Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Age-related differences and reliability on computerized and paper-and-pencil neurocognitive assessment batteries.

CONTEXT Neurocognitive testing is a recommended component in a concussion assessment. Clinicians should be aware of age and practice effects on these measures to ensure appropriate understanding of results. OBJECTIVE To assess age and practice effects on computerized and paper-and-pencil neurocognitive testing batteries in collegiate and high school athletes. DESIGN Cohort study. SETTING Classroom and laboratory. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS Participants consisted of 20 collegiate student-athletes (age = 20.00 ± 0.79 years) and 20 high school student-athletes (age = 16.00 ± 0.86 years). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Hopkins Verbal Learning Test scores, Brief Visual-Spatial Memory Test scores, Trail Making Test B total time, Symbol Digit Modalities Test score, Stroop Test total score, and 5 composite scores from the Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT) served as outcome measures. Mixed-model analyses of variance were used to examine each measure. RESULTS Collegiate student-athletes performed better than high school student-athletes on ImPACT processing speed composite score (F(1,38) = 5.03, P = . 031) at all time points. No other age effects were observed. The Trail Making Test B total time (F(2,66) = 73.432, P < . 001), Stroop Test total score (F(2,76) = 96.85, P = < . 001) and ImPACT processing speed composite score (F(2,76) = 5.81, P = . 005) improved in test sessions 2 and 3 compared with test session 1. Intraclass correlation coefficient calculations demonstrated values ranging from 0.12 to 0.72. CONCLUSIONS An athlete's neurocognitive performance may vary across sessions. It is important for clinicians to know the reliability and precision of these tests in order to properly interpret test scores.
Deciphering the genetic determinants for aerobic nicotinic acid degradation: The nic cluster from Pseudomonas putida KT2440

The aerobic catabolism of nicotinic acid (NA) is considered a model system for degradation of N-heterocyclic aromatic compounds, some of which are major environmental pollutants; however, the complete set of genes as well as the structural–functional relationships of most of the enzymes involved in this process are still unknown. We have characterized a gene cluster (nic genes) from Pseudomonas putida KT2440 responsible for the aerobic NA degradation in this bacterium and when expressed in heterologous hosts. The biochemistry of the NA degradation through the formation of 2,5-dihydroxypyridine and maleamic acid has been revisited, and some gene products become the prototype of new types of enzymes with unprecedented molecular architectures. Thus, the initial hydroxylation of NA is catalyzed by a two-component hydroxylase (NicAB) that constitutes the first member of the xanthine dehydrogenase family whose electron transport chain to molecular oxygen includes a cytochrome c domain. The Fe2+-dependent dioxygenase (NicX) converts 2,5-dihydroxypyridine into N-formylmaleamic acid, and it becomes the founding member of a new family of extradiol ring-cleavage dioxygenases. Further conversion of N-formylmaleamic acid to formic and maleamic acid is catalyzed by the NicD protein, the only deformylase described so far whose catalytic triad is similar to that of some members of the α/β-hydrolase fold superfamily. This work allows exploration of the existence of orthologous gene clusters in saprophytic bacteria and some pathogens, where they might stimulate studies on their role in virulence, and it provides a framework to develop new biotechnological processes for detoxification/biotransformation of N-heterocyclic aromatic compounds.
Physical activity increases bone mineral density in children with type 1 diabetes.

INTRODUCTION Osteoporosis is a growing health problem in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a 9-month weight-bearing physical activity program on bone mineral density (BMD) and bone biomarkers in T1DM compared with healthy children. METHODS This was a randomized controlled trial including 27 diabetic and 32 healthy children (mean age = 10.5 ± 2.5 yr). Both T1DM and healthy participants were randomized to either an exercise or a control group (i.e., four groups). At baseline and 9 months, total body (TB), lumbar spine (LS2-LS4), femoral neck, and greater trochanter areal BMD (aBMD) and serum bone biomarkers (osteocalcin, type 1 collagen cross-linking) were measured. The intervention consisted of two 90-min sessions per week of weight-bearing physical activity (ball games, jumping, rope skipping, and gymnastics). RESULTS Baseline variables were similar among groups. At 9 months, changes in TB (T1DM = 0.035 ± 0.022 g·cm(-2), healthy = 0.031 ± 0.017 g·cm(-2)) and LS2-LS4 (T1DM = 0.046 ± 0.038 g·cm(-2), healthy = 0.063 ± 0.034 g·cm(-2)) aBMD were statistically significant in the intervention groups and of similar magnitude between T1DM and healthy subjects. The level of type 1 collagen cross-linking (T1DM = -0.12 ± 0.32 ng·mL(-1), healthy = -0.36 ± 0.11 ng·mL(-1)) decreased in the intervention groups but was not associated with TB aBMD changes. CONCLUSIONS Regular weight-bearing physical activity (180 min·wk(-1), including ball games, jumping activities, and gymnastics) improves total and LS2-LS4 bone mineral accretion in children with T1DM, in a similar magnitude to healthy subjects. We conclude that children with T1DM should be encouraged to practice regular physical activity to enhance peak bone mass and prevent osteoporosis later in life.
What do osteoarthritis health outcome instruments measure? Impairment, activity limitation, or participation restriction?

OBJECTIVE To explore whether commonly used osteoarthritis (OA) health outcome instruments (and items) are measuring single or multiple health outcomes using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) definitions. METHODS Ten expert judges allocated 342 items from 13 instruments to one or more ICF construct, i.e., Impairment (I), Activity Limitation (A), and Participation Restriction (P). One-sample t tests were used to classify each item as measuring uniquely I, A, or P or some combination (i.e., IA, IP, AP, or IAP). RESULTS Overall, 12 of the 13 instruments had items that measured a combination of outcome domains (i.e., IA, IP, AP, or IAP). Only the American Knee Society Score (AKS) had all items uniquely measuring either I or A. The instrument with the best representation of items for Impairment was the AKS, for Activity Limitation the WOMAC and Lequesne knee index, and for Participation Restriction the Disease Repercussion Profile. CONCLUSION All the existing OA outcome instruments, except one, had some items that were assessing more than one health outcome. Use of these instruments may either mask true treatment effects or make an effect difficult to attribute if the content is unclear. We determined which instruments were the best for measuring each health outcome. To improve the assessment of health outcomes in OA, new instruments that uniquely measure the 3 ICF constructs should be developed and all 3 should be included in relevant studies.
Significance of Central Aortic Stiffness in Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular health has traditionally been monitored by peripheral measurements of brachial blood pressure. Although these measurements have proven to be of good diagnostic and prognostic value, novel technology now allows us to non-invasively and easily obtain measurements of more central arteries, specifically stiffness of the central aorta. The purpose of this review is to analyze the role of central aortic stiffness in cardiovascular disease and examine the parameters of central aortic stiffness measurement in the clinical setting.
Subxiphoid and subcostal arch thoracoscopic extended thymectomy: a safe and feasible minimally invasive procedure for selective stage III thymomas.

BACKGROUND Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) has been applied to resection of small and well-encapsulated thymomas. However, few data are available regarding to the application of VATS in stage III thymomas. METHODS A novel subxiphoid and subcostal arch approach for thoracoscopic extended thymectomy was developed by us. From January 2014 to August 2015, 14 patients with stage III thymoma were treated by using this new technique in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu hospital, Xi'an, China. These patients were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. RESULTS Among the 14 patients, 1 patient was converted to transsternal approach owning to invasion of the superior vena cava. The other 13 patients with thymomas invading the pericardium, lung tissues and left innominate vein (LIV), were successfully operated on by using this new technique. The average operation time was 120.0±32.7 min (80-170 min), the average volume of estimated blood loss was 51.5±44.8 min (10-150 mL) and the average postoperative hospital stay was 4.8±1.5 days (3-9 days). There was no perioperative death. Two patients suffered postoperative complications including one patient with atrial fibrillation (AF) and the other one with myasthenic crisis (MC). The postoperative pain score decreased dramatically from 3.8±1.0 [3-6] at 24 hours to 1.5±0.9 [0-6] at 48 hours, and finally to 0 at 3 months after surgery (P=0.000). The patients reported a higher cosmetic score of 92.6±2.7 [90-96]. There was no tumor recurrence and the five patients with myasthenia gravis had improvement and did not need any medication until follow-up. CONCLUSIONS Based on our limited experience, the subxiphoid and subcostal arch thoracoscopic extended thymectomy is safe and feasible for selective stage III thymoma, and might reduce the postoperative pain and provide satisfied cosmetic effect.
Analysis of the Independent Positions of Reverberation Chamber Stirrers as a Function of Their Operating Conditions

The independent positions of the stirrers are computed when one or two stirrers rotate inside the chamber. In the case of the two operating stirrers, they are moved in both tuned and stirring modes. In the tuned mode, they are rotated in a synchronized or interleaved way, showing that this second modality yields a larger independent position number. In the stirring mode, both modalities are replicated varying the rotation speed. In the case of one stirrer and two synchronized stirrers, the independent positions are computed using the classical autocorrelation function, whereas in the case of two completely independent stirrers a 2-D autocorrelation is proposed. The result obtained in this second way does not depend on the order chosen to move the stirrers. The performance of the stirrers is also verified checking the ratio between the maximum and the average received power inside the chamber, the statistics of the received power by applying a goodness-of-fit test, and the uniformity of the field in some points of the working volume. Tuned and stirring operating modalities are also compared in terms of measurement time, calibration and software complexity, motor stress, and so on.
Preceramic Projectile-Point Typology in Belize

Abstract Sufficient numbers of preceramic projectile points have now been found in Belize to define two morphologically distinct projectile-point types, Lowe and Sawmill. A provisional type —Allspice—is proposed but lacks both the necessary numbers and adequate context for acceptance as a diagnostic type. A single Clovis point is so far the only diagnostic of the Paleoindian period. This study also suggests that the projectile-point typology, the foundation for much of the Belize Archaic Archaeological Reconnaissance chronology, is so badly flawed that the resulting chronology has little merit. Recent discoveries of major preceramic sites with associated radiocarbon dates and their possible association with early raised-field agriculture indicate that studies of preceramic Belize are entering an exciting new era. This typology should provide a useful tool for future studies and is the beginning of a meaningful chronology.
The CALIPSO mission: spaceborne lidar for observation of aerosols and clouds

Current uncertainties in the effects of aerosols and clouds on the Earth radiation budget limit our understanding of the climate system and the potential for global climate change. The CALIPSO satellite will use an active lidar together with passive instruments to provide vertical profiles of aerosols and clouds and their properties which will help address these uncertainties. CALIPSO will fly in formation with the EOS Aqua and CloudSat satellites and the other satellites of the Aqua constellation. The acquisition of simultaneous and coincident observations will allow numerous synergies to be realized by combining CALIPSO observations with complementary observations from other platforms. In particu-lar, cloud observations from the CALIPSO lidar and the CloudSat radar will be complementary, together encompassing the variety of clouds found in the atmosphere, from thin cirrus to deep convective clouds. CALIPSO is being developed within the framework of a collaboration between NASA and CNES and is scheduled for launch in 2004.
Counseling overweight patients: analysis of preventive encounters in primary care.

OBJECTIVE The increasing prevalence of obesity requires particularly primary care providers to take action. The aim of this study was to analyze general practitioners (GPs) encounters with overweight and obese patients in primary care to test the hypothesis that patients with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m² would have longer consultations focusing on lifestyle-related issues like nutrition and physical activity than those with a BMI < 30 kg/m². DESIGN Cross sectional comparison of audiotaped encounters of patients with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m² and those with a BMI < 30 kg/m². SETTING Twelve GP surgeries in Berlin, Germany. PARTICIPANTS Fifty patients who agreed to have preventive check-up encounters audiotaped. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Based on the Roter Interaction ANALYSIS System (RIAS) we assessed duration of encounter and the prevalence of GP statements regarding cardiovascular risks, nutrition and physical activity. RESULTS An increased BMI was found to be a predictor for the length of encounters (P = 0.01), whereas the content of talks was mainly determined by the individual of GP and sex of the GP. Statements regarding cardiovascular risks were most frequent, followed by those regarding nutrition and physical activity. In this study the assessed physiological parameters were not associated with the specific contents of preventive encounters like nutrition or physical activity (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate that GPs rarely use the check-up program to conduct lifestyle consultations with obese patients. Barriers to lifestyle counseling and possible solutions are discussed with a view to promoting individualized and target management of overweight patients.
Development of the Italian version of the Pain Stages of Change Questionnaire in patients with chronic low back pain: cross-cultural adaptation, confirmatory factor analysis, reliability and validity

Translating, culturally adapting and validating the Italian version of the Pain Stages of Change Questionnaire (PSOCQ-I) to allow its use with Italian-speaking patients with low back pain. The PSOCQ-I was developed by forward–backward translation, a final review by an expert committee and a test of the prefinal version to establish its correspondence with the original English version. Psychometric testing included confirmatory factor analysis, reliability by internal consistency (Cronbach’s &agr;) and test–retest reliability (intraclass coefficient correlation), and construct validity by comparing PSOCQ-I with the Pain Catastrophising Scale (PCS), the Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia (TSK), the Roland Morris Disability Scale (RMDQ), a pain Numerical Rating Scale (NRS), and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (Pearson’s correlation). The questionnaire was administered to 308 patients with chronic low back pain. Factor analysis confirmed a four-factor solution (namely, Precontemplation, Contemplation, Action, and Maintenance), achieving an acceptable data-model fit. Internal consistency (&agr;=0.91–93) and test–retest reliability (intraclass coefficient correlation=0.74–0.81) were satisfactory. Construct validity showed moderate correlations between Precontemplation and PCS (r=0.318), TSK (r=0.385), RMDQ (r=0.320) and NRS (r=0.335); low correlations were found between the other PSOCQ subscales and PCS (r=−0.062; 0.039), TSK (r=−0.164; 0.024), RMDQ (r=−0.073; 0.004) and NRS (r=−0.170; 0.020). Low correlations were found between the PSOCQ-I subscales and anxiety (r=−0.132; 0.150) and depression (r=−0.113; 0.186). The PSOCQ was translated successfully into Italian, and proved to have a good factorial structure and psychometric properties that replicated the results of other versions. Its use is recommended for research purposes.
C1 inhibitor deficiency: 2014 United Kingdom consensus document

C1 inhibitor deficiency is a rare disorder manifesting with recurrent attacks of disabling and potentially life‐threatening angioedema. Here we present an updated 2014 United Kingdom consensus document for the management of C1 inhibitor‐deficient patients, representing a joint venture between the United Kingdom Primary Immunodeficiency Network and Hereditary Angioedema UK. To develop the consensus, we assembled a multi‐disciplinary steering group of clinicians, nurses and a patient representative. This steering group first met in 2012, developing a total of 48 recommendations across 11 themes. The statements were distributed to relevant clinicians and a representative group of patients to be scored for agreement on a Likert scale. All 48 statements achieved a high degree of consensus, indicating strong alignment of opinion. The recommendations have evolved significantly since the 2005 document, with particularly notable developments including an improved evidence base to guide dosing and indications for acute treatment, greater emphasis on home therapy for acute attacks and a strong focus on service organization.
The fate of cutaneously and subcutaneously implanted trypsin purified dermal collagen in the pig.

Abstract Pig dermal collagen was prepared by treating whole skin with a solution of crystalline trypsin at temperatures below 20°. The purified dermal collagen was implanted subcutaneously and into full thickness excised skin wounds in the pig. Biopsy specimens were removed after various periods of time and examined histologically. A parallel series of control experiments involving auto- and homografted skin were carried out under the same conditions, together with observations on full thickness excised wounds. Autografts and homografts behaved as previously described, the autografts appearing normal after 35 days while homografts were uniformly rejected and sloughed by Day 20 and contractions occurred as in open wounds. The dermal collagen grafts were invaded and colonized by host fibroblasts and other cells and became at least in part revascularized and re-epithelialized. The implanted collagen was progressively lysed and replaced by granulation tissue. Remnants of collagen persisted in peripheral parts of the graft up to Day 35 but had disappeared by Day 50. Dermal collagen implants covered with split thickness auto- and homografts suffered the same fate as the dermal collagen grafts. Dermal collagen implanted subcutaneously into adipose tissue achieved in some instances a state of permanence, the collagen bundles retaining their original form and containing fibroblasts and capillaries.
Portfolio Choice with Endogenous Utility: A Large Deviations Approach

This paper provides an alternative behavioral foundation for an investor's use of power utility in the objective function and its particular risk aversion parameter. The foundation is grounded in an investor's desire to minimize the objective probability that the growth rate of invested wealth will not exceed an investor-selected target growth rate. Large deviations theory is used to show that this is equivalent to using power utility, with an argument that depends on the investor's target, and a risk aversion parameter determined by maximization. As a result, an investor's risk aversion parameter is not independent of the investment opportunity set, contrary to the standard model assumption.
The role of the anterior commissure in callosal agenesis.

Two individuals with callosal agenesis (J.P. and M.M.) and 10 neurologically normal participants were tested on tasks requiring interhemispheric visual integration. M.M. , whose anterior commissure was within normal limits, was much worse at matching colors and letters between visual fields than within visual fields, whereas J.P., whose anterior commissure was greatly enlarged, showed no evidence of interhemispheric disconnection. This suggests that in some cases of callosal agenesis, probably a minority, an enlarged anterior commissure may compensate for the lack of the corpus callosum. Neither acallosal participant showed interhemispheric disconnection on tasks requiring integration of location and orientation, however, suggesting that the anterior commissure plays no role in such tasks. These tasks may depend on subcortical commissures, such as the intertectal commissure.
Functional implications of the peptidoglycan recognition proteins in the immunity of the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti

Peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs) play essential roles in the immune systems of insects and higher animals against certain pathogens, including bacteria. In insects, most studies on the functions of PGRPs have been performed in Drosophila, with only limited studies in mosquitoes, which are important disease vectors. In the present study, we analysed the PGRP sequences of the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, acquired from two genome databases, and identified a total of seven PGRP genes; namely, PGRP‐S1, ‐SC2, ‐LA, ‐LB, ‐LC, ‐LD and ‐LE. Bacterial injection using the Gram‐negative bacteria Escherichia coli and the Gram‐positive bacteria Micrococcus luteus showed that three PGRPs responded directly to both bacterial stimuli. Subsequently, the transcriptional expression of six of these PGRPs was knocked down using double‐stranded RNA‐injection‐based RNA interference (RNAi). RNAi of the PGRPs resulted in different impacts on the immune responses of Ae. aegypti to the two bacteria, as evidenced by the changes in mosquito survival rates after bacterial challenges as well as the differential regulation of several antimicrobial peptides and a number of other genes involved in mosquito immune pathways. Our data suggest that PGRP‐LC is a significant factor in mediating immune responses to both E. coli and M. luteus, and the other PGRPs play only minor roles against these two bacteria, with PGRP‐SC2 and ‐LB also serving as potential negative regulators for certain immune pathway(s) in Ae. aegypti.
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-specific glutamate dehydrogenase of Neurospora. I. Purification and molecular properties.

Abstract Improved growth conditions were developed for normal strain 1A of Neurospora crassa in order to induce a high level of the NAD-specific glutamate dehydrogenase. A simplified purification procedure is described in order to obtain the enzyme in high yield and specific activity. The homogeneous enzyme has a molecular weight of 480,000 ± 27,000 by sedimentation equilibrium analysis, and is dissociable into four identical subunits of 116,000 ± 5,400 molecular weight. The amino acid composition of the enzyme was determined. Isophthalate was found to be a strong competitive inhibitor and an effective stabilizer of the enzyme. The molecular properties indicate that the subunit structure of this enzyme differs substantially from those of the glutamate dehydrogenases from vertebrates and of the NADP-specific enzyme from Neurospora.