Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pupillometry: the influence of gender and anxiety on the pain response.

BACKGROUND Studies suggest that the pain response may be evaluated using pupillometry and is influenced by factors such as gender and anxiety. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to use pupillometry to observe the effects of gender and anxiety on the pain response. STUDY DESIGN A randomized, prospective, clinical and interventional study. SETTING Center for Research on Pain at the Federal University of Maranhao, Brazil. METHODS Ninety-six patients were divided into groups according to their level of anxiety as indicated by the Beck questionnaire. Under photopic conditions and using retinography, these patients underwent pupillometry while a painful pressure stimulus of 1,500 kPa was applied to the middle phalanx of each patient's right middle finger using a pressure algometer. RESULTS The pupil diameter increased in response to pain in all study participants, regardless of gender and anxiety level; the average pupil diameter was 3.265 ± 0.028 mm before the painful stimulus and 4.31 ± 0.200 mm for the duration of the stimulus (P = 0.0251). There was no significant difference between the genders in the level of anxiety (P = 0.614). Regardless of gender, individuals with moderate to severe anxiety had higher average pupil diameters than individuals exhibiting mild or no anxiety (P = 0.019). Men had a higher average pupil diameter than women (4.53 ± 0.345 mm and 4.48 ± 0.358 mm, respectively); however, this difference was not statistically significant in the presence of moderate to severe anxiety (P = 0.072). LIMITATIONS The number of men with high anxiety was insufficient to create their own group. CONCLUSIONS The pupil dilation in response to a painful stimulus was similar in both genders. Additionally, regardless of gender, the average pupil diameter was greater in the presence of moderate to severe anxiety.
The cholecystokinin receptor antagonist devazepide enhances morphine-induced analgesia but not morphine-induced respiratory depression in the squirrel monkey.

The effects of the cholecystokinin antagonist devazepide on analgesia and respiratory depression induced by morphine in squirrel monkeys were examined. Pain thresholds were determined using the tail withdrawal procedure, in which monkeys restrained in chairs kept their tails in cool (35 degrees C) water for at least 20 sec, but withdrew them from warm (55 degrees C) water in less than 4 sec. Morphine produced a dose-related increase in tail withdrawal latencies from warm water. Devazepide (injected i.p. or p.o.) had no effect on tail withdrawal latencies when given alone but enhanced the analgesic effects of morphine. The devazepide dose-response curve for morphine enhancement was bell-shaped with doses of 3, 10, 30 and 100 micrograms/kg injected i.p. increasing morphine analgesia whereas higher and lower dose did not. In a separate group of monkeys, morphine produced dose-dependent decreases in respiratory rate and oxygen tension and increases in carbon dioxide tension. In contrast to its effects on morphine analgesia, devazepide had no effect on the various indices of morphine-induced respiratory depression. These data suggest that devazepide may have therapeutic utility as an adjuvant to morphine analgesia allowing lower dose of the opiate to be used to relieve pain and reducing the risk of opiate-induced respiratory depression.
Lack of association between ABCC2 gene variants and treatment response in epilepsy.

AIM The aim of this study was to replicate a previously reported association between drug resistance in epilepsy patients and the 24C>T variant of the ABCC2 gene that codes for the drug efflux transporter MRP2. PATIENTS & METHODS We genotyped 381 Caucasian epileptic patients (337 drug resistant and 44 drug responsive) and 247 healthy controls for the ABCC2 gene -24C>T polymorphism (rs717620) and two other nearby SNPs in linkage disequilibrium (1249G>A and 3972C>T). Genotype, allele and three-SNP-haplotype frequencies were compared between groups. Patients were further stratified into four groups according to their degree of drug resistance (as measured by seizure frequency under medication) to perform regression analysis against genotypes and haplotpyes. RESULTS We detected no significant differences in the distribution of any of the tested alleles, genotypes or haplotypes between the investigated groups. Neither was there an association between genotypes or haplotypes and degree of drug resistance. This study was adequately powered to detect genotype relative risks of above two. CONCLUSION Although adequately powered to detect the previously reported effect size and although our definition of drug resistance, following the International League Against Epilepsy guidelines, was slightly stricter than in the original study, we failed to confirm an association between the 24C>T variant in the ABCC2 gene and drug resistance in epilepsy.
Design and implementation of an IoT multi-interface gateway for establishing a digital art interactive system

The internet of things IoTs can be established by connecting smart objects in a wireless manner. However, a variety of wireless technologies, including Bluetooth, ZigBee, WiFi and infrared, which have been embedded into smart objects or controllers, cannot exchange information since they apply different standards or even work on different frequencies. To provide information exchange in heterogeneous networks, this paper proposes the design and implementation of an IoT multi-interface gateway, which can transform the information into a data which can be recognised by various smart objects. In the implementation, the IoT multi-interface gateway can be used for digital arts or some smart spaces that can automatically control traditional TV, air condition, smart meter, sphygmomanometer, smart phone, etc. The implementation shows that the IoT gateway can exchange data among various smart objects that use different wireless technologies and also guarantee the stability of data conversion time.
The Role of Prosody in the Mental Lexicon

Current models of spoken word recognition take into account factors such as word frequency, word onset cohort size, and phonological neighborhood density. Using the word onset gating technique we tested word recognition when bandpass filtering was used to allow subjects to hear the full prosodic pattern of a word (number of syllables and syllabic stress), deprived of segmental information beyond that contained in the onset gate. Subjects also heard either word onsets plus duration information or only word onsets. Results suggest that word prosody is represented in the mental lexicon and is effectively used by listeners in spoken word recognition.
The prevention of induced oral mucositis with low-level laser therapy in bone marrow transplantation patients: a randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND DATA AND OBJECTIVE Patients who have received high doses of chemotherapy, either alone or in combination with total body irradiation often cite oral mucositis (OM) as the most debilitating side effect. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical effects of low-level laser therapy (LLLT) on the prevention of conditioning-induced OM in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). METHODS We randomized 42 patients who underwent autologous or allogeneic HSCT. A low-level InGaAlP diode laser was used, emitting light at 660 nm, 40 mW, and 4 J/cm(2). An evaluation of OM was carried out using the World Health Organization scale. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION In the LLLT group, 57.1% of patients had an OM grade 0, 9.6% had grade 1, and 33.3% had grade 2, whereas in the control group, only 4.8% of patients were free of OM (grade 0). Our results indicate that the preventive use of LLLT in patients who have undergone HSCT is a powerful instrument in reducing OM incidence.
Antioxidant defense in erythrocytes and plasma of patients with active and quiescent Crohn disease and ulcerative colitis: a chemiluminescent study.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can be considered multifactorial in genetic background and with regard to neuro-endocrine regulation of immune reactivity to antigens of alimentary and bacterial origin (1). The roles of free radicals and the antioxidant defense mechanisms of the intestine are also well documented (2)(3). Aminosalicylates such as 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), when used in therapy, exhibit superoxide and hydroxyl-radical scavenger properties (4). This medication can partially restore the depleted mucosal antioxidant protective function that develops in IBD. We used a simple luminol-dependent chemiluminescence method to study the antioxidant protective mechanisms in patients with IBD. Luminol-dependent chemiluminescence, as an indicator of a free radicals, is suitable for detection of the antioxidant status of tissue. The H2O2/·OH-microperoxidase-luminol system can be used to measure the total scavenger capacity (TSC) of the plasma and erythrocytes. We also determined the H+-donor activity and reducing power in the plasma. 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl, stable radical; 5,5′-dithiobis-2-nitrobenzoic acid; luminol; and microperoxidase were obtained from Sigma. All other reagents were purchased from Reanal. Twenty-six Caucasian volunteers (10 males, ages 26.6 ± 11.3 years; 16 females, ages 34.2 ± 13.6 years) served as a control group. Patients were divided into three groups—inactive, moderate, and severe—based on the severity of their disease according to the Crohn disease activity index (CDAI) and the ulcerative colitis (UC) activity index. Routine laboratory data and numerical values for pain, stool characteristics, well-being, and other factors were used to calculate the CDAI and the UC activity index (5). The UC activity index classifications for 22 patients were as follows: inactive, 1 male, age 19 years, and 3 females, …
Electromagnetic fields enhance the stress response at elevated temperatures in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

We have studied the effect of extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (ELF-EMF) in the presence of a second stressor (mild heat shock) on the expression of a lacZ reporter gene under the control of hsp16 or hsp70 promoters in two transgenic strains of C. elegans. The expression of the reporter gene was studied by scoring animals with induced beta-galactosidase activity after staining in toto or by biochemical quantitation of the enzyme activity, respectively. In our experimental setup we were able to expose the animals to 50 Hz magnetic flux density of 0-150 microT and at the same time control temperature with high precision (+/-0.1 degrees C). Experimental conditions were defined for which EMF strongly enhances the expression of the reporter gene.
The effect of PTSD and combat level on Vietnam veterans' perceptions of child behavior and marital adjustment.

This study empirically investigated the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and combat level on Vietnam veterans' perceptions of their children's behavior, as well as its effects on their marital adjustment. Results indicated that the predictor variables of PTSD and combat level together explained 33.6% of the variance in perceived child behavior problems (p < .001) and 51.8% of the variance in marital adjustment (p < .001). In addition, PTSD and combat level, when observed together, reliably predicted internalizing and externalizing behavior problems in addition to four specific areas of marital adjustment. When observed individually, however, it was shown that child behavior problems and marital adjustment were predicted primarily by PTSD, rather than combat level.
Understanding Motor Impairment in the Paretic Lower Limb After a Stroke: A Review of the Literature

Abstract In addition to muscle weakness caused by injury to supraspinal centers, several mechanisms may contribute to motor impairment in the paretic lower limb following a stroke. Physiological changes in the paretic muscles and their motor units, passive or active restraint of agonist activation, and abnormal muscle activation patterns have been shown to occur after a stroke and to reduce muscle force generation. Other factors such as increased passive tone may impede agonist and antagonist muscle torque generation, while abnormal motor activation and altered motor control of muscles can produce abnormal gait patterns. Co-activation of opposing lower limb muscles contributes to joint stiffness and postural stability; abnormal co-activation in paretic lower limbs can lead to deficits in postural stabilization. Abnormal timing of muscle activation can also yield reduced muscle work output and, in turn, reduced limb function. When sensory deficits accompany muscle weakness, impaired processing of afferent signals may contribute to abnormal muscle activation, abnormal gait patterns, and abnormal responses to perturbation during gait and stance. This article reviews the impact of these various factors, individually and in combination, on impaired motor function in the paretic lower limb after a stroke.
Isolation of Prasinoviruses of the Green Unicellular Algae Ostreococcus spp. on a Worldwide Geographical Scale

ABSTRACT Ostreococcus spp. are extremely small unicellular eukaryotic green algae found worldwide in marine environments, and they are susceptible to attacks by a diverse group of large DNA viruses. Several biologically distinct species of Ostreococcus are known and differ in the ecological niches that they occupy: while O. tauri (representing clade C strains) is found in marine lagoons and coastal seas, strains belonging to clade A, exemplified by O. lucimarinus, are present in different oceans. We used laboratory cultures of clonal isolates of these two species to assay for the presence of viruses in seawater samples from diverse locations. In keeping with the distributions of their host strains, we found a decline in the abundance of O. tauri viruses from a lagoon in southwest France relative to the Mediterranean Sea, whereas in the ocean, no O. tauri viruses were detected. In contrast, viruses infecting O. lucimarinus were detected from distantly separated oceans. DNA sequencing, phylogenetic analyses using a conserved viral marker gene, and a Mantel test revealed no relationship between geographic and phylogenetic distances in viruses infecting O. lucimarinus.
Novel Solutions to Integrals of Products of Q-Functions with Wireless Applications

Infinite integrals involving the products of two, three and four Gaussian Q-functions of different arguments are solved in closed-form or in single integral form with finite upper and lower limits. These solutions provide novel expressions in the error rate analyses of signals such as general rectangular quadrature amplitude modulation, differentially encoded quaternay phase shift keying and new solutions for the error rate of the repetition code. As an example, closed-form expressions for the average symbol error rates of general rectangular quadrature amplitude modulation and the repetition code are obtained for a Nakagami-m fading channel.
Modeling of Stress-Retarded Thermal Oxidation of Nonplanar Silicon Structures for Realization of Nanoscale Devices

Accurate modeling of stress-retarded orientation-dependent 2-D oxidation is carried out by matching the experimental and simulated oxide thicknesses of silicon FIN nanostructures over a wide range of temperatures and times in dry oxygen. Experimentally observed initial oxidation rate enhancement, orientation-dependent stress retardation, and self-limiting phenomena are modeled, and a new universal stress retardation parameter set is obtained for the first time. The new parameter set has been validated against oxidation experiments presented here and those reported in the literature. Furthermore, the new model is used to explore silicon nanowire shape engineering.
The viscerosympathetic response in rabbits is mediated by GABAergic and glutamatergic inputs into the sympathetic premotor neurons of the rostral ventrolateral medulla

Neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) receive inputs from various sources, including baroreceptors, and then regulate the activity of sympathetic preganglionic neurons in the spinal cord. Whether RVLM neurons mediate the viscerosympathetic reflex has yet to be clarified. In the present study, we investigated the role of RVLM neurons in the viscerosympathetic reflex in anaesthetized and vagotomized rabbits. Electrical stimulation of the greater splanchnic nerve (SplN) evoked reflex responses in renal sympathetic activity that were composed of inhibitory and/or excitatory components. Bilateral microinjection of muscimol, a GABAA receptor agonist, into the RVLM blocked the reflex responses. Bilateral microinjection of bicuculline, a GABAA receptor antagonist, largely attenuated the inhibitory component, whereas kynurenic acid, a glutamate receptor antagonist, eliminated the excitatory component. The activities of 21 RVLM barosensitive bulbospinal neurons were recorded. Twenty of the neurons responded to the SplN stimulation. The responses also consisted of inhibitory and/or excitatory components. The excitatory component of these neurons preceded that of the renal sympathetic nerve activity by about 100 ms. This latency difference was almost the same as that of the inhibitory responses evoked by aortic nerve stimulation. Therefore, the renal sympathetic reflex responses evoked by SplN stimulation are mediated by RVLM neurons, and GABAergic and glutamatergic transmission in the RVLM are related to this reflex.
The Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution of Periodical Cicadas

Periodical cicada nymphs feed underground on root xylem fluids for precisely 13 or 17 years before emerging at any given locality synchronously and in tremendous numbers. Populations throughout the eastern United States are grouped into variously sized, geographically contiguous broods, which are reproductively isolated from each other. Six distinct species represent the 13and 17 -year life cycle forms of three morphologically and behaviorally distinct periodical cicadas. Recent work supports and modifies previous hypotheses concerning periodical cicada intra- and interspecific interactions, movement patterns, juvenile development rates, life-cycle switching, the evolution of periodicity, and . the origination of broods and species. Major ecological inter­ actions of periodical cicadas include infection by a host-specific fungal patho­ gen, satiation of predators, and damage to hostplants. Central to the evolution of periodical cicadas are four-year accelerations in development that some­ times result in switching between 13- and 17 -year life cycles.
Doubt and belief in physicians’ ability to prognosticate during critical illness: The perspective of surrogate decision makers

Objectives:Although discussing a prognosis is a duty of physicians caring for critically ill patients, little is known about surrogate decision-makers’ beliefs about physicians’ ability to prognosticate. We sought to determine: 1) surrogates’ beliefs about whether physicians can accurately prognosticate for critically ill patients; and 2) how individuals use prognostic information in their role as surrogate decision-makers. Design, Setting, and Patients:Multicenter study in intensive care units of a public hospital, a tertiary care hospital, and a veterans’ hospital. We conducted semistructured interviews with 50 surrogate decision-makers of critically ill patients. We analyzed the interview transcripts using grounded theory methods to inductively develop a framework to describe surrogates’ beliefs about physicians’ ability to prognosticate. Validation methods included triangulation by multidisciplinary analysis and member checking. Measurements and Main Results:Overall, 88% (44 of 50) of surrogates expressed doubt about physicians’ ability to prognosticate for critically ill patients. Four distinct themes emerged that explained surrogates’ doubts about prognostic accuracy: a belief that God could alter the course of the illness, a belief that predicting the future is inherently uncertain, prior experiences where physicians’ prognostications were inaccurate, and experiences with prognostication during the patient's intensive care unit stay. Participants also identified several factors that led to belief in physicians’ prognostications, such as receiving similar prognostic estimates from multiple physicians and prior experiences with accurate prognostication. Surrogates’ doubts about prognostic accuracy did not prevent them from wanting prognostic information. Instead, most surrogate decision-makers view physicians’ prognostications as rough estimates that are valuable in informing decisions, but are not determinative. Surrogates identified the act of prognostic disclosure as a key step in preparing emotionally and practically for the possibility that a patient may not survive. Conclusions:Although many surrogate decision-makers harbor some doubt about the accuracy of physicians’ prognostications, they highly value discussions about prognosis and use the information for multiple purposes.
Lymphocytic Hypophysitis: Differential Diagnosis and Effects of High-Dose Pulse Steroids, Followed by Azathioprine, on the Pituitary Mass and Endocrine Abnormalities — Report of a Case and Literature Review

We report on a man with a progressively increasing pituitary mass, as demonstrated by MRI. It produced neurological and ophthalmological symptoms, and, ultimately, hypopituitarism. MRI also showed enlargement of the pituitary stalk and a dural tail phenomenon. An increased titer of antipituitary antibodies (1:16) was detected in the serum. Pituitary biopsy showed autoimmune hypophysitis (AH). Neither methylprednisolone pulse therapy nor a subsequent treatment with azathioprine were successful in recovering pituitary function, or in inducing a significant reduction of the pituitary mass after an initial, transient clinical and neuroradiological improvement. Anterior pituitary function evaluation revealed persistent hypopituitarism. AH is a relatively rare condition, particularly in males, but it represents an emerging entity in the diagnostic management of pituitary masses. This case shows that response to appropriate therapy for hypophysitis may not be very favorable and confirms that diagnostic management of nonsecreting pituitary masses can be a challenge. Clinical, imaging, and laboratory findings are useful for suggesting the diagnosis, but pituitary biopsy may be necessary to confirm it.
CORTICOSTERONE‐SECRETING TUMOURS: WITH AND WITHOUT RENAL ARTERY STENOSIS

Two cases of corticosterone‐secreting adrenal adenomata are reported. Both patients were middle‐aged females in whom the clinical course spanned several years before the diagnosis was made. Severe hypertension and recurrent hypo‐kalaemia refractory to standard treatments were outstanding features. The importance of measuring the production rates of all mineralocorticoids when a tumour is suspected is emphasized by Case 1 where the production rate of corticosterone alone was elevated. Bilateral renal artery stenosis was responsible for unsuppressed plasma renin activity in Case 2.
On Secular Stagnation and Low Interest Rates: Demography Matters

Nominal and real interest rates in advanced economies have been decreasing since the mid-1980s and reached historical low levels in the aftermath of the global financial crisis. Understanding why interest rates have fallen is essential for both monetary policy and ﬁnancial stability. This paper focuses on one of the factors that have been put forward in the literature within the secular stagnation view: adverse demographic developments. The main conclusion that we draw from our empirical, panel equation system-based assessment is that these developments have exerted downward pressures on real short- and long-term interest rates in the euro area over the past decade. Moreover, building on the European Commission projections for dependency ratios until 2025, we illustrate that the foreseen structural change in terms of age structure of the population may dampen economic growth and continue exerting downward pressure on real interest rates also in the future. JEL Classification: C32, E52, J11