Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes in Cerebral Blood Flow in Patients with Familial Mediterranean Fever.

INTRODUCTION It is known that there is a relationship between systemic inflammation and atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is one of the best-known causes of cerebrovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to assess cerebral blood flow velocity using transcranial Doppler (TCD) ultrasonography in patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). METHODS A total of 30 patients aged from 20 to 50 years with FMF were enrolled in the FMF group consecutively. The control group (non-FMF group) consisted of 30 age- and sex-matched randomly selected patients without FMF who had other diagnoses such as fibromyalgia and did not have risk factors for atherosclerosis. Bilateral peak-systolic, end-diastolic, and mean blood flow velocities in the middle cerebral artery (MCA), values of Gosling's pulsatility index, and values of Pourcelot's resistance index were recorded using TCD ultrasonography by a neurosonologist blinded to the FMF and control groups. RESULTS There were 30 participants in the FMF group in remission (male/female: 4/26, mean age: 34.7±5.9 years) and 30 participants in the control group (male/female: 4/26, mean age: 32.3±4.7 years). C-reactive protein levels and bilateral blood flow velocities in the MCA were significantly higher in the FMF group than in the control group. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that persistent clinical and subclinical inflammation in patients with FMF causes an increase in cerebral blood flow velocities. Our findings provide an insight into this association between FMF and cerebrovascular diseases.
Translation invariance and sampling theorem of wavelet

The sampling theorem for wavelet spaces built by Walter (1992) lacks the translation invariance except for Walter's weak translation invariant wavelet, i.e., Meyer's wavelet. Indeed, we must know a priori the shift offset a in the samples {f(n+a);n/spl isin/Z}; otherwise, the waveform cannot be recovered since the interpolation function is dependent on this offset. In this correspondence, we generalize our metric functional to metrize weak shiftability and find a somewhat surprising result that the B spline wavelets of order n/spl ges/3 are degenerate shiftable. Thus, we can recover approximately the waveform by double sampling without any information on shift offset a.
Diarrheal diseases, nutritional status and health care: analysis of their interrelationships.

The relationship between diarrheal disease, nutritional status, and health care was studied prospectively in Guatemalan Indian children 0-24 months of age. Subjects were drawn from the Patulul Project, a nutrition intervention study conducted by the Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama. The total population includes 7000 Indians who live on 12 coffee plantations in Guatemala. Data were collected from October 1977 to September 1978 and analyzed by quarter: October-December (dry season), April-June (rainy season), and January-March and July-September (transitional). Most diarrhea was found to occur during the rainy season, yet visits to a simplified health care clinic set up as part of the Patulul Project steadily declined from October to September. The conditional probability of visiting the clinic was calculated at less than 50% for children with either simple diarrhea or diarrhea with blood and mucus. Although there were no sex differences in the rate of diarrhea, boys with gastrointestinal disorders were more likely to be taken to the clinic than girls. When children were grouped by nutritional status (weight-for-age, length-for-age, weight-for-length), the cumulative incidence of and percent time ill with diarrhea with blood and mucus were consistently higher in malnourished children. The magnitude of the differences between nutritional groups was highest during the rainy season. The effects of diarrhea episodes and visits to the clinic on weight-for-age changes were also examined. Children with initially low weight-for-age (or=75%) and with diarrhea during the trimester gained significantly less weight-for-age during that period than children without diarrhea. In addition, children with diarrhea who visited the health clinic gained more weight-for-age than those with diarrhea who did not receive care. Diarrhea and health service utilization had less of an effect on well-nourished children. These results support the hypothesis that the negative nutritional consequences of diarrhea are more significant among malnourished children and demonstrate the positive effect of a simplified health care program on the nutritional status of children suffering from gastrointestinal disorders.
A review of cohesive zone modelling as an approach for numerically assessing hydrogen embrittlement of steel structures

Simulation of hydrogen embrittlement (HE) requires a coupled approach; on one side, the models describing hydrogen transport must account for local mechanical fields, while, on the other side, the effect of hydrogen on the accelerated material damage must be implemented into the model describing crack initiation and growth. This study presents a review of coupled diffusion and cohesive zone modelling as a method for numerically assessing HE of a steel structure. While the model is able to reproduce single experimental results by appropriate fitting of the cohesive parameters, there appears to be limitations in transferring these results to other hydrogen systems. Agreement may be improved by appropriately identifying the required input parameters for the particular system under study. This article is part of the themed issue ‘The challenges of hydrogen and metals’.
Visualizing Critical Correlations Near the Metal-Insulator Transition in Ga1-xMnxAs

Metal-Insulator Transition At near-zero temperatures, some materials undergo a metal-insulator transition and their electronic properties change from conducting to insulating. In the dilute magnetic semiconductor Ga1−xMnxAs, a promising spintronics material, the metal-insulator transition is driven by the substitution of Ga atoms with Mn. While disorder clearly plays a key role in this transition, the influence of electron-electron correlations has been far from clear. Richardella et al. (p. 665; see the Perspective by Fiete and de Lozanne) used scanning tunneling microscopy to study the electronic states of this system. The autocorrelation function of the local density of states exhibited a power law (rather than an exponential) decay at Fermi energy. Thus, electron-electron interactions are indeed crucial for understanding dilute magnetic semiconductors. Scanning tunneling microscopy reveals the import role of electron-electron interactions in a dilute magnetic semiconductor. Electronic states in disordered conductors on the verge of localization are predicted to exhibit critical spatial characteristics indicative of the proximity to a metal-insulator phase transition. We used scanning tunneling microscopy to visualize electronic states in Ga1-xMnxAs samples close to this transition. Our measurements show that doping-induced disorder produces strong spatial variations in the local tunneling conductance across a wide range of energies. Near the Fermi energy, where spectroscopic signatures of electron-electron interaction are the most prominent, the electronic states exhibit a diverging spatial correlation length. Power-law decay of the spatial correlations is accompanied by log-normal distributions of the local density of states and multifractal spatial characteristics.
Meta-Analysis of Serum Gastrin-Releasing Peptide Precursor as a Biomarker for Diagnosis of Small Cell Lung Cancer

Background: The serum level of gastrin-releasing peptide precursor (proGRP) is generally? elevated in patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC). However, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of serum proGRP in SCLC cases remains controversial. The study aimed to assess the diagnostic value of this biomarker by meta-analysis. Materials and Methods: The Cochrane, Clinical trials, Pubmed, Web of Science and Embase databases were searched and diagnostic values were calculated or extracted. Statistical analysis was accomplished with RevMan 5.3 and STATA 12.0 software. Results: A total of 27 studies with 7268 participants were included. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR and DOR were 0.754 (95% CI: 0.700-0.802), 0.945 (95% CI: 0.916-0.965), 13.804 (95% CI: 9.096-20.948), 0.260 (95% CI: 0.213-0.317) and 53.101 (95% CI: 34.327-82.145) respectively. The AUC was 0.910 (95% CI: 0.880-0.930). Significant publication bias was not found (P =0.622). Conclusions: The meta-analysis indicated that serum proGRP is indeed a useful biomarker with goodsensitivity and high specificity for diagnosis of SCLC. Therefore proGRP can be expected to be widely applied in the clinic for identification of lung cancer patients.
Characterization of the natural killer cell activity in Hashimoto's and Graves' diseases

Natural killer (NK) cell activity and blood mononuclear cell subpopulations were characterized in patients with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (n= 11), Graves' disease (n= 20), non‐toxic goitre (n= 10) and in normal controls (n= 22). NK cell activity against K 562 target cells and the capability of IFN‐α, Il‐2, and indomethacin to enhance NK cell activity in vitro did not differ significantly between the groups. The percentages of large granular lymphocytes, CD5 +, CD4 +, CD8 + and CD16 + cells were normal in patients with non‐toxic goitre, Hashimoto's and Graves' diseases. There was no correlation between NK cell activities and TgAb, MAb and TSAb. Although NK cell activity is suppressed in several autoimmune diseases, NK cell function is normal in patients with autoimmune thyroid disorders.
Regionalökonomische Effekte des Tourismus in deutschen Nationalparken

Nationalparke vorfolgen in erster Linie Naturschutzziele. Traditionell spielen sie daruber hinaus eine Rolle als Destinationen des Naturtourismus. Vom Tourismus gehen vielfaltige Wirkungen aus, welche sich im okonomische Bereich zumindest in Teilen eindeutig monetar quantifizieren lassen. Der vorliegende Band versucht daher zunachst anhand von funf Fallbeispielen, den Stellenwert des Tourismus in Nationalparken Deutschlands fur die jeweilige regionale Wirtschaft zu bestimmen. Zudem wird mittels einer Hochrechnung abgeschatzt, wie sich die Situation fur Nationalparke deutschlandweit darstellt. Die Resultate machen deutlich, dass der mit Nationalparken verbundene Tourismus durchaus einen beachtlichen wirtschaftlichen Beitrag fur die Regionalwirtschaft leistet. Dadurch wird zum einen ersichtlich, dass dem landschaftsbezogenen Tourismus im regionalpolitischen Meinungsbildungsprozess durchaus ein hohere Akzeptanz -- sowohl in der Bevolkerung als auch bei politischen und wirtschaftlichen Entscheidungstragerinnen und -tragern -- fur die Nationalparks vor Ort zu schaffen.
Renal Effects of Glucose Transporter 4 in Nω‐nitro‐L‐arginine /High Salt Induced‐Hypertensive Rats

The aim of study was to determine the renal effects of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) in a hypertensive nephropathy rat model. GLUT4 has been implicated in insulin resistance and hypertension in several animal models, however its role in hypertensive nephropathy still remain unclear. Hypertensive nephropathy was induced by Nω‐nitro‐L‐arginine (L‐NNA), a nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor, 100 mg/ml in drinking water and high salt (HS) diet (4 % NaCl), for 15 days in the presence of insulin, a GLUT 4 agonist (1 U/day) and indinavir, a GLUT4 inhibitor (80 mg/kg/day). Decreased basal renal medullary and cortical blood flow was enhanced in LNNA/HS/indinavir group (p<0.01) but attenuated (p<0.05) by insulin. Proteinuria was increased (p<0.01) in LNNA/HS/indinavir group but attenuated (p<0.01) by insulin. Insulin‐treated rats decreased urine NO (p<0.01) and urine Na2+ (p<0.01) compared to other treated animals. In indinavir‐treated animals, urine Na2+ was increased by benzamil, an epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) inhibitor (p<0.01) and hydrochlorothiazide, a sodium/chloride co‐transporter (NCC) inhibitor (p<0.05). GLUT4 exerts a renoprotective role which may be related to increase NO production. The antinatriuretic effects of GLUT4 appear to be due to enhancement of ion transport activity of ENaC and NCC at the renal tubules.
Stages of Change in Physical Activity: A Validation Study in Late Adolescence

The present study explores the validity of a recent stages of change (SoC) measure and algorithm among a sample of late adolescents. MANOVA and structural equation modeling are used to assess the relationship between five SoC groups (precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance) and a set of dependent measures including physical activity level, physical activity motivation, physical self-concept, and flow. Findings are based on 705 Australian adolescents, using scale score and latent variable approaches, provided support for the construct validity of the SoC measure and algorithm. Specifically, findings reveal that participants in the upper SoC (action and maintenance) score significantly higher on positively geared dimensions (e.g., physical self-concept, flow, etc.) and significantly lower on negatively geared dimensions (e.g., maladaptive behavior). Implications for future research and practice with adolescent populations are discussed.
Mitochondrial analysis in living cells: the use of rhodamine 123 and flow cytometry

Flow cytometry combines the advantages of microscopy and biochemical analysis in a single highly sensitive technique for a rapid examination of numerous individual living cells. It has become a potent and essential tool in the studies of the physiology of the whole cell and its organelles. Rhodamine 123 is a vital fluorescent dye used in flow cytometry. As it is specifically concentrated in mitochondria because of the transmembrane potential that these organelles maintain in living cells, rhodamine 123 is thus a useful probe for monitoring the abundance and activity of mitochondria. A critical survey of the routine use of rhodamine 123 together with flow cytometry in mitochondrial research is presented.
A Neurocognitive Approach to Music Reading

Abstract: Music reading offers a unique perspective on the acquisition of a notational system. Many people cannot read music, but a large proportion are motivated to learn. Musical literacy is therefore amenable to studies of acquisition in a way that language literacy is not. The studies reviewed here investigate how musical symbols on the page are decoded into a musical response. The studies address the nature of the mental representations used in music reading, as well as their instantiation within the brain. The results of a musical Stroop paradigm are described, in which musical notation was present but irrelevant for task performance. The presence of musical notation produced systematic effects on reaction time, demonstrating that reading of the written note, like the written word, is obligatory for those who are musically literate. Spatial interference tasks are also described that suggest that music reading, at least for the pianist, can be characterized as a set of vertical to horizontal mappings. These behavioral findings are mirrored by the results of an fMRI training study in which musically untrained adults were taught to read music and play piano keyboard over a period of three months. Specific learning‐related changes were seen in the superior parietal cortex and fusiform gyrus, for melody reading and rhythm reading, respectively. These changes are suggested to correspond to the acquisition of processes that deal with the extraction of spatial and featural properties of notation, respectively.
Multiphase flow predictions from carbonate pore space images using extracted network models

A methodology to extract networks from pore space images is used to make predictions of multiphase transport properties for subsurface carbonate samples. The extraction of the network model is based on the computation of the location and sizes of pores and throats to create a topological representation of the void space of three‐dimensional (3‐D) rock images, using the concept of maximal balls. In this work, we follow a multistaged workflow. We start with a 2‐D thin‐section image; convert it statistically into a 3‐D representation of the pore space; extract a network model from this image; and finally, simulate primary drainage, waterflooding, and secondary drainage flow processes using a pore‐scale simulator. We test this workflow for a reservoir carbonate rock. The network‐predicted absolute permeability is similar to the core plug measured value and the value computed on the 3‐D void space image using the lattice Boltzmann method. The predicted capillary pressure during primary drainage agrees well with a mercury‐air experiment on a core sample, indicating that we have an adequate representation of the rock's pore structure. We adjust the contact angles in the network to match the measured waterflood and secondary drainage capillary pressures. We infer a significant degree of contact angle hysteresis. We then predict relative permeabilities for primary drainage, waterflooding, and secondary drainage that agree well with laboratory measured values. This approach can be used to predict multiphase transport properties when wettability and pore structure vary in a reservoir, where experimental data is scant or missing. There are shortfalls to this approach, however. We compare results from three networks, one of which was derived from a section of the rock containing vugs. Our method fails to predict properties reliably when an unrepresentative image is processed to construct the 3‐D network model. This occurs when the image volume is not sufficient to represent the geological variations observed in a core plug sample.
Monoclonal antibodies to canine intra‐acrosomal sperm proteins recognizing acrosomal status during capacitation and acrosome reaction

Summary Monoclonal antibodies Ds‐1 and Ds‐2 specifically labelling dog sperm acrosome were prepared by immunization of mice with acetic acid extracts of dog spermatozoa. Electron microscopy and indirect immunofluorescence localized the site of Ds‐1 and Ds‐2 proteins inside the acrosomal vesicle. Ds‐1 antibody detected 55, 76, 115, 120 and 190kDa proteins under non‐reducing conditions, and 73 kDa and 54 kDa proteins after reduction (p73/Ds‐1 and p54/Ds‐1). 92 kDa and 40 kDa proteins recognized by Ds‐2 (p92/Ds‐2 and p40/Ds‐2) migrated at > 200 kDa in the absence of reducing agent. In vivo, p73/Ds‐1 and p54/Ds‐1 are therefore likely to be present both in free and complexed form, while all of p92/Ds‐2 and p40/Ds‐2 form disulfide‐bonded complexes. Decrease in the rate of acrosomes stained with Ds‐1 and Ds‐2 was correlated with the progress of capacitation resulting in the increased rate of spontaneous acrosome reactions, as suggested by a dramatic effect of A23187. Monoclonal antibody to boar acrosin (ACR‐2) recognized dog sperm acrosin homologue. A higher rate of ACR‐2‐negative spermatozoa was observed after capacitation and A23187 treatment compared to Ds‐1 and Ds‐2, indicating that proteins recognized by Ds‐1 and Ds‐2 are localized in a specific compartment of acrosome, distinct from acrosin and possibly representing fraction of acrosomal matrix.
Clinical Screening for Congenital Dislocation of the Hip*

The hips of 20,417 newborns were examined within the first three days after birth and at the age of two to three months, from 1985 to 1990. One hundred and twenty-four children had abnormal findings in one or both hips and treatment was instituted. After an average duration of follow-up of six years (range, four to nine years), 122 (98 per cent) of the children had normally developed hip joints. One child had unilateral deformity of the femoral head due to ischemia, and another had bilateral anteversion as the only abnormal finding. A survey of the medical records of the only orthopaedic clinic in Stara Zagora that has a pediatric ward in which patients with hip problems are managed revealed no cases of congenital dislocation of the hip diagnosed after the age of three months in the infants born from 1985 to 1990. Clinical screening for congenital dislocation of the hip was effective in this group of patients, and a good result was noted in all but two patients who were treated for such a dislocation. Thus, a screening program is of value in the examination of all infants.
Reconceptualising Motivation in Adoption and Acceptance Research: Back to Basics

In the adoption and acceptance of technology, the technology acceptance model (TAM) has been a dominant influence. TAM, however, simplifies and trivialises the concept of motivation, (a concept not well developed and used in the IS field) by failing to recognise the fundamental needs influencing behaviour. This, in turn, restricts its use to design and use interventions to enhance adoption and use within an ICT-enabled organisational change project. Given this, this paper will re-conceptualise the concept of motivation by exploring the inner or intrinsic motivation influencing behaviour and will indicate how this motivation underlies the TAM variables. Further, using the concept of participative management we will explore how various organisational interventions might be designed to enhance user motivation to adopt and use a new system. Finally, these interventions are applied to an ongoing action research study to improve the success of implementing a document management system within a non-profit organisation.
Cyclooxygenase‐2 expression and cell proliferation are increased in MUC2‐positive area of columnar‐lined esophagus

Columnar‐lined esophagus is composed of intestinal type and gastric type epithelium. Only the specialized or intestinal type columnar epithelium is susceptible to the development of esophageal adenocarcinoma. The aim of the present paper was to evaluate the expression of cyclooxygenase (COX) and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase (mPGES) in gastric‐type and intestinal‐type metaplasia in columnar‐lined esophagus and compare these with cell proliferation. Biopsy specimens of 30 columnar‐lined esophagus patients were collected, and immunohistochemistry was performed for secretory mucins (MUC2, MUC5AC), COX, mPGES and cell proliferation (Ki‐67). The MUC2‐positive area had higher COX‐2 expression and cell proliferation than the MUC5AC‐positive area. There was a close correlation between COX‐2 expression and cell proliferation. In contrast, the expression of COX‐1, mPGES‐1 and ‐2 was similar between intestinal metaplasia and gastric metaplasia. In conclusion, intestinal‐type columnar‐lined esophagus possesses COX‐2 expression and a higher proliferation potential, suggesting that esophageal adenocarcinoma may arise from specialized columnar‐lined esophagus.
A Rare Case of Myelodysplastic Syndrome with Ring Sideroblasts, SF3B1 and TET2 Mutations in a Patient with Beta Thalassemia Trait

Concurrent myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and β-thalassemia trait is rare. We reported a case of a 59-year-old man with a known history of β-thalassemia (presumed to be β-thalassemia intermedia) presenting with progressive anemia and worsening fatigue. β-globin mutation analysis revealed a heterozygous mutation in the beta-globin gene, compatible with β-thalassemia trait. Bone marrow biopsy showed erythroid hyperplasia and erythroid dysplasia with increased ring sideroblasts (>15%). Additionally, there is also mild myeloid and megakaryocytic dysplasia. Molecular analysis revealed SF3B1 and TET2 mutations. These findings are consistent with myelodysplastic syndrome with ring sideroblasts (MDS-RS). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of MDS-RS with SF3B1 and TET2 mutations in a patient heterozygous for β-globin gene mutation. For β-thalassemia patients with worsening anemia, a comprehensive bone marrow analysis including cytogenetic and molecular studies is important to help further delineate the diagnosis. [N A J Med Sci. 2017;10(1):32-35. DOI: 10.7156/najms.2017. 1001032]