Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Low-back problems in recreational self-contained underwater breathing apparatus divers: Prevalence and specific risk factors

Low-back problems (LBP) are one of the most common musculoskeletal disorders in the general population, with reported lifetime prevalences of 50% to 80%. Also, certain sports participants (e.g. gymnasts, alpine skiers, runners) are at risk of LBP and its repercussions. This epidemiological study was undertaken to examine the lifetime and 1-year prevalence of LBP among recreational Flemish self-contained breathing apparatus (scuba) divers and to identify general and sport-specific risk factors associated with the occurrence of LBP. A retrospective self-assessment questionnaire was developed and assessed for validity and reliability, to gather data concerning demographics, LBP prevalence and associated risk factors and injuries among active scuba divers. A total of 181 recreational scuba divers (men: n = 138, mean age 40.3 ± 12.8 years; women: n = 43, mean age 35.0 ± 10.9 years) from 10 randomly selected internationally recognised scuba diving clubs participated in the study. Lifetime and 1-year prevalence of LBP among recreational Flemish scuba divers were 55.8% and 50.3%, respectively. General risk factors for LBP were found to include prior history of LBP, structural abnormalities, heavy workload, pregnancy and parturition, general fatigue and bending forwards and backwards. Scuba divers suffering from LBP generally had a significantly higher dive certificate than those without LBP (p = 0.007). Symptomatic scuba divers also used significantly more weights on their weight belts during indoor training (p = 0.003) and during outdoor dives with a dry suit (p = 0.044) as compared to asymptomatic scuba divers. In scuba diving, reliable sport-specific risk factors for LBP were found to be scarce. Further biomechanical research is required to point out whether or not scuba diving characteristics actually contribute to LBP.
Cognitive impairment and synaptosomal choline uptake in rats following impact acceleration injury.

Traumatic brain injury is well known to cause deficits in learning and memory, which typically improve with time. Animal studies with fluid percussion or controlled cortical impact injury have identified transient disturbances in forebrain cholinergic innervation which may contribute to such cognitive problems. This study examines the extent to which water maze performance and forebrain synaptosomal choline uptake are affected one week after injury using the newly developed impact acceleration injury model. Injury or sham injury was delivered to adult male Sprague-Dawley rats under halothane anesthesia using a 500-g 2.1-m weight drop. Based on righting reflex, injured rats were divided into moderate (< or = 12 min) or severe (>12 min) groups. Water maze testing was performed on days 5-7 postinjury. On day 7, choline uptake was determined in synaptosomes from hippocampus, a parietal cortex, and entorhinal cortex. Maze learning was severely impaired in the severe injury group but not in the moderate injury group. Learning retention was slightly impaired in the moderate injury group and severely affected in the severe injury group. There was a very strong correlation between the severity of injury as determined by prolongation of righting times and disruption of maze learning at 1 week postinjury. There was no change in synaptosomal choline uptake in any of the forebrain regions in the severe injury group, but a slight (14%) decrease in the hippocampus and parietal cortex of the moderate injury group. Correlation analysis showed no relationship between synaptosomal choline uptake in any brain region and performance in either water maze learning or retention. This study shows that the impact acceleration model produces cognitive impairments equivalent to those seen with fluid percussion injury and controlled cortical impact. Compared with those models, the impact acceleration model does not produce a similar disruption of forebrain cholinergic nerve terminals.
Musculoskeletal disorders amongst Greek endodontists: a national questionnaire survey.

AIM To investigate amongst Greek endodontists the prevalence and characteristics of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the past 12 months, the treatment followed, their postures during practice and the adoption of ergonomic standards. METHODOLOGY One hundred and forty-seven endodontists met the inclusion criteria and were invited to participate in the survey. Participants were asked for personal/professional data, prevalence, characteristics and treatment for MDSs in the past 12 months. Endodontists' postures during practice as well as ergonomic factors were also recorded. Data were analysed using chi-square test, independent samples t-test and logistic regression. The level of significance was set at P = 0.05. RESULTS The response rate was 84%. MSDs were reported by 61% of the participants. Of them, 69% reported pain to more than one body part. The prevalence of disorders was highest in the lower back (30%) and neck (30%). Medical care was applied in 53% of the disorders. A sitting position was always used by 83% of endodontists. Awkward postures during practice (OR:4.561, 95% CI:1.341-15.512), regular stretching exercises (OR:0.032, 95% CI:0.010-0.110) and number of patients day(-1) (OR:3.524, 95% CI:1.686-18.100) were significant predictors for MSDs. Properly adjusted stools, sufficient lighting and space in the operating room were reported by 71%, 96% and 93% of participants, respectively. CONCLUSIONS A high percentage of endodontists reported MSDs. Adoption of correct/neutral postures, regular performance of stretching exercises and reduced number of patients/day were associated with a low prevalence of disorders. The majority of endodontists had adopted ergonomic innovations/standards to control disorders.
Cryptochrome as a Sensor of the Blue/Green Ratio of Natural Radiation in Arabidopsis1[C][W][OA]

Green light added to blue light has been proposed to shift cryptochromes from their semireduced active form to the reduced, inactive state. Whether the increased proportion of green light observed under leaf canopies compared to open places reduces cryptochrome-mediated effects remained to be elucidated. Here we report that the length of the hypocotyl of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) seedlings grown under controlled conditions decreased linearly with increasing blue/green ratios of the light within the range of ratios found in natural environments. This effect was stronger under higher irradiances. We developed a model, parameterized on the basis of field experiments including photoreceptor mutants, where hypocotyl growth of seedlings exposed to different natural radiation environments was related to the action and interaction of phytochromes and cryptochromes. Adding the blue/green ratio of the light in the term involving cryptochrome activity improved the goodness of fit of the model, thus supporting a role of the blue/green ratio under natural radiation. The blue/green ratio decreased sharply with increasing shade by green grass leaves to one-half of the values observed in open places. The impact of blue/green ratio on cryptochrome-mediated inhibition of hypocotyl growth was at least as large as that of irradiance. We conclude that cryptochrome is a sensor of blue irradiance and blue/green ratio.
Passive immunization against the local Shwartzman reaction.

Passive immunization with rabbit antiserum to endotoxin prevented the Shwartzman reaction due to homologous and heterologous endotoxins. Homologous protection lasted at least 1 month, was conferred with the 19S fraction, and was accompanied by accelerated clearance of radioactive endotoxin from the circulating blood. Heterologous protection was not accompanied by accelerated clearance of endotoxin and bore no relationship to “0” antibody. Antiserum to the epimerase-deficient rough mutant J5 of Escherichia coli 0:111, which cannot incorporate “0” antigenic units, gave better protection than antiserum to smooth endotoxins. These results indicate that antiserum prevents the Shwartzman reaction by action against a toxic antigen common to endotoxins from unrelated bacterial genera; that loss of “0” antigenic units may enhance the production of protective antisera; and that accelerated clearance of endotoxin from the circulation is not necessary for protection.
Evaluation of a Simple Method to Screen Soybean Genotypes for Salt Tolerance

Excessive salt can reduce soybean yield [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ] in grower fi elds. Salttolerant cultivars are needed to prevent fi eld yield losses where excess salt is a problem. Soybean genotypes have primarily been evaluated for reaction to salt in the greenhouse using a labor-intensive and costly hydroponics method. A reliable, inexpensive method to screen soybean lines for salt tolerance would be useful in breeding programs. A simple, inexpensive method of exposing V2 to V3 plants growing in a sandy soil in plastic cone-tainers (PC method) was compared to the hydroponics method to evaluate soybean genotypes for salt tolerance in the greenhouse. Fourteen soybean genotypes including checks ‘Hutcheson’ (sensitive), and ‘S-100’ and ‘Forrest’ (tolerant) were exposed to 100 mM salt solution at the V2 to V3 growth stage. Genotypes responded similarly to the screening methods except leaf scorch, an indicator of salt damage, appeared up to 4 d sooner in the PC method. The PC method was highly correlated with the hydroponics method for leaf scorch score and chloride content in soybean leaves among the 14 genotypes evaluated. Exposure of roots at the V2 to V3 growth stage to salt solution using the PC method was less labor intensive, consumed less time, was less costly, and gave similar results compared with the hydroponics method. Thus, the PC method is an easy, reliable method to screen soybean genotypes for salt tolerance.
A test of self-determination theory in the exercise domain

In accordance with self-determination theory (SDT; Deci & Ryan, 1985), this study examined the relationship between autonomy support, psychological need satisfaction, motivational regulations, and exercise behavior. Participants (N 5 369) were recruited from fitness, community, and retail settings. Fulfillment of the 3 basic psychological needs (i.e., competence, autonomy, and relatedness) related to more self-determined motivational regulations. Identified and introjected regulations emerged as positive predictors of strenuous and total exercise behaviors. Competence need satisfaction also predicted directlyFand indirectly via identified regulationFstrenuous exercise. For participants engaged in organized fitness classes, perceptions of autonomy support provided by exercise class leaders predicted psychological need satisfaction. Furthermore, competence need satisfaction partially mediated the relationship between autonomy support and intrinsic motivation. These findings support SDT in the exercise domain.
Effect of water and nitrogen additions on free-living nitrogen fixer populations in desert grass root zones

In this study we measured changes in population levels of free-living N2-fixing bacteria in the root zones of potted Bouteloua eriopoda and Sporobolus flexuosus plants as well as the photosynthetic indices of the plants in response to added nitrogen, added water, and added water plus nitrogen treatments. In addition, N2 fixer population changes in response to added carbon source and nitrogen were measured in plant-free soil columns. There were significant increases in the numbers of N2 fixers associated with both plant species in the water and the water plus nitrogen treatments. Both treatments increased the photosynthetic index, suggesting that plant exudates were driving N2 fixer population changes. Population increases were greatest in the water plus nitrogen treatments, indicating that added nitrogen was synergistic with added water and suggesting that nitrogen addition spared bacteria the metabolic cost of N2 fixation, allowing greater reproduction. Plant-free column studies demonstrated a synergistic carbon-nitrogen effect when carbon levels were limiting (low malate addition) but not when carbon was abundant (high malate), further supporting this hypothesis. The results of this study indicate the presence of N2 fixer populations which interact with plants and which may play a role in the nitrogen balance of desert grasslands.
Providing primary health care to immigrants and refugees: the North Hamilton experience.

Canada is home to a significant number of immigrants and refugees, who represent 21% of the population of the country and 24% of the population of the Hamilton–Wentworth region of Ontario. The North Hamilton Community Health Centre (NHCHC) has been providing primary health care to this population through its Immigrant/Refugee Health Program (IRHP) since 1989. The program responds to local needs by providing the means to overcome the language, cultural and information services barriers that prevent new immigrants and refugees from using health and social services. The main goal of the IRHP is to provide accessible, comprehensive primary care that addresses the social issues of new immigrants and refugees. An innovative aspect is the integration of primary health care with settlement and language services by community health workers. The issues faced by immigrants and refugees in our community are similar to those faced by immigrants in other Canadian cities and, although there are other urban centres in Canada with health programs serving immigrants and refugees, few of these have been described in the medical literature. This article provides an overview of the critical health issues that affect immigrants and refugees in Canada and describes our attempt to meet their needs.
The role of semantic, orthographic, and phonological prime information in unilateral visual neglect

The present study examined what type of lexical information could be extracted from the patient's neglected field. Patients (N =32) and age-matched controls (N =32) were required to name a foveally presented word after a parafoveal prime was presented either to the left or right visual field. Primes were identical to the target (KITE-KITE), related to the target at the level of semantics (DOG-CAT), orthography (LEMON-DEMON), phonology (ACHE-LAKE), or both orthography and phonology (HIDE-RIDE). Only when the target was semantically related to the prime were consistently reliable priming effects found in the patients, even in the patients' neglected visual field. These results demonstrate that semantic information can be extracted from the patients' neglected field.
BAT RABIES IN URBAN CENTERS IN CHILE

One hundred and five rabies isolates obtained from domestic animals and insectivorous bats in Chile between 1977 and 1998 were molecularly characterized by limited sequence analysis of their nucleoprotein genes. These isolates were compared with viruses isolated from known domestic and wildlife rabies reservoirs in the Americas to identify potential reservoirs of rabies in Chile. The phylogenetic analyses showed that none of the Chilean isolates segregated with viruses from the terrestrial reservoirs. No non-rabies lyssaviruses were found in this study. The Chilean samples were not related to viruses of the sylvatic cycle maintained by the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) in Latin America. Five genetic variants were identified from insectivorous bats in Chile. The Brazilian free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) was identified as the reservoir for the rabies genetic variant most frequently isolated in the country between 1977 and 1998. The close association of a group of viruses obtained from a domestic dog (Canis familiaris), Brazilian free-tailed bats, and a red bat (Lasiurus borealis) with viruses maintained by Lasiurus spp. in North America implicated species of this genus as the possible reservoirs of this particular genetic variant in Chile. Reservoirs for the other three variants remain unknown.
Multipotent progenitor cells derived from adult peripheral blood of swine have high neurogenic potential in vitro

Peripheral blood‐derived multipotent adult progenitor cells (PBD‐MAPCs) are a novel population of stem cells, isolated from venous blood of green fluorescent protein transgenic swine, which proliferate as multicellular non‐adherent spheroids. Using a simple differentiation protocol, a large proportion of these cells developed one of five distinct neural cell phenotypes, indicating that these primordial cells have high neurogenic potential. Cells exhibiting neural morphologies developed within 48 h of exposure to differentiation conditions, increased in percentage over 2 weeks, and stably maintained the neural phenotype for three additional weeks in the absence of neurogenic signaling molecules. Cells exhibited dynamic neural‐like behaviors including extension and retraction of processes with growth cone‐like structures rich in filamentous actin, cell migration following a leading process, and various cell–cell interactions. Differentiated cells expressed neural markers, NeuN, β‐tubulin III and synaptic proteins, and progenitor cells expressed the stem cell markers nestin and NANOG. Neurally differentiated PBD‐MAPCs exhibited voltage‐dependent inward and outward currents and expressed voltage‐gated sodium and potassium channels, suggestive of neural‐like membrane properties. PBD‐MAPCs expressed early neural markers and developed neural phenotypes when provided with an extracellular matrix of laminin without the addition of cytokines or growth factors, suggesting that these multipotent cells may be primed for neural differentiation. PBD‐MAPCs provide a model for understanding the mechanisms of neural differentiation from non‐neural sources of adult stem cells. A similar population of cells, from humans or xenogeneic sources, may offer the potential of an accessible, renewable and non‐tumorigenic source of stem cells for treating neural disorders. J. Cell. Physiol. 226: 3156–3168, 2011. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Gender Differences in Reproductive and Physiological Traits in a Gynodioecious Species, Geranium maculatum (Geraniaceae)

Plant species with separate genders often exhibit gender differences in traits related to reproductive allocation. In gynodioecious species, females often produce more seeds than do hermaphrodites, leading to a higher reproductive cost. The mechanisms that allow females to meet the high costs of reproduction are currently under debate. In this study, we test the hypothesis that there are genetically based gender differences in physiological traits that enable females to finance these costs through higher photosynthetic carbon gain in the gynodioecious perennial Geranium maculatum. Females and hermaphrodites were compared in a greenhouse study that minimized environmental and selfing rate differences between the genders. We found that females produced smaller flowers but more of them and more fruits than did hermaphrodites. However, genders did not differ in their seed number, seed mass, fruit set, and reproductive allocation. In addition, genders did not differ in photosynthetic rate (A), leaf N, and water use efficiency inferred from leaf carbon isotope ratio (δ13C). Overall, G. maculatum shows no genetically based gender differences for most of the reproductive traits or any of the physiological traits measured. Our results suggest that for G. maculatum, the gender fitness differences previously identified in natural populations may be caused by gender differences in microhabitat and/or selfing rate.
Explantation and reimplantation of cochlear implants

Abstract This study looks at the rates of explantation and reimplantation surgery in adult cochlear implant patients between 1990 and 2002 and also evaluates the surgical and audiological implications. 15 (5.5%) out of 272 adult cochlear implantees (288 cochlear implants: 282 Nucleus, 4 MED-EL Combi 40, 2 Clarion) needed their devices removed (explanted). 14 out of the 15 patients selected received explantation, reimplantation or revision surgery. The main reasons included device failure (2.2%), wound and flap problems (1.8%), and electrode extrusion (0.73%). Wound and flap problems were more common with larger skin incisions. In staged reimplantations, reinsertion was made easier if the electrode was retained in situ until reimplantation. Performance of the replacement device was not related to the aetiology of deafness or to the cause of explantation. These data will be useful in counselling patients.
THE WILLIAM DAVIDSON INSTITUTE AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN BUSINESS

In a federal state, political leaders of constituent units might protect their enterprises from the federal center (e.g., allowing them not to pay federal taxes). The effectiveness of such protection depends crucially on the ability of local authorities to extract rents from enterprises. They can easily do so, if there is a small number of enterprises with large employment, and local monopolies can be effectively sustained. They cannot do it so easily if regional industry is competitive, political opposition is strong, and the federal center has enough means to enforce payment of taxes. We build a simple model to argue that it is the industrial structure of constituent units that determines political relations between them and the federal center. The theory is supported by the recent experience of Russia, China, and Argentina. ∗The author is grateful to the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian Studies at Harvard for hospitality during 2000-01 academic year, seminar participants in Columbia University and University of Chicago, and to Richard Ericson, Scott Gehlbach, Philip Keefer, Roger Myerson, John Nye, Yingyi Qian, Gerard Roland, Andrei Shleifer, Alexandra Vacroux, Barry Weingast, and Ekaterina Zhuravskaya for helpful comments.
Cultural Differences in Music Chosen for Pain Relief

Nurses use music therapeutically but often assume that all patients will equally appreciate the same type of music. Cultural differences in music preferences are compared across five pain studies. Music preferences for pain relief are described as the most frequently chosen type of music for each culture. Findings indicate that in four studies, musical choices were related to cultural background (p = .002 to .049). Although the majority in each group chose among the other types of music, Caucasians most frequently chose orchestra music, African Americans chose jazz, and Taiwanese chose harp music. For culturally congruent care, nurses should become aware of cultural differences in music preference and provide culturally specific selections among other music expected to have a therapeutic effect.
The Effects of Schema-Broadening Instruction on Second Graders' Word-Problem Performance and Their Ability to Represent Word Problems with Algebraic Equations: A Randomized Control Study

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of schema-broadening instruction (SBI) on second graders' word-problem-solving skills and their ability to represent the structure of word problems using algebraic equations. Teachers (n = 18) were randomly assigned to conventional word-problem instruction or SBI word-problem instruction, which taught students to represent the structural, defining features of word problems with overarching equations. Intervention lasted 16 weeks. We pretested and posttested 270 students on measures of word-problem skill; analyses that accounted for the nested structure of the data indicated superior word-problem learning for SBI students. Descriptive analyses of students' word-problem work indicated that SBI helped students represent the structure of word problems with algebraic equations, suggesting that SBI promoted this aspect of students' emerging algebraic reasoning.