Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pain-diminishing and quality of life-related outcomes of Kinesio taping in patients on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug therapy for post-thoracotomy pain syndrome.

Objectives This study aims to evaluate pain-diminishing and quality of life-related outcomes of Kinesio taping in patients on non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) therapy for post-thoracotomy pain syndrome (PTPS). Patients and methods Between February 2016 and May 2017, a total 60 patients (39 males, 21 females; median age 43.5 years; range, 18 to 76 years) with PTPS were included in this single-center, prospective, randomized study. The patients were randomized into two groups based on five-day pain management protocol including NSAIDs per se (NSAID group; n=30) and NSAIDs plus Kinesio taping (NSAID-KT group; n=30) groups. Pain intensity (via visual pain scale [VAS]), neuropathic pain (Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs [LANSS] Pain Scale), major chronic pain symptoms (via Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire [SF-MPQ-2]), and quality of life (via Nottingham Health Profile [NHP]) were assessed before and after five-day treatment period. Results In both NSAID and NSAID-KT groups, treatment was associated with a significant decrease in the VAS-pain (p<0.001), LANSS Pain Scale scores (from median 8.0 to 3.0 and from median 18.5 to 15.0, respectively, p<0.001 for each), SF-MPQ scores (p<0.001), and physical mobility and pain domains of NHS (p<0.001 for each). Conclusion In conclusion, our study findings indicate no additional benefit of KT application on further amelioration of long-term PTPS in patients under NSAID analgesia. Both NSAID and NSAID-KT treatments produced a significant improvement in the VAS, LANSS, SF-MPQ scores, and in the quality of life after five-day treatment.
Motor unit contractions initiating impulses in a tendon organ in the cat.

1. Responses, identified as coming from Golgi tendon organs, were recorded in afferent nerve fibres supplying the cat soleus muscle. 2. Receptor discharge was recorded during stimulation of single, selected motor units. The degree of summation of responses to combined stimulation of pairs of motor units was compared with the effect of stimulating each motor unit separately. Whenever individual response frequencies differed by a large amount there was little summation on combined stimulation. 3. The response of tendon organ to the second of a pair of closely spaced tetanic contractions of a motor unit showed adaptation of the discharge. Adaptation could also be induced by a conditioning contraction from another motor unit. The amount of ‘cross‐adaptation’ could be correlated with the difference in individual response frequencies of the two motor units and with the degree of summation on combined stimulation. 4. A mechanical model is proposed to account for these observations. The muscle fibre from each motor unit is envisaged to pull on a collagen strand which supports one of the receptor terminals. The non‐linear summation of responses on combined stimulation and the phenomenon of cross‐adaptation are accounted for by mechanical cross‐links between collagen strands such that one muscle fibre pulls on more than one receptor terminal.
Effects of Eccentric-Only Resistance Training and Detraining

The purposes of this investigation were to examine the effects of unilateral eccentric-only dynamic constant external resistance (DCER) training of the leg extensor muscles on: (a) eccentric DCER strength in the trained and untrained limbs, (b) concentric isokinetic leg extension peak torque-velocity curves in the trained and untrained limbs, and (c) retention of eccentric DCER strength and concentric isokinetic peak torque in the trained and untrained limbs following detraining. Seventeen adult male (X age +/- SD = 24 +/- 3 yr) volunteers comprised training (TR, n = 9) and control (CTL, n = 8) groups. The TR group trained the leg extensor muscles of the nondominant limb with eccentric-only DCER exercise (3 - 5 sets of 6 repetitions at 80% of the eccentric one-repetition maximum [1-RM] load) for eight weeks followed by eight additional weeks of detraining. The CTL group did not train. All subjects were tested pretraining, posttraining, and after detraining for 1-RM unilateral eccentric DCER strength of the leg extensor muscles as well as concentric isokinetic leg extension peak torque at 1.05, 2.09, 3.14, 4.19, and 5.24 rad.s(-1) in both limbs. Mixed factorial ANOVAs, follow-ups, and post-hoc analyses indicated that the training resulted in increased eccentric DCER strength in both the trained (29 %) and untrained (17 %) limbs, but no change in isokinetic peak torque at any of the velocities of contraction in either limb. Furthermore, the training-induced increases in eccentric DCER strength for both limbs were retained across eight weeks of detraining.
Use of video conferencing for psychiatric and forensic evaluations.

OBJECTIVE This study investigated whether the quality of results from video interviews is comparable with that of in-person interviews. METHODS Interrater reliabilities for two video conference interview conditions were compared with those for in-person interviews with the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale-Anchored Version and the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool-Criminal Adjudication, given to 72 forensic inpatients. The video conditions included in-person and remote interviewers. In the first condition, an in-person interviewer administered the instruments, with remote observation and scoring. The second condition entailed remote administration and an in-person observer. The third condition used an in-person interviewer and observer. RESULTS Good to excellent reliabilities resulted from all conditions with intraclass correlations of . 69 to . 82. CONCLUSIONS Results suggest that providers can expect remote interviews to provide clinical information similar to that obtained by in-person interviews.
A Novel Miniaturized-Element Frequency Selective Surface Having a Stable Resonance

In this letter, we propose a miniaturized periodic element for constructing a band-pass frequency selective surface (FSS) that demonstrates an excellent resonance stability performance with respect to different polarizations and incidence angles. In contrast to traditional periodic elements with sizes comparable to a half of the wavelength at the resonant frequency, the size of the proposed element is reduced highly to only a tenth-wavelength. We created and examined a prototype of the miniaturized-element FSS. Both the simulated and measured results obtained demonstrate the claimed performance.
Testing Graph Properties in the General Graph Model

Teaching note: Although it is possible to study the current chapter without first studying the Chapter 9, we strongly recommend not doing so. Basic familiarity with the bounded-degree graph model seems necessary for a good perspective on the general graph model. In addition, familarity with some of the results and ideas of Chapter 9 will greatly facilitate the study of current chapter. Specifically, it will be most beneficial to be familiar with the connectivity tester and the bipartiteness tester.
Increased tissue oxygenation explains the attenuation of hyperemia upon repetitive pneumatic compression of the lower leg.

The rapid hyperemia evoked by muscle compression is short lived and was recently shown to undergo a rapid decrease even in spite of continuing mechanical stimulation. The present study aims at investigating the mechanisms underlying this attenuation, which include local metabolic mechanisms, desensitization of mechanosensitive pathways, and reduced efficacy of the muscle pump. In 10 healthy subjects, short sequences of mechanical compressions (n = 3-6; 150 mmHg) of the lower leg were delivered at different interstimulus intervals (ranging from 20 to 160 s) through a customized pneumatic device. Hemodynamic monitoring included near-infrared spectroscopy, detecting tissue oxygenation and blood volume in calf muscles, and simultaneous echo-Doppler measurement of arterial (superficial femoral artery) and venous (femoral vein) blood flow. The results indicate that 1) a long-lasting (>100 s) increase in local tissue oxygenation follows compression-induced hyperemia, 2) compression-induced hyperemia exhibits different patterns of attenuation depending on the interstimulus interval, 3) the amplitude of the hyperemia is not correlated with the amount of blood volume displaced by the compression, and 4) the extent of attenuation negatively correlates with tissue oxygenation (r = -0,78, P < 0.05). Increased tissue oxygenation appears to be the key factor for the attenuation of hyperemia upon repetitive compressive stimulation. Tissue oxygenation monitoring is suggested as a useful integration in medical treatments aimed at improving local circulation by repetitive tissue compression.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study shows that 1) the hyperemia induced by muscle compression produces a long-lasting increase in tissue oxygenation, 2) the hyperemia produced by subsequent muscle compressions exhibits different patterns of attenuation at different interstimulus intervals, and 3) the extent of attenuation of the compression-induced hyperemia is proportional to the level of oxygenation achieved in the tissue. The results support the concept that tissue oxygenation is a key variable in blood flow regulation.
Modeling Genome-Wide Dynamic Regulatory Network in Mouse Lungs with Influenza Infection Using High-Dimensional Ordinary Differential Equations

The immune response to viral infection is regulated by an intricate network of many genes and their products. The reverse engineering of gene regulatory networks (GRNs) using mathematical models from time course gene expression data collected after influenza infection is key to our understanding of the mechanisms involved in controlling influenza infection within a host. A five-step pipeline: detection of temporally differentially expressed genes, clustering genes into co-expressed modules, identification of network structure, parameter estimate refinement, and functional enrichment analysis, is developed for reconstructing high-dimensional dynamic GRNs from genome-wide time course gene expression data. Applying the pipeline to the time course gene expression data from influenza-infected mouse lungs, we have identified 20 distinct temporal expression patterns in the differentially expressed genes and constructed a module-based dynamic network using a linear ODE model. Both intra-module and inter-module annotations and regulatory relationships of our inferred network show some interesting findings and are highly consistent with existing knowledge about the immune response in mice after influenza infection. The proposed method is a computationally efficient, data-driven pipeline bridging experimental data, mathematical modeling, and statistical analysis. The application to the influenza infection data elucidates the potentials of our pipeline in providing valuable insights into systematic modeling of complicated biological processes.
Seminal fibronectin in fertile and infertile males

This study aimed to assess seminal plasma fibronectin in fertile and infertile males. Ninety infertile males were investigated; asthenozoospermia (n = 27), asthenoteratozoospermia (n = 30), oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (n = 33) compared with 20 healthy fertile controls. They were subjected to semen analysis, seminal plasma fibronectin estimation by radial immune diffusion, serum testosterone (T) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) estimation by ELISA. There was significant increase of seminal plasma fibronectin among different infertile groups compared with the controls. Significant negative correlation was elicited between seminal fibronectin and sperm count, sperm motility grades A, B, A + B, sperm velocity, linear velocity, linearity index, sperm normal forms and serum T. Seminal fibronectin showed significant positive correlation with grade D sperm motility and serum FSH. ROC curve analysis discriminating controls and other infertile groups demonstrated criteria value of < 674 mg l−1 (sensitivity 100% and specificity 96.4%). It is concluded that increased seminal fibronectin is associated with decreased sperm count and sperm motility.
A retrospective analysis of cervical spine radiography in a specialist trauma unit for head injury

Objectives The performance of an adequate and complete series of cervical radiographs in the trauma patient is essential in order to ensure safe trauma management. Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST) has produced widely recognised guidelines with which trauma units should comply. The aim of the study is to ascertain the adequacy of cervical spine imaging of trauma patients in a specialist trauma unit (head injury) using EAST guidelines as gold standard. An additional assessment of institutional reporting accuracy is conducted. Methods Data were examined from 81 consecutive trauma patients requiring cervical spine radiography. EAST guidelines were applied retrospectively to this cohort in order to define guideline compliance. An additional cohort assessment was conducted addressing the accuracy and adequacy of the formal institutional reports associated with these radiographs. Results 99% of patients undergoing a full cervical trauma series had at least one inadequate initial image. Of these, 85% had at least one inadequate lateral or peg view (of which 26% did not have repeat radiographs performed). Over one-third of all trauma patients left the emergency department with inadequate cervical spine imaging (incomplete cervical spine series or inadequate films). From the institutional reporting perspective, only 27% of all inadequate initial and repeat lateral or peg views were subsequently explicitly reported as being inadequate. Discussion These findings call into question current practice. Clearly, multiple confounders exist in the context of process variability in a heterogeneous population such as that attending an emergency department. This study offer solutions to address this problem.
Renal sympathetic denervation in the aftermath of Symplicity HTN-3

1Department of Cardiology, Ullevaal University Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway, 2Pole of Cardiovascular Research, Institut de Recherche Experimentale et Clinique, Universite Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium, 3Division of Cardiology, Cliniques Universitaires Saint-Luc, Universite Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium, 4Studies Coordinating Centre, Research Unit Hypertension and Cardiovascular Epidemiology, KU Leuven Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium, and 5Department of Epidemiology, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
MATERNAL SERUM SCREENING FOR FETAL DOWN SYNDROME IN IVF PREGNANCIES

To assess the influence of in vitro fertilization (IVF) on maternal serum human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) and alpha‐fetoprotein (AFP), the maternal serum hCG and AFP values were studied in 67 IVF pregnancies and compared with the results of a control group of 4732 spontaneously conceiving patients. Maternal serum hCG was significantly higher and AFP significantly lower in the IVF group. Possible explanations and implications for prenatal diagnosis in IVF pregnancies are discussed.
Action performance and action-word understanding: Evidence of double dissociations in left-damaged patients

It has been proposed that language and action representational systems overlap when the tasks used to assess them involve the same stimuli and require abilities acquired at similarly early developmental stage. We matched variables at task and stimulus level to test this hypothesis in a group of 12 left-damaged patients (and 17 controls). At the patients' group level, we replicated previously reported correlations between linguistic and nonlinguistic tasks. When performances were analysed individually, however, double dissociations were observed between the ability to imitate pantomimes and the ability to produce and comprehend the corresponding action verbs, as well as between the ability to use tools and the ability to comprehend the corresponding tool nouns. These findings suggest that processing action words is independent of the ability to produce the associated object-directed actions. Double dissociations were also found between the ability to comprehend action verbs and the ability to comprehend tool nouns. Moreover, action and tool naming showed differential effects of age of acquisition, suggesting that the two word categories meet the lexical organization by word class (nouns and verbs), even when related to identical action concept. Dissociations at behavioural level are supported by anatomical dissociations shown in the analysis of patients' lesions.
Vergleichende Sensitivität der neurochemischen Demenzdiagnostik im Liquor und rCBF im 99mTc-SPECT bei Patienten mit Alzheimerdemenz

The diagnosis of Alzheimer's dementia is currently changing from a late and exclusion diagnosis towards a pathophysiology-based early and positive diagnosis. Especially advances in neuro-chemical dementia diagnostics in the cerebrospinal fluid (NDD-CSF) and imaging techniques like PET, SPECT or MRI are of particular interest. Unfortunately, many studies investigated only either one or other technique. In the present study 56 patients (average 67.1 years; average mini-mental status test (MMST) 22.2) were examined with the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's dementia. All patients both underwent NDD-CSF as well as 99mTc-SPECT. Only the SPECT, but not the NDD-CSF correlated with disease severity. Sensitivity of NDD-CSF was 89 % and SPECT 48 % for all patients and 93 % resp. 61 % for patients with MMST < 24. Below MMST 20 both methods had equal sensitivity. Both diagnostic techniques showed no statistic coherence (p = 0.27), neither after correction for subgroups like disease severity or the APOE genotype. Our results are compatible with the hypothesis that the NDD-CSF reflects beta-amyloid-aggregation and Tau-Protein pathology as a pathophysiologic biomarker. Our results suggest that SPECT is rather a state parameter for the rCBF changes following cortical neurodegeneration.
Discovery proteomics: application to HIV infection

The (re)development of proteomic techniques in the 1990s has provided the researcher with a set of new tools to help understand biological processes at the molecular level. Modern proteomics began with the reapplication of a classical protein separation method to modern biochemical problems. Great strides have been made since then, with the currently available genomic toolbox and associated bioinformatic tools, but these techniques have several limitations.1 Understanding the biology of cells at the genetic level is not always equivalent to understanding it at the protein level, and this is crucial since it is the proteins that are the functional molecules of the cell. Proteomics can be defined as the study of the full set of proteins expressed by an organism, tissue or cell, and the change in their expression patterns under different conditions. It initially developed from analytical biochemical techniques used for protein separation and has since been applied clinically. It has been used to identify proteins involved in pathological processes and to evaluate changes in protein expression during illness. A major focus of clinical proteomics has been cancer research but the techniques are equally valid when studying infectious diseases. Proteomic methods can be used in various ways to study infectious diseases. For example, the pathogen itself may be studied, the host or immune response to the pathogen can be examined, or the mechanism of action of antimicrobials can be determined. A vast amount of research has also been applied to the development of biomarkers for the diagnosis of diseases and for the monitoring of their progress. The HIV pandemic has resulted in the death of over 25 million people, and the virus currently infects almost 40 million of the world's population.2 Although tremendous progress has been made over the years, understanding of the pathogenesis and treatment of the infection …
Feasibility of 3.0 T diffusion-weighted nuclear magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of functional recovery of rats with complete spinal cord injury

Diffusion tensor imaging is a sensitive way to reflect axonal necrosis and degeneration, glial cell regeneration and demyelination following spinal cord injury, and to display microstructure changes in the spinal cord in vivo. Diffusion tensor imaging technology is a sensitive method to diagnose spinal cord injury; fiber tractography visualizes the white matter fibers, and directly displays the structural integrity and resultant damage of the fiber bundle. At present, diffusion tensor imaging is restricted to brain examinations, and is rarely applied in the evaluation of spinal cord injury. This study aimed to explore the fractional anisotropy and apparent diffusion coefficient of diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging and the feasibility of diffusion tensor tractography in the evaluation of complete spinal cord injury in rats. The results showed that the average combined scores were obviously decreased after spinal cord transection in rats, and then began to increase over time. The fractional anisotropy scores after spinal cord transection in rats were significantly lower than those in normal rats (P < 0.05); the apparent diffusion coefficient was significantly increased compared with the normal group (P < 0.05). Following spinal cord transection, fractional anisotropy scores were negatively correlated with apparent diffusion coefficient values (r = -0.856, P < 0.01), and positively correlated with the average combined scores (r = 0.943, P < 0.01), while apparent diffusion coefficient values had a negative correlation with the average combined scores (r = -0.949, P < 0.01). Experimental findings suggest that, as a non-invasive examination, diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging can provide qualitative and quantitative information about spinal cord injury. The fractional anisotropy score and apparent diffusion coefficient have a good correlation with the average combined scores, which reflect functional recovery after spinal cord injury.
A Memory for Extracellular Ca 2 1 by Speeding Recovery of P 2 X Receptors from Desensitization

Nerve endings of nociceptors (pain-sensing neurons) express an unusual subtype of ATP-gated ion channel, the P2X3 receptor, that rapidly desensitizes (,100 msec) and slowly recovers (.20 min). Here we show that Ca, or certain other polyvalent cations, binds to an extracellular site on rat sensory neurons and can increase current through P2X3 channels more than 10-fold. Importantly, Ca facilitates P2X3 current to precisely the same level whether a transient Ca change occurred just before or several minutes before activating the channels with ATP. This memory for past changes in Ca is integrative in that a 90 sec Ca stimulus delivered just before an ATP application has the same effect as an earlier series of three, separated 30 sec Ca stimuli. These diverse phenomena are explained by a single mechanism: Ca speeds recovery of P2X channels from desensitization. Recovery follows an exponential growth curve that depends on the duration, but not the timing, of changes in recovery rate. Modulation of desensitization underlies a well described short-term memory in bacteria, and it might be similarly used in the nervous system.