Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Flare-up reactions after oral challenge with nickel in relation to challenge dose and intensity and time of previous patch test reactions ☆ ☆☆ ★

BACKGROUND: In this study we have taken an interest in systemic exposure to nickel in patients with delayed hypersensitivity to nickel. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to more closely investigate the importance of factors such as ingested nickel dose, time interval between nickel patch testing and oral nickel challenge as well as degree of nickel hypersensitivity in relation to flare-up reactions. METHODS: Thirty nickel-sensitive female subjects were patch tested with a serial dilution of nickel sulfate in water on 4 different test occasions during a period of 7 months. One month after the last patch test the patients were randomly divided into 3 different groups. The patients in the groups were challenged orally with a placebo capsule, 1.0 mg nickel, or 3.0 mg nickel. RESULTS: None of the patients challenged with placebo had flare-up reactions of earlier patch test sites, but 2 of the patients challenged with 1.0 mg nickel and all of the patients challenged with 3.0 mg nickel had flare-up reactions. There were significantly more flare-up reactions of the most recent patch test sites (1 month) compared with the most distant (8 months) test sites. There was also a statistically significant positive correlation between the intensity of previous positive patch tests and the flare-up reactions. CONCLUSION: In the assessment of the possibility of systemic allergic contact dermatitis from nickel, the dose as well as the intensity and time since previous nickel eczema have to be considered.
A 2D Quantum Walk Simulation of Two-Particle Dynamics

Here, There, Everywhere Random walks are a powerful mathematical method that can be used to simulate certain processes in biology, chemistry, or even the stock market. They present a statistical method for mapping the possible routes that processes can take. Quantum walks are expected to be able to probe multiple paths simultaneously. Quantum walks have been demonstrated for one-dimensional, or straight-line, walks. Now, Schreiber et al. (p. 55, published online 8 March) demonstrate an optical system that can simulate quantum walks over a two-dimensional system, thereby providing the capability of describing much more complex processes. An optical approach extends quantum walk methodology from one to two dimensions. Multidimensional quantum walks can exhibit highly nontrivial topological structure, providing a powerful tool for simulating quantum information and transport systems. We present a flexible implementation of a two-dimensional (2D) optical quantum walk on a lattice, demonstrating a scalable quantum walk on a nontrivial graph structure. We realized a coherent quantum walk over 12 steps and 169 positions by using an optical fiber network. With our broad spectrum of quantum coins, we were able to simulate the creation of entanglement in bipartite systems with conditioned interactions. Introducing dynamic control allowed for the investigation of effects such as strong nonlinearities or two-particle scattering. Our results illustrate the potential of quantum walks as a route for simulating and understanding complex quantum systems.
Interplay of Intra- and Intermolecular H-Bonding in a Progressively Solvated Macrocyclic Peptide

Hydrated in a Hurry Water has a major influence on the conformation of proteins and related biomolecules. However, so many water molecules participate in the hydrogen bonding networks that it can be difficult to pinpoint which specific interactions play the biggest role. Nagornova et al. (p. 320) sought to answer this question for the case of a 10–amino acid ring—the antibiotic compound Gramicidin S—by probing the conformational impact of successive additions of one to 50 water molecules to the naked gas-phase structure. The primary changes in the overall ring geometry came from the addition of just the first two waters. The main conformational changes associated with the hydration of a peptide ring ensue upon the addition of just two water molecules. Studying solvation of a large molecule on an atomic level is challenging because of the transient character and inhomogeneity of hydrogen bonding in liquid water. We studied water clusters of a protonated macrocyclic decapeptide, gramicidin S, which were prepared in the gas phase and then cooled to cryogenic temperatures. The experiment spectroscopically tracked fine structural changes of the clusters upon increasing the number of attached water molecules from 1 to 50 and distinguished vibrational fingerprints of different conformers. The data indicate that only the first two water molecules induce a substantial change of the gramicidin S structure by breaking two intramolecular noncovalent bonds. The peptide structure remains largely intact upon further solvation, reflecting the interplay between the strong intramolecular and weaker intermolecular hydrogen bonds.
Explosive Backpacks in Old Termite Workers

As Neocapritermes taracua termites age, they develop a suicidal toxic apparatus that bursts during aggressive encounters. By nature, defensive behavior is risky. In social insects, such behavior is more likely to occur in individuals whose potential for other tasks is diminished. We show that workers of the termite Neocapritermes taracua develop an exceptional two-component suicidal apparatus consisting of copper-containing protein crystals, stored in external pouches, and internal salivary glands. During aggressive encounters, their bodies rupture, and the crystals react with the salivary gland secretion to produce a toxic droplet. Both the amount of defensive substances and the readiness to explode increase with workers’ age, as their food-collecting ability declines.
Cavum septi pellucidi (CSP) ratio: a marker for partial agenesis of the fetal corpus callosum

While complete agenesis of the corpus callosum is often suspected on fetal ultrasound due to absence of the cavum septi pellucidi (CSP), suspicion of partial agenesis of the corpus callosum (pACC) is a challenge since the CSP is almost always present. The aim of this study was to measure the length and width of the CSP and calculate the length‐to‐width ratio (CSP ratio), and compare these between fetuses with pACC and normal fetuses.
Escala de Zarit reducida en cuidados paliativos

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: We aimed to reduce the Zarit scale (ZS) for the assessment of caregiver burden in palliative care. PATIENTS AND METHOD: ZS was performed in 61 caregivers of palliative care patients admitted to hospital. The field explored by each item was decided by an expert committee and a logistic regression and ROC curve were performed. RESULTS: ZS reduction to 7 items was achieved with a sensitivity and specificity of 100%. CONCLUSIONS: A reduced Zarit scale is useful to identify caregiver burden in palliative care. It is also easy to use.
Robust path-following control with exponential stability for mobile robots

We present a new method for determining a path following controller for a nonholonomic mobile robot, which is robust with respect to position and orientation errors. We consider the kinematic model of a unicycle and dynamic extension. The control design is based on a change of variables allowing to define a set of n decoupled auxiliary variables. The exponential convergence of the state variables is deduced from the convergence of the auxiliary variables. We prove the control robustness by showing that, when the state variables measurement is noisy, the representative point of the system converges towards a compact attractive domain centred at the equilibrium point. As the auxiliary variables are decoupled, the computation of this attractive domain is done in a very simple and accurate way. The determination of such a domain can be used to determine a security margin to avoid obstacles during the path following process.
Education about Lymphedema Prevention and Management: A Needs Assessment of Breast Cancer Survivors in a Rural U.S. State

Breast cancer survivors who had received treatment at a tertiary hospital in the rural state of Vermont were interviewed to ascertain their sources of information and levels of awareness and practice relating to lymphedema prevention and management. The results generally corroborated those of previous research: surgeons, reading materials, and other breast cancer survivors were the three most cited sources of information. Awareness of recommended practices for preventing and managing lymphedema ranged from 21.4 percent to 71.4 percent and respondents tended to practice what little they knew. Higher levels of awareness and practice were associated with citing a primary care physician as an information source. The results suggest designing different interventions for providers and patients. It seems that providers need to be motivated to provide information to their patients at every opportunity, while patients would benefit from direct discussions with their primary care physicians about lymphedema prevention and management. A package of lymphedema education materials is being developed to facilitate community outreach.
Comparison with Subcutaneous Abdominal Preservation and Cryoconservation Using Autologous Bone Flap after Decompressive Craniectomy

Objective: After decompressive craniectomy was performed in patients with severe brain swelling, we were able to preserve autologous bone flap as freeze-preserved state or within abdominal subcutaneous tissue. The aim of this study was to com pare the freeze-preservation with the subcutaneous abdominal preservation regarding the effectiveness and safety. Methods: The clinical data of 53 patients who underwent decompressive craniectomy with autologous bone flap cranioplas ty in our department were studied retrospectively. 43 patients underwent cranial reconstruction using autologous bone flap stored in deep freezer. In 10 patients cranioplasty was performed to repair bone defect using autologous bone flap preserved in subcutaneous abdomen. The analysis included the rates of infection, bone absorption and other complications and operation time to compare these two methods. Results: Cranioplasty using deep-freezing bone flap showed a low infection rate (2.3%), low bone absorption (2.3%) and no cosmetic problem. The average time of operation is 146 minutes. Cranioplasty using a bone flap banked in the patient’s ab dominal wall revealed no case of complications. The average time of operation is 130 minutes. The longer period the bone flap was preserved for, the longer time the operation took in both methods. Conclusion: This study may be worth considering that both methods of cryoconservation and subcutaneous abdominal preservetion are feasible for the repair of skull defect although abdominal preservation seems to show better result a little. If the deep-freezer is not available, a bone flap banked in the patient’s abdominal wall can be used. (Korean J Neurotrauma 2012;8:21-25)
Aerial Photographs Reveal Late–20th-Century Dynamic Ice Loss in Northwestern Greenland

A Picture of Disappearing Ice Global warming is accelerating the loss of ice sheet mass by melting, sublimation, and erosion of their margins. In order to provide a better context for understanding contemporary losses, a longer record of the recent past is needed. Kjær et al. (p. 569) extend the record of thinning along the northwest margin of the Greenland Ice Sheet back to the mid-1980s, by using archived aerial photographs in conjunction with a digital elevation model and comparing their results to more recent data. Northwestern Greenland has experienced two dynamic ice loss events in the past three decades. Local ice loss appears to be caused by a combination of predictable surface processes that operate over decadal time scales and ones that involve the rapid movement of ice over periods of 3 to 5 years that exhibit strong regional differences. Archived photographs extending back to the mid-1980s help show the role of dynamic thinning in ice mass loss from Greenland. Global warming is predicted to have a profound impact on the Greenland Ice Sheet and its contribution to global sea-level rise. Recent mass loss in the northwest of Greenland has been substantial. Using aerial photographs, we produced digital elevation models and extended the time record of recent observed marginal dynamic thinning back to the mid-1980s. We reveal two independent dynamic ice loss events on the northwestern Greenland Ice Sheet margin: from 1985 to 1993 and 2005 to 2010, which were separated by limited mass changes. Our results suggest that the ice mass changes in this sector were primarily caused by short-lived dynamic ice loss events rather than changes in the surface mass balance. This finding challenges predictions about the future response of the Greenland Ice Sheet to increasing global temperatures.
Old Drug, New Hope for Alzheimer's Disease

A nuclear receptor agonist increases the clearance of beta-amyloid and improves cognitive skills in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimer's disease insidiously robs patients of the ability to remember, reason, and make informed judgments. Despite decades of research, no therapeutics are available that slow disease progression, and to date no “disease-modifying” drug has succeeded to show therapeutic benefit and to be safe. On page 1503 of this issue, Cramer et al. (1) show that a drug called bexarotene reverses the effects of neurodegeneration in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. The study provides new hope that decades of research examining the molecular and cellular pathways in Alzheimer's disease may soon yield disease-modifying therapies.
Stakeholder views on pharmacist prescribing in addiction services in NHS Lanarkshire

NHS Lanarkshire has been at the forefront in using non-medical prescribers since its inception in 2004. NHS Lanarkshire offers several non-medical prescribers clinics and plans to employ a full-time pharmacist within the redesigned “Community Prescribing Service”. The use of pharmacist prescribers is an integral part of addiction services in NHS Lanarkshire’s adoption of the Scottish Government’s policy, and offers an alternative way for patients to complete their journey to recovery. Although embracing the concept of non-medical and pharmacist prescribers, there has, to date, been no analysis of the efficacy or acceptability of this amongst the stakeholders and service users, this article sets out to establish the initial stages of this and form the basis of further research. We show that pharmacist prescribers are now seen as an integral part of NHS Lanarkshire’s addiction services. Not only is this seen as effective, it is also the preferred option for many service users, encouraging them to maintain their journey along the path to recovery. The pharmacists themselves see their value to the service and the patients. Although the medical prescribers have more reservations, none are to be convinced about the benefits to patients.
Performance evaluation of the bioreactor landfill in treatment and stabilisation of mechanically biologically treated municipal solid waste

The potential of bioreactor landfills to treat mechanically biologically treated municipal solid waste is analysed in this study. Developing countries like India and China have begun to investigate bioreactor landfills for municipal solid waste management. This article describes the impacts of leachate recirculation on waste stabilisation, landfill gas generation, leachate characteristics and long-term waste settlement. A small-scale and large-scale anaerobic cell were filled with mechanically biologically treated municipal solid waste collected from a landfill site at the outskirts of Bangalore, India. Leachate collected from the same landfill site was recirculated at the rate of 2–5 times a month on a regular basis for 370 days. The total quantity of gas generated was around 416 L in the large-scale reactor and 21 L in the small-scale reactor, respectively. Differential settlements ranging from 20%–26% were observed at two different locations in the large reactor, whereas 30% of settlement was observed in the small reactor. The biological oxygen demand/chemical oxygen demand (COD) ratio indicated that the waste in the large reactor was stabilised at the end of 1 year. The performance of the bioreactor with respect to the reactor size, temperature, landfill gas and leachate quality was analysed and it was found that the bioreactor landfill is efficient in the treatment and stabilising of mechanically biologically treated municipal solid waste.
Ambient-Temperature Isolation of a Compound with a Boron-Boron Triple Bond

B-B Bond Alkynes contain carbon-carbon triple bonds and represent a diverse class of organic compounds. In principle, valence rules suggest that the boron analog of an alkyne, with a B-B triple bond, ought to be accessible by appending a two-electron donor to each B atom. Braunschweig et al. (p. 1420; see the Perspective by Frenking and Holzmann) now present the synthesis, isolation, and crystallization of a solid, triple-bonded diboryne, with N-heterocyclic carbenes as the terminal substituents, which contains the expected linear bonding geometry. A boron analog of an alkyne has been synthesized by reduction of a brominated precursor. Homoatomic triple bonds between main-group elements have been restricted to alkynes, dinitrogen, and a handful of reactive compounds featuring trans-bent heavier elements of groups 13 and 14. Previous attempts to prepare a compound with a boron-boron triple bond that is stable at ambient temperature have been unsuccessful, despite numerous computational studies predicting their viability. We found that reduction of a bis(N-heterocyclic carbene)-stabilized tetrabromodiborane with either two or four equivalents of sodium naphthalenide, a one-electron reducing agent, yields isolable diborene and diboryne compounds. Crystallographic and spectroscopic characterization confirm that the latter is a halide-free linear system containing a boron-boron triple bond.
An Exploratory Investigation of Undergraduate Students' Perceptions of Cultural Awareness

As the British population becomes increasingly diverse, cultural differences pose challenges for health and social care workers. The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate occupational therapy students' perceptions of cultural issues and their perceived level of cultural awareness. A self-administered questionnaire was designed to target the occupational therapy students from a university occupational therapy degree course in the North East of England. Fifty-one of the 65 questionnaires were completed. Two questionnaires were returned as address unknown and, therefore, were excluded from the study. The overall response rate was 81%. The results showed that the students seemed to have a positive attitude towards cultural influences on occupational therapy services. However, a lack of knowledge and skills about different cultures was expressed. The need for more information and education on these issues was emphasised. The findings confirmed that there was a significant negative correlation between the stage of education and training and the amount of exposure to cultural issues in occupational therapy theory. This study offers some insights, which would be beneficial in the development of a culturally sensitive education curriculum and the provision of quality occupational therapy services for people from different cultural commitments.
The Crystal Structure of Human Argonaute2

Human Argonaute Revealed RNA interference (RNAi) is mediated by Argonaute (Ago) proteins, which bind small regulatory RNAs that have sequence complementarity to target RNAs destined to be silenced. The structure of bacterial homologs of the Ago proteins, and fragments of eukaryotic Ago proteins, have provided initial insights into Ago function. Now, Schirle and MacRae (p. 1037, published online 26 April; see the Perspective by Kaya and Doudna) have determined the structure of the full-length human Ago protein bound to a single-stranded (ss) guide RNA. Within the bilobed structure, eight nucleotides of the ssRNA are visibly positioned in the RNA-guide, strand-binding site. The “seed” region of the ssRNA has its Watson-and-Crick base edges exposed to solvent, likely aiding target recognition. The location of two free tryptophans in the Piwi domain suggests a possible recruitment site for Ago-interacting proteins. The structure of the core protein of the human RNA interference machinery is determined at high resolution. Argonaute proteins form the functional core of the RNA-induced silencing complexes that mediate RNA silencing in eukaryotes. The 2.3 angstrom resolution crystal structure of human Argonaute2 (Ago2) reveals a bilobed molecule with a central cleft for binding guide and target RNAs. Nucleotides 2 to 6 of a heterogeneous mixture of guide RNAs are positioned in an A-form conformation for base pairing with target messenger RNAs. Between nucleotides 6 and 7, there is a kink that may function in microRNA target recognition or release of sliced RNA products. Tandem tryptophan-binding pockets in the PIWI domain define a likely interaction surface for recruitment of glycine-tryptophan-182 (GW182) or other tryptophan-rich cofactors. These results will enable structure-based approaches for harnessing the untapped therapeutic potential of RNA silencing in humans.
When Extrinsic Rewards Become “Sour Grapes”: An Experimental Study of Adjustments in Intrinsic and Prosocial Motivation

This article challenges conventional wisdom put forward by the motivational crowding literature by examining whether hypothetical changes to incentive structures can cause variation in employee motivation. It links such motivational adjustments to theories of cognitive dissonance and self-rationalization, and thereby offers a more nuanced perspective on government reforms in the area of human resource management. The article puts forward the idea that expectations of few extrinsic rewards can raise employees’ levels of intrinsic and prosocial motivation; this response is seen as a cognitive coping mechanism to self-justify the value of one’s work. A randomized experiment with 129 public administration students provides partial evidence for the hypothesized effect. Students who were confronted with media information suggesting that few extrinsic rewards can be expected in a public-sector career reported higher scores of intrinsic motivation than the group whose vignette suggested the opposite. No effect was found with regard to students’ public service motivation.