Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stress, health and the benefit of social support.

OBJECTIVES This article describes stress exposure among Canadians aged 18 or older and analyzes short- and long-term associations with psychological distress and chronic conditions. The buffering role of emotional support is also explored. DATA SOURCES Data are from the household cross-sectional (1994/95) and longitudinal (1994/95 to 2000/01) components of Statistics Canada's National Population Health Survey. Supplemental data are from the 2000/01 Canadian Community Health Survey. ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES Exposure rates to stress were calculated by sex, age group and socio-economic characteristics. Multivariate analyses were used to examine associations between stress and mental and physical health in 1994/95, and between stress and changes in health by 2000/01, controlling for other possible confounders. MAIN RESULTS Women reported more stress than did men. For both sexes, stress levels were higher among the less educated, less affluent, and previously married. The level of psychological distress in 1994/95 and the prevalence of chronic conditions were related to stress, as were increases in distress over the next six years and the likelihood of having been diagnosed with chronic conditions.
Application of Environment-Friendly Pigment Printing Technology in the Wood Color Control

The construction of artificial plantation must be vigorously developed because the resources of high-quality natural large-diameter timber and valuable timber are limited and expensive. Environmental awareness must be greatly enhanced while wood dyeing technology being used to improve the low-grade wood of fast-growing plantation and to imitate precious wood. Textile pigment printing has been widely used in countries around the world, because it has advantages of simple process, complete chromatogram and environmental protection. Paulownia is an important fast-growing plantation tree. The textile pigment printing technology was applied in the color control for Paulownia veneer in the paper. Printed Paulownia veneer could obtain a clear pattern, uniform color, good printing fastness, color yield, and feel, when dosage of pigment printing binder ET accounted for 10% of total system mass, dosage of pigment printing thickener CP accounted for 1.8% of total system mass, and the printed veneer was cured at 100℃ for 2 min. Printed Paulownia veneer could be used for furniture, decoration, flooring, decorative panels, windows and doors, speakers, sports timber, wooden carvings, handicrafts and other fields.
Topological persistence based on pixels for object segmentation in biomedical images

In this paper, we show that topological persistence can be employed in biomedical image processing to perform object segmentation. First we model the pixels of the image by combinatorial transformation into a cubical complex that we will call the pixels' complex. Then a nested sequence of complexes is built on which the persistent homology is computed. By identifying the 1D chains with large life spans, the most persistent classes are extracted. This allows to segment the salient objects in the biomedical image and to spot their components. An example was applied first on a toy image of coins that demonstrate the applicability of the method. Results on two real biomedical images, the first recorded by a quantitative phase technique and the second represents a classical image of cells show the potential of this technique. The insensitivity to continuous deformations and the independence to prior parameters reveals the strength of this method.
Supplementation and Management Strategies to Optimize Reproductive Performance

Females failing to conceive during the breeding season are still the principal reproductive loss in the beef cattle operation (Ringwall and Helmuth, 1999). Longevity of a cow and the number of calves she produces are critical factors affecting sustainability and profitability of a commercial beef operation (Hughes, 1999). Failure to rebreed is the primary reason for culling young cows, and removal of cows from the herd at an early age results in considerable economic and genetic loss.
Mapping of the secretome of primary isolates of mammalian cells, stem cells and derived cell lines

Within a mammalian organism, the interaction among cells both at short and long distances is mediated by soluble factors released by cells into the extracellular environment. The secreted proteins may involve extracellular matrix proteins, proteinases, growth factors, protein hormones, immunoregulatory cytokines, chemokines or other bioactive molecules that have a direct impact on target cell phenotype. Stem cells of mesenchymal, adipose, neural and embryonic origin, fibroblast feeder cells as well as primary isolates of astrocytes, endothelial and muscle cells have recently become targets of intensive secretome profiling with the search for proteins regulating cell survival, proliferation, differentiation or inflammatory response. Recent advances and challenges of the stem cell and primary cell secretome analysis together with the most relevant results are discussed in this review.
Failure of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin therapy in non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer: Definition and treatment options.

UNLABELLED Adjuvant intravesical bacillus Calmette- Guérin (BCG) therapy is the standard conservative adjuvant treatment and the most effective regimen for patients with high-risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). The term "BCG failure" is generally used to refer to recurrence or progression following BCG therapy, as experienced by many patients. However, the term has been defined inconsistently, and several studies have indicated that patients with a particular pattern of BCG failure have a worse prognosis. There are many different treatment options for patients who experience BCG failure. OBJECTIVE To summarize the different current definitions of BCG failure and the present treatment options available for patients with high-risk NMIBC who experience BCG failure. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS Overall, the failure rate in response to BCG is about 40-50%. Most guidelines recommend that patients failing BCG should be offered radical cystectomy (RC). The significant potential for progression specific to high-risk NMIBC leads some clinicians to argue that immediate RC should be considered the preferred first-line treatment in high-risk patients, bearing in mind that it achieves a long-term survival rate in excess of 90% with ongoing improvements in morbidity. While other salvage intravesical treatments have to be considered oncologically inferior to RC, several therapies are now available if the patient is unfit to undergo RC or if bladder preservation is the objective, and some agents have shown promise in the context of BCG failure. CONCLUSIONS The definition, prediction, and treatment of BCG failure remain topics of debate. Patients with BCG failure need carefully selected, individualized therapy in experienced hands. Stratification of patients with BCG failure into groups can identify those with a better or worse prognosis. RC should be the selected option if a patient experiences BCG failure, but several promising intravesical salvage options are available for those cases in which the patient is unfit for surgery or bladder preservation is preferred. Currently data are still inadequate to allow formulation of definitive recommendations, and larger and higher quality studies of salvage intravesical therapies are urgently required.
Histological and magnetic resonance analysis of sciatic nerves in the tellurium model of neuropathy

Abstract Ingestion of tellurium (Te), a toxic element, produces paralysis of the hind limbs in weanling rats that is due to temporary, segmental demyelination of the sciatic nerves bilaterally. Weanling rats were fed a 1.1% elemental Te diet and sacrificed at various time points for histological and magnetic resonance (MR) analysis of the sciatic nerves. No controls exhibited impairments of the hind limbs, whereas Te‐treated animals became progressively impaired with increased Te exposure. Toluidine blue‐stained nerve sections of Te‐treated animals showed widened endoneurial spaces, disrupted myelin sheaths, swollen Schwann cells, and a few instances of axonal degeneration. Te decreased healthy myelin by 68% and increased percent extracellular matrix by 45% on day 7. MR experiments showed a decrease in the area of the short T2 component, an increase in average T1, and an increase in the position of the intermediate T2 component in Te‐treated nerves. The correlation coefficient for healthy myelin and average T1 was 0.88 and that for healthy myelin and the area underneath the short T2 component was 0.77. The area of the short T2 component has been postulated as the best measure of the process of demyelination.
The usefulness of S100P, mesothelin, fascin, prostate stem cell antigen, and 14‐3‐3 sigma in diagnosing pancreatic adenocarcinoma in cytological specimens obtained by endoscopic ultrasound guided fine‐needle aspiration

Endoscopic ultrasound‐guided fine‐needle aspiration (EUS‐FNA) of the pancreas is an efficient and minimally invasive procedure for the diagnosis and staging of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Because of some limitations of EUS‐FNA in diagnosis of well‐differentiated or early stage cancers, the purpose of this study is to assess the added benefit of immunohistochemistry. We studied five proteins overexpressed in pancreatic adenocarcinoma, namely, prostate stem cell antigen, fascin, 14‐3‐3 sigma, mesothelin and S100P utilizing immunohistochemistry on paraffin sections from cellblocks obtained by EUS‐FNA. Sixty‐two cases of EUS‐FNA of the pancreas that had follow‐up histological and/or clinical diagnosis and sufficient material in cell blocks were included. Using histological diagnosis and/or clinical outcome as the reference standard, EUS‐FNA shows the highest sensitivity (95%) and specificity (91%) and is superior to any marker in this study. Among five antibodies, S100P reveals the best diagnostic characters showing 90% of sensitivity and 67% of specificity. Fascin shows high specificity (92%) but low sensitivity (38%). Mesothelin has a moderate sensitivity (74%) and low specificity (33%), PSCA and 14‐3‐3 show high sensitivity but zero specificity. S100P and mesothelin were useful in nine indeterminate cases. S100P correctly predicted six of seven cancers and one of one without cancer and mesothelin correctly diagnosed five of seven cancers and one of two noncancers in this group. EUS‐FNA cytomorphology is superior to any of the immunohistochemical markers used in this study. Use of S100P and mesothelin in cytologically borderline cases can increase the diagnostic accuracy in this group. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2014;42:193–199. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Targeting von Hippel-Lindau syndrome: the future is now.

Von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) syndrome affects approximately 1 in 36,000 live births each year in the USA. It results from an autosomal dominant mutation associated with the deletion of the VHL tumor suppressor gene located on chromosome 3 [1]. The VHL protein downregulates hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), which is responsible for several pro-angiogenic responses to hypoxia. The regulatory loss of HIF, resulting in abnormally increased HIF during normoxia, is the primary event leading to many of the manifestations of the syndrome. The loss of oxygen-sensing activates vascular endothelial growth factor, platelet derived growth factor, erythropoietin and a variety of other signaling pathways which promote angiogenesis [2]. The clinical presentation of this syndrome occurs from childhood through early adulthood, and it is typified by hemangioblastomas of the brain and spine, retinal angiomas, clearcell renal cell carcinoma (RCC), pheochromocytoma, neuroendocrine tumors of the pancreas, other benign tumors (e.g., endolymphatic sac tumors and epididymal cystadenomas) and cystic lesions in various organs, such as the kidneys and the pancreas. Phenotypic manifestations of the various genetic mutations have been classified as Type 1, which is characterized by no pheochromocytoma, and Type 2, which is characterized by the presence of pheochromocytoma. Type 2 is further classified as having a low or high risk of developing
Investigating an LCL load resonant inverter for inductive power transfer applications

A inductor/capacitor/inductor load resonant inverter is investigated for inductive power transfer applications. The inverter uses a variable frequency controller and operates in discontinuous current mode. The steady state operation of this system is determined by a power flow balance between the inverter and the resonant tank. The results are used to design a system to achieve maximum power transfer.
Wide‐field optically sectioning fluorescence microscopy with laser illumination

We describe an extremely simple method by which optically sectioned fluorescence images may be obtained with conventional microscopes using laser illumination. A one‐dimensional grid pattern is introduced into the illumination system, together with a rotating ground glass diffuser. This causes an image of the grid pattern to be projected into the specimen. Images taken at three spatial positions of the grid are processed in a simple manner to provide optically sectioned images of fluorescent specimens.
Chest computed tomography is more likely to show latent tuberculosis foci than simple chest radiography in liver transplant candidates

Although the detection and treatment of latent tuberculosis infections (LTBIs) in transplant candidates are essential, current diagnostic methods for LTBIs are limited, especially in immunocompromised subjects. Pretransplant chest computed tomography (CT) may reveal more LTBI foci and thus predict the development of posttransplant tuberculosis (TB) more efficiently; however, this hypothesis has not yet been investigated. Thirty‐six liver transplantation (LT) recipients who developed TB (the TB group) and 144 LT recipients who did not develop TB (the control group) were retrospectively enrolled into a study with a nested case‐control design, and their clinical characteristics and radiological findings were compared. Tuberculin skin tests (TSTs) were not performed, and none of these patients had been treated for LTBIs. Thirty‐six of 2549 LT recipients (1.4%) were diagnosed with TB after LT (median = 10 months, range = 1‐80 months). Twenty‐eight patients (77.8%) successfully completed the treatment. There were no significant differences in the clinical characteristics of the 2 groups. Abnormal CT findings (40.0% versus 17.3%, P = 0.018) and chest X‐ray (CXR) findings (25.0% versus 11.8%, P = 0.044) suggestive of healed TB were significantly more frequent in the TB group versus the control group. Of the 10 patients who underwent chest CT and developed TB, 5 (50%) showed abnormal findings only on chest CT scans, whereas their CXR results were normal. In conclusion, a pretransplant chest CT scan is more likely to show an LTBI than a CXR in those with post‐LT TB. The usefulness of chest CT along with traditional methods such as TSTs for LTBI screening should be further investigated. Liver Transpl 17:963–968, 2011. © 2011 AASLD.
6 Hyper-Synchronization , De-Synchronization , Synchronization and Seizures

Ranging from its most basic mechanisms to the clinical symptoms, epilepsy is tightly associated with the word “synchronization”. In fact, synchronization phenomena underlying epilepsy are described in several mechanisms at different temporal and spatial scales. At the lowest spatial scale, hippocampal and neocortical interictal spikes appear as the result of synchronized activity of pyramidal cells. At a larger spatial scale, epileptic seizures are usually described as a state of "hypersynchrony" encompassing extended cortical areas. Synchronization and epilepsy are so associated one to each other that lack of synchronization, or desynchronization, has been highlighted in recent years as a key aspect of the underlying dynamic in this pathology. The word synchronization comes from two Greek words, chronos) and (same), which means "sharing the same time"; therefore, a synchronized event is always composed by the temporal coincidence of two or more actions. However, it is usually understood the existence of an underlying mechanism that cause the synchronization itself. In this sense, synchronization is assumed differently from chance, because no deterministic causal effect exists in the last one. On the other hand, the use of the word synchronization is generally associated with a mechanism, known or not, that makes possible the temporal coincidence. In the above sense, and from the very beginning of epilepsy research, the word synchronization is found in many aspects of this pathology. Every time we found the word synchronization in epilepsy, one is tempted to think in a pathological substrate that would make it possible. However, it seems that synchronization in epilepsy has suffered from bifurcating routes since the beginnings of the quantitative descriptions of epileptic phenomena. The very clever and insightful descriptions made by the epilepsy researches in the late 40's and 50's (Penfield & Jasper, 1954) were plagued by the words synchronization and hypersynchronization, and today they are still used almost in the same fashion that were originally used. However, since the first description of the synchronization phenomena by Christian Huygens in 1673 to nowdays, there has been a profound revision and enlargement of the concept of synchronization especially in the last years (Pikovsky et al., 2001). Chaos theory, complex networks methodologies and nonlinear time series analysis have dug into the traditional concept of synchronization with the net result of a completely new proposal of what synchronization actually is. Today, in fact, there is no more a single synchronization phenomena, but instead, the traditional term has been split in several, more specific terms to characterize the numerous forms of the underlying mechanism but also, of the different kind of synchronized objects. It seems that the new understanding we have today of
Persistent and occasional nocturnal enuresis in orthotopic urinary diversion: is there a urodynamic difference?

Authors from Mansoura attempted to determine the urodynamic criteria differentiating patients who have an ileal neobladder and who are either persistently enuretic or are occasionally enuretic. They found that all enuretic patients had significantly higher residual urine volumes than continent patients, and that there were differences in the two groups of enuretics, suggesting areas that can be targeted therapeutically.
Concerted action of two 3′ cap-independent translation enhancers increases the competitive strength of translated viral genomes

Abstract Several families of plant viruses evolved cap-independent translation enhancers (3′CITE) in the 3′ untranslated regions of their genomic (g)RNAs to compete with ongoing cap-dependent translation of cellular mRNAs. Umbravirus Pea enation mosaic virus (PEMV)2 is the only example where three 3′CITEs enhance translation: the eIF4E-binding Panicum mosaic virus-like translational enhancer (PTE) and ribosome-binding 3′ T-shaped structure (TSS) have been found in viruses of different genera, while the ribosome-binding kl-TSS that provides a long-distance interaction with the 5′ end is unique. We report that the PTE is the key translation promoting element, but inhibits translation in cis and in trans in the absence of the kl-TSS by sequestering initiation factor eIF4G. PEMV2 strongly outcompeted a cellular mRNA mimic for translation, indicating that the combination of kl-TSS and PTE is highly efficient. Transferring the 3′–5′ interaction from the kl-TSS to the PTE (to fulfill its functionality as found in other viruses) supported translationin vitro, but gRNA did not accumulate to detectable levels in protoplasts in the absence of the kl-TSS. It was shown that the PTE in conjunction with the kl-TSS did not markedly affect the translation initiation rate but rather increased the number of gRNAs available for translation. A model is proposed to explain how 3′CITE-based regulation of ribosome recruitment enhances virus fitness.
Pore morphology characteristics of vesicular horizons in undisturbed and disturbed arid soils; implications for arid land management

We compared the pore morphology of an arid lands vesicular soil horizon in a disturbed and undisturbed state. This surface vesicular horizon is characterized by non‐connected pores that hinder soil water infiltration and thus plays a central role in arid ecosystem hydrodynamics. Disturbance is hypothesized to result in a change in pore morphology that could alter water movement through the horizon and potentially affect ecosystem function. To test this hypothesis, we examined the pore morphology of the vesicular horizon as expressed in area, perimeter, length and width; comparisons were also made for particle size, pH, calcium carbonate equivalent (CCE), electrical conductivity (EC) and the abundance and types of pores in undisturbed soils and adjacent disturbed soils within a year of disturbance. The results indicate no significant differences between treatments in chemistry, particle size or pore morphological measures within a year following disturbance. Vesicles, vughs and interstitial pores were found in vesicular horizons in both treatments and no significant differences in these parameters were found between treatments. Vesicular horizon development may be related to the geological age of the surface materials. Certain old land surfaces are perhaps more susceptible to the formation of vesicular horizons regardless of disturbance. The results suggest that soil functions dependent upon vesicular porosity, for example hydraulic conductivity, may return to a pre‐disturbance condition within one year of disturbance, a finding of importance to the management of arid lands.
Study of power fluctuation from dispersed generations and loads and its impact on a distribution network through a probabilistic approach

In order to assess the performance of distribution system under normal operating conditions with large integration of renewable energy based dispersed generation (DG) dispersed generation, probabilistic modeling of the distribution system is necessary in order to take into consideration the stochastic behavior of load demands and DG units such as wind generation and combined heat and power plant generation. This paper classifies probabilistic models of load demands and DG units into summer and winter period, weekday and weekend as well as in 24 hours a day. The voltage results from the probabilistic load flow based on Monte Carlo method and those from the statistical measurement data are compared. Simulation results from the probabilistic model show good agreement with those from the statistical measurement data.