Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimating the burden of acute gastrointestinal illness due to Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Campylobacter, E. coli O157 and norovirus associated with private wells and small water systems in Canada

SUMMARY Waterborne illness related to the consumption of contaminated or inadequately treated water is a global public health concern. Although the magnitude of drinking water-related illnesses in developed countries is lower than that observed in developing regions of the world, drinking water is still responsible for a proportion of all cases of acute gastrointestinal illness (AGI) in Canada. The estimated burden of endemic AGI in Canada is 20·5 million cases annually – this estimate accounts for under-reporting and under-diagnosis. About 4 million of these cases are domestically acquired and foodborne, yet the proportion of waterborne cases is unknown. There is evidence that individuals served by private systems and small community systems may be more at risk of waterborne illness than those served by municipal drinking water systems in Canada. However, little is known regarding the contribution of these systems to the overall drinking water-related AGI burden in Canada. Private water supplies serve an estimated 12% of the Canadian population, or ~4·1 million people. An estimated 1·4 million (4·1%) people in Canada are served by small groundwater (2·6%) and surface water (1·5%) supplies. The objective of this research is to estimate the number of AGI cases attributable to water consumption from these supplies in Canada using a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) approach. This provides a framework for others to develop burden of waterborne illness estimates for small water supplies. A multi-pathogen QMRA of Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Campylobacter, E. coli O157 and norovirus, chosen as index waterborne pathogens, for various source water and treatment combinations was performed. It is estimated that 103 230 AGI cases per year are due to the presence of these five pathogens in drinking water from private and small community water systems in Canada. In addition to providing a mechanism to assess the potential burden of AGI attributed to small systems and private well water in Canada, this research supports the use of QMRA as an effective source attribution tool when there is a lack of randomized controlled trial data to evaluate the public health risk of an exposure source. QMRA is also a powerful tool for identifying existing knowledge gaps on the national scale to inform future surveillance and research efforts.
Simulation of nanoparticle enhanced diffraction grating biosensor using DDA

We present the discrete dipole approximation (DDA) simulation of light scattering from bead enhanced grating to determine the relationship between the number of beads forming the grating and diffraction intensities of first and zero orders. The models of grating are prepared by volume slicing and image processing while the spatial locations of the beads are randomly computed using discrete probability distribution. The effect of bead reduction on far-field scattering of 632.8 nm incident field, from fully occupied gratings to very coarse gratings, are studied for various bead materials. The results of simulations show excellent qualitative similarities with published experimental observations and establish that bead-based grating may be used for rapid detection of small amounts of biomolecules.
Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators Regulate Dendritic Spine Plasticity in the Hippocampus of Male Rats

Some selective estrogen receptor modulators, such as raloxifene and tamoxifen, are neuroprotective and reduce brain inflammation in several experimental models of neurodegeneration. In addition, raloxifene and tamoxifen counteract cognitive deficits caused by gonadal hormone deprivation in male rats. In this study, we have explored whether raloxifene and tamoxifen may regulate the number and geometry of dendritic spines in CA1 pyramidal neurons of the rat hippocampus. Young adult male rats were injected with raloxifene (1 mg/kg), tamoxifen (1 mg/kg), or vehicle and killed 24 h after the injection. Animals treated with raloxifene or tamoxifen showed an increased numerical density of dendritic spines in CA1 pyramidal neurons compared to animals treated with vehicle. Raloxifene and tamoxifen had also specific effects in the morphology of spines. These findings suggest that raloxifene and tamoxifen may influence the processing of information by hippocampal pyramidal neurons by affecting the number and shape of dendritic spines.
Effect of diameter on membrane capacity and conductance of sheep cardiac Purkinje fibers

Membrane electrical properties were measured in sheep cardiac Purkinje fibers, having diameters ranging from 50 to 300 mum. Both membrane capacitance and conductance per unit area of apparent fiber surface varied fourfold over this range. Membrane time constant, and capacitance per unit apparent surface area calculated from the foot of the action potential were independent of fiber diameter, having average values of 18.8 +/- 0.7 ms, and 3.4 +/- 0.25 muF/cm2, respectively (mean +/- SEM). The conduction velocity and time constant of the foot of the action potential also appeared independent of diameter, having values of 3.0 +/- 0.1 m/s and 0.10 +/- 0.007 ms. These findings are consistent with earlier suggestions that in addition to membrane on the surface of the fiber, there exists a large fraction of membrane in continuity with the extracellular space but not directly on the surface of the fiber. Combining the electrical and morphological information, it was possible to predict a passive length constant for the internal membranes of about 100 mum and a time constant for chaning these membranes in a passive 100-mum fiber of 1.7 ms.
ANTIOXIDANT AND ACETYLCHOLINESTERASE ACTIVITIES OF THREE SPECIES OF THE FAMILY LAMIACEAE

Antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity of the three species namely, Endostemon obtusifolius (E. Mey. ex benth .) N. E. Br, Plectranthus zuluensis (T. Cooke) and Tetradenia riparia (Hochst.) Codd. were evaluated. Maximum antioxidant activity was exhibited by E. obtusifolius (IC 50 130 μg/ml) followed by T. riparia (IC 50 142 μg/ml) and P. zuluensis (IC 50 169 μg/ml). Acetylcholinesterase inhibition (AChEI) was highest in P. zuluensis (IC 50 290 μg/ml) followed by E. obtusifolius (IC 50 470 μg/ml) and T. riparia (IC 50 750μg/ml). The results suggest that these three species possess natural antioxidants and acetylcholinesterase inhibitors, which may be beneficial for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, that require high concentration of these compounds. DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.3329/bjb.v43i3. 21606 Bangladesh J. Bot. 43 (3): 331-335, 2014 (December )
Effects of exercise and stress management training on markers of cardiovascular risk in patients with ischemic heart disease: a randomized controlled trial.

CONTEXT Observational studies have shown that psychosocial factors are associated with increased risk for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, but the effects of behavioral interventions on psychosocial and medical end points remain uncertain. OBJECTIVE To determine the effect of 2 behavioral programs, aerobic exercise training and stress management training, with routine medical care on psychosocial functioning and markers of cardiovascular risk. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS Randomized controlled trial of 134 patients (92 male and 42 female; aged 40-84 years) with stable ischemic heart disease (IHD) and exercise-induced myocardial ischemia. Conducted from January 1999 to February 2003. INTERVENTIONS Routine medical care (usual care); usual care plus supervised aerobic exercise training for 35 minutes 3 times per week for 16 weeks; usual care plus weekly 1.5-hour stress management training for 16 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Self-reported measures of general distress (General Health Questionnaire [GHQ]) and depression (Beck Depression Inventory [BDI]); left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and wall motion abnormalities (WMA); flow-mediated dilation; and cardiac autonomic control (heart rate variability during deep breathing and baroreflex sensitivity). RESULTS Patients in the exercise and stress management groups had lower mean (SE) BDI scores (exercise: 8.2 [0.6]; stress management: 8.2 [0.6]) vs usual care (10.1 [0.6]; P = .02); reduced distress by GHQ scores (exercise: 56.3 [0.9]; stress management: 56.8 [0.9]) vs usual care (53.6 [0.9]; P = .02); and smaller reductions in LVEF during mental stress testing (exercise: -0.54% [0.44%]; stress management: -0.34% [0.45%]) vs usual care (-1.69% [0.46%]; P = .03). Exercise and stress management were associated with lower mean (SE) WMA rating scores (exercise: 0.20 [0.07]; stress management: 0.10 [0.07]) in a subset of patients with significant stress-induced WMA at baseline vs usual care (0.36 [0.07]; P = .02). Patients in the exercise and stress management groups had greater mean (SE) improvements in flow-mediated dilation (exercise: mean [SD], 5.6% [0.45%]; stress management: 5.2% [0.47%]) vs usual care patients (4.1% [0.48%]; P = .03). In a subgroup, those receiving stress management showed improved mean (SE) baroreflex sensitivity (8.2 [0.8] ms/mm Hg) vs usual care (5.1 [0.9] ms/mm Hg; P = .02) and significant increases in heart rate variability (193.7 [19.6] ms) vs usual care (132.1 [21.5] ms; P = .04). CONCLUSION For patients with stable IHD, exercise and stress management training reduced emotional distress and improved markers of cardiovascular risk more than usual medical care alone.
Inhibition Suppresses Transmission of Tonic Vibrissa-Evoked Activity in the Rat Ventrobasal Thalamus

Previous studies have demonstrated that tonic responses of trigeminal ganglion neurons to maintained whisker deflections are transformed to mainly phasic responses in thalamocortical neurons. The high tonic responsiveness of thalamic reticular neurons suggests that thalamic inhibition may contribute to this suppression of tonic activity. To test this hypothesis we recorded responses of thalamocortical neurons in the ventroposterior medial (VPm) nucleus to 200 and 400 msec sustained whisker deflections during simultaneous microiontophoresis of the GABA receptor antagonists bicuculline and phaclofen. Under control conditions, VPm units responded to deflection plateaus with mean activities of only 18 spikes/sec, compared with 16 spikes/sec spontaneous firing. A minority of cells (5/19) had significantly greater plateau than spontaneous activity, and these cells were classified as tonic; the other 14/19 were considered phasic. Under GABA receptor antagonism, however, mean plateau activity increased to 53 spikes/sec compared with 30 spikes/sec spontaneous activity, and 7 of the 14 phasic units became tonically responsive. Increases in plateau activity were significantly greater, by both absolute and relative measures, than increases in spontaneous activity. Transient responses to stimulus onsets and offsets also increased in magnitude 4.0- and 2. 9-fold, attributable mainly to their increased duration. These data indicate that VPm neurons receive tonic excitatory inputs that under normal conditions are masked by inhibition. Suppression of tonic activity in VPm by inhibitory thalamic reticular neurons may reduce tonic inhibition in cortical layer IV circuits, preserving their responsiveness to transient signals.
Feasibility, understandability, and usefulness of the STEP self-rating questionnaire: results of a cross-sectional study

The study was designed to evaluate the acceptance of the self-rated version of the Standardized Assessment of Elderly People in primary care in Europe (STEP) by patients and general practitioners, as well as the feasibility, comprehensibility, and usefulness in gaining new information. In all, 1007 of 1540 patients aged 65 and above, from 28 different Saxon general practices took part. We recognized that 96% of the patients were able to fill in the questionnaire by themselves. It took them an average of approximately 20 minutes to do so. Further analysis of 257 randomly selected patients identified 281 previously unknown problems (1.1 per patient). In the practitioners’ opinion, 16% of these problems, particularly physiological and mental ones, could lead to immediate consequences. Remarkably, newly identified psychosocial problems were not followed by any consequences. Fourteen of the 75 questionnaire items were not answered by more than 9% of the participants. Eight of the 14 frequently unanswered items were marked as difficult to understand by the patients. Altogether the self-rating version of the STEP was found to be feasible and useful. It was well accepted among patients; however, some questions need further review to improve their comprehensibility. Furthermore, it should be investigated why some identified problems do not have consequences and whether there is a need to record these issues at all.
Physical, chemical, and biological evaluations of P760: A new gadolinium complex characterized by a low rate of interstitial diffusion

An original gadolinium chelate, termed P760, which diffuses through the vascular endothelium but at a much lower rate than nonspecific agents (NSA), is described. P760 is a gadolinium macrocyclic compound based on a DOTA structure that is substituted by hydrophilic bulky groups branched on the amino‐carboxylic residues.The molecular weight is 5293, and the molecular volume, measured by light scattering, is 30 times higher (11.5 nm3) than that of gadolinium (Gd)‐DOTA (0.38 nm3). The increase in molecular volume and weight has two consequences: a) higher relaxivity (r1; 24.7 mM−1 • s−1 compared with 3.4 mM−1 • s−1 for Gd‐DOTA at 20 Mhz, 37°C); and b) a lengthening of its transport rate through the endothelium. P760 presents a peculiar pharmacokinetic profile: at early times post injection, the blood concentrations are higher than those of Gd‐DOTA, but after 20 minutes, the blood concentrations are equal for the two compounds. The body clearances of the products are identical (ie, glomerular filtration rate). P760 molecules are large enough to have a restricted diffusion through the endothelium but, conversely, small enough to pass freely through the glomerular membrane. This limited extravasation has been observed in rabbits by magnetic resonance angiography or in investigations of tumor permeability. Further experimental imaging studies are needed to define the clinical interest of such properties. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2000;11:182–191. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Weight loss in the early stage of progressive supranuclear palsy

OBJECTIVES To clarify whether weight change in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) or progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is caused by the disease itself or secondarily by other factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS We conducted a retrospective analysis of 51 patients with PD and 14 patients with PSP, especially during the early stage of their diseases. All patients were independent in terms of their activities of daily living and did not have any feeding difficulty. RESULTS The body mass index measured within 3 years after the disease onset did not show a significant difference between the two diseases. However, the subsequent weight was stable in patients with PD and significantly decreased in patients with PSP. CONCLUSIONS Weight loss begins in the early stage of PSP, whereas dopaminergic treatment may contribute to keep weight in the early stage of PD through reduction of energy expenditure and/or improvement in appetite.
Measurement equivalence across gender and education in the WHOQOL-BREF for community-dwelling elderly Taiwanese

ABSTRACT Background: The WHOQOL-BREF, a generic quality of life (QoL) instrument, has been widely used clinically and for research on older populations. However, its measurement equivalence/invariance (ME/I) has not been well examined for the elderly (≥ 65 years) across some different demographics. Methods: The data were derived from a cross-sectional study with a convenience sampling design in Taiwan. We enrolled 244 elderly participants: men = 143 (58.6%); educational level ≤ primary school = 121 (49.6%). The ME/I was examined using multiple group confirmatory factor analysis (MGCFA) across gender and educational level. Results: The fit indices were satisfactory for the configural models of gender and educational level (standardized root mean square residual [SRMR] = 0.0742 and 0.0770; root mean square error of approximation [RMSEA] = 0.0655 and 0.0686; comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.953). In addition, MGCFAs showed that ME/I was supported across gender (ΔSRMR = 0.001 to 0.019; ΔRMSEA = −0.003 to 0.001; ΔCFI = −0.003 to 0.000) and educational level (ΔSRMR = 0.002 to 0.006; ΔRMSEA = −0.002 to 0.004; ΔCFI = −0.007 to 0.000). Conclusion: The WHOQOL-BREF Taiwan version is appropriate for combined use and for comparisons in older people across gender and different educational levels.
How Social Capital between Medical and IT Professionals Shapes the Outcomes of Health Information System Implementation Endeavours

Successful implementation of healthcare information systems (HIS) is tremendously difficult. Although few is known about the mechanisms enabling successful HIS implementation, effective learning processes and consciously implemented adaptations to HIS and medical reality are assumed to be pivotal. In this paper, we aim to gain understanding about the enablers of these processes. To that end, we conducted an in-depth case study of an HIS implementation project. Findings demonstrate that the success of HIS initiatives is particularly dependent on the capaci-ty of involved actors to integrate their idiosyncratic knowledge and to develop congruent and actionable understanding. Looking at the conducting paths for integrating knowledge, our find-ings further show that stakeholders’ social capital reflected by their opportunity, motivation and ability to capitalize on existing knowledge and experiences are critical for aligning HIS and medical reality. Taking a qualitative approach, we extend existing research by illustrating how social capital and knowledge integration outcomes coevolve. Overall, our results highlight the importance of social capital for knowledge integration during HIS initiatives. Medical and IT professionals’ collaborative endeavours seem to produce valua-ble solutions that balance divergent stakeholders’ concerns when opportunity, motivation and ability to integrate their knowledge, expertise and interests are effectively managed.
Influence of internet usage on social and subjective well-being of Sri Lankan GLIS

The majority of the inventors in developing countries is independent inventors work on inventions by their own interest. The Internet has been one of the leading knowledge repositories for these independent inventors to search clues for their inventions. Owing to the self-driven behavior of the independent inventors, they might gain success and perceive happiness through the inventive activities that involved searching and creation of new knowledge. However, there is hardly any study that explains the influence of the Internet usage on social and psychological aspects of grassroots level inventors (GLIS). Present study explores the influence of the Internet usage on social capital, community connectedness, inventive achievements and subjective well-being of the grassroots level inventive community of Sri Lanka. Findings suggest that the Internet has significant direct influence on the subjective wellbeing of GLIS in Sri Lanka. Further The Internet usages indirectly influence the subjective well-being through social capital and connectedness. However, The Internet usage has not significantly influenced on the objective inventive achievements of the GLIS in Sri Lanka.
A Continuous Time Model of Multi-vehicle Routing Problems: A Column Generation Approach

In this paper, we propose a column generation heuristics to a continuous time model of conflict-free pickup and delivery vehicle routing problems. The transportation system is divided into several regions with regular intervals. A network model of conflict-free multi-vehicle routing problem with acceleration and deceleration motions is developed. A column generation heuristics is used to find a near-optimal solution. The pricing problem for each vehicle routing problem is formulated as a resource constrained shortest path problem, which is effectively solved by a labeling algorithm. Computational results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Human-like impedance and minimum effort control for natural and efficient manipulation

Humans incorporate and switch between learnt neuromotor strategies while performing complex tasks. Towards this purpose, kinematic redundancy is exploited in order to achieve optimized performance. Inspired by the superior motor skills of humans, in this paper, we investigate a combined free motion and interaction controller in a certain class of robotic manipulation. In this bimodal controller, kinematic degrees of redundancy are adapted according to task-suitable dynamic costs. The proposed algorithm attributes high priority to minimum-effort controller while performing point to point free space movements. Once the robot comes in contact with the environment, the Tele-Impedance, common mode and configuration dependent stiffness (CMS-CDS) controller will replicate the human's estimated endpoint stiffness and measured equilibrium position profiles in the slave robotic arm, in real-time. Results of the proposed controller in contact with the environment are compared with the ones derived from Tele-Impedance implemented using torque based classical Cartesian stiffness control. The minimum-effort and interaction performance achieved highlights the possibility of adopting human-like and sophisticated strategies in humanoid robots or the ones with adequate degrees of redundancy, in order to accomplish tasks in a certain class of robotic manipulation.
Design of a module switch for battery pack reconfiguration in high-power applications

This paper presents a novel approach for battery pack reconfiguration in high-power applications, where many high capacity elementary cells are series-connected to meet the power and energy requirements of the application. The novelty of the approach is that reconfiguration is applied at the module level rather than at the cell level, being a module a segment of the battery pack. A very good trade-off between reconfiguration flexibility and complexity of the implementation is achieved. A key point of the proposed architecture is the module switch, which must be able to connect or bypass a battery module by sustaining high currents without degrading the overall battery efficiency. The design of the module switch is presented, together with an implementation suitable for the battery pack of a hybrid fuel-cell small van. Experimental results show that the switch operates with continuous battery currents up to 160 A. To our knowledge, these experimental results are the first published on battery pack reconfiguration in high-power applications.