Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Does living setting influence training adaptations in young girls?

To assess whether rural or urban setting may influence young girls' fitness and coordinative abilities training adaptations following dance training. Forty‐four dancers aged 11–12 years (21 urban, 23 rural) attended a 6‐month dance training while continuing to practice their habitual physical activities (PA). Dancers' fitness and motor coordination abilities were assessed by pre‐ and post‐intervention tests (anthropometric measures, 1‐mile run/walk, sit and reach, standing long jump, hand grip and four field tests of kinaesthetic discrimination and response orientation). PA was assessed using a self‐report recall measure. After the intervention period, rural dancers significantly improved in 1‐mile run/walk, lower limb kinaesthetic discrimination and response orientation ability tests. Significant differences between two groups in upper limb response orientation ability test were found. Both groups showed a significant increase in body height and weight. Multiple regression analysis indicated that time in nonorganized PA predicted some fitness and coordinative changes (1‐mile run/walk, lower limb response orientation and kinaesthetic discrimination ability tests) following the training period, although the percentage of variance it could explain was moderate. Our results showed that training adaptations of some fitness and coordinative performances could be influenced by setting characteristics that provided opportunities for different types of PA.
An Exploratory Study of Abuse Among Frail Elders Using Services in a Small Village in Japan

ABSTRACT Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the presence and form of elder abuse and to identify associated risk factors for abuse in a small sample of frail elders using support services in a suburban community in Japan. Design and Methods: The participants were all frail elderly (n = 78) among a sample of persons aged 60 or older (n = 1,134) in an agricultural village on the main island of Japan. Results: The key results were that 17.9% were categorized as being abused, with psychological abuse, neglect, and financial abuse being the most common forms. Implications: Cultural factors may impact who an abuser is, but the contributing factors in this Japanese sample do not significantly differ from results found in other countries. Preventive strategies need to be targeted at multiple levels.
Current and future therapies for inflammatory bowel disease

The introduction of biologic agents to the therapeutic arsenal has dramatically impacted the way we treat patients with inflammatory bowel disease, allowing clinicians to achieve lasting remission in patients who are unresponsive to conventional therapies. New research continues to expand our understanding of the inflammatory cascade of ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, revealing a host of potential therapeutic targets for intervention. As we look toward the future in this rapidly developing field, we must learn how best to incorporate these new agents into the treatment algorithm to enhance or replace conventional therapies.
Modulation of host central carbon metabolism and in situ glucose uptake by intracellular Trypanosoma cruzi amastigotes

Obligate intracellular pathogens satisfy their nutrient requirements by coupling to host metabolic processes, often modulating these pathways to facilitate access to key metabolites. Such metabolic dependencies represent potential targets for pathogen control, but remain largely uncharacterized for the intracellular protozoan parasite and causative agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi. Perturbations in host central carbon and energy metabolism have been reported in mammalian T. cruzi infection, with no information regarding the impact of host metabolic changes on the intracellular amastigote life stage. Here, we performed cell-based studies to elucidate the interplay between infection with intracellular T. cruzi amastigotes and host cellular energy metabolism. T. cruzi infection of non-phagocytic cells was characterized by increased glucose uptake into infected cells and increased mitochondrial respiration and mitochondrial biogenesis. While intracellular amastigote growth was unaffected by decreased host respiratory capacity, restriction of extracellular glucose impaired amastigote proliferation and sensitized parasites to further growth inhibition by 2-deoxyglucose. These observations led us to consider whether intracellular T. cruzi amastigotes utilize glucose directly as a substrate to fuel metabolism. Consistent with this prediction, isolated T. cruzi amastigotes transport extracellular glucose with kinetics similar to trypomastigotes, with subsequent metabolism as demonstrated in 13C-glucose labeling and substrate utilization assays. Metabolic labeling of T. cruzi-infected cells further demonstrated the ability of intracellular parasites to access host hexose pools in situ. These findings are consistent with a model in which intracellular T. cruzi amastigotes capitalize on the host metabolic response to parasite infection, including the increase in glucose uptake, to fuel their own metabolism and replication in the host cytosol. Our findings enrich current views regarding available carbon sources for intracellular T. cruzi amastigotes and underscore the metabolic flexibility of this pathogen, a feature predicted to underlie successful colonization of tissues with distinct metabolic profiles in the mammalian host.
Protein 4.1 R-135 Interacts with a Novel Centrosomal Protein (CPAP) Which Is Associated with the γ-Tubulin Complex

ABSTRACT Using a yeast two-hybrid system, we isolated a novel human centrosomal protein, CPAP (centrosomal P4.1-associated protein), which specifically interacts with the head domain of the 135-kDa protein 4.1R isoform (4.1R-135). Sequence analysis revealed that the carboxyl terminus of CPAP has 31.3% amino acid identity with human Tcp-10 (at-complex responder gene product). Interestingly, most of the sequence identity is restricted to two conserved regions. One carries a leucine zipper, which may form a series of heptad repeats involved in coiled-coil formation; the other contains unusual glycine repeats with unknown function. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed that CPAP and γ-tubulin are localized within the centrosome throughout the cell cycle. CPAP cosediments with γ-tubulin in sucrose gradients and coimmunoprecipitates with γ-tubulin, indicating that CPAP is a part of the γ-tubulin complex. Furthermore, functional analysis revealed that CPAP is localized within the center of microtubule asters and may participate in microtubule nucleation. The formation of microtubule asters was significantly inhibited by anti-CPAP antibody. Together, these observations indicate that CPAP may play an important role in cell division and centrosome function.
Vessel Health and Preservation (Part 1): A New Evidence-Based Approach to Vascular Access Selection and Management

Vascular access for the infusion of medications and solutions requires timely assessment, planning, insertion, and assessment. Traditional vascular access is reactive, painful, and ineffective, often resulting in the exhaustion of peripheral veins prior to consideration of other access options. Evidence suggests clinical pathways improve outcomes by reducing variations and establishing processes to assess and coordinate care, minimizing fragmentation and cost. Implementation of a vascular access clinical pathway leads to the intentional selection of the best vascular access device for the patient specific to the individual diagnosis, treatment plan, current medical condition, and the patient's vessel health (1). The Vessel Health and Preservation (VHP) programme incorporates evidence-based practices focused on timely, intentional proactive device selection implemented within 24 hours of admission into any acute facility. VHP is an all-inclusive clinical pathway, guiding clinicians from device selection through patient discharge, including daily assessment. Initiation of the VHP programme within a facility provides a systematic pathway to improve vascular access selection and patient care, allowing for the reduction of variations and roadblocks in care while increasing positive patient outcomes and satisfaction. Patient safety and preservation of vessel health is the ultimate goal.
The genetic diversity of SMLS (Sitobion miscanthi L type symbiont) and its effect on the fitness, mitochondrial DNA diversity and Buchnera aphidicola dynamic of wheat aphid, Sitobion miscanthi (Hemiptera: Aphididae)

SMLS (Sitobion miscanthi L type symbiont) is a recently discovered aphid secondary symbiont. Using evidence extracted from 16S rRNA sequences, previous studies indicate that SMLS is the most widely distributed and most recently transferred secondary symbiont in Chinese Sitobion miscanthi populations. Here, we further investigated genetic diversity among SMLS geographic strains with multiloci data. Furthermore, the influence of SMLS on S. miscanthi was uncovered with ecological and evolutionary evidence. The results indicated that there was limited influence of infection with SMLS on variation and evolutionary patterns of S. miscanthi mitochondrial DNA. By hemolymph injection, the SMLS‐infected and SMLS‐uninfected S. miscanthi clones with the identical genetic background were built in this study. Although similar Buchnera aphidicola dynamics were observed between SMLS‐infected and SMLS‐uninfected S. miscanthi population, B. aphidicola density of SMLS‐infected S. miscanthi population was always significantly higher than SMLS‐uninfected ones. The results of fitness measurements indicated that under laboratory rearing conditions, transfection of SMLS could confer modest advantages to some fitness components of S. miscanthi, that is, total number of offspring, longevity, age of first reproduction and weight of adult. However, as SMLS is not strictly associated with S. miscanthi, further investigations are needed to uncover the mechanisms responsible for this inconceivable association.
Interbrain phase synchronization during turn‐taking verbal interaction—a hyperscanning study using simultaneous EEG/MEG

Recently, neurophysiological findings about social interaction have been investigated widely, and hardware has been developed that can measure multiple subjects' brain activities simultaneously. These hyperscanning studies have enabled us to discover new and important evidences of interbrain interactions. Yet, very little is known about verbal interaction without any visual input. Therefore, we conducted a new hyperscanning study based on verbal, interbrain turn‐taking interaction using simultaneous EEG/MEG, which measures rapidly changing brain activities. To establish turn‐taking verbal interactions between a pair of subjects, we set up two EEG/MEG systems (19 and 146 channels of EEG and MEG, respectively) located ∼100 miles apart. Subjects engaged in verbal communication via condenser microphones and magnetic‐compatible earphones, and a network time protocol synchronized the two systems. Ten subjects participated in this experiment and performed verbal interaction and noninteraction tasks separately. We found significant oscillations in EEG alpha and MEG alpha/gamma bands in several brain regions for all subjects. Furthermore, we estimated phase synchronization between two brains using the weighted phase lag index and found statistically significant synchronization in EEG and MEG data. Our novel paradigm and neurophysiological findings may foster a basic understanding of the functional mechanisms involved in human social interactions. Hum Brain Mapp 39:171–188, 2018. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sensory innervation and inflammatory cytokines in hypertrophic synovia associated with pain transmission in osteoarthritis of the hip: a case-control study.

OBJECTIVE To clarify the sensory innervation and inflammatory cytokines in hypertrophic synovia associated with pain transmission in OA of the hip. METHODS A piece of the synovium was extracted during reconstruction surgery in 50 patients with OA of the hip as an inflammatory synovium and in 12 patients with femoral neck fracture as a normal synovium. Each sample was immersed in fixative solution, sectioned on a cryostat, and then processed for immunohistochemistry using antibodies as follows: neuron-specific class III β-tubulin (TuJ-1) as a general marker for nerve fibres, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) for sensory nerve fibres, nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) for the protein complex controlling the transcription of DNA in cellular responses to painful stimuli, and TNF-α for cytokines involved in acute inflammation. The number of immunopositive cells and fibres were counted using a fluorescence microscope. RESULTS In the inflammatory synovium of OA of the hip, TuJ-1 was positive in 46% (23 hips). Of those positive for TuJ-1, 78% (18 hips) were also positive for CGRP, but 22% (5 hips) were negative for CGRP. NF-κB was positive in 68% (34 hips). Of those positive for NF-κB, 76% (26 hips) were also positive for TNF-α, but 24% (8 hips) were negative for TNF-α. In normal synovia, all four substances were negative. CONCLUSION We suggest sensory innervation and inflammatory cytokines in hypertrophic synovia are associated with nociception in OA of the hip. TRIAL REGISTRATION University Hospital Medical Information Network, www.umin. ac.jp, UMIN000001335.
Recent Advances in Shotgun Lipidomics and Their Implication for Vision Research and Ophthalmology

Abstract In the past decade, mass spectrometry (MS) has made tremendous advances toward the profiling and identification of lipids from biological samples. MS is attractive for the simplicity it offers toward total profiling of lipids, the identification and characterization of individual entities directly after extraction from complex biological mixtures utilizing an infusion mode. Fundamentally, two types of mass analyzers exist, depending upon whether the fragment ion resolution and analysis occurs in space domain or in time domain within the mass spectrometer. Compared to MS, chromatographic methods are cumbersome. Nuclear magnetic resonance, which provides unequivocal elucidation of structures, necessitates much higher absolute amount and demands purity of lipids. We present here an account of recent developments in class-specific lipid identification strategies, targeted and untargeted lipid analyses, identification and de novo structure elucidation using mass spectrometric and combinatorial chemical derivatization and MS. We have reviewed the strategies with emphasis for spatial domain fragment resolution mass analyzers enabling analysis of lipids in a class-specific manner. We also provide a brief account of database and bioinformatic tools that have been recently developed toward profiling, identification and quantification of lipids in complex biological mixtures.
Comparison of methods to predict visual field progression in glaucoma.

OBJECTIVE To compare performance of pointwise linear regression, Glaucoma Change Probability Analysis (GCPA), and the Advanced Glaucoma Intervention Study (AGIS) method in predicting visual field progression in glaucoma. DESIGN Longitudinal visual field data from AGIS. Proportion of progressing eyes and time to progression were the main outcome measures. One hundred fifty-six patients with 8 or more years of follow-up were included. Prediction of outcomes at 8 years was used to evaluate the performance of each method (pointwise linear regression, GCPA, and AGIS). RESULTS Visual field progression at 8 years was detected in 35%, 31%, and 22% of patients by pointwise linear regression, GCPA, and the AGIS method, respectively. Baseline mean deviation was not different for nonprogressing vs progressing eyes for all methods (P > .05). Pointwise linear regression and GCPA had the highest pairwise concordance (kappa = 0.58 [SD, 0.07]). The false prediction rates at 4 and 8 years varied between 1% and 3%. Glaucoma Change Probability Analysis predicted final outcomes better than pointwise linear regression at 4 years (P = .001). CONCLUSIONS All algorithms had low false prediction rates. Glaucoma Change Probability Analysis predicted outcomes better than pointwise linear regression early during follow-up. Algorithms did not perform differently as a function of baseline damage. Pointwise linear regression and GCPA did not agree well regarding spatial distribution of worsening test locations.
Potential clinical utility of polymerase chain reaction in microbiological testing for sepsis

Objectives: To evaluate the potential improvement of antimicrobial treatment by utilizing a new multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay that identifies sepsis-relevant microorganisms in blood. Design: Prospective, observational international multicentered trial. Setting: University hospitals in Germany (n = 2), Spain (n = 1), and the United States (n = 1), and one Italian tertiary general hospital. Patients: 436 sepsis patients with 467 episodes of antimicrobial treatment. Methods: Whole blood for PCR and blood culture (BC) analysis was sampled independently for each episode. The potential impact of reporting microorganisms by PCR on adequacy and timeliness of antimicrobial therapy was analyzed. The number of gainable days on early adequate antimicrobial treatment attributable to PCR findings was assessed. Measurements and Main Results: Sepsis criteria, days on antimicrobial therapy, antimicrobial substances administered, and microorganisms identified by PCR and BC susceptibility tests. Results: BC diagnosed 117 clinically relevant microorganisms; PCR identified 154. Ninety-nine episodes were BC positive (BC+); 131 episodes were PCR positive (PCR+). Overall, 127.8 days of clinically inadequate empirical antibiotic treatment in the 99 BC+ episodes were observed. Utilization of PCR-aided diagnostics calculates to a potential reduction of 106.5 clinically inadequate treatment days. The ratio of gainable early adequate treatment days to number of PCR tests done is 22.8 days/100 tests overall (confidence interval 15–31) and 36.4 days/100 tests in the intensive care and surgical ward populations (confidence interval 22–51). Conclusions: Rapid PCR identification of microorganisms may contribute to a reduction of early inadequate antibiotic treatment in sepsis.
Influence of the polar phase in the formulation of cosmetics

Frequently, the incoporation of the polar phase, as a second step in the formulation of a cosmetic, is considered as a simple dilution process. This work shows the influence of the polar phase on the final formulation, according to its constitution as well as the method of incorporation. Modelling the system through a regular tetrahedron suggests alternative ways to the usual method of incorporation (direct titration with a polar phase with a given composition), based on selective incorporation of the polar ingredients (double titration procedures). Depending on the constitution of the polar phase, it is possible to obtain different kinds of formulations (gel, liquids, …), and, depending on the different possibilities of incorporation of the polar ingredients, identical compositions can be formulated in terms of percentage of their components, but showing different rheological characteristics, allowing an adaptation to the required specific needs of formulation.
Altered Viral Fitness of HIV‐1 Following Failure of Protease Inhibitor‐Based Therapy

&NA;HIV‐1 isolated from patients with improved CD4+ T‐cell counts despite virologic failure on a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) and protease inhibitor (PI)‐containing regimen were characterized. Five paired virus isolates from patients before and after zidovudine, lamivudine, and ritonavir treatment were tested. Human peripheral blood leukocyte‐reconstituted severe combined immunodeficient (hu‐PBL‐SCID) mice were infected with pre‐ or posttreatment isolates and plasma HIV‐1 RNA levels and CD4+ T cells were measured. Two of five post‐treatment isolates exhibited decreased replication in hu‐PBL‐SCID mice compared with the paired pretreatment isolate, and both had the V82A mutation in protease associated with resistance to PI. One additional posttreatment isolate with the M184V mutation in reverse transcriptase showed diminished replication. CD4+ T‐cell depletion was similar following infection with either the pre‐ or posttreatment isolates. Subtle losses in the replication capacity of PI‐ or NRTI‐resistant viruses may contribute to relative preservation of CD4+ T‐cell counts in persons who experience virologic failure. Cytopathic effects of viral infection for target T cells vary from patient to patient but appear not to be influenced by mutations associated with failure of therapy in this system.
Design Tradeoffs and Predistortion of Digital Cartesian RF-Power-DAC Transmitters

Digital RF transmitter architectures offer several advantages over conventional analog transmitters, including reduced area, reconfigurability, compatibility with scaling, and the ability to use highly efficient switching-class power amplifiers (PAs). However, the nonlinear transfer functions from the switch conductance to the output RF amplitude and phase of these switching class PAs and the inherent interaction between I and Q paths in digital Cartesian architectures necessitate the use of 2-D digital predistortion (2D-DPD) for linearization. In this brief, we discuss the 2D-DPD of a class E/Fodd PA-based Cartesian RF-power digital to analog converter (DAC) transmitter. The effects of parameters associated with the 2D-DPD such as the rotation of the static nonlinearity constellation, size of predistortion look-up tables (LUTs), and interpolation technique on system performance metrics such as error vector magnitude (EVM) and output power are discussed. We also investigate design tradeoffs related to output power, efficiency, and the effective number of bits in such transmitters. This brief is supported by measurement results from a watt-level 2.4-GHz 9-b Cartesian RF-power-DAC transmitter implemented in 65-nm CMOS.
Circuit Simulation on Shared-Memory Multiprocessors

Reports the parallelization on a shared-memory vector multiprocessor of the computationally intensive components of a circuit simulator-matrix assembly (including device model evaluation) and the unstructured sparse linear system solution. A theoretical model is used to predict the performance of the lock-synchronized parallel matrix assembly, and the results are compared to experimental measurements. Alternate approaches to efficient sparse matrix solution are contrasted, highlighting the impact of the matrix representation/access strategy on achievable performance, and medium-grained approach with superior performance is introduced. The techniques developed have been incorporated into a prototype parallel implementation of the production circuit simulator ADVICE on the Alliant FX/8 multiprocessor. >
Emotion triggers executive attention: Anterior cingulate cortex and amygdala responses to emotional words in a conflict task

Coherent behavior depends on attentional control that detects and resolves conflict between opposing actions. The current functional magnetic resonance imaging study tested the hypothesis that emotion triggers attentional control to speed up conflict processing in particularly salient situations. Therefore, we presented emotionally negative and neutral words in a version of the flanker task. In response to conflict, we found activation of the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and of the amygdala for emotional stimuli. When emotion and conflict coincided, a region in the ventral ACC was activated, which resulted in faster conflict processing in reaction times. Emotion also increased functional connectivity between the ventral ACC and activation of the dorsal ACC and the amygdala in conflict trials. These data suggest that the ventral ACC integrates emotion and conflict and prioritizes the processing of conflict in emotional trials. This adaptive mechanism ensures rapid detection and resolution of conflict in potentially threatening situations signaled by emotional stimuli. Hum Brain Mapp, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.