Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Patterns of cardiovascular reactivity in disease diagnosis.

BACKGROUND Aberrations of cardiovascular reactivity (CVR), an expression of autonomic function, occur in a number of clinical conditions, but lack specificity for a particular disorder. Recently, a CVR pattern particular to chronic fatigue syndrome was observed. AIM To assess whether specific CVR patterns can be described for other clinical conditions. METHODS Six groups of patients, matched for age and gender, were evaluated with a shortened head-up tilt test: patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) (n = 20), non-CFS fatigue (F) (n = 15), neurally-mediated syncope (SY) (n = 21), familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) (n = 17), psoriatic arthritis (PSOR) (n = 19) and healthy subjects (H) (n = 20). A 10-min supine phase was followed by recording 600 cardiac cycles on tilt (5-10 min). Beat-to-beat heart rate (HR) and pulse transit time (PTT) were measured. Results were analysed using conventional statistics, recurrence plot analysis and fractal analysis. RESULTS Multivariate analysis evaluated independent predictors of the CVR in each patient group vs. all other groups. Based on these predictors, equations were determined for a linear discriminant score (DS) for each group. The best sensitivities and specificities of the DS, consistent with disease-related phenotypes of CVR, were noted in the following groups: CFS, 90.0% and 60%; SY, 93.3% and 62.5%; FMF, 90.1% and 75.4%, respectively. DISCUSSION Pathological disturbances may alter cardiovascular reactivity. Our data support the existence of disease-related CVR phenotypes, with implications for pathogenesis and differential diagnosis.
Causal inference in multisensory perception and the brain

To build coherent and veridical multisensory representations of the environment, human observers consider the causal structure of multisensory signals: If they infer a common source of the signals, observers integrate them weighted by their reliability. Otherwise, they segregate the signals. Generally, observers infer a common source if the signals correspond structurally and spatiotemporally. In six projects, the current PhD thesis investigated this causal inference model with the help of audiovisual spatial signals presented to human observers in a ventriloquist paradigm. A first psychophysical study showed that sensory reliability determines causal inference via two mechanisms: Sensory reliability modulates how observers infer the causal structure from spatial signal disparity. Further, sensory reliability determines the weight of audiovisual signals if observers integrate the signals under assumption of a common source. Using multivariate decoding of fMRI signals, three PhD projects revealed that auditory and visual cortical hierarchies jointly implement causal inference. Specific regions of the hierarchies represented constituent spatial estimates of the causal inference model. In line with this model, anterior regions of intraparietal sulcus (IPS) represent audiovisual signals dependent on visual reliability, task-relevance, and spatial disparity of the signals. However, even in case of small signal discrepancies suggesting a common source, reliability-weighting in IPS was suboptimal as compared to a Maximum Estimation Likelihood model. By temporally manipulating visual reliability, the fifth PhD project demonstrated that human observers learn sensory reliability from current and past signals in order to weight audiovisual signals, consistent with a Bayesian learner. Finally, the sixth project showed that if visual flashes were rendered unaware by continuous flash suppression, the visual bias of the perceived auditory location was strongly reduced but still significant. The reduced ventriloquist effect was presumably mediated by the drop of visual reliability accompanying perceptual unawareness. In conclusion, the PhD thesis suggests that human observers integrate multisensory signals according to their causal structure and temporal regularity: They integrate the signals if a common source is likely by weighting them proportional to the reliability which they learnt from the signals’ history. Crucially, specific regions of cortical hierarchies jointly implement these multisensory processes.
Prospective randomized study of monopolar scissors, bipolar vessel sealer and ultrasonic shears in laparoscopic colorectal surgery

Many instruments are used for laparoscopic dissection, including monopolar electrosurgery scissors (MES), electrothermal bipolar vessel sealers (BVS) and ultrasonically coagulating shears (UCS). These three devices were compared with regard to dissection time, blood loss, safety and costs.
Extraverts Engage in More Interpersonal Citizenship When Motivated to Impression Manage

Extraversion has exhibited inconsistent relationships with employees’ interpersonal citizenship. Across three studies, we integrate literature on personality with impression management and socioanalytic theories to propose that employees’ impression management motives act as a contingency, strengthening the relationship between extraversion and interpersonal citizenship. First, in Studies 1 and 2, across two settings (field and university) and two designs (nonexperimental and experimental), we confirm that extraverted individuals engage in citizenship to a greater extent when they are also either predisposed (Study 1) or cued (Study 2) to manage others’ impressions. In Study 3, we extend these findings by using a conditional mediation process model to develop and test the hypothesis that an individual’s strategy to get along serves as an explanatory mechanism to the interactive effect of extraversion and impression management motives on interpersonal citizenship. Overall, our results suggest that the prediction of interpersonal citizenship can be improved when considering the conjoint influence of employees’ extraversion and impression management motives.
Overcoming Seed Dormancy in Cleome gynandra L. to Improve Germination

Cleome gynandra L. is a traditional semi-domesticated leafy vegetable grown in East Africa. It belongs to the family Cleomaceae. Farmers save seed from each harvest for planting in the next season. C. gynandra seeds fail to germinate when planted immediately after harvest. Studies were con ducted to determine appropriate seed treatments to overcome dormancy in freshly harvested C. gynandra seeds. Seeds were subjected to various dor mancy breaking treatments including: potassium nitrate (KN03), leaching, light, gibberellic acid (GA3) and chilling. Additional studies were carried out to determine the degree of dormancy in seeds harvested from pods at different positions on the plant. Among all treatments studied, application of GA3 at a concentration of 500 ppm resulted in the highest final germina tion. Stratification for two weeks at 5 °C and germination in dark also im proved germination significantly. While leaching had no significant effect, treatment with KN03 and light reduced germination. Seeds from lower and middle positioned siliques germinated readily compared to those from up per siliques. We suggest for commercialization of C. gynandra seed that have high potential germination, treating seeds immediately after harvest with GA3 at a concentration of 500 ppm before being packaged and sold to farmers is a possibility that can be explored.
The exploration of legal text corpora with hierarchical neural networks: a guided tour in public international law

The classification of feature vectors representing the interpretation of legal documents improves the search for similar or related documents, the interpretation of these documents as well as the navigation within the text corpus. The need for effective approaches of classification is dramatically increased nowadays due to the advent of massive digital libraries containing free-form legal text documents. What we are looking for are powerful methods for the exploration of such libraries whereby the detection of similarities between groups of documents is the overall goal. In other words, methods that may be used to gain insight in the inherent structure of the various items contained in a text archive are needed. In this paper we present the results from a case study in legal document classification based on an experimental document archive comprising important treaties in public international law. The core task of classification is performed by a non-standard neural network model with a layered architecture consisting of mutually independent unsupervised neural networks. The distinguished features of this learning architecture is the remarkably fast training time combined with the benefit of explicit cluster representation. The access to legal text archives may be enhanced by guided tours providing the means for convenient voyage in an environment of dynamically classified legal documents.
Glucocorticoids Inhibit Calcium- and Calcineurin-Dependent Activation of the Human IL-4 Promoter1

The mechanism by which glucocorticoids (GC) inhibit IL-4 gene expression is currently unknown. In T lymphocytes, IL-4 gene expression is regulated at the level of transcription by increases in intracellular calcium concentration and by the calcium-activated phosphatase calcineurin. In this paper we report that dexamethasone (Dex) inhibits calcium ionophore-induced activation of the human IL-4 promoter in transiently transfected Jurkat T cells. Inhibition of the promoter by Dex is dependent on expression of the GC receptor (GR), because it does not occur in GR-deficient cells. Dex also represses activation of the promoter induced by cotransfecting cells with a constitutively active mutant of calcineurin. Using a series of deletion constructs, we show that the proximal 95 bp of the IL-4 promoter contain a Dex-sensitive regulatory element. This region contains the P1 sequence, a proximal binding site for NF-AT. A calcium-induced but Dex-inhibited nuclear complex containing NF-AT binds to the P1 element in EMSA. Using immunoprecipitation under nondenaturing conditions, we found that the GRα isoform coprecipitates with NF-ATc in nuclear extracts of calcium ionophore- and Dex-treated cells. Taken together, our results show that GC inhibit IL-4 gene expression by interfering with NF-AT-dependent transactivation of the proximal human IL-4 promoter.
Inductive Power Transfer

Inductive power transfer (IPT) was an engineering curiosity less than 30 years ago, but, at that time, it has grown to be an important technology in a variety of applications. The paper looks at the background to IPT and how its development was based on sound engineering principles leading on to factory automation and growing to a $1 billion industry in the process. Since then applications for the technology have diversified and at the same time become more technically challenging, especially for the static and dynamic charging of electric vehicles (EVs), where IPT offers possibilities that no other technology can match. Here, systems that are ten times more powerful, more tolerant of misalignment, safer, and more efficient may be achievable, and if they are, IPT can transform our society. The challenges are significant but the technology is promising.
Effect of fish oil (n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids) on plasma lipids, lipoproteins and inflammatory markers in HIV-infected patients treated with antiretroviral therapy: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study

Patients on antiretroviral therapy are reported to have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. We aimed to investigate the effect of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) on plasma lipids, lipoproteins and inflammatory markers in HIV-infected patients treated with antiretroviral therapy. We randomized 51 patients in a placebo-controlled, double-blind trial to receive either 2 capsules of Omacor® twice daily or 2 capsules of placebo. Compliance was measured by determining levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in neutrophils. Plasma triglycerides were reduced in the n-3 PUFA group by 0.14 mmol/l after 12 weeks of treatment (n=26), while plasma triglycerides increased by 0.36 mmol/l in the control group (n=25). The difference between groups was significant, p=0.03. No significant effect of treatment was found for total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol or apolipoproteins. There was a significant increase in leukotriene B5 (LTB5) and LTB5/LTB4 ratio in the n-3 PUFA group compared to the control group. Baseline values for intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM) and highly sensitive C-reactive protein (hsCRP) were comparable at baseline, and the intervention did not change these parameters significantly. The present study showed that treatment with n-3 PUFA slightly decreased plasma triglycerides and induced anti-inflammatory effects by increasing formation of anti-inflammatory LTB5.
Short-form versions of the Spanish MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventories

ABSTRACT The Spanish-language MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventories (S-CDIs) are well-established parent report tools for assessing the language development of Spanish-speaking children under 3 years. Here, we introduce the short-form versions of the S-CDIs (SFI and SFII), offered as alternatives to the long forms for screening purposes or in applications requiring a less-demanding instrument. Norming data (SFI: n = 601; SFII: n = 2,534) from diverse populations in Mexico are described. Developmental trends, gender differences, and socioeconomic status effects are reported that parallel those for the long forms. An additional small-scale study (n = 62) demonstrates strong convergence between responses on the long and the short forms. These results provide evidence that the S-CDI SFs have promise for a range of clinical and research applications.
Performance of Surgical Stress Index during Sevoflurane-Fentanyl and Isoflurane-Fentanyl Anesthesia

The performance of recently introduced Surgical Stress Index (SSI), based on heart rate and photoplethysmography, was estimated during sevoflurane-fentanyl and isoflurane-fentanyl anesthesia during surgical procedures. Forty ASA I–III patients were enrolled. Anesthesia was induced with fentanyl 2 μg kg−1 and thiopentone 3–5 mg kg−1. Tracheal intubation was performed 5 minutes after fentanyl bolus. Patients were randomly allocated to receive sevoflurane (n = 20) or isoflurane (n = 20) in 30% oxygen/air. State entropy was kept at 40–60, target being 50. During surgery, fentanyl boluses 1.5 μg kg−1 were given at 30–40-minute intervals. SSI increased significantly after intubation. During surgery, the decrease of SSI after fentanyl boluses was similar in sevoflurane and isoflurane groups but SSI values were higher in sevoflurane than in isoflurane group. Tracheal intubation, skin incision, and surgical stimuli increased SSI from baseline, indicating that nociceptive stimuli increase SSI. Fentanyl boluses during surgery decreased SSI, indicating that increasing analgesia decreases SSI.
Retention characteristics of attachment systems for implant overdentures.

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to compare the retention characteristics of various overdenture attachment systems commonly used to retain overdentures to dental implants. MATERIALS AND METHODS An edentulous mandibular model was constructed incorporating 2 parallel 4.0 mm x 13 mm Branemark implants placed in the canine regions. Attachments were embedded in a metal-reinforced experimental overdenture designed to be dislodged from the model by a universal testing machine. Tensile dislodging force was applied to the overdenture at a cross-head speed of 50 mm/min. Five overdentures were constructed for each of the attachment systems. The attachments evaluated were the Hader bar & metal clip, Locator LR pink, Locator LR white, Spheroflex ball, Shiner magnet, Maxi magnet, Magnedisc magnet, ERA white, and ERA gray. Each apparatus was tested with 5 specimens per attachment system. Peak load-to-dislodgement was measured. Analysis of variance and Scheffe multiple comparison tests were applied to the data with alpha< or = 0.05 level of significance. RESULTS Peak load-to-dislodgement for all attachment systems ranged from 3.68 +/- 1.32 N to 35.24 +/- 1.99 N. Strain-at-dislodgement, calculated from stress-strain curves, ranged from 0.78 +/- 0.20% to 2.78 +/- 0.5%. The ERA gray attachment demonstrated the greatest retention, with a peak load-to-dislodgement of 35.24 +/- 1.99 N, and a relatively low strain-at-dislodgement of 1.64 +/- 0.09%. Less retention was recorded for the Locator LR white, Spheroflex ball, Hader bar & metal clip, and ERA white systems. The Locator LR pink attachment demonstrated still less retention with a load-to-dislodgement of 12.33 +/- 1.28 N. Significantly high strain-at-dislodgement was recorded for the Hader bar & metal clip and Locator nylon attachment systems. The lowest dislodging loads and strains were recorded for the Shiner magnet, Maxi magnet, and Magnedisc magnet attachments. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that the attachment systems evaluated may be grouped into high (ERA gray), medium (Locator LR white, Spheroflex ball, Hader bar & metal clip, ERA white), low (Locator LR pink), and very low (Shiner magnet, Maxi magnet, Magnedisc magnet) retention characteristics.
Weighted Multirecombination Evolution Strategies on the Parabolic Ridge

Weighted recombination is a means for improving the local search performance of evolution strategies. Optimal weights for the infinite-dimensional sphere model have been computed previously. This paper extends that work by considering the parabolic ridge. It is found that in the limit of infinite search space dimensionality the speed-up resulting from optimal weighted recombination is the same as on the sphere, and that, importantly, optimal weights are the same in both cases. The effect of weighted recombination on cumulative step length adaptation on the parabolic ridge is also examined. Experiments are used to study the significance of the findings in finite-dimensional search spaces, and to arrive at recommendations with regard to the setting of strategy parameters.
Frequency, Timing, and Course of Depressive Symptomatology After Whiplash

Study Design. Population-based incidence cohort. Objective. To report the incidence, timing, and course of depressive symptoms after whiplash. Summary of Background Data. Evidence is conflicting about the frequency, time of onset, and course of depressive symptoms after whiplash. Methods. Adults making an insurance claim or seeking health care for traffic-related whiplash were followed by telephone interview at 6 weeks, and 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-injury. Depressive symptoms were assessed at baseline and at each follow-up. Results. Of the 5,211 subjects reporting no pre-injury mental health problems, 42.3% (95% confidence interval, 40.9–43.6) developed depressive symptoms within 6 weeks of the injury, with subsequent onset in 17.8% (95% confidence interval, 16.5–19.2). Depressive symptoms were recurrent or persistent in 37.6% of those with early post-injury onset. Pre-injury mental health problems increased the risk of later onset depressive symptoms and of a recurrent or persistent course of early onset depressive symptoms. Conclusions. Depressive symptomatology after whiplash is common, occurs early after the injury, and is often persistent or recurrent. This suggests that, like neck pain and headache, depressed symptomatology is part of the cluster of acute whiplash symptoms. Clinicians should be aware of both physical and psychologic injuries after traffic collisions.
Theorizing Racial Inequity in Special Education

Despite decades of research examining the disproportionate representation of racial minority students in special education, our understanding of the complexity of disproportionality remains incomplete and much of the previous research was designed without a clear theoretical framework. This exploratory study applied a structural theoretical lens as a means of understanding racial inequity in special education across analytical scales, racial groups, and disability categories. The findings confirm differential risk of educational disability across racial groups. Based on the theory adopted, several hypotheses were tested regarding the relations of relative risk to district structural features, with conflicting results found.
Community Rights and Land Use Policies in Tanzania: The Case of Pastoral Communities

The statement above is an admission of failure, or neglect, to design a policy for livestock production and development. The admission appears t o be almost contradictory. Nyerere's leadership of Tanzania had its landmarks, the most indelible of which is probably the Arusha Declaration with its particularly heavy bias towards rural development in its policy objectives. Yet that rural bias conspicuously excluded the role of pastoral communities and their potential in the development of Tanzania's rural economy. The pastoralists are not a majority but constitute a substantial portion of the population. They are entitled, as of right, to proportionate attention by national policies, as well as access to national resources, especially land, proportionate to their needs and potential, just like the cultivators. But government policies in Tanzania have marginalized pastoralists and sometimes even their rights and their very presence have been ignored.
Rapid Response Team in a Rural Hospital

Purpose/Objectives: The objective of this study was to explore the nurses’ knowledge and perceptions of the Rapid Response Team (RRT). Design: This study was of a prospective, quantitative, descriptive design. Setting: The setting was a 175-bed rural community nonteaching regional hospital. Sample: Fifty-seven nurses participated, resulting in a 90.4% response. Methods: Data were collected through distribution of an adapted survey termed Rapid Response Team Survey; the tool consisted of 3 parts. Findings: The mean knowledge score was average. A “physician positive” response to the calling of an RRT was not particularly important; a “physician negative” response to calling the RRT was even less important. Knowledge of the RRT criteria and the understanding of the call criteria were important. Knowledge of the process for calling the RRT and how to call were less important to this group. Conclusions: Although the nurses were able to identify that changes in the patient’s condition had occurred, weakness existed in recognition that those changes required rapid intervention through the calling of the RRT. The nurses positively perceived the RRT and the hospital’s commitment to it. The nurses generally did not allow physician response to impact their willingness to call the RRT. Implications: The results of this study suggest that education is needed on early identification of the unstable patient and the early insidious signs seen in diseases such as sepsis.
Alanine–glyoxylate aminotransferase-deficient mice, a model for primary hyperoxaluria that responds to adenoviral gene transfer

Mutations in the alanine–glyoxylate amino transferase gene (AGXT) are responsible for primary hyperoxaluria type I, a rare disease characterized by excessive hepatic oxalate production that leads to renal failure. We generated a null mutant mouse by targeted mutagenesis of the homologous gene, Agxt, in embryonic stem cells. Mutant mice developed normally, and they exhibited hyperoxaluria and crystalluria. Approximately half of the male mice in mixed genetic background developed calcium oxalate urinary stones. Severe nephrocalcinosis and renal failure developed after enhancement of oxalate production by ethylene glycol administration. Hepatic expression of human AGT1, the protein encoded by AGXT, by adenoviral vector-mediated gene transfer in Agxt−/− mice normalized urinary oxalate excretion and prevented oxalate crystalluria. Subcellular fractionation and immunofluorescence studies revealed that, as in the human liver, the expressed wild-type human AGT1 was predominantly localized in mouse hepatocellular peroxisomes, whereas the most common mutant form of AGT1 (G170R) was localized predominantly in the mitochondria.