Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Response of the Injured Tendon to Growth Factors in the Presence or Absence of the Paratenon

Background: The paratenon is important for Achilles tendon healing. There is much interest in the use of exogenous growth factors (GFs) as potential agents for accelerating the healing of damaged Achilles tendons. Purpose/Hypothesis: The present study used a rat model to study the responses of the injured Achilles tendon to GFs in the presence or absence of the paratenon. The hypothesis was that responses of the injured tendon to GFs would be lower in the absence of a paratenon. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: A 4-mm defect was created in the right Achilles tendon of 60 skeletally mature rats, which were treated with a validated combination of GFs (bFGF, BMP-12, and TGF-β1). Animals were randomly assigned to the intact paratenon (IP) group or resected paratenon (RP) group. Healing was studied anatomically, mechanically, and histologically after 1, 2, and 4 weeks. Results: IP tendons showed improved healing compared with RP tendons. IP tendons were significantly stronger (32.2 N and 48.9 N, respectively) than RP tendons (20.1 N and 31.1 N, respectively) after 1 and 2 weeks. IP tendons did not elongate as much as RP tendons and had greater cross-sectional areas (18.0 mm2, 14.4 mm2, and 16.4 mm2, respectively) after 1, 2, and 4 weeks compared with RP tendons (10.5 mm2, 8.4 mm2, and 11.9 mm2, respectively). On histology, earlier collagen deposition and parallel orientation of fibrils were found for IP tendons. Conclusion: The paratenon is essential for efficient Achilles tendon healing. Healing with GFs in this Achilles tendon defect model was superior in the presence of the paratenon. Clinical Relevance: Biological approaches to tendon engineering using GFs are in vogue and have been shown to improve healing of the rat Achilles tendon, most likely by inducing progenitor cells located within the paratenon. Clinically, resection or incision of the paratenon has been proposed for wound closure. Our data demonstrate the fundamental importance of the paratenon, which therefore should be preserved during Achilles tendon repair, especially if augmented with products such as platelet-rich plasma or autologous conditioned serum that are rich in GFs.
Melatonin reduces intramuscular fat deposition by promoting lipolysis and increasing mitochondrial function

In obesity and diabetes, intramuscular fat (IMF) content correlates markedly with insulin sensitivity, which makes IMF manipulation an area of therapeutic interest. Melatonin, an important circadian rhythm-regulating hormone, reportedly regulates fat deposition, but its effects on different types of adipose vary. Little is known about the role of melatonin in IMF deposition. Here, using intramuscular preadipocytes in pigs, we investigated to determine whether melatonin affects or regulates IMF deposition. We found that melatonin greatly inhibited porcine intramuscular preadipocyte proliferation. Although melatonin administration significantly upregulated the expression of adipogenic genes, smaller lipid droplets were formed in intramuscular adipocytes. Additional investigation demonstrated that melatonin promoted lipolysis of IMF by activating protein kinase A and the signaling of ERK1/2. Moreover, melatonin increased thermogenesis in intramuscular adipocytes by enhancing mitochondrial biogenesis and mitochondrial respiration. A mouse model, in which untreated controls were compared with mice that received 3 weeks of melatonin treatment, verified the effect of melatonin on IMF deposition. In conclusion, melatonin reduces IMF deposition by upregulating lipolysis and mitochondrial bioactivities. These data establish a link between melatonin signaling and lipid metabolism in mammalian models and suggest the potential for melatonin administration to treat or prevent obesity and related diseases.
Self-Selected Motivational Music on the Performance and Perceived Exertion of Runners

Abstract Clark, JC, Baghurst, T, and Redus, BS. Self-selected motivational music on the performance and perceived exertion of runners. J Strength Cond Res 35(6): 1656–1661, 2021—Music is used by athletes and exercisers to improve performance outcomes, but it is less known whether its properties can enhance performance at maximal intensity. This study measured subjects' performance time, average heart rate, and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) on a 1.5-mile running trial when listening to self-selected motivational music vs. no music. Subjects were 17 runners (male = 8, female = 9) who completed 2, 1.5-mile time trials in a repeated-measures randomized crossover design. For the music trial, subjects were asked to select and listen to a motivational song, which was scored by the subject for its motivational quotient using the Brunel Music Rating Inventory-2. Subjects improved mean performance time by 10 seconds and increased average heart rate by 4.5 b·min–1 in the motivational music condition, but neither were significantly different (p = 0.09, 0.10). However, the music condition significantly lowered subjects' RPE by 0.5 points (p = 0.02). That motivational music improved performance time, although not significant, is noteworthy considering the significantly lower RPE reported. Therefore, ergogenic qualities of motivational music may elicit a greater performance from experienced runners while simultaneously lowering perception of effort when working at maximal intensity.
Catecholamine response to exercise in patients with non‐obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

Intense physical activity, a potent stimulus for sympathetic nervous system activation, is thought to increase the risk of malignant ventricular arrhythmias among patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). As a result, the majority of patients with HCM deliberately reduce their habitual physical activity after diagnosis and this lifestyle change puts them at risk for sequelae of a sedentary lifestyle: weight gain, hypertension, hyperlipidaemia, insulin resistance, coronary artery disease, and increased morbidity and mortality. We show that plasma catecholamine levels remain stably low at exercise intensities below the ventilatory threshold, a parameter that can be defined during cardiopulmonary exercise testing, but rise rapidly at higher intensities of exercise. These findings suggest that cardiopulmonary exercise testing may be a useful tool to provide an individualized moderate‐intensity exercise prescription for patients with HCM.
Blood pressure reactivity at onset of mental stress determines sympathetic vascular response in young adults

We have previously shown in young males that the rate of rise in blood pressure (BP) at the onset of mental stress determines whether or not muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) has a role in driving the pressor response. The aim of this study was to investigate these interactions in young females. BP and MSNA were recorded continuously in 19 females and 21 males during 2‐min mental stressors (mental arithmetic and Stroop test). Physical stressor tasks (cold pressor, handgrip exercise, postexercise ischemia) were also performed. During the first minute of mental arithmetic, the rate of rise in mean arterial pressure (MAP) was significantly greater in negative responders (mean decrease in MSNA) compared with positive responders (mean increase in MSNA) in both males (1.9 ± 0.7 vs. 0.7 ± 0.3 mmHg/sec) and females (1.0 ± 0.3 vs. 0.5 ± 0.2 mmHg/sec). For the Stroop test, there was no significant difference in the rate of the rise in BP between positive and negative responders (P > 0.05). However, peak changes in MAP were significantly greater in negative responders compared with positive responders in both males (22 ± 6 vs. 13 ± 3 mmHg) and females (12 ± 2 vs. 6 ± 1 mmHg). Sympathetic baroreflex sensitivity was greater in negative responders and may contribute to the fall in MSNA experienced by these individuals during mental stress. During physical stressors there were consistent increases in BP and MSNA in males and females. The findings suggest that, in both males and females, BP reactivity at the onset of mental stress dictates whether or not there is an increase or decrease in MSNA.
Relationships between Microbial Indicators and Pathogens in Recreational Water Settings

Fecal pollution of recreational waters can cause scenic blight and pose a threat to public health, resulting in beach advisories and closures. Fecal indicator bacteria (total and fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, and enterococci), and alternative indicators of fecal pollution (Clostridium perfringens and bacteriophages) are routinely used in the assessment of sanitary quality of recreational waters. However, fecal indicator bacteria (FIB), and alternative indicators are found in the gastrointestinal tract of humans, and many other animals and therefore are considered general indicators of fecal pollution. As such, there is room for improvement in terms of their use for informing risk assessment and remediation strategies. Microbial source tracking (MST) genetic markers are closely associated with animal hosts and are used to identify fecal pollution sources. In this review, we examine 73 papers generated over 40 years that reported the relationship between at least one indicator and one pathogen group or species. Nearly half of the reports did not include statistical analysis, while the remainder were almost equally split between those that observed statistically significant relationships and those that did not. Statistical significance was reported less frequently in marine and brackish waters compared to freshwater, and the number of statistically significant relationships was considerably higher in freshwater (p < 0.0001). Overall, significant relationships were more commonly reported between FIB and pathogenic bacteria or protozoa, compared to pathogenic viruses (p: 0.0022–0.0005), and this was more pronounced in freshwater compared to marine. Statistically significant relationships were typically noted following wet weather events and at sites known to be impacted by recent fecal pollution. Among the studies that reported frequency of detection, FIB were detected most consistently, followed by alternative indicators. MST markers and the three pathogen groups were detected least frequently. This trend was mirrored by reported concentrations for each group of organisms (FIB > alternative indicators > MST markers > pathogens). Thus, while FIB, alternative indicators, and MST markers continue to be suitable indicators of fecal pollution, their relationship with waterborne pathogens, particularly viruses, is tenuous at best and influenced by many different factors such as frequency of detection, variable shedding rates, differential fate and transport characteristics, as well as a broad range of site-specific factors such as the potential for the presence of a complex mixture of multiple sources of fecal contamination and pathogens.
Prolonged allocentric navigation deficits indicate hippocampal damage in TGA

Objective To investigate long-term recovery of allocentric and egocentric spatial orientation as a sensitive marker for hippocampal and extrahippocampal network function in transient global amnesia (TGA). Methods A group of 18 patients with TGA performed an established real-space navigation paradigm, requiring allo- and egocentric spatial orientation abilities, 3 days (postacute stage) and 3 months (follow-up) after symptom onset. Visual exploration behavior and navigation strategy were documented by a gaze-controlled, head-fixed camera. Allo- and egocentric spatial orientation performance was compared to that of 12 age-matched healthy controls. Navigation-induced brain activations were measured using [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose-PET in a subgroup of 8 patients in the postacute stage and compared to those of the controls. Results In the postacute stage, the patients navigated worse and had higher error rates than controls in allocentric (p = 0.002), but not in egocentric, route planning (p = 0.30), despite complete recovery of verbal (p = 0.58) and figural memory (p = 0.11). Until follow-up, allocentric navigation deficits improved, but higher error rates and reduced use of shortcuts persisted (p < 0.0001). Patients still exhibited relatively more fixations of unique landmarks during follow-up (p = 0.05). PET measurements during the postacute stage showed increased navigation-induced brain activations in the right hippocampus, bilateral retrosplenial, parietal, and mesiofrontal cortices, and cerebellar dentate nucleus in patients compared to controls (p < 0.005). Conclusions Patients with TGA show selective and prolonged deficits of allocentric spatial orientation. Activations in right hippocampal and extrahippocampal hubs of the cerebral navigation network functionally substitute for the deficit in creating and updating the internal cognitive map in TGA.
SPC Liposomes as Possible Delivery Systems for Improving Bioavailability of the Natural Sesquiterpene β-Caryophyllene: Lamellarity and Drug-Loading as Key Features for a Rational Drug Delivery Design

The natural sesquiterpene β-caryophyllene (CRY) has been highlighted to possess interesting pharmacological potentials, particularly due to its chemopreventive and analgesic properties. However, the poor solubility of this sesquiterpene in aqueous fluids can hinder its uptake into cells, resulting in inconstant responses of biological systems, thus limiting its application. Therefore, identifying a suitable pharmaceutical form for increasing CRY bioavailability represents an important requirement for exploiting its pharmacological potential. In the present study, the ability of soybean phosphatidylcholine (SPC) liposomes to improve bioavailability and absorption of CRY in cancer cells has been evaluated. Liposomal formulations of CRY, differing for lamellarity (i.e., unilamellar and multilamellar vesicles or ULV and MLV) and for the drug loading (i.e., 1:0.1, 1:0.3 and 1:0.5 mol/mol between SPC and CRY) were designed with the aim of maximizing CRY amount in the liposome bilayer, while avoiding its leakage during storage. The low-loaded formulations significantly potentiated the antiproliferative activity of CRY in both HepG2 and MDA-MB-468 cells, reaching a maximum IC50 lowering (from two to five folds) with 1:0.3 and 1:0.1 SPC/CRY MLV. Conversely, increasing liposome drug-loading reduced the ability for CRY release, likely due to a possible interaction between SPC and CRY that affects the membrane properties, as confirmed by physical measures.
Vertical distribution and abundance of juvenile cephalopods in the Aegean Sea

This study was carried out in northern (Saros Bay) and southern (Gokova Bay) parts of the Aegean Sea. In pelagic samplings, Hamburg Plankton Net (HPN) was used. Samplings were done out at four different periods of a 24 hour day; sunrise, noon, sunset and midnight. Horizontal hauls were carried out at depths of 100, 350 and 650 m. As the result of 24 hauls in both parts of the Aegean Sea, one hundred juvenile specimens were sampled and 14 species were determined. Juvenile cephalopods were mostly frequent at 350 m. Among the determined species, Chtenopteryx sicula (Verany, 1851), Brachioteuthis riisei (Steenstrup, 1882), Illex coindetii (Verany, 1839), Thysanoteuthis rhombus Trochel, 1857 and Argonauta argo Linnaeus, 1798 juveniles are being reported for the first time in the Aegean Sea. 28% of the catches were from the northern Aegean and the remaining 72% were from the southern Aegean. Heteroteuthis dispar (Ruppell, 1844) was the most common species.
A Comparison of Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns of Klebsiella Associated Urinary Tract Infection in Spinal Cord Injured Patients with Nosocomial Infection

Just regarding different risk factors for antibiotic resistant uropathogenes, it seems justice to improve diagnostic power for drug resistant uropathogenes and well appropriate empirical therapy. 300 and 145 cases of clinicopathologically diagnosed nosocomial and spinal cord injured (SCI) associated urinary tract infection (UTI), respectively, were considered as our samples included in our 24 months study (2005 and 2006). 50 (16.6%) and 26 (17.9%) correctly diagnosed Klebsiella, respectively, were cultured from our specimens . MIC pattern of this uropathogenes for 8 antibiotics was determined by gradient concentration method. The prevalence of antibiotic resistant Klebsiella was more among nosocomial associated UTI rather than SCI UTI (P
Entrepreneurial Boldness and Excessive Investment

We analyze investment by a population of hyperbolic discounting entrepreneurs. In order to avoid inefficient procrastination, agents with good prospects about their chances of success may choose to forego free information and to invest boldly. This explains an excessive level of investment in the economy. Building on this observation, we show that low risk-free interest rates favor bold entrepreneurship and entry mistakes. Furthermore, public intervention can be socially desirable: Forcing agents to acquire information before deciding whether to invest may reduce competitive interest rates and may be beneficial for all individuals in the economy. 'And thus the native hue of resolution Is sicklied o'er with the pale cast of thought, And enterprises of great pith and moment With this regard their currents turn awry, And lose the name of action. ' Hamlet, Act 3: Scene 1.
Demographic Structure and Asset Returns

This paper investigates the association between population age structure, particularly the share of the population in the prime saving years (40 to 64), and the returns on stocks and bonds. The paper is motivated by recent claims that the aging of the baby boom cohort is a key factor in explaining the recent rise in asset values, and by predictions that asset prices will decline when this group reaches retirement age and begins to reduce its asset holdings. This paper begins by considering household age-asset accumulation profiles. Data from repeated cross sections of the Survey of Consumer Finances suggest that, whereas age-wealth profiles rise sharply when households are in their thirties and forties, they decline much more gradually when households are in their retirement years. When these data are used to generate projected asset demands based on the projected future age structure of the U.S. population, they do not show a sharp decline in asset demand between 2020 and 2050. The paper considers the historical relationship between demographic structure and real returns on Treasury bills, long-term government bonds, and corporate stock, using data from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Although theoretical models generally suggest that equilibrium returns on financial assets will vary in response to changes in population age structure, it is difficult to find robust evidence of such relationships in the time series data. This is partly due to the limited power of statistical tests based on the few effective degrees of freedom in the historical record of age structure and asset returns. These results suggest caution in projecting large future changes in asset values on the basis of shifting demographics. Although the projected asset demand does display some correlation with the price-dividend ratio on corporate stocks, this does not portend a sharp prospective decline in asset values, because the projected asset demand variable does not fall in future decades.
The impact of human capital on economic growth : a review

This review provides an in-depth appraisal of a wide body of international research that examines the links between education and training in a country and its macroeconomic growth. An initial analysis of broad statistics for all EU Member States suggests a loose correlation between investment in human resources and growth in gross national product (GNP), but clear causal relationships are difficult to establish. Increased investment in education is shown to lead to higher productivity and earnings for the individual and similarly, such investment results in significant social rates of return. The returns on investment in vocational training are more difficult to demonstrate. This study reviews a large number of growth models that attempt to specify and quantify the GNP and human resource relationship. Wide differences are found in the model specifications, the quality of the data inputs and the results obtained. Other links between investment in human capital and economic performance are reviewed using diverse literature sources on human resource management, corporate market value, company size and industry structure. The indirect impact of education on non-economic benefits is also examined in the context of the technological, spatial and environmental gains to society. It is concluded that, overall, the impact of investment in education and training on national economic growth is positive and significant. Some policy conclusions are drawn and directions for future research in this area are suggested.
Future land use and food security scenarios for the Guyuan district of remote western China

Abstract: Government policy is a major human factor that causes changes in land use. Thus, simulating the dynamics of land-use systems provides important information to support decisions on land management and land-use planning, and to analyze and quantify the consequences of policies. In the present study, we predicted land-use changes and their potential impacts on food security in the environmentally fragile Guyuan District, in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of north-central China, under the influence of a program to convert sloping agricultural land to conservation uses. Baseline and conservation policy scenarios (2005 to 2020) were developed based on input from local stakeholders and expert knowledge. For the baseline and conservation policies, we formulated high-, moderate-, and low-growth scenarios, analyzed the driving mechanisms responsible for the land-use dynamics, and then applied a previously developed "dynamics of land systems" model to simulate changes in land uses based on the driving mechanisms. We found that spatially explicit policies can promote the conversion of land to more sustainable uses; however, decreasing the amount of agricultural and urban land and increasing grassland and forest cover will increase the risk of grain shortages, and the effect will be more severe under the conservation and high-growth scenarios than under the baseline and low-growth scenarios. The Guyuan case study suggests that, during the next decade, important trade-offs between environmental conservation and food security will inevitably occur. Future land-use decisions should carefully consider the balance between land resource conservation, agricultural production, and urban expansion.
Interactive comment on “Glacier surface mass balance modeling in the inner tropics using a positive degree-day approach” by L. Maisincho et al

While I don’t have much comments about the details of the implementation and of the proposed analyses (which are carefully conducted), I am very much concerned about the scientific value and the significance of this study. In its current state, the motivation of this study is not clear and I also had much difficulty to read the paper with enthusiasm. It is long and contains numerous validation analyses adjoined with further analyses in the supplementary material, all of them without a clear message other than yes, it might also be possible to use degree-day models in the tropics. To clarify my