Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of body weight on disability and chronic disease rates in the elderly in south-eastern Poland.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE The rapid aging of the human population is an increasing challenge to public health. Effective strategies are required to prevent disability and dependency of the elderly. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of body weight on the prevalence of disability and chronic diseases among 60-80-year-old people living in south-eastern Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study included 1,800 randomly selected people aged 60-80 years living in the Podkarpackie region of south-eastern Poland. Respondents, holders of a - personal identification number (PESEL), were randomly drawn by the Ministry of Interior and Administration (MSWiA) in Poland. The study was conducted in the form of a face-to-face interview at the respondent's residence. The WHODAS 2.0 questionnaire was used to assess disability and functioning. Socio-demographic data were also collected, and the body weight measured in 5% of the respondents after completion of the study. Statistical analysis was performed using Statistica 10. RESULTS Respondents with Body Mass Index (BMI) < 18.5 and BMI ≥ 35.0 had significantly higher disability levels than those in the normal weight and overweight categories. The greatest limitations were found in participating in everyday life, household activities, getting along and mobility. There was also a statistically significant relationship between BMI and the number of chronic diseases (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS When planning a healthcare strategy for people aged 60 -80 living in Poland, additional support should be provided to those at risk in the categories of underweight and obesity. The obtained findings indicate that the health behaviour of seniors should be assessed - especially regarding their diet and eating habits, physical activity, and participation in social life - in order to tailor prevention programmes specifically to their needs.
A role for the yeast La protein in U6 snRNP assembly: evidence that the La protein is a molecular chaperone for RNA polymerase III transcripts

The first protein that binds to all newly synthesized RNA polymerase III transcripts is a highly conserved phosphoprotein known as the La autoantigen. Although binding by the yeast La protein Lhp1p to pre‐tRNAs is required for the normal pathway of tRNA maturation, the role of the La protein in the biogenesis of other polymerase III transcripts has been unclear. We identified a mutation in a novel component of the U6 snRNP that causes yeast cells to require Lhp1p for growth. This protein, Lsm8p, is a member of a family of proteins, known as Sm‐like proteins, that shares two conserved motifs with the core Sm proteins of the U1, U2, U4 and U5 snRNPs. The lsm8‐1 cells have drastically reduced levels of the mature U6 snRNP, consistent with a defect in U6 snRNP assembly. In these cells, Lhp1p stabilizes newly synthesized U6 RNA, thus facilitating assembly of the RNA into the U6 snRNP. These results provide evidence that Lhp1p is a molecular chaperone for polymerase III‐transcribed RNAs and implicate Lsm8p as a key component in the very early steps of U6 snRNP assembly.
The Impact of Positive Margins on Outcome Among Patients With Gastric Cancer Treated With Radiation

Objectives:Positive surgical margins have been associated with worse outcomes in gastric cancer patients. We evaluated the impact of positive margins in a modern cohort treated with radiotherapy. Methods:We performed a multi-institutional retrospective analysis of patients treated from 1998 through 2010. All underwent definitive surgery and were followed up for recurrence and survival. We assessed associations with positive margins using the log-rank tests and Cox proportional hazard models. Results:We identified 91 patients with a median follow-up of 42 months. Seven received radiation before surgery; the remainder were treated postoperatively. Epirubicin-based chemotherapy was given to 8 patients perioperatively and 25 postoperatively. Nineteen had positive margins (21%), including 25% of patients who received chemotherapy perioperatively. All patients who received neoadjuvant radiotherapy had negative margins. There were 41 recurrences and 44 deaths. Positive margins were associated with increased recurrence risk after adjusting for other factors (hazard ratio=2.8, P=0.01). In addition, median survival with positive margins was 31 months as compared with 77 months after complete resection (P=0.13). Conclusions:Positive margins were associated with recurrence despite aggressive multimodality therapy including radiotherapy and the selective use of chemotherapy. Thus, additional consideration is warranted for strategies such as neoadjuvant chemoradiation intended to facilitate complete resection.
A Miniaturized Flexible Frequency Selective Surface for X-Band Applications

In this paper, a novel and miniaturized band-stop frequency selective surface (FSS) is presented. This FSS provides effective shielding in X-band, with attenuation of at least 56 dB. The proposed FSS provides 3-dB fractional bandwidth of 48% which is necessary to cover X-band. Moreover, the proposed design is polarization independent as it provides a stable frequency response at normal and oblique angles of incidences for both perpendicular TE and parallel TM wave modes. The copolarized and cross-polarized scattering parameter S21 is analyzed at the selected band-stop/notch frequencies. More importantly, the proposed FSS is suitable for conformal applications and hence finds wider employability. A prototype of the proposed FSS is fabricated and tested. The measured results are in good agreement with the simulated results.
Comparison of measurement of pupil sizes among the colvard pupillometer, procyon pupillometer, and NIDEK OPD-scan.

PURPOSE To compare pupil sizes measured with the Colvard pupillometer, Procyon pupillometer, and NIDEK OPD-Scan. METHODS Pupil diameter was measured in 90 consecutive eyes from 55 patients under mesopic and scotopic light conditions with all three instruments. RESULTS The mean scotopic pupil diameter was 6.3+/-0.98 mm with the Colvard pupillometer and 6.45+/-1.01 mm with the Procyon pupillometer. The mean mesopic pupillometer was 5.58+/-1.01 mm with the Procyon pupillometer and 6.26-0.99 mm with the CONCLUSIONS The mesopic pupil diameter measured with the NIDEK OPD-Scan is more consistent with the scotopic pupil diameter measured with the Procyon and Colvard pupillometers than the mesopic pupil diameter measured with the Procyon pupillometer.
Absence of striatal volume differences between depressed subjects with no comorbid medical illness and matched comparison subjects.

OBJECTIVE The striatum (caudate and putamen) appears to be important in the pathogenesis of depression. Some studies show smaller than normal striatal structure volumes in depressed subjects. This study compared striatal volumes in depressed and nondepressed women, screened to exclude major cerebrovascular disease risk factors and comorbid medical illness. METHOD Caudate and putamen volumes were measured from magnetic resonance imaging scans of 24 depressed women and 24 matched nondepressed comparison subjects. RESULTS Caudate and putamen volumes were not significantly different between depressed and nondepressed groups. CONCLUSIONS These findings differ from those of previous studies, possibly because of the exclusion of subjects with cerebrovascular risk factors in this study.
Point-Counterpoint: Can Newly Developed, Rapid Immunochromatographic Antigen Detection Tests Be Reliably Used for the Laboratory Diagnosis of Influenza Virus Infections?

ABSTRACT Five years ago, the Point-Counterpoint series was launched. The initial article asked about the role of rapid immunochromatographic antigen testing in the diagnosis of influenza A virus 2009 H1N1 infection (D. F. Welch and C. C. Ginocchio, J Clin Microbiol 48:22–25, 2010, http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JCM.02268-09). Since that article, not only have major changes been made in immunochromatographic antigen detection (IAD) testing for the influenza viruses, but there has also been rapid development of commercially available nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) for influenza virus detection. Further, a novel variant of influenza A, H7N9, has emerged in Asia, and H5N1 is also reemergent. In that initial article, the editor of this series, Peter Gilligan, identified two issues that required further consideration. One was how well IAD tests worked in clinical settings, especially in times of antigen drift and shift. The other was the role of future iterations of influenza NAATs and whether this testing would be available in a community hospital setting. James Dunn, who is Director of Medical Microbiology and Virology at Texas Children's Hospital, has extensive experience using IAD tests for diagnosing influenza. He will discuss the application and value of these tests in influenza diagnosis. Christine Ginocchio, who recently retired as the Senior Medical Director, Division of Infectious Disease Diagnostics, North Shore-LIJ Health System, and now is Vice President for Global Microbiology Affairs at bioMérieux, Durham, NC, wrote the initial counterpoint in this series, where she advocated the use of NAATs for influenza diagnosis. She will update us on the commercially available NAAT systems and explain what their role should be in the diagnosis of influenza infection.
Lower-Extremity Strength Profiles and Gender-Based Classification of Basketball Players Ages 9-22 Years

Buchanan, PA and Vardaxis, VG. Lower-extremity strength profiles and gender-based classification of basketball players ages 9-22 years. J Strength Cond Res 23(2): 406-419, 2009-Despite an increase in women sports participants and recognition of gender differences in injury patterns (e.g., knee), few normative strength data exist beyond hamstrings and quadriceps measures. This study had 2 purposes: to assess the lower-extremity strength of women (W) and men (M) basketball players who were 9-22 years old, and to determine which strength measures most correctly classify the gender of 12- to 22-year-old athletes. Fifty basketball players (26 W, 24 M) without ligamentous or meniscal injury performed concentric isokinetic testing of bilateral hip, knee, and ankle musculature. We identified maximal peak torques for the hip (flexors, extensors, abductors, adductors), knee (flexors and extensors), and ankle (plantar flexors and dorsiflexors), and we formed periarticular (hip, knee, and ankle), antigravity, and total leg strength composite measures. We calculated mean and 95% confidence intervals. With body mass-height normalization, most age and gender differences were small. Mean values were typically higher for older vs. younger players and for men vs. women players. Mean values were often lower for girls 12-13 years vs. those 9-10 years. In the age group of 16-22 years, men had stronger knee flexors, hip flexors, plantar flexors, and total leg strength than women. Men who were 16-22 years old had stronger knee flexors and hip flexors than did younger men and women players. Based on discriminant function, knee strength measures did not adequately classify gender. Instead, total leg strength measures had correct gender classifications of 74 and 69% (jackknifed) with significant multivariate tests (p = 0.025). For researchers and practitioners, these results support strength assessment and training of the whole lower extremity, not just knee musculature. Limited strength differences between girls 9-10 years old and those 12-13 years old suggest that the peripubertal period is an important time to target strength development.
Decreased false-positive adolescent pre-athletic screening with Seattle Criteria-interpreted electrocardiograms

Abstract Sudden cardiac arrest is a rare but devastating cause of death in young adults. Electrocardiograms may detect many causes of sudden cardiac arrest, but are not routinely included in pre-athletic screening in the United States of America partly because of high rates of false-positive interpretation. To improve electrocardiogram specificity for identifying cardiac conditions associated with sudden cardiac arrest, an expert panel developed refined criteria known as the Seattle Criteria. Ours is the first study to compare standard electrocardiogram criteria with Seattle Criteria in 11- to 13-year-olds. In total, 1424 students completed the pre-athletic screening and electrocardiogram; those with a positive screen or abnormal electrocardiogram interpreted by a paediatric electrophysiologist completed further work-up. Electrocardiograms referred for additional evaluation were re-interpreted by a paediatric electrophysiologist using Seattle Criteria. Electrocardiogram abnormalities were identified in 98 (6.9%); Seattle Criteria identified 28 (2.0%). Formal evaluation confirmed four students at risk for sudden cardiac arrest (0.3%): long QT syndrome (n=2), Wolff–Parkinson–White (n=1), and pulmonary hypertension (n=1). All students with at-risk phenotypes for sudden cardiac arrest were identified by both standard electrophysiologist and Seattle Criteria. The false-positive interpretation rate decreased from 6.6 to 1.7% with Seattle Criteria. Downstream costs associated with screening using standard paediatric electrocardiogram interpretations and Seattle Criteria were projected at $24 versus $7, respectively. In conclusion, using Seattle Criteria for electrocardiogram interpretation decreases the rate of false-positive results compared with standard interpretation without omitting true-positive electrocardiogram findings. This may decrease unnecessary referrals and costs associated with formal cardiology evaluation.
Academic and Social Self-Concepts of Gifted, General, and Special Students

no appreciable differences regionally. 4. There are no appreciable differences in the admission policies and practices of residential schools for the deaf by type of governance. 5. Local school districts playa major role in the admission process. Unless the referral is from the local school district, 53% of the schools do not accept students for admission. 6. The data reported in this study revealed that parents are included, as required by P.L. 94-142, in placement, individualized education plan development, and related decisions for students admitted. 7. State-operated residential schools for the deaf retain a high degree of autonomy in decisions to admit or deny admission to a prospective student. The authority to deny admission is established in policy in 70% of the residential schools included in this study.
Brazilian Health Survey (2013): relation between alcohol use and sociodemographic characteristics by sex in Brazil.

OBJECTIVE To analyze sociodemographic factors associated with alcohol use according to gender in Brazil. METHODS Cross-sectional study using data from 2013 Brazilian Health Survey about 60,202 adults. We analyzed recent alcohol use and heavy episodic drinking in the 30 days prior to the research stratified by gender. The covariates were: age, educational level, skin color, marital status, and place of residence. RESULTS The prevalence of recent alcohol use was 26.5%. In women, the prevalence was 14.4%; in men, 38.1%. In women, recent alcohol use was associated with younger age, higher educational level, being single or separated/divorced, and living in urban areas. In men, there was association with white skin color in addition to these factors. Among adults who used alcohol, 51.5% reported heavy episodic drinking - in women, this proportion was 43.4%; in men, 55.0%. In women, heavy episodic drinking was associated with younger age, being single or separated/divorced and living in urban areas; white skin color and higher educational level had negative association with this pattern. In men, heavy episodic drinking was directly associated with younger age and being single or divorced and inversely to white skin color; there was no significant relation with education and place of residence. CONCLUSION We observed that men consume more alcohol than women. There is a convergence of alcohol consumption, including heavy episodic drinking, between men and women who are younger, single and divorced, and residents of urban areas. Skin color, educational level, and place of residence showed variations in the models by sex.
Effect of chronic intermittent hypoxia on triglyceride uptake in different tissues

Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) inhibits plasma lipoprotein clearance and adipose lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity in association with upregulation of an LPL inhibitor angiopoietin-like protein 4 (Angptl4). We hypothesize that CIH inhibits triglyceride (TG) uptake via Angptl4 and that an anti-Angptl4-neutralizing antibody would abolish the effects of CIH. Male C57BL/6J mice were exposed to four weeks of CIH or intermittent air (IA) while treated with Ab (30 mg/kg ip once a week). TG clearance was assessed by [H3]triolein administration retroorbitally. CIH delayed TG clearance and suppressed TG uptake and LPL activity in all white adipose tissue depots, brown adipose tissue, and lungs, whereas heart, liver, and spleen were not affected. CD146+ CD11b− pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells were responsible for TG uptake in the lungs and its inhibition by CIH. Antibody to Angptl4 decreased plasma TG levels and increased TG clearance and uptake into adipose tissue and lungs in both control and CIH mice to a similar extent, but did not reverse the effects of CIH. The antibody reversed the effects of CIH on LPL in adipose tissue and lungs. In conclusion, CIH inactivates LPL by upregulating Angptl4, but inhibition of TG uptake occurs predominantly via an Angptl4/LPL-independent mechanism.
THEORIES OF SEXUAL OFFENDING

This article presented a theoretical model of sexually deviant interests that described how they may be learned through the same mechanisms by which conventional sexuality is learned . The model is divided into two parts : acquisition processes and maintenance processes . The authors noted that the model adopts the position that maladaptive behavior can result from quantitative and qualitative combinations of processes that are themselves intrinsically orderly, strictly determined, and normal in origin. This conditioning and social learning model stated that deviant sexual preferences and cognitions are acquired through the same mechanisms by which other persons learn more conventionally accepted modes of sexual expression . The model is presented as a set of 13 general principles and 14 propositions that are derived from the 13 principles. There are six basic conditioning principles (Pavlovian Conditioning, Operant Conditioning, Extinction, Punishment, Differential Consequences, and the Chaining of Behavior) ; two social learning influences (General Social Learning Influences and Self-Labeling Influences) ; and three maintenance processes (Specific Autoerotic Influences, Specific Social Learning Influences, and Intermittent Reinforcement) . In addition, the authors discuss the treatment application of the theoretical model.
The usefulness of phage typing Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates.

Mycobacteriophage typing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates was used as an epidemiologic aid in investigating the transmission of tuberculosis in community, industrial, and institutional outbreaks. The technique was also useful in other situations, e.g., documenting congenital transmission of infection and distinguishing exogenous reinfection from endogenous reactivation. Additional studies are indicated to further explore the value of phage typing for tracking the transmission of tuberculosis in the community.
Polyvinyl Butyral (PVB) and Ethyl Vinyl Acetate (EVA) as a Binding Material for Laminated Glass

The effect of the type of the bonding interlayer on the mechanical behavior of laminated glass was studied in this paper. Furthermore, this investigation presents mathematical models that helps in predicting this behavior based on the glass plate thickness and the type and thickness of the bonding material. Both practical results and the theoretical model indicate that the failure strength of laminated glass bonded with either PVB or EVA decreases as the interlayer thickness increases. Moreover, the failure strength of the glass bonded with EVA is greater than that for the PVB bonded ones under the same conditions. On the other hand, it was observed that the ability of laminated glass to absorb energy increases with the increase of the interlayer thickness and the increase of glass plate thickness.
Differential protein expression assessed by two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis for two wheat varieties grown at four nitrogen levels

To limit N‐fertilizer applied on wheat, cultivars that use N more efficiently are needed. Our objective was to investigate differences of nitrogen utilization in varieties by studying qualitative and quantitative proteins expression. Two wheat varieties, ‘Arche’ and ‘Récital’, were grown under controlled conditions at four N levels (0, 2, 8, and 20 mg N/plant/day) with two replicates. The number of tillers/plant, aerial dry weight/plant and total N content were measured after two months. Two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis was also performed on leaf protein extracts. Analyses of variance showed that the N level effect was highly significant for the number of tillers/plant, aerial dry weight and N content. The variety×N level interaction was significant for N content. Analyses of variance on % volume carried out for 524 spots showed a significant variety effect for 55 spots and a significant N treatment effect for 76 spots. Twenty spots showed a significant variety×N treatment interaction. Fourteen proteins were identified by liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS). The possible role of these proteins, eight of which belong to the carbon metabolism, is discussed.
Treatment of asphyxiated newborns with moderate hypothermia in routine clinical practice: how cooling is managed in the UK outside a clinical trial

Background: This is a phase 4 study of infants registered with the UK TOBY Cooling Register from December 2006 to February 2008. The registry was established on completion of enrolment to the TOBY randomised trial of treatment with whole body hypothermia following perinatal asphyxia at the end of November 2006. Methods: We collected information about patient characteristics, condition at birth, resuscitation details, severity of encephalopathy, hourly temperature record, clinical complications and outcomes before hospital discharge. Results: 120 infants born at a median of 40 (IQR 38–41) weeks’ gestation and weighing a median of 3287 (IQR 2895–3710) g at birth were studied. Cooling was started at a median of 3 h 54 min (IQR 2 h–5 h 32 min) after birth. All but three infants underwent whole body cooling. The mean (SD) rectal temperature from 6 to 72 h of the cooling period was 33.57°C (0.51°C). The daily encephalopathy score fell: median (IQR) 11 (6–15), 9.7 (5–14), 8 (5–13) and 7 (2–12) on days 1–4 after birth, respectively. 51% of the infants established full oral feeding at a median (range) of 9 (4–24) days. 26% of the study infants died. MRI was consistent with hypoxia-ischaemia in most cases. Clinical complications were not considered to be due to hypothermia. Conclusion: In the UK, therapeutic hypothermia following perinatal asphyxia is increasingly being provided. The target body temperature is successfully achieved and the clinical complications observed were not attributed to hypothermia. Treatment with hypothermia may have prevented the worsening of the encephalopathy that is commonly observed following asphyxia.