Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How does a short history of spinal cord injury affect movement‐related brain potentials?

Brain plasticity following spinal cord injury (SCI) has been studied by a wide range of neurofunctional techniques, which tend to have low temporal resolution or overlook cognitive preparatory processes. This study tried to overcome both limitations by recording the movement‐related brain potentials using an experimental task somewhat similar to the contingent negative variation paradigm. The aim was to look for amplitude or topographic distribution changes at an early stage of the SCI. Hence, the brain electrical activity of patients who had a clinical history of less than 6 months of paraplegia was recorded and compared with that of two groups of healthy volunteers. None of the patients was able to move their toes, but they were asked to prepare to carry out this movement and to try to execute it in the same way as one of the control groups. The other control group was instructed to prepare to conduct the same movement but not to execute it. Results did not show significant differences in the readiness potential between patients with paraplegia and both controls. However, the readiness potential topography observed in patients was more similar to that of healthy participants who conducted the movement, whereas a greater similarity was found in the motor potential between patients and healthy participants who did not carry out the movement. These findings suggest that neurofunctional changes that take place in the brain after a SCI may be shown earlier by the motor potential than by the readiness potential.
Bone Mineral Density Is Not Related to Osteophyte Formation in Osteoarthritis of the Hip

Objective. Reports have suggested that bone mineral density (BMD) is higher in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip than in healthy controls. Various types of OA of the hip caused by osteophyte formation were observed on radiographs during progression to the advanced degenerative stage, and the preoperative type of OA was reported to influence the results of surgical treatment. However, the mechanism underlying the development of different types of OA is still unknown. We measured BMD of patients with hip OA and determined whether higher BMD was observed in patients with osteophyte formation than in those without osteophytes. Methods. We measured BMD of the lumbar spine, radius, and calcaneus using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry in 88 women who were scheduled to undergo total hip arthroplasty for endstage OA. Hips were evaluated for osteophyte formation using Bombelli’s classification; 31 were graded as atrophic type, 30 as normotrophic, and 27 as hypertrophic. BMD at different skeletal sites were compared among the 3 types of OA. Results. No significant difference in BMD of the lumbar spine, ultradistal radius, mid-radius, or calcaneus was observed among the atrophic, normotrophic, and hypertrophic types of OA. Conclusion. Our data suggest that osteophyte formation is not related to general BMD. Factors other than general bone status, for example the morphology of the hip joint, need to be analyzed to determine the pathomechanism of osteophyte formation in the osteoarthritic hip.
Impact of childhood vaccination on racial disparities in invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae infections.

CONTEXT Historically, incidence of pneumococcal disease in the United States has been higher among blacks than among whites. Following recommendation of a new 7-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine for children in October 2000, the incidence of invasive pneumococcal disease has declined dramatically, but the impact of vaccination on racial disparities in incidence of pneumococcal disease is unknown. OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of conjugate vaccine introduction on rates of pneumococcal disease among whites and blacks in the United States. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS Analysis of data from the Active Bacterial Core Surveillance (ABCs)/Emerging Infections Program Network, an active, population-based surveillance system in 7 states. Patients were 15,923 persons with invasive pneumococcal disease occurring between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 2002. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Age- and race-specific pneumococcal disease incidence rates (cases per 100 000 persons), rate ratios, and rate differences. RESULTS Between 1998 and 2002, annual incidence rates for invasive pneumococcal disease decreased from 19.0 to 12.1 cases per 100 000 among whites and from 54.9 to 26.5 among blacks. Due to these declines, 14,730 fewer cases occurred among whites and 8780 fewer cases occurred among blacks in the United States in 2002, compared with 2 prevaccine years, 1998 and 1999. Before vaccine introduction, incidence among blacks was 2.9 times higher than among whites (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.7-3.0); in 2002, the black-white rate ratio had been reduced to 2.2 (95% CI, 2.0-2.4). Incidence among black children younger than 2 years went from being 3.3 times higher (95% CI, 3.0-3.7) than among white children in the prevaccine period to 1.6 times higher (95% CI, 1.1-2.2) in 2002. By 2002, 74% of white children and 68% of black children aged 19 to 35 months in the 7 states had received at least 1 dose of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine; 43% of white and 39% of black children received 3 or more doses. CONCLUSION Although blacks remain at higher risk of invasive pneumococcal disease, introduction of childhood pneumococcal vaccination has reduced the racial disparity in incidence of pneumococcal disease.
Reductive Removal of Selenate in Water Using Stabilized Zero‐Valent Iron Nanoparticles

Polysaccharide‐stabilized zero‐valent iron (ZVI) nanoparticles were synthesized using sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) or starch as stabilizer, and tested for reductive removal of selenate in water. Batch kinetic tests showed that the stabilized ZVI nanoparticles offer much faster selenate removal than bare ZVI particles at both pH 6.0 and pH 8.4. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses confirmed Se(VI) was transformed to Se(IV) and Se(0), which are removed along with the nanoparticles. Neutral pH (~7) was found to be most favorable for the reductive removal. Decreasing pH to 5.0 or increasing it to 8.0 reduced the removal rate of CMC‐stabilized ZVI by a factor of 4.6 or 1.3, respectively, based on the observed first‐order‐rate constant. Dissolved organic matter (DOM) at 5 mg/L as total organic carbon (TOC) had modest inhibitive effect, but DOM at 25 mg/L TOC decreased selenate removal by 25%. The stabilized nanoparticles hold the potential to facilitate in situ remediation of selenate‐contaminated soil and groundwater.
Impact of hypertension on the outcome of patients admitted with acute coronary syndrome

Objective: The role of hypertension and its impact on outcome in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is still debated. This study aimed to compare the outcomes of hypertensive and nonhypertensive ACS patients. Methods: Using data of ACS patients enrolled in the Acute Myocardial Infarction in Switzerland Plus Registry from 1997 to 2013, characteristics at presentation and outcomes in hospital and after 1 year were analyzed. Hypertension was defined as previously diagnosed and treated by a physician. The primary endpoint was mortality. Data were analyzed using multiple logistic regressions. Results: Among 41 771 ACS patients, 16 855 (40.4%) were without and 24 916 (59.6%) with preexisting hypertension. Patients with preexisting hypertension had a more favorable in-hospital outcome [odds ratio (OR) in-hospital mortality 0.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.73–0.93; P = 0.022]. The independent predictors of in-hospital mortality for patients with preexisting hypertension were age, Killip class greater than 2, Charlson Comorbidity Index greater than 1, no pretreatment with statins and lower admission systemic blood pressure. Preexisting hypertension was not an independent predictor of 1-year mortality in the subgroup of patients (n = 7801) followed: OR 1.07, 95% CI 0.78–1.47; P = 0.68. Independent predictors of mortality 1 year after discharge for the 4796 patients with preexisting hypertension were age, male sex and comorbidities. Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin II receptor antagonists and statins prescribed at discharge improved the outcomes. Conclusion: Outcome of ACS patients with preexisting hypertension was associated with an improved in-hospital prognosis after adjustment for their higher baseline risk. However, this effect was not long-lasting and does not necessarily mean a causal relationship exists. Short-term and long-term management of patients with hypertension admitted with ACS could be further improved.
Revisiting Bergmann’s Occupational Crowding Model

In 1971, economist Barbara Bergmann developed the “occupational crowding model,” which posited that black men are “crowded into” low-wage occupations and “crowded out” of high-wage occupations due to employer discrimination. In quantitative analyses I have conducted for the years 2010 through 2011, the results have yielded a different picture from what Bergmann’s model predicts: although African American men are underrepresented in high-wage occupations, consistent with her model, this group does not appear to be overrepresented in low-wage occupational categories when the level of analysis is between major low-wage occupational categories instead of within categories. I attribute this to demographic changes in the US labor force, and conclude by suggesting that the model now requires further specification. JEL Codes: J15, J62, J71
PLANKS: a computational composite

What is a computer in interactive architecture and smart materials? How can we articulate the computer in order to be in sync with the design space it populates in these contexts? The design experiment presented here entails creating a physical manifestation of a computational composite--a concept used to articulate the computer as a material for design. The experiment is meant to explore part of the expressional landscape available through this material composite perspective. In the experiment, it is especially the computers ability to redefine established cause-and-effects between materials and their environments just as it is the computers ability to create a discrete dependence on contextual factors installing an explicit element of temporal form, which are explored.
The Fate of 14C‐Diazinon in Compost, Compost‐Amended Soil, and Uptake by Earthworms

A process for disposing of pesticide rinsates using sorption onto organic matter followed by composting is being evaluated. As a part of this evaluation process, we have studied the bioavailability of composted Δ‐2‐14C‐diazinon and its degradation products to earthworms (Eisenia foetida Savigny) in 30 and 60 d compost amended soil. After 60 d of composting there was considerable degradation of diazinon (95%) and a corresponding increase in the primary hydrolysis product, 2‐isopropyl‐4‐methyl‐6‐hydroxypyrimidine (IMHP) as determined by high performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). Approximately 50% of the radioactivity became incorporated into the non‐extractable fractions associated with composted organic matter with no measurable amounts of 14CO2 produced during the 60‐day composting period. Following addition of the composted materials to soil, diazinon leading to 50% mortality after 14 d of exposure; continued to slowly degrade and become increasingly sorbed/entrapped within the soil‐compost matrix. Soil amended with 30‐d composted diazinon was toxic to earthworms whereas, no mortality was observed in those earthworms exposed to the 60‐d composted diazinon. However, earthworms exposed to 30‐d and 60‐d composted diazinon were found to have similar levels of radioactivity in their tissues. The majority of the radioactivity in earthworms exposed 60‐d composted diazinon was either unextractably bound within the earthworm tissue or was not acetone soluble. Most of the radioactivity that could be extracted with acetone was not separated by the two HPTLC methods we used. This study demonstrates that composting high concentrations of diazinon can greatly reduce toxicity and the amount of diazinon that is bioavailable to a representative soil macroinvertebrate (E. foetida).
Longitudinal effect of vigorous physical activity on patella cartilage morphology in people without clinical knee disease.

OBJECTIVE There are few data concerning possible long-term effects of physical activity on cartilage change in the patellofemoral compartment. We examined the effect of participation in vigorous physical activity on changes to patella cartilage over 2 years. METHODS A total of 297 healthy adults ages 50-79 years with no history of knee injury or symptoms were recruited from an existing study. Physical activity data were obtained by questionnaire at baseline (2003-2004). Patella cartilage volume and defects were determined by magnetic resonance imaging at baseline (2003-2004) and followup (2006-2007). RESULTS Participation in vigorous physical activity at baseline was associated with a reduced rate of patella cartilage volume loss (-21.2 mm(3) per annum [95% confidence interval (95% CI) -41.5, -1.0; P = 0.04]) and a trend toward less risk of worsening patella cartilage defects (odds ratio 0.4; 95% CI 0.2, 1.1 [P = 0.07]) over the subsequent 2 years. In the subgroup with no significant patella cartilage defects at baseline (n = 192), participation in vigorous physical activity was associated with a reduced annual rate of patella cartilage volume loss (95% CI -53.8, -7.8; P = 0.03) and a trend for fewer new patella cartilage defects (95% CI 0.1, 1.1; P = 0.08). No significant relationships were found between vigorous physical activity and cartilage volume change or defect progression in the subgroup with prevalent patella cartilage defects at baseline. CONCLUSION These observations suggest that vigorous physical activity is beneficial to patellofemoral joints for people without preexisting cartilage damage. Weight-bearing vigorous physical activity might, therefore, be useful in the prevention of patellofemoral osteoarthritis.
The clinical utility of the Beck Depression Inventory after traumatic brain injury

Primary objective : To examine the psychometric properties of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and to determine the relative endorsement of somatic-performance and cognitive-affective items in this group. Research design : Prospective 2 year follow up assessment. Methods : 117 patients discharged from an inpatient TBI rehabilitation service completed the BDI as part of a 24 month follow up assessment. Demographic and injury related data were obtained from patient files and significant others. Main outcomes : A principal components analysis revealed three factors describing affective and performance items, negative attitudes towards oneself and somatic disturbance. The reliability estimate was high (coefficient f = 0.92). A dependent sample t -test revealed higher endorsement of the cognitive-affective subscale with more clients classified as at least moderately depressed using the cognitive-affective rather than the total BDI score. Conclusion : This study provides preliminary evidence suggesting that the BDI may be an effective screening tool for self reported depression in TBI.
Impact of apple and grape juice consumption on the antioxidant status in healthy subjects

It is reported that consumption of antioxidant-rich foods significantly increased plasma total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) in humans. Also, it is proved that the antioxidants from plant foods improve the body's antioxidant defence by acting additively and synergistically. As a result, rational combination of antioxidant-rich foods is recommended to population in the prevention of oxidative stress-related diseases. Both apple and grape are antioxidant-rich fruits. In this study, 2 weeks dietary intervention study was carried out in 25 healthy subjects to investigate the influences of apple and grape juices consumption on body antioxidant status. Our results indicated that 2 weeks of apple and grape juice consumption increased the plasma T-AOC and decreased the concentration of malondialdehyde. However, no change was found in the content of plasma carbonyl. Erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase and catalase activities were enhanced by 2 weeks of fruit juice consumption; however, no change was found in the activity of erythrocyte superoxide dismutase. The in vitro comet assay results indicated that apple and grape juice consumption did not influence lymphocyte damage upon hydrogen peroxide treatment. Urinary 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine content was not affected by 2 weeks of fruit juice intervention. These findings indicated that concomitant intake of apple and grape juice was efficient in enhancing the body's antioxidant status.
Resting-state fMRI in primary Sjögren syndrome

Background The involvement of the central nervous system in primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS) remains controversial. Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is a relatively new method that can be applied to investigate the heterogeneity of central nervous system (CNS) involvement in pSS patients through regional homogeneity (ReHo) analysis. Purpose To collect data from pSS patients and healthy controls, and use ReHo analysis to elucidate the neurobiological mechanism of CNS involvement in pSS. Material and Methods Fourteen clinically diagnosed pSS patients and 14 age- and gender-matched healthy controls underwent resting-state fMRI. The data were processed by ReHo analysis. The double sample t-test was used to compare ReHo data between groups. Results Compared to controls, pSS patients had significantly increased ReHo values in the right cerebrum, left limbic lobe, right middle temporal gyrus, and the inferior parietal lobe. However, ReHo values significantly decreased in the right lingual gyrus, left cuneiform lobe, left superior occipital gyrus, bilateral middle occipital gyrus, and the fronto-parietal junction area (P < 0.01, clusters ≥ 50 voxels). Conclusion This study demonstrates the abnormal brain activity in the visual cortex and fronto-parietal junction area in pSS patients, suggesting pathological neuronal dysfunction in these regions.
A Meta-analysis of Within-Household Selection Impact on Survey Outcome Rates, Demographic Representation and Sample Quality in the European Social Survey

Face-to-face surveys of the general population often start with a probability sample of the households or addresses. However, even if a probability sample of households or addresses has been drawn, random selection of the target respondent within the selected household is crucial for obtaining a probability sample of individuals comprising the population. Over a dozen procedures of within-household selection have been described in survey literature. This article is concerned only with the two most popular of these, i.e., with the Kish grid procedure and the class of birthday procedures (i.e., next-birthday, last-birthday and closestbirthday methods). The main goal of this paper is to address the question of whether the Kish grid and birthday methods differ in their impact on: (1) refusal and cooperation rates, and (2) demographic representation of the survey sample, as well as (3) the degree of interviewers’ infl uence on the selection process. Based on 98 different surveys from all seven rounds of the European Social Survey, a meta-analysis was conducted to generate quantitative measures indicating the size of the overall impact of Kish grid and birthday procedures. Several conclusions can be formulated based on the analysis. Firstly, Kish grid samples (compared to birthday samples) result in signifi cantly higher odds of receiving refusals and signifi cantly lower odds of obtaining cooperation. Secondly, both Kish grid and birthday samples have a similar and signifi cant impact on gender and age imbalance. Finally, birthday procedures give interviewers greater opportunity to infl uence the selection process. The latter means that the use of Kish grid samples is usually associated with a higher quality of the within-household selection, even though in such samples refusal rates are signifi cantly higher and cooperation rates are signifi cantly lower compared to those obtained in birthday samples.
Treatment of primary Sjögren's syndrome with low-dose human interferon alfa administered by the oromucosal route: combined phase III results.

OBJECTIVE This study tested the safety and efficacy of human interferon (IFN) alfa for treatment of salivary hypofunction and dry mouth symptoms in primary Sjögren's syndrome patients. METHODS Combined results are reported from 2 phase III clinical trials in which a total of 497 subjects with primary Sjögren's syndrome received 150 international units of human IFN alfa or matching placebo 3 times per day for 24 weeks by the oromucosal route. RESULTS Subjects given IFN alfa had a significantly (P = 0.01) greater mean increase in unstimulated whole saliva (UWS) flow, compared with subjects given placebo. In IFN alfa patients, increases in UWS correlated positively and significantly with improvements noted in 7 of 8 symptoms associated with oral and ocular dryness. The coprimary endpoints of stimulated whole saliva flow and oral dryness were not significantly improved in the IFN alfa group relative to placebo. No significant differences were found between the groups with respect to overall adverse event incidence or severity. CONCLUSION IFN alfa given at low dosage by the oromucosal route can significantly increase UWS flow in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome, without causing significant adverse events.
Functional implications for Kir4.1 channels in glial biology: from K+ buffering to cell differentiation

Astrocytes and oligodendrocytes are characterized by a very negative resting potential and a high resting permeability for K+ ions. Early pharmacological and biophysical studies suggested that the resting potential is established by the activity of inwardly rectifying, Ba2+ sensitive, weakly rectifying Kir channels. Molecular cloning has identified 16 Kir channels genes of which several mRNA transcripts and protein products have been identified in glial cells. However, genetic deletion and siRNA knock‐down studies suggest that the resting conductance of astrocytes and oligodendrocytes is largely due to Kir4.1. Loss of Kir4.1 causes membrane depolarization, and a break‐down of K+ and glutamate homeostasis which results in seizures and wide‐spread white matter pathology. Kir channels have also been shown to act as critical regulators of cell division whereby Kir function is correlated with an exit from the cell cycle. Conversely, loss of functional Kir channels is associated with re‐entry of cells into the cell cycle and gliosis. A loss of functional Kir channels has been shown in a number of neurological diseases including temporal lobe epilepsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, retinal degeneration and malignant gliomas. In the latter, expression of Kir4.1 is sufficient to arrest the aberrant growth of these glial derived tumor cells. Kir4.1 therefore represents a potential therapeutic target in a wide variety of neurological conditions.