Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes in exercise capacity following cardiac rehabilitation in patients stratified according to age and gender. Results of the Massachusetts Association of Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Rehabilitation Multicenter Database.

BACKGROUND Using information collected prospectively from a multicenter cardiac rehabilitation database, this study was designed to evaluate baseline exercise tolerance and subsequent change in functional capacity among consecutive patients enrolled in supervised cardiac rehabilitation stratified according to age and gender. In addition, the study evaluated change in functional capacity among those with the lowest initial exercise tolerance (<5 METS) and assessed patient factors that correlate to the highest relative improvements in functional capacity after training. METHODS A total of 778 patients performed an initial exercise test upon entry into cardiac rehabilitation, during which peak heart rate, blood pressure, and estimated peak MET levels were derived, and ischemic responses were evaluated. After 10 +/- 2 weeks of supervised prescribed exercise, 500 patients who completed the program performed follow-up exercise testing. RESULTS The subjects included 558 men (72%) and 220 women (28%) of whom 492 (63%) were <65 years, 241 (31%) were 65 to 75 years, and 45 (6%) were >75 years. At baseline, the peak initial MET level for men was 8.6 +/- 3.4 METS and for women was 6.0 +/- 2.6 METs. The peak initial MET level declined with age: age <65 = 8.9 +/- 3.4 METS; age 65 to 75 = 6.6 +/- 2.6 METS; and age >75 = 5.7 +/- 2.9 METS. When stratified according to age and gender, the baseline exercise tolerance for men significantly (P <.0001) declined with age and was higher than that of women <65 and 65 to 75 years of age. After training, the relative improvement in exercise tolerance for each age and/or gender subgroup was: age <65: men 36%, women 41%; age 65 to 75: men 36%, women 50%; and age >75: men 36%, women 32%. Among 163 patients with an initial peak MET level <5, exercise tolerance rose from 4.1 +/- 0.7 to 8.3 +/- 3.5 METS (P <.0001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that the greatest change in exercise tolerance with training was associated with those compliant patients with initial peak METS <5. No significant net change in the occurrence of exercise-induced ischemia was observed. CONCLUSIONS Among consecutive patients enrolled in cardiac rehabilitation, baseline exercise tolerance differs relative to age and gender, with male gender and younger age demonstrating the highest functional capacity. Exercise training yielded significant improvements in exercise tolerance among men and women of every age group including those older than 75 years, and particularly among those with an initial peak MET level <5. Thus, referral to cardiac rehabilitation programs should be advocated for both men and women, and should not be limited by age.
The Results of Experimental Exposition of Mice by Mobile Telephones

Today's widespread use of mobile phones has raised the concern about the possible harmful biological effects of long-term exposure to the microwave radiation of low intensity. In vivo investigations of non-thermal influences under the exposure to actual GSM phone radiation comes predominantly from animal studies. In this paper, the results of an experimental exposition of mice by mobile phones are presented. Biological effects of microwave radiation on brain and liver of experimental animals, and increased oxidative stress as a possible pathogenetic mechanism for harmful effects, have been investigated
Practical Russian experience of using complex apparatus and programs for analysis of heart rate variability

Presents some results of the experience of using computerised rhythmocardiography (RCG) apparatus and heart rate variability analysis. This method and its equipment is used in 28 hospitals of the Ural region. The RCG data is comprised of more than 15 thousand RCGs from patients with different forms of cardiovascular disease. The results of this study show that RCG with heart rhythm wave structure analysis using the presented computerised apparatus may be used in practical medicine for nonspecific diagnostics of cardiovascular pathology. This method can decrease nondiagnostic cases of cardiovascular diseases and their complications.
Homing endonuclease structure and function

Homing endonucleases are encoded by open reading frames that are embedded within group I, group II and archael introns, as well as inteins (intervening sequences that are spliced and excised post-translationally). These enzymes initiate transfer of those elements (and themselves) by generating strand breaks in cognate alleles that lack the intervening sequence, as well as in additional ectopic sites that broaden the range of intron and intein mobility. Homing endonucleases can be divided into several unique families that are remarkable in several respects: they display extremely high DNA-binding specificities which arise from long DNA target sites (14–40 bp), they are tolerant of a variety of sequence variations in these sites, and they display disparate DNA cleavage mechanisms. A significant number of homing endonucleases also act as maturases (highly specific cofactors for the RNA splicing reactions of their cognate introns). Of the known homing group I endonuclease families, two (HNH and His-Cys box enzymes) appear to be diverged from a common ancestral nuclease. While crystal structures of several representatives of the LAGLIDADG endonuclease family have been determined, only structures of single members of the HNH (I-HmuI), His-Cys box (I-PpoI) and GIY-YIG (I-TevI) families have been elucidated. These studies provide an important source of information for structure–function relationships in those families, and are the centerpiece of this review. Finally, homing endonucleases are significant targets for redesign and selection experiments, in hopes of generating novel DNA binding and cutting reagents for a variety of genomic applications.
The role of endobronchial ultrasound in diagnosis, staging and treatment

Conventional imaging procedures proved to be insufficient for staging of lung cancer especially with respect to N-stage, infiltration of mediastinal structures and early lung cancer. As the endoscopist view is restricted, we developed a new method of endobronchial ultrasonography as adjunct to conventional bronchoscopy. The initial technical problems were solved by development of a balloon catheter for application of miniaturized 20 MHz probes. Endobronchial ultrasonography is a new technology that can be easily applied and is well tolerated. It improves the results of bronchoscopy in addition to conventional diagnostic procedures. Further developments will be made in future to improve the application of ultrasound in chest medicine.
Accelerometer-assessed daily physical activity in relation to pain cognition in juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Objectives: Pain has been known to predict low physical activity (PA) in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and high levels of pain are related to maladaptive coping rather than disease severity. Objectively monitored PA in JIA has recently been shown not to be related to pain intensity, emphasizing the need to explore pain more deeply. The aim of this study was to examine accelerometer-assessed PA in relation to pain cognition in children with JIA. Method: Data gathered included disease activity, functional ability, and pain cognition. PA was monitored with a GT1M Actigraph accelerometer. Results: Sixty-one patients were included. Disease activity, functional impairment, and pain intensity scores were relatively low. Accelerometry was correlated positively to the specific belief of having control of pain (‘Control’) but negatively to disease activity. There was no correlation with functional ability, pain intensity, coping strategies, or other pain beliefs. When isolated, disease activity (measured by the 27-joint count Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score, JADAS-27) contributed significantly to the variance in accelerometry, while ‘Control’ could not significantly explain a unique part of the variance. Conclusions: Objectively measured PA was negatively correlated to disease activity but not to pain intensity. The only pain cognition measurement to reach higher levels of PA was to be in control of pain.
Stavudine plasma concentrations and lipoatrophy.

OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to determine the correlation between plasma stavudine concentrations and lipoatrophy (LA), one of the major adverse events in patients on stavudine and one of the major reasons to discontinue stavudine. METHODS Plasma drug concentrations were retrospectively analysed in patients who were on a stavudine-containing regimen for at least 12 months. We defined two groups of patients: 21 patients with LA and 15 patients without LA or other stavudine-related side effects (i.e. neuropathy). RESULTS We analysed stavudine concentrations in 212 plasma samples: 87 in the control group and 125 in the LA group, with a mean of four plasma samples per person (at least two a year). Demographics were comparable in LA patients and controls, except the duration of stavudine use, which was longer in the LA group: 55 versus 42 months in the control group. Overall, LA patients had higher drug exposure to stavudine when compared with the controls, and this was seen in the geometric concentration ratios (CRs), which were 0.978 and 0.741, respectively (P = 0.04), and also a higher percentage of CR values >1.0, representing a drug concentration above the normal population curve (46% versus 23%, P = 0.02). In addition, the duration of stavudine therapy was independently associated with LA (P = 0.05). In the multivariate analysis, both duration of stavudine (P = 0.05) and CR > 1.0 (P = 0.02) were independently correlated with LA. CONCLUSIONS Monitoring of plasma stavudine concentrations can be useful to prevent stavudine-related LA.
Sense of meaning in life among the oldest old people living in a rural area in northern Sweden.

BACKGROUND Having meaning in life is important for all people, and according to Erikson's developmental theory, this is especially true for older adults. However, there are few studies about meaning in life focusing on the oldest old. AIM The aim of our study was to illuminate the sense of meaning in life in the oldest old living in northern Sweden. DESIGN The study has a qualitative explorative and interpretative design. METHOD We interviewed three men and seven women between 85 and 95 years old and analysed the interviews using qualitative content analysis. FINDINGS Our findings revealed the following four themes: 'Creating space for living', 'Living in connection with others and nature', 'Seeing oneself as a link between generations' and 'Having trust in God'. CONCLUSIONS The sense of meaning in life in the oldest old was linked to regarding oneself as having a mission to carry out and to finding beauty, joy and happiness in life. The sense of meaning involved transferring to coming generations what earlier generations had left and having a deeply rooted faith in being taken care of from birth to the afterlife. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE When caring for the oldest old, it is important to take their experiences of sense of meaning in life into consideration and to focus on ways to maintain important sources of meaning in life.
Severe Hypotension Is Not Essential for Isoflurane Neuroprotection against Forebrain Ischemia in Mice

Background Volatile anesthetics provide protection in experimental models of global cerebral ischemia. To date, all models evaluated have included profound systemic arterial hypotension as a component of the ischemic insult. This study was designed to determine if isoflurane protection persists in a global insult devoid of hypotension. Methods C57BL/6J mice having a high incidence of posterior communicating artery atresia were anesthetized with isoflurane (1.2%) or fentanyl/N2O and subjected to bilateral carotid artery occlusion for 15 min or 20 min with normotension (80–110 mmHg mean arterial pressure) or for 10 min with hypotension (35 mmHg mean arterial pressure). Three days later, neurologic function and histologic damage were assessed. Other mice underwent measurement of intraischemic cerebral blood flow (4-iodo-N-methyl-[14C]antipyrine autoradiography) or plasma norepinephrine. Results Isoflurane reduced the percentage of hippocampal CA1 dead neurons (e.g., 10 min bilateral carotid occlusion + hypotension: 43 ± 18 (isoflurane) vs. 67 ± 20 (fentanyl/N2O), P = 0.003; 20 min bilateral carotid occlusion + normotension: 49 ± 27 (isoflurane) vs. 71 ± 22 (fentanyl/N2O), P = 0.003). Isoflurane also reduced CA3 damage and improved neurologic function under all conditions. Intraischemic forebrain blood flow was similar during bilateral carotid occlusion plus normotension for the two anesthetic states. Plasma norepinephrine values were greater when hypotension was added to the ischemic insult. Conclusions Isoflurane resulted in improved neurologic function and reduced histologic damage regardless of the presence or absence of systemic hypotension during the ischemic insult. This indicates that beneficial effects of isoflurane are most likely attributable to direct effects at the neuronal level as opposed to indirect effects resulting from interactions with profound hypotension.
Dichotic Listening and Bisensory Memory Skills in Qualitatively Diverse Dyslexic Readers

Dichotic listening and bisensory memory skills were investigated in 144 male middle-class second-grade (N=72) and fourth-grade (N=72) readers. Subjects were classified according to the Boder system, which distinguishes among normal and three types of dyslexic readers: dysphonetic (auditory dyslexic), dyseidetic (visual dyslexic), and alexic (combined). Results of the dichotic (recall of simultaneous auditory stimuli) and bisensory (recall of simultaneous visual and auditory stimuli) tasks indicated that normal and dyseidetic readers were able to attend, store, and retrieve stimuli at both grades and experimental rates of stimulus presentation better than alexic or dysphonetic readers. Ear asymmetry, as measured by dichotic right-ear advantage, did not discriminate normal from dyslexic groups. The greater task inability of the alexic and dysphonetic groups may be reflective of their difficulty in processing linguistic (left hemisphere) and spatial (right hemisphere) information that is basic to the reading process. The overall results suggest that remediation may be more difficult to implement with certain types of problem readers than with others.
Plague Conditions in a Rural Endemic Area of Kenya (Keruguya District, Kikuyu Province)

1. In the introduction, the characteristics of the people are given from the observations of administrative and medical officers well acquainted with the area, fertility of the land and ample rainfall being the main theme of each observation. 2. The topography, climate and local conditions are given, including notes on crop production, habitations, clothing, domestic animals, origin of the people and food. 3. The population figures and rat and human plague figures are discussed. The rat and flea population figures over a twelve month trapping period are given and notes made on interesting biological problems arising out of these figures. 4. The male and female ratios in a Rattus population in plague endemic areas offer an interesting problem for further investigation. It would be instructive to find out what are the factors responsible for high female ratios and the significance of such female dominance being peculiar to endemic areas. 5. The field rodent and flea survey figures are discussed. Although an interchange of fleas takes place between them and house rats, plague remains absent from such communities. 6. There is no evidence to show that there is carriage of infection from endemic centres, either by rats, fleas, merchandise or man. 7. A comparison is drawn between a Kenya endemic centre and an Indian one, similarities and differences being noted. The similarities are that both areas are extremely fertile, large crops of cereals being grown, and the diets of both man and rats are confined to this inadequate source of nourishment. The great differences between Indian and Kenyan endemic centres are the flea species present and that India suffers a much heavier mortality rate in man than does Kenya. 8. It is suggested that the low incidence of plague in man in Kenya is partly explained by the habits of Rattus, which in the typical dwellings of native areas nests in the thatch. Its ectoparasites are then unlikely to come into contact with man. In buildings where rats nest underground contact between its flea (then Xenopsylla cheopis) and man is likely to be very close and constant, and areas containing such buildings are usually distinguished by the epidemic nature of the disease.
Natural variation in mite antigen density in house dust and relationship to residential factors

To investigate the year‐to‐year variation of mite antigen density (Der p I, Der f1) in dust from mattresses and the relevance of residential factors for antigen load, information derived from an epidemiologic study including two surveys carried out in the households of a cohort of elementary school children (n= 1291) was analysed.
Severe acro-renal-uterine-mandibular syndrome.

Although limb and renal defects occur together in a variety of patterns of multiple malformations, familial cases of acro-renal disorders are rare. In 1980, Halal et al. ¿Am J Med Genet 5:277-284 described two sisters with unusual limb deficiencies, renal anomalies, and mandibular hypoplasia and termed this condition acro-renal-mandibular syndrome. A girl reported earlier by Fitch and Lachance ¿1972; Can Med Assoc J 107:653-656 had similarly limb and renal findings, but an apparently normal jaw. We document three sibs with unusual limb deficiencies, renal agenesis, uterine anomalies in the two females, and orofacial defects, who clearly have a similar but more severe type of acrorenal disorder, apparently inherited as an autosomal recessive condition. The sibs with limb deficiencies and renal agenesis reported by Hennekam et al. ¿1994; Am J Med Genet 53:102-107 appear to be additional cases of this very rare disorder, the pathogenesis of which may be related to abnormal epithelial-mesenchymal interactions.
Evaluation of Immunofluorescent and Direct Agglutination Methods for Detection of Specific Toxoplasma Antibodies

When L-tyrosine alone was added to the diet (0.6 g. the first day and 2.25 g. the next two days) the fasting serum tyrosine increased to 5 mg. /100 ml. , the ferric chloride and D.P.H. tests in the urine got strongly positive, the serum phosphorus dropped to 1.8 and 2 mg. /100 ml. , and the T.R. P. decreased to 10% (see Chart). The excretion of the amino-acids and the p-hydroxyphenolic acids increased again to levels as before the diet (see Table). The mother, who stayed with the child during the dietary period, thought her child was more active and alert during the last part of the low-tyrosine regimen than she had ever been, but this was not apparent to other observers.
Loading Deep Networks Is Hard: The Pyramidal Case

The question of whether it is possible to load deep neural network architectures efficiently is examined by considering the class of pyramidal architectures. This class allows only a low interaction of the nodes. Still, the loading problem is found to be NP-complete. This provides evidence that depth alone is a factor accounting for loading hardness.
Early infiltration of renal allografts with 27E10‐positive macrophages and graft outcome

Abstract Recently, we have demonstrated that acute cellular rejection is correlated with a massive infiltration of 27E10‐positive macrophages. To examine the distribution of macrophage differentiation markers in the infiltrate in the very early post‐transplantation period, two biopsies were taken intraoperatively, approximately 3 h following reperfusion, in each of 16 renal transplant recipients. One biopsy was taken for conventional histology and the other biopsy was snap‐frozen. The sections were stained using an ABC indirect immunoperoxidase technique. A panel of monoclonal antibodies against three macrophage differentiation markers (27E10, 25 F 9 and RM3/1) was used to stain the sections. Using the early inflammation macrophage marker 27E10, there was an unexpected strong staining in 3 out of 16 biopsies. This severe infiltration of 27E10‐positive macrophages with 10–20 macrophages per high power field (compared to 0–2 in others) was correlated in all cases with a poor outcome of the graft. All seven kidneys with no 27E10‐positive infiltration showed a good function 6 weeks post‐transplantation. The other macrophage markers, 25 F 9 and RM3/1, showed a less marked correlation with graft outcome. In conclusion, a massive infiltration of renal allografts with 27E10‐positive macrophages 1 h post‐transplantation may be a very early predictor of poor graft outcome.
Historians, are Archeologists Your Siblings?

The historian of pre-nineteenth century Africa…cannot get far without the aid of archaeology. Nevertheless, historians have good reason to be cautious about historical generalisations by archaeologists and about their own use of archaeological material…: it would be a rash historian who totally accepted the conclusions of Garlake and Huffman with the same simple-minded trust as I myself accepted the conclusions of Summers and Robinson. In the beginning, historians of Africa put great store by archeology. Was its great time depth not one of the distinctive features of the history of Africa, a condition that cannot be put aside without seriously distorting the flavor of all its history? Did not the relative scarcity and the foreign authorship of most precolonial written records render archeological sources all the more precious? Did not history and archeology both deal with the reconstruction of human societies in the past? Was the difference between them not merely the result of a division of labor based on sources, so that historical reconstruction follows in time and flows from archeological reconstruction? Such considerations explain why the Journal of African History has regularly published regional archeological surveys in order to keep historians up to date.
RELATIVE BIOAVAILABILITY OF α- AND β-HEXACHLOROCYCLOHEXANE IN VARIOUS SOILS FROM A CONTAMINATED SITE

Bioavailability of α- and β-isomers of a chlorinated insecticide hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) in several field soils that were contaminated for different time periods was evaluated. Results revealed that the availability of α-HCH to the degradative microorganisms was 75-80% in all the soils, but considerable differences in the availability of β-HCH in different soils were observed. Thus, 80-90% β-HCH was available to 'E.coli-LinB' cells from a freshly spiked soil, and ~70, 60 and 45% from soils that were contaminated for short-, medium- and long-term, respectively. Similarly, their amounts extracted by 50 mM hydroxypropyl-β- cyclodextrin also showed the same trend. It suggests that the bioavailability of β-HCH decreases progressively with an increase in the age of contamination, but of α-HCH is not affected under the same conditions. Reasons behind this differential availability are discussed. Results are important for correct risk- assessment of these residues in the contaminated soils. Keywords: Aging; Bioavailability; Contaminated-soils; Hexachlorocyclohexane; Risk-assessment. Postal Address: P.O. Box-80. Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow-226001 (UP) India.