Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Medical illnesses are more important than medications as risk factors of falls in older community dwellers? A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND Previous studies have confirmed the contribution of various medications towards falls in the older population. Recently questions were raised as to whether the chronic illnesses or drug use was more important. OBJECTIVE We attempt to test the hypothesis that underlying medical illnesses are the cause of falls rather than medications. DESIGN Cross-sectional. SETTING Urban community in Hong Kong. SUBJECTS 4,000 Ambulatory community-dwelling men and women aged 65 years or over. METHODS Demographic data, fall history in the previous 12 months, medical diagnoses, current medications and self-rated health were recorded. Body measurements and neuromuscular function tests were performed. Medical diagnoses and their corresponding medications were tested simultaneously in a multivariate model. RESULTS 789 (19.7%) Subjects reported at least one fall and 235 (5.9%) experienced two or more falls. After adjustment for age and sex, medications associated with any falls were aspirin, diabetic drugs, nitrates, NSAIDs, and paracetamol, and those associated with recurrent falls were calcium channel blockers, diabetic drugs, nitrates, NSAIDs, aspirin and statins. Only anti-diabetics and nitrate showed moderate and borderline significance in multivariate analyses for recurrent and any falls respectively (OR 2.9, P = 0.01; OR 1.5, P = 0.027). Other medications failed to show significant relationship with falls, while eye diseases, heart diseases and musculoskeletal pain showed variable associations. CONCLUSION The apparent association between many medications and falls was mediated through the underlying medical diagnoses and neuromuscular impairment. Anti-diabetics agents were associated with falls.
Use of a Multisource Feedback Tool to Develop Pharmacists in a Postgraduate Training Program

Objectives. To evaluate use of a peer-assessment tool as a performance indicator for junior pharmacists in a formal postgraduate training program in London. Methods. A 4-year retrospective analysis of data gathered using the pharmacy mini-PAT (peer-assessment tool) was undertaken. Assessments, including junior pharmacist self-evaluations, were conducted every 6 months. Overall performance and performance for clustered items were analyzed to determine changes. Assessments by healthcare professionals were then compared between professional groupings, which included pharmacists, physicians, and nurses. Results. There was a significant improvement over time in both self-assessment scores and scores on assessments conducted by others using the mini-PAT. Junior pharmacists rated themselves significantly lower than did their assessors (p<0.001); pharmacist assessors rated the performance of junior pharmacists significantly lower than did other healthcare professionals (p<0.001). Validity, ease of use, and relevance of the pharmacy mini-PAT were demonstrated. Conclusions. As part of a range of formative evaluations involving assessors from across various health professions, the mini-PAT is a valuable instrument for developing junior pharmacists. A cohort’s mini-PAT result provides a snapshot of his/her performance that can be used to identify key areas requiring further training.
The consequences of chromosomal aneuploidy on gene expression profiles in a cell line model for prostate carcinogenesis.

Here we report the genetic characterization of immortalized prostate epithelial cells before and after conversion to tumorigenicity using molecular cytogenetics and microarray technology. We were particularly interested to analyze the consequences of acquired chromosomal aneuploidies with respect to modifications of gene expression profiles. Compared with nontumorigenic but immortalized prostate epithelium, prostate tumor cell lines showed high levels of chromosomal rearrangements that led to gains of 1p, 5, 11q, 12p, 16q, and 20q and losses of 1pter, 11p, 17, 20p, 21, 22, and Y. Of 5700 unique targets on a 6.5K cDNA microarray, approximately 3% were subject to modification in expression levels; these included GRO-1, -2, IAP-1,- 2, MMP-9, and cyclin D1, which showed increased expression, and TRAIL, BRCA1, and CTNNA, which showed decreased expression. Thirty % of expression changes occurred in regions the genomic copy number of which remained balanced. Of the remainder, 42% of down-regulated and 51% of up-regulated genes mapped to regions present in decreased or increased genomic copy numbers, respectively. A relative gain or loss of a chromosome or chromosomal arm usually resulted in a statistically significant increase or decrease, respectively, in the average expression level of all of the genes on the chromosome. However, of these genes, very few (e.g., 5 of 101 genes on chromosome 11q), and in some instances only two genes (MMP-9 and PROCR on chromosome 20q), were overexpressed by > or =1.7-fold when scored individually. Cluster analysis by gene function suggests that prostate tumorigenesis in these cell line models involves alterations in gene expression that may favor invasion, prevent apoptosis, and promote growth.
A self-made, low-cost infrared system for evaluating the sciatic functional index in mice

The sciatic functional index (SFI) is a popular parameter for peripheral nerve evaluation that relies on footprints obtained with ink and paper. Drawbacks include smearing artefacts and a lack of dynamic information during measurement. Modern applications use digitized systems that can deliver results with less analytical effort and fewer mice. However, the systems are expensive (€40,000). This study aimed to evaluate the applicability and precision of a self-made, low-cost infrared system for evaluating SFI in mice. Mice were subjected to unilateral sciatic nerve crush injury (crush group; n = 7) and sham operation (sham group; n = 4). They were evaluated on the day before surgery, the 2 nd , 4 th and 6 th days after injury, and then every day up to the 23 rd day after injury. We compared two SFI evaluation methods, i.e., conventional ink-and-paper SFI (C-SFI) and our infrared system (I-SFI). Our apparatus visualized footprints with totally internally reflected infrared light (950 nm) and a camera that can only detect this wavelength. Additionally we performed an analysis with the ladder beam walking test (LBWT) as a reference test. I-SFI assessment reduced the standard deviation by about 33 percent, from 11.6 to 7.8, and cut the variance around the baseline to 21 percent. The system thus requires fewer measurement repetitions and fewer animals, and cuts the cost of keeping the animals. The apparatus cost €321 to build. Our results show that the process of obtaining the SFI can be made more precise via digitization with a self-made, low-cost infrared system.
Victory in War

War demands that scholars and policymakers use victory in precise and coherent terms to communicate what the state seeks to achieve in war. The historic failure to define victory in consistent terms has contributed to confused debates when societies consider whether to wage war. This volume explores the development of a theoretical narrative or language of victory to help scholars and policymakers define carefully and precisely what they mean and to thereby achieve a deeper understanding of victory as the foundation of strategy in the modern world.
The Effect of Graded Intake of Glycyl-l-Tyrosine on Phenylalanine and Tyrosine Metabolism in Parenterally Fed Neonates with an Estimation of Tyrosine Requirement

Although tyrosine is considered indispensable during the neonatal period, its poor solubility has limited its inclusion in parenteral amino acid solutions to less than 1% of total amino acids. Dipeptides of tyrosine are highly soluble, have been shown to be well used and safe in animal models and humans, and, therefore, may be used as an effective means of providing tyrosine in the parenterally fed neonate. The goal of the present study was to determine the tyrosine requirement of the parenterally fed neonate receiving graded intakes of glycyl-l-tyrosine as a source of tyrosine. Thirteen infants receiving adequate energy (340 ± 38 kJ·kg-1·d-1) and protein (2.4 ± 0.4 g·kg-1·d-1) were randomized to receive parenteral nutrition with one of five graded levels of glycyl-l-tyrosine. The mean requirement and safe level of intake were estimated using a 1-13C-phenylalanine tracer and linear regression cross-over analysis that identified a break point in the response of label appearance in breath CO2 (F13CO2) and phenylalanine oxidation to graded tyrosine intake. Based on the mean estimates of whole-body phenylalanine oxidation, the tyrosine mean requirement and safe level of intake were found to be 74 mg·kg-1·d-1 and 94 mg·kg-1·d-1, respectively. This represents 3.1 and 3.9% of total amino acids, respectively, considerably higher than levels found in present commercially available pediatric amino acid solutions. These data raise concern regarding the adequacy of aromatic amino acid intake in the parenterally fed neonate.
Dynamic brain glucose metabolism identifies anti-correlated cortical-cerebellar networks at rest

It remains unclear whether resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rfMRI) networks are associated with underlying synchrony in energy demand, as measured by dynamic 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoroglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET). We measured absolute glucose metabolism, temporal metabolic connectivity (t-MC) and rfMRI patterns in 53 healthy participants at rest. Twenty-two rfMRI networks emerged from group independent component analysis (gICA). In contrast, only two anti-correlated t-MC emerged from FDG-PET time series using gICA or seed-voxel correlations; one included frontal, parietal and temporal cortices, the other included the cerebellum and medial temporal regions. Whereas cerebellum, thalamus, globus pallidus and calcarine cortex arose as the strongest t-MC hubs, the precuneus and visual cortex arose as the strongest rfMRI hubs. The strength of the t-MC linearly increased with the metabolic rate of glucose suggesting that t-MC measures are strongly associated with the energy demand of the brain tissue, and could reflect regional differences in glucose metabolism, counterbalanced metabolic network demand, and/or differential time-varying delivery of FDG. The mismatch between metabolic and functional connectivity patterns computed as a function of time could reflect differences in the temporal characteristics of glucose metabolism as measured with PET-FDG and brain activation as measured with rfMRI.
Genetic structure of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci in the Asia–Pacific region revealed using microsatellite markers

Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a haplo‐diploid species of sap‐feeding insect belonging to the group of insects commonly known as whiteflies. From earlier analyses of mitochondrial and ribosomal markers it has been concluded that in the Asia–Pacific region there were three major indigenous races as well as a large collection of genotypes with no clear association with any race. This new study uses 15 microsatellite loci and demonstrates that the indigenous Asia–Pacific genotypes can be split into six genetic populations with little or no gene flow between them. These bare only superficial similarity to the mitochondrial and ribosomal defined races. Moreover, four of the six can be further split into two subpopulations that again show little evidence gene flow between them. While the patterns reflect a strong geographical structure, physical barriers alone cannot explain all the observed structure. Differential host‐plant utilization explained some of the substructure, but could not explain the overall structure. The roles of mating interference and Wolbachia in developing the genetic structure are considered. The lack of gene flow between genetic populations and some subpopulations further suggests that the barriers were either sufficiently impermeable to immigration or that reproductive isolation and competitive interactions were sufficiently strong to prevent gene flow. If the latter is the case, it suggests that there may be as many as 10 morphologically indistinguishable species indigenous to the Asia–Pacific region.
Accumulation of Autophagosomes in Semliki Forest Virus-Infected Cells Is Dependent on Expression of the Viral Glycoproteins

ABSTRACT Autophagy is a cellular process that sequesters cargo in double-membraned vesicles termed autophagosomes and delivers this cargo to lysosomes to be degraded. It is enhanced during nutrient starvation to increase the rate of amino acid turnover. Diverse roles for autophagy have been reported for viral infections, including the assembly of viral replication complexes on autophagic membranes and protection of host cells from cell death. Here, we show that autophagosomes accumulate in Semliki Forest virus (SFV)-infected cells. Despite this, disruption of autophagy had no effect on the viral replication rate or formation of viral replication complexes. Also, viral proteins rarely colocalized with autophagosome markers, suggesting that SFV did not utilize autophagic membranes for its replication. Further, we found that SFV infection, unlike nutrient starvation, did not inactivate the constitutive negative regulator of autophagosome formation, mammalian target of rapamycin, suggesting that SFV-dependent accumulation of autophagosomes was not a result of enhanced autophagosome formation. In starved cells, addition of NH4Cl, an inhibitor of lysosomal acidification, caused a dramatic accumulation of starvation-induced autophagosomes, while in SFV-infected cells, NH4Cl did not further increase levels of autophagosomes. These results suggest that accumulation of autophagosomes in SFV-infected cells is due to an inhibition of autophagosome degradation rather than enhanced rates of autophagosome formation. Finally, we show that the accumulation of autophagosomes in SFV-infected cells is dependent on the expression of the viral glycoprotein spike complex.
Short-term effects of a combination of isoflavones, lignans and Cimicifuga racemosa on climacteric-related symptoms in postmenopausal women: A double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial

The present study aimed to evaluate the short-term effects of a combination of isoflavones, lignans and Cimicifuga racemosa on acute climacteric-related symptoms in postmenopausal women in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial performed at the menopause clinic of our department. Eighty healthy postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to two treatment groups – one receiving the combination (group A, n = 40), the other receiving calcium supplements (group B, n = 40) – for three cycles of 28 days. Climacteric-related symptoms were evaluated by the Kupperman index (KI) at baseline and after the three cycles of treatment. At baseline no significant difference was detected in KI between groups A and B; however, after three cycles of treatment, KI was significantly (p < 0.05) lower in group A compared with baseline and with group B. We conclude that the administration of a combination of isoflavones, lignans and C. racemosa already reduces acute climacteric symptoms in postmenopausal women after 3 months of treatment. This prompt effect is probably due to the different pharmacokinetic properties of isoflavones and lignans; isoflavones are absorbed faster than lignans, while lignans are removed later. The combination of these molecules can guarantee a better reduction of postmenopausal symptoms over a 24-h period.
Effects of intensive blood pressure reduction on myocardial infarction and stroke in diabetes: a meta-analysis in 73 913 patients

Objective Guidelines generally recommend intensive lowering of blood pressure (BP) in patients with type 2 diabetes. There is uncertainty about the impact of this strategy on case-specific events. Thus, we generated estimates of the effects of BP reduction on the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke in diabetic patients. Methods We selected studies which compared different BP-lowering agents and different BP intervention strategies in patients with diabetes. Outcome measures were MI and stroke. We abstracted information about study design, intervention, population, outcomes, and methodological quality for a total of 73 913 patients with diabetes (295 652 patient-years of exposure) randomized in 31 intervention trials. Results Overall, experimental treatment reduced the risk of stroke by 9% (P = 0.0059), and that of MI by 11% (P = 0.0015). Allocation to more-tight, compared with less-tight, BP control reduced the risk of stroke by 31% [relative risk (RR) 0.61, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.48–0.79], whereas the reduction in the risk of MI approached, but did not achieve, significance [odds ratio (OR) 0.87, 95% CI 0.74–1.02]. In a meta-regression analysis, the risk of stroke decreased by 13% (95% CI 5–20, P = 0.002) for each 5-mmHg reduction in SBP, and by 11.5% (95% CI 5–17, P < 0.001) for each 2-mmHg reduction in DBP. In contrast, the risk of MI did not show any association with the extent of BP reduction (SBP: P = 0.793; DBP: P = 0.832). Conclusion In patients with diabetes, protection from stroke increases with the magnitude of BP reduction. We were unable to detect such a relation for MI.
Spatiotemporal lipid profiling during early embryo development of Xenopus laevis using dynamic ToF-SIMS imaging

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) imaging has been used for the direct analysis of single intact Xenopus laevis embryo surfaces, locating multiple lipids during fertilization and the early embryo development stages with subcellular lateral resolution (∼4 μm). The method avoids the complicated sample preparation for lipid analysis of the embryos, which requires selective chemical extraction of a pool of samples and chromatographic separation, while preserving the spatial distribution of biological species. The results show ToF-SIMS is capable of profiling multiple components (e.g., glycerophosphocholine, SM, cholesterol, vitamin E, diacylglycerol, and triacylglycerol) in a single X. laevis embryo. We observe lipid remodeling during fertilization and early embryo development via time course sampling. The study also reveals the lipid distribution on the gamete fusion site. The methodology used in the study opens the possibility of studying developmental biology using high resolution imaging MS and of understanding the functional role of the biological molecules.
Stable Activation of Single Ca2+ Release-activated Ca2+ Channels in Divalent Cation-free Solutions*

The regulation of store-operated, calcium-selective channels in the plasma membrane of rat basophilic leukemia cells (RBL-2H3 m1), an immortalized mucosal mast cell line, was studied at the single-channel level with the patch clamp technique by removing divalent cations from both sides of the membrane. The activity of the single channels in excised patches could be modulated by Ca2+, Mg2+, and pH. The maximal activation of these channels by divalent cation-free conditions occurred independently of depletion of intracellular Ca2+stores, whether in excised patches or in whole cell mode. Yet, a number of points of evidence establish these single-channel openings as amplified store-operated channel events. Specifically, (i) the single channels are exquisitely sensitive to inhibition by intracellular Ca2+, and (ii) both the store-operated current and the single-channel openings are completely blocked by the capacitative calcium entry blocker, 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borane. In addition, in Jurkat T cells single-channel openings with lower open probability have been observed in the whole cell mode with intracellular Mg2+ present (Kerschbaum, H. H., and Cahalan, M. D. (1999) Science 283, 836–839), and in RBL-2H3 m1 cells a current with similar properties is activated by store depletion.
The Risks and Benefits of Clozapine versus Chlorpromazine

Clozapine is an atypical antipsychotic drug with reduced risk of unwanted neurological effects in comparison with other drugs. In this multicenter study, 151 hospitalized schizophrenic patients were randomly assigned to treatment under double-blind conditions to assess the antipsychotic efficacy and safety of clozapine versus chlorproma-zine. All patients exhibited tardive dyskinesia or other extrapyramidal side effects associated with at least two prior neuroleptics. Eleven patients were dropped from treatment due to extrapyra-midal symptoms while being treated with chlor-promazine; only one clozapine patient's treatment was terminated for this reason. Clozapine patients exhibited clinical improvement superior to that of chlorpromazine patients as assessed by the Brief Psychiatric Rating and Clinical Global Impression scales. These results suggest that clozapine is well tolerated and may be therapeutically superior to chlorpromazine in treating psychotic behavior. Agranulocytosis potential can be minimized by frequent white blood cell counts and removing nonresponding patients from treatment prior to the peak risk period (months 2 through 6).
Image blind restoration based on blur identification and quality assessment of restored image

Nowadays, most of image blind restoration algorithms suffer from the problem of being unreliable and too time-consuming due to the large amounts of iterations involved in the algorithms. Moreover, because of the artifacts induced by blind restoration process, the restored images have a worse quality than the original. All the above greatly limit the application of the existing image blind restoration algorithms to real-time video processing. To solve the problems, an improved image restoration process is proposed to reduce the image restoration time while maintaining the quality of restored images. First, a novel image blur identification index is constructed to evaluate the image sharpness. The image blur identification result will be used to determine whether the following procedures should be performed. Second, a normalized sparse regularization blind restoration algorithm is used to restore the image. At last, a novel no-reference image quality assessment algorithm with luminance, contrast, structure, sharpness and ringing metric is designed to evaluate the restoration result. Experiment results show that the proposed blur identification algorithm and the no-reference image quality assessment method are effective in improving the image restoration efficiency while ensuring a reliable output.