Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Birth weight, subsequent growth, and cholesterol metabolism in children 8–12 years old born preterm

AIMS To test the hypothesis that plasma lipids, lipoproteins, and markers of cholesterol biosynthesis (lathosterol) and absorption efficiency (campesterol) in children aged 8–12 years are related to birth size and subsequent growth. METHODS A total of 412 girls and boys weighing less than 1850 g at birth were studied. Birth weight, gestation, and weight at 18 months were recorded and followed up at 8–12 years. Plasma total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoprotein A1, apolipoprotein B, triacylglycerol, lathosterol, and campesterol were measured. RESULTS Birth weight for gestational age was positively related to plasma campesterol, and remained so after adjusting for current body size or fatness. Birth weight was negatively related to current plasma lathosterol but only after adjusting for current body size or fatness. For both lathosterol and campesterol the significant relation with birth size adjusted for current size indicates that the change in size between these points (postnatal upward centile crossing) was influential. These relations were absent for total cholesterol, lipoproteins, apolipoproteins, and triacylglycerol. CONCLUSION Preterm children who were smaller for gestational age at birth had lower predicted cholesterol absorption efficiency 8–12 years later. Among children of the same current size, predicted endogenous cholesterol synthesis was higher and cholesterol absorption efficiency lower in those who showed the greatest increase in weight centile between birth and follow up. This finding was not confined to children with the smallest birth weights for gestational age. We suggest that both fetal and childhood growth relate to programming of cholesterol metabolism in children born preterm. Key messages Reduced birth size for gestational age was associated with decreased cholesterol absorption efficiency at 8–12 years old children born preterm Greater catch up in weight between birth and 8–12 years was strongly related to increased cholesterol synthesis and decreased absorption efficiency in all birth weight groups Current childhood fatness was related to increased cholesterol synthesis and decreased absorption efficiency even within the normal range of fatness Influence of pre- and postnatal growth on key markers of cholesterol metabolism during childhood may be important in adult cholesterol handling
A 10-bit 100-MS/s 4.5-mW Pipelined ADC With a Time-Sharing Technique

A 10-bit pipelined ADC employs both opamp-and time-sharing techniques to reduce the power consumption and silicon area. The proposed ADC needs only one opamp to complete the 10-bit conversion. This ADC has been fabricated in a 90-nm digital CMOS technology and occupies only 0.058 mm2. It operates at 100 MS/s and achieves an SNDR of 55.0 dB while the power consumption is 4.5 mW from a 1.0-V supply.
Evaluation of first-draw whole blood, point-of-care cardiac markers in the context of the universal definition of myocardial infarction: a comparison of a multimarker panel to troponin alone and to testing in the central laboratory.

CONTEXT Previous studies evaluating point-of-care testing (POCT) for cardiac biomarkers did not use current recommendations for troponin cutoff values or recognize the recent universal definition of acute myocardial infarction. Traditionally, achieving optimal sensitivity for the detection of myocardial injury on initial presentation required combining cardiac troponin and/or creatine kinase isoenzyme MB with an early marker, usually myoglobin. In recent years, the performance of central laboratory combining cardiac troponin assays has improved significantly, potentially obviating the need for a multimarker panel to achieve optimum sensitivity. OBJECTIVE To compare 2 commonly used POCT strategies to a fourth generation, central laboratory cardiac troponin T assay on first-draw specimens from patients being evaluated for acute myocardial infarction in the emergency department. The 2 strategies included a traditional POCT multimarker panel and a newer POCT method using cardiac troponin I alone. DESIGN Blood specimens from 204 patients presenting to the emergency department with signs and/or symptoms of myocardial ischemia were measured on the 2 POCT systems and by a central laboratory method. The diagnosis for each patient was determined by retrospective chart review. RESULTS The cardiac troponin T assasy alone was more sensitive for acute myocardial infarction than the multimarker POCT panel with equal or better specificity. When compared with a POCT troponin I, the cardiac troponin T was also more sensitive, but this difference was not significant. The POCT troponin I alone also had the same sensitivity as the multimarker panel. CONCLUSIONS Testing for combining cardiac troponin alone using newer, commercially available, central laboratory or POCT assays performed with equal or greater sensitivity to acute myocardial infarction as the older, traditional, multimarker panel. In the near future, high-sensitivity, central laboratory troponins will be available for routine clinical use. As a result, the quality gap between central laboratories and older POCT methods will continue to widen, unless the performance of the POCT methods is improved.
HCV in peripheral blood mononuclear cells are predominantly carried on the surface of cells in HIV/HCV co‐infected individuals

HCV replication in extra‐hepatic reservoirs has been suggested to occur in many tissues including PBMCs. A recent study showed evidence for compartmentalization and evolution of HCV in PBMCs. However, the cells that support HCV replication in PBMCs have not been identified. In this study we have fractionated the PBMC from HIV/HCV co‐infected patients into T, monocytes, B and NK cells, and most of the HCV was located in CD3‐cell fractions. Protease treatment of PBMCs to remove cell surface receptors resulted in the loss of HCV RNA suggesting that most of the HCV is present on the cell surface. PBMCs were treated by freeze–thaw nuclease method that would protect the HCV RNA in the virus but not the intracellular viral RNA. Data from this analysis support the conclusion that most of HCV is present on the cell surface. Even though the presence of minus strand RNA in PBMCs suggests that a low level HCV replication takes place within the PBMCs of HIV/HCV co‐infected individuals, HCV in PBMC is present mainly on the surface of non‐T cells, mostly on NK, monocytes and B cells. These results suggest a unique pathogenic role of NK, monocyte and B cells as carriers of HCV. J. Med. Virol. 82:2032–2037, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Factors influencing the adoption of personalisation mobile services: empirical evidence from young Australians

The adoption of mobile services is often studied at a generic level and limited research has addressed personalisation mobile services. The purpose of this paper is to develop a model that attempts to predict the adoption of personalisation mobile services amongst young Australians. Employing quantitative empirical evidence, it was found that perceived enjoyment and perceived usefulness are the most important factors in predicting the adoption of these services. These findings provide theoretical and practical implications and insights for the development, design and marketing of personalisation mobile services. Knowledge and appreciation of these factors may help mobile operators and service providers to both design novel personalisation services or enhance existing ones in order to gain competitive advantage.
SapB and the chaplins: connections between morphogenetic proteins in Streptomyces coelicolor

Morphogenesis in the streptomycetes features the differentiation of substrate‐associated vegetative hyphae into upwardly growing aerial filaments. This transition requires the activity of bld genes and the secretion of biosurfactants that reduce the surface tension at the colony–air interface enabling the emergence of nascent aerial hyphae. Streptomyces coelicolor produces two classes of surface‐active molecules, SapB and the chaplins. While both molecules are important for aerial development, nothing is known about the functional redundancy or interaction of these surfactants apart from the observation that aerial hyphae formation can proceed via one of two pathways: a SapB‐dependent pathway when cells are grown on rich medium and a SapB‐independent pathway on poorly utilized carbon sources such as mannitol. We used mutant analysis to show that while the chaplins are important, but not required, for development on rich medium, they are essential for differentiation on MS (soy flour mannitol) medium, and the corresponding developmental defects could be suppressed by the presence of SapB. Furthermore, the chaplins are produced by conditional bld mutants during aerial hyphae formation when grown on the permissive medium, MS, suggesting that the previously uncharacterized SapB‐independent pathway is chaplin dependent. In contrast, a bld mutant blocked in aerial morphogenesis on all media makes neither SapB nor chaplins. Finally, we show that a constructed null mutant that lacks all chaplin and SapB biosynthetic genes fails to differentiate in any growth condition. We propose that the biosurfactant activities of both SapB and the chaplins are essential for normal aerial hyphae formation on rich medium, while chaplin biosynthesis and secretion alone drives aerial morphogenesis on MS medium.
MEASUREMENT OF DYNAMIC PROPERTIES OF MATERIALS

It is often necessary to measure the dynamic properties of materials such as the loss factor and the modulus of elasticity in order to provide valid data for numerical analysis of structures. This is especially the case when stuctures with damping treatments are to be optimized. Viscoelastic materials are widely used for damping treatment purposes in order to reduce resonant vibrations in many applications. Therefore, various experimental techniques have been developed in the past for the estimation of these properties. Among these techniques, ‘Oberst Beam Method’ is one of the standard test methods for measuring dynamic properties of materials (ASTM E756 – 93). This paper presents a brief description of a methodology based on the Oberst Beam Method and demonstrates its application for the identification of the dynamic properties of ‘self supporting’ and ‘non-self supporting’ materials. A unique feature of this work is that the socalled Line-Fit Method – commonly used in modal analysis of Frequency Response Functions – is employed during the process of identification of material properties. Also, sample results are presented in this paper to demonstrate the accuracy of the identification procedure using a homogeneous steel (Oberst) beam and a composite beam comprising a steel beam coated with bitumen.
Cutaneous-Evoked Tinnitus

Cutaneous-evoked tinnitus is a clinical entity that has not been reported previously in the neurootological literature. Herein, a neuroscience framework that encompasses several distinct areas of research is used to conceptualize and help understand this phenomenon. We review normal neuroanatomical and physiological interactions between auditory and somatosensory systems in mammals. Also considered are mechanistic accounts of lesion-induced changes in the CNS following deafferentation/deefferentation of peripheral sensory or motor structures that may have a relationship to this phenomenon, as well as the role of functional imaging modalities in studying various phantom perceptions.
A Virtual Reality Application with Autistic Children

Using the advantages of the sense of presence generated by virtual reality, a system to help children with autism was developed. Two case studies with children showed virtual reality has the potential to provide a safer, customized learning environment for individuals with autism. A model of reality that discusses historical and perceptual rules as well as input stimuli in forming a sense of presence is described.
Anomalies occurring in children exposed in utero to the atomic bomb in Hiroshima.

A study was carried out on 205 4½ year old children who had been exposed to the atomic bomb blast during the first half of intra-uterine life. Eleven were exposed within 1200 meters of the bomb hypocenter, and the remaining 194 were beyond this distance. Seven of these 11 children exposed within 1200 meters had microcephaly with mental retardation. This diagnosis was not made on any of the 194 children exposed at greater distances. Correlation between head size and mental development of the child with distance from the hypocenter, symptoms of radiation effect and type of shielding of the mother is discussed. The conclusion drawn from the present study is that central nervous system defects can be produced in the fetus by atomic bomb radiation, provided that exposure occurs within approximately 1200 meters of the hypocenter and that no effective shielding, such as concrete, protects the fetus from direct irradiation.
Lipopolysaccharide Increases Cell Surface P-glycoprotein That Exhibits Diminished Activity in Intestinal Epithelial Cells

Increasingly, it is recognized that commensal microflora regulate epithelial cell processes through the dynamic interaction of pathogen-associated molecular patterns and host pattern recognition receptors such as Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4). We therefore investigated the effects of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on intestinal P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression and function. Human SW480 (P-gp+/TLR4+) and Caco-2 (P-gp+/TLR4–) cells were treated with medium control or LPS (100 ng/ml) for 24 h prior to study. P-gp function was assessed by measuring the intracellular concentration of rhodamine 123 (Rh123). To confirm P-gp-specific effects, breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP/ABCG2) and multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (MRP-2/ABCC2) were also analyzed. Treatment of SW480 cells with LPS led to diminished P-gp activity, which could be prevented with polymyxin B (control: 207 ± 16 versus LPS: 402 ± 22 versus LPS + polymyxin B: 238 ± 26 pmoles Rh123/mg protein, p < 0.05 control versus LPS). These effects could be blocked by using polymyxin B and were not seen in the P-gp+/TLR4– Caco-2 cell line (control: 771 ± 28 versus LPS: 775 ± 59 pmoles Rh123/mg protein). Total cellular levels of P-gp did not change in LPS-treated SW480 cells; however, a significant increase in cell surface P-gp was detected. No change in activity, total protein, or apically located MRP-2 was detected following LPS treatment. Sequence analysis confirmed wild-type status of SW480 cells. These data suggest that activation of TLR4 in intestinal epithelial cells leads to an increase in plasma membrane P-gp that demonstrates a diminished capacity to transport substrate.
Motor and Graphomotor performance of students aging from 5 to 10 years old

The purpose of the study was to examine: a) the graphomotor skills of students with high, average and low motor performance and b) the relationship between motor and graphomotor skills. The total sample consisted of 275 kindergarten and elementary school students in Athens, Greece (138 boys and 137 girls), who were examined in the BOTMP-SF and the five graphomotor items of BOTMP-LF. The ANOVA revealed significant differences among the three groups (F = 19.726, p < .001, η = .150) and the Least Significant Difference-LSD post hoc method revealed that the „high‟ group (Mz = 1.02, SDz = .82) scored significantly higher than the „average‟ group (Mz = .60, SDz = .87) which, in turn, scored significantly higher than the low motor performance group (Mz= -.70, SDz = 1.51). Finally, the graphomotor performance was significantly predicted, through stepwise multiple regression, from five gross motor skills (running speed and agility, standing on preferred leg-static balance, walking on balance beam-dynamic balance, tapping feet alternative while making circles with fingers and standing broad jump). Overall, physical educators and teachers may consider that the motor and graphomotor skills of their students constitute interrelated academic elements.
Vitamin D Deficiency and Bone Health in Healthy Adults in Finland: Could This Be a Concern in Other Parts of Europe?

A low vitamin D status could be a concern not only in children and the elderly in Europe, but also in adults. We do not know the effect of mild vitamin D deficiency on bone in this age group. The aim of this study was to detect the prevalence of low serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D [S‐25(OH)D] and elevated serum intact parathyroid hormone (S‐iPTH) concentrations in healthy young adults in the winter in northern Europe and to characterize the determinants of these variables. In addition, we studied the association between vitamin D status and forearm bone mineral density (BMD) in this population group. Three hundred and twenty‐eight healthy adults (202 women and 126 men, 31–43 years) from southern Finland (60°N) participated in this study conducted in February through March 1998. Fasting overnight blood samples were collected in the morning. Forearm BMD was measured by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA). The mean daily vitamin D intake met the recommendations in the men (5.6 ± 3.2 μg) and almost met it in the women (4.7 ± 2.5 μg). The mean S‐25(OH)D concentrations did not differ between genders (women, 47 ± 34 nM; men, 45 ± 35 nM; mean ± SD), but the women had significantly higher mean S‐iPTH levels than the men (women, 30 ± 13 ng/liter; men, 24 ± 12 ng/liter; p < 0.001). Low S‐25(OH)D concentrations (<25 nM) were found in 26.2% of the women (53 women) and 28.6% of the men (36 men), respectively. Based on nonlinear regression analysis between S‐25(OH)D and S‐iPTH concentration, the S‐iPTH concentration started to increase with S‐25(OH)D concentrations lower than ∼80 nM in the women and lower than ∼40 nM in the men. Based on this relation between S‐25(OH)D and S‐iPTH concentrations, 86% of the women and 56% of the men had an insufficient vitamin D status. In linear regression analysis, the main positive determinants of S‐25(OH)D were dietary vitamin D intake (p < 0.02), the use of supplements (p < 0.005), alcohol intake (p < 0.05), and age (p < 0.005). Smoking associated negatively with the S‐25(OH)D concentration (p < 0.03). The main determinants of S‐iPTH were S‐25(OH)D (p < 0.01), dietary calcium intake (p < 0.02), and body mass index (BMI; p < 0.01). In addition, female gender was associated with higher S‐iPTH concentration. The mean daily dietary calcium intake was 1037 ± 489 mg and 962 ± 423 mg, in the men and women, respectively. Significantly lower forearm BMD was found in the men (p = 0.01) but not in the women (p = 0.14) with higher S‐iPTH concentrations. Low vitamin D status was prevalent in these young adults in northern Europe in winter, although the vitamin D intake met the recommendation. This probably is not a local problem for northern Europe, because the natural sources of vitamin D are scarce and fortification is not very common in Europe, and with the exception of the southern part of Europe, sunshine is not very abundant in this part of the world. Thus, the results of this study indicate that more attention should be focused on vitamin D status and the sources of vitamin D in these countries.
Controversiële buitenstaanders: Een longitudinale studie naar berichtgeving over ver rechts in Nederlandse dagbladen

In deze bijdrage doen we verslag van onderzoek naar 18 jaar dagbladberichtgeving over ver rechts in Nederland. Hoewel er her en der, ook in wetenschappelijk verband, stevige uitspraken worden gedaan over de manier waarop de pers schrijft over ver rechts (denk aan de gevleugelde begrippen ‘doodzwijgen’ en 'demoniseren'), is er tot op heden nauwelijks onderzoek gedaan naar de inhoud van die berichtgeving over ver rechts. In deze studie doen we dat door op systematische wijze verschillende inhoudelijke aspecten van media-aandacht over langere tijd te bestuderen. Sinds 1986 is de focus in de dagbladberichtgeving over ver rechts in Nederland wezenlijk veranderd. De aandacht bleef al die tijd voornamelijk gericht op de meest controversiele aspecten van ver rechts. Ver rechts bleef geportretteerd worden als buitenstaanders, ook als ver rechtse partijen participeerden in de volksvertegenwoordiging. Maar de aandacht nuanceerde en verbreedde zich enigszins vanaf de tweede helft van de jaren negentig. Pas in 2004 leek er in de aandacht van de Nederlandse kranten een omslag voor te doen.
Interactions between the plasma proteins of Biomphalaria glabrata (Gastropoda) and the sporocyst tegument of Schistosoma mansoni (Trematoda)

SUMMARY The tegumental surface of Schistosoma mansoni sporocysts is the site of both nutritive and immunological interactions with haemolymph cells and plasma of Biomphalaria glabrata, the schistosome intermediate host. Within minutes of being placed in host plasma, sporocysts acquire plasma antigens, and within 3 h host plasma antigens are present on the surface at near steady state. Though a wide variety of peptides is acquired, there is selection. Furthermore, some differences occur in the peptides acquired from the plasma of susceptible and resistant strains of snail. Acquired antigens are rapidly processed, and are predominantly undetectable in tegumental extracts after a few hours. In contrast, rabbit antibody on sporocysts remains in situ for at least 48 h, so under some conditions there is stable expression of certain tegumental antigenic determinants.These data, obtained using antibodies to snail plasma antigens and to sporocyst tegumental antigens, are discussed in the light of current ideas on the cellular and molecular basis of susceptibility and resistance in this host#parasite system.
Chilling curves for Piaractus mesopotamicus (Holmberg, 1887) embryos stored at −8°C

Summary The present study investigates the effect of different slow chilling curves on the storage of pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) embryos submitted to chilling at −8°C. Embryos at the blastopore closure stage were divided into two groups: G1 – embryos exposed to cryoprotectant solution containing methanol (10%) and sucrose (0.5 M), treated as follows: (T1) taken directly from room temperature to the refrigerator without being submitted to the curve; (T2) chilling curve of 0.5°C/min; and (T3) chilling curve of 1°C/min; and G2 – the cryoprotectant solution alone was submitted to these same temperatures, receiving the embryos only after temperature had decreased, corresponding to treatments T4, T5 and T6, respectively. Treatments were kept at −8°C for a period of 6 h. Embryo development was evaluated for each treatment, with six replicates in an entirely randomized design. Survival among embryos not submitted to refrigeration was 94.3 ± 8.05%. Percentage of total larvae (TL) and addled eggs (AE) did not differ statistically between the groups, although percentage of swimming larvae (SL) exhibited higher values in G1 for the 1°C/min curve. Furthermore, when comparing the three chilling curves, a decrease of 1°C/min resulted in the highest TL percentage (90.85%), followed by the 0.5°C/min curve (78.52%). Thus, the use of 1°C/min chilling curves is recommended for P. mesopotamicus embryos stored for 6 h at −8°C.