Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Individuals With Patellofemoral Pain Have Less Hip Flexibility Than Controls Regardless of Treatment Outcome

Objective: To examine differences in hip flexibility before and after a 6-week muscle strengthening program between those with patellofemoral pain (PFP) and healthy controls. Design: Single-blind, multicentered, randomized controlled trial. Setting: Four clinical research laboratories. Subjects: Physically active individuals (199 PFP and 38 controls). Interventions: Patellofemoral pain and control subjects were randomized into either a hip-focused or a knee-focused muscle strengthening treatment program. Main Outcome Measures: Pain—visual analog scale (centimeter), function—Anterior Knee Pain Scale (points), flexibility—passive goniometry (degrees): hip adduction (HADD), hip external rotation (HER), hip internal rotation (HIR), total hip rotation (HROT), hip extension (HEXT) were measured before and after the muscle strengthening treatment program. Results: Subjects with patellofemoral pain who successfully completed the treatment program (n = 153) had 65%, 25%, 18%, and 12% less HADD, HER, HROT, and HIR ranges of motion (ROMs), respectively, than controls (P < 0.05). Patellofemoral pain subjects who did not successfully complete the program (n = 41) had 134%, 31%, 22%, and 13% less HADD, HER, HROT, and HIR ROMs, respectively, than controls (P < 0.05). All subjects increased their HIR, HROT, and HEXT ROMs pretest to posttest (P < 0.05), but by less than 2 degree. Conclusions: Individuals with PFP had less hip flexibility than controls regardless of treatment outcome or time. After the 6-week muscle strengthening program, and regardless of treatment success, PFP and control subjects experienced a small but clinically insignificant improvement in hip flexibility. Clinical Relevance: Hip ROM should be considered as a targeted area of focus in a rehabilitation program for physically active individuals with PFP.
“There is So Much to Consider”: School-Related Decisions and Experiences among Families who Adopt Noninfant Children

Parents who adopt noninfant children often find that these children have academic and behavioral difficulties and may have experienced trauma—challenges that may have implications for school decision making and experiences. This qualitative study examined school selection processes and experiences among lesbian, gay, and heterosexual parents who had adopted children over the age of 24 months (N = 18 families) 5 years earlier. Practical factors (e.g., cost and location) and the unique needs of their children (e.g., diagnoses, trauma history) were often more pressing than race and family structure (i.e., lesbian/gay-parent headed) considerations in selecting schools. Parents encountered complex challenges in establishing and maintaining appropriate school supports and services. Parents and school staff should work collaboratively using trauma-sensitive approaches to help adopted children succeed in school.
The effectiveness of vocationally oriented multidisciplinary intervention on sickness absence and early retirement among employees at risk: an observational study

Objective: To study the effect of a preventive vocationally oriented intervention on rates of sickness absence and disability pension in employees considered to be at risk of future work disability. Design: An observational register-based study of public sector employees. Subjects: 2236 intervention programme participants and 8944 matched controls were followed up for 8 years. Methods: Multidisciplinary intervention was carried out at rehabilitation institutions. Data on demographics and sickness absences were obtained from employers’ records and information about health at baseline, participation in the intervention and subsequent disability pension from national registers. Results: Before the intervention participants had 17% more annual sick leave days and a 23% higher rate of absence spells lasting >21 days than controls. In the intervention year and 3 subsequent years, the sickness absence rate among participants reduced to that observed among controls but thereafter increased to the pre-intervention level (p for curvilinear trend <0.001 for absence days and 0.03 for absence spells). The association between the intervention and future disability pension was non-proportional among participants. Compared to controls, risk among participants was lower in the first 4 years of follow-up but thereafter returned to the previous higher level. The temporary decline in sickness absence attributable to the intervention totalled 6673 absence days per 1000 employees and the cumulative reduction in disability was 56.4 years. These direct health benefits may not fully cover the costs of the intervention. Conclusion: The risk of work disability can be temporarily reduced in employees at risk by means of a vocationally oriented multidisciplinary intervention programme.
Randomized Placebo-controlled Trial of a 42-Day Tapering Course of Dexamethasone to Reduce the Duration of Ventilator Dependency in Very Low Birth Weight Infants: Outcome of Study Participants at 1-Year Adjusted Age

Objective. Ventilator-dependent preterm infants are often treated with a prolonged tapering course of dexamethasone to decrease the risk and severity of chronic lung disease. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of this therapy on developmental outcome at 1 year of age. Methods. Study participants were 118 very low birth weight infants who, at 15 to 25 days of life, were not weaning from assisted ventilation and were then enrolled in a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of a 42-day tapering course of dexamethasone. Infants were examined at 1 year of age, adjusted for prematurity, by a pediatrician and a child psychologist. A physical and neurologic examination was performed, and the Bayley Scales of Infant Development were administered. All examiners were blind to treatment group. Results. Groups were similar in terms of birth weight, gestational age, gender, and race. A higher percentage of dexamethasone recipients had major intracranial abnormalities diagnosed by ultrasonography (21% vs 11%). Group differences were not found for Bayley Mental Development Index (median [range] for dexamethasone-treated group, 94 [50–123]; for placebo group, 90 [28–117]) or Psychomotor Development Index Index (median [range]) for dexamethasone-treated group, 78 (50–109); for placebo-treated group, 81 [28–117]). More dexamethasone-treated infants had cerebral palsy (25% vs 7%) and abnormal neurologic examination findings (45% vs 16%). In stratified analyses, adjusted for major cranial ultrasound abnormalities, these associations persisted (OR values for cerebral palsy, 5.3; 95% CI: 1.3–21.4; OR values for neurologic abnormality 3.6; 95% CI: 1.2–11.0). Conclusions. A 42-day tapering course of dexamethasone was associated with an increased risk of cerebral palsy. Possible explanations include an adverse effect of this therapy on brain development and/or improved survival of infants who either already have neurologic injury or who are at increased risk for such injury.
Ertapenem-induced reduction in valproate levels: case report and review of the literature.

Increasing the dose of valproatemay not compensate for the reduction, which puts the patientat risk for recurrent seizures. Therefore, close monitoring of valproate levels is necessary when initiating a carbapenemantibiotic in patients whose condition has been stabilized withvalproate therapy. Several case reports of significant reductions in serum valproate concentrations following initiation of carbapenemantibiotics have been published. To the authors’ knowledge,however, there has been no published systematic review of thecarbapenem–valproate interaction. We report a case of ertapenem-induced reduction in valproate concentration anddescribe the extent, clinical relevance, potential mechanisms,and therapeutic options for management of the carbapenem –valproate interaction.
Assembly and cell surface expression of KA‐2 subunit‐containing kainate receptors

Kainate receptors (KARs) modulate synaptic transmission at both pre‐synaptic and post‐synaptic sites. The overlap in the distribution of KA‐2 and GluR6/7 subunits in several brain regions suggests the co‐assembly of these subunits in native KARs. The molecular mechanisms that control the assembly and surface expression of KARs are unknown. Unlike GluR5–7, the KA‐2 subunit is unable to form functional homomeric KAR channels. We expressed the KA‐2 subunit alone or in combination with other KAR subunits in HEK‐293 cells. The cell surface expression of the KAR subunit homo‐ and heteromers were analysed using biotinylation and agonist‐stimulated cobalt uptake. While GluR6 or GluR7 homomers were expressed on the cell surface, KA‐2 alone was retained within the endoplasmic reticulum. We found that the cell surface expression of KA‐2 was dramatically increased by co‐expression with either of the low‐affinity KAR subunits GluR5–7. However, co‐expression with other related ionotropic glutamate receptor subunits (GluR1 and NR1) does not facilitate the cell surface expression of KA‐2. The analysis of subcellular fractions of neocortex revealed that synaptic KARs have a relatively high KA‐2 content compared to microsomal ones. Thus, KA‐2 is likely to contain an endoplasmic reticulum retention signal that is shielded on assembly with other KAR subunits.
C5 Palsy After Laminectomy and Posterior Cervical Fixation for Ossification of Posterior Longitudinal Ligament

Objective To investigate the imaging findings correlated with C5 root palsies in the patients undergoing laminectomy and lateral mass screw fixation for ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL), and clarify its pathogenic mechanism. Methods The series included 49 patients with OPLL. Characteristics of preoperative and postoperative x-ray, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance images were compared between the patients with and those without C5 root palsies. Results Postoperative C5 root palsies occurred in 9 patients 6 to 64 hours postoperatively. They tended to have increased cervical lordosis and severe OPLL. However, there was no significant positive correlation with an increase in T2-weighted hyperintense foci on magnetic resonance studies. Conclusions The tethering effect on the root seemed to be the main pathogenic mechanism of C5 root palsies in this study.
Genomic analysis of hepatic farnesoid X receptor binding sites reveals altered binding in obesity and direct gene repression by farnesoid X receptor in mice

The nuclear bile acid receptor, farnesoid X receptor (FXR), is an important transcriptional regulator of liver metabolism. Despite recent advances in understanding its functions, how FXR regulates genomic targets and whether the transcriptional regulation by FXR is altered in obesity remain largely unknown. Here, we analyzed hepatic genome‐wide binding sites of FXR in healthy and dietary obese mice by chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP‐seq) analysis. A total of 15,263 and 5,272 FXR binding sites were identified in livers of healthy and obese mice, respectively, after a short 1‐hour treatment with the synthetic FXR agonist, GW4064. Of these sites, 7,440 and 2,344 were detected uniquely in healthy and obese mice. FXR‐binding sites were localized mostly in intergenic and intron regions at an inverted repeat 1 motif in both groups, but also clustered within 1 kilobase of transcription start sites. FXR‐binding sites were detected near previously unknown target genes with novel functions, including diverse cellular signaling pathways, apoptosis, autophagy, hypoxia, inflammation, RNA processing, metabolism of amino acids, and transcriptional regulators. Further analyses of randomly selected genes from both healthy and obese mice suggested that more FXR‐binding sites are likely functionally inactive in obesity. Surprisingly, occupancies of FXR, retinoid X receptor alpha, RNA polymerase II, and epigenetic gene activation and repression histone marks, and messenger RNA levels of genes examined, suggested that direct gene repression by agonist‐activated FXR is common. Conclusion: Comparison of genomic FXR‐binding sites in healthy and obese mice suggested that FXR transcriptional signaling is altered in dietary obese mice, which may underlie aberrant metabolism and liver function in obesity. (HEPATOLOGY 2012;56:108–117)
population viability analysis for red-cockaded woodpeckers using an individual-based model

Red-cockaded Woodpeckers (Picoides borealis) are distributed in the southeastern United States among closed populations whose maximum size is limited. Previous population viability analyses for this species have been confined to examination of threats posed by catastrophes and loss of genetic variability, because of the lack of demographic models that incorporate the extreme spatial constraints on dispersal that characterize this species. We used a spatially explicit, individual-based simulation model to assess the vulnerability of Red-cockaded Woodpecker populations to demographic and environmental stochasticity. Vulnerability to these threats was relatively low, because the presence of a substantial nonbreeding class (i.e., helpers) ameliorated the impact of stochastic variation in mortality and reproduction on the size of the breeding population. Because dispersal of helpers is spatially restricted, this effect was most pronounced when territories were aggregated or at high densities. Populations of 25.
WEST AFRICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use in Diabetes Mellitus Complémentaires et recours à la médecine alternative dans le diabète sucré

BACKGROUND: Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), an emerging aspect of the management of chronic diseases worldwide is not widely studied in Nigerian patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency and pattern of CAM utilization in people with DM . METHODS: This was a cross-sectional question-naire survey involving 263 patients with DM. Biodata, duration of DM, type and pattern of CAM utilization and adherence to prescribed medications were documented. The prevalence and possible determinants of CAM utilization were evaluated by determining the odds ratio for independent variables. RESULTS: There were 263 respondents with a mean age of 60 (10.7) years and with ages ranging from 28–80 years. The prevalence of CAM usage was 46% and the female: male ratio was 2:1. Generally, CAM users were older than non-CAM users, (p= 0.006). The main forms of CAM used were biological based therapies and these included bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina), aloe vera, garlic, ginger, and “local herbs”. Adherence to prescribed medications was observed by 94% of respondents. CONCLUSION: We found that CAM usage is an important facet of management of DM among our patients with biological based therapies being the prevalent forms of CAM utilized. Despite CAM usage, adherence to prescribed medications was high. Further evaluation of the impact of CAM on glycaemia is needed. WAJM 2010; 29(3): 158–162.
Sharing Knowledge in Social Q&A Sites: The Unintended Consequences of Extrinsic Motivation

Abstract In order to motivate individuals to share their knowledge in online communities, the use of extrinsic rewards and goals is a typical approach. However, extrinsic motivation may have unintended consequences. Although past studies have examined the direct effect of extrinsic motivation on intrinsic motivation, no research to date has investigated how extrinsic motivation moderates the impact of intrinsic motivation on knowledge sharing, or how the effect of extrinsic motivation on intrinsic motivation is contingent upon whether a member is active or not. Drawing on attribution theory and theory of planned behavior, the study was conducted with data collected from a large social Q&A site consisting of multiple online communities with millions of registered users; the data were analyzed with moderated regression and structural equation modeling. Results show that the effect of enjoyment in helping others on attitude toward knowledge sharing is undermined by virtual organizational rewards, while the effect of knowledge self-efficacy on attitude toward knowledge sharing is undermined by reciprocity. The results also show that the effect of virtual organizational rewards on enjoyment in helping others is contingent upon whether members are active or not. Specifically, for active members, virtual organizational rewards undermine enjoyment in helping others; for inactive members, however, virtual organizational rewards increase enjoyment in helping others. These findings enrich the research on unintended consequences of extrinsic motivation specifically, and the theory of motivation in general. Additionally, these findings provide practical insights on how and when to use extrinsic rewards/goals to motivate individuals to share knowledge in social Q&A sites.
Tumor Hypoxia Imaging with [F-18] Fluoromisonidazole Positron Emission Tomography in Head and Neck Cancer

Purpose: Advanced head and neck cancer shows hypoxia that results in biological changes to make the tumor cells more aggressive and less responsive to treatment resulting in poor survival. [F-18] fluoromisonidazole (FMISO) positron emission tomography (PET) has the ability to noninvasively quantify regional hypoxia. We investigated the prognostic effect of pretherapy FMISO-PET on survival in head and neck cancer. Experimental Design: Seventy-three patients with head and neck cancer had pretherapy FMISO-PET and 53 also had fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET under a research protocol from April 1994 to April 2004. Results: Significant hypoxia was identified in 58 patients (79%). The mean FMISO tumor/bloodmax (T/Bmax) was 1.6 and the mean hypoxic volume (HV) was 40.2 mL. There were 28 deaths in the follow-up period. Mean FDG standard uptake value (SUV)max was 10.8. The median time for follow-up was 72 weeks. In a univariate analysis, T/Bmax (P = 0.002), HV (P = 0.04), and the presence of nodes (P = 0.01) were strong independent predictors. In a multivariate analysis, including FDG SUVmax, no variable was predictive at P < 0.05. When FDG SUVmax was removed from the model (resulting in n = 73 with 28 events), nodal status and T/Bmax (or HV) were both highly predictive (P = 0.02, 0.006 for node and T/Bmax, respectively; P = 0.02 and 0.001 for node and HV, respectively). Conclusions: Pretherapy FMISO uptake shows a strong trend to be an independent prognostic measure in head and neck cancer.
Comparison of closed and open kinetic chain exercise in the anterior cruciate ligament-deficient knee

The purpose of this study was to quantify the amount of anterior tibial displacement occurring in anterior cru ciate ligament-deficient knees during two types of re habilitation exercises: 1) resisted knee extension, an open kinetic chain exercise; and 2) the parallel squat, a closed kinetic chain exercise. An electrogoniometer system was applied to the anterior cruciate ligament- deficient knee of 11 volunteers and to the uninvolved normal knee in 9 of these volunteers. Anterior tibial displacement and the knee flexion angle were meas ured during each exercise using matched quadriceps loads and during the Lachman test. The anterior cru ciate ligament-deficient knee had significantly greater anterior tibial displacement during extension from 64° to 10° in the knee extension exercise as compared to the parallel squat exercise. In addition, the amount of displacement during the Lachman test was significantly less than in the knee extension exercise, but signifi cantly more than in the parallel squat exercise. No significant differences were found between measure ments in the normal knee. We concluded that the stress to the anterior cruciate ligament, as indicated by ante rior tibial displacement, is minimized by using the par allel squat, a closed kinetic chain exercise, when com pared to the relative anterior tibial displacement during knee extension exercise.
Error Analysis of Trigonometric Integrators for Semilinear Wave Equations

An error analysis of trigonometric integrators (or exponential integrators) applied to spatial semi-discretizations of semilinear wave equations with periodic boundary conditions in one space dimension is given. In particular, optimal second-order convergence is shown requiring only that the exact solution is of finite energy. The analysis is uniform in the spatial discretization parameter. It covers the impulse method which coincides with the method of Deuflhard and the mollified impulse method of Garc\'ia-Archilla, Sanz-Serna & Skeel as well as the trigonometric methods proposed by Hairer & Lubich and by Grimm & Hochbruck. The analysis can also be used to explain the convergence behaviour of the St\"ormer-Verlet/leapfrog discretization in time.
Peer Pressure in Corporate Earnings Management

We show that peer firms play an important role in shaping corporate earnings management de-cisions. To overcome identification issues in isolating peer effects, we use fund flow-induced selling pressure by passive open-end equity mutual funds as exogenous shocks to firms’ stock prices. Managers respond to such exogenous price shocks by adjusting earnings management policies. We then measure individual firms’ reactions to changes in earnings management at peer firms as a result of such exogenous price shocks. The documented peer effect in earnings management is not only statistically, but also economically significant. Our results are robust to alternative measures of fund flow-induced selling pressure and earnings management, and to estimating instrumental variables regressions in which we instrument peer firms’ earnings man-agement with mutual fund flow-induced selling pressure.
Phenotypic analysis of Arg227 mutations of TP63 with emphasis on dental phenotype and micturition difficulties in EEC syndrome

Phenotypic Analysis of Arg227 Mutations of TP63 With Emphasis on Dental Phenotype and Micturition Difficulties in EEC Syndrome Warissara Sripathomsawat, Pranoot Tanpaiboon, Jan Heering, Volker D€otsch, Raoul C.M. Hennekam, and Piranit Kantaputra* Division of Pediatric Dentistry, Department of Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand Craniofacial Genetics Laboratory, Faculty of Dentistry, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand Institute of Biophysical Chemistry and Center for Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance and Cluster of Excellence Macromolecular Complexes (CEF), Goethe University, Frankfurt/Main, Germany Academic Medical Center, Department of Pediatrics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
On the Recursive Sequence xn 1 max { xn , A } / x 2 nxn − 1

Max-type difference equations stem from, for example, certain models in automatic control theory see 1, 2 . Althoughmax-type difference equations are relatively simple in form, it is, unfortunately, extremely difficult to understand thoroughly the behavior of their solutions, see, for example, 1–41 and the relevant references cited therein. Furthermore, difference equation appear naturally as a discrete analogues, and as a numerical solution of differential and delay differential equations having applications various scientific branches, such as in ecology, economy, physics, technics, sociology, and biology. For some papers on periodicity of difference equation see, for example, 8, 9, 11, 12, 15 and the relevant references cited therein. In 22 , the following open problem was posed.