Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prior voluntary wheel running attenuates neuropathic pain

Abstract Exercise is known to exert a systemic anti-inflammatory influence, but whether its effects are sufficient to protect against subsequent neuropathic pain is underinvestigated. We report that 6 weeks of voluntary wheel running terminating before chronic constriction injury (CCI) prevented the full development of allodynia for the ∼3-month duration of the injury. Neuroimmune signaling was assessed at 3 and 14 days after CCI. Prior exercise normalized ipsilateral dorsal spinal cord expression of neuroexcitatory interleukin (IL)-1&bgr; production and the attendant glutamate transporter GLT-1 decrease, as well as expression of the disinhibitory P2X4R-BDNF axis. The expression of the macrophage marker Iba1 and the chemokine CCL2 (MCP-1), and a neuronal injury marker (activating transcription factor 3), was attenuated by prior running in the ipsilateral lumbar dorsal root ganglia. Prior exercise suppressed macrophage infiltration and/or injury site proliferation, given decreased presence of macrophage markers Iba1, iNOS (M1), and Arg-1 (M2; expression was time dependent). Chronic constriction injury–driven increases in serum proinflammatory chemokines were suppressed by prior running, whereas IL-10 was increased. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were also stimulated with lipopolysaccharide ex vivo, wherein CCI-induced increases in IL-1&bgr;, nitrite, and IL-10 were suppressed by prior exercise. Last, unrestricted voluntary wheel running, beginning either the day of, or 2 weeks after, CCI, progressively reversed neuropathic pain. This study is the first to investigate the behavioral and neuroimmune consequences of regular exercise terminating before nerve injury. This study suggests that chronic pain should be considered a component of “the diseasome of physical inactivity,” and that an active lifestyle may prevent neuropathic pain.
Understanding the utility of emotional approach coping: evidence from a laboratory stressor and daily life

Background: Dispositional emotional approach coping (EAC) marks an adaptive tendency to process and express emotions. EAC's association with cognitions, affect, and intra- and interindividual characteristics that may account for its utility was examined in response to an acute stressor and in daily life. Design: This study included a laboratory stress task and ecological momentary assessment. Methods: Healthy undergraduate students (n = 124; mean age: 20; women: 56%) completed a laboratory component (baseline survey, speech stress task, pre- and posttask measures) and five subsequent days of surveys via palm pilot (six surveys/day). Results: Controlling for sex, neuroticism, and social support, greater EAC was associated with more positive cognitive appraisals, personal resources, and positive affect and less-negative affect during the lab stressor, and with more perceived control and positive affect in daily life. Significant EAC × sex interactions were found for poststressor affect: men with high EAC reported more positive affect and women with high EAC reported less negative affect. Conclusions: Findings provide support that EAC's utility may be independent of intra- and interindividual characteristics, and that men and women may benefit from EAC in different ways in regards to affect. The proclivity to use EAC may come with a resiliency that protects against stress and promotes general well-being.
Activity rhythms and clinical correlates in fibromyalgia

Abstract The primary aim of this study was to evaluate activity rhythms in fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) and their association with FMS-related symptoms. We hypothesized that stronger and more consistent activity rhythms would be associated with reduced symptom severity and presentation in FMS. Two hundred ninety-two patients with FMS (mean age = 45.1 ± 11.1; 272 women) provided a 7-day actigraphy recording and responses to questionnaires addressing degree of pain, fatigue, mood, and physical impairment. Using a simple cosine model, we extracted Amplitude (activity range), Phi (time at maximum), Mesor (mean activity), and their variabilities (across days) from each participant's actigraphy. The clinical and actigraphic measures were operationally independent. There was a significant canonical relationship between activity rhythm parameters and clinical FMS measures (r = 0.376, R2 = 0.14, P < 0.001). The set of Mesor, Amplitude, and Phi activity parameters remained associated with clinical measures when controlled statistically for both demographics and activity variability (P < 0.001). Each activity parameter provided unique discrimination of the clinical set by multivariate test (P = 0.003, 0.018, and 0.007 for Amplitude, Phi, and Mesor, respectively). These results revealed that better pain, fatigue, mood, physical impairment, and sleep outcomes were associated with higher activity range and more rhythmicity (Amplitude), increased mean activity (Mesor), and with earlier timing of peak activity (Phi). Exploratory analyses revealed significantly worse sleep for individuals with low Amplitude and more delayed Phi.
Associations of ethnic discrimination with symptoms of anxiety and depression among Hispanic emerging adults: a moderated mediation model

ABSTRACT Background and Objectives: Emerging adulthood is often marked with elevated symptoms of anxiety and depression. Hispanic emerging adults may face cultural stressors such as ethnic discrimination that further increase levels of anxiety and depression symptoms. The study aims were to examine if (a) self-esteem mediated effects of ethnic discrimination on symptoms of anxiety and depression, and (b) if gender moderated the indirect effects of discrimination. Design: The study design was cross-sectional self-report. Method: Two moderated mediation models were tested, with 1084 Hispanic emerging adults (ages 18–25) enrolled in institutions of post-secondary in the United States. Results: Results indicated that (a) higher ethnic discrimination was associated with higher anxiety symptoms (β = .05, p = .04), higher depression symptoms (β = .06, p = .02), and lower self-esteem (β = −.30, p < .001); (b) self-esteem mediated the associations of ethnic discrimination with anxiety and depression symptoms; and (c) gender moderated the indirect effects of discrimination, whereby self-esteem was a stronger mediator among men than women. Each moderated mediation model explained 26% of variability in symptoms of anxiety and depression, respectively. Conclusions: Findings suggest that the mediating effects of self-esteem linking ethnic discrimination with symptoms of anxiety and depression vary between genders.
Pain and learning in primary school: a population-based study

Abstract Despite the frequency of pain among children, little is known about its effects on learning and school outcomes. The objective of this study was to quantify the association of pain and academic achievement while taking into account the presence of co-occurring emotional symptoms. A population-based stratified random sample of 1239 students aged 8 to 9 years from primary schools in Melbourne, Australia, was recruited for the Childhood to Adolescence Transition Study. Children indicated sites of pain that had lasted for a day or longer in the past month using a pain manikin. Depressive- and anxiety-related symptoms were assessed using child-reported items. National assessment results for reading and numeracy were used to measure academic achievement. Sixty-five percent of children reported pain in at least 1 body site and 16% reported chronic pain. Increasing number of pain sites was associated with poorer reading scores in a dose–response fashion (&bgr; = −3.1; 95% confidence interval −4.9 to −1.3; P < 0.001). The association was only partly attenuated when adjusting for emotional symptoms (&bgr; = −2.6; 95% confidence interval −4.5 to −0.8; P < 0.001) and was not moderated by emotional symptoms. Children with chronic pain were a year behind their peers in both reading and numeracy. Among primary school students, pain was associated with lower reading scores even after adjusting for the presence of emotional symptoms. Although population-based longitudinal studies will be required to ascertain consistency and possible causality, grounds exist for considering pain and emotional symptoms in the assessment of children with reading difficulties.
Weight and Health Behaviour Changes among Ageing People with Medication for Hypertension and High Cholesterol Level

Purpose. It is hypothesized that people with medication for hypertension and/or high cholesterol level do not lose weight or change their health behaviour. Methods. This is a six-year follow-up study consisting of 1,428 individuals from two birth cohorts (1936–40, 1946–50) who took part in clinical check-ups and answered to the survey questionnaires in 2002 and 2008. Results. Those participants, born in 1946–50, who had medication at the baseline had higher increase of body mass index (𝑃<0.01) and waist circumference (𝑃<0.01) at the follow-up. No major disparities in health behaviour changes between medicated and nonmedicated were found. Conclusions. Findings of this study support partly the hypothesis that aging individuals with medication for hypertension and/or high cholesterol level do not lose weight or change their health behaviour.
Fast texture synthesis with cellular neural network‐based patch stitching

The presented paper introduces a novel approach to patch‐based texture synthesis. The proposed method utilizes Cellular Neural Networks (CNNs) for patch stitching, the most important operation of the synthesis procedure, expected to transform a patchwork made up of pieces of some small texture sample into a seamless, large texture. To fill in between‐patch gaps, spontaneous pattern formation capabilities of CNNs are used. By using autoregressive filtering framework, we show that CNNs can be designed to generate complex stochastic fields that approximate stochastic and near‐stochastic textures. The proposed texture‐synthesis procedure is the following. After creating a patchwork from randomly drawn pieces of a small target texture, we fix boundary CNN conditions to edge pixels of all patches subject to stitching and execute an appropriately derived texture‐approximating template. Finally, brightness of the resulting patterns is locally adjusted by executing a diffusion CNN template. As both processing steps involve pure CNN dynamics, the proposed patch‐stitching method can be extremely fast if implemented in existing hardware (at the order of milliseconds for synthesizing several megapixel images). Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A phase synchronization control scheme for LCL‐T type high‐frequency current source in parallel connection

Considering the applications of high voltage gate driving system and contactless power transmission, a current‐based power distribution is adopted as a kind of replacement of voltage based high‐frequency Alternating Current (AC) power distribution system. In order to implement high‐frequency current source, an LCL‐T resonant inverter is examined with constant current characteristic and high conversion efficiency. First, the resonant topology is studied as a high‐frequency power source, including circuit principle, operational cycle analysis, and AC analysis. The effective control and high conversion efficiency are both achieved by LCL‐T resonant inverter. Second, the phase angle control scheme is explored to improve the synchronization performance in parallel system formed by multiple of LCL‐T resonant inverters. Lastly, a prototype of parallel system is evaluated by simulation and experiment results, both of which are constructed by two resonant inverters with rated peak current of 2 A, rated output frequency of 30 kHz, and rated output power of 100 W. The experimental results in accordance with simulation prove that the better phase synchronization of output currents is achieved by the phase angle control. Hence, the high‐frequency resonant topology and phase control scheme are a feasible realization of current source that can be used to feed current‐based high‐frequency power distribution system. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Direct synthesis techniques for general Chebyshev filters: lowpass, highpass, and bandstop cases

Conventional synthesis techniques for general Chebyshev lowpass, highpass, and bandstop filters are usually based on general Chebyshev filtering function, from which lowpass prototype is set up. By applying the lowpass to lowpass, highpass, or bandstop frequency transformation on realization networks of lowpass prototypes, final realization networks of general Chebyshev lowpass, highpass, and bandstop filters are obtained. In this paper, direct synthesis techniques for general Chebyshev lowpass, highpass, and bandstop filters are discussed. Transmission zeros can be placed wherever they are desired to control the performance of the filters. Unlike conventional synthesis techniques, they derive filtering polynomials constituting network parameters directly in the lowpass, highpass, or bandstop domain, which might find applications in analogue and digital filter design. Several examples are presented for demonstration. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Towards European harmonised procedures for quantification of nutrient losses from diffuse sources--the EUROHARP project.

Nutrient losses from diffuse sources are now one of the main pressures on the ecological status of the aquatic environment in most countries worldwide. Agriculture is the dominant diffuse source, and the challenge of quantifying nutrient cycling from the field to coastal waters calls for the ability to describe and model the various physical and biogeochemical processes governing nutrient transport. Several nutrient models have been developed worldwide in an attempt to describe and quantify nutrient transfers from fields to the aquatic environment. The overall objective of the EC funded EUROHARP (2002–2006) project encompassing 22 research institutes from 17 European countries and led by NIVA, Norway was to provide end-users with guidance for choosing the appropriate quantification tools that will satisfy existing European requirements on harmonisation and transparency for quantifying
Pediatric Palliative Care Revisited: A Vision to Add Life

The concept of pediatric palliative care should be analyzed to gain a better understanding of how to address the needs of children living with life-threatening illnesses. According to Walker and Avant, this article identifies uses of the concept, defines its critical attributes, describes a model case, describes additional cases, and identifies antecedents, consequences, and empirical referents. The analysis is useful to researchers and clinicians with a focus on pediatric palliative care. Hypotheses can then accurately reflect relationships among variables in the field, and new tools can be developed to determine the presence of pediatric palliative care.
High rate of unprovoked recurrent venous thrombosis is associated with high thrombin‐generating potential in a prospective cohort study

Summary. Objective: To determine the predictive value of measurement of parameters of thrombin generation for unprovoked recurrent venous thrombosis. Methods: Measurements were made of thrombin generation in a prospective cohort study of 188 patients with a first episode of venous thrombosis that was unprovoked, or provoked by a non‐surgical trigger. Results: The endogenous thrombin potential (ETP) was the only parameter associated with unprovoked recurrent thrombosis in a multivariate model [hazard ratio (HR) 1.3 per 100 nmol L min−1 increase, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0–1.6]. Patients with a high ETP had a significantly higher rate of unprovoked recurrence than those with a low ETP (HR 2.9, 95% CI 1.3–6.6, cumulative recurrence at 4 years 27% vs. 11%). Patients with an unprovoked first event had a significantly higher rate of unprovoked recurrence than those with a provoking factor (HR 2.7, 95% CI 1.2–6.1), and in these patients there was a significantly higher rate of unprovoked recurrence in association with a high ETP (HR 4.0, 95% CI 1.3–11.8). After adjustment for D‐dimer, thrombophilia, sex, and whether or not the first event was unprovoked, a high ETP remained a significant predictor of recurrence (HR 2.6, 95% CI 1.2–6.0). Conclusions: This study demonstrates a high rate of unprovoked recurrent venous thrombosis in patients presenting with a first episode of venous thrombosis and a high ETP.
Influence of the factor II G20210A variant or the factor V G1691A mutation on symptomatic recurrent venous thromboembolism in children: an international multicenter cohort study

Summary. Objective: To determine the relative importance of the factor (F) II G20210A or FV G1691A mutations as risk factors or predictors for fatal/non‐fatal recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) in children. Methods: In the present cohort, the rate of VTE recurrence and the time to recurrence in relation to FII, FV, age, and sex was determined in consecutively enrolled patients with VTE aged newborn to ≤18 years carrying the FII (n = 64) or FV (n = 194) mutation. 158 children with VTE without thrombophilia served as controls. Patients were followed for a median of 58 months. Data were pooled across participating sites to increase power and to enhance the generalizability of the data. Incidence rates were given as events per 1000 person‐years. Results: Of the 416 children enrolled, 44 had recurrent VTE at a median of 12 months following VTE onset. The overall incidence rate of recurrence was 19.8, 57.9 in patients with the FII variant, 17.9 for FV carriers, and 11.8 in the control cohort. When comparing FII patients, FV children and the control cohort multivariate analysis (Cox regression) adjusted for age and sex showed that the FII variant (hazard ratio 2.6; 95% confidence interval 1.1–5.9) influenced the hazard for recurrent VTE. Conclusions: Based on multivariate analysis, the presence of the FII variant was associated with an increased risk of VTE recurrence.
Avaliação audiológica em trabalhadores expostos a ruído e praguicida

Noise-induced hearing loss has been studied for many years and today many experts also investigate the synergic action of chemical products, since they can be potentially ototoxic. AIM: to investigate the audiological findings in workers exposed to occupational noise and pesticide and to compare it to data from noise-exposed workers. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical retrospective. MATERIAL AND METHOD: individuals that had been exposed to pesticide and noise (group I), and individuals that had been exposed to noise only (group II). RESULTS: The classification of the audiometric findings showed in that group I: 35% had normal hearing thresholds, 53.75% had degree 1 hearing loss and 11.25% had degree 2 hearing loss; and group II had 57.5% of normal hearing, 40% had degree 1 hearing loss and only 2.5% had degree 2 hearing loss. The analysis of the audiometric findings also showed a significant worsening after comparing groups I and II thresholds, in the frequency of 3 kHz on the left ear and 4 kHz on both ears. CONCLUSION: The analysis showed that group I had worse audiometric thresholds compared to group II.
Mechanism-based common reactivity pattern (COREPA) modelling of aryl hydrocarbon receptor binding affinity

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor is a ligand-activated transcription factor responsive to both natural and synthetic environmental compounds, with the most potent agonist being 2,3,7,8-tetrachlotrodibenzo- p -dioxin. The aim of this work was to develop a categorical COmmon REactivity PAttern (COREPA)-based structure–activity relationship model for predicting aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligands within different binding ranges. The COREPA analysis suggested two different binding mechanisms called dioxin- and biphenyl-like, respectively. The dioxin-like model predicts a mechanism that requires a favourable interaction with a receptor nucleophilic site in the central part of the ligand and with electrophilic sites at both sides of the principal molecular axis, whereas the biphenyl-like model predicted a stacking-type interaction with the aryl hydrocarbon receptor allowing electron charge transfer from the receptor to the ligand. The current model was also adjusted to predict agonistic/antagonistic properties of chemicals. The mechanism of antagonistic properties was related to the possibility that these chemicals have a localized negative charge at the molecule's axis and ultimately bind with the receptor surface through the electron-donating properties of electron-rich groups. The categorization of chemicals as agonists/antagonists was found to correlate with their gene expression. The highest increase in gene expression was elicited by strong agonists, followed by weak agonists producing lower increases in gene expression, whereas all antagonists (and non-aryl hydrocarbon receptor binders) were found to have no effect on gene expression. However, this relationship was found to be quantitative for the chemicals populating the areas with extreme gene expression values only, leaving a wide fuzzy area where the quantitative relationship was unclear. The total concordance of the derived aryl hydrocarbon receptor binding categorical structure–activity relationship model was 82% whereas the Pearson's coefficient was 0.88.
A simple PWM method for improving lamp current crest factor of valley‐filled electronic ballast

In this paper, a PWM method to improve the lamp current crest factor (CCF) of the valley‐filled electronic ballast (VFEB) is presented. The VFEB has merits of high power factor, simple structure, and low cost. However, it results in an excessive CCF, which will shorten the lifetime of low‐pressure discharge lamp. The proposed method controls switching duty ratio by feeding forward the dc‐link voltage waveform of VFEB. It decreased the duty ratio with rising of dc‐link voltage. Therefore, the proposed method could restrain the lamp peak current and improve the lamp CCF. The control block diagram and basic theory are introduced to improve the CCF. The computer simulations verify the proposed method and derive a minimum lamp CCF. The experimental results demonstrate that the lamp CCF was reduced from 1.9 to 1.58, the ac line power factor is 96%, and the input current THD is 29.3%. The fixed switching frequency operation gains a satisfactory power quality. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Interdisciplinary Teamwork and the Power of a Quality Improvement Collaborative in Tertiary Neonatal Intensive Care Units

Significant gaps in healthcare quality and outcomes can be reduced via quality improvement collaboratives (QICs), which improve care by leveraging data and experience from multiple organizations. The Children's Hospital Neonatal Consortium Collaborative Initiatives for Quality Improvement team developed an infrastructure for neonatal QICs. We describe the structure and components of an effective multi-institutional neonatal QIC that implemented the “SLUG Bug” project designed to reduce central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs). The operational infrastructure of SLUG Bug involved 17 tertiary care neonatal intensive care units with a goal to reduce CLABSI in high-risk neonates. Clinical Practice Recommendations were produced, and the Institute of Healthcare Improvement Breakthrough Series provided the framework for the collaborative. Process measures studied the effectiveness of the collaborative structure. CLABSI rates decreased by 20% during a 12-month study period. Compliance bundle reporting exceeded 80%. A QIC score of 2.5 or more (“improvement”) was achieved by 94% of centers and a score 4 or more (“significant improvement”) was achieved by 35%. Frequent interactive project meetings, well-defined project metrics, continual shared learning opportunities, and individual team coaching were key QIC success components. Through a coordinated approach and committed leadership, QICs can effectively implement change and improve the care of neonates with complex diagnoses and rare diseases.