Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The applicability of a gel delivery system for self-administration of buprenorphine to laboratory mice

Oral administration of perioperative analgesia to laboratory mice is beneficial compared with administration by injection. The mice become less stressed when allowed to voluntarily ingest the drug in a palatable feed item and it results in high and long-lasting serum concentrations of the drug. We have previously demonstrated sticky nut and chocolate paste to be well-liked by mice and readily ingested in most cases. However, a disadvantage with nut and chocolate paste is its high content of fat and sugar, which may have undesirable effects in some experimental models. Alternatively, a delivery system using an aqueous gel may serve as a supplementary source of fluid post-operatively and as a vehicle for analgesic drugs. In the present study, we investigated the willingness of the mice to ingest a commercially available gel, by measuring the duration from introduction of the gel to first ingestion, as well as the amount ingested overnight. Furthermore, buprenorphine in two different concentrations (5 and 15 µg/mL) was mixed in the gel and the resulting serum concentrations of buprenorphine were investigated. The aqueous gel was ingested by the mice, but their willingness was low and did not increase over time. The serum concentrations of buprenorphine were similar to, or higher than, those following a subcutaneous injection (0.1 mg/kg body weight), but the variation was considerably higher. In conclusion, aqueous gel may serve as a relevant vehicle for the voluntary ingestion of buprenorphine in mice, but the willingness of the mice to ingest the gel needs to be improved.
Fading caused by moving vehicles near the receiver on DTV (COFDM) 8-MHz signals

This letter presents a characterization of the signal fading caused by moving vehicles near the receiver on digital terrestrial television (DTV). The results shown are based on a measurement campaign carried out in the cities of Madrid, Spain, and Bilbao, Spain, in order to explore the channel behavior. These results would help when planning DVB-T portable reception.
A Radiographic Standard of Reference for the Growing Hand and Wrist.

This book was prepared by Drs. S. Idell Pyle, Alice M. Waterhouse, and William Walter Greulich and is apparently an outgrowth of a National Health Survey by the National Center for Health Statistics. It is essentially a bone-age atlas of the hand and wrist and, as such, one is naturally inclined to compare it with the Radiographic Atlas of Skeletal Development of the Hand and Wrist , ed 2, published in 1959 by two of the above authors, Greulich and Pyle. The most singular difference between the two is in the presentation of the standard. In this book, a single film study of the hand and wrist is used to illustrate two sets of bone ages—one for the male and one for the female. This is similar to the knee atlas of Pyle and Hoerr and has some advantage in day-to-day usage in decreasing the tendency to report a bone age
An image registration based ultrasound probe calibration

Reconstructed 3D ultrasound of prostate gland finds application in several medical areas such as image guided biopsy, therapy planning and dose delivery. In our application, we use an end-fire probe rotated about its axis to acquire a sequence of rotational slices to reconstruct 3D TRUS (Transrectal Ultrasound) image. The image acquisition system consists of an ultrasound transducer situated on a cradle directly attached to a rotational sensor. However, due to system tolerances, axis of probe does not align exactly with the designed axis of rotation resulting in artifacts in the 3D reconstructed ultrasound volume. We present a rigid registration based automatic probe calibration approach. The method uses a sequence of phantom images, each pair acquired at angular separation of 180 degrees and registers corresponding image pairs to compute the deviation from designed axis. A modified shadow removal algorithm is applied for preprocessing. An attribute vector is constructed from image intensity and a speckle-insensitive information-theoretic feature. We compare registration between the presented method and expert-corrected images in 16 prostate phantom scans. Images were acquired at multiple resolutions, and different misalignment settings from two ultrasound machines. Screenshots from 3D reconstruction are shown before and after misalignment correction. Registration parameters from automatic and manual correction were found to be in good agreement. Average absolute differences of translation and rotation between automatic and manual methods were 0.27 mm and 0.65 degree, respectively. The registration parameters also showed lower variability for automatic registration (pooled standard deviation σtranslation = 0.50 mm, σrotation = 0.52 degree) compared to the manual approach (pooled standard deviation σtranslation = 0.62 mm, σrotation = 0.78 degree).
In vitro effects of beetroot juice and chips on oxidative metabolism and apoptosis in neutrophils from obese individuals

Oxidative stress and inflammation are involved in the development of obesity. Beetroot (Beta vulgaris var. rubra) is a food ingredient containing betalain pigments that show antioxidant activity. The in vitro effect of beetroot juice and chips on oxidative metabolism and apoptosis in neutrophils from obese individuals has been investigated. Fifteen obese women (aged 45 ± 9 years, BMI >30 kg/m2) and nine healthy controls (women, aged 29 ± 11 years, BMI = 22.2 ± 1.6 kg/m2) were examined. The investigated products were used as concentrates and after transport and digestion in an artificial gastrointestinal tract. Neutrophil oxidant production, in response to phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate, was characterized by luminol‐dependent chemiluminescence and a flow cytometric dichlorofluorescin oxidation assay. Caspase‐3 activity, a marker of apoptosis, was measured by cleavage of the fluorogenic substrate Ac‐DEVD‐AMC. Neutrophils from obese individuals had a significantly higher ROS production compared with the controls (p < 0.05). Beetroot products inhibited neutrophil oxidative metabolism in a concentration‐dependent manner. Also observed were the pro‐apoptotic effects of beetroot at a concentration range of 0.1–10% in 24 h culture of stimulated neutrophils. These natural products (in both the liquid and solid state) have antioxidant and antiinflammatory capacity, and could be an important adjunct in the treatment of obesity. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effect of fenugreek 4‐hydroxyisoleucine on liver function biomarkers and glucose in diabetic and fructose‐fed rats

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum graecum L) is a plant traditionally used for the treatment of diabetes. It contains an unusual amino acid, 4‐hydroxyisoleucine, demonstrated to have insulinotropic and antidiabetic properties in animal models. Here we examine the effect of 4‐hydroxyisoleucine on liver function and blood glucose in two rat models of insulin resistance, fructose‐fed rats and streptozotocin‐induced diabetes type 2. In fructose‐fed rats, levels of glucose and liver damage marker aspartate transaminase were markedly (84% and 93%, respectively) and significantly elevated compared with controls (p < 0.001 for both). Alanine transaminase was elevated slightly (18%), and all markers were restored to near control values after treatment with 4‐hydroxyisoleucine at 50 mg/kg per day for 8 weeks, the effect being significant (p < 0.01) for all markers. This prolonged exposure to 4‐hydroxyisoleucine was well tolerated in control animals and did not alter levels of glucose or liver damage markers significantly. In diabetic rats, treatment with 4‐hydroxyisoleucine did not affect glucose or liver damage markers, but did improve HDL‐cholesterol levels (31% increase, p < 0.05). These findings indicate 4‐hydroxyisoleucine as a useful and well‐tolerated treatment for insulin resistance, both directly as a hypoglycaemic and also as a protective agent for the liver. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Postfocal Downstep in German

This article is a follow-up study of Féry and Kügler (2008. Pitch accent scaling on given, new and focused constituents in German. Journal of Phonetics, 36, 680–703). It reports on an experiment of the F0 height of potential pitch accents in the postfocal region of German sentences and addresses in this way an aspect of the influence of information structure on the intonation of sentences that was left open in the previous article. The results of the experiment showed that, when several constituents are located in this position, they are often in a downstep relation, but are rarely upstepped. In 37% of the cases, the pitch accents are only realized dynamically and there is no down- or upstepping. We interpret these results as evidence that postfocal constituents are phrased independently. The data examined speak against a model of postfocal intonation in which postfocal phrasing is eliminated and all accents are reduced to zero. Instead, the pitch accents are often present, although reduced. Moreover, the facts support the existence of prosodic phrasing of the postfocal constituents; the postfocal position implies an extremely compressed register, but no dephrasing or systematic complete deaccentuation of all pitch accents. We propose adopting a model of German intonation in which prosodic phrasing is determined by syntactic structure and cannot be changed by information structure. The role of information structure in prosody is limited to changes in the register relationship of the different parts of the sentence. Prefocally, there is no or only little register compression because of givenness. Postfocally, register compression is the rule. A model of intonation must take this asymmetry into account.
Segmented principal components transformation for efficient hyperspectral remote-sensing image display and classification

A segmented, and possibly multistage, principal components transformation (PCT) is proposed for efficient hyperspectral remote-sensing image classification and display. The scheme requires, initially, partitioning the complete set of bands into several highly correlated subgroups. After separate transformation of each subgroup, the single-band separabilities are used as a guide to carry out feature selection. The selected features can then be transformed again to achieve a satisfactory data reduction ratio and generate the three most significant components for color display. The scheme reduces the computational load significantly for feature extraction, compared with the conventional PCT. A reduced number of features will also accelerate the maximum likelihood classification process significantly, and the process will not suffer the limitations encountered by trying to use the full set of hyperspectral data when training samples are limited. Encouraging results have been obtained in terms of classification accuracy, speed, and quality of color image display using two airborne visible/infrared imaging spectrometer (AVIRIS) data sets.
Effect of coriander seed (Coriandrum sativum L.) ethanol extract on insulin release from pancreatic beta cells in streptozotocin‐induced diabetic rats

Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) is grown as a spice crop all over the world. The seeds have been used to treat indigestion, diabetes, rheumatism and pain in the joints. In the present study, an ethanol extract of the seeds was investigated for effects on insulin release from the pancreatic beta cells in streptozotocin‐induced diabetic rats. Blood samples were drawn from the retro‐orbital sinus before and 1.5, 3 and 5 h after administration of the seed extract. Serum glucose levels were determined by the glucose oxidase method. To determine the insulin releasing activity, after extract treatment the animals were anaesthetized by diethyl ether, the pancreas was excised, fixed in 10% formaldehyde and embedded in paraffin for sectioning. Pancreatic sections of 5 µm were processed for examination of insulin‐releasing activity using an immunocytochemistry kit. The results showed that administration of the ethanol extract (200 and 250 mg/kg, i.p.) exhibited a significant reduction in serum glucose. Administration of streptozotocin decreased the number of beta cells with insulin secretory activity in comparison with intact rats, but treatment with the coriander seed extract (200 mg/kg) increased significantly the activity of the beta cells in comparison with the diabetic control rats. The extract decreased serum glucose in streptozotocin‐induced diabetic rats and increased insulin release from the beta cells of the pancreas. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Potent modulation of P‐glycoprotein activity by naturally occurring phenylbutenoids from Zingiber cassumunar

Five phenylbutenoid derivatives from the rhizomes of Zingiber cassumunar Roxb. (Zingiberaceae) were evaluated for their P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) inhibitory effects in a P‐gp over‐expressing multidrug resistant (MDR) human breast cancer cell line, MCF‐7/ADR. As a result, a phenylbutenoid dimer, (±)‐trans‐3‐(3,4‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐4‐[(E)‐3,4‐dimethoxystyryl]cyclohex‐1‐ene (1), exhibited highly potent P‐gp inhibitory activity, decreasing the IC50 value of daunomycin (DNM) to 4.31 ± 0.40 µm in the cells (DNM IC50 = 37.1 ± 0.59 µm). The positive control, verapamil decreased the IC50 value of DNM to 6.94 ± 0.40 µm. Three phenylbutenoid monomers, 2–4 from this plant, also resulted in a significant decrease in the IC50 values of DNM compared with the control. In particular, compound 1 markedly enhanced [3H]‐DNM accumulation and significantly reduced [3H]‐DNM efflux compared with the control, and this effect was more potent than that of verapamil, a well‐known P‐gp inhibitor. These results suggest that compound 1 of Z. cassumunar can be developed as a potent chemo‐sensitizing agent that reverses P‐gp‐mediated MDR in human cancer chemotherapy. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Types of Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes (previously known as insulin-dependent diabetes) Type 1 diabetes is an auto-immune disease where the body's immune system destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. This type of diabetes, also known as juvenile-onset diabetes, accounts for 10-15% of all people with the disease. It can appear at any age, although commonly under 40, and is triggered by environmental factors such as viruses, diet or chemicals in people genetically predisposed. To live, people with type 1 diabetes must inject themselves with insulin several times a day and follow a careful diet and exercise plan.
Iniciativas Disponibles para el Reporte de Resultados en Investigación Biomédica con Diferentes Tipos de Diseño

La calidad del reporte de los resultados de una investigacion no es optima, razon por la cual, se han desarrollado numerosas iniciativas tendientes a mejorar este aspecto a lo largo de los anos. El objetivo de este articulo es mencionar y describir las iniciativas existentes para el reporte de resultados de investigacion biomedica en diversos escenarios de investigacion clinica y situaciones especiales. Se realizo una busqueda en las bases de datos THE COCHRANE LIBRARY, MEDLINE, SciELO y Redalyc; y en los buscadores Clinical Evidence, TRIP database, Fisterra, Rafabravo, EQUATOR Network, portal de BIREME y Programa HINARI; para obtener las listas de verificacion existentes. Los documentos recuperados fueron agrupados de la siguiente forma: relacionados con escenarios de terapia, diagnostico, pronostico, evaluaciones economicas y miscelaneas. La busqueda genero un total de 31 documentos. Doce para escenarios de terapia (CONSORT, QUOROM, MOOSE, STRICTA, TREND, MINCIR-Terapia, RedHot, REHBaR, PRISMA, REFLECT, Ottawa y SPIRIT), 5 para diagnostico (STARD, QUADAS, QAREL, GRRAS y MINCIR-Diagnostico), 3 para pronostico (REMARK, MINCIR-Pronostico y GRIPS), 4 para evaluaciones economicas (NHS-HTA, CHEERS, ISPOR RCT-CEA y NICE-STA,); y 7 miscelaneos (STROBE, COREQ, GRADE, SQUIRE, STREGA, ORION y MINCIR-EOD). Existen diversas iniciativas y declaraciones. Estas deben ser conocidas y utilizadas por escritores, revisores y editores de revistas biomedicas; de forma tal de incrementar la calidad del reporte de resultados de la investigacion biomedica.
Avaliação da qualidade da atenção primária pelos profissionais de saúde: comparação entre diferentes tipos de serviços

In Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, public primary healthcare (PHC) is provided by traditional Basic Health Units (BHU), the Family Health Strategy (FHS), the Murialdo Health Center (MHC), and the Community Health Service (CHS) of Grupo Hospitalar Conceicao. This study compares the quality of adult healthcare among these different types of services. Quality of care was measured by interviews focusing on the experience of physicians and nurses in the services (n = 340), using the Primary Care Assessment Tool. Overall scores for the FHS, MHC, and CHS were significantly higher than for the BHU. The CHS also showed a significantly higher overall score compared to the FHS and MHC. In the multivariate analysis, the variables "specialized training in PHC" and "continuing education" were associated with high overall score. Thus, expansion of FHS coverage and investment in professional training are important potential strategies for improving PHC in Porto Alegre.
Soft-tissue realignment of the pediatric subluxating patella: poor long-term results

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of pediatric patellofemoral pain and instability from subluxation treated with a soft-tissue realignment. MethodsThe patients were sent a blinded questionnaire by mail. In total, 44 patients (55 operative knees) responded. Patients were divided into three follow-up groups: less than 2 years, 2–5 years and greater than 5 years, with the average length of follow-up being 6 years and 1 month. ResultsThere was statistical significance between those with improved knees with less than 5 years follow-up compared with those with over 5 years follow-up. Outcomes were significantly worse after the 5-year mark. ConclusionThis study adds to the total body of knowledge of instability associated with patellofemoral pain in the pediatric population and is unique because it includes only pediatric patients with long-term follow-up. While short-term results for soft-tissue realignment procedure of the patella, up to 5 years, yielded generally a good outcome, follow-up of more than 5 years was consistent with markedly worse results. Unfortunately, this remains a common and difficult problem in this age group.
Improvements in belief-propagation decoding based on averaging information from decoder and correction of clusters of nodes

In this letter we provide several methods to improve belief-propagation (BP) decoding of low-density parity-check codes. The methods use additional processing of the decoded information during the decoding process and are grouped into two categories. The first category is useful in the waterfall performance region and is based on processing averaged information obtained from the decoder. Several choices of the feedback information utilized in additional processing are introduced. The second category is useful in the error-floor performance region and is based on fixing clusters of symbols simultaneously, again utilizing the information obtained by monitoring the decoder. We demonstrate on a code example that our methods achieve sizeable gains compared to the original BP decoder
Automatic identification of noise in ice images using statistical features

Noise in an image is the unwanted information present; it should be removed without disturbing the useful information present in it. De-noising an image is very active research area in image processing. In this study, three classes of degraded noise images are used they are additive noise, multiplicative noise and impulsive noise. There are several algorithms for de-noise but each algorithm has its own assumptions, advantages and limitations. Histogram multithresholding give rise to explicit peaks, which reduces the task for finding thresholds in dissecting the image histogram. The proposed method uses histogram multithreshold segmentation as the first step followed by statistical features and pattern classifiers for identifying the noise type. Simple filters are used to get the noise samples and noise identification is achieved by using the proposed method. The proposed method yields the higher results when compared with the first method for classifying the noise types.
Science Behind the Use of Orthotic Devices to Manage Posterior Tibial Tendon Dysfunction

The clinical classification of posterior tibial tendon dysfunction has historically included 4 stages. Trials of conservative management have been recommended before surgical options are explored, and various orthotic devices have been proposed in the literature. The purpose of this article is to review the current evidence for orthotic device use in the conservative management of posterior tibial tendon dysfunction and identify areas where additional research is needed. Focus will be given to both clinical outcomes and current biomechanical data from investigating the use of various orthotic devices. From this summary, clinical recommendations will be made for the use of the devices available. Finally, goals for future device designs will be proposed.
Safety and Immunogenicity of a Combined Live Attenuated Measles, Mumps, Rubella, and Varicella Vaccine (MMRIIV) in Healthy Children

An investigational tetravalent combined measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine and measles-mumps-rubella and varicella vaccines at separate injection sites given at the same visit were evaluated with respect to safety and cell-mediated and humoral immune responses at 6 weeks and 1 year after vaccination. Varicella seroconversion rates and lymphocyte proliferation responses were 100% for both vaccine groups at 6 weeks and 1 year. However, the antibody titer to varicella was lower in the combined vaccine group at 6 weeks, but there was no statistical difference in cell-mediated immune responses. One-year geometric mean titers were not statistically different. Seroconversion rates for measles, mumps, and rubella were 100% for both vaccine at 6 weeks and 1 year. Long-term follow-up of these immune responses is planned.
A Review of Psychometrically Tested Instruments Assessing Suicide Risk in Adults

Objective: Identify suicidal ideation and behavior screening instruments with the strongest psychometric properties, using the Interpersonal-Psychological Theory of Suicidal Behavior. Methods: Information databases PsycINFO and PubMed were systematically searched, and articles evaluating the psychometric properties of instruments assessing suicidal ideation and behavior (n = 2,238) were reviewed. International populations and articles with diverse methodologies were integrated. Results: Review of records resulted in the inclusion of 51 articles that assessed 16 instruments. The majority of studies used the English language version (68.6%) and included U.S. populations (65.7%). However, global populations and non-English language versions were also represented. Conclusion: More diverse population representation, and non-English versions of instruments, is required to improve generalizability of assessment measures. Including underrepresented groups and non-English instruments will promote culturally and linguistically sensitive instruments that may better assess suicide risk in diverse populations.