Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rapid, Objective and Non-invasive Diagnosis of Sudomotor Dysfunction in Patients With Lower Extremity Dysesthesia: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective To determine whether patients with lumbosacral (LS) radiculopathy and peripheral polyneuropathy (PPNP) exhibit sudomotor abnormalities and whether SUDOSCAN (Impeto Medical, Paris, France) can complement nerve conduction study (NCS) and electromyography (EMG). Methods Outpatients with lower extremity dysesthesia underwent electrophysiologic studies and SUDOSCAN. They were classified as normal (group A), LS radiculopathy (group B), or PPNP (group C). Pain severity was measured by the Michigan Neuropathy Screening Instrument (MNSI) and visual analogue scale (VAS). Demographic features, electrochemical skin conductance (ESC) values on hands and feet, and SUDOSCAN-risk scores were analyzed. Results There were no statistical differences in MNSI and VAS among the three groups. Feet-ESC and hands-ESC values in group C were lower than group A and B. SUDOSCAN-risk score in group B and C was higher than group A. With a cut-off at 48 microSiemens of feet-ESC, PPNP was detected with 57.1% sensitivity and 94.2% specificity (area under the curve [AUC]=0.780; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0646–0.915). With a SUDOSCAN-risk score cut-off at 29%, NCS and EMG abnormalities related to LS radiculopathy and PPNP were detected with 64.1% sensitivity and 84.2% specificity (AUC=0.750; 95% CI, 0.674–0.886). Conclusion SUDOSCAN can discriminate outpatients with abnormal electrophysiological findings and sudomotor dysfunction. This technology may be a complementary tool to NCS and EMG in outpatients with lower extremity dysesthesia.
Examining Microstructural White Matter in Active Duty Soldiers with a History of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Traumatic Stress

Background: There is a high comorbidity of posttraumatic stress (PTS) and mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), with largely overlapping symptomatology, in military service members. Objective: To examine white matter integrity associated with PTS and mTBI as assessed using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Method: Seventy-four active-duty U.S. soldiers with PTS (n = 16) and PTS with co-morbid history of mTBI (PTS/mTBI; n = 28) were compared to a military control group (n = 30). Participants received a battery of neurocognitive and clinical symptom measures. The number of abnormal DTI values was determined (>2 SDs from the mean of the control group) for fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), and then compared between groups. In addition, mean DTI values from white matter tracts falling into three categories were compared between groups: (i) projection tracts: superior, middle, and inferior cerebellar peduncles, pontine crossing tract, and corticospinal tract; (ii) association tracts: superior longitudinal fasciculus; and (iii) commissure tracts: cingulum bundle (cingulum-cingulate gyrus and cingulum-hippocampus), and corpus callosum. Results: The comorbid PTS/mTBI group had significantly greater traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, and post-concussive symptoms, and they performed worse on neurocognitive testing than those with PTS alone and controls. The groups differed greatly on several clinical variables, but contrary to what we hypothesized, they did not differ greatly on primary and exploratory analytic approaches of hetero-spatial whole brain DTI analyses. Conclusion: The findings suggest that psychological health conditions rather than pathoanatomical changes may be contributing to symptom presentation in this population.
Dimension Reduction for Gaussian Process Emulation: An Application to the Influence of Bathymetry on Tsunami Heights

High accuracy complex computer models, or simulators, require large resources in time and memory to produce realistic results. Statistical emulators are computationally cheap approximations of such simulators. They can be built to replace simulators for various purposes, such as the propagation of uncertainties from inputs to outputs or the calibration of some internal parameters against observations. However, when the input space is of high dimension, the construction of an emulator can become prohibitively expensive. In this paper, we introduce a joint framework merging emulation with dimension reduction in order to overcome this hurdle. The gradient-based kernel dimension reduction technique is chosen due to its ability to drastically decrease dimensionality with little loss in information. The Gaussian process emulation technique is combined with this dimension reduction approach. Our proposed approach provides an answer to the dimension reduction issue in emulation for a wide range of simulation problems that cannot be tackled using existing methods. The efficiency and accuracy of the proposed framework is demonstrated theoretically, and compared with other methods on an elliptic partial differential equation (PDE) problem. We finally present a realistic application to tsunami modeling. The uncertainties in the bathymetry (seafloor elevation) are modeled as high-dimensional realizations of a spatial process using a geostatistical approach. Our dimension-reduced emulation enables us to compute the impact of these uncertainties on resulting possible tsunami wave heights near-shore and on-shore. We observe a significant increase in the spread of uncertainties in the tsunami heights due to the contribution of the bathymetry uncertainties. These results highlight the need to include the effect of uncertainties in the bathymetry in tsunami early warnings and risk assessments.
THE OCULOCARDIAC REFLEX DURING EXTRAOCULAR MUSCLE SURGERY.

Introduction For years, physicians have known about the oculocardiac reflex. Paroxysmal auricular tachycardia could frequently be reverted to a slower, normal rhythm by ocular massage, and many physicians have used this as initial therapy. Ophthalmologists and anesthesiologists have also been interested in the reflex, because several cardiac arrests during ocular surgery have been attributed to it. During the past decade, several clinical studies have shed more light on the subject. Kirsch, 1-3 collaborating with other authors on several reports, found that the reflex is apt to occur with extraocular muscle traction, ocular pressure, intraorbital injections, and compression of apical contents after enucleation. Several factors predisposing the reflex were noted to be fear, hypoxia, hypercapnia, sensitivity to, and overdose of drugs. Although the bradycardia happens in a large percentage of cases, Kirsch believed that cardiac arrest occurred about once in approximately 3,500 eye operations. Although Kirsch 1 and Taylor 4 believe
Interglacial Hydroclimate in the Tropical West Pacific Through the Late Pleistocene

The Rains of Change Approximately 500 to 400 thousand years ago, a fundamental change in the nature of glacial cycles occurred, including a shift to larger amplitude variations in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations and global temperatures. Meckler et al. (p. 1301, published online 3 May; see the Perspective by Kurita) present a stalagmite record from Borneo which provides a record of precipitation from 550,000 to 200,000 years ago. The amount of regional precipitation was similar during all four of the interglacials during that interval, and drying events during glacial terminations corresponded with cooling events in high northern latitudes. Precipitation in Borneo, largely invariant during the last four interglacial periods, decreased during glacial terminations. Records of atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration (Pco2) and Antarctic temperature have revealed an intriguing change in the magnitude of interglacial warmth and Pco2 at around 430,000 years ago (430 ka), but the global climate repercussions of this change remain elusive. Here, we present a stalagmite-based reconstruction of tropical West Pacific hydroclimate from 570 to 210 ka. The results suggest similar regional precipitation amounts across the four interglacials contained in the record, implying that tropical hydroclimate was insensitive to interglacial differences in Pco2 and high-latitude temperature. In contrast, during glacial terminations, drying in the tropical West Pacific accompanied cooling events in northern high latitudes. Therefore, the tropical convective heat engine can either stabilize or amplify global climate change, depending on the nature of the climate forcing.
Consistency in Aggregation, Quasilinear Means and Index Numbers

In the calculation of economic aggregates it is often necessary to compute the value of these aggregates in some relevant subgroups as well as for the whole data. A method of calculation is said to be consistent in aggregation if it gives the same result regardless of whether it is applied directly to the whole data or to subaggregates calculated using the same method. The property has been well studied, yet a satisfactory general definition has been lacking. In this paper a definition of consistency in aggregation is given for a general class of aggregation rules. We show that any aggregation method satisfying this definition has a representation based on a commutative semigroup operation. Also, as an application we use algebraic methods to derive certain properties of index numbers satisfying consistency in aggregation. In particular, we show that any such index number formula is in fact a generalized weighted mean.
PHIRST Trial – pharmacist consults: prioritization of HIV-patients with a referral screening tool

ABSTRACT The role of pharmacists in HIV outpatient clinics has greatly increased in the past decades. Given the limited resources of the health system, the prioritization of pharmacist consults is now a main concern. This study aimed to create a scoring system allowing for standardized prioritization of pharmacist consults for patients living with HIV. Data was retrospectively collected from 200 HIV patients attending the Chronic Viral Illness Service at the McGill University Health Center. An expert panel consisting of four pharmacists working in the field of HIV prioritized each patient individually, after which a consensus was established and was considered as the gold standard. In order to create a scoring system, two different methods (Delphi, statistical) were used to assign a weight to each characteristic considered to be important in patient prioritization. A third method (equal weight to each characteristic) was also evaluated. The total score per patient for each method was then compared to the expert consensus in order to establish the score cut-offs to indicate the appropriate categories of delay in which to see the patient. All three systems failed to accurately prioritize patients into urgency categories (“less than 48 h”, “less than 1 month”, “less than 3 months”, “no consult required”) according to expert pharmacist consensus. The presence of high level interactions between patient characteristics, the limited number of patients and the low prevalence of some characteristics were hypothesized as the main causes for the results. Creating a prioritization tool for pharmacy consults in HIV outpatient clinics is a complex task and developing a decision tree algorithm may be a more appropriate approach in the future to take into account the importance of combinations of patient characteristic.
Porcine zona pellucida ZP3α glycoprotein mediates binding of the biotin‐labeled Mr 55,000 family (ZP3) to boar sperm membrane vesicles

The two Mr 55,000 glycoproteins, ZP3α and ZP3b̃, of porcine zona pellucida copurify as a preparation designated ZP3. Gamete binding assays have implicated ZP3α, but not ZP3b̃, as participating in sperm‐zona recognition events. We now report that boar sperm contain membrane‐associated binding sites with specificity for ZP3α. Biotin‐labeled (b‐) preparations of ZP3 bind to intact boar sperm in a saturable manner, with localization on the anterior head region. Membrane vesicles obtained from capacitated sperm by nitrogen cavitation retain b‐ZP3 binding sites as determined by an enzyme‐linked method employing alkaline phosphatase‐conjugated strepavidin. In competitive binding assays using b‐ZP3 (0.1μg/ml) as probe, heat‐solubilized zonae and ZP3 were effective competitors, whereas the nonzona molecules fetuin and fucoidin were not. Digestion of ZP3 with endo‐b̃‐galactosidase, an enzyme that trims polylactosamines, enhanced its affinity for membrane receptors. In contrast treatments such as chemical deglycosylation, pronase digestion, or disruption of disulfide bonds abolished the ligand activity of ZP3. Finally, purified ZP3α was an at least 100‐fold better antagonist than purified ZP3b̃. The results demonstrate that binding of b‐ZP3 to isolated boar sperm membranes is mediated by sperm receptors with specificity for the ZP3α macromolecular component and reveal a complex contribution of both carbohydrate and protein moieties toward the ligand activity of this sperm adhesive zona molecule. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Dynamic features of gene expression control by small regulatory RNAs

Small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs) in eukaryotes and bacteria play an important role in the regulation of gene expression either by binding to regulatory proteins or directly to target mRNAs. Two of the best-characterized bacterial sRNAs, Spot42 and RyhB, form a complementary pair with the ribosome binding region of their target mRNAs, thereby inhibiting translation or promoting mRNA degradation. To investigate the steady-state and dynamic potential of such sRNAs, we examine the 2 key parameters characterizing sRNA regulation: the capacity to overexpress the sRNA relative to its target mRNA and the speed at which the target mRNA is irreversibly inactivated. We demonstrate different methods to determine these 2 key parameters, for Spot42 and RyhB, which combine biochemical and genetic experiments with computational analysis. We have developed a mathematical model that describes the functional properties of sRNAs with various characteristic parameters. We observed that Spot42 and RyhB function in distinctive parameter regimes, which result in divergent mechanisms.
Evidence That Levels of Presenilins (PS1 and PS2) Are Coordinately Regulated by Competition for Limiting Cellular Factors*

Mutations in two related genes, PS1and PS2, account for the majority of early onset cases of familial Alzheimer’s disease. PS1 and PS2 are homologous polytopic membrane proteins that are processed endoproteolytically into two fragments in vivo. In the present report we examine the fate of endogenous PS1 and PS2 after overexpression of human PS1 or PS2 in mouse N2a neuroblastoma cell lines and human PS1 in transgenic mice. Remarkably, in N2a cell lines and in brains of transgenic mice expressing human PS1, accumulation of human PS1 derivatives is accompanied by a compensatory, and highly selective, decrease in the steady-state levels of murine PS1 and PS2 derivatives. Similarly, the levels of murine PS1 derivatives are diminished in cultured cells overexpressing human PS2. To define the minimal sequence requirements for “replacement” we expressed familial Alzheimer’s disease-linked and experimental deletion variants of PS1. These studies revealed that compromised accumulation of murine PS1 and PS2 derivatives resulting from overexpression of human PS1 occurs in a manner independent of endoproteolytic cleavage. Our results are consistent with a model in which the abundance of PS1 and PS2 fragments is regulated coordinately by competition for limiting cellular factor(s).
Sensitization of postsynaptic dorsal column neuronal responses by colon inflammation

THE role of a newly identified component of the post-synaptic dorsal column (PSDC) system in viscerosensory processing has been recently described. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of colon inflammation on the responses of single PSDC cells, located in the vicinity of the central canal at L6-S1 spinal segments, to graded colorectal distension (CRD) and to cutaneous stimulation. Experiments were conducted on seven male Sprague-Dawley rats anesthetized with pentobarbital. Recordings were made from seven PSDC cells located around the central canal at L6-S1 in response to CRD and cutaneous stimulation before and after colon inflammation. Inflammation of the colon with mustard oil (MO) induced an increase in the background activity of these cells. Colon inflammation also potentiated the responses of the PSDC cells to graded CRD but not to cutaneous stimulation. This is consistent with previously observed effects of colon inflammation on the responses of viscerosensitive cells in the ventral posterolateral (VPL) nucleus of the thalamus and in the nucleus gracilis (NG). These observations support a role of the PSDC system in viscerosensory processing and primary visceral hyperalgesia.
La importancia de Punta Rasa, Buenos Aires, en la migración del Chorlo Rojizo, (Calidris canutus)

En la provincia de Buenos Aires, el sector sur de la Bahía de Samborombón es considerado de importancia en la migración del Chorlo Rojizo, Calidris canutus. La presente nota intenta determinar la importancia de la zona de Punta Rasa en la migración de esta especie. Los resultados obtenidos, que dan cuenta de la existencia de un pico de paso migratorio en el mes de abril y de la ausencia de éste en la primavera austral (setiembre-octubre), coincide con lo observado por otros autores, insinuando que la especie utilizaría en la migración hacia el norte (otoño austral) una ruta alternativa a la utilizada en la migración hacia el sur (primavera austral).
Navigating Institutional Plurality: Organizational Governance in Hybrid Organizations

Hybrid organizations operate in a context of institutional plurality and enact elements of multiple, often conflicting institutional logics. Governance is highly relevant in navigating such an environment. This study examines how hybrid organizations set up their governance structures and practices. Building on survey data from 70 social enterprises, a subset of hybrid organizations, we identify two types of hybrid organization: conforming hybrids rely on the prioritization of a single institutional logic and dissenting hybrids use defiance, selective coupling and innovation as mechanisms to combine and balance the prescriptions of several institutional logics. We illustrate these mechanisms by drawing on the qualitative analysis of selected cases. This study refines current debates on social enterprises as hybrid organizations. Based on our findings, we speculate that some social enterprises might assume hybridity for symbolic reasons while others – genuine hybrids – do so for substantive reasons.
The fatigue effect of a simulated futsal match protocol on isokinetic knee torque production

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of a simulated futsal match protocol on isokinetic knee torque production. Twenty-one young futsal players participated in this study and performed a futsal-specific protocol comprising two blocks of 20-minute activities to simulate the match demands. At pre-protocol, half-time, and post-protocol, the concentric and eccentric isokinetic peak torque of the knee flexor and extensor muscles, the angle of peak torque, and the conventional and functional torque ratios were assessed. ANOVA was used to compare the variables (significance level p < 0.05). A decrease of knee flexor and extensor eccentric torque and knee flexor concentric torque was found, in which the pre-protocol levels were higher than those at half-time, with both being larger than those at post-protocol. The knee extensor concentric torque reduced at half-time. The angle of eccentric torque of knee flexors increased, and the conventional and functional torque ratios decreased at post-protocol. In conclusion, the protocol produced a time-dependent reduction of knee flexor and extensor torque in both concentric and eccentric actions. These findings suggested a possible impairment of performance and the emergence of risk factors for hamstring strains during a futsal match.
Phosphoinositide 3‐kinases as accelerators and brakes of autophagy

Degradation of cytoplasmic material by autophagy plays a key role in protein homeostasis and metabolic control, as well as in the removal of intracellular protein aggregates, pathogens and damaged organelles. The concept of up‐ or down‐regulating this pathway pharmacologically in neurodegenerative diseases, infections, inflammation and cancer is therefore attractive. Among the key pharmacological targets in regulation of autophagy are the phosphoinositide 3‐kinases (PI3Ks), which mediate the phosphorylation of phosphatidylinositol (PtdIns) or PtdIns 4,5‐bisphosphate in the 3‐position of the (phospho)inositol headgroup. The catalytic products, PtdIns 3‐phosphate (PtdIns3P) and PtdIns 3,4,5‐trisphosphate [PtdIns(3,4,5)P3], respectively, have opposing roles in autophagy. PtdIns3P, the product of class II and III PI3Ks, mediates the recruitment of specific autophagic effectors to the sites of origin of autophagic membranes and thereby plays an essential role in canonical autophagy. By contrast, PtdIns(3,4,5)P3, the product of class I PI3Ks, triggers the target of rapamycin signalling pathway, which inhibits autophagy. In this review, we discuss the functions of class I, II and III PI3Ks in autophagy and describe the protein effectors of PtdIns3P and PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 that promote or inhibit autophagy, respectively. We also provide examples of how PI3K‐mediated control of autophagy is relevant to an understanding of tumour suppression and progression.
Effect of Fluoxetine on Carvedilol Pharmacokinetics, CYP2D6 Activity, and Autonomic Balance in Heart Failure Patients

The objective of this study was to examine the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic consequences of concomitant administration of fluoxetine and carvedilol in heart failure patients. Fluoxetine (20 mg) or matching placebo was administered in a randomized, double‐blind, two‐period crossover study to 10 patients previously identified as extensive metabolizers of CYP2D6 substrates. Patients were maintained on a carvedilol dose of 25 or 50 mg bid and given fluoxetine/placebo for a minimum of 28 days. Plasma was collected over the 12‐hour carvedilol dosing interval, and the concentrations of the R(+) and S(−) enantiomers of carvedilol were measured. CYP2D6 phenotype was assessed during each study period using dextromethorphan (30 mg). Changes in autonomic modulation between study periods were measured by heart rate variability in the time and frequency domains using ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring. Compared to placebo, fluoxetine coadministration resulted in a 77% increase in mean (± SD) R(+) enantiomer AUC0–12 (522 ± 413 vs. 927 ± 506 ng•h/mL, p = 0.01) and a nonsignificant increase in S(−) enantiomer AUC (244 ± 185 vs. 330 ±179 ng•h/mL, p = 0.17). Mean apparent oral clearance for both enantiomers decreased significantly with fluoxetine administration (R(+): 10.3 ± 7.2 vs. 4.5 ± 2.2 mL/min/kg; S(−): 22.5 ± 12.3 vs. 12.6 ± 7.4 mL/min/kg; p = 0.004 and 0.03, respectively). No differences in adverse effects, blood pressure, or heart rate were noted between treatment groups, and there were no consistent changes in heart rate variability parameters. In conclusion, fluoxetine administration resulted in a stereospecific inhibition of carvedilol metabolism, with the R(+) enantiomer increasing to a greater extent than the S(−) enantiomer. However, this interaction was of little clinical significance in our sample population.