Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Study of peripheral muscle strength and severity indexes in individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) present reduced peripheral muscle strength, which leads to impaired mobility and increased mortality risk. However, it is not clear whether there is any relationship between muscle strength, muscle mass and the body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnea, exercise performance (BODE) index scale, which is considered to be the best predictor of survival for individuals with COPD. The BODE Index is a multidimensional system that measures body composition (B), airway obstruction (O), dyspnea perception (D) and the ability to exercise (E), and rates the severity of the major changes found in individuals with COPD. The objective of this study was to verify any relationship between the BODE Index, muscle mass and maximum muscle strengths of the upper limb (UL) and lower limb (LL) in subjects with moderate to very severe COPD. METHODS Twenty-six individuals with moderate to very severe COPD were evaluated by body composition (body mass index and muscle mass), BODE Index, handgrip strength (HS) and one repetition maximum (1RM) test of the UL and LL. RESULTS There was a positive correlation (Pearson, p < 0.05) of peripheral muscle strength, evaluated by HS and 1RM (pectoral and triceps, round muscles and dorsal section, quadriceps), to muscle mass (0.74, 0.57, 0.74 and 0.62, respectively) and the distance walked in the six-minute walking test (0.52, 0.50, 0.46 and 0.58, respectively), but no correlation of muscle strength was found to forced expiratory volume in one second to dyspnea or the BODE Index. CONCLUSION In accordance with the results of this study, peripheral muscle strength as measured by HS and 1RM is not related to the severity indexes for COPD, unlike UL and LL muscle strength. Therefore, UL and LL measurements now have an additional importance in COPD evaluation.
Coupling Scale-Free and Classical Random Graphs

Recently many new "scale-free" random graph models have been introduced, motivated by the power-law degree sequences observed in many large-scale real-world networks. The most studied of these is the Barabási-Albert growth with "preferential attachment" model, made precise as the LCD model by the present authors. Here we use coupling techniques to show that in certain ways the LCD model is not too far from a standard random graph; in particular, the fractions of vertices that must be retained under an optimal attack in order to keep a giant component are within a constant factor for the scale-free and classical models.
Features associated with, and the impact of, hemolytic anemia in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: LX, results from a multiethnic cohort.

OBJECTIVE To examine the clinical and genetic correlates of hemolytic anemia and its impact on damage accrual and mortality in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. METHODS SLE patients (American College of Rheumatology [ACR] criteria) of Hispanic (Texan or Puerto Rican), African American, and Caucasian ethnicity from the LUMINA (LUpus in MInorities, NAture versus nurture) cohort were studied. Hemolytic anemia was defined as anemia with reticulocytosis (ACR criterion). The association between degrees of hemolytic anemia and socioeconomic/demographic, clinical, pharmacologic, immunologic, psychological, and behavioral variables was examined by univariable and multivariable (proportional odds model) analyses. Genetic variables (FCGR and Fas/Fas ligand polymorphisms) were examined by 2 degrees of freedom test of association and Cochran-Armitage trend tests. The impact of hemolytic anemia on damage accrual and mortality was examined by multivariable linear and Cox regression analyses, respectively. RESULTS Of 628 patients studied, 90% were women, 19% were Texan Hispanic, 16% were Puerto Rican Hispanic, 37% were African American, and 28% were Caucasian. Sixty-five (10%) patients developed hemolytic anemia at some time during the disease course, 83% at or before diagnosis. Variables independently associated with degrees of hemolytic anemia were African American ethnicity, thrombocytopenia, and the use of azathioprine. Hemolytic anemia was associated with damage accrual after adjusting for variables known to affect this outcome; however, hemolytic anemia was not associated with mortality. CONCLUSION The association of hemolytic anemia with thrombocytopenia suggests a common mechanism in their pathophysiology. Hemolytic anemia is an early disease manifestation and is associated with African American ethnicity and the use of azathioprine; it appears to exert an impact on damage but not on mortality.
Development and validation of a new figural drawing scale for body-image assessment: the BIAS-BD.

This study describes the development and validation of a new and improved body-image assessment tool, the BIAS-BD, based on known body dimensions. The scale's construction consisted of 17 male and 17 female contour-line drawings that used known anthropometric body dimensions of shoulder, chest, waist, hip breadth, thigh breadth, and upper leg breadth. The figural drawings correspond to a series of body weights ranging from 60% below the known average to 140% above average. Differences between figural drawings represented a 5% change in body weight. Participants were 207 undergraduates, including 66 men and 141 women, who selected drawings that reflected their perceived size and their ideal size. Retesting occurred after a 2-week interval and resulted in test-retest reliability values of r=. 86 for actual perceived size, r=. 72 for ideal size, and r=. 76 for body dissatisfaction (p<.005). There were no significant differences in reliability values between genders. Mean differences in perceived size, ideal size, and body dissatisfaction between the two test administrations were small. Concurrent validity, measured as the correspondence between perceived and reported size, was r=. 76 (p<.005). Participants slightly overestimated their perceived body size, with women overestimating significantly more. Unlike existing scales, the present scale uses figural drawings based on known body dimensions and has better reliability and validity. It avoids several problems inherent in existing scales, including scale coarseness, the presence of ethnic facial and body features, and the lack of documented reliability and validity values.
Bayesian Simultaneous Edit and Imputation for Multivariate Categorical Data

ABSTRACT In categorical data, it is typically the case that some combinations of variables are theoretically impossible, such as a 3-year-old child who is married or a man who is pregnant. In practice, however, reported values often include such structural zeros due to, for example, respondent mistakes or data processing errors. To purge data of such errors, many statistical organizations use a process known as edit-imputation. The basic idea is first to select reported values to change according to some heuristic or loss function, and second to replace those values with plausible imputations. This two-stage process typically does not fully use information in the data when determining locations of errors, nor does it appropriately reflect uncertainty resulting from the edits and imputations. We present an alternative approach to editing and imputation for categorical microdata with structural zeros that addresses these shortcomings. Specifically, we use a Bayesian hierarchical model that couples a stochastic model for the measurement error process with a Dirichlet process mixture of multinomial distributions for the underlying, error-free values. The latter model is restricted to have support only on the set of theoretically possible combinations. We illustrate this integrated approach to editing and imputation using simulation studies with data from the 2000 U. S. census, and compare it to a two-stage edit-imputation routine. Supplementary material is available online.
In vivo human muscle structure and function: adaptations to resistance training in old age

This study investigated changes in elderly muscle joint angle–torque relation induced by resistance training. Older adults were assigned to either training (n= 9, age 74.3 ± 3.5 years; mean ±s.d.) or to control groups (n= 9, age 67.1 ± 2 years). Leg‐extension and leg‐press exercises were performed three times per week for 14 weeks. Maximal isometric knee extension torque was measured across the knee joint angle range of movement. Vastus lateralis muscle architecture was examined in vivo using ultrasonography. The vastus lateralis muscle fascicle force was estimated from the measured joint torque, enabling construction of the fascicle length–force relation. Electromyographic (EMG) activity was measured from representative agonist and antagonist muscles. Training altered the angle–torque relation: (a) displacing it by 9–31% towards higher torque values (P < 0.05); and (b) shifting the optimal angle from 70 deg (corresponding torque: 121.4 ± 61 N m) before to 60 deg (134.2 ± 57.2 N m; P < 0.05) after training. Training also altered the fascicle length–force relation: (a) displacing it by 11–35% towards higher force values; and (b) shifting the optimal fascicle length from 83.7 ± 8 mm (corresponding force: 847.9 ± 365.3 N) before to 93.2 ± 12.5 mm (939.3 ± 347.8 N; P < 0.01) after training. The upward displacement of the angle–torque relation was mainly due to a training‐induced increase in agonist activation, whilst the shift in the optimal angle was associated with changes in muscle‐tendon properties.
Contra-lesional somatosensory cortex activity and somatosensory recovery in two stroke patients.

OBJECTIVE We describe here 2 stroke patients who showed activation of the contra-lesional somatosensory cortex without activation of the ipsi-lesional somatosensory cortex during proprioceptive input on the affected hand. CASE DESCRIPTION One patient with intracerebral haemorrhage (a 52-year-old man), 1 patient with middle cerebral artery infarct (a 54-year-old man), and 8 control subjects were recruited. The subscale for kinaesthetic sensation (full mark: 24) of the Nottingham Sensory Assessment improved from 2 points (patient 1 and 2; onset) to 8 points (patient 1) and 12 points (patient 2) at 6 months after onset. Functional magnetic resonance imaging was conducted at 6 months after onset using a 1.5-T Philips MR scanner. Passive movements were performed at the metacarpophalangeal joint. RESULTS On functional magnetic resonance imaging the contra--lesional (left) primary somatosensory cortex and posterior parietal cortex were activated during passive movements of either hand, which was not observed in control subjects. CONCLUSION The activation of only the contra-lesional somatosensory cortex during passive hand movements in these patients suggests the involvement of this area in somatosensory processing for passive movements after stroke. This area appeared to contribute to recovery of proprioceptive function of the affected hands after stroke.
Risk Estimation for Fast Neutrons with Regard to Solid Cancer

Abstract Kellerer, A. M. and Walsh, L. Risk Estimation for Fast Neutrons with Regard to Solid Cancer. Radiat. Res. 156, 708–717 (2001). In the absence of epidemiological information on the effects of neutrons, their cancer mortality risk coefficient is currently taken as the product of two low-dose extrapolations: the nominal risk coefficient for photons and the presumed maximum relative biological effectiveness of neutrons. This approach is unnecessary. Since linearity in dose is assumed for neutrons at low to moderate effect levels, the risk coefficient can be derived in terms of the excess risk from epidemiological observations at an intermediate dose of γ rays and an assumed value, R1, of the neutron RBE relative to this reference dose of γ rays. Application of this procedure to the A-bomb data requires accounting for the effect of the neutron dose component, which, according to the current dosimetry system, DS86, amounts on average to 11 mGy in the two cities at a total dose of 1 Gy. With R1 tentatively set to 20 or 50, it is concluded that the neutrons have caused 18% or 35%, respectively, of the total effect at 1 Gy. The excess relative risk (ERR) for neutrons then lies between 8 per Gy and 16 per Gy. Translating these values into risk coefficients in terms of the effective dose, E, requires accounting for the γ-ray component produced by the neutron field in the human body, which will require a separate analysis. The risk estimate for neutrons will remain essentially unaffected by the current reassessment of the neutron doses in Hiroshima, because the doses are unlikely to change much at the reference dose of 1 Gy.
Timing of permanent tooth emergence in Danish children.

abstract Mean times of emergence of the permanent teeth, except the third molars, and mean times of onset of specific dental stages were studied cross-sectionally in nearly 8,000 Danish children. In both sexes, a tendency for grouped emergence was observed, the teeth within a group showing similar mean times of emergence. The following groups were distinguishable: (1) the first molar in each jaw and the mandibular central incisor, (2) the maxillary central and mandibular lateral incisor, (3) the mandibular canine and the first premolar in each jaw, and (4) the maxillary canine and the second premolar in each jaw. The sex difference in emergence timing ranged from 2–11 months. In Denmark, the first visit to the Child Dental Services usually takes place when the children enter school in the year they attain the age of 7 years. The present findings indicate that, in order to include the initial phase of permanent tooth emergence, organized dental care should be introduced at least 1 year earlier.
Gas exchange mechanism of orthodeoxia in hepatopulmonary syndrome

The mechanism of orthodeoxia (OD), or decreased partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2) from supine to upright, a characteristic feature of hepatopulmonary syndrome (HPS), has never been comprehensively elucidated. We therefore investigated the intrapulmonary (shunt and ventilation‐perfusion [V̇A/Q̇] mismatching) and extrapulmonary factors governing PaO2 in 20 patients with mild to severe HPS (14 males, 6 females; 50 ± 3 years old SE) at upright and supine, in random order. We set out a cutoff value for OD, namely a PaO2 decrease ≥5% or ≥4 mm Hg (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.96 each). Compared to supine, 5 patients showed OD (PaO2 change, −11% ± 2%, −7 ± 1 mm Hg, P < .05) with further V̇A/Q̇ worsening (shunt + low V̇A/Q̇ mode increased from 19% ± 7% to 21% ± 7% of cardiac output [Q̇T], P < .05), as opposed to 15 patients who did not (+2% ± 2%, +1± 1 mm Hg) with V̇A/Q̇ improvement (from 20% ± 4% to 16% ± 4% of Q̇T, P < .01). Cardiac output was significantly lower in OD patients in both positions. Changes in extrapulmonary factors at upright, such as increased minute ventilation and decreased Q̇T, were of similar magnitude in both subsets of patients. In conclusion, our data suggest that gas exchange response to OD in HPS points to a more altered pulmonary vascular tone inducing heterogeneous blood flow redistribution to lung zones with prominent intrapulmonary vascular dilatations. (HEPATOLOGY 2004;40:660–666.)
DevR (DosR) binding peptide inhibits adaptation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis under hypoxia.

DevR is a key regulator of the dormancy response in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tb). Using DevR as bait to screen a phage display library, a peptide, DevRS1, was obtained. DevRS1 inhibited DevR-regulated transcription and survival of nonreplicating tubercle bacilli in a hypoxia model of dormancy. DevRS1 peptide-mediated inhibition demonstrates the efficacy of intercepting DevR function to block hypoxic adaptation of M. tb.
A cutting plane algorithm for bounding a strategic pricing problem in electricity markets

We consider a strategic bidding problem under uncertainty in a wholesale energy market, where the economic remuneration of each generator depends on the ability of its own management to submit price and quantity bids. We present a formulation for the problem as a non-convex quadratically constrained quadratic program (QCQP) and propose a cutting plane algorithm to solve an extended linear relaxation for the problem. The linear relaxation is an outer-approximation of the well known SDP relaxation of the QCQP problem. Valid inequalities are added to an initial linear relaxation at each iteration of the cutting plane algorithm, improving the bound computed, including the well known RLT inequalities and sparse SDP cuts that enforce the positive semidefiniteness of the matrix variable. Computational results based on instances derived from the Brazilian system are presented and compare the bounds obtained by different versions of the cutting plane algorithm with the bound obtained with the continuous relaxation of a MILP formulation presented for the problem in the literature.
Modeling the meteorological and chemical effects of secondary organic aerosols during an EUCAARI campaign

Abstract. A volatility basis set (VBS) approach for the simulation of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation is incorporated in the online coupled atmospheric model system COSMO-ART and applied over Europe during the EUCAARI May 2008 campaign. Organic aerosol performance is improved when compared to the default SOA module of COSMO-ART (SORGAM) against high temporal resolution aerosol mass spectrometer ground measurements. The impact of SOA on the overall radiative budget was investigated. The mean direct surface radiative cooling averaged over Europe is −1.2 W m −2 , representing approximately 20% of the total effect of aerosols on the radiative budget. However, responses are not spatially correlated with the radiative forcing, due to the nonlinear interactions among changes in particle chemical composition, water content, size distribution and cloud cover. These interactions initiated~by the effect of SOA on radiation are found to result even in a positive forcing in specific areas. Further model experiments showed that the availability of nitrogen oxides slightly affects SOA production, but that the aging rate constant used in the VBS approximation and boundary concentrations assumed in the model should be carefully selected. The aging of SOA is found to reduce hourly nitrate levels by up to 30%, while the condensation of inorganic species upon pre-existing, SOA-rich particles results in a monthly average increase of 5% in sulfate and ammonium formation in the accumulation mode.
The human TBX6 gene: cloning and assignment to chromosome 16p11.2.

Tbx6 is a member of the T-box family of proteins, which share a region of homology corresponding to the DNA-binding domain of the transcription factor T. Previous expression studies and knockout experiments in mice indicate that Tbx6 is important for specification of paraxial mesoderm structures. We have isolated and characterized the human orthologue, TBX6. Sequence comparisons show that overall the nucleotide homology between human and mouse TBX6/Tbx6 is 84%; within the T-box there is 89% nucleotide homology and 96% amino acid identity. TBX6 maps to chromosome 16 p11.2, a region syntenic with mouse chromosome 7, at 61 cM, the map position of mouse Tbx6. RT-PCR studies of RNA distribution indicate that this gene is expressed not only during gastrulation but has a second phase of expression in some adult tissues including testis. DNA/protein-binding studies demonstrate that Tbx6 binds to the same target DNA as T protein and can form a dimeric complex with DNA. We could find no evidence that Tbx6 forms a heterodimer with T.
Tumor size and regional lymph node metastasis in colorectal cancer a preliminary analysis from the NSABP clinical trials

This study explores the relationships between tumor size and regional lymph node involvement in patients with Dukes‐ B and C colorectal cancer in the randomized prospective clinical trials of the NSABP. Six‐hundred and seventy patients with colon cancer and 236 patients with carcinoma of the rectum were available for analysis. Utilizing cumulative frequency distributions of tumor diameter and tumor volume, comparisons were carried out between Dukes‐ B and C lesions. The results indicate that there was no correlation between the longest diameter of the primary tumor and the status of regional lymph nodes for either colon or rectal cancer. Moreover, this lack of association was evident throughout the distribution. When tumor volume was analyzed, Dukes‐ B tumors proved to be consistently larger than Dukes‐ C lesions. This inverse relationship was statistically significant for carcinoma of the rectum. These findings underscore the unique biological behavior of colorectal cancer and emphasize the function of the current generation of randomized prospective trials in providing natural history information.
Quantitative flow cytometry for the differential diagnosis of leukemic B‐cell chronic lymphoproliferative disorders

We have investigated whether the quantitative flow cytometry is an useful tool to better characterize B‐cell chronic lymphoproliferative disorders (CLDs). Peripheral blood samples from 104 patients with leukemic B‐cell disorders and 20 healthy donors were analyzed. Directly phycoerythrin‐conjugated CD19, CD20, CD22, CD23, CD79b, and CD5 monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) and QuantiBRITE pre‐calibrated beads were used to calculate the number of antigen molecules per cell, expressed as antibody binding capacity (ABC). As compared to normal controls, in chronic lymphocytic leukemias (CLL) all MoAbs tested, with the exception of CD23 and CD5, showed lower ABC levels. In prolymphocytic leukemias (PL), CD5 and CD23 antigens were constantly absent while lower CD19 and CD22 ABC levels were observed. Hairy cell leukemias (HCL) displayed very high levels of CD20 and CD22. Of interest, splenic lymphomas with villous lymphocytes (SLVL) could be discriminated from HCL for higher CD79b and lower CD19 ABC values. Finally, higher CD20 levels were detected in follicular lymphomas (FL), whereas higher CD79b and CD5 levels characterized mantle cell lymphomas (MCL). Seven out of 61 CLL cases were defined as morphologically atypical. When compared with typical forms, lower levels of CD19 and CD23 and higher CD20 and CD22 ABC values were detected. However, we failed to demonstrate quantitative differences between atypical CLL and MCL. Our results suggest that quantitative flow cytometry may be a useful additional tool to better identify some types of B‐cell CLDs. Am. J. Hematol. 64:275–281, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Construction of Mycobacterium abscessus Defined Glycopeptidolipid Mutants: Comparison of Genetic Tools

ABSTRACT Mycobacterium abscessus is a rapidly growing mycobacterial species that can be involved in pulmonary and disseminated infections in immunosuppressed or young cystic fibrosis patients. It is an emerging pathogen and has attracted recent attention due to the numerous cases of infection; furthermore, genomic tools have been developed for this species. Nevertheless, the study of this species has until now been limited to spontaneous variants. We report here a comparison of three different mutagenesis systems—the ts-sacB, the phage, and the recombineering systems—and show that there are important differences in their efficiency for the construction of allelic-exchange mutants. We show, using the mmpL4b gene of the glycopeptidolipid pathway as a target, that allelic-exchange mutants can be constructed with a reasonable efficiency (∼7%) using the recombineering system. These observations will facilitate genetic and cellular microbiology experiments involving the construction and use of well-defined mutants to study the virulence determinant of this emerging pathogen.