Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Physical activity, physical exertion, and miscarriage risk in women textile workers in Shanghai, China.

BACKGROUND Strenuous occupational physical activity and physical demands may be risk factors for adverse reproductive outcomes. METHODS A retrospective study in the Shanghai, China textile industry study collected women's self-reported reproductive history. Occupational physical activity assessment linked complete work history data to an industry-specific job-exposure matrix. Odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated by multivariate logistic regression for the first pregnancy outcome and utilized generalized estimating equations to consider all pregnancies per woman. RESULTS Compared with women employed in sedentary jobs, a reduced risk of miscarriage was found for women working in jobs with either light (OR 0.18, 95% CI: 0.07, 0.50) or medium (OR 0.24, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.66) physical activity during the first pregnancy and over all pregnancies (light OR 0.32, 95% CI: 0.17, 0.61; medium OR 0.43, 95% CI: 0.23, 0.80). Frequent crouching was associated with elevated risk (OR 1.82, 95% CI: 1.14, 2.93; all pregnancies per woman). CONCLUSIONS Light/medium occupational physical activity may have reduced miscarriage risk, while specific occupational characteristics such as crouching may have increased risk in this cohort.
Loads on the lumbar spine. Validation of a biomechanical analysis by measurements of intradiscal pressures and myoelectric signals.

UNLABELLED We studied the validity of predictions of compressive loads on the lumbar spine and contraction forces in lumbar trunk muscles based on a biomechanical model. The predictions were validated by quantitative measurements of myoelectric activities at twelve locations on the trunk and of the pressure in the third lumbar disc. Twenty-five tasks were performed isometrically by four healthy volunteers. The model predicted that the tasks imposed mean compressive loads on the spine of as much as 2400 newtons and required contraction forces of the posterior muscles of the back of as much as 1800 newtons. Intradiscal pressures of as much as 1600 kilopascals were measured. The predicted and measured quantities were well correlated. It appears that the model adequately predicted the compressive loads on the lumbar spine and the tensions in the back muscles. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Patients with low-back disorders limit their physical activities, which indicates that loading on the spine must be a factor in those disorders. This study shows that the loads imposed on the spine by physical activities need not be measured. They can easily be calculated. This will significantly accelerate biomechanics research on low-back disorders. The calculation techniques that we validated for predicting loads on the spine can be used to calculate the loads on any skeletal structure. Those loads are largely determined not by the externally applied loads, but by the moments of those applied loads and by the moments of the weights of the body segments that the structure must support.
Comparison of Maximum Power Point Tracking Techniques in Electrical Power Systems of Cubesats

This work compares different maximum power point tracking (MPPT) techniques to find which is more efficient in a 3U Cubesat. The comparison is between an active searching algorithm, perturb-and-observe (P&O), and a voltagefeedback technique, Linear Reoriented Coordinates Method (LRCM). Even if previous work showed evaluations of MPPT techniques, these studies were based mainly on simulations with few details on the power converter topology. We employ mathematical models that describe the electrical behavior of solar cells and power converters. By using the space environment characteristics we obtain the efficiencies of each one of the MPPT methods to determine which one is the best technique for the given conditions. The results showed that both techniques have equivalent results. INTRODUCTION Libertad 1 was the first picosatellite developed in Colombia, which was launched in 2007. In order to improve the performance of Libertad 1 and the aerospace research of the country, the Universidad Sergio Arboleda has initiated activities related to the design, implementation and launch of its second Cubesat, which is called Libertad 2. This is a three unit (3U) Cubesat nanosatellite capable of capturing images, and temperature and irradiance data. Libertad 2 is going to be operating at the LEO orbit (Low Earth Orbit) which is located at 700 Km from the earth. The development of the electrical power system (EPS) is one the most important goals of the Libertad 2 mission. EPS are needed to supply the power required for the operation of the Cubesat components. As an energy source the EPS usually has photovoltaic (PV) cells, which are connected to compose a solar panel 1 . Since PV cells have a particular current-voltage relationship, they generally require an interface to be used efficiently. The PV cell current-voltage curve and its relationship with the temperature and irradiance are described in the first section, where the problem of operating without interface to the loads is also presented. The interface between the PV panel and load is commonly a power converter, which can vary the operating point over the PV current-voltage curve for extracting the maximum power as shown in Figure 1. However, an MPPT technique is needed for driving the power converter. Reviews of the different MPPT techniques can be found in the literature 2,3 . Due to the reduced space of Cubesats and the need of efficiently using the PV cells, a careful selection of the MPPT must be done during the design of the EPS. Evaluations of different MPPT methods have been done before 4,5 ; however, this paper presents results for different conditions on 3U Cubesats. The MPPT techniques compared in this paper are Perturb and Observe (P&O) and Linear Reoriented Coordinates Method (LRCM). The second section describes the MPPT techniques operation. Figure 1: Block diagram of a MPPT technique
Elevated CO2 Levels Cause Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Impair Cell Proliferation*

Background: Cells are exposed to elevated levels of CO2 (hypercapnia) in many diseases. Results: Hypercapnia decreased cell proliferation, which was prevented with α-ketoglutarate, IDH2 overexpression, and microRNA-183 inhibition. Conclusion: Hypercapnia causes mitochondrial dysfunction by up-regulation of microRNA-183, which decreases the levels of IDH2. Significance: Hypercapnia causes mitochondrial dysfunction, which is relevant for patients with lung diseases. Elevated CO2 concentrations (hypercapnia) occur in patients with severe lung diseases. Here, we provide evidence that high CO2 levels decrease O2 consumption and ATP production and impair cell proliferation independently of acidosis and hypoxia in fibroblasts (N12) and alveolar epithelial cells (A549). Cells exposed to elevated CO2 died in galactose medium as well as when glucose-6-phosphate isomerase was knocked down, suggesting mitochondrial dysfunction. High CO2 levels led to increased levels of microRNA-183 (miR-183), which in turn decreased expression of IDH2 (isocitrate dehydrogenase 2). The high CO2-induced decrease in cell proliferation was rescued by α-ketoglutarate and overexpression of IDH2, whereas proliferation decreased in normocapnic cells transfected with siRNA for IDH2. Also, overexpression of miR-183 decreased IDH2 (mRNA and protein) as well as cell proliferation under normocapnic conditions, whereas inhibition of miR-183 rescued the normal proliferation phenotype in cells exposed to elevated levels of CO2. Accordingly, we provide evidence that high CO2 induces miR-183, which down-regulates IDH2, thus impairing mitochondrial function and cell proliferation. These results are of relevance to patients with hypercapnia such as those with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, cystic fibrosis, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and muscular dystrophies.
Calcium dependence of quantal secretion from visualized sympathetic nerve varicosities on the mouse vas deferens.

1. The effects of calcium on the secretion of quanta recorded from single varicosities on the surface of the mouse vas deferens has been determined. 2. If recordings were made from two adjacent varicosities and the [Ca2+]o increased from a low value (1 mM), then the increase in the mean quantal content of the endplate potential (m(e)) was almost entirely due to an increase in the binomial probability for secretion (pe). At higher [Ca2+]o there was an increasing tendency for the binomial parameter (ne) to increase from 1 to 2. When ne increased there was very little change in pe, indicating that the new release site recruited from the other varicosity has a relatively low probability for secretion. 3. If recordings were restricted to single varicosities and the [Ca2+]o increased in the range from 1 to 4 mM then the increases in m(e) were almost always due to an increase in pe. The gradient relating the log of m(e) to the log of [Ca2+]o for [Ca2+]o of 1.0‐1.5 mM was in the range 3.2‐5.4 (mean 4.2). 4. Test impulses gave a similar proportional increase in m(e) following a conditioning impulse at all varicosities from which recordings were made. 5. Facilitation of m(e) declined exponentially with an increase in the test‐conditioning interval from 0.5 to 4 s. The time constant for this decline was about 6 s. 6. The results indicate that single release sites show a similar fourth power dependency on [Ca2+]o and facilitate to about the same degree following a conditioning impulse.
Genetic Characterization of Esterase Activity Variants Associated with an Esterase Gene Amplification in a Strain of Culex pipiens from California

Abstract In the Culex pipiens complex, a common mechanism of insecticide resistance is amplification of esterase genes leading to overproduction of detoxifying esterase enzymes. A number of electrophoretic esterase alleles have been identified, and in field populations individuals with the same esterase electromorph can exhibit a wide range of esterase enzyme activities. We isolated and characterized esterase activity variants associated with the esterase B1 electromorph from a field strain. A mating scheme was used to isolate chromosomes with esterase genes from the strain into 45 families. Twenty-six of the families received esterase genes from the field strain that conferred elevated esterase activity. Mean esterase activities in these families ranged from 43 to 695 nmoles &agr;-naphthyl acetate hydrolyzed/min/mg protein. Variance components indicated that genetic variance (i.e., genetic differences among families) accounted for 77% of the total variation in esterase activity. A comparison of mean esterase activities indicated that there were at least 11 different esterase activity variants contributing to the observed genetic variation in esterase activity among the 26 families. The relevance of these results to understanding the dynamics of amplified esterase genes in populations is discussed.
Influence of Location, Host Cultivar, and Inoculation on the Composition of Naturalized Populations of Rhizobium meliloti in Medicago sativa Nodules

A phage typing system was used to evaluate the composition of indigenous populations of Rhizobium meliloti inhabiting nodules of Medicago sativa cultivars grown with and without inoculation at two field sites during 1983 and 1984. Soil at both locations contained established populations of R. meliloti at planting. Analysis of 1,920 nodule isolates revealed 55 unique phage types of indigenous R. meliloti at one site and 65 indigenous types at the other location. The distributions of phage types differed markedly between locations. At one site, the nodule population was dominated by two phage types; seven others occurred consistently but at lower frequency, and the remainder were encountered infrequently. No indigenous types predominated at the other location, although nine occurred more frequently than the remaining types. Indigenous R. meliloti predominated in nodules from inoculated plots at both sites, with inoculant recovery varying between 10 and 38% in each of two years. The frequency of occurrence of particular phage types at one location was significantly influenced by both M. sativa cultivar and inoculation. At this location, the interaction of cultivar and inoculation on the incidence of phage types suggests that the presence of an inoculant strain differentially affected nodule occupancy of M. sativa cultivars by members of the indigenous R. meliloti population. At both sites, the frequency of specific phage types differed between years. The data emphasize the importance of understanding the ecology and characteristics of indigenous Rhizobium populations as a prerequisite for elucidating problems of inoculant establishment and persistence in competitive situations.
Towards better measures of research utilization: a collaborative study in Canada and Sweden.

AIMS This paper is a report of a study examining research utilization in nursing. The specific aims were to (1) clarify the construct of research utilization, and (2) identify observable indicators of research utilization. BACKGROUND Robust measures of research utilization do not exist despite steadily increasing numbers of studies in the field. One reason for this is theoretical confusion surrounding the central concepts in the field. METHOD A qualitative (focus group) design was used to explore the construct of research utilization in two countries: Canada and Sweden. A systematic and sequential (three phases) approach to expert sampling framed the study. Phase 1 consisted of initial construct clarification by the research team (2005). In Phase 2, a face-to-face meeting with a panel of international research utilization nursing experts was held (2005). Phase 3 consisted of a series of focus groups with nursing care (direct and non-direct) providers (2005-2007). Data were analysed using content analysis. FINDINGS The nursing care providers did not commonly use the term 'research utilization'. Several examples of research utilization were provided; a majority of these examples related to instrumental research utilization and became increasingly concrete as one moved from non-direct to direct care participants. Participants identified several indicators of research utilization (instrumental and conceptual). From these indicators, a measurement schematic was derived. CONCLUSIONS The construct of research utilization is multi-faceted. Several indicators of research utilization were identified, which can be used to augment existing or develop a new and improved measure that taps both instrumental and conceptual use.
Pathological findings underlying focal temporal lobe hypometabolism in partial epilepsy

Histopthogical studies were carried out on temporal lobe tissue from 25 patients with partial complex seizures who were studied by interictal positen computed tomography (PCT) with 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose and subsequently underwenty anterior lobe resection. Abnormalities were identified on x‐ray computed tomographic scane in 7 patients, but none indicated the site of a pathologically confirmed structural lesion. Hypometabolic zones were observed on PCT scans of 22 patients and corresponded to focal pathological abnormalities in 19 (15 mesial temporal sclerosis, 2 small neoplasms, 1 angioma, 1 heterotopia). In 1 patient with a foclly abnormal PCT scan and no pathological changes, the lesion may have been located posterior to the resection. In the remaining 2 patients, the hypometabolic zones later disappeared and may have represented a transient response reponse induced by depth electrode implantation. Three patients with normal PCT scans had no pathological abnormalities in their resected tissue. The degree of relative hypometabolism measured by PCT correlated well with the severity of the pathological lesion, byt the size of the hypometabolic zone was generally much larger than the area of pathological involvement. This discrepancy could not be considered an artifact of techique and muist represent either structural abnormalities below the resolution of routine histopathological studies (e.g., loss of synapses) or functional incativation of neuronal elements associated with the epileptogenic lesion.
Tuberculosis susceptibility – implications for drug development and therapy

1.1 Background In 1993, the WHO declared that tuberculosis (TB) constituted a global emergency. It is thought that one-third of the world’s population is infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis while every year, 8 million of these individuals develop active TB and ∼ 2 million of them will die from the disease, approximating to 5000 deaths/day. Although a vaccine (Bacille Calmette-Guerin [BCG]) has been available for > 80 years and effective chemotherapy for > 50 years, the world is faced with the re-emergence of a disease which had been considered controlled. Worryingly, failures in local TB management programmes have led to the development of drug-resistant strains of M. tuberculosis – it is estimated that 50 million people worldwide are infected with multi-drug resistant organisms. The reasons for the resurgence of TB are multifactorial and include increasing social inequalities, poverty and overcrowding, and increased migration as a result of conflict or for economic reasons. Another factor is an increasing prevalence of immunosuppression, caused by the spread of AIDS and the therapeutic use of immunosuppressant drugs. The development of a new generation of immunomodulatory agents acting on chemokine and cytokine pathways may pose new risks in increasing patient susceptibility to TB; the introduction of potent agents which act on the TNF pathway, has already flagged up a potential problem [1]. Our current knowledge of host susceptibility and resistance mechanisms to TB has increased enormously over recent years, based on clinical investigation and mouse gene knockout (KO) models. This article will review these mechanisms and their relevance to the management of TB and will suggest ways to minimise any risk posed as a result of interference with host defences by novel therapeutic agents.
Randomized, Double-masked, Placebo-controlled Clinical Trial on the Effects of Propolis and Chlorhexidine Mouthrinses on Gingivitis

Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of typified propolis and chlorhexidine mouthrinses on gingival health in a randomized double-masked placebo-controlled clinical trial. Methods: Sixty participants were randomized to 3 mouthrinse study groups: 1) 2% typified propolis (n=20); 2) 0.12% chlorhexidine (n=20), and 3) placebo (n=20). Participants rinsed unsupervised twice a day for 28 days. The Papillary Bleeding Score (PBS) was measured on the mesio-buccal surfaces of all teeth at baseline and 28 days thereafter. Co-variance analysis was employed to compare PBS average values and the number of sites with PBS ≥2 among study groups. Sub-group analysis was further applied to participants who were <40 years-old. Results: The results show efficacy of propolis mouthrinse when comparing before and after treatment protocols significantly for a reduction of mean PBS scores. When looking at younger participants after 28 days, propolis mouthrinse was superior to all groups in reducing mean PBS scores and significantly so when compared to 0.12% chlorhexidine mouthrinse. Conclusion: The efficacy of 2% typified propolis mouthrinse was demonstrated in reducing the levels of gingival inflammation. These results need to be duplicated by other investigators by employing similar study protocols. Descriptors: Randomized Clinical Trial, Propolis, Chlorhexidine, Gingivitis
Immune thrombocytopenic purpura: epidemiology and implications for patients

The age‐adjusted prevalence of immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is estimated to be 9.5 per 100 000 persons in the USA while its annual incidence is estimated to be 2.68 per 100 000 in Northern Europe (at a cut‐off platelet count of <100 × 109/L). The mean age of adults at diagnosis in Europe is 50 yrs and the incidence of ITP increases with age. Both the treatments used to treat patients with ITP and the disease itself can impact on patient health‐related quality of life (HRQoL). As the incidence of ITP in Europe rises, especially in the elderly, the number of patients with a decreased HRQoL is increasing. Literature searches and focus groups have aided the development of a conceptual model to assess HRQoL. In this model, low platelet counts and the associated symptoms of ITP in addition to the side effects of treatment are proposed as the main determinants of a negatively impacted HRQoL. Primary conceptual domains of HRQoL, affected in patients with ITP, include emotional health, functional health, work, social and leisure activities and reproductive health. As treatment benefits are likely to improve these domains, the conceptual model could be used for better management of patients, taking into account HRQoL. The short‐form 36‐item questionnaire (SF‐36) and the ITP Patient Assessment Questionnaire (ITP‐PAQ) are validated measures of HRQoL which can provide a comprehensive assessment of numerous factors to help evaluate decisions about patient management. Future clinical trials investigating treatment options for ITP should assess HRQoL using these validated questionnaires.
The Influence Of Reappraising Anxiety On Risk-Taking

Individuals with higher anxiety tend to take fewer risks. Reappraising anxiety as beneficial increases subsequent performance on a variety of tasks. This study examined whether having participants reappraise their anxiety as beneficial would influence their willingness to take more risks. Participants were randomly assigned to either a reappraisal condition or a control condition. Participants in the reappraisal condition were given instructions to view their anxiety as beneficial. Participants in the control condition were given neutral instructions. Anxiety was measured using the State Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). The Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) measured risk-taking. It was hypothesized that 1) higher levels of anxiety would be associated with lower levels of risk-taking, 2) participants in the reappraisal condition would take more risks than participants in the control condition, 3) the reappraisal instructions would have a greater influence on participants with higher anxiety and, 4) the reappraisal group would better learn the differences in the explosion probabilities for the three balloons. Higher levels of anxiety were associated with lower levels of risk-taking. However, participants’ risk-taking did not differ across the reappraisal and control conditions.