Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The dynamic impact characteristics of tennis balls with tennis rackets

Abstract The dynamic properties of six types of tennis balls were measured using a force platform and high-speed digital video images of ball impacts on rigidly clamped tennis rackets. It was found that the coefficient of restitution reduced with velocity for impacts on a rigid surface or with a rigidly clamped tennis racket. Pressurized balls had the highest coefficient of restitution, which decreased by 20% when punctured. Pressureless balls had a coefficient of restitution approaching that of a punctured ball at high speeds. The dynamic stiffness of the ball or the ball-racket system increased with velocity and pressurized balls had the highest stiffness, which decreased by 35% when punctured. The characteristics of pressureless balls were shown to be similar to those of punctured balls at high velocity and it was found that lowering the string tension produced a smaller range of stiffness or coefficient of restitution. It was hypothesized that players might consider high ball stiffness to imply a high coefficient of restitution. Plots of coefficient of restitution versus stiffness confirmed the relationship and it was found that, generally, pressurized balls had a higher coefficient of restitution and stiffness than pressureless balls. The players might perceive these parameters through a combination of sound, vibration and perception of ball speed off the racket.
Acetylcholine receptor and ionic channel of Torpedo electroplax: binding of perhydrohistrionicotoxin to membrane and solubilized preparations.

The electric organ of the ray, Torpedo ocellata, can serve as a source for both the acetylcholine (ACh) receptor and its ionic channel. The two entities were identified by their specific binding of [3H]ACh and [3H]perhydrohistrionicotoxin ([3H]H12-HTX), respectively. Binding of [3H]H12-HTX was inhibited by certain drugs and toxins, e.g., histrionicotoxin (HTX), amantadine, and tetraethylammonium (TEA) ions at concentrations that did not inhibit [3H]ACh binding. However, the specific carbamoylcholine-induced 22Na efflux from microsacs from the electric organ membranes was blocked by inhibitors of either the receptor or its ionic channel. The ionic channel had the properties of a protein as judged by heat sensitivity and the inhibition of [3H]H12-HTX binding, after incubation of the electric organ membranes with protein reagents such as p-chloromercuribenzenesulfonic acid (PCMBS) or N-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2-dihydroquinoline (EEDQ). The "binding" of [3H]H12-HTX at 4 X 10(-8) M to lipids in the microsacs was 12% of the total binding to intact microsacs and was nonsaturable and insensitive to heat or specific drugs. After solubilization with cholate, the [3H]H12-HTX binding subunits retained the same affinities for toxins and drugs. The Kd for [3H]H12-HTX was 3 X 10(-7) M. The majority of the ionic channel could be separated from the ACh receptors in the cholate extract by incubation with ACh-receptor affinity gel and ACh-receptor antibodies. The ACh receptor purified by this affinity gel contained only a few active ionic channel units as judged by low levels of high affinity binding of [3H]H12-HTX. On the other hand, after solubilization with Triton X-100, all the ionic channel molecules were either separated or denatured so that the purified ACh receptor did not exhibit high affinity binding for [3H]H12-HTX.
Otological diagnoses and probable age-related auditory neuropathy in “younger” and “older” elderly persons

Abstract Objective: Audiological data from a population based epidemiological investigation were studied on elderly persons. Specific diagnoses of otological and audiological disorders, which can result in hearing loss, were searched for. Design: A retrospective register study. Study sample: Three age cohorts, 474 70- and 75-year olds (“younger”), and 252 85-year olds (“older”), were studied. Clinical pure tone and speech audiometry was used. Data from medical files were included. Results: Conductive hearing loss was diagnosed in 6.1% of the “younger” elderly persons, and in 10.3% of the “older” ones. Specific diagnoses (chronic otitis media and otosclerosis) were established in about half of the cases. Sensorineural hearing loss, other than age-related hearing loss and noise induced hearing loss, was diagnosed in 3.4 % and 5.2% respectively. Severely impaired speech recognition, possibly reflecting age-related auditory neuropathy, was found in 0.4% in the “younger” group, and in 10% in the “older” group. Bilateral functional deafness was present in 3.2% of the 85-year-old persons, but was not present in the 70–75-year group. Conclusion: The incidence of probable age-related auditory neuropathy increases considerably from 70–75 to 85 years. There are marked differences between “younger” and “older” elderly persons regarding hearing loss that severely affects oral communication. Sumario Objetivo: Se estudiaron los datos audiológicos obtenidos en una investigación epidemiológica basada en grupos de ancianos. Se buscaron diagnósticos específicos de problemas otológicos o audiológicos que pueden determinar pérdidas auditivas. Diseño: Estudio retrospectivo de registros. Muestra: Se estudiaron tres cohortes de grupos de edad: 474 “jóvenes” de 70 y 75 años y 252 “viejos” de 85 años de edad. Se realizó audiometría clínica por tonos puros y logoaudiometría. Se incluyeron los datos de los expedientes clínicos. Resultados: Se diagnosticó pérdida auditiva conductiva en el 6.1% de los ancianos “jóvenes” y en el 10.3% de los “viejos”. Se estableció el diagnóstico especifico (otitis media crónica y otoesclerosis) en cerca de la mitad de los casos. Se diagnosticó pérdida auditiva neurosensorial, aparte de pérdidas relacionadas con la edad o inducidas por ruido, en el 3.4% y en el 5.2% de los casos, respectivamente. Se encontró reconocimiento del lenguaje severamente afectado, posiblemente reflejando neuropatía auditiva relacionada con la edad, en el 0.4% de los “jóvenes” y en el 10% de los “viejos”. La sordera funcional bilateral estuvo presente en el 3.2% de las personas de 85 años, pero no se observó en el grupo de personas de 70–75 años. Conclusión: La incidencia de neuropatía auditiva probablemente relacionada con la edad, aumenta considerablemente de los 70–75 a los 85 años. Hay marcadas diferencias relacionadas con las pérdidas auditivas entre ancianos más “jóvenes” y más “viejos”, que afectan severamente la comunicación oral.
Loss of Timp3 Gene Leads to Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Formation in Response to Angiotensin II*

Background: TIMP3 is ECM-bound and is implicated in patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). Results: Timp3 deficiency triggers AAA in response to Ang II. Additional deletion of Mmp2 exacerbated AAA with enhanced inflammation. Broad spectrum MMP inhibition prevented AAA in both genotypes. Conclusion: TIMP3 is protective against Ang II-mediated adverse remodeling. Significance: Replenishment of TIMP3 in aneurysmal aorta could prevent aneurysm expansion and rupture. Aortic aneurysm is dilation of the aorta primarily due to degradation of the aortic wall extracellular matrix (ECM). Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) inhibit matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), the proteases that degrade the ECM. Timp3 is the only ECM-bound Timp, and its levels are altered in the aorta from patients with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). We investigated the causal role of Timp3 in AAA formation. Infusion of angiotensin II (Ang II) using micro-osmotic (Alzet) pumps in Timp3−/− male mice, but not in wild type control mice, led to adverse remodeling of the abdominal aorta, reduced collagen and elastin proteins but not mRNA, and elevated proteolytic activities, suggesting excess protein degradation within 2 weeks that led to formation of AAA by 4 weeks. Intriguingly, despite early up-regulation of MMP2 in Timp3−/−Ang II aortas, additional deletion of Mmp2 in these mice (Timp3−/−/Mmp2−/−) resulted in exacerbated AAA, compromised survival due to aortic rupture, and inflammation in the abdominal aorta. Reconstitution of WT bone marrow in Timp3−/−/Mmp2−/− mice reduced inflammation and prevented AAA in these animals following Ang II infusion. Treatment with a broad spectrum MMP inhibitor (PD166793) prevented the Ang II-induced AAA in Timp3−/− and Timp3−/−/Mmp2−/− mice. Our study demonstrates that the regulatory function of TIMP3 is critical in preventing adverse vascular remodeling and AAA. Hence, replenishing TIMP3, a physiological inhibitor of a number of metalloproteinases, could serve as a therapeutic approach in limiting AAA development or expansion.
Reduced incidence of upper gastrointestinal ulcer complications with the COX‐2 selective inhibitor, valdecoxib

Aim : In a predefined analysis, data were pooled from eight blinded, randomized, controlled trials, and separately from three long‐term, open‐label trials to determine the rate of upper gastrointestinal ulcer complications with the cyclo‐oxygenase‐2 selective inhibitor, valdecoxib, vs. non‐selective non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs.
Body mass index and functional status in community dwelling older Turkish males

Abstract Disability is utmost important on an aging population's health. Obesity is associated with increased risk for disability. On-the-other-hand, higher-BMI is reported as associated with better functionality in older people in some reports defined as “obesity paradox”. There is some evidence on differential relationship between body weight status and functionality by living setting gender, and different populations. We studied the relation between body mass index and functionality in Turkish community dwelling older males accounting for the most confounding factors: age, multimorbidity, polypharmacy and nutritional status. This is a cross-sectional study in a geriatric outpatient clinic of a university hospital. Functionality was assessed with evaluation of activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) scales. Nutrition was assessed by mini-nutritional assessment test. Two hundred seventy-four subjects comprised our study cohort. Mean age was 74.4 ± 7.1 years, BMI was 25.8 ± 4.4 kg/m2. Linear regression analysis revealed significant and independent association of lower BMI with higher ADL and IADL scores (B = 0.047 and B = 0.128, respectively) (p < 0.05) and better nutritional status (B = 1.94 and B = 3.05, respectively) (p < 0.001) but not with the total number of medications. Higher IADL score was associated with younger age and lower total number of diseases (B = 0.121, B = 0.595, respectively) (p < 0.05) while ADL was not. We suggest that lower BMI is associated with better functional status in Turkish community-dwelling male older people. Our study recommends longitudinal studies with higher participants from different populations, genders and living settings are needed to comment more.
Parenting mechanisms in links between parents' and adolescents' alcohol use behaviors.

BACKGROUND Adolescence has been identified as a critical period with regard to the initiation and early escalation of alcohol use. Moreover, research on familial risk and protective processes provides independent support for multiple domains of parental influence on adolescent drinking; including parents' own drinking behaviors, as well as the practices they employ to socialize their children. Despite this prevalence of findings, whether and how these distinct associations are related to one another is still not entirely clear. METHODS The present study used data from 4,731 adolescents and their parents to test the nature of associations between (a) parents' frequencies of alcohol use and intoxication, and lifetime alcohol-related problems, (b) adolescents' perceptions of the parenting that they receive, and (c) adolescents' prevalence of alcohol use and intoxication at 14 and 17(1/2) years of age. As such, multiple mediation modeling was used to assess whether parental alcohol use behaviors influence adolescent alcohol use directly, or if they operate through indirect associations with various aspects of parenting that subsequently influence adolescent use. RESULTS Examination of simple associations demonstrated that maternal and paternal alcohol use behaviors were positively linked with adolescent use behaviors at 14 and 17(1/2) years of age. Likewise, several parenting behaviors were independently associated with both parental and adolescent drinking. Examined collectively, multivariate path analyses indicated that associations between parents' and adolescents' alcohol-related behaviors were mediated, in part, by adolescents' perceptions of the parenting that they received, especially at 14 years of age. Furthermore, perceived parental monitoring and discipline had unique mediating capabilities, net the effects of all other parenting behaviors. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that parenting is an important mediator of the association between parental and adolescent drinking practices. An important area for future research will be to study how adolescents can avoid alcohol-related problems despite being reared within a risk laden parenting environment and/or having parents who drink frequently.
Acceptance of Technology and Its Impact on Teachers' Activities in Virtual Classroom: Integrating UTAUT and CoI into a Combined Model.

This study examines the acceptance and use of learning management systems (LMS) among higher-education teachers and the relation between their use of such systems and their teaching approaches in the context of online learning, following the community of inquiry (CoI) framework. A total of 326 teachers at University of Ljubljana completed a questionnaire. Our main research goal was to examine the impact of a basic Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) structural model, with the CoI framework as a complement. The latter adds three new aspects to the use of LMS for educational purposes, representing complex cognitive and social dimensions of teaching in the virtual space. We found that the crucial factor for LMS acceptance by university teachers is the immediate social influence at work, but the formation of the learning process largely depends on the characteristics of the LMS tools and the perceived usefulness of the application.
Dopamine Receptor Stimulation Does Not Affect Phosphoinositide Hydrolysis in Slices of Rat Striatum

Abstract: The effect of dopamine receptor stimulation on the accumulation of labelled inositol phosphates in rat striatal slices under basal and stimulated conditions was examined following preincubation with [3H]inositol. Incubation of striatal slices with the selective D‐1 agonist SKF 38393 or the selective D‐2 agonist LY 171555 for 5 or 30 min did not affect the basal accumulation of labelled inositol mono‐, bis‐, tris‐, and tetrakisphosphate. Resolution by HPLC of inositol trisphosphate into inositol‐1,3,4‐tris‐phosphate and inositol‐1,4,5‐trisphosphate isomers revealed that under basal conditions dopamine did not influence the accumulation of inositol‐1,4,5‐trisphosphate. Depolarisation evoked by KC1, or addition of the muscarinic receptor agonist carbachol, produced a marked increase in the accumulation of labelled inositol phosphates in both the presence and absence of lithium. Addition of dopamine did not reduce the ability of KC1 or carbachol to increase inositol phospholipid hydrolysis. In the presence of lithium, dopamine (100 μM) enhanced KCl‐stimuIated inositol phospholipid hydrolysis, but this effect appears to be mediated by α1 adrenoceptors because it was blocked by prazosin. SKF 38393 (10 μM) or LY 171555 (10 μM) also did not affect carbachol‐stimulated inositol phospholipid hydrolysis. These data, in contrast to recent reports, suggest that striatal dopamine receptors do not appear to be linked to inositol phospholipid hydrolysis.
CHILDREN’S PERCEPTUAL AUDITORY PERFORMANCE IN IDENTIFYING PHONEMIC CONTRASTS

■ ABSTRACT: This study aimed at investigating children’s perceptual auditory performance in identifying phonemic contrast in Brazilian Portuguese (henceforth BP). The hypothesis is that the perceptual auditory acquisition develops in a gradual fashion, following a systematic acquisition order. We performed four identification tasks using the instrument PerceFAL with 66 children (of both genders) between 4-5 years old. The task relied on the presentation of an acoustic stimulus, through earphones, and the choice of an image corresponding to the word shown, having two image possibilities available on the computer screen. We compared both the stimulus length of time and reaction time of children automatically through the aid of the software PERCEVAL. The children’s perceptual auditory performance occurred gradually and depended on the phonemic class. A greater accuracy regarding the phonemic contrast identification seems to follow the sequence: vowels, sonorants, stops e fricatives. The reaction time for the correct answers was shorter than that of the incorrect answers (except for the vowel class). From the perceptual maps, we verified that, within the vowel class, the anterior-posterior parameter plays an important role in perceptual salience. For the obstruents and sonorants (nasal and liquid), the acoustic cues that characterize voicing (in the case of obstruents) and the articulation mode (in the case of sonorants) are perceptually more robust than the cues from the point of articulation. Although speech perception should not be reduced to a mere sensory interpretation, the acoustic cues of speech segments exert influence on their categorization.
Rotate your Networks: Better Weight Consolidation and Less Catastrophic Forgetting

In this paper we propose an approach to avoiding catastrophic forgetting in sequential task learning scenarios. Our technique is based on a network reparameterization that approximately diagonalizes the Fisher Information Matrix of the network parameters. This reparameterization takes the form of a factorized rotation of parameter space which, when used in conjunction with Elastic Weight Consolidation (which assumes a diagonal Fisher Information Matrix), leads to significantly better performance on lifelong learning of sequential tasks. Experimental results on the MNIST, CIFAR-100, CUB-200 and Stanford-40 datasets demonstrate that we significantly improve the results of standard elastic weight consolidation, and that we obtain competitive results when compared to the state-of-the-art in lifelong learning without forgetting.
Probiotics enhance the clearance of human papillomavirus-related cervical lesions: a prospective controlled pilot study

Probiotics have been proposed for a number of urogenital infectious conditions. In this study, we examine a possible effect on human papillomavirus (HPV)-related precancerous lesions in cervical cytology. We conducted a prospective controlled pilot study, in which 54 women with an HPV+low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion diagnosis in their PAP smear were followed for 6 months. The intervention group consumed a daily probiotic drink during the study period; the control group received no treatment, according to common care policy. Outcome measures were the control PAP smear and HPV status after 6 months. Probiotic users had a twice as high chance of clearance of cytological abnormalities (60 vs. 31%, P=0.05). HPV was cleared in 19% of control patients versus 29% of probiotic users (P=0.41). This exploratory pilot study suggests that the probiotic studied promotes the clearance of HPV-related cytological abnormalities. If confirmed, this would represent an entirely new option to manage cervical cancer precursors.
Clinical Signs and Histopathologic Findings Associated with a Newly Recognized Protozoal Disease (Trichomonas gallinae) in Free-Ranging House Finches (Carpodacus mexicanus)

Abstract This paper describes the clinical signs and histopathologic findings associated with an emergent disease associated with Trichomonas gallinae infections in free-ranging house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) in California. Wet mounts were necessary to detect T. gallinae infections in house finches because classical clinical presentation, such as caseous stomatitis or ingluvitis, occurred in <25% of cases. Early detection was instrumental in preventing trichomonosis outbreaks in a high-density nursery (P < 0.0001). Detection before onset of clinical signs was critical. Despite treatment, ∼95% of house finches died within 24 hr of displaying signs of illness. In contrast, 58% of T. gallinae–positive house finches housed in a nursery survived if they received treatment before onset of clinical signs. Recurrent protozoal shedding in survivors was not evident.
Energy restriction and potential energy restriction mimetics

Abstract Energy restriction (ER; also known as caloric restriction) is the only nutritional intervention that has repeatedly been shown to increase lifespan in model organisms and may delay ageing in humans. In the present review we discuss current scientific literature on ER and its molecular, metabolic and hormonal effects. Moreover, criteria for the classification of substances that might induce positive ER-like changes without having to reduce energy intake are summarised. Additionally, the putative ER mimetics (ERM) 2-deoxy-d-glucose, metformin, rapamycin, resveratrol, spermidine and lipoic acid and their suggested molecular targets are discussed. While there are reports on these ERM candidates that describe lifespan extension in model organisms, data on longevity-inducing effects in higher organisms such as mice remain controversial or are missing. Furthermore, some of these candidates produce detrimental side effects such as immunosuppression or lactic acidosis, or have not been tested for safety in long-term studies. Up to now, there are no known ERM that could be recommended without limitations for use in humans.
Progesterone and Placental Hormone Actions on the Uterus: Insights from Domestic Animals1

Abstract Progesterone is unequivocally required for maternal support of conceptus (embryo/fetus and associated extraembryonic membranes) survival and development. In cyclic sheep, progesterone is paradoxically involved in suppressing and then initiating development of the endometrial luteolytic mechanism. In cyclic and pregnant sheep, progesterone negatively autoregulates progesterone receptor (PR) gene expression in the endometrial luminal (LE) and superficial glandular epithelium (GE). In cyclic sheep, PR loss is closely followed by increases in epithelial estrogen receptor (ERα) and then oxytocin receptor (OTR), allowing oxytocin to induce uterine release of luteolytic prostaglandin F2α pulses. In pregnant sheep, the conceptus produces interferon tau (IFNτ) that acts on the endometrium to inhibit transcription of the ERα gene and thus development of the endometrial luteolytic mechanism. After Day 13 of pregnancy, the endometrial epithelia do not express the PR, whereas the stroma and myometrium remain PR positive. The absence of PR in the endometrial GE is required for onset of differentiated function of the glands during pregnancy. The sequential, overlapping actions of progesterone, IFNτ, placental lactogen (PL), and growth hormone (GH) comprise a hormonal servomechanism that regulates endometrial gland morphogenesis and terminal differentiated function during gestation. In pigs, estrogen, the pregnancy-recognition signal, increases fibroblast growth factor 7 (FGF-7) expression in the endometrial LE that, in turn, stimulates proliferation and differentiated functions of the trophectoderm, which expresses the receptor for FGF-7. Strategic manipulation of these physiological mechanisms may offer therapeutic schemes to improve uterine capacity, conceptus survival, and reproductive health of domestic animals and humans.