Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Experimental pain augments experimental dyspnea, but not vice versa in human volunteers.

BACKGROUND Pain and dyspnea frequently coexist in many clinical situations. However, whether the two different symptoms interact with each other has not been elucidated. To elucidate the interaction between pain and dyspneic sensations, the authors investigated separately the effects of pain on dyspnea and the effects of dyspnea on pain in 15 healthy subjects. METHODS Subjects were asked to rate their sensation of pain or dyspnea using a visual analog scale (VAS) during pain stimulation produced by tourniquet inflation (inflation cuff pressure: 350 mmHg) around the calf, and/or the respiratory loading consisted of a combination of resistive load (77 cm H2O x l(-1) x s(-1)) and hypercapnia induced by extra mechanical dead space (255 ml). In addition to changes in VAS scores, changes in ventilatory airflow and airway pressure were continuously measured. RESULTS Pain stimulation and loaded breathing increased VAS scores, ventilation, and occlusion pressure (P0.1). The addition of a pain stimulus during loaded breathing increased the dyspneic VAS score (median 56 [interquartile range 50-62] vs. 64 [55-77]: before vs. after addition of pain stimulus, P < 0.05) with concomitant increases in minute ventilation (10.8 [10.1-13.3] vs. 12.4 [11.0-14.8] l/min, P < 0.05) and P0.1 (5.5 [4.9-7.2] vs. 6.8 [5.8-9.0] cm H2O, P < 0.05). The addition of respiratory loading during pain stimulation did not cause a significant change in pain VAS score (40 [33-55] vs. 31 [30-44]: before vs. after addition of respiratory loading), although both additional burdens increased further minute ventilation (10.0 [8.8-10.9] vs. 12.0 [10.6-13.2] l/min, P < 0.05) and P0.1 (2.5 [2.0-3.0] vs. 6.2 [4.9-7.0] cm H2O, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The authors' findings suggest that pain intensifies the dyspneic sensation, presumably by increasing the respiratory drive, whereas dyspnea may not intensify the pain sensation.
Diffusion Tensor Imaging in Movement Disorders: Review of Major Patterns and Correlation with Normal Brainstem/cerebellar White Matter

The authors reviewed the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and tractography (DTT) of the normal brainstem and cerebellar white matter in normal volunteers, correlating it with structural magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and DTI data obtained in patients evaluated in our institution with movement disorders, including multisystem atrophy (MSA), spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA), progressive supra-nuclear palsy (PSP) and idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD). DTI and tractography data demonstrated major white-matter fibers within the brain stem and cerebellum, including cortico-spinal tracts, transverse pontine fibers, medial lemniscus and cerebellar peduncles. Visualization of selective degeneration of these individual fibre tracts with DTI, in our cases, added qualitative data to the differential diagnosis of movement disorders.
Feature Detection and Description using a Harris-Hessian/FREAK Combination on an Embedded GPU

GPUs in embedded platforms are reaching performance levels comparable to desktop hardware, thus it becomes interesting to apply Computer Vision techniques. We propose, implement, and evaluate a novel feature detector and descriptor combination, i.e., we combine the Harris-Hessian detector with the FREAK binary descriptor. The implementation is done in OpenCL, and we evaluate the execution time and classification performance. We compare our approach with two other methods, FAST/BRISK and ORB. Performance data is presented for the mobile device Xperia Z3 and the desktop Nvidia GTX 660. Our results indicate that the execution times on the Xperia Z3 are insufficient for real-time applications while desktop execution shows future potential. Classification performance of Harris-Hessian/FREAK indicates that the solution is sensitive to rotation, but superior in scale variant images.
Small heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) associates with tubulin/microtubules in HeLa cells.

One of the monoclonal antibodies raised against mitotic HeLa cells (termed as mH3) recognized a 27-kDa protein and stained microtubules in the mitotic spindles of HeLa cells. Immunoscreening of a HeLa cDNA library revealed that mH3 antigen is a small heat shock protein, HSP27. Immunoprecipitation analysis using mH3 suggested that both alpha- and beta-tubulin are associated with HSP27. Further, sucrose-cushioned ultra centrifugation revealed that HSP27 is co-sedimented with taxol-stabilized microtubules. These results indicate that HSP27 associates with tubulin/microtubules in HeLa cells.
OPTIMIZATION OF CORNSTARCH/XANTHAN GUM CONTENT FOR THICKENING OF COCOA SYRUPS

Blended cornstarch–xanthan gum systems were optimized for thickening of cocoa syrups. For this purpose the sensory (whole and partial), textural (force of penetration, adhesiveness and stringiness) and rheological properties (flow curves as well as viscosity/time and viscosity/temperature relationships) of cocoa syrups were studied. Flow curves were described by rheological model of Casson, which accounted syrups under study for non-Newtonian, pseudoplastic and thixotropic fluids. Also models of Weltman and Arrhenius were applied for comparison of obtained data. The areas of thixotropy hysteresis loops were also calculated. Obtained data (sensory, textural and rheological) were used as a base for mathematical calculations. The results were presented in the tables to enable their easier understanding. As a result, optimization of thickeners was achieved – the best ranges of cornstarch (0.45–0.49%) as well as xanthan gum (0.15–0.17%) concentrations in cocoa syrups were selected. PRACTICAL APPLICATION The result of this study could be used as a guide for thickening of cocoa syrups by the application of cornstarch–xanthan gum combination, chemically nonmodified thickeners. Mathematical method tried in this study for optimization of thickeners addition could be useful for optimization of the other thickeners and additives employed for different sauces, syrups, dressings, ketchups, mayonnaises, etc.
Murderers' and sexual offenders' experiences of police interviews and their inclination to admit or deny crimes.

This research concerns murderers' and sexual offenders' experiences of Swedish police interviews and their attitudes towards allegations of these serious crimes. The explorative study is based on a questionnaire answered by 83 men convicted of murder or sexual offences. Results show that when police officers interview murderers and sexual offenders, the individuals perceive attitudes that are characterized by either dominance or humanity. Logistic regression shows that police interviews marked by dominance are mainly associated with a higher proportion of denials, whereas an approach marked by humanity is associated with admissions. When suspects feel that they are respected and acknowledged, they probably gain more confidence and mental space, allowing them to admit criminal behaviour.
Spin-Transfer Induced Dynamic Modes in Single-Crystalline Fe–Ag–Fe Nanopillars

We present measurements and simulations of spin-transfer torque (STT) induced magnetization dynamics in nanopillars containing a thin, circular, single-crystalline Fe nanomagnet with four-fold in-plane magnetocrystalline anisotropy as a free layer. The magnetocrystalline anisotropy inherent to bcc-Fe allows for a consecutive switching of the magnetization by 90deg between parallel and antiparallel alignment to the fixed layer magnetization. Additionally, the anisotropy gives rise to steady-state precession of the magnetization at low or even zero applied magnetic field as well as at large fields exceeding the coercive field. While the low-field mode is governed by the interplay between the STT and the anisotropy, the high-field dynamics result from the STT acting against the externally applied magnetic field.
A Vaccination Control Law based on Feedback Linearization Techniques for SEIR Epidemic Models

This paper presents a vaccination strategy for fighting against the propagation of epidemic diseases. The disease propagation is described by a SEIR (susceptible plus infected plus infectious plus removed by immunity populations) epidemic model. The model takes into account the total population amounts as a refrain for the illness transmission since its increase makes more difficult contacts among susceptible and infected. The vaccination strategy is based on a continuous-time nonlinear control law synthesized via an exact feedback input-output linearization approach. The control objective is to asymptotically eradicate the infection. Moreover, the positivity and stability properties of the controlled system are investigated.
An Illumination Invariant Image Descriptor for Color Image Matching

Color image descriptors have been used extensively and successfully in many computer vision applications. However, object colors are sensitive to illumination changes which in turns will affect the performance of object recognition if the image descriptors used are not robust to these changes. To increase photometric invariance and discriminative power, this study proposes an image descriptor for color image matching that is invariant to different illumination conditions. Experimental results show superior performance of the proposed image descriptor over existing descriptors on image matching under changing illumination conditions.
Hormonal and metabolic effects and pharmacokinetics of recombinant insulin-like growth factor-I in growth hormone receptor deficiency/Laron syndrome.

Profound growth failure despite elevated GH levels in GH receptor deficiency (GHRD) results from reduced insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) synthesis. Recent reports of improved growth velocity in children with GHRD during IGF-I therapy indicate growth-promoting potential in humans. We evaluated the pharmacokinetics and metabolic/hormonal effects of recombinant human IGF-I (40 micrograms/kg every 12 h) given sc for 7 days to six adults with GHRD. Hypoglycemia (< 2.5 mmol/L) did not occur, and mean 2 h postprandial insulin levels were reduced. Urinary calcium increased 2-fold (P < 0.01), and serum calcium was unchanged. The mean integrated 24-h GH level was suppressed (6.5 +/- 2.1 to 1 +/- 0.2 micrograms/L), as were the number of peaks, area under the curve, and clonidine-stimulated GH release (all P < 0.05). The mean pretreatment IGF-I level (36 +/- 2 micrograms/L) was 19% of the Ecuadorian control value (190 +/- 15 micrograms/L), it achieved a peak (253 +/- 11 micrograms/L) between 2-6 h after IGF-I injection, and at 12 h it was 137 +/- 8 micrograms/L. There were no significant changes in the half-life (8.2 +/- 1.5 to 9.7 +/- 1.9 h) or metabolic clearance (0.35 +/- 0.1 to 0.24 +/- 0.05 mL/kg.min) between days 1 and 7; however, distribution volume increased (183 +/- 10 to 266 +/- 36 mL/kg; P < 0.03). Baseline IGF-II levels were 47% of the control value and decreased during IGF-I therapy (273 +/- 10 to 178 +/- 9 micrograms/L; P < 0.01), correlating inversely with IGF-I levels (r = -0.3; P < 0.001). Although IGF-binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3) levels were not significantly influenced, baseline IGFBP-2 levels (153% of the control) increased 45% (P < 0.01). We conclude that IGF-I (40 micrograms/kg every 12 h) given sc to adults with GHRD is safe; achieves normal levels of IGF-I; reduces insulin, IGF-II, and GH levels; and increases IGFBP-2 concentrations and urinary excretion of calcium.
Turismo acessível: estudo da legislação brasileira e internacional sobre os direitos de pessoas com deficiência

Este artigo analisa a legislação brasileira em paralelo com a internacional no que se refere aos direitos das pessoas com deficiência, tendo como pano de fundo a realização de um turismo acessível. Assim, além do Brasil, foi feito levantamento de cunho documental na Austrália, Canadá, EUA e União Europeia, de modo a realizar uma análise comparativa das leis nesses países/continentes. Além da pesquisa documental, o estudo embasou-se em pesquisa bibliográfica, tendo como foco o turismo responsável e acessível. Os dados levantados mostram que o Brasil evoluiu em suas leis voltadas para atender pessoas com deficiência. Constatou-se que, além da própria Constituição de 1988, há a Lei nº 7.853 de 1989, exclusiva a essas pessoas, e o Estatuto da Pessoa com Deficiência, de 2015. Conclui-se, portanto, que a legislação do Brasil apresentou grande progresso, ao longo dos anos, nos direitos das pessoas com deficiência, conquistando posição privilegiada se comparada aos demais países/continentes. Entretanto, constatou-se também que EUA, Austrália, União Europeia e Canadá têm mobilizado a inclusão dessas pessoas no turismo por outros meios que vão além das leis, o que tem possibilitado uma inclusão de fato.Palavras-chave: Legislação. Pessoas com deficiência. Inclusão. Turismo acessível. Link: http://revista.ibict. br/inclusao/article/view/4037/3375
Prevalence estimates of overweight and obesity in Cree preschool children in northern Quebec according to international and US reference criteria.

OBJECTIVES We estimated the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Cree Canadian children aged 5 years (n=1044) using international and US growth references and examined the longitudinal tracking of weight categories between ages 2 and 5 years (n=562). METHODS Weight categories based on body mass index (calculated from measured heights and weights) were derived from the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) references. RESULTS According to the IOTF reference, 52.9% of children were overweight (31.6%) or obese (21.3%) whereas with the CDC reference, 64.9% were overweight (27.5%) or obese (37.4%). The IOTF and CDC references provided dissimilar tracking of weight categories. Based on the IOTF reference, 4.9% of the children who were normal weight at age 2 years were obese at age 5 years. Based on the CDC reference, 14.9% of children categorized as normal weight at age 2 years were obese at age 5 years. CONCLUSIONS The IOTF reference provided more conservative estimates of obesity than the CDC reference, and longitudinal analyses showed dissimilar tracking of weight categories with the 2 references. Public health responses to obesity prevalence estimates should be made with awareness of methodological limitations.
Mécanisme de tolérance à la sécheresse du niébé pendant la phase végétative

Objectif : Au Niger, le niebe joue un role socio-economique important en raison de sa richesse en proteines et des revenus qu’il genere aux producteurs. Ce present travail vise a etudier l’effet d’un stress de deficit hydrique au stade vegetatif de cinq varietes de niebe. Methodologie et resultats : L’experimentation a ete menee dans des pots de 16 litres troues a la base pour permettre un bon drainage de l’eau. Les pots ont ete soumis a deux regimes hydriques : suspension de l’arrosage durant 13 jours au stade de 23 jours apres semis et le temoin avec arrosage normal des plants. A la fin de l’application du stress, plusieurs parametres morpho-physiologiques ont ete evalues tels que la teneur en eau et le taux de chlorophylle des feuilles, la surface foliaire, la biomasse racinaire et le rapport biomasse racinaire sur biomasse aerienne. Apres imposition du stress hydrique, un mecanisme majeur de tolerance a ete observe chez les genotypes tolerants ISV128, IT93K-503-1, Suvita2 et IT96D-610. En effet, ces genotypes ont tendance a maintenir une teneur en eau des feuilles plus elevee (superieure a 60%) en condition de deficit hydrique par rapport au genotype sensible Tiligre qui a une teneur inferieure a 50%. Les autres parametres (taux de chlorophylle, surface foliaire et biomasse racinaire) n’ont pas permis de discriminer les genotypes tolerants des sensibles. Conclusion et application des resultats : A la lumiere de nos resultats, les genotypes qui sont capables de maintenir leur teneur en eau elevee en condition de deficit hydrique peuvent etre proposes au Niger. Il s’agit de : ISV128, IT93K-503-1, Suvita2 et IT96D-610. Le choix de ces genotypes devrait permettre d’augmenter la production du niebe et lutter contre l’insecurite alimentaire. Mots cles : Niebe, mecanisme, deficit hydrique, stade vegetatif, Niger
Self-Concept and Self-Efficacy: A Test of the Internal/External Frame of Reference Model and Predictions of Subsequent Motivation and Achievement

We examined how final grades in mathematics and verbal arts in the first year of high school (Grade 11) were predicted in a Norwegian population by sex, previous grades in middle school (Grade 10), self-concept, self-efficacy at a domain-specific level, and intrinsic motivation. Direct and indirect relations were examined by means of a series of regression analyses. Participants were 483 students from six Norwegian high schools. End of term grades in high school correlated positively with grades in middle school in both mathematics (r = .62) and verbal arts (r = .55). The relation between grades at the two points of time was to a large extent mediated through mathematics, verbal self-concept, and self-efficacy. Intrinsic motivation also correlated positively with subsequent achievement (r = .63 and .42 in mathematics and verbal arts, respectively). However, intrinsic motivation had little predictive value for subsequent grades over and above the prediction made by self-concept and self-efficacy. Thus, self-concept and self-efficacy were the strongest predictors of subsequent grades. Predictions from the Internal/External frame of reference model were supported for self-concept but not for domain-specific self-efficacy.
Antibiotic strategies in severe nosocomial sepsis: Why do we not de-escalate more often?*

Objectives: To assess the use of antibiotic de-escalation in patients with hospital-acquired severe sepsis in an academic setting. Design: We reviewed all episodes of severe sepsis treated over a 1-yr period in the department of intensive care. Antimicrobial therapy was considered as appropriate when the antimicrobial had in vitro activity against the causative microorganisms. According to the therapeutic strategy in the 5 days after the start of antimicrobial therapy, we classified patients into four groups: de-escalation (interruption of an antimicrobial agent or change of antibiotic to one with a narrower spectrum); no change in antibiotherapy; escalation (addition of a new antimicrobial agent or change in antibiotic to one with a broader spectrum); and mixed changes. Setting: A 35-bed medico-surgical intensive care department in which antibiotic strategies are reviewed by infectious disease specialists three times per week. Patients: One hundred sixty-nine patients with 216 episodes of severe sepsis attributable to a hospital-acquired infection who required broad-spectrum &bgr;-lactam antibiotics alone or in association with other anti-infectious agents. Measurements and Main Results: The major sources of infection were the lungs (44%) and abdomen (38%). Microbiological data were available in 167 of the 216 episodes (77%). Initial antimicrobial therapy was inappropriate in 27 episodes (16% of culture-positive episodes). De-escalation was applied in 93 episodes (43%), escalation was applied in 22 episodes (10%), mixed changes were applied in 24 (11%) episodes, and there was no change in empirical antibiotic therapy in 77 (36%) episodes. In these 77 episodes, the reasons given for maintaining the initial antimicrobial therapy included the sensitivity pattern of the causative organisms and previous antibiotic therapy. The number of episodes when the chance to de-escalate may have been missed was small (4 episodes [5%]). Conclusion: Even in a highly focused environment with close collaboration among intensivists and infectious disease specialists, de-escalation may actually be possible in <50% of cases.
Genital condylomata in a patient receiving infliximab for Crohn’s disease

Infliximab is a monoclonal antibody against tumour necrosis factor-alpha. Recent studies have shown that it is effective in treating patients with refractory Crohn’s disease and in those with Crohn’s fistulae. Though this drug is found to be safe in clinical trials, sporadic reports of serious complications have been recorded in the literature. The case of a patient who developed profuse genital warts after infliximab treatment is reported. The literature is reviewed and information is presented on side effects and complications as a result of infliximab therapy.
Laterally propagating slow slip events in a rate and state friction model with a velocity‐weakening to velocity‐strengthening transition

We investigate the behavior of simulated slow slip events using a rate and state friction model that is steady state velocity weakening at low slip speeds but velocity strengthening at high slip speeds. Our simulations are on a one‐dimensional (line) fault, but we modify the elastic interactions to mimic the elongate geometry frequently observed in slow slip events. Simulations exhibit a number of small events as well as periodic large events. The large events propagate approximately steadily “along strike,” and stress and slip rate decay gradually behind the propagating front. Their recurrence intervals can be determined by considering what is essentially an energy balance requirement for long‐distance propagation. It is possible to choose the model parameters such that the simulated events have the stress drops, slip velocities, and propagation rates observed in Cascadia.
Cloning, nucleotide sequencing, and expression of tetanus toxin fragment C in Escherichia coli

The amino acid sequence of the first 30 residues of fragment C of tetanus toxin was determined, and a mixture of 32 complementary oligonucleotides, each 17 bases long, was synthesized. A 2-kilobase (kb) EcoI fragment of Clostridium tetani DNA was identified by Southern blotting and was cloned into the Escherichia coli plasmid vector pAT153 with the 32P-labeled oligonucleotide mixture as a probe. A second 3.2-kb Bg/II fragment was identified and cloned with the 2-kb EcoRI fragment as a probe. The nucleotide sequence of 1.8 kb of this DNA was determined and was shown to encode the entire fragment C and a portion of fragment B of tetanus toxin. The tetanus DNA was expressed in E. coli with pWRL507, a plasmid vector containing the trp promoter and a portion of the trpE gene. The trpE-tetanus fusion proteins were visualized by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and were shown to react with anti-fragment C antibody.
A Global Climatology of Extratropical Transition

The authors diagnose tropical cyclones that undergo extratropical transition (ET) in the cyclone phase space (CPS) on a global basis. Best-track data from 1979-2015 are used to define the tracks of the storms, and geopotential height fields from reanalysis datasets are used to locate each storm in the CPS. Two reanalyses are employed and compared for this purpose, the Japanese 55-year Reanalysis (JRA-55) and the ECMWF Interim Reanalysis (ERA-Interim). The results are used to study the seasonal and geographical distributions of storms undergoing ET, inter-basin differences in the statistics of ET occurrence, and the differences between the ETs defined by CPS and those defined by the ‘extratropical’ labels (determined subjectively by human forecasters) in the best-track archives. About 50% of all storms in the North Atlantic and the Western North Pacific undergo ET. In the southern hemisphere, ET fractions range from about 20% in the South Indian Ocean and the Australian region to 40% in the South Pacific. The North Atlantic and Western North Pacific exhibit somewhat different seasonal cycles, with the probability of ET maximizing later in the North Atlantic, but having a local minimum in the earlier part of the peak season in both basins. The classification of ET storms based on JRA-55 agrees better with the best-track data than does the ERA-Interim classification. In the North Atlantic and the Western North Pacific, the differences are small and both reanalyses achieve F1 performance scores of at least 0.8, but JRA-55 has a higher classification skill in all other basins. 17