Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Olfactory Deficits on Nutritional Status: Does Age Predict Persons at Risk? a

Studies outlined in this volume support the hypothesis that smell function decreases with age, the decline starting as early as middle age. 'J Data for taste loss with aging appear to be less consistent, especially when the maintenance of suprathreshold function is considered. )-s An earlier study by Stevens et ale3 supports the concept that smell sensitivity declines more than gustation in the elderly. Therefore this paper examines only the effect of olfactory loss on nutritional status, comparing parameters in a younger cohort (25-45 years) and an elderly cohort (60 years and older) of persons attending the Connecticut Chemosensory Clinical Research Center (CCCRC) Diagnostic Clinic. Nutritional risk increases in the aged because of physiologic decline, decreased socioeconomic status, limited food consumption, and a multitude of disease processes and therapeutic regimens.6 No clear relationship, however, exists between smell sensitivity and nutrition. Schiffman and Covey7 suggest that a decline in smell sensitivity with aging changes food preferences and thus alters food habits. Stevens and Caid support the idea that many elderly subjects often do not notice even severe olfactory losses and typically report enjoying food. Widely quoted studies of other authors in this volume attempt to explain the effects of long-term food belief patterns on food inges t i~n ,~ , '~ the complex mechanisms linking olfactory cues and memory loss to food identification, i the role of odor enhancers in increasing food consumption in the elderly,'2 and the differences in chemosensory preference in the elderly.5*7 Currently, no literature exists to support the hypothesis that smell or taste deficits, at any age, cause a reduction of total food intake or an increase in
Hypothalamic effector neurons and extended circuitries activated in “neurogenic” stress: A comparison of footshock effects exerted acutely, chronically, and in animals with controlled glucocorticoid levels

Immunolocalization of Fos protein was used to identify and characterize hypothalamic visceromotor populations responsive to acute and chronic intermittent footshock stress, and candidate afferent mediators of hypothalamic effects. Exposure to a single 30 minute footshock session induced maximal Fos expression in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVH) 2 hours after the challenge; activated cells corresponded principally to hypophysiotropic neurons expressing corticotropin‐releasing factor, with secondary involvement of magnocellular oxytocinergic and autonomic‐related projection neurons. Extrahypothalamic cell groups activated in response to acute footshock included ones associated with the processing or modulation of somatosensory/nociceptive inputs, the limbic region of the telencephalon, and visceral sensory mechanisms. Rats with constant corticosterone levels displayed enhanced footshock‐induced Fos expression in the parvicellular compartment of the PVH, as well as in certain limbic and somatosensory cell groups, the locus coeruleus, but not in medullary catecholaminergic cell groups. Animals subjected to chronic intermittent stress (2 sessions/day for 7 days) showed only modest evidence of habituation of cellular activation responses in the PVH and most extrahypothalamic regions. Rats bearing retrograde tracer deposits in the PVH and killed 2 hours after acute footshock displayed Fos‐positive retrogradely labeled neurons principally in medullary catecholaminergic cell groups, with secondary foci in the hypothalamus, limbic region, and pontine tegmentum. This characterization of footshock‐responsive systems identifies cell groups that are in a position to (1) mediate acute stress effects on hypothalamic visceromotor neurons, (2) comprise targets for corticosteroid negative feedback effects, and/or (3) underlie habituation of the neuroendocrine limb of the stress response. J. Comp. Neurol. 393:244–266, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
ASSOCIATION OF SOCIOECONOMIC STATUS WITH SUCCESSFUL AGEING: DIFFERENCES IN THE COMPONENTS OF SUCCESSFUL AGEING

Summary This study sought to determine which factors among the indicators of socioeconomic status have the most influence on physical, mental and social functions, and on subjective well-being, all of which are components of successful ageing. A representative random sample of 1825 persons aged 65 years or older was surveyed by face-to-face interview. Socioeconomic status was measured by educational level, family household income, personal income and property ownership. The factors measured were chronic diseases, activities of daily living (ADL) for physical functioning, history of mental disease, Mini-Mental Status Examination questionnaire (MMSE) scores for mental functioning, social activity participation per week for social functioning, and the Philadelphia Geriatric Center Morale Scale (PGCMS) for subjective well-being. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed. Education level was the most important factor in physical and mental functioning, whereas personal income was the most important in social functioning. Educational level, household income and personal income were significantly associated with subjective well-being as assessed by PGCMS scores. Subjects who demonstrated successful ageing were more likely to have a higher education and higher personal income. The results point to the importance of focusing on disparities in each component of successful ageing, which may point to appropriate health-promotion strategies for eliminating inequality in successful ageing.
Effects of Response Format on Diagnostic Assessment of Scholastic Achievement

The effect of response format on diagnostic assessment of students' performance on an algebra test was investigated. Two sets of parallel, openended (OE) items and a set of multiple-choice (MC) items―which were stem-equivalent to one of the OE item sets―were compared using two diagnostic approaches: a «bug» analysis and a rule-space analysis. Items with identical format (parallel OE items) were more similar than items with different formats (OE VS. MC)
The course of hepatitis C virus infection in pretransplantation anti-hepatitis C virus-negative renal transplant recipients: a retrospective follow-up study.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study is to evaluate the natural course of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in renal transplant recipients infected shortly before or after renal transplantation. METHODS Seventeen renal transplant recipients with no detectable antibodies to HCV before renal transplantation either seroconverted after transplantation or developed cholestatic syndrome without seroconversion, but with HCV RNA positivity. They were followed up for a mean of 7.2 +/- 4.2 (SD) years after renal transplantation and underwent consecutive liver biopsies. RESULTS Biochemical abnormalities initially were observed a median of 5.7 months (25th, 75th percentiles, 2.4, 13.9) after transplantation. Initial liver biopsies showed acute hepatitis in 5 patients and chronic hepatitis in 9 patients, whereas 3 patients had histological findings of fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis. During a median follow-up of 2.0 years (25th, 75th percentiles, 1.3, 4.6), the condition of 5 patients, initially with diagnoses of acute hepatitis, deteriorated rapidly, with a median fibrosis progression rate of 0.77 (25th, 75th percentiles, 0.56, 0.86) per year. Six patients with chronic hepatitis progressed with a median fibrosis progression rate of 0.35 (25th, 75th percentiles, 0.15, 0.69) per year in a median of 3.1 years (25th, 75th percentiles, 2.4, 3.5), whereas the other 3 patients with chronic hepatitis with elevated cholestatic liver enzyme levels developed early fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis (1 patient) or vanishing bile duct syndrome (2 patients). Genotype 1 was found in 7 of 9 patients with fibrosing cholestatic hepatitis or vanishing bile duct syndrome (78%; P = 0.049). Six of 17 patients died a median of 6.1 years (25th, 75th percentiles, 1.5, 7.1) posttransplantation; 4 of these 6 patients died of hepatic failure. CONCLUSION HCV infection acquired shortly before or after renal transplantation frequently is associated with an adverse clinical outcome, characterized by rapid progression of fibrosis, development of cholestatic syndrome, and high mortality rate. Acute hepatitis occurring under maximal immunosuppression is of great prognostic significance, determining a specific high-risk group.
A Survey and Study of Planar Antennas for Pico-Satellites

Works on pico-satellites have gained momentum recently, especially those that consider pico-satellites as part of a much larger constellation or swarm. This feature allows pico-satellites to provide high temporal resolution of observational data and redundancy. In particular, it reduces the need for satellite-to-ground communications and, hence, helps save energy and allows the execution of distributed processing algorithms on the satellites themselves. Consequently, satellite-to-satellite or cross-link communication is critical. To realize these advantages, the cross-link antenna employed on pico-satellites must meet many criteria, namely, small size, lightweight, low-power consumption, high gain, wide bandwidth, circular polarization, and beam steerability. To date, no works have examined the suitability of existing planar antenna designs for the use on pico-satellites. To this end, this paper contributes to the literature by focusing on microstrip patch and slot antennas that have the ability to achieve high gain, beam steering, and wide bandwidth. This paper reviews 66 planar antenna designs, which includes 38-patch and 28-slot antennas. In addition, we provide an extensive qualitative comparison of these antennas in terms of their mass, size, gain, beam steerability, type of polarization, operating frequency band, and return loss. In addition, we have evaluated three antenna designs that best address the pico-satellite challenges on a common platform. We find that the asymmetric E-shaped patch antenna design is the most suitable for the use on 2U CubeSats. This is because of its small size (34 × 13 mm2) and high gain (7.3 dB). In addition, the E-shaped patch antenna yields a wide -10-dB bandwidth of 2300 MHz and a small return loss of -15.2 dB.
Roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis and clinical assessment of unipolar versus bipolar hemiarthroplasty for subcapital femur fracture: a randomized prospective study

Background: Hemiarthroplasty is a well‐established treatment for displaced subcapital fracture, but controversy exists about the optimal implant type. Bipolar hemiarthroplasty has proposed advantages over unipolar hemiarthroplasty in terms of better clinical results and decreased wear of acetabular cartilage.
Molecular Basis of Branched Peptides Resistance to Enzyme Proteolysis

We found that synthetic peptides in the form of dendrimers become resistant to proteolysis. To determine the molecular basis of this resistance, different bioactive peptides were synthesized in monomeric, two‐branched and tetra‐branched form and incubated with human plasma and serum. Proteolytic resistance of branched multimeric sequences was compared to that of the same peptides synthesized as multimeric linear molecules. Unmodified peptides and cleaved sequences were detected by high pressure liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. An increase in peptide copies did not increase peptide resistance in linear multimeric sequences, whereas multimericity progressively enhanced proteolytic stability of branched multimeric peptides. A structure‐based hypothesis of branched peptide resistance to proteolysis by metallopeptidases is presented.
Sirolimus and paclitaxel provoke different vascular pathological responses after local delivery in a murine model for restenosis on underlying atherosclerotic arteries

Background: Drug-eluting stents (DES) have been introduced successfully in clinical practice to prevent post-angioplasty restenosis. Nevertheless, concerns about the safety of DES still exist. Objective: To investigate the vascular pathology and transcriptional responses to sirolimus and paclitaxel in a murine model for restenosis on underlying diseased atherosclerotic arteries. Methods: Atherosclerotic lesions were induced by placement of a perivascular cuff around the femoral artery of hypercholesterolaemic ApoE*3-Leiden transgenic mice. Two weeks later these cuffs were replaced either by sirolimus- or paclitaxel-eluting cuffs. The vascular pathological effects were evaluated after two additional weeks. Results: Both anti-restenotic compounds significantly inhibited restenotic lesion progression on the atherosclerotic plaques. Vascular histopathological analyses showed that local delivery of sirolimus has no significant adverse effects on vascular disease. Conversely, high dosages of paclitaxel significantly increased apoptosis, internal elastic lamina disruption, and decreased medial and intimal smooth muscle cells and collagen content. Moreover, transcriptional analysis by real-time RT-PCR showed an increased level of pro-apoptotic mRNA transcripts (FAS, BAX, caspase 3) in paclitaxel-treated arteries. Conclusions: Sirolimus and paclitaxel are effective in preventing restenosis. Sirolimus has no significant effect on arterial disease. In contrast, paclitaxel at high concentration demonstrated adverse vascular pathology and transcriptional responses, suggesting a narrower therapeutic range of this potent drug. Since the use of overlapping stents is becoming more common in DES technology, this factor is important, given that higher dosages of paclitaxel may lead to increased apoptosis in the vessel wall and, consequently, to a more unstable phenotype of the pre-existing atherosclerotic lesion.
Association of oestrogen-receptor gene (ESR1) polymorphisms with migraine in the large Norfolk Island pedigree

Background Oestrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) is located in region 6q25.1 and encodes a ligand-activated transcription factor composed of several domains important for hormone binding and transcription activation. Progesterone receptor (PGR) is located in 11q22-23 and mediates the role of progesterone interacting with different transcriptional co-regulators. ESR1 and PGR have previously been implicated in migraine susceptibility. Here, we report the results of an association study of these genes in a migraine pedigree from the genetic isolate of Norfolk Island, a population descended from a small number of Isle of Man “Bounty Mutineer” and Tahitian founders. Methods A significant number of molecular markers in the ESR1 (143) and PGR (43) genes were evaluated in a sample of 285 related individuals (135 males; 150 females). A pedigree-based analysis in the GenABEL package was used to analyse the results. Results and conclusions A total of 10 markers in the ESR1 gene showed association with migraine (p < 0.05) in the Norfolk Island population. No association was detected with PGR. Three haplotypes in ESR1 were found to be associated with migraine (p = 0.004, 0.03, 0.005). Future genetic studies in larger populations and expression analysis are required to clarify the role of ESR1 in migraine susceptibility.
A Gamified Approach on Learning Logic Gates to Improve Student’s Engagement

Gamification is the application of game design elements and game mechanics in a non-game context. This concept has been successfully used in several fields such as businesses and education. As such, the gamification e-learning approach could be used in education, particularly in a digital logic subject area, as a tool to improve student engagement. However, few research and design guidelines exist regarding a gamified learning approach for digital logic. The objective of this paper is to propose a complete framework for the development of a gamified learning application for digital logic gates that will improve student’s engagement. We first investigate the design, the principles, and parameters used to measure student engagement from a variety of related work and identify which design, principles and parameters that shall be applicable and significant in the development of a gamified learning application that will drive an engaged student. This framework shall provide the game developers a guide and shall help standardize the development process of a gamified learning approach in a digital logic subject area in the future.
Identification of an alkaline‐tolerant cyclodextrin‐metabolizing bacterium and characterization of its cyclodextrinase gene

Bacillus circulans A11, an alkaline‐tolerant cyclodextrin‐metabolizing bacterium isolated from South‐East Asian soil, was reidentified as Paenibacillus sp. A11 based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparison, G + C content and cellular fatty acid composition. Levels of similarity of the 16S rRNA gene between strain A11 and the Paenibacillus species were 90–99%, while similarity with Bacillus circulans was only 86%. The major cellular fatty acid was anteiso‐C15:0 which accounted for 59.3% of the total cellular fatty acids and the G+C content was 50.3 mol%. The CDase gene coding for this enzyme was cloned into E. coli. The open reading frame of the CDase gene was 1,959 bp encoding a CDase of 653 amino acid residues. At maximum growth, the specific activity of the recombinant CDase from E. coli was higher than that of Paenibacillus sp. A11. By SDS‐PAGE, the translation product of the recombinant gene showed the same mobility as the purified CDase from the original strain. CDase from both Paenibacillus sp. A11 and E. coli produced glucose and maltose as dominant end‐products of β‐CD hydrolysis. The ratio of maltose to glucose was 1:2. (© 2004 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
LES BIENFAITS DE L'ENTRAÎNEMENT ATTENTIONNEL CHEZ LES PERSONNES ÂGÉES: EXAMEN DES EFFETS DE TRANSFERT AUX TESTS NEUROPSYCHOLOGIQUES

De recentes etudes suggerent que le controle attentionnel peut etre ameliore suite a des entrainements cognitifs informatises. Cependant, peu d'etudes ont montre des preuves de transfert ou de generalisation des acquis a des tâches cliniques. Les resultats rapportes dans cette these emanent de deux etudes independantes montrant des effets de transfert specifiques a des tests neuropsychologiques cliniques suite a un entrainement cognitif de l'attention. Trente-quatre personnes âgees ont participe a la premiere etude. La moitie des participants ont complete six seances d'entrainement de l'attention divisee, alors que les autres ont ete assignes a un groupe controle. Vingt-huit personnes âgees et 24 jeunes adultes ont participe a la deuxieme etude portant sur l'entrainement de l'inhibition. Dans chaque etude, une retroaction individualisee de la performance (feedback) etait presentee aux participants. Des pre-tests et post-tests, composes de tests neuropsychologiques, ont permis de comparer l'amelioration des performances obtenues par les groupes entraines a celle des groupes controles. Les resultats ont indique une amelioration specifique aux tests cliniques evaluant le controle attentionnel. Dans la premiere etude, l'entrainement de l'attention divisee a ameliore les habiletes d'alternance a la condition flexibilite du test de Stroop et au trace B du test de Tracage de pistes. Dans la seconde etude, l'entrainement de l'inhibition a montre des effets benefiques au test de Stroop et au test de Hayling. Ces resultats suggerent que l'entrainement cognitif peut ameliorer les fonctions attentionnelles des personnes âgees, telles que mesurees par des tests neuropsychologiques cliniques. ______________________________________________________________________________ MOTS-CLES DE L’AUTEUR : Entrainement cognitif, Vieillissement, Attention divisee, Inhibition, Tests neuropsychologiques et transfert.
IDENTIFICATION OF FETAL DNA AND CELLS IN SKIN LESIONS FROM WOMEN WITH SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS

A BSTRACT Background Systemic sclerosis is a disease of unknown origin which often occurs in women after their childbearing years. It has many clinical and histopathological similarities to chronic graft-versushost disease. Recent studies indicate that fetal stem cells can survive in the maternal circulation for many years post partum. This finding suggests that fetal cells persisting in the maternal circulation or tissues could be involved in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis by initiating a graft-versus-host reaction. Methods We used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to identify Y-chromosome sequences in DNA extracted from peripheral-blood cells and skin lesions from women with systemic sclerosis of recent onset. To confirm the PCR findings, we used fluorescence in situ hybridization of peripheral-blood cells and cells within chronic inflammatory-cell infiltrates in biopsy specimens of affected skin. Results Y-chromosome sequences were found in DNA from peripheral-blood cells in 32 of 69 women with systemic sclerosis (46 percent), as compared with 1 of 25 normal women (4 percent, P 0.001), and in T lymphocytes from 3 women with systemic sclerosis who had male offspring. Furthermore, Y-chromosome sequences were identified in skinbiopsy specimens from 11 of 19 women with systemic sclerosis (58 percent); 9 of the 11 were known to have carried male fetuses. Nucleated cells containing Y chromosomes were detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization in paraffin-embedded sections of skin lesions from all seven women we tested whose skin-biopsy specimens contained Y-chromosome sequences. Conclusions Fetal antimaternal graft-versus-host reactions may be involved in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis in some women. (N Engl J Med 1998;338:1186-91.)
3D Characterization of corneal deformation using ultrasound speckle tracking

The three-dimensional (3D) mechanical response of the cornea to intraocular pressure (IOP) elevation has not been previously reported. In this study, we use an ultrasound speckle tracking technique to measure the 3D displacements and strains within the central 5.5 mm of porcine corneas during the whole globe inflation. Inflation tests were performed on dextran-treated corneas (treated with a 10% dextran solution) and untreated corneas. The dextran-treated corneas showed an inflation response expected of a thin spherical shell, with through-thickness thinning and in-plane stretch, although the strain magnitudes exhibited a heterogeneous spatial distribution from the central to more peripheral cornea. The untreated eyes demonstrated a response consistent with swelling during experimentation, with through-thickness expansion overriding the inflation response. The average volume ratios obtained in both groups was near 1 confirming general incompressibility, but local regions of volume loss or expansion were observed. These results suggest that biomechanical measurements in 3D provide important new insight to understand the mechanical response of ocular tissues such as the cornea.
Investigation on mode eigenvalue limits for stable 236 GHz, 1 MW-class gyrotron operation

In order to find the upper limit for mode eigenvalues for stable 1 MW-class gyrotron operation, the behavior of a 236 GHz cylindrical (hollow) cavity gyrotron design is theoretically analyzed for operation with even higher order modes (eigenvalues between 100 and 145). In this frame, two independent methods are used to determine the effect of neighboring modes on mode stability and to estimate the eigenvalue limit for stable operation. With consideration of realistic electron beam parameters (velocity spread and beam width) and a diode start-up regime, the results of both methods suggest that mode eigenvalues smaller than 125 should be selected to ensure the stability of operation.