Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of instrument-assisted soft tissue mobilization technique on strength, knee joint passive stiffness, and pain threshold in hamstring shortness.

BACKGROUND Hamstring shortness is the most common musculoskeletal condition in sports athletes, which often contributes to hamstring strain injury. To effectively mitigate the hamstring shortness, contemporary HR, SCS, and IASTM soft tissue techniques have been used. The best practical evidence about the therapeutic effects and the biomechanical mechanisms underpinning these manual techniques remain unknown. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of HR, SCS, and IASTM techniques on improving hamstring and quadriceps muscle strength, related ratio, knee joint passive stiffness, and pain threshold. METHODS Forty-five participants (21 males and 24 females) with hamstring shortness participated in this study. The participants were randomly assigned to each of the three soft tissue mobilization technique groups. A Biodex System Isokinetic Dynamometer was used to measure muscle strength and knee joint passive stiffness during knee extension and flexion. Pressure algometry was used to measure hamstring pain threshold. One-way ANOVA were used to determine the statistical significance of the hamstring and quadriceps strength, related ratios, knee joint passive stiffness, and pain threshold in each technique. The significance level was set at α= 0.05. RESULTS The IASTM group showed greater improvement in the peak quadriceps strength (p= 0.000), the peak quadriceps and hamstring (Q:H) strength ratio (p= 0.004), passive knee stiffness (p= 0.000), and pain threshold (p= 0.017) than the HR or SCS groups. CONCLUSION The present comparative study provided first clinical evidence that IASTM technique is a best soft tissue mobilization technique to improve the strength, associated strength ratio, knee joint passive stiffness, and pain threshold among individuals with hamstring shortness.
Impact of Node Speed on Energy-Constrained Opportunistic Internet-of-Things with Wireless Power Transfer

Wireless power transfer (WPT) is a promising technology to realize the vision of Internet-of-Things (IoT) by powering energy-hungry IoT nodes by electromagnetic waves, overcoming the difficulty in battery recharging for massive numbers of nodes. Specifically, wireless charging stations (WCS) are deployed to transfer energy wirelessly to IoT nodes in the charging coverage. However, the coverage is restricted due to the limited hardware capability and safety issue, making mobile nodes have different battery charging patterns depending on their moving speeds. For example, slow moving nodes outside the coverage resort to waiting for energy charging from WCSs for a long time while those inside the coverage consistently recharge their batteries. On the other hand, fast moving nodes are able to receive energy within a relatively short waiting time. This paper investigates the above impact of node speed on energy provision and the resultant throughput of energy-constrained opportunistic IoT networks when data exchange between nodes are constrained by their intermittent connections as well as the levels of remaining energy. To this end, we design a two-dimensional Markov chain of which the state dimensions represent remaining energy and distance to the nearest WCS normalized by node speed, respectively. Solving this enables providing the following three insights. First, faster node speed makes the inter-meeting time between a node and a WCS shorter, leading to more frequent energy supply and higher throughput. Second, the above effect of node speed becomes marginal as the battery capacity increases. Finally, as nodes are more densely deployed, the throughput becomes scaling with the density ratio between mobiles and WCSs but independent of node speed, meaning that the throughput improvement from node speed disappears in dense networks. The results provide useful guidelines for IoT network provisioning and planning to achieve the maximum throughput performance given mobile environments.
Spectrum of Cribriform Proliferations of the Prostate: From Benign to Malignant.

CONTEXT - The presence of cribriform glands/ducts in the prostate can pose a diagnostic challenge. Cribriform glands/ducts include a spectrum of lesions, from benign to malignant, with vastly different clinical, prognostic, and treatment implications. OBJECTIVE - To highlight the diagnostic features of several entities with a common theme of cribriform architecture. We emphasize the importance of distinguishing among benign entities such as cribriform changes and premalignant to malignant entities such as high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, atypical intraductal cribriform proliferation, intraductal carcinoma of the prostate, and invasive adenocarcinoma (acinar and ductal types). The diagnostic criteria, differential diagnosis, and clinical implications of these cribriform lesions are discussed. DATA SOURCES - Literature review of pertinent publications in PubMed up to calendar year 2017. Photomicrographs obtained from cases at the University of California at Irvine and authors' collections. CONCLUSIONS - Although relatively uncommon compared with small acinar lesions (microacinar carcinoma and small gland carcinoma mimickers), large cribriform lesions are increasingly recognized and have become clinically and pathologically important. The spectrum of cribriform lesions includes benign, premalignant, and malignant lesions, and differentiating them can often be subtle and difficult. Intraductal carcinoma of the prostate in particular is independently associated with worse prognosis, and its presence in isolation should prompt definitive treatment. Patients with atypical intraductal cribriform proliferation, intraductal carcinoma of the prostate, or even focal cribriform pattern of invasive adenocarcinoma in biopsies would not be ideal candidates for active surveillance because of the high risk of adverse pathologic findings associated with these entities.
Discriminative Validity of the Dimensional Obsessive–Compulsive Scale for Separating Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder From Anxiety Disorders

Objective: We investigated the diagnostic efficiency and clinical utility of the Dimensional Obsessive–Compulsive Scale (DOCS) and subscales for distinguishing obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) from anxiety disorders (ADs). Method: A total of 369 participants (167 male, Mage = 29.61 years) diagnosed with DSM-IV OCD or AD, recruited from specialty clinics across the United States, completed clinical interviews and self-report questionnaires, including the DOCS. Receiver operating characteristic analyses and diagnostic likelihood ratios (DiLRs) determined discriminative validity and provided clinical utility. Logistic regressions tested for incremental validity in the DOCS-total scale and subscales in predicting OCD status. Results: The DOCS-total scale and Contamination subscale performed best in differentiating between OCD and AD diagnosis (DOCS-total: Area under curve [AUC] = .75, p < .001; Contamination: AUC = .70, p < .001) as compared with the other subscales. At high scores (DOCS-total: 28+, Contamination: 6+), Contamination was more effective than the DOCS-total in differentiating OCD from ADs, with high scores in Contamination quadrupling OCD odds and DOCS-total by about threefold (Contamination DiLR+ = 4.04, DOCS-total DiLR+ = 2.82). At low scores (DOCS-total: 0-9, Contamination: 0-2), the converse was true, with low scores in Contamination cutting OCD odds by half and DOCS-total by one fifths (Contamination DiLR− = 0.52, DOCS-total DiLR− = 0.23). Conclusion: At high scores, the Contamination subscale is the most helpful subscale to differentiate OCD and ADs. For low scores, the DOCS-total scale performs the best among the scales.
Detainees' perception of the doctors and the medical institution in Spanish police stations: An impediment in the fight against torture and ill-treatment.

BACKGROUND As part of a program by the Basque Government (Spain) and the University of the Basque Country, persons who have alleged exposure to torture and ill-treatment have been examined by psychologists and psychiatrists according to the Istanbul Protocol (IP). Medical examinations of detainees with the aim, inter alia, to document abuses is fundamental for torture prevention. The IP prescribes how this should be done to ensure data collection and prevent reprisals for having reported ill-treatment to the doctor. OBJECTIVES The objectives were to assess detainees' perception of the medical examinations which they underwent at different types of Spanish police institution and to compare practice between institutions; and, to compare information from the period 1969-1991 with that from 1992-2014. METHODS All information about medical examinations of incommunicado detainees from 202 extensive IP reports was analysed according to a 19-item tool developed for the purpose dealing with the doctors' professional performance, the confidence of the detainees in the doctors, reprisals and procedural safeguards (Annex 1). All information was classified as acceptable, unacceptable /insufficient or totally unacceptable. FINDINGS Very often the detainees perceived the doctors' professional performance as insufficient or totally unacceptable and the doctors did not instil their confidence. Threats of police reprisals and failure to observe procedural safeguards were often reported. There were no differences in the comparison between institutions. When comparing the two study periods an improvement was found over time. However, 64% of the scores came out as totally unacceptable or insufficient for the most recent period indicating that the medical institution in police stations where the detentions had taken place failed to constitute a preventive means against torture and ill-treatment. LIMITATIONS Only 57% of the 202 reports assessed contained relevant information; data was retrieved retrospectively; the interviews were done years after detention without a particular focus on medical examinations.
Gotta Catch 'Em All: Impact of Pokémon Go on Physical Activity, Sitting Time, and Perceptions of Physical Activity and Health at Baseline and Three-Month Follow-Up.

OBJECTIVE The objective was to examine differences in physical activity, sitting time and perceptions of physical activity and health between Pokémon Go users and nonusers at baseline (launch of the application in the United Kingdom) and 3-month follow-up. MATERIALS AND METHODS The self-administered, short version of the 7-day recall, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, was adapted to develop the "Physical Activity and Pokémon Go questionnaire," which was distributed using social media. Four weeks after the launch of the application, 461 participants (n = 193 male, n = 265 female, n = 3 transgender) had completed the questionnaire. At 3-month follow-up, 127 participants repeated the questionnaire. RESULTS At baseline, mixed models analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed main effects for Pokémon Go users versus nonusers in the amount of days of vigorous physical activity, moderate physical activity, and walking (All P < 0.01). Users reported that they undertook less days of vigorous physical activity than nonusers, but more days of moderate physical activity and walking. There were no differences in body mass index, minutes of vigorous or moderate physical activity, and walking, or sitting on weekdays (All P > 0.05). Repeated measures ANOVA identified increased sitting on weekdays (P < 0.05), but maintained vigorous, moderate and walking physical activity behaviors in users who remained users. CONCLUSION Pokémon Go use can increase the frequency of days of physical activity benefitting health. Users at both time points maintained their physical activity behaviour, but increased sitting time on weekdays, highlighting that another intervention to prevent sitting is needed.
Case–control study examining the association between allopurinol use and ischemic cerebrovascular disease

Few studies focus on the relationship between allopurinol and ischemic cerebrovascular disease. The goal of the study was to investigate the association of long-term therapy of allopurinol with the first-time attack of ischemic cerebrovascular disease in Taiwan. We performed a case–control study using the database of the Taiwan National Health Insurance Program. The case group included 14,937 subjects aged 20–84 years with the first-time attack of ischemic cerebrovascular disease from 2000 to 2013. The control group included 14,937 sex-matched and age-matched subjects aged 20–84 years without any type of cerebrovascular disease. Ever use of allopurinol was defined as subjects who had at least a prescription for allopurinol before the index date. The OR and the 95% CI for ischemic cerebrovascular disease associated with allopurinol use were measured by the multivariable logistic regression model. The adjusted OR of ischemic cerebrovascular disease was 0.992 (95% CI 0.989 to 0.996) for subjects with increasing cumulative duration of allopurinol use for every 1 month, compared with never use. In a further analysis, the adjusted OR of ischemic cerebrovascular disease was 0.74 (95% CI 0.57 to 0.96) for cumulative duration of allopurinol use >3 years, compared with never use. Our findings suggest that lone-term therapy of allopurinol >3 years is associated with decreased risk of the first-time attack of ischemic cerebrovascular disease, compared with no allopurinol therapy.
Can Selenium and Molybdenum Restrain Cadmium Toxicity to Pollen Grains in Brassica napus?

Cadmium (Cd) is highly toxic, even at very low concentrations, to both animals and plants. Pollen is extremely sensitive to heavy metal pollutants; however, less attention has been paid to the protection of this vital part under heavy metal stress. A pot experiment was designed to investigate the effect of foliar application of Se (1 mg/L) and Mo (0.3 mg/L) either alone or in combination on their absorption, translocation, and their impact on Cd uptake and its further distribution in Brassica napus, as well as the impact of these fertilizers on the pollen grains morphology, viability, and germination rate in B. napus under Cd stress. Foliar application of either Se or Mo could counteract Cd toxicity and increase the plant biomass, while combined application of Se and Mo solutions on B. napus has no significant promotional effect on plant root and stem, but reduces the seeds’ weight by 10–11%. Se and Mo have decreased the accumulated Cd in seeds by 6.8% and 9.7%, respectively. Microscopic studies, SEM, and pollen viability tests demonstrated that pollen grains could be negatively affected by Cd, thus disturbing the plant fertility. Se and Mo foliar application could reduce the toxic symptoms in pollen grains when the one or the other was sprayed alone on plants. In an in vitro pollen germination test, 500 μM Cd stress could strongly inhibit the pollen germination rate to less than 2.5%, however, when Se (10 μM) or Mo (1.0 μM) was added to the germination medium, the rate increased, reaching 66.2% and 39.4%, respectively. At the molecular level, Se and Mo could greatly affect the expression levels of some genes related to Cd uptake by roots (IRT1), Cd transport (HMA2 and HMA4), Cd sequestration in plant vacuoles (HMA3), and the final Cd distribution in plant tissue at the physiological level (PCS1).
A Review of Quality of Life Measures used in Surgical Outcomes for Stage I Lung Cancers

Abstract This review summarizes the literature on QoL in early stage lung cancer patients who underwent surgery. PubMed and PsycINFO were searched. Twelve articles from 10 distinct studies were identified for a total of 992 patients. Five QoL measures were used. One study reported only on pre-surgical QoL, six only on post-surgical QoL and three studies reported on both pre- and post-surgical QoL. Timing for the administration of post-surgical QoL surveys varied. The literature on QoL in Stage I non-small-cell lung cancer patients is very sparse. Additional research is needed to explore the impact of different surgical approaches on QoL.
Functional Performance of Different Venous Limb Options in Simulated Neonatal/Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Bypass Circuits

Objective Hemodilution is a concern in cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Using a smaller dual tubing rather than a single larger inner diameter (ID) tubing in the venous limb to decrease prime volume has been a standard practice. The purpose of this study is to evaluate these tubing options. Methods Four different CPB circuits primed with blood (hematocrit 30%) were investigated. Two setups were used with two circuits for each one. In Setup I, a neonatal oxygenator was connected to dual 3/16" ID venous limbs (Circuit A) or to a single 1/4" ID venous limb (Circuit B); and in Setup II, a pediatric oxygenator was connected to dual 1/4" ID venous limbs (Circuit C) or a single 3/8" ID venous limb (Circuit D). Trials were conducted at arterial flow rates of 500 ml/min up to 1500 ml/min (Setup I) and up to 3000 ml/min (Setup II), at 36°C and 28°C. Results Circuit B exhibited a higher venous flow rate than Circuit A, and Circuit D exhibited a higher venous flow rate than Circuit C, at both temperatures. Flow resistance was significantly higher in Circuits A and C than in Circuits B (P<0.001) and D (P<0.001), respectively. Conclusion A single 1/4" venous limb is better than dual 3/16" venous limbs at all flow rates, up to 1500 ml/min. Moreover, a single 3/8" venous limb is better than dual 1/4" venous limbs, up to 3000 ml/min. Our findings strongly suggest a revision of perfusion practice to include single venous limb circuits for CPB.
Coagulation, Microenvironment and Liver Fibrosis

Fibrosis is the main consequence of any kind of chronic liver damage. Coagulation and thrombin generation are crucial in the physiological response to tissue injury; however, the inappropriate and uncontrolled activation of coagulation cascade may lead to fibrosis development due to the involvement of several cellular types and biochemical pathways in response to thrombin generation. In the liver, hepatic stellate cells and sinusoidal endothelial cells orchestrate fibrogenic response to chronic damage. Thrombin interacts with these cytotypes mainly through protease-activated receptors (PARs), which are expressed by endothelium, platelets and hepatic stellate cells. This review focuses on the impact of coagulation in liver fibrogenesis, describes receptors and pathways involved and explores the potential antifibrotic properties of drugs active in hemostasis in studies with cells, animal models of liver damage and humans.
The Measurements and an Elaborated Understanding of Chinese eHealth Literacy (C-eHEALS) in Chronic Patients in China

The rapid rise of Internet-based technologies to disseminate health information and services has been shown to enhance online health information acquisition. A Chinese version of the electronic health literacy scale (C-eHEALS) was developed to measure patients’ combined knowledge and perceived skills at finding and applying electronic health information to health problems. A valid sample of 352 interviewees responded to the online questionnaire, and their responses were analyzed. The C-eHEALS, by showing high internal consistency and predictive validity, is an effective screening tool for detecting levels of health literacy in clinical settings. Individuals’ sociodemographic status, perceived health status, and level of health literacy were identified for describing technology users’ characteristics. A strong association between eHealth literacy level, media information use, and computer literacy was found. The emphasis of face-to-face inquiry for obtaining health information was important in the low eHealth literacy group while Internet-based technologies crucially affected decision-making skills in the high eHealth literacy group. This information is timely because it implies that health care providers can use the C-eHEALS to screen eHealth literacy skills and empower patients with chronic diseases with online resources.
IVth Brazilian Consensus Conference on Helicobacter pylori infection

Significant progress has been obtained since the III Brazilian Consensus Conference on H. pylori infection held in 2012, in Bento Gonçalves, Brazil, and justify a fourth meeting to establish updated guidelines on the current management of H. pylori infection. Therefore, the Núcleo Brasileiro para Estudo do Helicobacter pylori e Microbiota (NBEHPM), association linked to Brazilian Federation of Gastroenterology (FBG) held its fourth meeting again in Bento Gonçalves, RS, Brazil, on August 25–27, 2017. Twenty-six delegates, including gastroenterologists, endoscopists, and pathologists from the five regions of Brazil as well as one international guest from the United States, participated in the meeting. The participants were invited based on their knowledge and contribution to the study of H. pylori infection. The meeting sought to review different aspects of treatment for infection; establish a correlation between infection, dyspepsia, intestinal microbiota changes, and other disorders with a special emphasis on gastric cancer; and reassess the epidemiological and diagnostic aspects of H. pylori infection. Participants were allocated into four groups as follows: 1) Epidemiology and Diagnosis, 2) Dyspepsia, intestinal microbiota and other afections, 3) Gastric Cancer, and, 4) Treatment. Before the consensus meeting, participants received a topic to be discussed and prepared a document containing a recent literature review and statements that should be discussed and eventually modified during the face-to-face meeting. All statements were evaluated in two rounds of voting. Initially, each participant discussed the document and statements with his group for possible modifications and voting. Subsequently, during a second voting in a plenary session in the presence of all participants, the statements were voted upon and eventually modified. The participants could vote using five alternatives: 1) strongly agree; 2) partially agree; 3) undecided; 4) disagree; and 5) strongly disagree. The adopted consensus index was that 80% of the participants responded that they strongly or partially agreed with each statement. The recommendations reported are intended to provide the most current and relevant evidences to management of H. pylori infection in adult population in Brazil. HEADINGS – Helicobacter pylori. Helicobacter pylori infection. Helicobacter pylori treatment. Helicobacter pylori diagnosis.
Pre-post synaptic alignment through neuroligin-1 tunes synaptic transmission efficiency

The nanoscale organization of neurotransmitter receptors regarding pre-synaptic release sites is a fundamental determinant of the synaptic transmission amplitude and reliability. How modifications in the pre- and post-synaptic machinery alignments affects synaptic currents, has only been addressed with computer modelling. Using single molecule super-resolution microscopy, we found a strong spatial correlation between AMPA receptor (AMPAR) nanodomains and the post-synaptic adhesion protein neuroligin-1 (NLG1). Expression of a truncated form of NLG1 disrupted this correlation without affecting the intrinsic AMPAR organization, shifting the pre-synaptic release machinery away from AMPAR nanodomains. Electrophysiology in dissociated and organotypic hippocampal rodent cultures shows these treatments significantly decrease AMPAR-mediated miniature and EPSC amplitudes. Computer modelling predicts that ~100 nm lateral shift between AMPAR nanoclusters and glutamate release sites induces a significant reduction in AMPAR-mediated currents. Thus, our results suggest the synapses necessity to release glutamate precisely in front of AMPAR nanodomains, to maintain a high synaptic responses efficiency.