Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adult-acquired flatfoot deformity and age-related differences in foot and ankle kinematics during the single-limb heel-rise test.

STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional laboratory study. OBJECTIVE To compare single-limb heel-rise performance and foot-ankle kinematics between persons with stage 2 adult-acquired flat foot deformity (AAFD) and healthy controls. BACKGROUND The inability to perform a single-limb heel rise is considered a positive functional diagnostic test for AAFD. However, which foot motions contribute to poor performance of this task are not known. METHODS Fifty individuals participated in this study, 20 with stage 2 AAFD (mean ± SD age, 57.6 ± 11.3 years), and 15 older participants (age, 56.8 ± 5.3 years) and 15 younger participants (age, 22.2 ± 2.4 years) without AAFD as control groups. Forefoot (sagittal plane) and rear foot (sagittal and frontal planes) kinematics were collected using a 3-D motion analysis system. Heel-rise performance (heel height) and kinematics (joint angles, excursions) were evaluated. One-way and 2-way analyses of variance were used to examine differences in heel-rise performance and kinematics between groups. RESULTS Individuals with AAFD and older controls demonstrated lower heel-rise height than those in the younger control group (P<.001). Persons with AAFD demonstrated higher degrees of first metatarsal dorsiflexion (P<.001), lower ankle plantar flexion (P<.001), and higher subtalar eversion (P = .027) than those in the older control group. Persons with AAFD demonstrated lower ankle excursion (P<.001) and first metatarsal excursion (P<.001) than those in the older control group, but no difference in subtalar excursion (P = .771). CONCLUSION Persons with stage 2 AAFD did not achieve sufficient heel height during a single-leg heel rise. Both forefoot and rear foot kinematics in the sagittal plane, as opposed to the frontal plane, contributed to the lower heel height in participants with stage 2 AAFD. Older controls demonstrated lower heel-rise height than younger controls, indicating that clinical expectations of heel-rise performance may need to be adjusted for age.
The in£uenceof synthetic sheepurine onammonia oxidizing bacterial communities ingrassland soil

In grazed, grassland soils, sheep urine generates heterogeneity in ammonia concentrations, with potential impact on ammonia oxidizer community structure and soil N cycling. The influence of different levels of synthetic sheep urine on ammonia oxidizers was studied in grassland soil microcosms. ‘Total’ and active ammonia oxidizers were distinguished by comparing denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) profiles following PCR and RT-PCR amplification of 16S rRNA gene fragments, targeting DNA and RNA, respectively. The RNA-based approach indicated earlier, more reproducible and finer scale qualitative shifts in ammonia oxidizing communities than DNA-based analysis, but led to amplification of a small number of nonammonia oxidizer sequences. Qualitative changes in RNA-derived DGGE profiles were related to changes in nitrate accumulation. Sequence analysis of excised DGGE bands revealed that ammonia oxidizing communities in synthetic sheep urine-treated soils consisted mainly of Nitrosospira clusters 2, 3 and 4. Nitrosospira cluster 2 increased in relative abundance in microcosms treated with all levels of synthetic sheep urine. Low levels additionally led to increased relative abundance of Nitrosospira cluster 4 and medium and high levels increased relative abundance of cluster 3. Synthetic sheep urine is therefore likely to influence the spatial distribution and composition of ammonia oxidizer communities, with consequent effects on nitrate accumulation.
Repeated ischaemic isometric exercise increases muscle fibre conduction velocity in humans: involvement of Na+‐K+‐ATPase

This study was performed to test two hypotheses: (1) ischaemic preconditioning (development of tolerance to ischaemia) influences muscle fibre conduction velocity (MFCV) during repeated ischaemic isometric exercise and (2) the increase in MFCV to supranormal levels during recovery from ischaemic exercise is caused by activation of Na+−K+‐ATPase. For this purpose, MFCV was measured with surface electromyography (sEMG) during repeated ischaemic isometric exercise of the brachioradial muscle (2 min at 30 % of maximal voluntary contraction). The involvement of ischaemic preconditioning was tested by changing the duration of ischaemia and by intra‐arterial infusion of adenosine (brachial artery, 50 μg min−1 dl−1). The role of Na+−K+‐ATPase was explored using ouabain (0.2 μg min−1 dl−1). During the exercise, MFCV decreased from 4.4 ± 0.2 m s−1 to 3.7 ± 0.2 m s−1 (P < 0.01, n= 13). Similar reductions in MFCV were observed during repeated exercise, irrespective of the reperfusion time (10 min vs. 18 min) or duration of the ischaemia (2 vs. 10 min). However, initial MFCV gradually increased for each subsequent contraction when contractions were repeated at 10 min intervals (4.4 ± 0.2 m s−1vs. 4.9 ± 0.2 m s−1 for the first and fourth contraction respectively; P < 0.01; n= 13). This increase was not observed when contractions were performed at 18 min intervals, nor when additional ischaemia was applied. Intra‐arterial adenosine did not affect MFCV. Intra‐arterial ouabain did not affect the reduction in MFCV during exercise but completely prevented the increase in MFCV during recovery: from 4.7 ± 0.2 m s−1 to 5.2 ± 0.2 m s−1vs. 4.5 ± 0.1 m s−1 to 4.5 ± 0.1 m s−1 in the absence and presence of ouabain respectively (P < 0.05 for ouabain effect; n= 6). In conclusion, ischaemic preconditioning is not involved in changes in MFCV during repeated ischaemic isometric exercise. The increase in MFCV during recovery from repeated ischaemic isometric exercise is caused by rapid activation of Na+−K+‐ATPase.
Modulation of Ventricular Fibrillation in Isolated Perfused Heart by Dofetilide

The authors studied the involvement of IKr potassium current in ventricular fibrillation during perfusion. Electrophysiologic parameters were measured before and after dofetilide administration (2.5, 7.5, and 12.5 × 10−7M, n = 8) in isolated perfused feline hearts. During pacing, these parameters included epicardial conduction time, refractoriness, and the fastest rate for 1:1 pacing/response capture. During 8 minutes of electrically induced tachyarrhythmias, they included heart rate and normalized entropy reflecting the degree of organization. In all groups, arrhythmia rate was slower in the right ventricle than in the left ventricle. Dofetilide decreased the arrhythmia rate more than it increased organization, reduced its maintenance, or increased difficulty in initiation. Refractoriness was prolonged in a reverse use-dependent way which was less than 1:1 pacing/response capture. Unexpectedly, a moderate prolongation of conduction time was observed. Inverse correlation was found between the arrhythmia rate and changes in refractoriness and conduction time and between the degree of organization and refractoriness (both ventricles) and conduction time (right ventricle). Dofetilide, which intensively blocks IKr current and unexpectedly suppressed conduction, has different quantitative effects on fibrillation features. These changes in fibrillation suggest that these effects are mainly associated with refractoriness prolongation and do not seem to be attenuated by conduction suppression.
Modulation of Contractile Activation in Skeletal Muscle by a Calcium-insensitive Troponin C Mutant*

Calcium controls the level of muscle activation via interactions with the troponin complex. Replacement of the native, skeletal calcium-binding subunit of troponin, troponin C, with mixtures of functional cardiac and mutant cardiac troponin C insensitive to calcium and permanently inactive provides a novel method to alter the number of myosin cross-bridges capable of binding to the actin filament. Extraction of skeletal troponin C and replacement with functional and mutant cardiac troponin C were used to evaluate the relationship between the extent of thin filament activation (fractional calcium binding), isometric force, and the rate of force generation in muscle fibers independent of the calcium concentration. The experiments showed a direct, linear relationship between force and the number of cross-bridges attaching to the thin filament. Further, above 35% maximal isometric activation, following partial replacement with mixtures of cardiac and mutant troponin C, the rate of force generation was independent of the number of actin sites available for cross-bridge interaction at saturating calcium concentrations. This contrasts with the marked decrease in the rate of force generation when force was reduced by decreasing the calcium concentration. The results are consistent with hypotheses proposing that calcium controls the transition between weakly and strongly bound cross-bridge states.
The effect of material characteristics, of surface topography and of implant components and connections on soft tissue integration: a literature review.

To be functionally useful, oral implants have to pierce the gingiva or oral mucosa and enter the oral cavity, thus establishing a transmucosal connection between the external environment and the inner parts of the body. In order to avoid bacterial penetration that could jeopardize either initial healing or long-term behaviour of implants, the formation of an early and long-standing effective barrier capable of biologically protecting the peri-implant structures is mandatory. The establishment of this soft tissue barrier is a critical part of tissue integration and is fundamentally the result of wound healing that has to establish an effective interface between living tissues and a foreign body. The soft tissue interface has been histologically assessed in animals and has a dimension of 3–4 mm in the apico-coronal direction called ‘biological width’. The interface consists of two zones, one of epithelium which covers about 2 mm of the surface, while the rest is devoted to connective tissue adhesion. Both these tissues contribute to the establishment of the so-called biological width, which may prevent oral bacteria and their products from penetrating into the body (Berglundh et al. 1991; Buser et al. 1992; Berglundh & Lindhe 1996; Abrahamsson et al. 1996, 1997, 1998a, 1998b; Cochran et al. 1997).
Evaluation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27 and Bcl-2 protein in non- small cell lung cancer

Bcl-2 and p27 are apoptosis and cell cycle regulatory proteins, respectively. We studied the expression of p27 and Bcl-2 protein to investigate their association between clinicopathologic factors and prognosis in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Thirty patients with NSCLC; 15 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 15 adenocarcinoma (AC) were used in our study. Tumors were examined immunohistochemically. Correlation between immunoreactivity and the clinicopathologic factors were evaluated. P27 immunoreactivity was observed in 12 of 30 cases. There were 9 SCC, 3 AC. Positive Bcl-2 immunostaining were found in 8 of 30 cases; 5 SCC, 3 AC were positive. The findings of present study suggest that immunohistochemical analysis of biopsy specimens for p27 should be more useful for predicting the prognosis of SCC than AC. However, absence of statistical difference for the expression of Bcl-2 between SCC and AC does not suggest such a role for Bcl-2 for the prognosis of either SCC or AC. [Turk J Cancer 2005;35(4):166-170].
Effects of delivering the same radiant exposures at 730, 1450, and 2920 mW/cm2 to two resin-based composites

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the effects of curing two resin-based composites (RBC) with the same radiant exposures at 730, 1450, and 2920 mW/cm2. Materials and Methods: Two types of RBC, Filtek Supreme Ultra and Tetric-EvoCeram-Bulk Fill, were light-cured to deliver the same radiant exposures for 5, 10, or 20 s by means of a modified Valo light emitted diode light-curing unit with the light tip placed directly over each specimen. The RBC was expressed into metal rings that were 2.0 and 4.0 mm in thickness, directly on an attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared plate heated to 33°C, and the degree of conversion (DC) of the RBC was recorded. The specimens were then removed and the Knoop microhardness (KHN) was tested at both the bottom and the top of each specimen. The KHN was tested again after 24 h and 7 days of storage in the dark at 37°C and 100% humidity. The DC and KHN results were analyzed with Fisher's protected least significant difference at α = 0.05. Results: The DC values for the specimens cured at the three different irradiance levels were similar. However, at different depths, there were differences in the DC values. In general, there were no clear differences among the samples cured in the three different groups, and the KHN was always greater 24 h and 7 days later (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Despite the curing time, and as long as the samples were cured with the same radiant exposures, there were no significant effects on the DC and KHN of both RBCs.
The influence of an autonomy-supportive intervention on preservice teacher instruction: a self-determined perspective

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of an autonomy-oriented intervention on preservice teacher’s instructional behaviors and perceptions. A total of 28 preservice physical education teachers enrolled in a secondary physical education methods course were randomly assigned to either the treatment (N=14) or control group (N=14). Data were collected using a pretest/posttest design measuring perceptions and observation of autonomy-support, as well as student motivation. Data analysis utilized repeated measures ANOVAs to examine differences. Results indicated significant changes in autonomy-support for both teachers and students exposed to the intervention.
Décomposition de l'Opérateur de Retournement Temporel appliquée à l'imagerie et à la caractérisation ultrasonore

L'analyse de la diffusion acoustique est un outil important pour l'imagerie et la caracterisation. Les applications concernent le controle non-destructif, l'imagerie medicale ou l'acoustique sous-marine. La methode employee dans ce manuscrit est la Decomposition de l'Operateur de Retournement Temporel ou methode DORT. Elle consiste a etudier les invariants du Retournement Temporel. Pour un reseau donne de transducteurs, ceux-ci correspondent aux vecteurs singuliers obtenus par decomposition en valeur singulieres de la matrice K des reponses inter-elements du reseau. Chaque vecteur est associe a une valeur singuliere. La methode DORT est ici utilisee pour caracteriser differents objets elastiques : cylindre, tube, sphere et deux cylindres. Le formalisme de decomposition du champ diffuse en modes normaux de vibrations ou harmoniques, permet de determiner les invariants du Retournement Temporel theoriques. Il est alors possible de reduire le probleme de dimension N, le nombre de transducteurs du reseau, a un probleme de dimension d'ordre 2k0a+1, ou a est la dimension caracteristique de l'objet et k0 le nombre d'onde dans le fluide environnant. Cette approche fournit des expressions analytiques des valeurs singulieres, notamment dans la limite petit objet (k0a < 0,5) et dans la limite de Rayleigh (2a inferieur a la tache de focalisation). Ces resultats, bien verifies experimentalement, sont en accord avec le point de vue qui prevalait jusqu'alors : pour un petit diffuseur, il existe une valeur singuliere principale associee au vecteur singulier focalisant de facon isotrope sur l'objet. De plus, les analogies avec l'electromagnetisme a deux dimensions sont egalement presentees. [Une version augmentee et corrigee de la these est disponible sous forme d'ouvrage (EUE septembre 2010). La diffusion des cylindre et sphere fluides a ete corrigee. La diffusion acoustique de la sphere elastique creuse a ete ajoutee. Le formalisme des modes projetes cylindriques a ete adapte au cas spherique. Les references ont ete egalement mises a jour. ]
Is there a Relationship between Task Demand and Storage Space in Tests of Working Memory Capacity?

This paper considers working memory capacity, critically examining the hypothesis that counting span (the ability to count arrays of objects and store count totals) reflects a trade-off in resources available for processing and short-term storage. Previous evidence interpreted as favouring this hypothesis has confounded task difficulty with counting time. Experiment 1 validated a manipulation of the attentional demands of counting in which target objects were differentiated from non-targets by either a single feature (colour) or a feature conjunction (a combination of line orientations). The results confirmed that the two presentations involved qualitatively different attentional loads. Experiment 2 used these displays to compare counting span for children aged 6 to 11, both with and without an adjustment of target numerosity to control for differences in processing time. At all ages, span was lower when counting took longer, but there was no difference between feature and conjunction arrays once counting time was accounted for. These results argue against a resource trade-off interpretation of counting span. Rather, they support a hypothesis of resource-switching among children, implying that counting span acts as a measure of time-based forgetting.
A Single Amino Acid Replacement in the Sensor Kinase LiaS Contributes to a Carrier Phenotype in Group A Streptococcus

ABSTRACT Despite the high frequency of asymptomatic carriage of bacterial pathogens, we understand little about the bacterial molecular genetic underpinnings of this phenomenon. To obtain new information about the molecular genetic mechanisms underlying carriage of group A Streptococcus (GAS), we performed whole-genome sequencing of GAS strains recovered from a single individual during acute pharyngitis and subsequent asymptomatic carriage. We discovered that compared to the initial infection isolate, the strain recovered during asymptomatic carriage contained three single nucleotide polymorphisms, one of which was in a highly conserved region of a gene encoding a sensor kinase, liaS, resulting in an arginine-to-glycine amino acid replacement at position 135 of LiaS (LiaSR135G). Using gene replacement, we demonstrate that introduction of the carrier allele (liaS R135G) into a serotype-matched invasive strain increased mouse nasopharyngeal colonization and adherence to cultured human epithelial cells. The carrier mutation also resulted in a reduced ability to grow in human blood and reduced virulence in a mouse model of necrotizing fasciitis. Repair of the mutation in the GAS carrier strain restored virulence and decreased adherence to cultured human epithelial cells. We also provide evidence that the carrier mutation alters the GAS transcriptome, including altered transcription of GAS virulence genes, providing a potential mechanism for the pleiotropic phenotypic effects. Our data obtained using isogenic strains suggest that the liaS R135G mutation in the carrier strain contributes to the transition from disease to asymptomatic carriage and provides new information about this poorly described regulatory system in GAS.
A multi-method evaluation of an independent dementia care service and its approach

Changes to approaches in dementia care and subsequent services over the last decade have meant that quality of care for people with dementia and their carers has undoubtedly improved. However, few in-depth dementia service evaluation studies are documented. Those that are tend to focus on traditional evaluation measures such as length of stay or functional improvement, or they concentrate on the perspectives of carers. This study used multiple methods within Fourth Generation Methodology to evaluate (SPECAL) Specialized Early Care of Alzheimer's, a dementia care service and approach. The findings demonstrated that, within its approach, there was high quality of care offered by SPECAL to people with dementia and their carers. The evaluation also highlighted some of the difficulties facing SPECAL in its relationships with existing professional providers of mental health care for older people that have implications for other service providers. Recommendations from the evaluation were adopted as an agenda for future developmental work. This study has provoked broader questions for multi-disciplinary and multi-agency teams about quality of services for older people with dementia, and about relationships between the voluntary and statutory sectors.
Subsets in Shear F low with E-Select in and P-Select in By

We have compared the ability of human o#13 and 3~/8 T lymphocytes to adhere to selectinbearing substrates, an interaction thought to be essential for homing and localization at sites of inflammation. Both T cell populations form rolling adhesions on Eand P-selectin substrates under physiologic flow conditions. Although equivalent to or/J3 T cells in binding to E-selectin, ~//8 T cells demonstrated greater ability to adhere to P-selectin that was purified or expressed on the surface of activated, adherent platelets. Under static conditions, 80% of ~//8 T cells and 53% of or~f3 T cells formed shear-resistant adhesions to P-selectin, whereas only 30% o f ~ / 8 and or~f3 T cells adhered to E-selectin. The enhanced ability of~//~ T cells to adhere to P-selectin cannot be attributed to differences in expression of the P-selectin glycoprotein hgand (PSGL-1), as all or/j3 T cells versus ,'-,75% of~//~ T cells expressed PSGL-1. Both cell populations expressed a similar percentage of the carbohydrate antigens sialyl Lewis x and cutaneous lymphocyte-associated antigen. Depletion of lymphocyte populations or T cell clones bearing these ohgosaccharides with the monoclonal antibody CSLEX-1 and HECA-452, respectively, resulted in a substantial reduction in adhesion to E-selectin and slight reduction in adhesion to P-selectin under flow conditions. Treatment of cells with an endopeptidase that selectively degrades O-sialomucins such as PSGL-1, abohshed P-selectin but not E-selectin adhesion. Removal of terminal sialic acids with neuraminidase or protease treatment of cells abrogated cell adhesion to both selectin substrates. These results provide direct evidence for the presence of distinct Eand P-selectin hgands on T lymphocytes and suggest that ~//8 T cells may be preferentially recruited to inflammatory sites during the early stages of an immune response when P-selectin is upregulated.
Loneliness, Social Networks, and Mortality: 18 Years of Follow-up

We examined the influence of changes in loneliness and social support networks upon mortality during 18 years of follow-up among an elderly cohort and determined the gender-specific nature of this relationship. The study is based on data collected from the Jerusalem Longitudinal Study (1990–2008), which has followed a representative sample of 605 community-dwelling elderly people. Subjects were randomly selected from an age homogenous cohort born 1920–1921 and were aged 70, 78, and 85 when data were collected at baseline in 1990 and at follow-up in 1998 and 2005. All-cause mortality from age 70–88 was determined according to the National Death Registry. Sense of loneliness was found to be stable among the majority of the respondents. Loneliness among men was found in bivariate analyses to be a risk factor for mortality. Although multivariate analyses found that loneliness was not a significant predictor of mortality, nonetheless several social network factors (marital status at the baseline and living arrangements) were found to predict mortality among men. Loneliness and solitude among elderly men can be a risk factor of mortality. The findings imply that attention should be given to this high risk group.