Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Incidence of chronic inflammatory joint diseases in Finland in 1995.

OBJECTIVE To investigate trends in the incidence of chronic inflammatory joint diseases. METHODS Subjects entitled to receive drug reimbursement for chronic inflammatory joint diseases in 5/21 central hospital districts (population base about 1 million adults) in Finland during 1995 were studied. The mean age at disease onset was compared with figures from 1975, 1980, 1985, and 1990. Incidence rates were compared with those from 1980, 1985, and 1990. RESULTS A total of 710 subjects were entitled to drug reimbursement for chronic inflammatory joint disease that had started at the age of 16 or over. The total incidence was 65/100,000 (95% confidence interval 60.7-70.4); the figures for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis, psoriatic arthritis, and undifferentiated chronic poly/oligoarthritis were 34, 6, 7, and 13/100,000, respectively. In RA, the mean age at diagnosis was 59.0 years and was the same in rheumatoid factor (RF) positive and RF negative disease. The mean age at diagnosis had increased by 8.8 years from 1975 to 1995 (p<0.001). A 14% decline was evident in the incidence of RA in 1990 and 1995 compared with the earlier years (p = 0.013). In the younger age groups (35-54 years), the incidence declined by 50% compared with the year 1980. The incidence of spondyloarthropathies remained similar during 1980-95. CONCLUSION Continuous monitoring of sickness insurance data provides information on the epidemiology of inflammatory joint diseases that will be useful in assessing demand for and supply of health services.
Stressful Life Events, Chronic Difficulties, and the Symptoms of Clinical Depression

Major life events and chronic difficulties have been found to be associated with the onset of depression. Little is known, however, about how exposure to such stressors is related to the clinical presentation of this disorder. We addressed this issue by administering an interview-based measure of life stress, the Beck Depression Inventory, and the Global Assessment of Functioning scale to 100 adults diagnosed with major depressive disorder. Participants who experienced a preonset severe life event exhibited greater overall levels of depression severity, endorsed more cognitive and somatic symptoms of depression, and functioned at lower levels than did their counterparts without preonset severe life events. In contrast, exposure to a preonset severe difficulty was unrelated to participants’ severity of depression, cognitive and somatic symptoms, or level of global functioning. These findings highlight the potentially greater importance of acute stress compared with chronic stress for influencing these key clinical features of depression.
Short‐Term BMP‐2 Expression Is Sufficient for In Vivo Osteochondral Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Currently available murine models to evaluate mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation are based on cell injection at ectopic sites such as muscle or skin. Due to the importance of environmental factors on the differentiation capacities of stem cells in vivo, we investigated whether the peculiar synovial/cartilaginous environment may influence the lineage specificity of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)‐2‐engineered MSCs. To this aim, we used the C3H10T1/2‐derived C9 MSCs that express BMP‐2 under control of the doxycycline (Dox)‐repressible promoter, Tet‐Off, and showed in vitro, using the micropellet culture system that C9 MSCs kept their potential to differentiate toward chondrocytes. Implantation of C9 cells, either into the tibialis anterior muscles or into the joints of CB17‐severe combined immunodeficient bg mice led to the formation of cartilage and bone filled with bone marrow as soon as day 10. However, no differentiation was observed after injection of naïve MSCs or C9 cells that were repressed to secrete BMP‐2 by Dox addition. The BMP‐2‐induced differentiation of adult MSCs is thus independent of soluble factors present in the local environment of the synovial/cartilaginous tissues. Importantly, we demonstrated that a short‐term expression of the BMP‐2 growth factor is necessary and sufficient to irreversibly induce bone formation, suggesting that a stable genetic modification of MSCs is not required for stem cell‐based bone/cartilage engineering.
Monocular Camera Path Estimation Cross-linking Images in a Graph Structure

Starting from several suitable images of an object or a scene, the 3D information can be reconstructed. For each image the pose of the camera is estimated. The corresponding research field within computer vision is known as structure from motion. Intensive research for more than two decades resulted in first commercial applications covering the area of reverse engineering, archaeology and city modelling. Thus, structure from motion is going to become a low cost alternative technology to laser based systems. In this work, a toolchain for 3D reconstruction from an image sequence was developed. It contains new algorithms to enhance current approaches concerning robustness, reliability and speed. A modular approach was chosen enabling easy and independent integration of new algorithms. The underlying relational data structure is essential to access all data at any stage of the toolchain. As a first step interest points are detected in each image to establish point correspondences between two images. A new algorithm is presented to find the nearest neighbor in a high dimensional space, applicable to the description of interest points. Different approaches to efficiently detect loop closures are integrated. The relative orientation between image pairs is computed in a robust manner following a hierarchical clustering approach. A graph containing image triplets is then constructed from a set of relative orientations and the pose of each image is estimated from the graph. Utilizing non-linear optimization techniques, the initial pose of the images is refined to establish a more accurate solution. The complete toolchain is evaluated on several datasets with a strong focus on precision and accuracy. Current state of the art methods could be outperformed.
Rapid Identification and Differentiation ofBartonella Species Using a Single-Step PCR Assay

ABSTRACT Five species of Bartonella have been reported to infect humans and cause a variety of diseases that can be difficult to diagnose. Four species of Bartonella have been reported to infect cats and dogs, and two of these species are considered to be zoonotic pathogens. Diagnosis of Bartonella infections is hampered by the slow, fastidious growth characteristics ofBartonella species. We report on the development of a single-step PCR-based assay for the detection and differentiation of medically relevant Bartonella species. PCR-mediated amplification of the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic region resulted in a product of a unique size for each Bartonella species, thereby allowing differentiation without the necessity of restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis or sequencing of the amplified product. The ability of the single-step PCR assay to differentiate between Bartonella species was determined with characterized isolates and blood samples from animals known to be infected with either Bartonella henselae, B. clarridgeiae, or B. vinsonii subsp.berkhoffii. The sensitivity of the single-step PCR assay relative to that of in vitro culture was determined with blood samples from B. henselae-infected cats. B. henselaetarget DNA was amplified from 100% of samples with greater than 50 CFU/ml and 80% of samples with 10 to 30 CFU/ml. The single-step assay described in the report expedites PCR-based detection and differentiation of medically relevant Bartonella species.
Identity related to living situation in six individuals with congenital quadriplegia

Purpose. This study was a preliminary examination of structural aspects of identity, particularly identity associated with living situation, in individuals who have quadriplegia due to cerebral palsy. Method. A hierarchical classes algorithm (HICLAS) was used to construct idiographic ‘identity structure’ models for three individuals who are living in an inpatient hospital setting and for three individuals living in community-based group residences. Results. Indices derived from the models indicate that the identity ‘myself as one who has a disability’ was structurally superordinate (i.e., resided at a high hierarchical level) for all six participants, suggesting a high level of importance of this identity in participants' sense of self. The models also indicate that while identity associated with one's particular living situation was superordinate for persons living in the hospital, it was not for persons living in community residences. Conclusions. While conclusions based on this small sample are necessarily limited, the data suggest that identity associated with living situation might differ in structural centrality, and presumably subjective importance, for persons living in inpatient versus community-based settings.
Intermediate-range order in permanently densified vitreous SiO2: A neutron-diffraction and molecular-dynamics study.

The structure of pressure-densified vitreous SiO{sub 2} has been investigated using neutron-diffraction and molecular-dynamics techniques. After compression to 16 GPa at room temperature, recovered samples have densities 20% higher than normal vitreous SiO{sub 2} and show substantial changes in the first sharp diffraction peak (FSDP): an indication of modification in the intermediate-range order. The changes in the FSDP are due to increased frustration caused by the decrease in the Si-O-Si bond angle and a shift in the Si-Si and O-O correlations in the range of 4--8 A toward lower distances.
Team Effectiveness 1997-2007: A Review of Recent Advancements and a Glimpse Into the Future

The authors review team research that has been conducted over the past 10 years. They discuss the nature of work teams in context and note the substantive differences underlying different types of teams. They then review representative studies that have appeared in the past decade in the context of an enhanced input-process-outcome framework that has evolved into an inputs-mediators-outcome time-sensitive approach. They note what has been learned along the way and identify fruitful directions for future research. They close with a reconsideration of the typical team research investigation and call for scholars to embrace the complexity that surrounds modern team-based organizational designs as we move forward.
Data Compression for Next Generation Phasor Data Concentrators (PDCs) in a Smart Grid

The storage space and cost for Smart Grid datasets has been growing exponentially due to its high data-rate of various sensor readings from Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI), and Phasor Measurement Units (PMUs). The paper focuses on Phasor Data Concentrators (PDCs) that aggregate data from PMUs. PMUs measure real-time voltage, current and frequency parameters across the electrical grid. A typical PDC can process data from anywhere ten to forty PMUs. The paper exploits the need for appropriate security and data compression challenges simultaneously. As a result, an optimal compression method ER1c is investigated for efficient storage of IREG and C37.118 timestamped PDC data sets. We expect that our approach can greatly reduce the storage cost requirements of commercial available PDCs (SEL 3373, GE Multilin P30) by 80%. For example, 2 years of PDC data storage space can be easily replaced with only 10 days of storage space. In addition, our approach in combination with AES 256 encryption can protect PDC data to larger degree as per National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) standards.
Identification and prevalence of Paramphistomum cervi in naturally infected water buffaloes of central Punjab, Pakistan

Gastrointestinal trematode parasites especially Paramphistomum cervi are accountable for health hazards in buffalo of central Punjab. A total of 289 rumens and reticulums of buffaloes were examined for the presence of Paramphistomum cervi by visiting local abattoirs. The trematodes were preserved in 70% alcohol for identification based on its morphological characteristics. The results of our study showed that 17.3 percent buffalos were infected by Paramphistomum cervi in central Punjab. The correlation between worm burden and area was found to be non-significant (p > 0.05) indicating the presence of trematode in all districts of study area. Highest average worm burden was observed in Sargodha and lowest in Mandi Bahauddin. The correlation between worm burden and age was highly significant (p 0.05). Furthermore, highest worm burden was noted in buffaloes of having 22 year age. It was concluded that Paramphistomum cervi is prevalent in central Punjab. The availability of fresh water snails serving as intermediate host, existence of extensive water channel system and poor grazing management of animals being practiced in these areas should be
Psychopathology and Personality in Parents of Children With ADHD

Objective: To compare psychopathology and personality in parents of children with ADHD and control parents. Method: A total of 140 parents were subdivided according to presence and duration of ADHD. Assessment was based on various ADHD self-rating scales, the revised Symptom Checklist (SCL-90-R), the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), and the revised NEO Five Factors Inventory (NEO-FFI). Results: Parents with lifelong persistent ADHD were most abnormal on all dimensions of ADHD psychopathology, the SCL-90-R, the PHQ, and the neuroticism and conscientiousness dimensions of the NEO-FFI. The scores of parents with current ADHD approached those of parents with persistent ADHD on most dimensions, and both groups scored higher than did parents with either remitted ADHD or no ADHD, or controls. The scores of the latter three groups were not significantly different from each other. Conclusion: Among parents of children with ADHD, parents with lifelong persistent or current ADHD show highest scores of psychopathology.
Antiproliferative e ects of PCA-4230 , a new antithrombotic drug , in vascular smooth muscle cells

1 In the present study we examined the eects of PCA-4230, a novel antithrombotic agent, on the growth of cultured A10 vascular smooth muscle cells (rat aorta). 2 The action of PCA-4230 on cell proliferation and on serum-induced DNA synthesis was determined by measuring the cell number and the incorporation of the thymidine analogue 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU), respectively. 3 PCA-4230 reversibly inhibited vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation. The increase in cell number was signi®cantly reduced in the presence of 1 and 50 mM PCA-4230. 4 DNA synthesis was concentration-dependently inhibited by PCA-4230 (0.5 to 50 mM) in A10 cells that were synchronized by 48 h serum starvation and then re-stimulated by serum repletion, with an IC50 value of 13 mM. However, serum-induced DNA synthesis in bovine aortic endothelial cells was not signi®cantly aected by PCA-4230. In addition, PCA-4230 (50 mM) caused a signi®cant drop in PDGFBB-mediated BrdU incorporation in A10 cells. 5 The eect of PCA-4230 on serum-induced DNA synthesis was compared to that elicited by nifedipine, another dihydropyridine-class inhibitor of vascular smooth muscle proliferation. PCA-4230 (10 mM) elicited a degree of inhibition similar to that of nifedipine at equimolar concentration. 6 To de®ne the nature of the cell proliferation inhibition, an evaluation of cell cycle progression was undertaken. Flow cytometry studies of DNA content in synchronized cells revealed a block of the seruminducible cell cycle progression. This inhibitory eect was markedly reduced when PCA-4230 was added 2 h after serum repletion. 6 Accordingly, PCA-4230 (50 mM) caused a 95 and 90% decrease in the elevation of c-fos and c-jun proto-oncogenes expression as evaluated by Northern blot analysis of mRNA induced early after serum addition. 7 The present results indicate that PCA-4230 inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, in culture, by altering the cell cycle progression. Flow cytometric studies of DNA content and the down regulation of c-fos and c-jun proto-oncogenes, suggest that the drug is acting at the early G0/G1 transition phase. PCA-4230 may hold promising potential for the prevention of structural abnormalities of blood vessels associated with atherosclerosis and vascular diseases.
The use of complementary and alternative medicine among chronic renal failure patients.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The aim of this study is to evaluate the factors affecting the use and frequency of use of complementary and alternative medicine among chronic renal failure patients. BACKGROUND The use of complementary and alternative medicine in the general population and patients with chronic renal failure has increased significantly. Despite this, there is limited information concerning the use of complementary and alternative medicine among chronic renal failure patients. DESIGN Cross-sectional survey. METHOD The research was carried out at the nephrology and internal medicine outpatient clinics. Two hundred and six chronic renal failure patients admitted to the outpatient clinics were included in the study. Mean outcomes measures were the frequency and type of complementary and alternative medicine use, demographic and disease-related characteristics affecting complementary and alternative medicine use and the reasons for using complementary and alternative medicine. The data were evaluated by Pearson's chi-square test and Fisher's exact test. RESULTS While 2·9% of the patients had been using complementary and alternative medicine before the renal disease occurred, 25·2% of the patients reported that they had at least once used complementary and alternative medicine methods after the renal disease occurred. A significant difference was found between complementary and alternative medicine usage and age, gender, place of living, occupational status and educational background (p < 0·05). While most of the patients using complementary and alternative medicine (78·3%) stated that they used such methods as a cure for their disease, 46·1% used body-mind techniques. CONCLUSIONS The results of our study showed that one-fourth of the chronic renal failure patients were using complementary and alternative medicine, mainly body-mind techniques. In addition, the study proved that most of the patients do not discuss their complementary and alternative medicine usage with their doctors and nurses. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE It is essential that nephrology doctors and nurses should ask specific questions about complementary and alternative medicine usage while taking anamnesis on the patients' disease and nutritional status and that the nephrology team should expand their knowledge on complementary and alternative medicine methods to ensure patient and treatment safety.
Regulation of the calcium release channel from rabbit skeletal muscle by the nucleotides ATP, AMP, IMP and adenosine

1 Nucleotide activation of skeletal muscle ryanodine receptors (RyRs) was studied in planar lipid bilayers in order to understand RyR regulation in vivo under normal and fatigued conditions. With ‘resting’ calcium (100 nm cytoplasmic and 1 mm luminal), RyRs had an open probability (Po) of ∼0.01 in the absence of nucleotides and magnesium. ATP reversibly activated RyRs with Po at saturation (Pmax) ∼0.33 and Ka (concentration for half‐maximal activation) ∼0.36 mm and with a Hill coefficient (nH) of ∼1.8 in RyRs when Pmax < 0.5 and ∼4 when Pmax > 0.5. 2 AMP was a much weaker agonist (Pmax∼0.09) and adenosine was weaker still (Pmax∼0.01–0.02), whereas inosine monophosphate (IMP), the normal metabolic end product of ATP hydrolysis, produced no activation at all. 3 Adenosine acted as a competitive antagonist that reversibly inhibited ATP‐ and AMP‐activated RyRs with nH∼1 and Ki∼0.06 mm at [ATP] < 0.5 mm, increasing 4‐fold for each 2‐fold increase in [ATP] above 0.5 mm. This is explained by the binding of a single adenosine preventing the cooperative binding of two ATP or AMP molecules, with dissociation constants of 0.4, 0.45 and 0.06 mm for ATP, AMP and adenosine, respectively. Importantly, IMP (⩽ 8 mm) had no inhibitory effect whatsoever on ATP‐activated RyRs. 4 Mean open (τo) and closed (τc) dwell‐times were more closely related to Po than to the nucleotide species or individual RyRs. At Po < 0.2, RyR regulation occurred via changes in τc, whereas at higher Po this also occurred via changes in τo. The detailed properties of activation and competitive inhibition indicated complex channel behaviour that could be explained in terms of a model involving interactions between different subunits of the RyR homotetramer. 5 The results also show how deleterious adenosine accumulation is to the function of RyRs in skeletal muscle and, by comparison with voltage sensor‐controlled Ca2+ release, indicate that voltage sensor activation requires ATP binding to the RyR to be effective.
Expression of insulin‐like growth factor‐binding protein 2 in melanocytic lesions

Background: Insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) is one of the most critical proteins required for the survival, migration, and growth of melanoma cells. IGF‐binding protein 2 (IGFBP2), which binds and regulates the function of IGF‐1, is upregulated in a dose‐dependent manner in melanoma cells treated with IGF‐1, suggesting a possible role of IGFBP2 in the pathogenesis of melanoma.
IGR J12580+0134: THE FIRST TIDAL DISRUPTION EVENT WITH AN OFF-BEAM RELATIVISTIC JET

Supermassive black holes (SMBHs) can capture and tidally disrupt stars or substellar objects orbiting nearby. The detections of Sw J1644+57-like events suggest that at least some TDEs can launch a relativistic jet beaming toward Earth. A natural expectation would be the existence of TDEs with a relativistic jet beaming away from Earth. The nearby TDE candidate IGR J12580+0134 provides new insights into the jet phenomenon. Combining several constraints, we find that the event invokes a 8−40 Jupiter mass object tidally disrupted by a 3 × 10 5 – 1.8 × 10 7 M ☉ ? > SMBH. Recently, a bright radio transient was discovered by Irwin et al. in association with IGR J12580+0134. We perform detailed modeling of the event based on a numerical jet model previously developed for the radio emission of Sw J1644+57. We find that the radio data of IGR J12580+0134 can be interpreted within an external forward shock model in the Newtonian regime. Using Sw J1644+57 as a template and properly correcting for its luminosity, we argue that the observed X-ray flux in early times is too faint to allow an on-beam relativistic jet unless the Lorentz factor is very small. Rather, the X-ray emission is likely from the disk or corona near the black hole. From various constraints, we find that the data are consistent with an off-beam relativistic jet with a viewing angle of θ obs ≳ 30 o , ? > and an initial Lorentz factor of Γ j ≳ ? > a few. This scenario can readily be tested in the upcoming very long baseline interferometry observations.