Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
PERIOD-DEPENDENT SITE AMPLIFICATION FOR THE 2008 IWATE-MIYAGI NAIRIKU , JAPAN , EARTHQUAKE SEQUENCE

Site amplification factors at period ranges of 0.1-0.2, 0.2-0.3, 0.3-0.5, 0.5-1, 1-2, and 2-10 s were determined for 27 stations of KiKnet and K-NET in and around the source area of the 2008 Iwate-Miyagi Nairiku earthquake. The ratio of the geometric mean values of the two maximum horizontal amplitudes of acceleration and velocity at the uphole to that at the downhole is considered as the amplification factor of KiK-net stations. The bedrock borehole ground motions of KiK-net were used as the reference motions to get the amplification factors for K-NET stations. Amplification factors of 3 to 33 at shortperiod ranges of 0.1 to 0.3 s are observed at many stations such as AKTH04, IWTH22, MYG004, and so on. The stations of MYG004, MYG005, and MYG006 have shown amplification factors of 3 to 8 at longperiod ranges of 1 to 10 s. On the other hand, AKT023, IWT010, and IWT011 stations show flat response spectra compared to hard rock sites. Larger acceleration amplification than velocity amplification is observed at stations located on deep soft soil structures such as MYG004, MYG006, and YMT006. The results are compared to other results by H/H and H/V spectral ratios of the mainshock and five aftershocks data.
Effect of Photographic Negation on Matching the Expressions and Identities of Faces

In four experiments, participants made speeded same – different responses to pairs of face photographs showing the same woman or different women with the same expression or different expressions. Compared with responses to positive pairs, negative pairs were matched more slowly on identity than on expression. A secondary finding showed that face expressions (same, different) influenced identity responses, and identities influenced expression responses, equally for positive and negative pairs. The independence of this irrelevant-dimension effect from the contrast effect supports the conclusion required by the main finding—that negation slows perceptual encoding of surface-based information used for identification more than it does encoding of edge-based information used for expression recognition.
Comparison of tumor necrosis factor-α effect on the expression of iNOS in macrophage and cardiac myocytes

Proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), are elevated during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), heart failure, and inflammatory cardiac and systemic diseases. Elevated TNF-α has been linked to diminished cardiac function, decreased systemic vascular resistance, as well as renal and pulmonary dysfunction. It is understood that myocardial tissues can express TNF-α, which results in the induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) leading to a significant decline in cardiac function and other direct effects. The hypothesis of this study was to determine if TNF-α would stimulate iNOS and its product nitric oxide (NO) similarly in immortalized macrophage and cardiac myocytes. Cultured macrophages (RAW 264.7) and cardiac myocytes (HL-1) were placed into two treatment groups and a control. The treatments included: (1) TNF-α and lipopolysaccharide (LPS); and (2) LPS, TNF-α, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) incubated for 8 h. The macrophage expression of iNOS increased by 365% (p < 0.01) and its product, NO, increased proportionally. The expression of iNOS in the cardiac myocyte did not increase with TNF-α and LPS. However, with the addition of IFN-α and IL-1β iNOS increased to 140% of control (p < 0.05). Myocyte cGMP and NO did not increase significantly with TNF-α treatment. This study suggests that HL-1 myocyte iNOS cannot be induced by TNF-α, unlike macrophage iNOS. Furthermore, the resultant cardiac dysfunction, secondary to proinflammatory cytokines effects, is regulated via diverse pathways.
Effect of light on ethylene production and hypocotyl growth of soybean seedlings.

The apical 1-cm hypocotyl of dark-grown ;Clark' soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr.) seedlings produced ethylene at rates of 7 to 11 nanoliters per hour per gram when attached to the cotyledons. Such physiologically active rates occurred prior to the deceleration of hypocotyl elongation caused by the temperature of 25 C.Daily exposure of the etiolated seedlings to red light promoted hypocotyl elongation and prevented its lateral swelling. Red light treatment also caused a 45% decrease in ethylene production. Far red irradiation following the red treatment reversed the red effects, suggesting that the ethylene intervenes as a regulator in the phytochrome control of ;Clark' soybean hypocotyl growth at 25 C.
CommonKnowledge PT Critically Appraised Topics School of Physical Therapy 2011 Efficacy of segmental versus global core stabilization exercises for patients with chronic low back pain ( LBP )

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Proximodistal patterning of the limb: insights from evolutionary morphology

There is an active debate about how skeletal elements are encoded along the proximodistal (PD) axis of the developing limb. Our aim here is to see whether consideration of the evolutionary morphology of the limb can contribute to our understanding of patterning mechanisms. Of special interest in this context are animals showing reiterated skeletal elements along the PD axis (e.g., dolphins and plesiosaurs with hyperphalangy). We build on previous hypotheses to propose a two‐step model of PD patterning in which specification of broad domains in the early limb bud is distinct from subsequent processes that divides an initial anlage into a segmental pattern to yield individual skeletal elements. This model overcomes a major evolutionary problem with the progress zone model, which has not previously been noted: pleiotropy. Parallels with other developmental systems are briefly discussed.
Two-Year Outcomes in Thoracic Transplant Recipients After Conversion to Everolimus With Reduced Calcineurin Inhibitor Within a Multicenter, Open-Label, Randomized Trial

Background. Use of the mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor everolimus with an accompanying reduction in calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) exposure has shown promise in preserving renal function in maintenance thoracic transplant patients, but robust, long-term data are required. Methods. In a prospective, open-label, multicenter study, thoracic transplant recipients more than or equal to 1 year posttransplant with mild-to-moderate renal insufficiency were randomized to continue their current CNI-based immunosuppression or convert to everolimus with predefined CNI exposure reduction. After a 12-month core trial, patients were followed up to month 24 after randomization. Results. Of 245 patients who completed the month 12 visit, 235 patients (108 everolimus and 127 controls) entered the 12-month extension phase. At month 24, mean measured glomerular filtration rate had increased by 3.2±12.3 mL/min from the point of randomization in everolimus-treated patients and decreased by 2.4±9.0 mL/min in controls (P<0.001), a difference that was significant within both the heart and lung transplant subpopulations. During months 12 to 24, 5.6% of everolimus patients and 3.1% of controls experienced biopsy-proven acute rejection (P=0.76). There were no significant differences in the rate of adverse events or serious adverse events (including pneumonia) between groups during months 12 to 24. Conclusions. Converting maintenance thoracic transplant recipients to everolimus with low-exposure CNI results in a renal benefit that is sustained to 2 years postconversion, with significantly improved measured glomerular filtration rate in both heart and lung transplant patients. Despite reductions of more than 50% in CNI exposure, there was no marked loss of efficacy. The safety profile of the everolimus-based regimen was acceptable.
Dietary Assesment of Free-Living Elderly Spanish People with Disabilities

ABSTRACT Nutritional research in elderly disabled is difficult in noninstitutionalized people. The dietary intake of a noninstitutionalized disabled population of the eastern region of Spain was evaluated to detect possible nutritional deviations. A total of 329 participants aged 65 and over were recruited. Most participants were overweight. Carbohydrates did not reach 50% of total Kcal/day. Insufficient micronutrient intakes and high consumption of simple carbohydrates and saturated fats (SFA) were found. A decreasing trend of water intake (p < .05) as well as an increasing trend of alcohol consumption (p < .05) with increasing age was found. The area of residence had a relevant impact on nutritional, dietary, and anthropometric characteristics of our population.
Design and Synthesis of Cajanine Analogues against Hepatitis C Virus through Down-Regulating Host Chondroitin Sulfate N-Acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 1.

There still remains a need to develop new anti-HCV agents with distinct mechanism of action (MOA) due to the occurrence of resistance to direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs). Cajanine, a stilbenic component isolated from Cajanus cajan L. , was identified as a potent HCV inhibitor by phenotypic screening in this work (EC50 = 3.17 ± 0.75 μM). The intensive structure optimization provided significant insights into the structure-activity relationships. Furthermore, the MOA study revealed that cajanine inhibited HCV replications via down-regulating a cellular protein chondroitin sulfate N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 1. In consistency with this host-targeting mechanism, cajanine showed the similar magnitude of inhibitory activity against both drug-resistant and wild-type HCV and synergistically inhibited HCV replication with approved DAAs. Taken together, our study not only presented cajanine derivatives as a novel class of anti-HCV agents but also discovered a promising anti-HCV target to combat drug resistance.
Standardized Passiflora incarnata L. Extract Reverts the Analgesia Induced by Alcohol Withdrawal in Rats

Passiflora incarnata L. (Passifloraceae) has been traditionally used for treatment of anxiety, insomnia, drug addiction, mild infections, and pain. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a commercial extract of P. incarnata in the analgesia induced by alcohol withdrawal syndrome in rats. In addition, brain‐derived neurotrophic factor and interleukin‐10 levels were evaluated in prefrontal cortex, brainstem, and hippocampus. Male adult rats received by oral gavage: (1: water group) water for 19 days, 1 day interval and water (8 days); (2: P. incarnata group) water for 19 days, 1 day interval and P. incarnata 200 mg/kg (8 days); (3: alcohol withdrawal group) alcohol for 19 days, 1 day interval and water (8 days); and (4: P. incarnata in alcohol withdrawal) alcohol for 19 days, 1 day interval and P. incarnata 200 mg/kg (8 days). The tail‐flick and hot plate tests were used as nociceptive response measures. Confirming previous study of our group, it was showed that alcohol‐treated groups presented an increase in the nociceptive thresholds after alcohol withdrawal, which was reverted by P. incarnata, measured by the hot plate test. Besides, alcohol treatment increased brain‐derived neurotrophic factor and interleukin‐10 levels in prefrontal cortex, which was not reverted by P. incarnata. Considering these results, the P. incarnata treatment might be a potential therapy in the alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Vector-Based Arc Segmentation in the Machine Drawing Understanding System Environment

Arcs are important primitives in engineering drawings. Extracting these primitives during the lexical analysis phase is a prerequisite to syntactic and semantic understanding of engineering drawings within the machine drawing understanding system. Bars are detected by the orthogonal zig-zag vectorization algorithm. Some of the detected bars are linear approximations of arcs. As such, they provide the basis for arc segmentation. An arc is detected by finding a chain of bars and a triplet of points along the chain. The arc center is first approximated as the center of mass of the triangle formed by the intersection of the perpendicular bisectors of the chords these points define. The location of the center is refined by recursively finding more such triplets and converging to within no more than a few pixels from the actual arc center after two or three iterations. The high performance of the algorithm, demonstrated on a set of real engineering drawings, is due to the fact that it avoids both raster-to-vector and massive pixel-level operations, as well as any space transformations. >
Effects of treatment with ibandronate on bone mass, architecture, biomechanical properties, and bone concentration of ibandronate in ovariectomized aged rats.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of treatment with ibandronate, a highly potent nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate, on bone loss, bone quality, biomechanical properties, and bone concentrations in aged ovariectomized rats. METHODS Eight-month-old female Wistar rats were ovariectomized (Ovx) or sham-operated. Treatment was started 10 weeks following Ovx with subcutaneous ibandronate in doses of 0.2, 1.0, 5.0, or 25 micro g/kg/day for 12 mo. Additional groups received 25 or 125 micro g/kg intermittently every 25 days, resulting in the same total dose as compared to 1.0 or 5.0 micro g/kg/day, respectively. Bone analyses by x-ray densitometry, peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT), dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), histomorphometry, 3-point bending, and compression tests were performed in femora, tibiae, and lumbar vertebrae in separate groups at the beginning and the end of treatment. Ibandronate concentration in tibiae and vertebrae was determined by gas chromatography mass spectroscopy at the end of the study. RESULTS Ovariectomy resulted in a significant reduction in bone mass (p <or= 0.0001) and strength (p < 0.05) by 10 weeks after surgery in long bones, while only a trend was present in vertebrae. When compared to age matched Ovx controls, ibandronate resulted in a dose dependent increase in bone mineral density (BMD), trabecular bone volume and trabecular number, load to failure (Fmax), and yield load in long bones and vertebrae. The lowest significant dose, which was different from Ovx controls, ranged between 0.2 and 1.0 micro g/kg/day, with higher doses not differing from sham controls. Increased trabecular separation (p <or= 0.0001) was fully prevented by all doses. Vertebral BMD (pQCT and DEXA) positively correlated with Fmax by r = 0.88 (p <or= 0.0001) both; correlation of femoral Fmax versus cortical BMD was r = 0.61 (p <or= 0.0001). CONCLUSION Bone concentrations of ibandronate were linear with the dose, suggesting linear kinetics in the applied dose range. In general, the same total cumulative ibandronate dose given provided equivalent results, independent of the administration schedule.
Design and evaluation of the clear-PEM scanner for positron emission mammography

The design and evaluation of the imaging system Clear-PEM for positron emission mammography, under development by the PEM Consortium within the framework of the Crystal Clear Collaboration at CERN, is presented. The proposed apparatus is based on fast, segmented, high atomic number radiation sensors with depth-of-interaction measurement capabilities, and state-of-the-art data acquisition techniques. The camera consists of two compact and planar detector heads with dimensions 16.5/spl times/14.5 cm/sup 2/ for breast and axilla imaging. Low-noise integrated electronics provide signal amplification and analog multiplexing based on a new data-driven architecture. The coincidence trigger and data acquisition architecture makes extensive use of pipeline processing structures and multi-event memories for high efficiency up to a data acquisition rate of one million events/s. Experimental validation of the detection techniques, namely the basic properties of the radiation sensors and the ability to measure the depth-of-interaction of the incoming photons, are presented. System performance in terms of detection sensitivity, count-rates and reconstructed image spatial resolution were also evaluated by means of a detailed Monte Carlo simulation and an iterative image reconstruction algorithm.
Common Factors and Outcome in Late Upper Extremity Amputations After Military Injury

Objectives: Much attention has been given to lower extremity amputations that occur more than 90 days after injury, but little focus has been given to analogous upper extremity amputations. The purpose of this study was to determine the reason(s) for desired amputation and the common complications after amputation for those combat-wounded service members who underwent late upper extremity amputation. Design: Retrospective case series. Setting: Tertiary trauma center. Patients/Participants: All US service members who sustained major extremity amputations from September 2001 to July 2011 were analyzed. Intervention: Late (>90 days after injury) upper extremity amputations. Main Outcome Measurements: Amputation level(s), time to amputation, age, number of operations, pre/postoperative complications, reason(s) for desiring amputation, and disability outcomes were analyzed. Results: Seven of 218 (3.2%) upper extremity amputees had a late upper extremity amputation (>90 days from injury to amputation). The mean and median number of days from injury to amputation was 689 and 678, respectively. The most common preamputation complications were loss of wrist or finger motion (7, 100%), neurogenic pain (4, 57%), and heterotopic ossification (4, 57%). Three (43%) patients (2 persistent and 1 new onset) had neurogenic pain and 2 (29%) had heterotopic ossification after amputation. Only 57% (4 of 7) of amputees used their prostheses regularly. Conclusions: Service members undergoing late upper extremity amputation seem to have different pre- and postoperative complications than those patients undergoing late lower extremity amputations. It was common for the amputee to not wear their prostheses and to experience similar complications after amputation, albeit in a less severe form. Level of Evidence: Prognostic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Spectrum of clinical presentation, treatment and prognosis in a series of eight patients with leukaemia cutis

All types of leukaemia can disseminate to the skin, producing cutaneous deposits known as leukaemia cutis (LC). We undertook a retrospective study to review the clinical presentations, treatment and outcome of eight patients with LC managed in our department over a period of 12 years. The clinical phenotype varied, with erythematous papules and nodules occurring with greatest frequency. Infiltrated haemorrhagic plaques and perifollicular acneiform papules were also seen. Although patients were treated aggressively for their underlying leukaemia, and received therapy directed towards LC, they tended to be refractory to treatment and the diagnosis was generally associated with a poor prognosis. The exception was a patient with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, who survived 3 years after developing LC.
α-Melanocyte-stimulating Hormone Signaling Regulates Expression of microphthalmia, a Gene Deficient in Waardenburg Syndrome*

The pituitary peptide α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH) stimulates melanocytes to up-regulate cAMP, but the downstream targets of cAMP are not well understood mechanistically. One consequence of α-MSH stimulation is increased melanization attributable to induction of pigmentation enzymes, including tyrosinase, which catalyzes a rate-limiting step in melanin synthesis. The tyrosinase promoter is a principle target of the melanocyte transcription factor Microphthalmia (Mi), a factor for which deficiency in humans causes Waardenburg syndrome II. We show here that both α-MSH and forskolin, a drug that increases cAMP, stimulate a rapid increase in Mi mRNA and protein levels in both melanoma cell lines and primary melanocytes. This up-regulation requires a cAMP-responsive element within the Mi promoter, and the pathway leading to Mi stimulation is subject to tight homeostatic regulation. Although cAMP signaling is ubiquitous, the Mi promoter was seen to be cAMP-responsive in melanocytes but not in nonmelanocytes. Moreover, dominant negative interference with Mi impeded successful α-MSH stimulation of tyrosinase. The regulation of Mi expression via α-MSH thus provides a direct mechanistic link to pigmentation. In addition, because the human melanocyte and deafness condition Waardenburg syndrome is sometimes caused by haploinsufficiency of Mi, its modulation by α-MSH suggests therapeutic strategies targeted at up-regulating the remaining wild type Mi allele.
Unsubstantiated claims in patient brochures from the largest state, provincial, and national chiropractic associations and research agencies.

OBJECTIVE To determine the presence or absence of claims for the clinical art of chiropractic that are not currently justified by available scientific evidence or are intrinsically untestable. DESIGN A survey of patient education and promotional material produced by national, state, and provincial societies and research agencies in Canada and the United States. METHOD Patient brochures were solicited from the 3 largest provincial, 3 largest state, and the 3 largest national professional associations in the United States and Canada. Similar requests were made of 2 research agencies supported by the national associations. Brochures were reviewed for the presence or absence of unsubstantiated claims. RESULTS Of the 11 organizations sampled, 9 distribute patient brochures. Of these 9 organizations, all distribute patient brochures that make claims for chiropractic services that have not been scientifically validated. CONCLUSION The largest professional associations in the United States and Canada distribute patient brochures that make claims for the clinical art of chiropractic that are not currently justified by available scientific evidence or that are intrinsically untestable. These assertions are self-defeating because they reinforce an image of the chiropractic profession as functioning outside the boundaries of scientific behavior.
Proton Mobility in Water Clusters

Proton mobility in water occurs quickly according to the so-called Grotthuss mechanism. This process and its elementary reaction steps can be studied in great detail by applying suitable mass spectrometric methods to ionic water clusters. Careful choice of suitable core ions in combination with analysis of cluster size trends in hydrogen/deuterium isotope exchange rates allows for detailed insights into fascinating dynamic systems. Analysis of the experiments has been promoted by extensive and systematic quantum chemical model calculations. Detailed low-energy mechanistic pathways for efficient water rearrangement and proton transfer steps, in particular cases along short preformed “wires” of hydrogen bonds, have been identified in consistency with experimental findings.
Experimental Kuru in the Gibbon and Sooty Mangabey and Creutzfeldt‐Jakob Disease in the Pigtailed Macaque

The experimental host range for the slow virus infections causing subacute spongiform virus encephalopathies is enlarged in primates to include the gibbon for kuru, the pigtailed macaque for Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease, and the sooty mangabey for both diseases. The report is based on neuropathological evidence of the diseases in animals with preclinical lesions. A table lists all the species to which the subacute spongiform virus encephalopathies have been transmitted.