of the candidates’ character traits.
Do College Rankings Matter? Examining the Influence of “America’s Best Black Colleges” on HBCU Undergraduate Admissions

College rankings have become a ubiquitous part of American higher education. As the popularity of rankings has increased, so have the number of research studies attempting to better understand the impact rankings have on college/university admissions outcomes. In the past, these studies have focused almost exclusively on elite national universities and liberal arts colleges. This study broadens research in this area by examining how the introduction of U.S. News and World Report’s “America’s Best Black Colleges” section influenced undergraduate admissions among historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs). The findings suggest that college rankings have little correlation with admissions outcomes at HBCUs.
Adjacent cysteines are capable of ligating the same tetranuclear iron–sulfur cluster

The mechanism of the energy‐converting NADH (β‐nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, reduced form):ubiquinone oxidoreductase, which is also called respiratory complex I, is largely unknown due to lack of a high‐resolution structure and the most complicated construction of the enzyme. Electron transport is carried out by one flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and up to 9 Fe/S clusters. The Fe/S cluster N2, which is believed to be directly involved in redox‐coupled proton‐translocation, is located on subunit NuoB (the homologue of the mitochondrial PSST subunit). This subunit contains a conserved binding motif for a [4Fe/4S] cluster with two adjacent cysteines. It was questioned whether these adjacent cysteines could be ligands of the same cluster due to a possible steric hinderance. However, mutagenesis of either of these cysteines led to a loss of cluster N2. We used the known structure of the homologous small subunit of hydrogenases containing a regular cysteine motif to generate an in silico mutant with two consecutive cysteines. Molecular dynamics simulation showed that the conformation of these cysteines does not meet the topological requirements for coordination of a [4Fe/4S] cluster when the protein backbone conformation is kept constant. In comparison, the simulation of a dipeptide amide using a “template forcing” approach resulted in a conformation compatible to an optimal coordination of the two cluster positions in question. Thus, a slight main‐chain conformational change would allow two adjacent cysteines to coordinate a [4Fe/4S] cluster. Proteins 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Age-Related Impairment of Bones' Adaptive Response to Loading in Mice Is Associated With Sex-Related Deficiencies in Osteoblasts but No Change in Osteocytes

Bones adjust their mass and architecture to be sufficiently robust to withstand functional loading by adapting to their strain environment. This mechanism appears less effective with age, resulting in low bone mass. In male and female young adult (17‐week‐old) and old (19‐month‐old) mice, we investigated the effect of age in vivo on bones' adaptive response to loading and in vitro in primary cultures of osteoblast‐like cells derived from bone cortices. Right tibias were axially loaded on alternate days for 2 weeks. Left tibias were non‐loaded controls. In a separate group, the number of sclerostin‐positive osteocytes and the number of periosteal osteoblasts were analyzed 24 hours after a single loading episode. The responses to strain of the primary osteoblast‐like cells derived from these mice were assessed by EGR2 expression, change in cell number and Ki67 immunofluorescence. In young male and female mice, loading increased trabecular thickness and the number of trabecular connections. Increase in the number of trabecular connections was impaired with age but trabecular thickness was not. In old mice, the loading‐related increase in periosteal apposition of the cortex was less than in young ones. Age was associated with a lesser loading‐related increase in osteoblast number on the periosteal surface but had no effect on loading‐related reduction in the number of sclerostin‐positive osteocytes. In vitro, strain‐related proliferation of osteoblast‐like cells was lower in cells from old than young mice. Cells from aged female mice demonstrated normal entry into the cell cycle but subsequently arrested in G2 phase, reducing strain‐related increases in cell number. Thus, in both male and female mice, loading‐related adaptive responses are impaired with age. This impairment is different in females and males. The deficit appears to occur in osteoblasts' proliferative responses to strain rather than earlier strain‐related responses in the osteocytes. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Understanding Alcohol Use Among U.S. Cambodians: How Useful is the Concept of Cultural Norms?

Observed differences in substance use are frequently attributed to cultural norms, which in turn are often interpreted as fixed properties of ethnically defined groups. During a community-based participatory research study (2009–2011), U.S. Cambodian women identified community-specific drinking behaviors and beliefs. To test how widely other U.S. Cambodians shared their views, we formulated them into a series of normative statements and surveyed local community members (N = 172). We identified few consensualized norms, which suggests that (A) norms may not be reducible to normative statements; and/or (B) norms may not be shared by all group members; and (C) if neither A nor B holds, then the attribution of observed drinking patterns to cultural norms lacks internal validity. Study's limitations were noted.
Children in three contexts: Family, education and social development

This paper explores the relationship between family environment and behaviour of primary school children living in three family contexts. It uses data from studies including children of married heterosexual couples, cohabiting heterosexual couples and homosexual couples, and examines the extent to which these children differ with regard to scholastic achievement and aspects of social development. It shows that in the majority of cases, the most successful are children of married couples, followed by children of cohabiting couples and finally by children of homosexual couples.
First chronic wasting disease (CWD) surveillance of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) in the Northern part of Belgium

Summary Cases of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in wild cervids have yet not been reported in Europe, Whereas the disease is considered enzootic in free‐ranging mule deer, Rocky mountain elk and White‐tailed deer in the area of Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska. New foci of CWD continue to be detected in other parts of the United States. However, no large‐scale active epidemiosurveillance of European wild cervids is yet installed in Europe. In accordance with the opinion of the European Scientific Steering Conunittee, a preliminary (active) surveillance scheme was installed, in order to Improve the knowledge of the CWD status of wild cervids (roe deer) in the Northern part of Belgium. Spleen samples (n = 206) and brain samples (n = 222) of roe deer collected in the Northern part of Belgium, were examined for CWD using the antigen‐capture enzyme‐linked immunoassay (EIA) of IDEXX. Afterwards, the EIA was systematically confirmed by immunohistochemistry using three antibodies, namely R524, 2G11 and 12F10. There were no indications on the occurrence of TSE in any of the samples. A Bayesian framework was used for the estimation of the true prevalence of CWD in the Northern part of Belgium that was estimated to have a median value of zero with a 95th percentile value of 0.0049 and 0.0045 for spleen and brain samples respectively.
Chimonanthus nitens var. salicifolius Aqueous Extract Protects against 5-Fluorouracil Induced Gastrointestinal Mucositis in a Mouse Model

Gastrointestinal mucositis is a major side effect of chemotherapy, leading to life quality reduction in patients and interrupting the therapy of cancer. Chimonanthus nitens var. salicifolius (CS) is a traditional Chinese herb for enteral disease. Considering the protective effect of CS on intestine, we hypothesize that the aqueous extract of CS could be benefcial to gastrointestinal mucositis. To verify this, a mouse mucositis model was induced by 5-Fluorouracil (5-Fu). Male Balb/C mice were treated with CS aqueous extract (5, 10, and 20 g/kg) or loperamide (0.2 mg/kg) intragastrically for 11 days, and the severity of mucositis was evaluated. Furthermore, the chemical compounds of CS aqueous extract were also analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Our results demonstrated that CS aqueous extract improved mice body weight, diarrhoea, and faecal blood, maintained the liver function and intestinal length, alleviated villus shortening, and suppressed the apoptosis and inflammation in small intestine. We concluded that CS could protect mice against 5-Fu induced mucositis by inhibiting apoptosis and inflammation, and this protective effect might be associated with the 3 flavonoids (rutin, quercetin, and kaempferol) identified in CS aqueous extract.
Influence of dietary lysine concentration on the oxidation of an indicator amino acid by growing boars.

The influence of dietary lysine concentration on the oxidation of 14C-phenylalanine by growing boars was determined. Forty-five crossbred boars (30 to 40 kg) were fed a ground corn diet fortified with crystalline L-lysine to provide . 28, . 50, . 85, 1.00, 1.25 and 1.54% total lysine. All other essential amino acids were supplemented to provide 135% of NRC (1979) recommendations. Release of 14CO2 from L-[1-14C]-phenylalanine was measured for 1 h following a meal of the experimental diet, which contained 20 mu Ci 14C-phenylalanine. Increasing dietary lysine concentration from . 28 to . 85% decreased 14CO2 production. Regression analysis of the data using a two-phase linear regression crossover model indicated that phenylalanine oxidation was minimized at a dietary lysine concentration of . 65%. It was concluded that a concentration of . 65% lysine minimized the oxidation of amino acids and provided them as possible substrates for protein deposition. The oxidation of an indicator amino acid can, therefore, be used to determine the effect of dietary lysine concentration on the partition of amino acids between metabolic fuels and body protein.
Chunks in expert memory: Evidence for the magical number four … or is it two?

This study aims to test the divergent predictions of the chunking theory (Chase & Simon, 1973) and template theory (Gobet & Simon, 1996a, 2000) with respect to the number of chunks held in visual short-term memory and the size of chunks used by experts. We presented game and random chessboards in both a copy and a recall task. In a within-subject design, the stimuli were displayed using two presentation media: (a) physical board and pieces, as in Chase and Simon's (1973) study; and (b) a computer display, as in Gobet and Simon's (1998) study. Results show that, in most cases, no more than three chunks were replaced in the recall task, as predicted by template theory. In addition, with game positions in the computer condition, chess Masters replaced very large chunks (up to 15 pieces), again in line with template theory. Overall, the results suggest that the original chunking theory overestimated short-term memory capacity and underestimated the size of chunks used, in particular with Masters. They also suggest that Cowan's (2001) proposal that STM holds four chunks may be an overestimate.
Silver Oxynitrate, an Unexplored Silver Compound with Antimicrobial and Antibiofilm Activity

ABSTRACT Historically it has been accepted, and recent research has established, that silver (Ag) is an efficacious antimicrobial agent. A dwindling pipeline of new antibiotics, combined with an increase in the number of antibiotic-resistant infections, is bringing Ag to the fore as a therapeutic compound to treat infectious diseases. Currently, many formulations of Ag are being deployed for commercial and medical purposes, with various degrees of effectiveness at killing microbial cells. Here, we evaluated the antimicrobial and antibiofilm capacity of our lead compound, silver oxynitrate [Ag(Ag3O4)2NO3 or Ag7NO11], against other metal compounds with documented antimicrobial activity, including Ag2SO4, AgNO3, silver sulfadiazine (AgSD), AgO, Ag2O, and CuSO4. Our findings reveal that Ag7NO11 eradicates biofilm and planktonic populations of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), fluoroquinolone-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (FQRP), and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) at lower concentrations than those of the other tested metal salts. Altogether, our results demonstrate that Ag7NO11 has an enhanced efficacy for the treatment of biofilm-forming pathogens.
Task partitioning in a robot swarm : retrieving objects by transferring them directly between sequential subtasks

In this work, we study task partitioning in the context of swarm robotics. Task partitioning refers to the decomposition of a task into sub-tasks that can be tackled by different workers. In this work, we focus on the case in which a task is partitioned into a sequence of sub-tasks that must be executed in a certain order. This implies that the sub-tasks must interface with each other, and that the output of a subtask is used as input for the sub-task that follows. A distinction can be made between task partitioning with direct transfer and task partitioning with indirect transfer. We focus our study on the first case: the output of a sub-task is directly transferred from an individual working on that sub-task to an individual working on the sub-task that follows. As a testbed for our study, we use a swarm of robots performing foraging. The robots have to harvest objects from a source, situated in an unknown location, and transport them to a home location. When the source is found, the robots memorize its position and use dead-reckoning to return there. Dead-reckoning is appealing in robotics, since it is a cheap localization method and it does not require an additional external infrastructure. However, it leads to errors that grow unbounded in time if not corrected periodically. We compare a strategy that does not make use of task partitioning to one in which object retrieval is partitioned into sub-tasks and the objects are directly transferred between the robots. We show that cooperation through task partitioning can be used to limit the effect of dead-reckoning errors. This results in an improved capability of locating the object source and in an increased performance of the swarm. We use the implemented system as a testbed to study benefits and costs of task partitioning with direct transfer. We implement the system with real robots, demonstrating the feasibility of our approach in a foraging scenario.
Characterization of structural variability sheds light on the specificity determinants of the interaction between effector domains and histone tails

Structural characterization of the interaction between histone tails and effector modules (bromodomains, chromodomains, PHD fingers, etc.) is fundamental to understand the mechanistic aspects of epigenetic regulation of gene expression. In recent years many researchers have applied this approach to specific systems, thus providing a valuable but fragmentary view of the histone-effector interaction. In our work we use this information to characterize the structural features of the two main components of this interaction, histone peptides and the binding site of effector domains (focusing on those which target modified lysines), and increase our knowledge on its specificity determinants. Our results show that the binding sites of effectors are structurally variable, but some clear trends allow their classification in three main groups: flat-groove, narrow-groove and cavity-insertion. In addition, we found that even between within these classes binding site variability is substantial. These results in context with the work from other researchers indicate that the there are at least two determinants of binding specificity in the binding site of effector modules. Finally, our analysis of the histone peptides sheds light on the structural transition experienced by histone tails upon effector binding, showing that it may vary depending on the local properties of the sequence stretch considered, thus allowing us to identify an additional specificity determinant for this interaction. Overall, the results of our analysis contribute to clarify the origins of specificity: different regions of the binding site and, in particular, differences in the disorder-order transitions experienced by different histone sequence stretches upon binding.