Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The association between self-reported tooth loss and cognitive function in the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke study: an assessment of potential pathways.

BACKGROUND Several mechanisms may associate tooth loss and related oral inflammation with cognitive impairment. The authors studied the relationship between tooth loss and cognitive function. METHODS The REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke study is a national longitudinal study of more than 30,000 African American and white adults 45 years or older. Data for tooth loss, cognitive function and potential confounding variables were available for 9,853 participants at the time of analysis. The authors used incremental linear regression modeling to investigate the cross-sectional association between self-reported tooth loss and cognitive function. RESULTS In unadjusted analysis (mean learning followed by recall; α level of significance of .05), the loss of six to 16 teeth and the loss of more than 16 teeth were associated with poorer cognitive function compared with the loss of no teeth. Attenuated associations persisted after the authors adjusted for demographic and systemic risk factors. The full model, which was adjusted for socioeconomic status (SES), revealed no association between tooth loss and cognitive function. CONCLUSION Tooth loss may be associated with cognitive function; however, this association is mediated by age and SES. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS Tooth loss due to periodontal disease may be a marker for low SES, and the interplay of these factors with advanced age may confer risk of having poorer cognitive function. Further studies are needed to clarify these associations.
Development of ICF Core Sets for patients with chronic conditions.

OBJECTIVE The objective of the ICF Core Sets project is the development of internationally agreed Brief ICF Core Sets and Comprehensive ICF Core Sets. METHODS The methods to develop both ICF Core Sets, the Comprehensive ICF Core Set and the Brief ICF Core Set, involved a formal decision-making and consensus process integrating evidence gathered from preliminary studies and expert opinion. RESULTS The results regarding the development of the ICF Core Sets for 12 health conditions (chronic widespread pain, low back pain, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, obesity, obstructive pulmonary diseases, breast cancer, depression, and stroke) are presented in this supplement. CONCLUSION Both, the Brief ICF Core Sets and the Comprehensive ICF Core Sets are preliminary and need to be tested in the coming years based on a standardized protocol in close cooperation with the ICF research branch of the WHO FIC CC (DIMDI) in Munich and the CAS team at WHO. The final goals are valid and globally agreed tools to be used in clinical practice, research and health statistics.
Bioactive Electrospun Fibers of Poly(glycerol sebacate) and Poly(ε‐caprolactone) for Cardiac Patch Application

Scaffolds for cardiac patch application must meet stringent requirements such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and facilitate vascularization in the engineered tissue. Here, a bioactive, biocompatible, and biodegradable electrospun scaffold of poly(glycerol sebacate)–poly(ε‐caprolactone) (PGS–PCL) is proposed as a potential scaffold for cardiac patch application. The fibers are smooth bead free with average diameter = 0.8 ± 0.3 μm, mean pore size = 2.2 ± 1.2 μm, porosity = 62 ± 4%, and permeability higher than that of control biological tissue. For the first time, bioactive PGS–PCL fibers functionalized with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are developed, the approach used being chemical modification of the PGS–PCL fibers followed by subsequent binding of VEGF via amide bonding. The approach results in uniform immobilization of VEGF on the fibers; the concentrations are 1.0 μg cm−2 for the PGS–PCL (H) and 0.60 μg cm−2 for the PGS–PCL (L) samples. The bioactive scaffold supports the attachment and growth of seeded myogenic and vasculogenic cell lines. In fact, rat aortic endothelial cells also display angiogenic features indicating potential for the formation of vascular tree in the scaffold. These results therefore demonstrate the prospects of VEGF‐functionalized PGS–PCL fibrous scaffold as promising matrix for cardiac patch application.
Radial glia development in the mouse olfactory bulb

Radial glia are critical for cell migration and lamination of the cortex. In most developing cortical structures, radial glia, as their name suggests, extend processes from the ventricle to the pia in regular parallel arrangements. However, immunohistochemical labeling from several laboratories suggests that radial glia have a more branched morphology in the olfactory bulb. To investigate the morphology of radial glia in the mouse olfactory bulb we (1) labeled radial glia and olfactory receptor neuron axons at 24‐hour intervals by immunohistochemistry; and (2) developed a novel method of generating and applying “nanocrystals” of 1,1′‐dioctadecyl‐3,3,3′,3′‐ tetramethylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (DiI) to the ventricle surface such that the processes of single olfactory bulb radial glia are labeled in the embryonic olfactory bulb. We examined the structure and interactions of radial glia with ingrowing olfactory receptor neuron (ORN) axons in late embryonic olfactory bulb development. These results showed that olfactory bulb radial glia do not form straight parallel structures as do radial glia in the neocortex but rather have a convoluted trajectory from the ventricle to the bulb surface. Moreover, olfactory bulb radial glia consistently extend tangential branches at the level of the internal plexiform layer. Beginning at embryonic day 17.5, two types of radial glia can be distinguished: type I radial glia have a process that extends from the ventricle into the glomerular layer. These apical processes form highly restricted tufts, or “glial glomeruli” at the same time that ORN axons are forming “axonal glomeruli. ” In type II radial glia the apical process does not enter the glomerular layer but instead ramifies within the external plexiform layer. The tight spatiotemporal relationship between the glomerulization of radial glia processes and ORN axons during development suggest that radial glia processes could play a role in the formation and/or stabilization of mammalian glomeruli. J. Comp. Neurol. 434:1–12, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Expression of antigens from chromosomal and linear plasmid DNA of Borrelia coriaceae

Three recombinant plasmids containing DNA from Borrelia coriaceae, the putative agent of epizootic bovine abortion, expressed antigens in Escherichia coli that reacted with antibodies specific for B. coriaceae. Two of the recombinants each expressed a single high-molecular-weight antigen. The third recombinant expressed three smaller antigens. The DNA inserts were sized and mapped. Hybridization of the cloned inserts to pulsed-field electrophoresis samples of B. coriaceae whole-cell DNA revealed the origin of two of the inserts to be located in linear plasmids. One of these, expressing three antigens, was located in a 210-kilobase linear plasmid. A second recombinant expressed a single antigen but hybridized to at least three distinct linear plasmids. The third clone also expressed a single antigen but was demonstrated to be chromosomal in origin.
The Impact of Incentive Compensation on the Salesperson's Work Habits: An Economic Model

AbstractThis paper provides a theoretical framework for assessing the likely impact of variations in the remuneration level on a salesperson's income and sales. It is shown how salespeople who display various behavioral responses to financial incentives should have different sets of values for two observable and measurable elasticities ei and es (elasticities of income and sales with respect to remuneration). The behavioral responses to financial incentives under consideration are: Salespersons are (1) money sensitive, (2) unresponsive to financial incentives, (3) leisure sensitive, (4) income satisfiers, and (5) “irrational”. The theory can be applied by observing and measuring the two elasticities ei and es, and then inferring salespeople's work habits. The theory is consistent with some empirical data. Practical and normative implications for sales force motivation, compensation plan design, and recruiting are discussed.
Riding the airways: Ultra-wideband ambient backscatter via commercial broadcast systems

Communication costs dominate the energy consumption, and ultimately limit the utility, of low power devices and sensor nodes. Backscatter communication based on deliberate and ambient sources has the potential to radically alter this paradigm by offering two to three orders of magnitude better communication efficiency (in terms of nJ/Bit) then conventional radio architectures. Initial work on ambient backscatter shows promising results but has focused on narrow band operation in well controlled laboratory settings. The goal of this work is to enable the ubiquitous deployment of ultra-low power nodes that communicate via ambient backscatter to wired Universal Backscatter Readers, in real-world environments. This is accomplished through ultra-wideband backscatter techniques that leverage the breath of commercial broadcast signals in the 80 MHz to 900 MHz range from FM radios, digital TVs, and cellular networks. Additionally the use of powered Universal Backscatter Readers allows a network of ultra-low power nodes to operate on ambient carriers as low as −80 dBm, which is typical for indoor home and office environments. For the first time we demonstrate the simultaneous use of 17 ambient signal sources to achieve node-to-reader communication distances of 50 meters, with data rates up to 1 kbps.
The influence of extremely low frequency magnetic fields on cytoprotection and repair

Ischemia‐reperfusion injuries, such as those suffered from various types of cardiovascular disease, are major causes of death and disability. For relatively short periods of ischemia, much of the damage is potentially reversible and in fact, does not occur until the influx of oxygen during the reperfusion stage. Because of this, there is a window of opportunity to protect the ischemic tissue. Here, we review several mechanisms of protection, such as heat shock proteins, opioids, collateral blood flow, and nitric oxide induction, and the evidence indicating that magnetic fields may be used as a means of providing protection via each of these mechanisms. While there are few studies demonstrating direct protection with magnetic field therapies, there are a number of published reports indicating that electromagnetic fields may be able to influence some of the biochemical systems with protective applications. Bioelectromagnetics © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Online fraud offending within an Australian jurisdiction

Purpose This paper aims to determine the level of online fraud offending within an Australian jurisdiction and how to best apply resources to combat it. Design/methodology/approach Empirical data were provided by an Australian law enforcement agency, and qualitative responses were obtained from the parties involved in the crimes themselves (the victims, the offenders and the nominated law enforcement agency). Findings Although there was variance between the ages of the online fraud victims, there was a slightly higher chance of an older member of the population falling victim to an offender than that of a younger person. The number of a particular gender reporting an instance of cybercrime in a given area can be higher if the total number of participants in that area was also high. Older victims were more likely to lose larger amounts of money to online fraud. Furthermore, it was found that when the non-gender identifiable data were removed, this increased to over 80 per cent. Originality/value Existing literature on online fraud and criminal offending generally focused on the quantitative aspects of measuring offending, which does not give an indication into the “why” component of the study: why are these offences being committed; why do these offenders pick particular victims; and why do the victims fall for such ruses? In this paper, the authors combined the qualitative responses obtained from those parties involved in the crimes themselves (the victims, the offenders and the nominated law enforcement agency) with a quantitative examination of the crime figures provided by an Australian law enforcement agency.
ERK-Mediated Phosphorylation of Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 1 on Ser777 Inhibits Signaling

Serine phosphorylation limits signaling by a fibroblast growth factor receptor. Limiting Growth Factor Signaling Binding of fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) to receptor tyrosine kinases in the FGFR family triggers activation of these receptors through phosphorylation of tyrosine residues, thereby initiating signaling that stimulates cell proliferation and differentiation in various developmental processes, such as axonal growth. Zakrzewska et al. investigated the effect of phosphorylation of serine residues in FGFR1 on receptor activity. FGF-dependent activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases ERK1 and ERK2 (ERK1/2) resulted in phosphorylation of Ser777 in the C-terminal region of the receptor, and this phosphorylation event was associated with decreased activation of FGFR1 and attenuated signaling. Dorsal root ganglion neurons expressing a S777A mutant FGFR1 exhibited enhanced and sustained receptor activation and extended longer axons than those expressing the wild-type receptor. In addition, previous stimulation of cells with epidermal growth factor, a ligand for a distinct receptor tyrosine kinase, resulted in the ERK1/2-mediated serine phosphorylation of FGFR1 and a reduction in subsequent FGF-dependent signaling. Together, these data suggest that an ERK-dependent mechanism initiated by activation of FGFR1 or other growth factor receptors prevents excessive FGFR1 signaling. Fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1) controls cellular activities through the activation of specific cell-surface FGF receptors (FGFRs). Transphosphorylation of tyrosine residues in the kinase domain of FGFRs leads to activation of intracellular signaling cascades, including those mediated by mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). FGFRs also contain a serine-rich C-terminal tail. We identified a regulatory mechanism of FGFR signaling involving phosphorylation of Ser777 in the C-terminal region of FGFR1 by the MAPKs extracellular signal–regulated kinase 1 (ERK1) and ERK2. Prevention of the phosphorylation of Ser777 in FGFR1 or mutation of Ser777 to alanine enhanced FGF-stimulated receptor tyrosine phosphorylation and increased cell proliferation, cell migration, and axonal growth. A form of FGFR1 with a phosphomimetic mutation at Ser777 exhibited reduced signaling. Activation of MAPKs by other receptor tyrosine kinases also resulted in phosphorylation of Ser777 in FGFR1, thereby enabling crosstalk regulation of FGFR activity by other signaling pathways. Our data reveal a negative feedback mechanism that controls FGF signaling and thereby protects the cell from excessive activation of FGFR.
Prevalence of HIV/AIDS and psychiatric disorders and their related risk factors among adults in Epworth, Zimbabwe.

OBJECTIVES To examine the prevalence of HIV infection, neuropsychiatric disorders, psychiatric symptoms/signs, alcohol use/misuse, CD4 cell counts and risk factors in adult patients. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING Epworth, which is about 15 km on the southeastern part of Harare, Zimbabwe. SUBJECTS Two hundred subjects were included in the study out of which six were excluded beacause of HIV-1 indeterminate results. MATERIALS AND METHODS A convenience sample of 200 subjects recruited in a cross-sectional study in Epworth, Zimbabwe. Six subjects had indeterminate HIV-1 antibody results and were excluded from the study. The remaining 194 subjects of whom 101 (52.1%) knew about their sero-status and were consecutively recruited, whereas, 93 (47.9%) did not know about their sero-status and were recruited by a systematic random sampling method (1-in-3). They were then interviewed about neuropsychiatric disorders using BPRS, MADRS, AUDIT and MINI Mental State Test, including the risk factors related to HIV infection. After ELISA tests' results, the two groups were combined and then categorised into HIV positive (n=115) and HIV negative (n=79) subjects. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Prevalence, neuropsychiatric disorders, increased CD4 cell counts and risk factors associated with HIV infection. RESULTS The findings were that the overall point prevalence of the HIV infection was 59.3% (115/194). Comparative analyses between seropositive and seronegative HIV/AIDS subjects showed: over two thirds (71.3%) of the HIV positive subjects suffered from psychiatric disorders, more than those with HIV negative 44.3% (OR=3.12, 95% CI=1.64-5.95, P=0.0002), and subjects aged 35 years and less were mostly HIV seronegatives (n=77.2%, OR=2.34, 95% CI=1.18-4.75, P=0.014). The overall prevalence of alcohol use/misuse was 41 (21.1%), with higher prevalence rate among HIV positive subjects, 28 (24.3%) than those who were HIV negative, 13 (16.5%). The commonest psychiatric symptoms/signs (P<0.05) were emotional withdrawal, depressed mood, suspiciousness, apparent sadness, reduced sleep and suicidal thoughts (especially among women). CONCLUSION There is very high point prevalence of HIV/AIDS and psychiatric disorders, including a moderate prevalence rate of alcohol use/misuse in this less affluent community that warranted intervention.
The Importance of Leisure Activities in the Relationship between Physical Health and Well-Being in a Life Span Sample

Background: Previous studies have examined the relationships between physical health and leisure activities and between leisure activities and well-being, but, to our knowledge, none has examined these relationships simultaneously. Objective: This study investigated the relationships between leisure activities, health and well-being considering the role of age, and whether leisure activities mediate the relationship between physical health and well-being. Methods: Utilizing a cross-sectional database of 259 adults (ages 18-81 years) who completed several questionnaires, linear regression models and mediation models were tested. Results: Regression analyses indicated that physical health was related to leisure activities and leisure activities were related to well-being. When physical health was measured by subjective ratings, age had a stronger relationship with leisure activities. However, when physical health was indicated by health restrictions, physical health had a stronger relationship with leisure activities than did age. Leisure activities were a partial mediator of the relationship between physical health and well-being. Conclusion: The results demonstrated that the reduction in leisure activities with age has more to do with physical health limitations than with older age itself. In addition, regardless of age, the benefits of physical health for well-being are due in part to the level of leisure activity participation. These results highlight the importance of leisure activities for successful aging throughout the adult life span. Interventions designed to improve well-being through increasing leisure activity participation should take physical health into consideration, particularly for older adults.
Species-Dependent Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption of Lipopolysaccharide: Amelioration by Colistin In Vitro and In Vivo

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to use in vitro and in vivo models to assess the impact of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from two different bacterial species on blood-brain barrier (BBB) integrity and brain uptake of colistin. Following repeated administration of LPS from Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the brain-to-plasma ratio of [14C]sucrose in Swiss outbred mice was not significantly increased. Furthermore, while the brain uptake of colistin in mice increased 3-fold following administration of LPS from Salmonella enterica, LPS from P. aeruginosa had no significant effect on colistin brain uptake. This apparent species-dependent effect did not appear to correlate with differences in plasma cytokine levels, as the concentrations of tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-6 following administration of each LPS were not different (P > 0.05). To clarify whether this species-specific effect of LPS was due to direct effects on the BBB, human brain capillary endothelial (hCMEC/D3) cells were treated with LPS from P. aeruginosa or S. enterica and claudin-5 expression was measured by Western blotting. S. enterica LPS significantly (P < 0.05) reduced claudin-5 expression at a concentration of 7.5 μg/ml. In contrast, P. aeruginosa LPS decreased (P < 0.05) claudin-5 expression only at the highest concentration tested (i.e., 30 μg/ml). Coadministration of therapeutic concentrations of colistin ameliorated the S. enterica LPS-induced reduction in claudin-5 expression in hCMEC/D3 cells and the perturbation in BBB function in mice. This study demonstrates that BBB disruption induced by LPS is species dependent, at least between P. aeruginosa and S. enterica, and can be ameliorated by colistin.
An improved video object segmentation algorithm based on background reconstruction

As a critical technology for computer vision and video processing, video object segmentation has far-going pragmatism significance and application importance. In this paper, a video object segmentation algorithm based on background reconstruction is proposed to extract moving objects from video sequences, which were taken by stationary cameras. Firstly, the change detection is used to achieve the mask representing moving regions with an estimation noise parameter, then the methods of maximum in eight-neighbor regions is present to fill the interior holes. Secondly, the background image is available by mapping the mask to the correspondence frame of sequences, then the comparison of frame difference mask is adopted to rebuild the background image, in this way, video objects which have long stayed in the background will be removed from the moving regions after they turn to be stationary. Finally, the initial video object is derived in each frame by subtracting the background from this image, after that, mathematic morphology post-processing is used to get an accurate video object. Experiments on typical sequences have successfully demonstrated the validity of the proposed algorithm.
Robust Performance Verification of Adaptive Robust Controller for Hard Disk Drives

An adaptive robust controller (ARC) has been recently developed for read/write head embedded control systems of hard disk drives (HDDs). This structure is applicable to both track seeking and track following modes, and it makes the mode switching control algorithms found in conventional HDD servosystems unnecessary. An Improved Desired Compensation ARC (IDCARC) scheme is proposed in this paper, in which the traditional ARC is powered by a dynamic adaptive term. In this approach the adaptation regressor is calculated using reference trajectory information. Moreover, a robust analysis of this method is developed, in which a controller designed based on a simple model of the system is verified in a closed loop performance of a more comprehensive model of the system. The simulation result verifies the significant improvement of the performance of IDCARC compared to that of ARC and its robustness for this model. It is observed that in the presence of large disturbances the proposed method preserves the stability and a suitable performance while the ARC fails even in stability.