Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The functional standing test; development and standardization of a clinical evaluation of standing function

The functional standing test, which quantifies standing performance based on the ability to free the upper extremities from support and balance tasks in order to manipulate the environment, is described. The development of the test was motivated by the need for a new assessment that reflects the clinical usefulness of standing and allows the comparison of functional neuromuscular stimulation (FNS) or any other rehabilitation technology to normal standing function. The test apparatus, functional tasks chosen to simulate everyday activities, and administration of the test are discussed. Results of applying the test to able-bodied norms and case studies with FNS and braces are presented. <<ETX>>
Draft – May 20 , 2016 Welfare Maximization Entices Participation Note

We consider randomized public good mechanisms with optional participation. Preferences over lotteries are modeled using skew-symmetric bilinear (SSB) utility functions, a generalization of classic von Neumann-Morgenstern utility functions. We show that every welfare-maximizing mechanism entices participation and that the converse holds under additional assumptions. Two corollaries of our results are characterizations of an attractive randomized voting rule that satisfies Condorcet-consistency and entices participation. This stands in contrast to Moulin’s well-known no show paradox (J. of Econ. Theory, 45, 53–64, 1988), which shows that no deterministic voting rule can satisfy both properties simultaneously.
Interaural attenuation for pure tones and speech.

In air conduction audiometry, both pure tone and speech, a problem arises when testing persons with unilateral or substantial bilateral asymmetrical hearing losses because signals of high intensity in the worse ear travel through the skull and stimulate the non-test (better) cochlea. Response by the non-test ear is eliminated by the introduction of a masking noise, but, in order to know when this is necessary and what level of masking is required for a particular signal level, the interaural attenuation of the signal, be it pure tone or speech, for the particular apparatus used must be known.In this study the interaural attenuation for pure tones of 250 Hz to 4 kHz and for Arthur Boothroyd's (AB) isophonemic word lists delivered via TDH-39 receivers in MX41/AR cushions were determined in 11 subjects with unilateral hearing losses. Measuring the ineraural attanuation for pure tones as the difference between the air conduction threshold of the good ear and the shadow threshold measured in the poor ear gave .
Ooplasmic segregation in the zebrafish zygote and early embryo: Pattern of ooplasmic movements and transport pathways

Patterns of cytoplasmic movements and organization of transport pathways were examined in live or fixed zygotes and early zebrafish embryos using a variety of techniques. The zygote blastodisc grows by accumulation of ooplasm, transported to the animal pole from distinct sectors of ecto‐ and endoplasm at different speeds and developmental periods, using specific pathways or streamers. Slow transport (5 μm/min) occurs during the first interphase along short streamers, whereas fast transport (9.6–40 μm/min) takes place during the first cleavage division along axial and meridional streamers. Interconnections between streamers allow cargoes to change their speed and final destination. A similar sequence of events occurs during the following divisions. A complex network of microtubules and actin filaments in the endo‐ and ectoplasm appears to be involved in the transport of inclusions and mRNAs. Actin‐dependent intermittent pulsations provoked high‐speed back‐and‐forth movements of cytoplasm that may contribute to redistribution of organelles and maternal determinants. Developmental Dynamics 239:2172–2189, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Snf1-Like Protein Kinase Ssp2 Regulates Glucose Derepression in Schizosaccharomyces pombe

ABSTRACT The function of two fission yeast genes, SPCC74.03c/ssp2+ and SPAC23H4.02/ppk9+, encoding an Snf1-like protein kinase were investigated. Deletion of ssp2+ caused a partial defect in glucose derepression of inv1+, fbp1+, and gld1+ and in assimilation of sucrose and glycerol, while a mutation in ppk9+ had no apparent effect. Scr1, a transcription factor involved in glucose repression, localized to the nucleus under glucose-rich conditions and to the cytoplasm during glucose starvation in wild-type cells. In contrast, in the ssp2Δ mutant, Scr1 localized to the nucleus in cells grown in glucose-rich medium as well as in glucose-starved cells. Immunoblot analysis showed that Ssp2 is required for the phosphorylation of Scr1 upon glucose deprivation. Mutation of five putative Ssp2 recognition sites in Scr1 prevented glucose derepression of invertase in glucose-starved cells. These results indicate that Ssp2 regulates phosphorylation and subcellular localization of Scr1 in response to glucose.
Repeatability of stature measurements in individuals with and without chronic low-back pain

Measurements of reduction in stature have been used to compare spinal loading in chronic low-back pain (CLBP) and asymptomatic populations. Whether there are any differences in the repeatability of stature measurements, between those with and without CLBP, is not known. This investigation aimed to determine the repeatability of stature measurements in those with (n = 12) and without (n = 12) CLBP, and to establish if the ability to produce repeatable measurements is retained after a specific timeframe. Stature measurements were taken on two separate sessions that were 2 weeks apart, using a stadiometer accurate to 0.01 mm. All participants attained a mean SD of ≤0.5 mm by the third measurement set taken on the first session of testing and no significant difference in mean SD was found between those with (0.37 mm) and without (0.40 mm) CLBP (p > 0.05). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) demonstrated good levels of repeatability for all stature measurements obtained from the participants and the values for Standard error of the measurement (SEM) improved as the mean SD decreased with each measurement set. Investigators should have confidence in the ability of those with and without CLBP to produce equally repeatable stature measurements with appropriate prior practice. The second session of testing demonstrated that both groups had retained the ability to achieve the desired level of repeatability (SD ≤0.5 mm) 2 weeks later without further practice.
Structurally Unique Biflavonoids from Selaginella chrysocaulos and Selaginella bryopteris

Chemical investigation of Selaginella chrysocaulos from Northeast India yielded three new (i.e., 1–3) and two known biflavonoids. From Selaginella bryopteris, collected in the southern part of India, one new (11) and eleven known biflavonoids of the amentoflavone‐ and hinokiflavone‐type were isolated and identified. The structures of the compounds were elucidated by 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR spectroscopy, and by mass spectrometry. The absolute configurations of chiral biflavonoids with flavanone subunits (from S. bryopteris) were determined with the aid of circular‐dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Several very rare or even unprecedented substructures in biflavonoids were found.
C‐ERBB‐2 oncogens protein in In situ and invasive lobular breast neoplasia

Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) has uncertain malignant potential; biologic markers that will identify patients at risk for a poor clinical outcome have been sought actively. Amplification of the c‐erbB‐2 protooncogene has been correlated with poor prognosis in invasive mammary carcinoma, and immunohistochemical evaluation for expression of the oncogene protein has been correlated with gene amplification. The authors retrospectively evaluated 62 cases of lobular neoplasia for expression of the c‐erbB‐2 gene product on formalin‐fixed, deparaffinized sections, using two monoclonal anti‐erbB‐2 (p185) antibodies (c‐neu Ab3 and m‐erb) and one polyclonal anti‐erbB‐2 antibody (pAb 1) by the avidin‐biotin‐peroxidase method. All 62 cases were negative with the pAb 1 antibody; one of 62 cases was weakly positive with the c‐neu Ab3 in a membranous pattern. Expression of c‐erbB‐2 gene product was identified on adjacent invasive ductal carcinoma in one case and in adjacent ductal carcinoma in situ in another. None of 15 cases if infiltrating lobular carcinoma was positive with either of the two anti‐c‐erbB‐2 antibodies. Strong positivity was found on benign epithelium in one case, demonstrating epitheliosis. In summary, evidence of expression of the c‐erbB‐2 gene product was found in one of 57 cases of LCIS and none of 15 cases of invasive lobular carcinoma. This suggests that, in contrast to reported data concerning intraductal and invasive ductal carcinoma, c‐erbB‐2 oncogene amplification and/or overexpression does not play a significant role in the progression of lobular breast neoplasia.
Glycoprotein IIB/IIIA‐Inhibition and Microcirculatory Alterations During Experimental Endotoxemia—An Intravital Microscopic Study in the Rat

Objective: Endothelial damage during early endotoxemia has been shown to be leukocyte‐independent. Platelet‐activating factor (PAF) and serotonin‐receptor antagonism are known to reduce leukocyte‐independent macromolecular leakage significantly, thereby focusing the field of interest to the platelets. We hypothesized that inhibition of the GP IIb/IIIa receptor, using the unspecific GP IIb/IIIa inhibitor abciximab, would reduce leukocyte‐independent endothelial damage during early endotoxemia, and furthermore, that inhibition of the GP IIb/IIIa receptor with abciximab might improve microcirculatory disturbances, seen in a leukocyte‐dependent animal model during endotoxemia.
Structural and statistical properties of the collocation technique for error characterization

Abstract. The validation of geophysical data sets (e.g. derived from models, exploration techniques or remote sensing) presents a formidable challenge as all products are inherently different and subject to errors. The collocation technique permits the retrieval of the error variances of different data sources without the need to specify one data set as a reference. In addition calibration constants can be determined to account for biases and different dynamic ranges. The method is frequently applied to the study and comparison of remote sensing, in-situ and modelled data, particularly in hydrology and oceanography. Previous studies have almost exclusively focussed on the validation of three data sources; in this paper it is shown how the technique generalizes to an arbitrary number of data sets. It turns out that only parts of the covariance structure can be resolved by the collocation technique, thus emphasizing the necessity of expert knowledge for the correct validation of geophysical products. Furthermore the bias and error variance of the estimators are derived with particular emphasis on the assumptions necessary for establishing those characteristics. Important properties of the method, such as the structural deficiencies, dependence of the accuracy on the number of measurements and the impact of violated assumptions, are illustrated by application to simulated data.
Lack of trastuzumab activity in nonsmall cell lung carcinoma with overexpression of erb‐B2

The overexpression of HER‐2 occurs in a minority of patients with nonsmall cell lung carcinoma. Trastuzumab, which is a monoclonal antibody to HER‐2, is an effective treatment in some women with breast carcinomas that overexpress HER‐2, as demonstrated by immunohistochemistry. The objective of this Phase II study was to determine whether trastuzumab would effect responses in patients with nonsmall cell lung carcinoma who had tumors that overexpressed HER‐2.
A Physiologically-Based Pharmacokinetic Model for Vancomycin by Rebekah White East Tennessee State University whiter 1

Vancomycin is an antibiotic used for the treatment of systemic infections. It is given intravenously usually every twelve or twenty-four hours. This particular drug has a medium level of boundedness, with approximately fifty to sixty percent of the drug being free and thus physiologically effective. A physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was used to better understand the absorption, distribution, and elimination of the drug. Using optimal parameters, the model could be used in the future to test how various factors, such as body mass index (BMI) or excretion levels, might affect the concentration of the antibiotic.
Hepatitis C virus and non‐Hodgkin's lymphomas

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) seems to be the aetiologic agent of mixed cryoglobulinaemia, and as this ‘benign’ lymphoproliferative disorder can frequently develop into more aggressive haematological disorders, this study was undertaken to determine the prevalence of HCV infection in non‐Hodgkin's lymphomas. 199 unselected subjects treated by three haematological centres in Northeast Italy were investigated for the presence of HCV infection. As controls, the prevalence of HCV infection was determined in a group of patients affected by other haematological malignancies (153 subjects) and in the general population of the same geographical area in the cohort study called the Dyonisos project (6917 subjects).
Comparison of Commercial DNA Extraction Kits for Extraction of Bacterial Genomic DNA from Whole-Blood Samples

ABSTRACT The demand for molecular diagnostic tests in medical microbiology has highlighted the need for efficient methods of DNA extraction. In addition, it is preferable for these methods to be automated. An example of such a requirement is for the confirmation of meningococcal disease where rapid, sensitive, and specific procedures are required for public health management purposes. Previous studies have shown that whole blood is the preferred method for the isolation of bacterial DNA in meningococcal disease, and in this study, we compare five commercially available kits for the extraction of bacterial genomic DNA from whole-blood samples. These include kits in a 96-well binding plate, 96-well filter plate, and metallic bead formats. The method for all five kits is described, and the sensitivity, specificity, ease of automation, and overall efficiency are determined.
The effect of influenza vaccine on cytokine production by human mononuclear cells

Background: Seasonal influenza outbursts present a considerable challenge for health providers. Therefore, great efforts are made to vaccinate as many individuals as possible to avoid loss of labor days, unnecessary admissions and complications. The vaccine used in our country during the 2014-2015 seasons contains the following influenza strains, i.e., A/California (H1N1), A/Texas (H3N2) and B/Massachusetts. Vaccinated people react by mobilizing all components of the immune system. The aim of the study was to examine the vaccine effect on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) activation and their capacity for inflammatory cytokine production. Methods: PBMC were incubated for 24 hrs without or with lipopolysaccharide or for 48 hrs with phorbol meristate acetate and ionomycin to determine the secretion of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-1ra and IL-10, IL-2 and IFN-γ by non-stimulated or stimulated PBMC. Influenza vaccine was added at the onset of cultures at the following concentrations: 0.08 μl/ml, 0.2 μl/ml and 0.5 μl/ml. Results: Incubation of non-stimulated PBMC with influenza vaccine caused a marked increase in IL-2 and IFN-γ production. The secretion of the other proand anti-inflammatory cytokines tested was not affected by incubation with the vaccine. Conclusions: Considering the increased production of IL-2 and IFN-γ following incubation of PBMC with influenza vaccine viruses and the central role of these cytokines as stimulators of cellular and humoral activity, T and NK cell proliferation, and as promoters of macrophages to kill phagocytized pathogens, efforts should be made to vaccinate as many individuals as possible to prevent influenza spreading.
A study of blood flow through bone marrow by a method of venous effluent collection

Few attempts have been made to study the physiology of the vasculature of bone marrow. Drinker & Drinker (1916), using the perfused isolated tibia of the dog, showed the existence of vasoconstrictor nerves to the bone marrow, and also demonstrated that adrenaline caused vasoconstriction of the perfused vessels. In 1922, working in collaboration with Lund (Drinker, Drinker & Lund, 1922), they published the results of extensive experiments, using perfusion and dye injection techniques in dogs, cats, guinea-pigs and rabbits. These results confirmed their earlier work. The rate of flow of the perfusing blood from the marrow was recorded but no attempt was made to relate this to either the weight of the tissue or to its haemopoietic activity. The present work describes experiments to determine the rate of blood flow per gram of bone marrow and to investigate the influence upon it of experimental procedures. The animal used was the rabbit and the technique has been briefly described previously (Cumming, 1960).
CD4 Help Regulates Expression of Crucial Genes Involved in CD8 T Cell Memory and Sensitivity to Regulatory Elements1

The role of CD4 help during CD8 memory differentiation has been clearly demonstrated in different experimental models. However, the mechanisms involved to mediate CD4 help and the extent of its effects remain largely unknown. Using gene analysis at a single cell level, which allows the study of gene expression in terms of frequency, intensity and coxpression, we show that unhelped CD8 T cells harbor severe defects in the expression of crucial genes involved in proliferation, survival, and cytotoxic functions, the three main characteristics of CD8 memory differentiation described so far. Importantly, during secondary response, unhelped CD8 T cells exhibit blockade in all cytotoxic pathways (perforin, Fas ligand, IFN-γ), demonstrating the highly ubiquitous effect of CD4 help. Secondly, resting unhelped CD8 T cells extinguish the majority of their stimulated genes, showing that CD4 help favors the persistence of gene expression. Indeed, during secondary response, unhelped CD8 T cells exhibit a profile very similar to naive T cells, demonstrating that no instructive program has been imprinted in these cells. Finally unhelped CD8 T cells exhibit a higher sensitivity to immunoregulatory genes during secondary immune response. Therefore, these results characterize the multiple effects of CD4 help on CD8 memory differentiation and provide important insights for the understanding of protective memory responses.
Predictors of response to reinduction chemotherapy for patients with acute myeloid leukemia who do not achieve complete remission with frontline induction chemotherapy

Eighty‐one patients with acute myeloid leukemia who had persistent leukemia following standard induction therapy with cytarabine plus daunorubicin (7+3 regimen) underwent reinduction therapy with a combination of mitoxantrone, etoposide, and high‐dose cytarabine (HiDAC). Patients achieving complete remission (CR) then received consolidation therapy with HiDAC plus mitoxantrone. Patients with matched sibling donors were referred for allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in CR‐1. The overall response rate to reinduction was 53%. The major adverse predictors of CR on multivariate analysis were poor risk cytogenetics, a higher % bone marrow blasts prior to reinduction therapy and increased age. The median relapse‐free survival (RFS) was 9 months and the estimated 2‐year RFS was 30%. No significant predictors of RFS or overall survival (OS) were found among the patients achieving CR. Patients undergoing allogeneic BMT in CR‐1 after double induction had a 50% 2‐year OS. Patients relapsing after achieving CR with double induction had a poor outcome with a 4% 1‐year OS. The results indicate that patients with poor risk cytogenetics or marrow blast percentage ≥ 60% following 7+3 induction have a low probability of achieving CR with reinduction and should be considered for novel approaches to improve CR rates. Patients achieving CR are at high risk of relapse and should be considered for allogeneic BMT or novel strategies to attempt to reduce relapse rates. Am. J. Hematol. , 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The patient with C-ANCA/PR3-ANCA-positive crescentic pauci-immune glomerulonephritis and recurrence of nephritic sediment.

Recently it has been shown that in a significant number of patients with Goodpasture’s disease and anti-GBM (glomerular basement membrane) antibodies, ANCA (antineutrophil cytoplasmatic antibodies) may coexist [1]. In this setting, ANCA is usually specific for P-ANCA and restricted to myeloperoxidase (MPO). In general both antibodies can be detected at the time of clinical presentation. C-ANCA/PR3-ANCA is rarely found in Goodpasture’s disease [2]. Sequential development of anti-GBM nephritis and ANCA-associated disease has been described occasionally, again more with P-ANCA/MPO-ANCA rather than with C-ANCA/PR3-ANCA [3]. We report on a patient who first had C-ANCA/PR3-ANCA-positive renal vasculitis and then subsequently, after a long-term therapyfree interval, developed anti-GBM disease followed by repeated (renal) relapses of C-ANCA/PR3-ANCA-positive renal vasculitis despite continued immunosuppression.
Use of risk-adjusted CUSUM and RSPRTcharts for monitoring in medical contexts

In this paper we discuss the use of charts derived from the sequential probability ratio test (SPRT): the cumulative sum (CUSUM) chart, RSPRT (resetting SPRT), and FIR (fast initial response) CUSUM. The theoretical development of the methods is described and some considerations one might address when designing a chart, explored, including the approximation of average run lengths (ARLs), the importance of detecting improvements in a process as well as detecting deterioration and estimation of the process parameter following a signal. Two examples are used to demonstrate the practical issues of quality control in the medical setting, the first a running example and the second a fully worked example at the end of the paper. The first example relates to 30-day mortality for patients of a single cardiac surgeon over the period 1994-1998, the second to patient deaths in the practice of a single GP, Harold Shipman. The charts’ performances relative to each other are shown to be sensitive to the definition of the ‘out of control’ state of the process being monitored. In light of this, it is stressed that a suitable means by which to compare charts is chosen in any specific application.
Experimental determination of temperature threshold for melt surface deformation during laser interaction on iron at atmospheric pressure

Recoil pressure is the principal driving force of molten metal in laser processing in the intensity range 10−1–102 MW cm−2. It is thus essential to estimate the recoil pressure in order to describe physical processes or to carry out numerical simulations. However, there exists no quantitative estimation of the recoil pressure near the boiling temperature (Tv), which is particularly important in the welding process. In this study we experimentally investigated the recoil pressure of pure iron around Tv. The main interest was to determine the threshold surface temperature to start deformation of melt surface. Using camera-based temperature measurement with accurate evaluation of emissivity from experiment, it was shown that the surface temperature has to reach Tv to initiate the melt surface deformation. This result provides the first experimental evidence for the frequently used assumption that a deep keyhole welding requires surface temperature over Tv. It is indicated also that, in normal gas-assisted laser cutting process, the recoil pressure hardly contributes to material ejection when the surface temperature is lower than Tv, as opposed to the commonly believed presumption.