Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The health of older Mexican Americans in the long run.

OBJECTIVES We compared risk for several medical illnesses between immigrant and US-born older Mexican Americans to determine the relationship between functional health and years of US residency among immigrants. METHODS Cross-sectional, multistage probability sample data for 3050 Mexican Americans aged 65 years or older from 5 US southwestern states were analyzed. Self-rated health, medical illnesses, and functional measures were examined in multivariate regression models that included nativity and years of US residency as key predictors. RESULTS Self-rated health and medical illnesses of immigrant and US-born groups did not differ significantly. Immigrants with longer US residency had significantly higher cognitive functioning scores and fewer problems with functional activities after adjustment for predisposing and medical need factors. CONCLUSIONS Among older Mexican Americans, immigrant health advantages over their US-born counterparts were not apparent. Immigrants had better health functioning with longer US residency that may derive from greater socioeconomic resources. Our findings suggest that the negative acculturation-health relationship found among younger immigrant adults may become a positive relationship in later life.
Investigation of Ce:YAG Doping Effect on Thermal Aging for High-Power Phosphor-Converted White-Light-Emitting Diodes

In this paper, high-power phosphor-converted white-light-emitting diodes (PC-LEDs) with selected concentration and thickness of cerium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet (Ce:YAG) phosphor-doped silicones are investigated to study the thermal-degradation effect of the Ce:YAG phosphor-silicone layer. The experimental results showed that the lumen loss, chromaticity (CIE shift), and spectrum intensity reduction increase as the concentration of Ce:YAG phosphor-doped silicone increases. Although silicone degradation attributed to the final thermal degradation, it is not a dominant factor until a much thicker silicone is employed in PC-LEDs. The major degradation mechanism of the PC-LEDs results from the higher doping concentration of Ce:YAG in silicone. We found that 94% lumen loss was attributed to 5.5 wt% Ce:YAG doping and only 6% of the lumen loss was due to a 1-mm thickness of silicone degradation. However, the negligible differences of measured fluorescent lifetimes among the test samples before and after thermal aging (at 150 degC for 500 h) eliminated any significant nonradioactive quenching processes that existed in the aged samples. The emission spectra indicate that a higher doping concentration in silicone causes a higher degree of loss at the emission wavelength of Ce:YAG. Therefore, minimizing any unwanted interactions, such as refractive index and thermal-expansion mismatches, between the phosphor and the silicone during thermal aging is a new direction of addressing thermal reliability for high-power PC-LEDs. From practical points of view, we found that a lower doping concentration of the Ce:YAG phosphor in thin silicone is a better choice in terms of having less thermal degradation for use in packaging of the high-power PC-LEDs modules and is essential to extend the operating lifetime of the phosphor-based white LED modules.
Magnetic knots as the origin of spikes in the gravitational wave backgrounds

The dynamical symmetries of hot and electrically neutral plasmas in a highly conducting medium suggest that, after the epoch of the electron-positron annihilation, magnetohydrodynamical configurations carrying a net magnetic helicity can be present. The simultaneous conservation of the magnetic flux and helicity implies that the (divergence free) field lines will possess inhomogeneous knot structures acting as source seeds in the evolution equations of the scalar, vector and tensor fluctuations of the background geometry. We give explicit examples of magnetic knot configurations with finite energy and we compute the induced metric fluctuations. Since magnetic knots are (conformally) coupled to gravity via the vertex dictated by the equivalence principle, they can imprint spikes in the gravitational wave spectrum for frequencies compatible with the typical scale of the knot corresponding, in our examples, to a present frequency range of $10^{-11}$--$10^{-12}$ Hertz. At lower frequencies the spectrum is power-suppressed and well below the COBE limit. For smaller length scales (i.e. for larger frequencies) the spectrum is exponentially suppressed and then irrelevant for the pulsar bounds. Depending upon the number of knots of the configuration, the typical amplitude of the gravitational wave logarithmic energy spectrum (in critical units) can be even four orders of magnitude larger than the usual flat (inflationary) energy spectrum generated thanks to the parametric amplification of the vacuum fluctuations.
Representation of letter position in single-word reading: Evidence from acquired dyslexia

Visual word recognition requires information about the positions as well as the identities of the letters in a word. This study addresses representation of letter position at prelexical levels of the word recognition process. We present evidence from an acquired dyslexic patient, L.H. D. , who perseverates letters in single-word reading tasks: Far more often than expected by chance, L.H. D. 's reading responses include letters from preceding responses (e.g., SAILOR read as SAILOG immediately after FLAG was read correctly). Analyses carried out over two large data sets compared the positions of perseverated letters (e.g., the G in SAILOG) with the positions of the corresponding “source” letters (e.g., the G in FLAG). The analyses assessed the extent to which the perseverations preserved source position as defined by various theories of letter position representation. The results provided strong evidence for graded both-edges position representations, in which the position of each letter is encoded coarsely relative to both the beginning and the end of the word. Alternative position representation schemes, including letter-context and orthosyllabic schemes, were not supported.
Questions and answers on the use of dabigatran and perpectives on the use of other new oral anticoagulants in patients with atrial fibrillation

Vittorio Pengo1; Luciano Crippa2; Anna Falanga3; Guido Finazzi4; Francesco Marongiu5; Gualtiero Palareti6; Daniela Poli7; Sophie Testa8; Eros Tiraferri9; Alberto Tosetto10; Armando Tripodi11; Cesare Manotti12 1Clinical Cardiology, Thrombosis Centre, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; 2Thrombosis Research Unit, IRCCS H S.Raffaele, Milan, Italy; 3Division of Immunohematology and Transfusion Medicine, Ospedali Riuniti, Bergamo, Italy; 4Division of Hematology, Ospedali Riuniti, Bergamo, Italy; 5Department of Medical Sciences, University Hospital, Cagliari, Italy; 6Department of Angiology and Blood Coagulation ′′Marino Golinelli′′, University Hospital, Bologna, Italy; 7Department of Heart and Vessels, Thrombosis Center, Careggi University Hospital, Firenze, Italy; 8Thrombosis Centre, District Hospital, Cremona, Italy; 9Haemostasis and Thrombosis Centre, City Hospital, Rimini, Italy; 10Department of Hematology, San Bortolo Hospital, Vicenza, Italy; 11Angelo Bianchi Bonomi Hemophilia and Thrombosis Center, IRCCS Cà Granda Maggiore Hospital Foundation and Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy; 12 Anticoagulation Service, Fidenza, Italy
The response of mesenteric blood vessels to irradiation.

The response of mouse blood vessels to radiation has been studied by locally irradiating mesenteric vessels, in an exteriorized segment, using a strontium-90 . beta. applicator. Four different assays of damage were made when the animals were sacrificed from 6 weeks to 18 months after irradiaion. In all studies sham-irradiated animals were compared with those receiving 20, 30, and 45, Gy. Vein diameter was studied by direct observation vascular volume and permeability by isotope techniques, and the cellularity of the arterioles from histological sections. Within 3 months changes were seen in all these parameters, with a gradual recovery toward normal by 12 months, and a second phase of damage appearing at 18 months. The time course of changes in vascular permeability appeared to match the loss of endothelial cells lining the arterioles, but there was a significant correlation only at 6 weeks. Fibrosis was not seen before 12 months, but at 18 months the vessel walls were fibrosed, sclerotic, and occasionally the lumen was occluded. At no time was any change in the dependent ileum seen. The blood supply to this tissue was maintained in spite of the severe radiation damage in the vessels.
Low back pain in general practice: reported management and reasons for not adhering to the guidelines in The Netherlands.

BACKGROUND Although guidelines for the management of low back pain have been published in the past decade, there is potential for further improvement in back pain care. AIM To document the management of non-specific low back pain by general practitioners (GPs) in the Netherlands, to determine how this management of care is related to patient and physician factors, and to explore possible reasons for not adhering to the guidelines. METHOD A prospective study was set up in which 57 GPs in 30 general practices completed a computerised questionnaire after each consultation for low back pain during a four-month period. RESULTS Of 1640 back pain contacts, 1180 referred to non-specific low back pain. Diagnostic tests were ordered in 2% of first consultations and in 7% of follow-up consultations within one episode. The advice to stay active despite pain was given in 76% and 69% of these cases respectively. Patients were prescribed an analgesic in 53% and 41% of cases respectively (mainly NSAIDs [80%]). Patients were referred to a physiotherapist in 22% of first and in 50% of follow-up consultations. Older patients were physically examined less often, prescribed analgesics more often, and were told less often that staying active could benefit them. The advice to remain active was omitted more often when symptoms lasted longer. Only a small part of the variance in management was accounted for by patient characteristics or by differences between practices. CONCLUSION The management of low back pain met the guidelines to a large extent. Management decisions were often related to characteristics in which the guidelines lack differentiation. Important reasons for non-adherence were perceived patients' preferences. Further implementation of guidelines will be difficult unless doctors' and patients' views are more explicitly known.
CD44 Regulates Pancreatic Cancer Invasion through MT1-MMP

Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest human malignancies due to its early metastatic spread and resistance to therapy. The mechanisms regulating pancreatic cancer metastasis are so far poorly understood. Here, using both in vitro and in vivo approaches, it is demonstrated that CD44, a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed on a subset of pancreatic cancer cells, is required for the induction of epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the activation of an invasive program in pancreatic cancer. Mechanistically, the transcription factor Snail1 (SNAI1), a regulator of the EMT program, is a downstream target of CD44 in primary pancreatic cancer cells and regulates membrane bound metalloproteinase (MMP14/MT1-MMP) expression. In turn, MT1-MMP expression is required for pancreatic cancer invasion. Thus, these data establish the CD44–Snail–MMP axis as a key regulator of the EMT program and of invasion in pancreatic cancer. Implications: This study sets the stage for CD44 and MT1-MMP as therapeutic targets in pancreatic cancer, for which small molecule or biologic inhibitors are available. Visual Overview: http://mcr.aacrjournals. org/content/early/2014/09/10/1541-7786.MCR-14-0076/F1.large. jpg. Mol Cancer Res; 13(1); 9–15. ©2014 AACR. Visual Overview
Synergistic Effects of Psyllium in the Dietary Treatment of Hypercholesterolemia

We investigated psyllium fiber supplementation as a means of enhancing the cholesterol-lowering effect of the phase I American Heart Association diet. Fifty-nine subjects with total serum cholesterol (TC) levels ranging from 5.56 to 10.24 mmol/L (215 to 396 mg/dL) were given a 2-month dietary lead-in followed by 3 months of diet only (29 subjects) or diet supplemented with 20.4 g of psyllium daily (30 subjects). Unlike women, men had a significant decrease in levels of both TC ( -8.0%) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) ( - 10.1%) during the dietary lead-in. Psyllium supplementation resulted in an additional 5.5% reduction in the TC level as compared to diet alone. Psyllium supplementation combined with dietary lead-in resulted in an overall 17.3% decrease in the TC and a 20.0% decrease in LDL-C for men, with decreases of 7.7% and 11.6%, respectively, for women. Psyllium effectively enhances the cholesterol-lowering effect of the phase I diet
Interactions between B-Lymphocytes and Type 1 NKT Cells in Autoimmune Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is one of the most prevalent autoimmune conditions that develops during childhood and has an increasing incidence worldwide. The disease results from the destruction of pancreatic β cells mediated by autoreactive T-lymphocytes. In order to develop preventive therapies, the cellular mechanisms responsible for the generation and activation of β cell-specific T-lymphocytes need to be characterized. Recent studies in the NOD mouse model of autoimmune diabetes suggest that the MHC Class II presentation of β cell-derived antigens by B-lymphocytes could support the development and activity of autoreactive CD4+ T-lymphocytes in this disease. Interestingly, B-lymphocytes are also the most frequent antigen presenting cells expressing the MHC Class I like molecule, CD1d, the restriction molecule responsible for presentation of lipid and glycolipid antigens to Type 1 NKT cells. Splenic marginal zone B-lymphocytes, which express CD1d at particularly high levels, seem poised to signal to Type 1 NKT cells. In contrast to the disease-promoting role of conventional CD4+ T-lymphocytes, several lines of evidence have shown that Type 1 NKT cells are involved in the prevention of Type 1 Diabetes. This review will analyze current knowledge on the roles of B-lymphocytes and Type 1 NKT cells in the onset of Type 1 Diabetes and explore possible outcomes of their interactions in relation to disease.
An Assessment of Invasion Risk from Assisted Migration

Abstract: To reduce the risk of extinction due to climate change, some ecologists have suggested human‐aided translocation of species, or assisted migration (AM), to areas where climate is projected to become suitable. Such intentional movement, however, may create new invasive species if successful introductions grow out of control and cause ecologic or economic damage. We assessed this risk by surveying invasive species in the United States and categorizing invaders based on origin. Because AM will involve moving species on a regional scale within continents (i.e., range shifts), we used invasive species with an intracontinental origin as a proxy for species that would be moved through AM. We then determined whether intracontinental invasions were more prevalent or harmful than intercontinental invasions. Intracontinental invasions occurred far less frequently than invasions from other continents, but they were just as likely to have had severe effects. Fish and crustaceans pose a particularly high threat of intracontinental invasion. We conclude that the risk of AM to create novel invasive species is small, but assisted species that do become invasive could have large effects. Past experience with species reintroductions may help inform policy regarding AM.
Mediator of DNA Damage Checkpoint Protein 1 Regulates BRCA1 Localization and Phosphorylation in DNA Damage Checkpoint Control*

BRCA1 is a tumor suppressor involved in DNA repair and damage-induced checkpoint controls. In response to DNA damage, BRCA1 relocalizes to nuclear foci at the sites of DNA lesions. However, little is known about the regulation of BRCA1 relocalization following DNA damage. Here we show that mediator ofDNA damage checkpoint protein 1(MDC1), previously named NFBD1 or Kiaa0170, is a proximate mediator of DNA damage responses that regulates BRCA1 function. MDC1 regulates ataxia-telangiectasia-mutated (ATM)-dependent phosphorylation events at the site of DNA damage. Importantly down-regulation of MDC1 abolishes the relocalization and hyperphosphorylation of BRCA1 following DNA damage, which coincides with defective G2/M checkpoint control in response to DNA damage. Taken together these data suggest that MDC1 regulates BRCA1 function in DNA damage checkpoint control.
Selenium as an Essential Micronutrient: Roles in Cell Cycle and Apoptosis

Selenium is an essential trace element for humans and animals, and selenium deficiency is associated with several disease conditions such as immune impairment. In addition, selenium intakes that are greater than the recommended daily allowance (RDA) appear to protect against certain types of cancers. In humans and animals, cell proliferation and death must be regulated to maintain tissue homeostasis, and it has been well documented that numerous human diseases are directly related to the control of cell cycle progression and apoptosis. Thus, the elucidation of the mechanisms by which selenium regulates the cell cycle and apoptosis can lead to a better understanding of the nature of selenium’s essentiality and its role in disease prevention. This article reviews the status of knowledge concerning the effect of selenium on cell cycle and apoptosis.
Weight and Time Recursions in Dynamic State Estimation Problem With Mixed-Norm Cost Function

The mixed-norm cost functions arise in many applied optimization problems. As an important example, we consider the state estimation problem for a linear dynamic system under a nonclassical assumption that some entries of state vector admit jumps in their trajectories. The estimation problem is solved by means of mixed l1/l2-norm approximation. This approach combines the advantages of the well-known quadratic smoothing and the robustness of the least absolute deviations method. For the implementation of the mixed-norm approximation, a dynamic iterative estimation algorithm is proposed. This algorithm is based on weight and time recursions and demonstrates the high efficiency. It well identifies the rare jumps in the state vector and has some advantages over more customary methods in the typical case of a large amount of measurements. Nonoptimality levels for current iterations of the algorithm are constructed. Computation of these levels allows to check the accuracy of iterations.
Significance of Erythrocyte Sodium Flux in the Pathophysiology and Genetic Expression of Hereditary Spherocytosis

Extract: Erythrocyte sodium transport was studied in five families of patients with hereditary spherocytosis (HS). Values for ouabain-insensitive sodium efflux in the group with HS (mean = 19.9% of cellular sodium-22/hr, so = ±2.7) were significantly greater (P < 0.001) than those found in the normal group (mean = 13.8%, SD = ±2.7). No clinical evidence of HS was found in the parents; however, 4 of the 10 parents had ouabain-insensitive erythrocyte sodium-22 cfllux rates in the HS range in comparison to 3 of 30 control subjects, a statistically significant difference (x2 = 4.67; P < 0.05). Speculation: The finding of high erythrocyte, ouabain-insensitive sodium efflux rates in hematologically normal parents of patients with hereditary spheroeytosis (HS) suggests that the shortened erythrocyte life span in patients with HS is unrelated to the increased erythrocyte sodium permeability and that the gene for HS may manifest itself merely as an increase in erythrocyte sodium permeability with no other hematological abnormality.
Clinical diagnosis of ruptures of the anterior cruciate ligament

The relative accuracy of the Lachman test and the anterior drawer sign was compared in 107 knee joints with ruptures of the anterior cruciate ligament. In examining an acutely injured knee in a patient without anesthesia, the Lachman test was superior to the anterior drawer sign, but, in chronic injuries, both the tests had high diagnostic accuracy.
EFFECT OF FLUORIDE ON THYROID FUNCTION AND CEREBELLAR DEVELOPMENT IN MICE

SUMMARY: The effect of fluoride on murine thyroid function and cerebellar development was studied by administering NaF in drinking water (0.5 g/L) to pregnant and lactating mice, from the 15th day of pregnancy to the 14th day after delivery. Compared to a control group, the NaF-treated pups, at age 14 days, showed a 35% decrease in body weight, a 75% decrease in plasma free T4, and reductions in the cerebellar and cerebral protein concentrations by 27% and 17%, respectively. Consistent histological changes were present in the cerebellum of the treated mice with the external granular layer being markedly reduced or absent, the Purkinje cell bodies being poorly differenti- ated and arranged in a single layer at the surface of the internal granular layer, and with more apoptotic Purkinje cells being present.
TREATMENT OF CUSHING'S SYNDROME WITH THE LONG‐ACTING SOMATOSTATIN ANALOGUE SMS 201‐995 (SANDOSTATIN)

Three patients with Cushing's disease and one patient with paraneoplastic hypercortisolism were treated for 24‐49 days with the long‐acting analogue of somatostatin, SMS 201‐995, Sandoz (SMS), administered in increasing doses up to 400‐1200 μg daily. In the three Cushing's patients during SMS treatment plasma ACTH displayed an initial rise and a subsequent decrease. The pattern of urinary free cortisol (UFC) tended to be opposite to that of ACTH. In one of these patients, UFC continued to decrease throughout the treatment, without becoming normal. In the patient with paraneoplastic hypercortisolism, SMS was associated with a progressive decrease, though not the normalization, of UFC and of ACTH and cortisol levels. The reciprocal changes of the ACTH and UFC levels observed in the three Cushing's patients receiving SMS suggest that the peptide may act temporarily by inhibiting glucocorticoid secretion. In view of the marked reduction of UFC recorded in 1 of the 3 Cushing's patients and in the patient with paraneoplastic Cushing's syndrome, administration of SMS seems worth trying in cases of ACTH‐dependent hypercortisolism requiring medical treatment.
Standardized biomechanical measurement for varus‐valgus stiffness and rotation in normal knees

Seventeen female and 24 male subjects had varus and valgus and apparent rotations measured using a standardized mechanical testing device that cyclically applied a 20‐Nm moment in each direction. Five parameters‐apparent varus rotation, apparent valgus rotation, apparent overall rotation, varus stiffness, and valgus stiffness showed intersubject variations approaching 40%. Right‐left variations in the same subject averaged 12%, with no significant right‐left differences overall. Female knees rotated 66% more than male knees and were 35% less stiff. The ratio of apparent valgus rotation to apparent varus rotation averaged 0.775, and the ratio of valgus stiffness to varus stiffness averaged 1.23 for all knees. Stiffness and rotation parameters were highly correlated for both genders in the valgus phase of testing. Results suggest that although magnitudes of measured parameters vary considerably from subject, common relationships between parameters from the same normal knee exist.