Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Disuse and physical deconditioning in chronic low back pain

For years enhancement of a patient's level of physical fitness has been an important goal in rehabilitation treatment in chronic low back pain (CLBP), based on the hypothesis that physical deconditioning contributes to the chronicity of low back pain. However, whether this hypothesis in CLBP holds is not clear. In this article, possible mechanisms that contribute to the development of physical deconditioning in CLBP, such as avoidance behaviour and suppressive behaviour, are discussed. The presence of both dcconditioning-related physiological changes, such as muscle atrophy, changes in metabolism, osteoporosis and obesity as well as deconditioning related functional changes, such as a decrease in cardiovascular capacity, a decrease in muscle strength and impaired motor control in patients with CLBP are discussed. Results of studies on the level of physical activities in daily life (PAL) and the level of physical fitness in patients with CLBP compared to healthy controls were reviewed. In studies on PAL results that were cither lower or comparable to healthy subjects were found. The presence of disuse (i.e. a decrease in the level of physical activities in daily life) in patients with CLBP was not confirmed. The inconclusive findings in the papers reviewed may partly be explained by different measurement methods used in research on PAL in chronic pain. The level of physical fitness of CLBP patients also appeared to be lower or comparable to the fitness /eve/ o//ira/f/rf pwrovw. 4 *& /̂. v? yjmng iarior berween fir and unfit patients with back pain may be the fact that fit persons more frequently are still employed, and as such may be involved more in physical activity. Lastly some suggestions are made for further research in the field of disuse and deconditioning in CLBP.
Headache in a Random Sample of 200 Persons: A Clinical Study of a Population in Northern Finland

Two hundred persons, randomly chosen out of 3,067 who had answered a headache questionnaire modified from Waters, were summoned to an interview and an examination performed by a neurologist. The aim was to obtain prevalence readings for different types of headaches in an unselected population. Simple blood studies and plain skull and cervical spine radiography were performed. The occurrence of headache was 77%, and the prevalence of migraine 9% in men and 28% in women. There was a higher prevalence of headache in women, accounted for solely by their higher frequency of vascular headaches, while the figure for tension headache was 35% for both sexes. Demographic factors did not influence the distribution of the headache types, except for a concentration of vascular headaches in women working in service occupations. A positive family history of migraine was reported significantly more often by persons with migraine than by others. The physical neurological examination, and the laboratory and X-ray investigations performed generally did not contribute to the diagnosis of the headache.
Deep autoencoder neural networks for gene ontology annotation predictions

The annotation of genomic information is a major challenge in biology and bioinformatics. Existing databases of known gene functions are incomplete and prone to errors, and the bimolecular experiments needed to improve these databases are slow and costly. While computational methods are not a substitute for experimental verification, they can help in two ways: algorithms can aid in the curation of gene annotations by automatically suggesting inaccuracies, and they can predict previously-unidentified gene functions, accelerating the rate of gene function discovery. In this work, we develop an algorithm that achieves both goals using deep autoencoder neural networks. With experiments on gene annotation data from the Gene Ontology project, we show that deep autoencoder networks achieve better performance than other standard machine learning methods, including the popular truncated singular value decomposition.
Renaissance of contact x-ray therapy for treating rectal cancer

Contact x-ray therapy (CXRT) with 50 kV has proven to be an efficient radiation therapy technique to achieve local control and rectal preservation for early rectal adenocarcinoma. Despite these results, CXRT has not been used due to the shortage of the no longer manufactured Philips RT 50™ unit. Recently, a new CXRT machine (Papillon 50™) became available on the market. This machine delivers a beam of 50 kV with a dose rate close to 15 Gy/min and has a percentage depth dose of 50% at 6–7 mm. The applicator size varies from 2–3 cm in diameter. Due to the original design of the main tube, treatment delivery is quick and more comfortable for the patients. An online viewing system incorporated in the tube allows a good visualization of the tumor with improved accuracy of radiation delivery. An international collaborative trial (Contact Endoscopic Microsurgery [CONTEM]) was set up to accrue approximately 300 cases of rectal adenocarcinoma staged T1, T2 or early T3 tumors in the UK, France, Denmark and Sweden. This trial should confirm the role of CXRT in curative treatment with organ preservation for early rectal cancers.
Dehazing Using Color-Lines

Photographs of hazy scenes typically suffer having low contrast and offer a limited visibility of the scene. This article describes a new method for single-image dehazing that relies on a generic regularity in natural images where pixels of small image patches typically exhibit a 1D distribution in RGB color space, known as color-lines. We derive a local formation model that explains the color-lines in the context of hazy scenes and use it for recovering the scene transmission based on the lines' offset from the origin. The lack of a dominant color-line inside a patch or its lack of consistency with the formation model allows us to identify and avoid false predictions. Thus, unlike existing approaches that follow their assumptions across the entire image, our algorithm validates its hypotheses and obtains more reliable estimates where possible. In addition, we describe a Markov random field model dedicated to producing complete and regularized transmission maps given noisy and scattered estimates. Unlike traditional field models that consist of local coupling, the new model is augmented with long-range connections between pixels of similar attributes. These connections allow our algorithm to properly resolve the transmission in isolated regions where nearby pixels do not offer relevant information. An extensive evaluation of our method over different types of images and its comparison to state-of-the-art methods over established benchmark images show a consistent improvement in the accuracy of the estimated scene transmission and recovered haze-free radiances.
Multidrug resistance in solid tumours

Introduction: Most cancers show heterogeneity of response to chemotherapy. This may be due in part to the differential expression of drug resistance proteins and the molecular targets of the drugs concerned. Methods: An ex vivo ATP-based Tumour Chemosensitivity Assay (ATP-TCA), immunohistochemistry and quantitative RT-PCR have been used to assess the chemosensitivity and resistance of a variety of solid tumours and cell lines. Results: (a) Melanoma cell lines showed higher chemosensitivity than tumour-derived cells, partially reversible by lowering the serum concentration, and hence the proliferation rate of the cells. (b) Studies of retinoblastoma samples confirmed that this malignancy is susceptible to cytotoxic drugs of all types, though multidrug resistance may occur in some cases. (c) The ATP-TCA was used to study the activity of high-dose doxorubicin in combination with other cytotoxic agents in ovarian adenocarcinoma samples. The combination of liposomal doxorubicin + vinorelbine was selected for further development. (d) A number of experimental drugs with varying sensitivity to resistance mechanisms were also assessed. One drug, XR5944, has entered phase I/II clinical trials during the course of this project, and the data have provided clinical indications. (e) An inhibitor of multi-drug resistance, tariquidar, has been tested in combination with doxorubicin, vinorelbine or paclitaxel, and has been shown to reverse this resistance. (f) Molecular studies have determined the expression of topoisomerases and drug transporters in tumour cells before and after exposure to chemotherapeutic agents. P-gp expression has been found to be a determinant of sensitivity to a certain number of drugs. Conclusion: The results suggest that drug resistance contributes to heterogeneity of chemosensitivity in many solid tumour types, as well as other mechanisms. Reversal of such resistance may benefit a subset of patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Urban Sensing Using Mobile Phone Network Data: A Survey of Research

The recent development of telecommunication networks is producing an unprecedented wealth of information and, as a consequence, an increasing interest in analyzing such data both from telecoms and from other stakeholders' points of view. In particular, mobile phone datasets offer access to insights into urban dynamics and human activities at an unprecedented scale and level of detail, representing a huge opportunity for research and real-world applications. This article surveys the new ideas and techniques related to the use of telecommunication data for urban sensing. We outline the data that can be collected from telecommunication networks as well as their strengths and weaknesses with a particular focus on urban sensing. We survey existing filtering and processing techniques to extract insights from this data and summarize them to provide recommendations on which datasets and techniques to use for specific urban sensing applications. Finally, we discuss a number of challenges and open research areas currently being faced in this field. We strongly believe the material and recommendations presented here will become increasingly important as mobile phone network datasets are becoming more accessible to the research community.
The central role of protein S12 in organizing the structure of the decoding site of the ribosome

Structural studies on the ribosome have provided tremendous insights into how cognate codon–anticodon interactions in the decoding center lead to tRNA selection and, ultimately, to peptide chain elongation. Here, in the genetically and structurally tractable organism Thermus thermophilus, the authors isolate and identify streptomycin-dependent (SmD) ribosomal variants, as well as streptomycin-independent (SmI) revertants, with mutations affecting ribosomal protein S12 and the 16S rRNA, respectively. Single-molecule FRET and structural studies reveal here how these decoding-site proximal mutations can impact the ability of ribosomes to reach the GTPase-activated state required for progression in tRNA selection.
Phosphorylation of SRSF1 by SRPK1 regulates alternative splicing of tumor-related Rac1b in colorectal cells

This paper describes the effects of modulating kinase activity on alternative splicing of Rac1 in tumor cells. Specifically, knockdown of SRPK1, a kinase that phosphorylates SR proteins, reduced translocation of SRSF1 into the nucleus and thereby reduced the ability of this factor to promote inclusion of a tumor-specific exon in the Rac1 pre-mRNA.
Increased Plasma S-Nitrosothiol Concentrations Predict Cardiovascular Outcomes among Patients with End-Stage Renal Disease: A Prospective Study

The plasma concentrations of S-nitrosothiols, which are circulating nitric oxide metabolites with potential biologic activity, are increased among patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis (HD). However, the ability of S-nitrosothiols to release nitric oxide at physiologically relevant sites may be reduced among HD patients, because of impaired availability and/or activity of factors involved in S-nitrosothiol breakdown. The resultant lack of S-nitrosothiol bioavailability could contribute to the high cardiovascular risk for such patients. A possible relationship between plasma S-nitrosothiol levels and cardiac outcomes, as well as all-cause mortality rates, was investigated in a cohort of 250 chronic HD patients and who were undergoing regular dialysis three times per week were monitored for 1 yr. During that follow-up period, major cardiac events and all-cause deaths were prospectively recorded. At baseline, high plasma S-nitrosothiol levels (>2 micro M, corresponding to the top quartile of all measured values) were independently associated with pulse pressure in an adjusted multivariate analysis (odds ratio, 1.03; 95% confidence interval, 1.01 to 1.05; P = 0.007). During the follow-up period, 36 patients died (16 as a result of cardiac causes) and 33 patients experienced major adverse cardiac events. In an adjusted Cox proportional-hazards model, high plasma S-nitrosothiol concentrations (i.e., the top quartile versus the three other quartiles) were an independent predictor of cardiac events (hazard ratio, 3.30; 95% confidence interval, 1.61 to 6.76; P = 0.001) but not of all-cause death. Therefore, among chronic HD patients, markedly elevated plasma S-nitrosothiol levels are associated with pulse pressure and predict cardiovascular outcomes. These findings support the hypothesis that impaired S-nitrosothiol bioavailability in uremia is an important factor for the excessive cardiovascular risk among HD patients.
Role of Foods in Sporadic Listeriosis: II. Microbilogic and Epidemiologic Investigation

Objective. —To evaluate the role of foods in sporadic listeriosis. Design. —Microbiologic survey of foods collected from refrigerators of patients with listeriosis identified through active laboratory-based surveillance. Patient and foodListeria monocytogenesisolates were subtyped to identify foods contaminated with the same strain ofL monocytogenesthat caused illness in the patient; samples of these foods were obtained from the retail source. Setting. —Multistate population-based study conducted between 1988 and 1990. Results. —Listeria monocytogenesgrew from at least one food specimen in the refrigerators of 79 (64%) of 123 listeriosis patients; 11% of more than 2000 food specimens collected in the study containedL monocytogenes. Twenty-six (33%) of 79 refrigerators with foods that grewL monocytogenescontained at least one food isolate of the same strain as that in the corresponding patient, a frequency much higher than would be expected by chance (P Conclusion. —We identified specific food andL monocytogenesisolate characteristics—ready-to-eat foods, foods containing higher concentrations ofL monocytogenes, and foods containing serotype 4b—which were associated with disease-causing strains. These results can provide guidance to industry and regulatory agencies in developing strategies to prevent listeriosis. (JAMA. 1992;267:2046-2050)
Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV in developing countries: recommendations for practice.

Different approaches to prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV are being evaluated in developing countries. The first trials using a short regimen of zidovudine have been successful in Thailand Cote dIvoire and Burkina Faso. International and local strategies are now being considered. The Ghent International Working Group on Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV developed public health policy options to integrate these interventions into basic and maternal and child health (MCH) services. The following tasks were undertaken: a critical review of randomized trials; an international pooled analysis of late postnatal transmission of HIV through breast-feeding; a review of the cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit of antiretroviral prophylaxis; a feasibility assessment of preventive strategies including a postal survey on HIV voluntary counseling and testing (VCT) of pregnant women; the identification of requirements and research priorities for prenatal obstetric and pediatric care. These projects provided the background for a 3-day workshop in Ghent Belgium in November 1997. Conclusions were further refined based on 1998 research findings. A summary of relevant evidence and 10 public health recommendations are reported. VCT for pregnant women a short regimen of zidovudine together with alternatives to breast-feeding currently represent the best option to reduce vertical transmission in most developing countries. The primary goal of the integrated package supporting these interventions is to alleviate overall maternal and infant morbidity and mortality. Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV should now be considered for integration into basic health and MCH services of selected countries with the involvement of governments and donor agencies. (authors)
Supporting Families: Child Protection in the Community

Foreword by Jane Tunstill. Acknowledgements. Report of the Committee on Local Authority and Allied Personal Social Services 1972. Message from Paul Boateng, Minister of Health. Introduction and Summary of Findings. About the Families. Parental Stress and Ill-Health. Children and Family Support. Typologies of Family Difficulties. Support Networks in the Community. Overview of Family Support Provided by the NSPCC. Examples of Family Support Practices. Children in Need and Local Services. Family Support Now. References. Reading List. Appendix (Methodology). Subject Index.
Subcellular transcriptome alterations in a cell culture model of spinal muscular atrophy point to widespread defects in axonal growth and presynaptic differentiation

Neuronal function critically depends on coordinated subcellular distribution of mRNAs. Disturbed mRNA processing and axonal transport has been found in spinal muscular atrophy and could be causative for dysfunction and degeneration of motoneurons. Despite the advances made in characterizing the transport mechanisms of several axonal mRNAs, an unbiased approach to identify the axonal repertoire of mRNAs in healthy and degenerating motoneurons has been lacking. Here we used compartmentalized microfluidic chambers to investigate the somatodendritic and axonal mRNA content of cultured motoneurons by microarray analysis. In axons, transcripts related to protein synthesis and energy production were enriched relative to the somatodendritic compartment. Knockdown of Smn, the protein deficient in spinal muscular atrophy, produced a large number of transcript alterations in both compartments. Transcripts related to immune functions, including MHC class I genes, and with roles in RNA splicing were up-regulated in the somatodendritic compartment. On the axonal side, transcripts associated with axon growth and synaptic activity were down-regulated. These alterations provide evidence that subcellular localization of transcripts with axonal functions as well as regulation of specific transcripts with nonautonomous functions is disturbed in Smn-deficient motoneurons, most likely contributing to the pathophysiology of spinal muscular atrophy.
Present and future therapeutic strategies for melioidosis and glanders

Burkholderia pseudomallei and Burkholderia mallei are the causative agents of melioidosis and glanders, respectively. Both Gram-negative pathogens are endemic in many parts of the world. Although natural acquisition of these pathogens is rare in the majority of countries, these bacteria have recently gained much interest because of their potential as bioterrorism agents. In modern times, their potential destructive impact on public health has escalated owing to the ability of these pathogens to cause opportunistic infections in diabetic and perhaps otherwise immunocompromised people, two growing populations worldwide. For both pathogens, severe infection in humans carries a high mortality rate, both species are recalcitrant to antibiotic therapy – B. pseudomallei more so than B. mallei – and no licensed vaccine exists for either prophylactic or therapeutic use. The potential malicious use of these organisms has accelerated the investigation of new ways to prevent and to treat the diseases. The availability of several B. pseudomallei and B. mallei genome sequences has greatly facilitated target identification and development of new therapeutics. This review provides a compilation of literature covering studies in antimelioidosis and antiglanders antimicrobial drug discovery, with a particular focus on potential novel therapeutic approaches to combat these diseases.
In vivo characterization of the Drosophila mRNA 3′ end processing core cleavage complex

A core cleavage complex (CCC) consisting of CPSF73, CPSF100, and Symplekin is required for cotranscriptional 3′ end processing of all metazoan pre-mRNAs, yet little is known about the in vivo molecular interactions within this complex. The CCC is a component of two distinct complexes, the cleavage/polyadenylation complex and the complex that processes nonpolyadenylated histone pre-mRNAs. RNAi-depletion of CCC factors in Drosophila culture cells causes reduction of CCC processing activity on histone mRNAs, resulting in read through transcription. In contrast, RNAi-depletion of factors only required for histone mRNA processing allows use of downstream cryptic polyadenylation signals to produce polyadenylated histone mRNAs. We used Dmel-2 tissue culture cells stably expressing tagged CCC components to determine that amino acids 272–1080 of Symplekin and the C-terminal approximately 200 amino acids of both CPSF73 and CPSF100 are required for efficient CCC formation in vivo. Additional experiments reveal that the C-terminal 241 amino acids of CPSF100 are sufficient for histone mRNA processing indicating that the first 524 amino acids of CPSF100 are dispensable for both CCC formation and histone mRNA 3′ end processing. CCCs containing deletions of Symplekin lacking the first 271 amino acids resulted in dramatic increased use of downstream polyadenylation sites for histone mRNA 3′ end processing similar to RNAi-depletion of histone-specific 3′ end processing factors FLASH, SLBP, and U7 snRNA. We propose a model in which CCC formation is mediated by CPSF73, CPSF100, and Symplekin C-termini, and the N-terminal region of Symplekin facilitates cotranscriptional 3′ end processing of histone mRNAs.
Is a Self-Catering Holiday with the Family Really a Holiday for Mothers? Examining the Balance of Household Responsibilities While on Holiday from a Female Perspective

The commonly cited definition of what constitutes a holiday is that it is a change from the norm, or an escape from everyday life. But is this the case if tourists are going on a self-catering holiday where many of the tasks from everyday life such as cleaning, minding children and cooking must still be undertaken? This research is specifically interested in the role of mothers, from their own perspective, on such holidays. It explores how household responsibilities are divided between partners when on holiday and questions does this differ from the situation when at home? In so doing this article adds to our understanding about the holiday experience from a 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. HOSP_2. 2_Mottiar_197-214.indd 197 10/16/12 8:05:09 AM
Developing indicators of prescribing quality for primary care paediatricians

Objective Monitoring and feedback to physicians on their prescribing patterns helps to promote change in the areas where it is needed. However, behaviour and satisfaction of general paediatricians with the routine monitoring of their prescribing has not been measured. We aimed to develop a set of valid indicators of prescribing quality in paediatric primary care practice, and to evaluate the satisfaction of paediatricians with such indicators.