Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Dermatoglifia no FUTSAL Brasileiro de Alto Rendimento

Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo centra-se na observacao das possiveis mudancas nas caracteristicas dermatoglificas na linha do tempo do futsal brasileiro de alto rendimento, e na comparacao dos resultados medios dos valores dermatoglificos, ocorridos durante este processo. Metodologia: Estudo descritivo com tipologia ex post facto. Amostra alto rendimento esportivo do Brasil, Futsal. Protocolo de Dermatoglifia (CUMMINS & MIDLO, 1942). Estatistica descritiva, normalidade e comparacao. Resultados: Futsal 2001: Formulas digital: ALW= 3,0%; 10L=19,7%; L=W = 7,6%, 10W = 1,5%L>W= 40,9% e W>L= 27,3%; tipos de desenho ME=L, L, L, L ,L, MD=W, L, L, L, L; comportamento de aumento e diminuicao da QL, o mesmo entre as duas maos; media D10/SQTL=0,09. Futsal 2004: Formulas digital: ALW= 27,3%; L=W = 9,1%, L>W= 18,2% e W>L= 45,5%; tipos de desenho ME=W, W, L, W, L, MD= W, W, L, W, L; comportamento de aumento e diminuicao da QL, o mesmo entre as duas maos; media D10/SQTL=0,13. Diferencas significativas QL dedo 3 direito; tipo de desenho dedo 2 e 4 direito; D10, D10/SQTL e os desenhos A, L, W. Conclusoes e Recomendacoes: Aplicabilidade pratica da dermatoglifia como marcador genetico, na otimizacao de estrategias. Recomendam-se investigacoes sobre a relacao do estado e a predisposicao genetica.
Direct Control Parameter Tuning Method for Disturbance Attenuation Based on Variance Evaluation

Abstract The direct control parameter tuning methods derive the control parameters from the one-shot experimental input and output data with no need of help from the plant model. Most prior methods have been based on the perfect model matching design strategy so that the output of the closed loop system should follow the prescribed reference model output. In considering the disturbance attenuation problem, however, the model following criterion is a rather demanding specification because the disturbance response is just required to be suppressed around the target value. Therefore, the paper proposes a direct control parameter tuning method which employs the variance evaluation for the performance criterion to solve the disturbance attenuation problem. The proposed method tunes the control parameters so that the variance of the plant output approaches the variance of the reference model output. The proposed method can avoid an additive experiment where test signals are fed to the closed loop system for collecting the initial input and output data. The feature facilitates applying the proposed method to the industrial applications. Finally, the efficiency of the proposed method is demonstrated from a numerical example.
Medical treatment decision making after total avulsion brachial plexus injury: a qualitative study.

OBJECT Complete avulsion traumatic brachial plexus injuries (BPIs) can be treated using nerve and musculoskeletal reconstruction procedures. However, these interventions are most viable within certain timeframes, and even then they cannot restore all lost function. Little is known about how patients make decisions regarding surgical treatment or what impediments they face during the decision-making process. Using qualitative methodology, the authors aimed to describe how and why patients elect to pursue or forego surgical reconstruction, identify the barriers precluding adequate information transfer, and determine whether these patients are satisfied with their treatment choices over time. METHODS Twelve patients with total avulsion BPIs were interviewed according to a semi-structured guide. The interview transcripts were qualitatively analyzed using the systematic inductive techniques of grounded theory to identify key themes related to the decision-making process and long-term satisfaction with decisions. RESULTS Four decision factors emerged from our analysis: desire to restore function, perceived value of functional gains, weighing the risks and costs of surgery, and having concomitant injuries. Lack of insurance coverage (4 patients), delayed diagnosis (3 patients), and insufficient information regarding treatment (4 patients) prevented patients from making informed decisions and accessing care. Three individuals, all of whom had decided against reconstruction, had regrets about their treatment choices. CONCLUSIONS Patients with panplexus avulsion injuries are missing opportunities for reconstruction and often not considering the long-term outcomes of surgery. As more Americans gain health insurance coverage, it is very likely that the number of patients able to pursue reconstruction will increase. The authors recommend implementing clinical pathways to help patients meet critical points in care within the ideal timeframe and using a patient- and family-centered care approach combined with patient decision aids to foster shared decision making, increase access to information, and improve patient satisfaction with decisions. These measures could greatly benefit patients with BPI while reducing costs, improving efficiency, and generating better outcomes.
Coping with thoughts of suicide: techniques used by consumers of mental health services.

OBJECTIVE Suicide is a devastating public health problem, and research indicates that people with prior attempts are at the greatest risk of completing suicide, followed by persons with depression and other major mental and substance use conditions. Because there has been little direct input from individuals with serious mental illness and a history of suicidal behavior concerning suicide prevention efforts, this study examined how this population copes with suicidal thoughts. METHODS Participants in 14 regional consumer-run Hope Dialogues in New York State (N=198) wrote up to five strategies they use to deal with suicidal thoughts. Strategies were classified according to grounded theory. RESULTS First responses included spirituality, talking to someone, positive thinking, using the mental health system, considering consequences of suicide to family and friends, using peer supports, and doing something pleasurable. Although a majority reported that more formal therapeutic supports were available, only 12% indicated that they considered the mental health system a frontline strategy. Instead, respondents more frequently relied on family, friends, peers, and faith as sources of hope and support. CONCLUSIONS Consumers' reliance on formal therapeutic supports and support from peers and family suggests that education and support for dealing with individuals in despair and crisis should be targeted to the social networks of this high-risk population. The disparity between availability of formal mental health services and reliance on them when consumers are suicidal suggests that suicide prevention efforts should evaluate whether they are effectively engaging high-risk populations as they struggle to cope with despair.
Characterisation of patients with Glanzmann thrombasthenia and identification of 17 novel mutations

Summary Glanzmann thrombasthenia (GT) is an autosomal recessive bleeding disorder characterised by quantitative and/or qualitative defects of the platelet glycoprotein (GP) IIb/IIIa complex, also called integrin αIIbβ3. αIIbβ3 is well known as a platelet fibrinogen receptor and mediates platelet aggregation, firm adhesion, and spreading. This study describes the molecular genetic analyses of 19 patients with GT who were diagnosed on the basis of clinical parameters and platelet analyses. The patients’ bleeding signs include epistaxis, mucocutaneous bleeding, haematomas, petechiae, gastrointestinal bleeding, and menorrhagia. Homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in ITGA2B or ITGB3 were identified as causing GT by sequencing of genomic DNA. All exons including exon/intron boundaries of both genes were analysed. In a patient with an intronic mutation, splicing of mRNA was analysed using reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR of platelet-derived RNA. In short, 16 of 19 patients revealed 27 different mutations (ITGA2B: n=17, ITGB3: n=10). Seventeen of these mutations have not been published to date. Mutations in ITGA2B or ITGB3 were identified as causing GT in 16 patients. We detected a total of 27 mutations in ITGA2B and ITGB3 including 17 novel missense, nonsense, frameshift and splice site mutations. In addition, three patients revealed no molecular genetic anomalies in ITGA2B or ITGB3 that could explain the suspected diagnosis of GT. We assume that these patients may harbour defects in a regulatory element affecting the transcription of these genes, or other proteins may exist that are important for activating the αIIbβ3 complex that may be affected.
Sleep-disordered Breathing and Incident Heart Failure in Older Men.

RATIONALE The directionality of the relationship between sleep-disordered breathing and heart failure is controversial. OBJECTIVES We assessed whether elevations in the obstructive or central sleep apnea index or the presence of Cheyne-Stokes breathing are associated with decompensated and/or incident heart failure. METHODS We conducted a prospective, longitudinal study of 2,865 participants derived from the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men Study, a prospective multicenter observational study of community-dwelling older men. Participants underwent baseline polysomnography and were followed for a mean 7.3 years for development of incident or decompensated heart failure. Our main exposures were the obstructive apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), central apnea index (CAI ≥ 5), and Cheyne-Stokes breathing. Covariates included age, race, clinic site, comorbidities, physical activity, and alcohol and tobacco use. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS CAI greater than or equal to five and presence of Cheyne-Stokes breathing but not obstructive AHI were significant predictors of incident heart failure (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 1.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16-2.77 for CAI ≥ 5) (HR, 2.23; 95% CI, 1.45-3.43 for Cheyne-Stokes breathing). After excluding those with baseline heart failure, the incident risk of heart failure was attenuated for those with CAI greater than or equal to five (HR, 1.57; 95% CI, 0.92-2.66) but remained significantly elevated for those with Cheyne-Stokes breathing (HR, 1.90; 95% CI, 1.10-3.30). CONCLUSIONS An elevated CAI/Cheyne-Stokes breathing, but not an elevated obstructive AHI, is significantly associated with increased risk of decompensated heart failure and/or development of clinical heart failure in a community-based cohort of older men.
Therapeutic Potential of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α and γ-Interferon in Experimental Human Ovarian Cancer

We have studied the activity of recombinant human γ-interferon and recombinant human tumor necrosis factor α against four human ovarian cancer i.p. xenografts OS, LA, HN, and DO derived from primary tumor material. In the OS xenograft all control mice died by 42 days and therapy starting 7 days after tumor cell injection with 5 × 104 units recombinant human γ-interferon or 1 µg recombinant human tumor necrosis factor α alone had no significant effect on cumulative survival in three separate experiments. However, a combination of the two agents resulted in 85% cumulative survival at 150 days. This combination therapy also significantly increased survival of mice treated as late as 21 days after tumor cell injection. In the LA xenograft (where control mice were all dead by 23 days) therapy with either agent alone, or a combination, more than doubled survival time of mice. In the HN xenograft all control mice were dead at 22 days whereas either therapy alone or in combination gave +85% cumulative survival at 100 days. In a fourth xenograft, DO, survival of mice in the combination therapy group was significantly increased. Thus these two biological therapies, alone or in combination, show significant activity against human ovarian cancer cells.
Direct interaction of the kringle domain of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and integrin αvβ3 induces signal transduction and enhances plasminogen activation

Summary It has been questioned whether there are receptors for urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) that facilitate plasminogen activation other than the high affinity uPA receptor (uPAR/CD87) since studies of uPAR knockout mice did not support a major role of uPAR in plasminogen activation. uPA also promotes cell adhesion, chemotaxis, and proliferation besides plasminogen activation. These uPA-induced signaling events are not mediated by uPAR,but mediated by unidentified,lower-affinity receptors for the uPA kringle.We found that uPA binds specifically to integrin αvβ3 on CHO cells depleted of uPAR. The binding of uPA to αvβ3 required the uPA kringle domain. The isolated uPA kringle domain binds specifically to purified,recombinant soluble, and cell surface αvβ3, and other integrins (α4β1 and α9β1), and induced migration of CHO cells in an αvβ3-dependent manner. The binding of the uPA kringle to αvβ3 and uPA kringle-induced αvβ3-dependent cell migration were blocked by homologous plasminogen kringles 1-3 or 1-4 (angiostatin),a known integrin antagonist. We studied whether the binding of uPA to integrin αvβ3 through the kringle domain plays a role in plasminogen activation. On CHO cell depleted of uPAR, uPA enhanced plasminogen activation in a kringle and αvβ3-dependent manner.Endothelial cells bound to and migrated on uPA and uPA kringle in an αvβ3-dependent manner. These results suggest that uPA binding to integrins through the kringle domain plays an important role in both plasminogen activation and uPA-induced intracellular signaling. The uPA kringle-integrin interaction may represent a novel therapeutic target for cancer, inflammation, and vascular remodeling.
Development and Initial Reliability Testing of NAK-50+: A Nutrition Attitude and Knowledge Questionnaire for Adults 50+ Years of Age.

PURPOSE Few questionnaires to test nutrition knowledge and attitudes of older adults living independently in the community have been developed and tested to assess self-management tools such as Nutri-eSCREEN and other education programs. This study is a first step in the development of a questionnaire designed to evaluate the nutrition knowledge and attitudes of independent older adults (NAK-50+). METHODS The steps involved in this study were: (i) drafting initial questions based on the content of the Nutri-eSCREEN education material, (ii) using cognitive interviewing to determine if these questions were understandable and relevant (n = 9 adults ≥50 years of age), and (iii) completing test-retest reliability in a convenient community sample (n = 60 adults ≥50 years of age). Intra-class coefficients (ICC) and kappa were used to determine reliability. RESULTS A 33-item questionnaire resulted from this development and analysis. ICC for the total score was 0.68 indicating good agreement and thus initial reliability. CONCLUSIONS NAK-50+ is a face valid and reliable questionnaire that assesses nutrition knowledge and attitudes in independent adults aged ≥50 years. Further work to determine construct validity and to refine the questionnaire is warranted. Availability of the questionnaire for this age group will support rigorous evaluation of education and self-management interventions for this segment of the population.
Accuracy of Medial Foot Compartment Pressure Testing: A Comparison of Two Techniques

Background: Foot compartment syndrome is diagnosed with intracompartmental pressure measurements. The purpose of this study was to determine the ability of two techniques to accurately place a needle tip within the medial foot compartment and to compare the proximity of the needle tip to the medial foot compartment neurovascular structures between the two techniques. Materials and Methods: This was a laboratory study using ten unembalmed cadaveric ankle-foot specimens. Two 18-gauge side-ported needles were placed into the medial foot compartments of each cadaveric specimen utilizing two separate techniques (Mollica and Reach techniques). Ultrasound was used to confirm needle tip placement within the medial foot compartment and needle proximity to the neurovascular structures. Results: Both needle placement techniques accurately placed the needle tip within the medial foot compartment. However, the distance between the needle tip and the neurovascular structures of the medial foot compartment was significantly closer (p = 0.037) using the Mollica technique (mean = 3.9 mm ± 2.2 mm) than the Reach technique (mean = 10.9 mm ± 5.2 mm). Neither needle placement technique perforated the medial foot neurovascular structures. Conclusion: While both medial foot compartment pressure techniques accurately placed the needle tip within the medial foot compartment, the needle tip was significantly further from the medial foot neurovascular structures using the Reach technique than the Mollica technique. The Reach technique involves inserting the needle 6 cm below the distal tip of the medial malleolus, and advancing it 1 cm in a medial to lateral direction.
A Review of Evidence for Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT) use Post Spinal Surgery

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Reversal of CRF- and stress-induced anorexia by an ayurvedic formulation

Trikatu churna is one of the commonly used Ayurvedic formulations in the traditional system of medicine in India for the treatment of agnimandya, i.e. anorexia. Trikatu contains equal amounts of finely powdered rhizomes of Zingiber officinale Roscoe (Zingiberaceae) and fruits of Piper longum L. and Piper nigrum L. (Piperaceae). The chief objective of the study was to determine the antianorectic effects of three drugs individually and to compare these effects with the effect of Trikatu. The activity of the drugs was studied after anorexia was induced in rats by (1) physical stress arising from immobilization for 60 min; (2) intraperitoneal injection of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 100 μg/kg body weight); and (3) intraperitoneal administration of fluoxetine (8 mg/kg body weight). Similar doses of the extracts were tested on freely feeding rats and on rats that had been deprived of food for 20 h. Corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF, 0.3 μg/rat) can induce anxiogenic-like behavior and reduced food intake. This model was also studied, and the results were compared. The components of Trikatu churna failed to individually reverse the inhibition of feeding. In contrast, Trikatu churna pretreatment reversed stress-, fluoxetine- and CRF-induced anorexia. The study provides strong evidence of the synergistic action of Ayurvedic formulas and also proves the ability of Trikatu churna to reduce stress and CRF-induced anorexia.
Polyphenol metabolome in human urine and its association with intake of polyphenol-rich foods across European countries.

BACKGROUND An improved understanding of the contribution of the diet to health and disease risks requires accurate assessments of dietary exposure in nutritional epidemiologic studies. The use of dietary biomarkers may improve the accuracy of estimates. OBJECTIVE We applied a metabolomic approach in a large cohort study to identify novel biomarkers of intake for a selection of polyphenol-containing foods. The large chemical diversity of polyphenols and their wide distribution over many foods make them ideal biomarker candidates for such foods. DESIGN Metabolic profiles were measured with the use of high-resolution mass spectrometry in 24-h urine samples from 481 subjects from the large European Prospective Investigation on Cancer and Nutrition cohort. Peak intensities were correlated to acute and habitual dietary intakes of 6 polyphenol-rich foods (coffee, tea, red wine, citrus fruit, apples and pears, and chocolate products) measured with the use of 24-h dietary recalls and food-frequency questionnaires, respectively. RESULTS Correlation (r > 0.3, P < 0.01 after correction for multiple testing) and discriminant [pcorr (1) > 0.3, VIP > 1.5] analyses showed that >2000 mass spectral features from urine metabolic profiles were significantly associated with the consumption of the 6 selected foods. More than 80 polyphenol metabolites associated with the consumption of the selected foods could be identified, and large differences in their concentrations reflecting individual food intakes were observed within and between 4 European countries. Receiver operating characteristic curves showed that 5 polyphenol metabolites, which are characteristic of 5 of the 6 selected foods, had a high predicting ability of food intake. CONCLUSION Highly diverse food-derived metabolites (the so-called food metabolome) can be characterized in human biospecimens through this powerful metabolomic approach and screened to identify novel biomarkers for dietary exposures, which are ultimately essential to better understand the role of the diet in the cause of chronic diseases.
The Number of Sick Persons in a Cohort

Planning for future health needs of older adults requires a better understanding of the trajectories of health and sickness with age. The authors calculated the number of sick persons over time in a “research” cohort of older adults followed for up to 14 years, and also in a synthetic birth cohort. In the research cohort, the authors calculated the actual number of persons in each health state over time, using eight different definitions of “sick. ” For the birth cohort, the authors estimated the number of sick persons each year after birth. The number of sick persons in the research cohort was approximately constant for 14 years, for all definitions of “sick. ” The number sick in the birth cohort was approximately constant from ages 55 to 80 and then declined. The relative excess of sick persons in later life is caused by a decline in the number of healthy persons rather than an increase in the number who are sick. The number of sick current Medicare enrollees may be approximately constant for 14 years. These insights may help in planning for the aging population.
In-Network Filtering Schemes for Type-Threshold Function Computation in Wireless Sensor Networks

Data collection in wireless sensor networks (WSNs) can become extremely expensive in terms of power consumption if all measurements have to be fetched. However, since multiple applications do not require data from all nodes but to compute a function over a smaller data set, much of the available data on the network can be considered irrelevant and not worthy of spending energy. In this context, in-network filtering schemes can be used to forward only relevant data towards a sink node for processing purposes. In this work, we propose and evaluate two schemes that can drive this filtering process. Both of them are based on the integration of metaheuristics and learning algorithms inspired by nature. In particular, we consider the computation of the maximum function as case study for these schemes. We investigate the trade-off between communications costs, which are directly associated with power consumption, and error costs due to fetching not all relevant data. We show by simulation that communication costs can be significantly reduced with respect to traditional schemes while keeping the computation error bounded.