Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Is neuropeptide Y responsible for constitutional delay of puberty in girls? A preliminary report

Constitutional delay of puberty (CDP) in otherwise healthy girls is defined as failure to develop secondary sexual features past the age of 13 years (two standard deviations above the mean age at which secondary sexual features appear in the population of girls). The inhibitory action of neuropeptide Y (NPY) on the gonadotropic and somatotropic systems in experimental animals and stimulation by NPY of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis have been reported, prompting us to study the levels of NPY, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and cortisol in eight girls with CDP and normal weight (body mass index (BMI) 21.7 ± 4.5 kg/m2). The results were compared with those from a group of 40 girls (BMI = 20.0 ± 3.1 kg/m2) who demonstrated a normal course of puberty (NP). All girls were studied at menarche (mean age at menarche, study vs. control: 16.4 ± 0.7 vs. 12.6 ± 0.9 years). To measure NPY and IGF-1 we used a radioimmunoassay method, whereas cortisol was measured with an enzyme immunoassay. Blood was collected between 08.00 and 09.00 following an overnight fast. NPY was higher in girls with CDP (181.6 ±106.4 pg/ml) than in girls with NP (55.5 ± 26.3 pg/ml; p < 0.001). In the former group, cortisol was higher (397.3 ± 241.6 nmol/l) than in NP girls (142.7 ±98.0 nmol/l; p < 0.01). Levels of IGF-I in CDP girls were lower than in NP girls (558.0 ± 122.6 vs. 756.5 ± 226.8 ng/ml; p < 0.01). The results corroborate the involvement of NPY in sexual maturation and its role in delayed puberty.
Active commuting to and from school and BMI in elementary school children-preliminary data.

BACKGROUND United States National Health Objectives include increasing the proportion of trips made by walking to and from school for children who live within 1.6 km to 50%. The purpose of this objective is to increase the level of physical activity among children. However, the impact of walking, bicycling or skating (active commuting) to and from school on the prevalence of overweight is unknown. METHODS Body mass index (BMI) was measured for 320 children (age 10.2+/-0.7 years) in September. Over 5 months, an active commuting index (SI) and daily physical activity were estimated via questionnaire. In April, BMI and body fat were measured. RESULTS A significant positive association was found between April BMI and SI adjusting for September BMI (partial r=0.03, P<0.05). Positive associations were found between SI and physical activity before school (r=0.17, P<0.05) and daily moderate intensity physical activity (r=0.13, P<0.05). There were no significant association between SI and BF (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS This preliminary data suggests that active commuting does not appear to provide sufficient amounts of physical activity to attenuate BMI; however, it may contribute to the attainment of physical activity recommendations. Future research is needed to objectively measure the impact of active commuting on the prevalence of overweight.
Inference by eye: Reading the overlap of independent confidence intervals

When 95 per cent confidence intervals (CIs) on independent means do not overlap, the two‐tailed p‐value is less than 0.05 and there is a statistically significant difference between the means. However, p for non‐overlapping 95 per cent CIs is actually considerably smaller than 0.05: If the two CIs just touch, p is about 0.01, and the intervals can overlap by as much as about half the length of one CI arm before p becomes as large as 0.05. Keeping in mind this rule—that overlap of half the length of one arm corresponds approximately to statistical significance at p = 0.05—can be helpful for a quick appreciation of figures that display CIs, especially if precise p‐values are not reported. The author investigated the robustness of this and similar rules, and found them sufficiently accurate when sample sizes are at least 10, and the two intervals do not differ in width by more than a factor of 2. The author reviewed previous discussions of CI overlap and extended the investigation to p‐values other than 0.05 and 0.01. He also studied 95 per cent CIs on two proportions, and on two Pearson correlations, and found similar rules apply to overlap of these asymmetric CIs, for a very broad range of cases. Wider use of figures with 95 per cent CIs is desirable, and these rules may assist easy and appropriate understanding of such figures. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
What Can Merit-Aid Buy? The Effects of Financial Aid Packages on the Enrollment Decisions of Applicants to a Large Public University

The increasing prominence of merit-based grant programs at institutions of higher education as well as at the state level, make understanding the true effects of financial aid on needy students an important and timely inquiry. This paper builds on previous research through its focus on a large public university and the explicit modeling of the enrollment choice across different institutional types. The findings indicate that institutional merit-based aid is an effective tool in attracting students from out-of-state to attend a large state university. However, low-income students are found to be less responsive when compared to non-needy students, an indication that merit-aid may benefit the relatively well-off.
An association between homozygous C3 deficiency and low levels of anti‐pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide antibodies

Inherited deficiencies of complement components are associated with an increased risk of infection by encapsulated, high grade bacterial pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae. Haemophilus influenzae type b and Neisseria meningitidis. Hence, the levels of antibodies to bacterial capsular polysaccharide antigens were measured using ELISA in 65 patients with inherited deficiencies covering the classical, alternative and terminal components of the complement cascade. Three of the four C3‐deficient individuals studied were found to be almost totally deficient in specific anti‐pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide (PCP) antibodies. These individuals had a history of recurrent pneumococcal sepsis. While single individuals with Clr, C2 and ClInh deficiency were found to have low anti‐PCP antibody levels, no other group of complement deficiency had significantly reduced anti‐PCP antibody levels compared with 100 controls. Antibody levels to the other two polysaccharides were not significantly lower in the patient groups. These findings suggest that C3 may be able to provide a stimulatory signal to promote the production of anti‐PCP antibodies.
Maternal smoking and behavior problems of children.

Numerous health consequences of children's exposure to maternal smoking have been demonstrated, including increased rates of low birth weight, infant mortality, respiratory infections, asthma, and modest impairments of cognitive development. There is little evidence, however, linking maternal smoking and increased rates of children's behavior problems. Data from the population-based National Longitudinal Survey of Youth were used to investigate the possible association of maternal smoking and behavior problems among 2256 children aged 4 through 11 years. In multiple regression analyses the authors controlled for child's race, age, sex, birth weight, and chronic asthma; family structure, income, and divorce or separation in the prior 2 years; mother's education, intelligence, self-esteem, employment status, chronic disabling health conditions, and use of alcohol during pregnancy; and the quality of the home environment as assessed by the Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment-Short Form to investigate the relationship between maternal smoking and children's behavior problems. The measure of maternal smoking status reflected two levels of smoking intensity (less than a pack per day and a pack or more per day) for each of three different categories of children's exposure: prenatal only (mother smoked only during pregnancy), passive only (mother smoked only after pregnancy), and prenatal plus passive exposure (mother smoked both during and after pregnancy). Measures of children's behavior problems included the overall score on a 32-item parent-reported child Behavior Problem Index (PBI), scores on the BPI's subscales, and rates of extreme scores on the BPI. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Novel Stability Criteria of Nonlinear Uncertain Systems with Time-Varying Delay

The problem of robust exponential stabilization for dynamical nonlinear systems with uncertainties and time-varying delay is considered in the paper. By constructing the proposed Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional approach, continuous state feedback controllers are put forward, and the criteria which guarantee the exponential stabilization of the nonlinear systems with uncertainties and time-varying delay are established in terms of solutions to the standard Riccati differential equations. Furthermore, based on the Lyapunov method and the linear matrix inequality approach, the sufficient conditions of exponential stability for a class of uncertain systems with time-varying delays and nonlinear perturbations are derived. Finally, two numerical examples are given to demonstrate the validity of the results.
In Vitro Activities of Linezolid against Important Gram-Positive Bacterial Pathogens Including Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci

ABSTRACT The emergence of resistance in gram-positive bacteria has necessitated a search for new antimicrobial agents. Linezolid is an oxazolidinone, a new class of antibacterial agents with enhanced activity against pathogens. We compared the activity of linezolid to those of other antimicrobial agents against 3,945 clinical isolates. Linezolid demonstrated potent activity against all isolates tested. For all vancomycin-susceptible enterococci, staphylococci, and streptococci, the activity of linezolid was comparable to that of vancomycin. Against oxacillin-resistant staphylococci and vancomycin-resistant enterococci, linezolid was the most active agent tested. In summary, linezolid appears to be a promising new antimicrobial agent for the treatment of gram-positive infections.
Understanding new forms of European integration: a study in competing political economy explanations

This book provides a balanced introduction to diverse political economy perspectives on different aspects of European integration, demonstrating both the importance and the potential of research in this area. The volume includes three types of chapters: broad literature reviews, narrower applications of existing arguments, and new syntheses of competing claims. The authors also present a critical appraisal of how scholars in the EU and US use theory to understand European integration, and examine issues such as citizens' attitudes, perceptions and preferences of actors, the role of non-state actors, principle-agent questions, and the role and the autonomy of European institutions. This empirically informed and methodologically rigorous volume will be of great interest to students and researchers in the fields of comparative political economy, EU studies, international political economy and international organizations.
Prehospital cooling of severe burns: Experience of the Emergency Department at Edendale Hospital, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

BACKGROUND Early cooling with 10 - 20 minutes of cool running water up to 3 hours after a burn has a direct impact on the depth of the burn and therefore on the clinical outcome of the injury. An assessment of the early cooling of burns is essential to improve this aspect of burns management. OBJECTIVES To assess the rates and adequacy of prehospital cooling received by patients with severe burns before presentation to the Emergency Department (ED) at Edendale Hospital, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. Patients with inadequate prehospital cooling who presented to the ED within 3 hours were also identified. METHODS A retrospective reviewof the burns database for all the patients with severe burns admitted from the ED at Edendale Hospital from September 2012 to August 2013 was undertaken. Demographic details, characteristics and timing of the burns, and presentation were correlated with burn cooling. RESULTS Ninety patients were admitted with severe burns. None received sufficient cooling of their burns, 25.6% received cooling of inadequate duration, and 32.3% arrived at the ED within 3 hours after the burn with either inadequate or no cooling. The median time to presentation to the ED after the burn was 260 minutes. CONCLUSION Appropriate cooling of severe burns presenting to Edendale Hospital is inadequate. Education of the community and prehospital healthcare workers about the iiportance of early appropriate cooling of severe burns is required. Many patients would benefit from cooling of their burns in the ED, and facilities should be provided for this vital function.
Improvement of voluntary quadriceps muscle activation after total knee arthroplasty.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) force and the voluntary activation of the quadriceps femoris muscle in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) before and after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). DESIGN A prospective intervention study. SETTING University hospital clinic in Germany. PATIENTS Fifty patients (32 women, 18 men; mean age +/- standard deviation, 65.8+/-5.6 y) with knee OA and 23 healthy age- and gender-matched control subjects. INTERVENTION Unilateral TKA without patella resurfacing. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Voluntary activation, MVC, and true maximal contraction forces of the bilateral quadriceps femoris muscles, using the twitch interpolation technique before and 33+/-8 months after TKA. Assessment of postoperative knee pain by the Lewis score. RESULTS Voluntary activation increased bilaterally after surgery (P<.01 operated side, P=.02 nonoperated side) but remained lower than the voluntary activation of the controls. MVC (P<.001) and true maximal contraction forces (P=.01) increased significantly on the operated side. MVC remained unchanged (P=.45), and true maximal contraction forces decreased significantly (P=.04) on the nonoperated side. CONCLUSION Patients with knee OA have significant bilateral voluntary activation deficits that are, at least in part, reversible within 3 years after TKA. Rehabilitation programs immediately after TKA should focus on reduction of voluntary activation deficits. After voluntary activation improves, physical therapy should target the augmentation of quadriceps femoris muscle strength.
MYB72 Is Required in Early Signaling Steps of Rhizobacteria-Induced Systemic Resistance in Arabidopsis[W][OA]

Colonization of Arabidopsis thaliana roots by nonpathogenic Pseudomonas fluorescens WCS417r bacteria triggers a jasmonate/ethylene-dependent induced systemic resistance (ISR) that is effective against a broad range of pathogens. Microarray analysis revealed that the R2R3-MYB-like transcription factor gene MYB72 is specifically activated in the roots upon colonization by WCS417r. Here, we show that T-DNA knockout mutants myb72-1 and myb72-2 are incapable of mounting ISR against the pathogens Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato, Hyaloperonospora parasitica, Alternaria brassicicola, and Botrytis cinerea, indicating that MYB72 is essential to establish broad-spectrum ISR. Overexpression of MYB72 did not result in enhanced resistance against any of the pathogens tested, demonstrating that MYB72 is not sufficient for the expression of ISR. Yeast two-hybrid analysis revealed that MYB72 physically interacts in vitro with the ETHYLENE INSENSITIVE3 (EIN3)-LIKE3 transcription factor EIL3, linking MYB72 function to the ethylene response pathway. However, WCS417r activated MYB72 in ISR-deficient, ethylene-insensitive ein2-1 plants. Moreover, exogenous application of the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate induced wild-type levels of resistance in myb72-1, suggesting that MYB72 acts upstream of ethylene in the ISR pathway. Collectively, this study identified the transcriptional regulator MYB72 as a novel ISR signaling component that is required in the roots during early signaling steps of rhizobacteria-mediated ISR.
Age and gender differences in Framingham risk score and metabolic syndrome in psoriasis patients: A cross-sectional study in the Turkish population

Objective: Psoriasis is associated with an increased frequency of cardiovascular risk factors. Metabolic syndrome (MS) and the Framingham risk score (FRS) are two different algorithms for evaluating cardiovascular risk. They include different features: waist circumference measurement is included in the MS criteria, whereas smoking, age, and gender are questioned in FRS. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of MS and FRS in psoriasis patients compared with a control group and investigate the differences between MS and FRS. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 300 psoriasis patients and 177 controls. MS, FRS, and disease severity were evaluated. Results: The frequency of MS was higher in females with psoriasis than in those in the control group (p=0.019). Females in the psoriasis group were more obese than those in the control group (p=0.036). FRS significantly differed between the patients and controls of age >60 years (p=0.006). The risk of hypertension in current and past smokers was higher in the psoriasis patients (OR=2.07 and 2.32–2.48, respectively) than in the control group. There was no statistically significant relationship among MS, FRS, and psoriasis severity (p>0.05). Conclusion: The results of this study support the evaluation of cardiovascular risk assessment in female psoriasis patients with MS and in male and elderly psoriasis patients with FRS.
Inward Torque and High-Friction Handles Can Reduce Required Muscle Efforts for Torque Generation

Objective: The effects of handle friction and torque direction on muscle activity and torque are empirically investigated using cylindrical handles. Background: A torque biomechanical model that considers contact force, friction, and torque direction was evaluated using different friction handles. Methods: Twelve adults exerted hand torque in opposite directions about the long axis of a cylinder covered with aluminum or rubber while grip force, torque, and finger flexor electromyography (EMG) were recorded. In addition, participants performed grip exertions without torque, in which they matched the EMG level obtained during previous maximum torque exertions, to allow us to determine how grip force was affected by the absence of torque. Results: (a) Maximum torque was 52% greater for the high-friction rubber handle than for the low-friction aluminum handle. (b) Total normal force increased 33% with inward torque (torque applied in the direction fingertips point) and decreased 14% with outward torque (torque in the direction the thumb points), compared with that with no torque. Consequently, maximum inward torque was 45% greater than maximum outward torque. (c) The effect of torque direction was greater for the high-friction rubber handle than for the low-friction aluminum handle. Conclusion: The results support the proposed model, which predicts a large effect of torque direction when high-friction handles are gripped. Application: Designing tasks with high friction and inward rotations can increase the torque capability of workers of a given strength, or reduce required muscle activities for given torque exertions, thus reducing the risk of fatigue and musculoskeletal disorders.
In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of PEDOT Microelectrodes for Neural Stimulation and Recording

Cortical neural prostheses require chronically implanted small-area microelectrode arrays that simultaneously record and stimulate neural activity. It is necessary to develop new materials with low interface impedance and large charge transfer capacity for this application and we explore the use of conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) for the same. We subjected PEDOT coated electrodes to voltage cycling between -0.6 and 0.8 V, 24 h continuous biphasic stimulation at 3 mC/cm2 and accelerated aging for four weeks. Characterization was performed using cyclic voltammetry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and voltage transient measurements. We found that PEDOT coated electrodes showed a charge injection limit 15 times higher than Platinum Iridium (Ptlr) electrodes and electroplated Iridium Oxide (IrOx) electrodes when using constant current stimulation at zero voltage bias. In vivo chronic testing of microelectrode arrays implanted in rat cortex revealed that PEDOT coated electrodes show higher signal-to-noise recordings and superior charge injection compared to Ptlr electrodes.
Iron and Fur in the life cycle of the zoonotic pathogen Vibrio vulnificus.

In this study, we aimed to analyze the global response to iron in the broad-range host pathogen Vibrio vulnificus under the hypothesis that iron is one of the main signals triggering survival mechanisms both inside and outside its hosts. To this end, we selected a strain from the main zoonotic clonal-complex, obtained a mutant in the ferric-uptake-regulator (Fur), and analyzed their transcriptomic profiles in both iron-excess and iron-poor conditions by using a strain-specific microarray platform. Among the genes differentially expressed, we identified around 250 as putatively involved in virulence and survival-related mechanisms. Then, we designed and performed a series of in vivo and in vitro tests to find out if the processes highlighted by the microarray experiments were in fact under iron and/or Fur control. Our results support the hypothesis that iron acts as a niche marker, not always through Fur, for V. vulnificus controlling its entire life cycle. This ranges from survival in the marine environment, including motility and chemotaxis, to survival in the blood of their hosts, including host-specific mechanisms of resistance to innate immunity. These mechanisms allow the bacterium to multiply and persist inside and between their hosts.
Nuclear accumulation of p53 in colorectal adenocarcinoma

Although several studies have been conducted to examine the role of p53 genetic abnormalities and their prognostic value in colorectal carcinoma, the incidence of nuclear accumulation of p53 and the prognostic importance of nuclear accumulation of p53 in African‐American and white patients have not been investigated separately. Therefore, the authors evaluated the prognostic significance of p53 nuclear accumulation in these two racial groups.
A study regarding efficacy of various intraocular lens power calculation formulas in a subset of Indian myopic population

Efficacy of intraocular lens power calculation formulas in a subset of Indian myopic population. Retrospectively reviewed 43 patients who underwent phacoemulsification with high axial length (AL) (>24.5 mm, range 24.75-32.35 mm). The power of the implanted intraocular lens (IOL) was used to calculate the predicted post-operative refractive error by four formulas: Sanders-Retzlaff-Kraff (SRK II), SRK/T, Holladay 1, and Hoffer Q. The predictive accuracy of the formulas was analyzed by comparing the difference between the “actual” and “predicted” postoperative refractive errors. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests were done to have pair-wise comparisons between the formulas and P < 0.05 was considered significant. A subcategory of axial length 24.5-26.5 mm was also tested. Holladay 1, Hoffer Q and SRK/T formulas showed a slight tendency toward resultant hyperopia, with mean error of +0.24 diopters (D), +0.58 D, and +0.92 D, respectively. The Holladay 1 formula provided the best predictive result overall.