Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Heel Pain Triad (HPT): The Combination of Plantar Fasciitis, Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction and Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome

Between 1996 and 1999, we evaluated 286 patients with chronic heel pain. We identified 14 patients who were diagnosed and surgically treated for a unique combination of plantar fasciitis, posterior tibial tendon dysfunction and tarsal tunnel syndrome. We postulate that failure of the static (plantar fascia) and dynamic (posterior tibial tendon) support of the longitudinal arch of the foot has resulted in traction injury to the posterior tibial nerve, i.e., tarsal tunnel syndrome. The combination of plantar fasciitis, posterior tibial tendon dysfunction and tarsal tunnel syndrome was recognized and treated. We have called this combination the “Heel Pain Triad (HPT). ” Using the AOFAS hindfoot rating system, retrospective chart review and patient examination revealed marked improvement in 85.7% of patients. Follow-up was done four to 33 months (mean follow-up was 17.1 months). Marked improvement was noted in the categories of pain, activity level, walking distance, walking surface and limp. Improvement was statistically significant for all categories.
Acute Mastoiditis in Children: A Review of 54 Cases

Fifty‐four children with acute mastoiditis were managed at the Los Angeles County‐University of Southern California Medical Center from 1972 through 1982. Our criteria for the diagnosis of acute mastoiditis are acute or subacute otitis media, postauricular swelling and erythema, protrusion of the auricle, and clouding of mastoid air cells on radiographs. Thirty‐one (57%) recovered with conservative therapy consisting of early myringotomy and intravenous antibiotic, usually ampicillin. Twenty‐three patients were managed surgically. The indication for surgery in each case was the clinical diagnosis of subperiosteal abscess; mastoid radiographs played no part in the decision to operate. Two of the 23 patients managed surgically had only incision and drainage of abscess; simple mastoidectomy was performed on 20 and radical mastoidectomy on one. Etiologic bacteria were cultured in 21 instances. S. pyogenes was cultured in 9, S. pneumoniae was cultured in 6, H. nfluenzae in 1, enterococci in 1, anaerobes in 2, and M. tuberculosis in 2.
A taxonomy of collective phenomena

We are surrounded by collective phenomena, with examples existing on many levels of granularity. Despite our frequent experiences of such phenomena they seem to have been largely ignored within the field of ontology. In this paper, existing ontologies are examined to determine the extent to which they can adequately represent collective phenomena, and are found wanting in a number of important respects. An adequate representation of collective phenomena must do justice to the often subtle relationship that exists between a collective viewed as a whole and its constitution as a plurality of individual participants. An important prerequisite for this is to determine the range of variation that exists within the broad class of collectives. Numerous examples of collective phenomena have been studied to extract appropriate classification criteria. The results from this study are used to produce a new typology of collectives which is intended to establish a basis for the adequate treatment of collectives within an ontology. To illustrate the classification system we show how it can be used to highlight the significant distinctions between a suitably diverse range of examples. The paper concludes with a set of further research questions that have been raised during the development of the taxonomy.
Comparison of endothelium‐dependent responses of monkey cerebral and temporal arteries

1 Endothelium‐dependency of vasodilator responses was compared in helical strips of monkey cerebral and superficial temporal arteries contracted with prostaglandin F2α. Acetylcholine produced an endothelium‐dependent relaxation in the temporal arteries, but did not consistently alter the tone of cerebral arteries. 2 Adenosine 5′‐triphosphate (ATP) produced a transient contraction followed by a relaxation in the temporal and cerebral arteries; removal of the endothelium partially attenuated the relaxation of the cerebral arteries and markedly suppressed the relaxation in the temporal arteries. The dependency of adenosine 5′‐diphosphate (ADP)‐induced relaxations on the endothelium was also greater in temporal arteries than in cerebral arteries. 3 Histamine‐induced relaxations in the temporal arteries were independent of the endothelium and were reversed to contractions by cimetidine. Cerebral arterial relaxations induced by histamine were partly dependent on the endothelium. Relaxations caused by substance P were reversed to contractions by removal of the endothelium in the temporal arteries, whereas the peptide did not consistently alter the tone of cerebral arteries. 4 The Ca2+ ionophore, A23187, relaxed the temporal and cerebral arteries to a similar extent; removal of the endothelium abolished these relaxations. Glyceryl trinitrate elicited similar relaxations of cerebral and temporal arteries, and these were independent of the endothelium. 5 These findings clearly indicate heterogeneity in the endothelium‐dependency of several vasodilator responses in monkey intra‐ and extracranial arteries, although the ability of these arteries to respond to A23187 and glyceryl trinitrate does not appear to differ. The heterogeneous responses observed so far could therefore be due to different distributions of receptors or to variation in receptor‐effector coupling in endothelial cells.
Siderite at lower mantle conditions and the effects of the pressure‐induced spin‐pairing transition

Siderite (FeCO3) forms a complete solid solution with magnesite (MgCO3), the most likely candidate for a mantle carbonate. Our experiments with natural siderite reveal spin pairing of d‐orbital electrons of Fe2+ at 43 GPa, as evidenced by a sharp volume collapse of about 10%. The initially colorless crystals assume an intense green color after the transition, which progressively turns to red above 60 GPa. We present clear evidence for the instability of an intermediate spin state in siderite at ambient temperature. At the transition pressure, domains of high and low spin siderite coexist. The unit cell volume difference between magnesite and siderite is significantly decreased by the spin transition, enhancing the solubility between the two calcite‐type minerals. A siderite component in magnesite at lower mantle pressure would significantly increase its density and slightly increase the carbonate bulk modulus.
Unhealthy Alcohol and Illicit Drug Use Are Associated With Decreased Quality of HIV Care

Background:HIV-infected patients with substance use experience suboptimal health outcomes, possibly because of variations in care. Objectives:To assess the association between substance use and the quality of HIV care (QOC) received. Research Design:Retrospective cohort study. Subjects:HIV-infected patients enrolled in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study. Measures:We collected self-report substance use data and abstracted 9 HIV quality indicators (QIs) from medical records. Independent variables were unhealthy alcohol use (AUDIT-C score ≥4) and illicit drug use (self-report of stimulants, opioids, or injection drug use in past year). Main outcome was the percentage of QIs received, if eligible. We estimated associations between substance use and QOC using multivariable linear regression. Results:The majority of the 3410 patients were male (97.4%) and black (67.0%) with a mean age of 49.1 years (SD = 8.8). Overall, 25.8% reported unhealthy alcohol use, 22% illicit drug use, and participants received 81.5% (SD = 18.9) of QIs. The mean percentage of QIs received was lower for those with unhealthy alcohol use versus not (59.3% vs. 70.0%, P < 0.001) and those using illicit drugs vs. not (57.8% vs. 70.7%, P < 0.001). In multivariable models, unhealthy alcohol use (adjusted &bgr; −2.74; 95% confidence interval: −4.23 to −1.25) and illicit drug use (adjusted &bgr; −3.51; 95% CI: −4.99 to −2.02) remained inversely associated with the percentage of QIs received. Conclusions:Although the overall QOC for these HIV-infected Veteran patients was high, gaps persist for those with unhealthy alcohol and illicit drug use. Interventions that address substance use in HIV-infected patients may improve the QOC received.
Abnormal Platelet Mitochondrial Function in Patients Affected by Migraine With and Without Aura

To investigate energy metabolism in migraine, we determined platelet mitochondrial enzyme activities in 40 patients with migraine with aura and in 40 patients with migraine without aura during attack-free intervals and in 24 healthy control subjects. NADH-dehydrogenase, citrate synthase and cytochrome-c-oxidase activities in both patient groups were significantly lower than in controls (p < 0.01), while NADH-cytochrome-c-reductase activity was reduced only in migraine with aura (p < 0.01). No alteration in succinate-dehydrogenase was observed. Monoamine-oxidase activity differed between sexes (p < 0.05) but within each sex group no difference was observed between patients and controls. We hypothesize that the defect in mitochondrial enzymes observed indicates a systemic impairment of mitochondrial function in migraine patients.
INCAP Studies of Malnutrition and Cognitive Behavior

The Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama (INCAP) has made major contributions to the study of the effects of malnutrition on learning. This report summarizes work on the relationship of nutrition to children's learning and development from the 1960's through 1998. The Oriente Longitudinal Study examined the effects of two types of supplementation for mothers and young children on their growth and development (an energy-only drink compared with a protein-energy drink) using a quasi-experimental design. Both drinks were supplemented with micronutrients, and were offered daily. As a result of the research on malnutrition and mental development, researchers could conclude by 1993 that supplementary feeding of infants and young children resulted in significant increases cognitive development and school performance through adolescence. The research also suggested that the pathways that link malnutrition with later development are not only through the neurological system but also operate through changes in child behavior which affect the kinds of care children receive. Other research on learning and development showed that families understood the concept of intelligence, demonstrated the link between micronutrients and cognitive development, and documented the amount of wastage or repetition and drop-out that occurs in Guatemalan schools.
Acute effects of a lateral postural assist on voluntary step initiation in patients with Parkinson's disease

Anticipatory postural adjustments (APAs) for lateral weight transfer and stability precede and accompany voluntary stepping. Patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) show delays in step initiation with altered APA characteristics that may reflect impaired interactions between posture and locomotion. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of a lateral postural assist on step initiation in patients with early stage PD while off medication and healthy controls. Subjects performed self‐paced rapid forward steps. In one condition (ASSIST), the APA was assisted at onset with a lateral pull applied to the pelvis by a motor‐driven robotic system. Ground reaction forces and whole body kinematics were recorded to characterize the APA and step characteristics. Overall, PD subjects had a longer APA duration (P < 0.01) and longer first step duration (P < 0.027) than Control subjects. With the ASSIST, the APA duration for both groups was shorter (P < 0.001), the step onset time was earlier (P < 0.001), and the speed of the first step became faster for PD subjects. Postural assistance affecting the interaction between posture and locomotion may have therapeutic potential for improving movement function in patients with PD. © 2006 Movement Disorder Society
Validation of first-order stratified KBs

In this paper, a new efficient technique is introduced to check the logical consistency of finite first-order stratified KBs. It is based on a progressive instantiation schema that enables us to benefit from the power of local search techniques for propositional satisfiability and search. It combines a knowledge preference pre-ordering with a concept of depth-limited reasoning. An algorithm that proves to be efficient is proposed. It delivers a good approximation of (Benferhat et al., 1993) preferred maximal inclusion-based consistent sub-bases.
User behaviour towards protective information technologies: the role of national cultural differences

Computer technologies that protect data and systems from viruses, unauthorized access, disruptions, spyware and other threats have become increasingly important in the globally networked economy and society. Yet little is known about user attitudes and behaviour towards this category of information technologies. Comparative studies across different cultures in this context are even rarer. In this study, we examine the cross‐cultural differences between South Korea and the United States in user behaviour towards protective information technologies. We develop a theoretical model of user behaviour based on the framework of the theory of planned behaviour and national cultural dimensions and indices. We posit that cultural factors moderate the strength of the relationships in the behavioural model in the context of protective information technologies. The model was then empirically tested using structural equation modelling techniques in conjunction with multi‐group analysis. Most of the hypothesized moderating effects of national cultural factors were found to be statistically significant. Our findings suggest that cultural factors should be considered in order to design effective information security policies, practices and technologies in global networks where multiple cultures coexist. Theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed.
Penile Bead Implantation in Relation to HIV Infection in Male Heroin Users in Taiwan.

BACKGROUND Recent reports indicate that injection risk behavior has declined among injection drug users (IDUs) but sexual risk behavior continues. RuJu, classified as a form of body modification, is the practice of permanently inserting beads beneath the foreskin of the penis. A man who has penis beads does not comfortably use a condom while having sex. This study examined the possible association of RuJu with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among IDUs in Taiwan. METHODS Of 644 eligible male heroin users who agreed to participate in the study, 573 (89%) completed consent forms and a questionnaire between June and August 2008. Clinical characteristics (HIV, hepatitis C, and RuJu) were retrieved from their medical files. Multinomial logistic regression was performed to examine the association of RuJu and HIV seropositivity, with drug risk behavior and sexual risk behavior controlled for. RESULTS 206 respondents (36%) were HIV positive, 428 (75%) were HCV positive, and 232 (40%) had RuJu beads. 21% reported condom use at last sex and 34% reported multiple sexual partners during the last 6 months. 88% reported that they had injected heroin within the last 6 months, 18% shared a needle at last injection, and 26% shared rinses at last injection. Multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed that HIV-positive IDUs were more likely than HIV-negative IDUs to have HIV/AIDS knowledge, to have had RuJu and an IDU partner, and to have used a condom at last sex and shared needles and rinse water at last heroin use. CONCLUSION Prevalence rates of HIV, HCV, and RuJu are high among IDUs seen at Taiwan drug detention centers. The results show that RuJu is highly associated with HIV seropositivity. Practitioners who seek to prevent HIV in male IDUs should be aware of the RuJu culture. More research on the role of RuJu in HIV infection is suggested.
Simulations of two-dimensional arrays of beads under external vibrations: Scaling behavior.

We present a series of simulations on systems of beads enclosed in two-dimensional (2D) boxes, and compare the results of molecular dynamics (MD) and event-driven algorithms. The beads collide inelastically and are submitted to vibrations. We vary over a wide range the parameters: the amplitude and the frequency of the vibrations, the number of particles, and the inelasticity of the collisions. While the height of the center of mass of the system scales with respect to the restitution coefficient \ensuremath{\epsilon}, the number of beads N and the typical velocity of the bottom plate, the functional dependence differs from the findings in 1D systems. We find that the MD results depend strongly on the time ${\mathit{t}}_{\mathit{c}}$ during which the particles are in contact.
[Augmentation of myocardial function by improved glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus].

BACKGROUND In patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus diastolic dysfunction is a frequent manifestation of myocardial disease with poor prognosis. The hypothesis that better glycemic control results in improved myocardial function was tested using tissue Doppler. METHODS During a short-term (3 weeks) and a long-term (52 weeks) study, metabolic control and myocardial function were evaluated in 33 and 50 patients, respectively, with type 2 diabetes. Systolic (Vs) and diastolic (Ve) myocardial velocity were assessed by tissue Doppler. In the short-term study, antidiabetic therapy was intensified in 25 patients (Int3) and compared to those eight individuals with unchanged therapy (Con3), similarly to the long-term study with Int52 (n = 39) and Con52 (n = 11). RESULTS In Int3, fasting serum glucose was reduced by 69+/-47 mg/dl (p < 0.01) compared to baseline and was associated with an increase of Ve from 8.0 +/- 1.6 to 8.8 +/- 1.6 cm/s (p < 0.01) and Vs from 6.2 +/- 1.1 to 6.6 +/- 1.3 cm/s, p < 0.04. In Con3, serum glucose and myocardial velocities were unchanged. In Int52, fasting serum glucose was reduced by 20 +/- 43 mg/dl (p < 0.017) compared to baseline and was associated with an increase of Ve from 7.6 +/- 1.3 to 8.3 +/- 1.7 cm/s (p < 0.002) and a similar trend in Vs (p < 0.07). In Con52, serum glucose and myocardial velocities remained unchanged. Evaluating pooled data, the changes of diastolic myocardial velocity correlated significantly with the changes of serum glucose (r = 0.49, p < 0.004 short- and r = 0.45; p < 0.002 long-term study, respectively). CONCLUSION In patients with type 2 diabetes subclinical diastolic myocardial dysfunction, measured as diastolic myocardial velocity by tissue Doppler, improves with better glycemic control.
Molecular epidemiology of plasmid patterns in Shigella flexneri types 1–6

SUMMARY A total of 123 drug-resistant and drug-sensitive Shigella flexneri types 1–6, and their Escherichia coli K12 transconjugants were used for plasmid profile analysis by agarose gel electrophoresis. Resistance factors (R-factors) were further characterized by incompatibility testing. The overall distribution of small plasmids in S. flexneri showed that a cryptic plasmid of about 4·6 Kb was found in all serotypes, and a plasmid of about 4·2 Kb was found in serotypes 1–4. Shigella flexneri types 2, 4 and 6 showed a 6·5 Kb plasmid which correlated with SSu-resistance. All S. flexneri serotypes harboured large plasmids of about 217 Kb. Plasmid profile analysis of S. flexneri in Ethiopia showed a high degree of uniformity within individual serotypes. However, there was a limited variability which, at times, could be useful for epidemiological investigation. Shigella flexneri serotypes 1–6 harboured resistance plasmids with diverse molecular weights but mostly belonging to incompatibility groups N and X.
Requirement for a hsp90 Chaperone-dependent MEK1/2-ERK Pathway for B Cell Antigen Receptor-induced Cyclin D2 Expression in Mature B Lymphocytes*

A requirement for cyclin D2 in G1-to-S phase progression has been definitively established in mature B cells stimulated via the B cell antigen receptor (BCR). However, the identity of constituents of the BCR signaling cascade that leads to cyclin D2 accumulation remains incomplete. We report that inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase kinase (MEK)-1/2 blocked BCR-induced activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Inhibition of the MEK1/2-ERK pathway was sufficient to abrogate BCR-induced cyclin D2 expression at the mRNA and protein levels. Disruption of endogenous heat shock protein 90 (hsp90) function with geldanamycin abrogated BCR-induced cyclin D2 expression and proliferation. Geldanamycin effects were attributed to a selective depletion of cellular Raf-1 that interrupted BCR-coupled activation of MEK1/2 and ERK. By contrast, signaling through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and protein kinase C pathways was not affected, suggesting that disruption of hsp90 function did not cause a general impairment of BCR signaling. These results suggest that the MEK1/2-ERK pathway is essential for BCR signaling to cyclin D2 accumulation in ex vivo splenic B lymphocytes. Furthermore, these findings imply that hsp90 function is required for BCR signaling through the Raf-1-MEK1/2-ERK pathway but not through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase- or protein kinase C-dependent pathways.
Beyond parental control and authoritarian parenting style: understanding Chinese parenting through the cultural notion of training.

This study addresses a paradox in the literature involving the parenting style of Asians: Chinese parenting has often been described as "controlling" or "authoritarian". These styles of parenting have been found to be predictive of poor school achievement among European-Americans, and yet the Chinese are performing quite well in school. This study suggests that the concepts of authoritative and authoritarian are somewhat ethnocentric and do not capture the important features of Chinese child rearing, especially for explaining their school success. Immigrant Chinese and European-American mothers of preschool-aged children were administered standard measures of parental control and authoritative-authoritarian parenting style as well as Chinese child-rearing items involving the concept of "training. " After controlling for their education, and their scores on the standard measures, the Chinese mothers were found to score significantly higher on the "training" ideologies. This "training" concept has important features, beyond the authoritarian concept, that may explain Chinese school success.
The biology of Toxorhynchites mosquitoes and their potential as biocontrol agents

Toxorhynchitesspp. mosquitoes are recognised as potential biological control agents of pest and vector species of mosquito. There have been many attempts to use them for this purpose since the beginning of the twentieth century, although with relatively low levels of success, which has been attributed to a lack of knowledge of the general biology of Toxorhynchites mosquitoes. Increasing resistance of vector mosquitoes to traditional chemical pesticides and the expansion of the ranges of these vector mosquitoes have made the search for alternative methods of mosquito control imperative. This review draws together the current knowledge of both the taxonomy and the general biology of Toxorhynchites mosquitoes and details previous attempts to use this group as biocontrol agents and in integrated control programmes. In addition, it makes recommendations for further study of this group in order to facilitate their successful utilization against vector mosquitoes.