Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interlimb Coordination During Step-to-Step Transition and Gait Performance

ABSTRACT Most energy spent in walking is due to step-to-step transitions. During this phase, the interlimb coordination assumes a crucial role to meet the demands of postural and movement control. The authors review studies that have been carried out regarding the interlimb coordination during gait, as well as the basic biomechanical and neurophysiological principles of interlimb coordination. The knowledge gathered from these studies is useful for understanding step-to-step transition during gait from a motor control perspective and for interpreting walking impairments and inefficiency related to pathologies, such as stroke. This review shows that unimpaired walking is characterized by a consistent and reciprocal interlimb influence that is supported by biomechanical models, and spinal and supraspinal mechanisms. This interlimb coordination is perturbed in subjects with stroke.
[Effect of non-surgical periodontal therapy on level of serum soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and glycated hemoglobin A1c in patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic periodontitis].

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of non-surgical periodontal treatment on clinical periodontal measurements, glycemic control, and level of serum soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) in type 2 diabetes mellitus with chronic periodontitis patients. METHODS Patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic periodontitis were selected and classified into well-controlled group[glycated hemoglobin Ac(GHbA1)<7.00%, n=30, DMCP1 group] and poorly-controlled group (GHbAc > or = 7.00%, n = 30, DMCP2 group). Thirty systemically healthy patients with chronic periodontitis were recruited as control group (CP group). All subjects underwent non-surgical periodontal therapy. Plaque index(PLI), sulcus bleeding index(SBI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth(PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL), serum sICAM-1 concentration, and the value of fasting plasma glucose(FPG), GHbAc were recorded at baseline, 1 and 3 months after periodontal treatment. RESULTS The three study groups showed significant improvements for the levels of PD, SBI, PLI, BOP, and serum sICAM-1 concentration at 1 and 3 months after non-surgical periodontal treatment (P < 0.05). The level of CP group and DMCP1 group also showed significant improvements for the levels of CAL (P < 0.05), but no significant change was found in DMCP2 group (P > 0.05). At 3 months after periodontal treatment, GHbA1c levels in DMCP2 group significantly decreased by 1.12% (P < 0.05), whereas no significant changes were found in CP and DMCT groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION Non-surgical periodontal treatment can siginificantly improve periodontal health status in patients with type 2 diabetes and periodontitis, reduce the level of serum sICAM-1, and can reduce the level of GHbA1c in poorly controlled type 2 diabetic patients.
What Happens Next? Follow-Up From the Children’s Toddler School Program

This study was a follow-up of a group of 29 children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders at age 2 who attended an inclusive toddler program until age 3. Children ranged in age from 4 to 12 years at the time of the parent survey and follow-up testing.The majority of children were placed in a special education (noninclusive) preschool class, but among the children who were in elementary school at the time of follow-up, 63% were in general education classroom placement. Diagnoses of autism spectrum disorders remained stable, socialization skills remained a weakness, and child-related parental stress remained high despite average cognitive and language skills in the majority of children. Social skill development and support remained a service need.
Anxiety sensitivity and anxiety and depressive symptoms in the prediction of early smoking lapse and relapse during smoking cessation treatment.

INTRODUCTION The present investigation examined whether anxiety sensitivity, relative to anxiety and depressive symptoms, was related to duration to early smoking lapse and relapse (during first 2 weeks postquit) among daily smokers receiving smoking cessation treatment. METHODS Participants included 123 daily cigarette smokers (84 women; M(age) = 45.93 years, SD = 10.34) living in the Halifax Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia, Canada. RESULTS Anxiety sensitivity was significantly associated with an increased risk of early smoking lapse (i.e., any smoking behavior) at days 1, 7, and 14 following the quit day. Such effects were evident above and beyond the variance accounted for by gender, nicotine dependence, and nicotine withdrawal symptoms, as well as the shared variance with prequit (baseline) anxiety and depressive symptoms. In contrast to expectation, anxiety sensitivity was not related to smoking relapse (i.e., seven consecutive days of smoking) during the first 2 weeks of quitting. DISCUSSION Results are discussed in terms of better understanding the role of anxiety sensitivity, along with other affective vulnerability processes, in early problems encountered during a quit attempt.
Generation of chemotactic activity in serum by Haemophilus influenzae type b

Studies were performed to characterize chemotactic activity generated by Haemophilus influenzae type b (HiTb) in serum or elaborated independent of serum. Neutrophil aggregometry, Sephadex G-75 gel chromatography, and anti-C5 neutralization studies were used to demonstrate that the complement fragment C5a represented the major chemotactic moiety derived from HiTb-serum interactions. HiTb elaborated minimal chemotactic activity independently. Maximal C5a generation by HiTb as measured by neutrophil response in chemotaxis, shape change, and aggregation assays required specific antibody to the capsular polysaccharide, polyribosyl ribitol phosphate (PRP). Significantly more C5a was generated in pooled normal human serum containing high titers of anti-PRP (determined by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) than in hypogammaglobulinemic serum. Furthermore, C5a generated in hypogammaglobulinemic serum reconstituted with purified high-titer immunoglobulin G, hyperimmune rabbit serum or heat-inactivated normal human serum was comparable to that generated in normal human serum. Absorption of antibody with PRP versus whole HiTb showed a contribution by non-PRP-directed antibody. As shown with the use of C4-deficient guinea pig serum, C5a generation occurred via the alternative complement pathway in nonimmune serum, and activation of the alternative complement pathway was facilitated by specific anti-PRP. C5a generation in test sera was proportional to its opsonic activity for HiTb as assessed by a luminol-chemiluminescence assay. Overall low levels of C5a activity were observed in 13 pediatric patient serum samples obtained during the acute phase of HiTb meningitis, and no pulmonary symptoms or radiographic abnormalities consistent with a leukocyte aggregation syndrome were observed in these patients.
Aging and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal response to challenge in humans.

AGING is a multifactorial process that results in heterogeneous patterns of progressive morbidity and disability (1–3). This complex process is influenced by multiple internal homeostatic mechanisms which are, in turn, influenced by the external stimuli or stressors. One of the best characterized homeostatic response systems is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis which coordinates multiple neuroendocrine and metabolic response to stressors. Interest in possible age-related changes in homeostatic regulation, and in HPA functioning in particular, has been stimulated by the fact that men and women who are 65 and over represent one of the fastest growing segments of the population (4). Estimates for the United States alone project that by the year 2000 there will be more than 35 million people aged 65 and over and more than 51 million by the year 2020 (5). The needs of this population in terms of healthcare resources have focused attention on identifying the factors that influence their patterns of .
Current status of ectoparasites in sheep and management practices against the problem in ectoparasites controlled and uncontrolled areas of Arsi zone in Oromia region, Ethiopia.

A cross sectional study was conducted to determine the prevalence of ectoparasites of sheep in ectoparasites controlled and uncontrolled areas, assess major risk factors and evaluate effects of ectoparasites on livelihood of farmer in ectoparasites controlled and uncontrolled areas of Arsi zone. A total of 969 sheep (646 sheep from controlled and 323 sheep from uncontrolled areas) were examined for ectoparasites. From controlled 371 (57.43%) and from uncontrolled area 285 (88.24%) were found to be infested with ectoparasites. The ectoparasites identified in controlled area were B. ovis 48.9%, Linognathus spp 0.93%, sheep keds 7.4%, 2.32% B. decoloratus, 1.46% A. variegatum, 1.08% A. gemma, 4.59% R. evertsi evertsi, and 0.31% mixed ticks infestation and 12.5% mixed infestation with various ectoparasites. Similarly from uncontrolled area identified B. ovis 81.4%, Linognathus spp 0.9%, 1.79% B. decoloratus, 2.62% A. variegatum, 9.29% R. evertsi evertsi, 4.3% mixed ticks infestation and 32.2% mixed infestation. The risk of ectoparasites infestation of sheep in uncontrolled area was 5.644 times higher than in controlled (OR=5.644). Significantly higher prevalence of ectoparasites in the uncontrolled area than controlled was recorded. The risk of lice, keds and tick infestations in uncontrolled area was 7.061, 3.836 and 2.074 times higher than controlled areas respectively. Poor animal management and weak animal health services were believed to have attributed for widespread distribution of ectoparasites. The effectiveness of ectoparasites control in selected zones of Oromiya region is also under question the. The growing threat of ectoparasites to sheep population in the study areas requires well-coordinated control intervention.
Optimalisasi Waktu Pengomposan Pupuk Kandang dari Kotoran Kambing dan Debu Sabut Kelapa dengan Bioaktivator EM4

Kotoran ternak dapat dimanfaatkan sebagai pupuk kandang karena kandungan unsur hara seperti nitrogen (N), fosfor (P), dan kalium (K) yang dibutuhkan oleh tanaman dan kesuburan tanah. Salah satu kotoran ternak yang dapat digunakan untuk pupuk kandang adalah kotoran kambing. Kotoran kambing digunakan sebagai pupuk kandang didasari oleh alasan bahwa kotoran kambing memiliki kandungan unsur hara relatif lebih seimbang dibanding pupuk alam lainnya dan kotoran kambing bercampur dengan air seninya (urine) yang juga mengandung unsur hara. Penambahan debu sabut kelapa ke dalam pupuk kandang karena kandungan kalium yang tinggi pada debu sabut dapat meningkatkan kandungan unsur hara K pada pupuk kandang. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui waktu optimal pengomposan dan kualitas dari pupuk kandang. Pupuk kandang yang diperoleh dianalisis kadarN, P, K, C-organik, rasio C/N, dan kadar airnya. Hasil analisis dibandingkan dengan SNI 19-7030-2004. Analisis pupuk kandang dilakukan pada hari ke 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, dan 50. Hasil analisis pupuk kandang hari ke 10, 20, dan 30 diperoleh kualitas yang sesuai dengan SNI 19-7030-2004 (Rasio C/N, kadar N, P, K, air, dan C-organik). Sedangkan pada hari ke 40dan 50 diperoleh rasio C/N (9,74 dan 9,00) yang tidak sesuai dengan SNI 19-7030-2004 dimana nilai SNI rasio C/N adalah 10-20. Waktu optimal untuk pengomposan kotoran kambing dengan debu sabut dan bioaktivator EM4 adalah <30 hari.
Mood, anxiety and sense of humor in head and neck cancer patients in relation to disease stage, prognosis and quality of life

Conclusions At diagnosis, control patients had the lowest depression levels and anxiety scores, followed by those with limited HNSCC disease and these with extended HNSCC disease.Anxiety and depression levels at diagnosis predicted prognosis via an association with extent of disease. Sense of humor, but not anxiety score or depression level, predicted lower QoL and depression levels at follow-up. Objective To study the association between anxiety score, depression level and sense of humor at diagnosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients versus TNM stage, prognosis and depression level/quality of life (QOL) 6 years following diagnosis. A control group of patients with benign HN disease was also included. Material and methods Male patients with newly diagnosed HNSCC (n=78) or benign HN (n=61) disease completed the following questionnaires: the Beck Depression Inventory, the Spielberger Trait Anxiety Inventory (state) and the Svebak humor questionnaire. Patients with cachexia or those aged >80 years were excluded. In the HNSCC patients, TNM stage, prognosis and QOL/depression level (n=27) were determined following successful therapy. Results HNSCC patients reported higher anxiety scores and lower depression levels than control patients, although there was overlap between the groups. N stage was associated with high anxiety scores and depression levels, whereas T stage was only associated with depression levels. Both anxiety scores and depression levels at diagnosis predicted prognosis through an association with TNM stage. Sense of humor, but not depression levels or anxiety scores, at diagnosis predicted QoL and depression level at follow-up.
Changes in Ocean Water Mass Properties: Oscillations or Trends?

A new transindian hydrographic section across 32°S reveals that thermocline mode waters have become saltier and colder since 1987. This change almost entirely reverses the observed freshening of mode waters from the 1960s to 1987 that has been interpreted to be the result of anthropogenic climate change on the basis of coupled climate models. Here, we compare five hydrographic sections from 1936, 1965, 1987, 1995, and 2002 to show that upper thermocline waters (10°C to 17°C) changed little from 1936to 1965, freshened from 1965 to 1987, and since 1987 have become saltier. These results demonstrate substantial oscillations in mode-water properties.
The P2X7 Receptor: Central Hub of Brain Diseases

The P2X7 receptor is a cation channel activated by high concentrations of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Upon long-term activation, it complexes with membrane proteins forming a wide pore that leads to cell death and increased release of ATP into the extracellular milieu. The P2X7 receptor is widely expressed in the CNS, such as frontal cortex, hippocampus, amygdala and striatum, regions involved in neurodegenerative diseases and psychiatric disorders. Despite P2X7 receptor functions in glial cells have been extensively studied, the existence and roles of this receptor in neurons are still controversially discussed. Regardless, P2X7 receptors mediate several processes observed in neuropsychiatric disorders and brain tumors, such as activation of neuroinflammatory response, stimulation of glutamate release and neuroplasticity impairment. Moreover, P2X7 receptor gene polymorphisms have been associated to depression, and isoforms of P2X7 receptors are implicated in neuropsychiatric diseases. In view of that, the P2X7 receptor has been proposed to be a potential target for therapeutic intervention in brain diseases. This review discusses the molecular mechanisms underlying P2X7 receptor-mediated signaling in neurodegenerative diseases, psychiatric disorders, and brain tumors. In addition, it highlights the recent advances in the development of P2X7 receptor antagonists that are able of penetrating the central nervous system.
Thermodynamic approach to the selection of polyuronide sequestrants for preventive and medicinal nutrition.

An approach to the analysis of isotherms of cooperative binding is developed that allows to calculate approximately affinity profiles, i.e. dependencies of binding constants on binding densities. The comparison of the affinity profiles of the interactions of Ca2+ and Sr2+ ions with sodium pectate as well as sodium alginates with the different content of the blocks of alpha-L-guluronic acid residues (GG-blocks) and blocks of mixed composition showed that (1) pectate has higher affinity to both ions as compared with alginates; (2) the affinity of pectate to Ca2+ ions is comparable to its affinity to Sr2+ ions but in the case of Ca2+ ions the maximum of the affinity profile falls on the substantially lesser value of the binding density in comparison to Sr2+ ions that seems to be unfavorable from the standpoint of the use of this polyuronide in preventive or medicinal nutrition; (3) the affinity of both alginates to Sr2+ ions at relatively low binding densities exceeds their affinity to Ca2+ ions; (4) the affinity of alginates to Sr2+ ions increases with the increase in the content of GG-blocks, whereas the affinity to Ca2+ ions practically does not depend on the composition of the alginate; (5) the maximum binding density of Sr2+ ions to the alginates approximately corresponds to the content of GG-blocks. These results corroborate the practice of the use of alginates rich in residues of alpha-L-guluronic acid for the removal of radioactive strontium from the digestive tract. The binding constants of Pb2+ ions to pectate over a wide range of binding densities are more than an order of magnitude greater than those of alkali-earth metal ions.
Molecular Characterization of Legionella Populations Present within Slow Sand Filters Used for Fungal Plant Pathogen Suppression in Horticultural Crops

ABSTRACT The total bacterial community of an experimental slow sand filter (SSF) was analyzed by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of partial 16S rRNA gene PCR products. One dominant band had sequence homology to Legionella species, indicating that these bacteria were a large component of the SSF bacterial community. Populations within experimental and commercial SSF units were studied by using Legionella-specific PCR primers, and products were studied by DGGE and quantitative PCR analyses. In the experimental SSF unit, the DGGE profiles for sand column, reservoir, storage tank, and headwater tank samples each contained at least one intense band, indicating that a single Legionella strain was predominant in each sample. Greater numbers of DGGE bands of equal intensity were detected in the outflow water sample. Sequence analysis of these PCR products showed that several Legionella species were present and that the organisms exhibited similarity to strains isolated from environmental and clinical samples. Quantitative PCR analysis of the SSF samples showed that from the headwater sample through the sand column, the number of Legionella cells decreased, resulting in a lower number of cells in the outflow water. In the commercial SSF, legionellae were also detected in the sand column samples. Storing prefilter water or locating SSF units within greenhouses, which are often maintained at temperatures that are higher than the ambient temperature, increases the risk of growth of Legionella and should be avoided. Care should also be taken when used filter sand is handled or replaced, and regular monitoring of outflow water would be useful, especially if the water is used for misting or overhead irrigation.
Immunoglobulin subclasses of antibodies to human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus I-associated antigens in acquired immune deficiency syndrome and lymphadenopathy syndrome

Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM antibodies to human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus-I (HTLV-I)-associated membrane antigens (HTLV-I-MA) were assayed by indirect cytospin immunofluorescence, and IgG and IgM antibodies to purified HTLV-I were assayed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in sera from 119 immunologically well-characterized promiscuous male homosexuals in The Netherlands, of whom 9 suffered from acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), 18 suffered from lymphadenopathy syndrome (LAS), and 5 suffered from gay bowel syndrome. Antibodies to HTLV-I-MA were present in four of nine AIDS patients, including one patient with antibodies to purified HTLV-I. Antibodies to HTLV-I-MA were present in 6 of 18 LAS patients, including 3 patients with antibodies to purified HTLV-I. Of five patients with gay bowel syndrome, one had IgG and IgM antibodies to HTLV-I-MA. Of the four HTLV-I seropositive AIDS patients, two had IgG and IgM antibodies to HTLV-I or HTLV-I-MA, one had only IgG antibodies, and one had only IgM antibodies. Of the six HTLV-I seropositive LAS patients, four had IgG and IgM antibodies to HTLV-I or HTLV-I-MA, and two had only IgM antibodies. In the sera from 27 healthy homosexuals with and 60 without T-cell subset imbalances, no antibodies to HTLV-I or HTLV-I-MA were detected.
Predictors of 30-day readmission after mastectomy: A multi-institutional analysis of 21,271 patients.

BACKGROUND Recent healthcare legislation has made unplanned hospital readmission an important metric of health care quality, and current efforts center on reducing this complication in order to avoid fiduciary penalties. OBJECTIVE There is currently a paucity of data delineating risk factors for readmission following mastectomy. To this end, we sought to develop a predictive model of unplanned readmissions following mastectomy. METHODS The 2011 and 2012 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) datasets were retrospectively queried to identify patients who underwent mastectomy. Multivariate logistic regression modeling was used to identify risk factors for readmission. RESULTS Of 21,271 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 1,190 (5.59%) were readmitted. The most commonly cited reasons for readmission included surgical site complications (32.85%), infection not localized to the surgical site (2.72%), and venous thromboembolism (4.39%). Independent predictors of readmission included BMI, active smoking status, and skin-sparing mastectomy. Significantly, concurrent breast reconstruction and bilateral mastectomy were not independent predictors of readmission. CONCLUSIONS This is the first study of readmission rates after mastectomy. Awareness of specific risk factors for readmission, particularly those that are modifiable, may serve to identify and manage high risk patients, aid in the development of pre- and postoperative clinical care guidelines, and ultimately improve patient care.
Roles of RseB, σE, and DegP in Virulence and Phase Variation of Colony Morphotype of Vibrio vulnificus

ABSTRACT Vibrio vulnificus is an estuarine bacterium capable of causing serious and often fatal wound infections and primary septicemia. We used alkaline phosphatase insertion mutagenesis to identify genes necessary for the virulence of this pathogen. One mutant had an in-frame fusion of ′phoA to the gene encoding RseB, a periplasmic negative regulator of the alternative sigma factor σE. σE controls an extensive regulon involved in responding to cell envelope stresses. Colonies of the rseB mutant were less opaque than wild-type colonies and underwent phase variation between translucent and opaque morphologies. rseB mutants were attenuated for virulence in subcutaneously inoculated iron-dextran-treated mice. To obtain insight into the role of rseB and the extracytoplasmic stress response in V. vulnificus, mutants with defined mutations in rseB and two important members of the extracytoplasmic stress regulon, rpoE and degP, were constructed for analysis of virulence, colony morphology, and stress-associated phenotypes. Deletion of rseB caused reversible phase variation in the colony morphotype that was associated with extracellular polysaccharides. Translucent and transparent morphotype strains were attenuated for virulence. rpoE and degP deletion mutants were sensitive to membrane-perturbing agents and heat but were not significantly attenuated for V. vulnificus virulence in mice. These results reveal complex relationships between regulation of the extracytoplasmic stress response, exopolysaccharides, and the virulence of V. vulnificus.