Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Are our Norms “Normal”? A 4-Year Follow-Up Study of a Biracial Sample of Rural Elders With Low Education

Conventional norms that test presumably normal elderly individuals at one point in time may include preclinical cases of dementia and therefore may be less sensitive to the presence of dementia (Sliwinski, Lipton, Buschke, & Stewart, 1996). A sample of presumably normal African American and White rural community older adults (first reported in Marcopulos, McLain, & Giuliano, 1997) were retested after approximately 4 years to develop “robust” norms for the Mini Mental State Examination, Mattis Dementia Rating Scale Fuld Object Memory Evaluation, WAIS-R Vocabulary and Block Design, Wechsler Memory Scale – Revised Logical Memory and Visual Reproduction, Raven’s Colored Progressive Matrices, and Clock Drawing Test. Ninety-four out of the original 133 participants were located and agreed to be retested. Twelve of the participants retested at Time 2 showed significant decline on testing relative to their own baseline and were dropped from the recalculated norms. Participants who declined on testing tended to be older, less educated, had lower WAIS-R scores on Vocabulary and Block Design combined, had poorer IADLs and were less socially active. There was no difference in physical health status or level of depression. Recalculated group means showed little change when the participants who declined had been removed, but this left very few participants at the extremes of age (>85 years) and education (<4 years). It appears that the incidence of cognitive decline in this sample is comparable to other community samples of cognitive decline and dementia. Results are discussed in light of the practical difficulties of identifying preclinical dementia for deriving robust norms, implications for the theory of cognitive reserve, risk of cognitive decline in persons with low education and/or low premorbid mental ability and the clinical utility of utilizing education-corrected norms.
Development of a rapid and reliable assay for in vitro determination of compound cidality against the asexual stages of Plasmodium falciparum

The pace of anti-malarial drug discovery is often impeded due to the lack of tools to determine the cidality of compounds in vitro. An anti-malarial compound must have a cidal mode of action, i.e. kill parasites, in order to quickly reduce parasite load. A static compound that merely inhibits growth must be identified early on in the discovery cascade. In this paper, we describe a high-throughput fluorescent assay for determination of the cidality of an anti-malarial compound. The assay works on the principle that cultures treated with a static compound will exhibit re-growth while treatment with a cidal compound leads to a marked reduction in parasite number. Parasite cultures are treated with the drug for 48 or 72 h following which the drug is washed off. Cultures are allowed to recover in drug-free media for 72 h and DNA content estimated using the fluorescent dye SyBR Green I. Following estimation of IC50 and IC99 values, we find that the IC99/IC50 ratio is a reliable indicator of the cidality of a compound. Cidal compounds like artemisinin and chloroquine display an IC99/IC50 ratio <5 while the ratio for a static compound like atovaquone is >5. This correlation holds true for various anti-malarial drugs with known modes of action. Importantly, the IC99/IC50 ratio drops to <5 when a compound becomes cidal in action with longer duration of treatment. The assay is robust, reliable and provides a fast and effective means for prioritizing cidal compounds for progression along the drug discovery cascade.
Treatment of symptomatic androgen deficiency: results from the Boston Area Community Health Survey.

BACKGROUND Despite the aging of the US population and increasing sales of prescription testosterone, treatment patterns for androgen deficiency (AD) are poorly understood. We describe patterns and correlates of testosterone treatment in community-dwelling men. METHODS The Boston Area Community Health Survey is an observational study of a population-based random sample of racially and ethnically diverse men representative of Boston, Massachusetts. Data collected by in-person interview from April 2002 to June 2005 included health status, socioeconomic status, access to medical care, and use of prescription medications. A venous blood sample was collected. The operational definition of untreated AD was serum total testosterone level less than 300 ng/dL (to convert to nanomoles per liter, multiply by 0.0347) and free testosterone level less than 5 ng/dL, and the presence of at least 1 specific symptom (low libido, erectile dysfunction, or osteoporosis) or 2 or more less-specific symptoms (sleep disturbance, depressed mood, lethargy, or diminished physical performance) and not using prescription testosterone. Any man who was using testosterone was considered to have treated AD. RESULTS Data were available for 1486 Boston Area Community Health Survey participants (mean age, 46.4 years; age range, 30-79 years). A total of 5.5% (95% confidence interval, 3.5-8.5) men met the criteria for having untreated, symptomatic AD, and 0.8% (95% confidence interval, 0.4-1.4) met the criteria for having treated AD. Considering all cases, the proportion treated was 12.2%. Men with untreated AD seemed to have adequate access to care. CONCLUSIONS Under our assumptions, a large majority (87.8%) of 97 men in our groups with AD were not receiving treatment despite adequate access to care. The reasons for this are unknown but could be due to unrecognized AD or unwillingness to prescribe testosterone therapy.
Transport of African Swine Fever Virus from Assembly Sites to the Plasma Membrane Is Dependent on Microtubules and Conventional Kinesin

ABSTRACT African swine fever virus (ASFV) is a large DNA virus that assembles in perinuclear viral factories located close to the microtubule organizing center. In this study, we have investigated the mechanism by which ASFV reaches the cell surface from the site of assembly. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that at 16 h postinfection, mature virions were aligned along microtubules. Furthermore, virus movement to the cell periphery was inhibited when microtubules were depolymerized by nocodazole. In addition, ASFV infection resulted in the increased acetylation of microtubules as well as their protection against depolymerization by nocodazole. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that conventional kinesin was recruited to virus factories and to a large fraction of virus particles in the cytoplasm. Consistent with a role for conventional kinesin during ASFV egress to the cell periphery, overexpression of the cargo-binding domain of the kinesin light chain severely inhibited the movement of particles to the plasma membrane. Based on our observations, we propose that ASFV is recognized as cargo by conventional kinesin and uses this plus-end microtubule motor to move from perinuclear assembly sites to the plasma membrane.
Force synchronization of multiple robot manipulators: A first study

Motion synchronization of multi-composed systems has proved to be efficient at improving productivity in industrial production processes and found its applications in wider areas such as formation control of mobile robots, multiple robot manipulators coordination, etc. With the development of robot technologies, robotic systems have been used more extensively in service and other non-traditional domains, where contact force between robot and the object/environment under interaction is of great interest and importance. As the counterpart of motion synchronization in multi-robot control, force synchronization has not been explored yet in literature. This work presents the first study of force synchronization for multi-robot system. Based on cross-coupling technique, the force synchronization scheme is developed and asymptotic convergence of both force control error of single manipulator and mutual coupling errors between each pair of the whole robotic system is guaranteed through Lyapunov analysis. Simulation studies of two situations confirm the efficiency of proposed control method and show the improved performance of force control for multi-robot system in terms of accuracy and robustness against external disturbances.
INTEGRATIVE ROLE OF THE LAMINA TERMINALIS IN THE REGULATION OF CARDIOVASCULAR AND BODY FLUID HOMEOSTASIS

1. Cardiovascular and body fluid homeostasis depends upon the activation and co‐ordination of reflexes and behavioural responses. In order to accomplish this, the brain receives and processes both neural and chemical input. Once in the brain, information from sources signalling the status of the cardiovascular system and body fluid balance travels, and is integrated, throughout a widely distributed neural network. Recent studies using neuroanatomical and functional techniques have identified several key areas within this neural network. One major processing node is comprised of structures located along the lamina terminalis.
Post-Vietnam heroin use and injection by returning US veterans: clues to preventing injection today.

AIMS To seek clues in the Vietnam study of 30 years ago that might shed light on which previous users of heroin are at special risk of relapsing and, among relapsers, to identify those likely to begin or return to injecting heroin. DESIGN To analyse information in military records and in two interviews given in the first 3 years after return from Vietnam to find predictors of post-Vietnam injection by soldiers who had used heroin while in Vietnam in 1970-71. PARTICIPANTS A total of 374 Vietnam veterans who had used heroin while in Vietnam and had been interviewed twice since their return from Vietnam. MEASUREMENTS Post-Vietnam heroin injection was determined in either of two post-Vietnam interviews. Possible predictors came from interviews and military records and describe pre-Service and in-Vietnam status and behavior. Included are region of residence, race, antisocial behavior, type and level of drug use and association with illicit drug users. Possible post-Vietnam correlates of heroin injection were no job or school enrollment, alcohol problems, depression, absent or transient marriage, association with illicit drug users and other Vietnam veterans. FINDINGS Only a minority of those who used heroin in Vietnam had ever injected it there. Most smoked or snorted it. After their return, most of the men who had used heroin in Vietnam used it very occasionally or not at all. Among those who did use heroin more than five times after their return, most had tried injecting it. Significant predictors of post-Vietnam injection included living on the east or west coast, deviant behavior both before and in Vietnam, opiate use before Vietnam, serious involvement with heroin in Vietnam, use of non-opiate drugs before and in Vietnam, and associating with drug users before Service. The variables that increased significantly the probability of injection among men who relapsed to heroin use after return to the United States were living on the east or west coast and having a history of using non-opiate illegal drugs before they entered Service. Blacks who returned to heroin use after return were less likely to inject than were non-blacks. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that a high-risk group for intervention to prevent future injection would consist of people with a history of past heroin use who are currently either in remission or using without injection and who reside on either coast, have a history of antisocial behavior and have used a variety of illicit drugs other than heroin.
Moderate to severe vasomotor and sexual symptoms remain problematic for women aged 60 to 65 years

ObjectiveThis study aims to determine the prevalence and severity of menopausal symptoms in older postmenopausal women and, hence, the need for treatment options for women of this age. MethodsThis is a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study conducted between October 2013 and March 2014 among 2,020 women aged 40 to 65 years and living independently across Australia. The main outcome measures were the prevalence of moderate to severe vasomotor symptoms (VMS), as measured by the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire, and the current use of prescription therapy for menopausal symptoms. ResultsThe prevalence of moderate to severe VMS was as follows: 2.8% in premenopausal women, 17.1% in perimenopausal women, 28.5% in postmenopausal women younger than 55 years, 15.1% in postmenopausal women aged 55 to 59 years, and 6.5% in postmenopausal women aged 60 to 65 years. Prescription therapy for menopausal symptoms was used by 135 women: 120 (5.9%) women using hormone therapy and 15 (0.7%) women using nonhormonal medication. The factors positively associated with moderate to severe VMS were smoking (odds ratio, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1-2.3; P < 0.05) and a body mass index of 25 to 29.9 kg/m2 (odds ratio, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.1-2.5; P < 0.05); education beyond high school was inversely associated (odds ratio, 0.7; 95% CI, 0.5-0.9; P < 0.05). ConclusionsIn this large, representative, community-based sample of women, there is a high prevalence of untreated moderate to severe VMS even in women aged 60 to 65 years. The use of vaginal estrogen and nonhormonal prescription therapy with proven efficacy for treatment of menopausal symptoms is strikingly low, suggesting that menopause remains an undertreated condition.
Increased Cyclooxygenase-2 Expression in Hypothalamic Paraventricular Nucleus in Rats With Heart Failure: Role of Nuclear Factor &kgr;B

We investigated the role of nuclear factor &kgr;B (NF-&kgr;B) in the cytokine-mediated induction of cyclooxygenase-2 activity in the paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus (PVN), a critical cardiovascular and autonomic center, in rats with heart failure (HF). Sprague–Dawley rats underwent coronary artery ligation to induce HF or sham surgery. HF rats were treated orally for 6 weeks with vehicle (tap water), the NF-&kgr;B inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (150 mg/kg per day), or the mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist eplerenone (30 mg/kg per day), which has been shown to reduce circulating proinflammatory cytokines in this model. Compared with sham surgery, HF rats had higher (P<0.05) levels of aldosterone, interleukin-1&bgr; and norepinephrine in plasma and prostaglandin E2 in cerebrospinal fluid. In the PVN, NF-&kgr;B p50 precursor p105 mRNA increased, and mRNA for its inhibitor, I&kgr;B, decreased (P<0.05). Cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA and protein expression was increased in perivascular cells of the PVN. Both pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate and eplerenone reduced (P<0.05) p105 mRNA and increased I&kgr;B mRNA in PVN. Both also reduced (P<0.05) cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA and protein expression in PVN, cerebrospinal fluid prostaglandin E2, and plasma norepinephrine. Eplerenone, but not pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, reduced plasma interleukin-1&bgr;. Pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate and eplerenone had no effect on plasma aldosterone. The results suggest that activation of NF-&kgr;B is an intermediary step in cytokine-mediated induction of cyclooxygenase-2 in the PVN of HF rats. By enhancing access of prostaglandin E2 to hypothalamic neurons, this mechanism may contribute to augmented sympathetic nerve activity in HF.
Geometric distortion correction of high‐resolution 3 T diffusion tensor brain images

Diffusion‐weighted images based on echo planar sequences suffer from distortions due to field inhomogeneities from susceptibility differences as well as from eddy currents arising from diffusion gradients. In this paper, a novel approach using nonlinear warping based on optic flow to correct distortions of baseline and diffusion weighted echo planar images (EPI) acquired at 3 T is presented. The distortion correction was estimated by warping the echo planar images to the anatomically correct T2‐weighted fast spin echo images (T2‐FSE). A global histogram intensity matching of the T2‐FSE precedes the base line EPI image distortion correction. A local intensity‐matching algorithm was used to transform labeled T2‐FSE regions to match intensities of diffusion‐weighted EPI images prior to distortion correction of these images. Evaluation was performed using three methods: (i) visual comparison of overlaid contours, (ii) a global mutual information index, and (iii) a local distance measure between homologous points. Visual assessment and the global index demonstrated a decrease in geometrical distortion and the distance measure showed that distortions are reduced to a subvoxel level. In conclusion, the warping algorithm is effective in reducing geometric distortions, enabling generation of anatomically correct diffusion tensor images at 3 T. Magn Reson Med, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Pediatric cancer and the quality of children's dyadic peer interactions.

OBJECTIVE To use observational methods to assess the quality of peer relationships in 51 7- to 12-year-old acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors as compared to healthy children. METHODS Children were audiotaped as they engaged in free play with their best friend and interactions were coded to assess their ability to maintain engagement with one another during play as well as the affective dimension of their play. RESULTS Results indicated that dyads with survivors of childhood cancer were less likely to be highly engaged with their best friend and more likely to experience disengagement than dyads with healthy participants. There were no group differences in positive or negative affect. CONCLUSIONS Overall, these data suggest that survivors of childhood cancer's relationships with their best friend may be compromised in some specific areas when compared to the relations of healthy children. Implications for intervention are discussed.
Estimation of ligament strains and joint moments in the ankle during a supination sprain injury

This study presents the ankle ligament strains and ankle joint moments during an accidental injury event diagnosed as a grade I anterior talofibular ligament (ATaFL) sprain. A male athlete accidentally sprained his ankle while performing a cutting motion in a laboratory setting. The kinematic data were input to a three-dimensional rigid-body foot model for simulation analyses. Maximum strains in 20 ligaments were evaluated in simulations that investigated various combinations of the reported ankle joint motions. Temporal strains in the ATaFL and the calcaneofibular ligament (CaFL) were then compared and the three-dimensional ankle joint moments were evaluated from the model. The ATaFL and CaFL were highly strained when the inversion motion was simulated (10% for ATaFL and 12% for CaFL). These ligament strains were increased significantly when either or both plantarflexion and internal rotation motions were added in a temporal fashion (up to 20% for ATaFL and 16% for CaFL). Interestingly, at the time strain peaked in the ATaFL, the plantarflexion angle was not large but apparently important. This computational simulation study suggested that an inversion moment of approximately 23 N m plus an internal rotation moment of approximately 11 N m and a small plantarflexion moment may have generated a strain of 15–20% in the ATaFL to produce a grade I ligament injury in the athlete's ankle. This injury simulation study exhibited the potentially important roles of plantarflexion and internal rotation, when combined with a large inversion motion, to produce a grade I ATaFL injury in the ankle of this athlete.
Type III Secretion System and Virulence Markers Highlight Similarities and Differences between Human- and Plant-Associated Pseudomonads Related to Pseudomonas fluorescens and P. putida

ABSTRACT Pseudomonas fluorescens is commonly considered a saprophytic rhizobacterium devoid of pathogenic potential. Nevertheless, the recurrent isolation of strains from clinical human cases could indicate the emergence of novel strains originating from the rhizosphere reservoir, which could be particularly resistant to the immune system and clinical treatment. The importance of type three secretion systems (T3SSs) in the related Pseudomonas aeruginosa nosocomial species and the occurrence of this secretion system in plant-associated P. fluorescens raise the question of whether clinical isolates may also harbor T3SSs. In this study, isolates associated with clinical infections and identified in hospitals as belonging to P. fluorescens were compared with fluorescent pseudomonads harboring T3SSs isolated from plants. Bacterial isolates were tested for (i) their genetic relationships based on their 16S rRNA phylogeny, (ii) the presence of T3SS genes by PCR, and (iii) their infectious potential on animals and plants under environmental or physiological temperature conditions. Two groups of bacteria were delineated among the clinical isolates. The first group encompassed thermotolerant (41°C) isolates from patients suffering from blood infections; these isolates were finally found to not belong to P. fluorescens but were closely related and harbored highly conserved T3SS genes belonging to the Ysc-T3SS family, like the T3SSs from P. aeruginosa. The second group encompassed isolates from patients suffering from cystic fibrosis; these isolates belonged to P. fluorescens and harbored T3SS genes belonging to the Hrp1-T3SS family found commonly in plant-associated P. fluorescens.
Genetic analysis of familial non-syndromic primary failure of eruption.

OBJECTIVES While some eruption disorders occur as part of a medical syndrome, primary failure of eruption (PFE) - defined as a localized failure of secondary tooth eruption - exists without systemic involvement. Recent studies support that heredity may play an important role in the pathogenesis of PFE. The objective of our human genetic study is to investigate the genetic contribution to PFE. MATERIALS AND METHODS Four candidate genes POSTN, RUNX2, AMELX, and AMBN) were investigated because of their relationship to tooth eruption or putative relationship to each other. Families and individuals were ascertained based on the clinical diagnosis of PFE. Pedigrees were constructed and analyzed by inspection to determine the mode of inheritance in four families. The candidate genes were directly sequenced for both unrelated affected individuals and unaffected individuals. A genome wide scan using 500 microsatellite markers followed by linkage analysis was carried out for one family. RESULTS Pedigree analysis of families suggests an autosomal dominant inheritance pattern with complete penetrance and variable expressivity. Sequence analysis revealed two non-functional polymorphisms in the POSTN gene and no other sequence variations in the remaining candidate genes. Genotyping and linkage analysis of one family yielded a LOD score of 1.51 for markers D13S272; D15S118 and D17S831 on chromosomes 13, 15 and 17 respectively. CONCLUSIONS While LOD scores were not significant evidence of linkage, extension of current pedigrees and novel SNP chip technology holds great promise for identification of a causative locus for PFE.