Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Association between World Health Organization categories of body mass index and relative risks for weight-related pregnancy outcomes: a retrospective cohort study

Objective To analyse the dose-dependent effect of body mass index (BMI) categories for common pregnancy outcomes. Methods A retrospective cohort study of all deliveries that occurred between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2009 in a tertiary maternity centre, in Sydney Australia. Common pregnancy outcomes were analysed against World Health Organization (WHO) BMI categories using multiple logistic regression analysis. Results From a total of 18,304 pregnancies, 9087 singleton pregnancies with complete data-sets were identified. Of these pregnancies, 4000 (44%) had a normal BMI, 470 (5.2%) were underweight, 2293 (25.2%) were overweight, 1316 (14.5%) were obese class I, 630 (6.9%) were obese class II and 378 (4.2%) were obese class III. Using the normal BMI category as the reference, there was a clear dose effect of BMI categories for hypertension (P < 0.001), pre-eclampsia (P < 0.001), caesarean section (P < 0.001), macrosomia (P < 0.001), large for gestational age (P < 0.001), small for gestational age (P < 0.001) and neonatal respiratory distress (P = 0.039). In contrast, despite a significant association with BMI (P < 0.001), a dose-dependent effect was not found for gestational diabetes. Conclusion The results of our study have important clinical significance as the data, using WHO BMI categories, more accurately help stratify risk assessment in a clinically relevant dose-dependent relationship.
PaASK1, a Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinase Kinase That Controls Cell Degeneration and Cell Differentiation in Podospora anserina

MAPKKK are kinases involved in cell signaling. In fungi, these kinases are known to regulate development, pathogenicity, and the sensing of external conditions. We show here that Podospora anserina strains mutated in PaASK1, a MAPKKK of the MEK family, are impaired in the development of crippled growth, a cell degeneration process caused by C, a nonconventional infectious element. They also display defects in mycelium pigmentation, differentiation of aerial hyphae, and making of fruiting bodies, three hallmarks of cell differentiation during stationary phase in P. anserina. Overexpression of PaASK1 results in exacerbation of crippled growth. PaASK1 is a large protein of 1832 amino acids with several domains, including a region rich in proline and a 60-amino-acid-long polyglutamine stretch. Deletion analysis reveals that the polyglutamine stretch is dispensable for PaASK1 activity, whereas the region that contains the prolines is essential but insufficient to promote full activity. We discuss a model based on the hysteresis of a signal transduction cascade to account for the role of PaASK1 in both cell degeneration and stationary-phase cell differentiation.
Clinical and bacteriological evaluation of antibiotic treatment in shigellosis.

Ampicillin trihydrate, administered orally, significantly shortened the duration of diarrhea, abdominal cramps, and fever in 30 adults with shigellosis, when compared to the duration of these symptoms in 30 nontreated controls. Ampicillin also effectively eliminated shigallae from the intestinal tract within 24 to 48 hours of therapy in a majority of cases. In contrast, kanamycin sulfate, given parenterally, was not effective in altering the clinical course, nor in decreasing the number of patients excreting shigellae. Thirty percent (9) of patients treated with ampicillin and 40% (24) in both the kanamycin and control groups continued to shed shigellae 12 days after the start of antibiotic therapy. Although ampicillin therapy effectively shortened the clinical course of shigellosis, further studies are needed to determine whether convalescent excretion of shigellae can be eliminated with either higher doses or a longer course of antibiotic therapy.
Inferior Frontal Regions Underlie the Perception of Phonetic Category Invariance

The problem of mapping differing sensory stimuli onto a common category is fundamental to human cognition. Listeners perceive stable phonetic categories despite many sources of acoustic variability. What are the neural mechanisms that underlie this perceptual stability? In this functional magnetic resonance imaging study, a short-interval habituation paradigm was used to investigate neural sensitivity to acoustic changes within and between phonetic categories. A region in the left inferior frontal sulcus showed a pattern of activation consistent with phonetic invariance: insensitivity to acoustic changes within a phonetic category and sensitivity to changes between phonetic categories. Left superior temporal regions, in contrast, showed graded sensitivity to both within- and between-category changes. These results suggest that perceptual insensitivity to changes within a phonetic category may arise from decision-related mechanisms in the left prefrontal cortex and add to a growing body of literature suggesting that the inferior prefrontal cortex plays a domain-general role in computing category representations.
Robust Transportation Network Design Under Demand Uncertainty

Abstract: This article addresses the problem of a traffic network design problem (NDP) under demand uncertainty. The origin–destination trip matrices are taken as random variables with known probability distributions. Instead of finding optimal network design solutions for a given future scenario, we are concerned with solutions that are in some sense “good” for a variety of demand realizations. We introduce a definition of robustness accounting for the planner's required degree of robustness. We propose a formulation of the robust network design problem (RNDP) and develop a methodology based on genetic algorithm (GA) to solve the RNDP. The proposed model generates globally near‐optimal network design solutions, f, based on the planner's input for robustness. The study makes two important contributions to the network design literature. First, robust network design solutions are significantly different from the deterministic NDPs and not accounting for them could potentially underestimate the network‐wide impacts. Second, systematic evaluation of the performance of the model and solution algorithm is conducted on different test networks and budget levels to explore the efficacy of this approach. The results highlight the importance of accounting for robustness in transportation planning and the proposed approach is capable of producing high‐quality solutions.
Advances in the treatment of dyslipidemia

Although current guidelines do not set specific targets for lowering levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), several lines of evidence support the concept that "lower is better. " Statin drugs in combination with new agents now make it possible to lower LDL-C to new lows. Determining the risk of cardiovascular disease in apparently healthy adults and how far to extend treatment for primary prevention has critical implications for public health. Current guidelines do not set specifi c targets for LDL-C, but evidence supports the concept that lower is better.
Music improves sleep quality in students.

AIM This paper is a report of a study to investigate the effects of music on sleep quality in young participants with poor sleep. BACKGROUND Sleep disorders may result in fatigue, tiredness, depression and problems in daytime functioning. Music can reduce sympathetic nervous system activity, decrease anxiety, blood pressure, heart and respiratory rate and may have positive effects on sleep via muscle relaxation and distraction from thoughts. Control groups have not been used in most previous studies. METHODS We used a three-group repeated measures design. Ninety-four students (aged between 19 and 28 years) with sleep complaints were studied in 2006. Participants listened for 45 minutes either to relaxing classical music (Group 1) or an audiobook (Group 2) at bedtime for 3 weeks. The control group (Group 3) received no intervention. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index before the study and weekly during the intervention. Depressive symptoms in experimental group participants were measured using the Beck Depression Inventory. RESULTS Repeated measures anova revealed a main effect of TIME (P < 0.0001) and an interaction between TIME and GROUPS (P < 0.0001). Post hoc tests with Bonferroni correction showed that music statistically significantly improved sleep quality (P < 0.0001). Sleep quality did not improve statistically significantly in the audiobook and the control group. Depressive symptoms decreased statistically significantly in the music group (P < 0.0001), but not in the group listening to audiobooks. CONCLUSION Relaxing classical music is an effective intervention in reducing sleeping problems. Nurses could use this safe, cheap and easy to learn method to treat insomnia.
Fundamental research on the application of nano dielectrics to transformers

Nanotechnologies have potential to be used in transformer industry in enhancing material properties which may lead to a compact design of transformer and reduced manufacturing cost. In this publication, breakdown physics in nanofluids is studied for transformer insulation liquid. Several types of nanoparticles were selected and added into mineral oil. Breakdown voltage, streamer propagation velocity, oxidation stability, permittivity, electrical resistivity and dissipation factor were measured and studied. Results show that the dielectric properties of a modified liquid are strongly influenced by the type of the nanoparticles added. With the addition of one type of nanoparticles, the breakdown voltage of the liquid is much increased while the streamer propagation velocity is reduced. With the addition of another type of nanoparticles, the degree of scatter of breakdown data is improved, and thus the low probability value of breakdown is increased. The latter will increase the reliability of the insulation system or saying that there is a potential to increase the design values of the insulation system. A charging dynamic model is discussed. A trend has been seen from this study that nanofluids have potential for being used in transformer insulation liquid.
Increased locomotor activity and metabolism of Aedes aegypti infected with a life-shortening strain of Wolbachia pipientis

SUMMARY A virulent strain of the obligate intracellular bacterium Wolbachia pipientis that shortens insect lifespan has recently been transinfected into the primary mosquito vector of dengue virus, Aedes aegypti L. The microbe's ability to shorten lifespan and spread through host populations under the action of cytoplasmic incompatibility means it has the potential to be used as a biocontrol agent to reduce dengue virus transmission. Wolbachia is present in many host tissues and may have local effects on diverse biological processes. In other insects, Wolbachia infections have been shown to alter locomotor activity and response time to food cues. In mosquitoes, locomotor performance relates to the location of mates, human hosts, resting sites and oviposition sites. We have therefore examined the effect of the virulent, life-shortening Wolbachia strain wMelPop on the locomotion of Ae. aegypti as they age and as the pathogenicity of the infection increases. In parallel experiments we also examined CO2 production as a proxy for metabolic rate, to investigate a potential mechanistic explanation for any changes in locomotion. Contrary to expectation, we found that the infection increased activity and metabolic rate and that these effects were relatively consistent over the insect's lifespan. The results do not fit a standard model of bacterial pathogenesis in insects, and instead may reveal additional physiological changes induced by infection, such as either increased hunger or defects in the nervous system.
Is tai chi beneficial for improving aerobic capacity? A systematic review

Tai chi has been claimed to generate beneficial effects with respect to a wide range of diseases. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate evidence from randomised clinical trials (RCTs) testing the effectiveness of tai chi for increasing aerobic capacity. Systematic searches were conducted on 14 electronic databases without restrictions on population characteristics or the language of publication. The outcome measures considered for inclusion were changes in maximal oxygen consumption as a test for aerobic capacity. Five RCTs met all inclusion criteria. Three RCTs compared the effects of tai chi with no treatment. The meta-analysis failed to show an effect of tai chi on aerobic capacity compared with sedentary controls (n = 151, weight mean difference, ml/kg/min, 0.50, 95% CI −1.14 to 2.15, p = 0.55). Two RCTs compared tai chi with conventional physical exercise including brisk, low intensity and moderate intensity walking, and aerobic exercise. The results show that tai chi was not statistically significantly superior to physical exercise. In conclusion, the existing evidence does not suggest that regular tai chi is an effective way of increasing aerobic capacity.
Glutathione peroxidase 2 and aquaporin 8 as new markers for colonic inflammation in experimental colitis and inflammatory bowel diseases: an important role for H2O2?

Objective Different mouse models of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) demonstrate various aspects of the pathophysiology of IBD. We looked for overlapping gene expression profiles in three different mouse models of experimental colitis and analysed whether these overlapping genes are of help to find new genes that could be used as general markers in human IBD. Methods Using Agilent mouse TOX oligonucleotide microarrays, we analysed the gene expression profiles in three widely used models of experimental colitis: 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid, dextran sodium sulfate and CD4+CD45RBhigh transfer and looked for overlapping gene expression in these models. Overlapping genes were analysed using Lightcycler (Roche Diagnostics, Mannheim, Germany) in biopsy materials from human IBD and control tissue. Results Compared with control mice in dextran sodium sulfate, 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid and the CD45RB transfer colitis mice five known genes, extracellular proteinase inhibitor (Expi), glutathione peroxidase 2 (Gpx2), mast cell protease 1 (Mcpt1), resistin-like &bgr; (Retnlb) and sulphatase 2 (Sulf2), and two unknown genes were upregulated and the two genes aquaporin 8 (Aqp8) and kallikrein 5 (Klk5) were downregulated in all three models. In human Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis biopsies, one of the upregulated glutathione peroxidase (Gpx2) and one of the downregulated Aqp8 genes in the mouse models were also differentially expressed in affected colonic tissue of patients with IBD. Conclusion Experimental mouse models are suitable models for the search of new markers for human IBD. As both Gpx2 and Aqp8 are involved in H2O2 metabolism (Gpx2 as a radical scavenger whereas Aqp8 facilitates its diffusion), upregulation of Gpx2 and downregulation of Aqp8 could be a mechanism to defend against severe oxidative stress and indicate that H2O2 is a universal mediator in the inflammatory process in the colon. This provides a focus on homeostasis of the antioxidant pathway and its importance in IBD.
Calorie Label Formats: Using Numeric and Traffic Light Calorie Labels to Reduce Lunch Calories

In a field experiment involving online workplace lunch orders, this study examines the impact of numeric and traffic light calorie labels on calorie intake. Employees of a large corporation ordered lunches through a website of the authors’ design, on which they were presented menus with numeric calorie labels, traffic light labels, or both together, and the authors compared the calorie content of the ordered lunches with that of diners randomized to receive no calorie information. Each label type reduced lunch calories by approximately 10%. Nutrition knowledge was not improved by any menu format. Traffic light labels achieved meaningful reductions in calories ordered even in the absence of numeric information, and the authors found no apparent benefit or detriment of combining label types. These findings suggest that consumers may benefit most from help in identifying relatively healthier choices but rely little on information about the exact caloric content of items.
STUDIES ON BLOOD CAPILLARIES

The pathway by which intravenously injected ferritin molecules move from the blood plasma across the capillary wall has been investigated in the muscle of the rat diaphragm. At 2 min after administration, the ferritin molecules are evenly distributed in high concentration in the blood plasma of capillaries and occur within vesicles along the blood front of the endothelium. At the 10-min time point, a small number of molecules appear in the adventitia, and by 60 min they are relatively numerous in the adventitia and in phagocytic vesicles and vacuoles of adventitial macrophages. Thereafter, the amount of ferritin in the adventitia and pericapillary regions gradually increases so that at 1 day the concentration in the extracellular spaces approaches that in the blood plasma. Macrophages and, to a lesser extent, fibroblasts contain large amounts of ferritin. 4 days after administration, ferritin appears to be cleared from the blood and from the capillary walls, but it still persists in the adventitial macrophages and fibroblasts. At all time points examined, ferritin molecules within the endothelial tunic were restricted to vesicles or to occasional multivesicular or dense bodies; they were not found in intercellular junctions or within the cytoplasmic matrix. Ferritin molecules did not accumulate within or against the basement membranes. Over the time period studied, the concentration of ferritin in the blood decreased, first rapidly, then slowly, in two apparently exponential phases. Liver and spleen removed large amounts of ferritin from the blood. Diaphragms fixed at time points from 10 min to 1 day, stained for iron by the Prussian Blue method, and prepared as cleared whole mounts, showed a progressive and even accumulation of ferritin in adventitial macrophages along the entire capillary network. These findings indicate: (1) that endothelial cell vesicles are the structural equivalent of the large pore system postulated in the pore theory of capillary permeability; (2) that the basement membrane is not a structural restraint in the movement of ferritin molecules across the capillary wall; (3) that transport of ferritin occurs uniformly along the entire length of the capillary; and (4) that the adventitial macrophages monitor the capillary filtrate and partially clear it of the tracer.
A Cognitive Model of Planning

This paper presents a cognitive model of the planning process. The model generalizes the theoretical architecture of the Hearsay-II system. Thus, it assumes that planning comprises the activities of a variety of cognitive “specialists. ” Each specialist can suggest certain kinds of decisions for incorporation into the plan in progress. These include decisions about: (a) how to approach the planning problem; (b) what knowledge bears on the problem; (c) what kinds of actions to try to plan; (d) what specific actions to plan; and (e) how to allocate cognitive resources during planning. Within each of these categories, different specialists suggest decisions at different levels of abstraction. The activities of the various specialists are not coordinated in any systematic way. Instead, the specialists operate opportunistically, suggesting decisions whenever promising opportunities arise. The paper presents a detailed account of the model and illustrates its assumptions with a “thinking aloud” protocol. It also describes the performance of a computer simulation of the model. The paper contrasts the proposed model with successive refinement models and attempts to resolve apparent differences between the two points of view.
Topical minoxidil therapy and hair regrowth.

Press reports of preliminary minoxidil research have generated a great deal of public enthusiasm to establish it as a method of treatment for hair loss well before research has been completed and data analyzed for safety and efficacy. It is imperative that we critically assess the status of minoxidil research, the current relevance of minoxidil as a therapeutic modality for hair loss, and the future directions for research in this area. Minoxidil, a potent direct peripheral vasodilator that is used to control severe hypertension, causes a reversible hypertrichosis in most patients who receive systemic therapeutic doses for one month or longer. 1,2 In 1980, Zappacosta 3 reported the reversal of male pattern alopecia in a patient receiving oral minoxidil therapy for hypertension. In 1981, preliminary observations were reported in which two of three patients treated with a 1% topical minoxidil solution had hair regrowth at sites of severe, treatment-resistant alopecia
Induced microgyria and auditory temporal processing in rats: a model for language impairment?

Studies have shown the existence of minor developmental cortical malformations, including microgyria, in the brains of dyslexics. Concomitant studies have shown that language-impaired individuals exhibit severe deficits in the discrimination of rapidly presented auditory stimuli, including phonological and nonverbal stimuli (i.e., sequential tones). In an effort to relate these results, male rats with neonatally induced microgyria were tested in an operant paradigm for auditory discrimination of stimuli consisting of two sequential tones. Subjects were shaped to perform a go/no-go target identification, using water reinforcement. Stimuli were reduced in duration from 540 to 249 msec across 24 d of testing. Results showed that all subjects were able to discriminate at longer stimulus durations. However, bilaterally lesioned subjects showed specific impairment at stimulus durations of 332 msec or less, and were significantly depressed in comparison to shams. Right- and left-lesioned subjects were significantly depressed in comparison to shams at the shortest duration (249 msec). These results suggest a possible link between the neuropathologic anomalies and the auditory temporal processing deficits reported for language-impaired individuals.
Hospital characteristics and racial disparities in hospital mortality from common medical conditions.

OBJECTIVES Less is known about racial disparities in mortality from medical conditions than for procedures. We determined whether black-white disparities in risk-adjusted hospital mortality exist for five common conditions (myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, cerebral vascular accident, gastrointestinal hemorrhage and pneumonia), and to determine the role of hospital characteristics. METHODS We used the 2003 Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Where a mortality disadvantage for black patients was demonstrated, additional analyses assessed whether the degree of disparity varied by hospital characteristics. RESULTS Mortality for black patients was equivalent to or lower than that for white patients for four of the five conditions. Black patients were more likely than white patients to die from gastrointestinal hemorrhage (1.5% vs. 1.1%, p<0.001). In multivariate analysis, hospital racial composition was the only characteristic associated with degree of disparity for gastrointestinal hemorrhage, with hospitals discharging fewer black patients demonstrating greater disparity. CONCLUSIONS In a large, multistate sample, there was no evidence of disparities in mortality for four of five common conditions. Black-white racial disparities in mortality from gastrointestinal hemorrhage, however, may be associated with hospital racial composition.