Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Laser treatment for stroke

Low-level laser therapy is an irradiation technique that has the ability to induce biological processes using photon energy. There are studies showing proliferation and angiogenesis after irradiation in skeletal muscle post-myocardial infarction tissue cells. Most evidence of efficacy is based on the increase in energy state and the activation of mitochondrial pathways. In the brain, there is similar evidence of cellular activity with laser irradiation. In vivo studies reinforced the efficacy of this technique for a better neurological and functional outcome post-stroke. The evidence is based on in vivo animal studies of various models and one human clinical study. Although the data is very promising, some fundamental questions remain to be answered, such as the exact mechanism along the cascade of post-stroke interconnective molecular disturbance, the optimal technique and time of treatment, and the long-term safety aspects. The answers to these questions are expected to evolve within the next few years.
Active damping of LC-filters for high power drives using synchronous optimal pulsewidth modulation

To meet the increasing demand on very low switching frequencies of power semiconductors in order to reduce switching losses, synchronous optimal pulsewidth modulation (SO-PWM) techniques provide an appropriate solution. They result from offline calculations, assuming steady state operation of the drive system. These drives are often used with an LC output filter, which represents a resonant circuit. Therefore, only in steady state operations does the combination of an LC-filter with offline optimized pulse patterns deliver satisfactory behavior of the drive system. Changes in operating conditions cause weakly damped oscillations in the filter, followed by high overcurrents in the motor, which can be described as dynamic modulation errors. In this paper, a novel control method is proposed in order to keep the benefits of SO-PWM in dynamic operations when applied to drives with LC-filters. The method actively damps the LC-filter resonance and compensates the dynamic modulation errors without increasing the switching frequency. The effectiveness and dynamic capability of the introduced control technique are presented by simulation results of a 2.4 kV induction motor drive.
Morphological taxonomy and molecular divergence of four balitorid species (subfamily: Nemachelinae) from Central Himalaya, India

The fishes in this study belong to the difficult group. It is difficult to identify about more than 50 nemacheilid loach species in India, mainly due to the poor quality of the original descriptions, the lack of good reviews, and the similarity of a number of the banded species. In view of this, a morphometric and genetic study was conducted on four species that have been documented in Central Himalayan region of India. Using comparative methods, a contribution to the knowledge about the variability of four Himalayan hillstream loaches, a molted loach Acanthocobitis botia (Hamilton, 1822), Nemacheilus corica (Hamilton, 1822), a creek loach Schistura beavani (Gunther, 1868), and Schistura montana (McClelland, 1838), was accomplished. Morphometric data were analyzed by univariate (CV and analysis of variance) and multivariate analyses (discriminant function analysis and cluster analysis). Based on the results of these statistical analyses, generally all four species grouped into their own species cluster with minimal overlap between two species of genus Schistura. Mitochondrial DNA cytochrome b (Cyt b) gene analysis revealed 7.7–17.6% genetic distances among the four species. Molecular phylogenetic relationship among these species and other Balitoridae species was investigated using published mitochondrial Cyt b sequences. Dendrograms obtained by the maximum likelihood and maximum parsimony method analyses exhibited the same topology. According to this topology, all the four species represented distinct species group and A. botia form the most distinct species while S. beavani and S. montana are clustered together with Nemacheilus species to form a single group. This work may build the base for the revision of taxonomic identity of fishes of the family Balitoridae. The results may further help to enhance the knowledge of the ichthyologists in understanding the fish fauna of India and assist them in planning conservation and management strategies for the propagation of these less studied small indigenous species along their natural range of distribution.
New dimensionally homogeneous Jacobian matrix formulation by three end-effector points for optimal design of parallel manipulators

Development of optimal design methods for parallel manipulators is important in obtaining an optimal architecture or pose for the best kinetostatic performance. The use of performance indexes such as the condition number of the conventional Jacobian matrix that is composed of nonhomogeneous physical units, however, may lack in physical significance. In order to avoid the unit inconsistency problem in the conventional Jacobian matrix, we present a new formulation of a dimensionally homogeneous Jacobian matrix for parallel manipulators with a planar mobile platform by using three end-effector points that are coplanar with the mobile platform joints. The condition number of the new Jacobian matrix is then used to design an optimal architecture or pose of parallel manipulators for the best dexterity. An illustrative design example with a six-degree-of-freedom Gough-Stewart platform parallel manipulator by using the proposed formulation is shown to generate the same optimal configurations as those from using the other existing dimensionally homogenous Jacobian formulation methods.
False Positivity for Aspergillus Antigenemia with Amoxicillin-Clavulonic Acid

Invasive aspergillosis is one of the serious problems in patients with hematological malignancies. Early diagnosis is very important because of the high mortality. Noninvasive tests, including screening of Aspergillus galactomannan (GM) antigen, (1→3)-β-d-glucan, and Aspergillus DNA, have been
Considerations in the Development of a Sound Tolerance Interview and Questionnaire Instrument

Abstract Most clinicians approach the objective fitting of hearing aids with three goals in mind: audibility, comfort, and tolerance. When these three amplification goals have been met, the hearing aid user is more likely to adapt to and perceive benefit from hearing aid use. However, problems related to the loudness of sounds and reduced sound tolerance, which may or may not be reported by the aided user, can adversely impact adaptation to amplification and the individual's quality of life. Although there are several standardized questionnaires available to evaluate hearing aid benefit and satisfaction, there is no standardized questionnaire or interview tool for evaluating reduced sound tolerance and the related impact on hearing aid use. We describe a 36-item tool, the Sound Tolerance Questionnaire (STQ), consisting of six sections, including experience with hearing aids, sound sensitivity/intolerance, medical and noise exposure histories, coexisting tinnitus problems, and a final question to differentiate the primary and secondary problems related to sound intolerance, tinnitus, and hearing loss. In its current format as a research tool, the STQ was sensitive in pinpointing vague sound tolerance complaints not reported by the study participants in eligibility screening by Formby et al. A refined version of the STQ, the Sound Tolerance Interview and Questionnaire Instrument (STIQI), structured as a two-part tool, is presented in the appendix for prospective clinical use. The STIQI has potential utility to delineate factors contributing to loudness complaints and/or reduced sound tolerance in individuals considering hearing aid use, as well as those who have been unsuccessful hearing aid users secondary to loudness complaints or sound intolerance. The STIQI, when validated and refined, also may hold promise for predicting hearing aid benefit and/or assessing treatment-related change over time of hearing aid use or interventions designed to remediate problems of loudness and/or sound intolerance among hearing aid candidates or users.
Evolution of Storage Facilities in AIX Version 3 for RISC System/6000 Processors

This paper discusses how the AIX Version 3 storage facilities include features not found in other implementations of the UNIX operating system. Maximum virtual memory is more than 1000 terabytes and is used pervasively to access all files and the meta-data of the file systems. Each separate file system (subtree) of the file name hierarchy occupies a logical disk volume, composed of space from possibly several disks. Database memory (a variant of virtual memory) and other database techniques are used to manage file system meta-data. These features provide the capacity to address large applications and many users, simplified program access to file data, efficient file buffering in memory, flexible management of disk space, and reliable file systems with short restart times.
MOLECULAR TYPING OF LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES ISOLATED FROM COLD-SMOKED MEAT PRODUCTS BY PULSED-FIELD GEL ELECTROPHORESIS LISTERIA MONOCYTOGENES

The aim of this work was to investigate genetic div ersity of L. monocytogenes i olated from cold-smoked sliced vacuum packaged pork in the one meat process ing plant over 1-year period. A total 48 Listeria monocytogenes i olates were detected in eight cold-smoked sliced vacuum packaged meat production lots from January 2003 until January 2004. Molecular typing o f all isolates was applied to determine strain gene tic homology by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) . Genomic AscI macrorestriction pattern (MRP) yielded 12 different PFGE types, which showed large genetic he terogeneity among isolates within one meat processi ng plant. Two persistent and ten nonpersistent PFGE ty pes were detected. This study showed severe and con tinu us L. monocytogenes contamination in the meat processing plant on coldsmoked sliced vacuum packaged meat production line over a whole 1-year period.
Surface Configuration Design of Cable-Network Reflectors Considering the Radiation Pattern

Since the curved surface of a cable-network reflector is generally approximated by regular flat facets, the electromagnetic performance of the cable-network reflector is determined by the size and shape of the facets. In many cases, the geometric approximation errors of the facets are periodically distributed on the surface, which can result in strong grating lobes. First, in this paper, the periodicity of the geometric approximation error and the effects of this periodicity on the EM performance are investigated. Second, the periodic geometric approximation errors of the regularly faceted configurations are disturbed by three proposed approaches, and three new types of surface configurations are thus formed. The first approach is to introduce radial direction disturbance parameters, the second one is to change the shape of the outlines and the last one is to use a Penrose-tiling-like configuration. The first two approaches are carried out in combination with the optimization strategies. Finally, the effects of the mentioned disturbance parameters on the EM performance are simulated, and some numerical examples are given to show that the surface configurations proposed in this paper can reduce the grating lobes level obviously, without either decreasing the gain or increasing the structural complexity of the cable-network reflectors.
KNOWLEDGE , ATTITDUDE AND TECHNIQUE IN RECORDING VERTICL DIMENSION TECHNIQUES

Background: Vertical Dimension is defined as the distance between the two selected anatomic or marked points, one on a fixed and one on a movable membrane. A number of techniques is being practiced for the evaluation of vertical dimension occlusion but none of them is scientifically accurate than the other. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the different methods used by practitioners to record the occlusion and the complications faced by it. Aim: To evaluate the different techniques used to record vertical jaw relation Methodology: questionnaire was prepared and a cross sectional survey was conducted among 100 practitioners in Chennai city. The survey included a questionnaire with 10 questions to assess knowledge, attitude and technique of vertical jaw relation by the practitioners Conclusion: In this study, as per statistical analysis, 90% of the candidates preferred niswonger technique while recording vertical dimension at occlusion where as speech technique while recording vertical dimension at rest. Objective: to view the efficiency and the complications faced by the dental practitioners while recording the vertical dimension occlusion.
Chemistry Characterization of Jet Aircraft Engine Particulate by XPS: Results From APEX III

This paper reports XPS analysis of jet exhaust particulate from a B737, Lear, ERJ, and A300 aircraft during the APEX III NASA led field campaign. Carbon hybridization and bonding chemistry are identified by high-resolution scans about the C1s core-shell region. Significant organic content as gauged by the sp/sp ratio is found across engines and platforms. Polar oxygen functional groups include carboxylic, carbonyl and phenol with combined content of 20 percent or more. By lower resolution survey scans various elements including transition metals are identified along with lighter elements such as S, N, and O in the form of oxides. Burning additives within lubricants are probable sources of Na, Ba, Ca, Zn, P and possibly Sn. Elements present and their percentages varied significantly across all engines, not revealing any trend or identifiable cause for the differences, though the origin is likely the same for the same element when observed. This finding suggests that their presence can be used as a tracer for identifying soots from aircraft engines as well as diagnostic for monitoring engine performance and wear.
HLA-DRB1 alleles encoding an aspartic acid at position 70 protect against development of rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether the association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and HLA-DRB1 is influenced by the amino acid residue encoded at position 70 (beta70) of the third hypervariable region (HVR3) of the HLA-DRbeta chain. METHODS The frequencies of HLA-DRB1 alleles encoding different amino acid residues at beta70 were compared between patients with RA and controls in a population from the UK and in a confirmatory population from northwestern Spain. HLA-DRB1 typing was done by polymerase chain reaction methods on 476 clinic based patients with RA and 180 healthy controls from Staffordshire and Cheshire in the UK, and on 179 clinic patients and 145 controls from Lugo, Spain. Associations were investigated using chi-square analyses and regression analyses. The extended Mantel-Haenszel procedure was used for trend analysis. RESULTS Carriage of 2 shared epitope (SE)+ alleles encoding a glutamine at beta70 (Q70SE+/Q70SE+) was associated with the greatest risk of RA in the UK and Spanish population (odds ratios 7.93 and 4.66, respectively), while possession of 2 SE- alleles encoding an aspartic acid at beta70 (D70SE-D70SE-) was associated with the lowest risk (OR 0.23 and 0.34, respectively). In individuals carrying one SE+ allele and an accompanying D70SE- allele there was no increased risk of developing RA [OR 0.93 (UK) and 1.30 (Spain)]. Possession of D70SE- was more strongly protective than possession of Q70SE. Analysis of trend indicated that the strength of association of different DRB1 genotypes with RA could be ranked in order (from Q70SE+/Q70SE+ to D70SE-/D70SE-) according to which amino acid residues were encoded at beta70, and whether or not they formed part of a SE sequence. The severity of radiographic damage could not be ranked in the same fashion. CONCLUSION The amino acid residue at position 70 of the HVR3 in HLA-DRbeta molecules influences susceptibility to RA. The strength of the association of DRB1 genotypes with RA is dependent not only on SE status, but also on which amino acid residues are encoded at beta70 of the DRB1 alleles. Presence of an aspartic acid residue at beta70 protects against development of RA. However, the severity of erosive damage does not appear to be associated with the amino acid substitution at 1370.
Item Analysis of the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST)

The Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST) is an outcomes assessment tool designed to measure satisfaction with assistive technology in a structured and standardized way. The purpose of this article is to present the results of an analysis of the 24 items comprising QUEST and to explain how a subset of items demonstrating optimal measurement performance was selected. The criteria against which the items were measured were general acceptability, content validity, contribution to internal consistency, test–retest stability, and sensitivity. The items that ranked best in terms of these measurement properties were submitted to factorial analysis in order to complete the item selection. The first series of analyses reduced the item pool approximately by half, and the second series of analyses led to the final selection of 12 items. Factor analysis results suggested a bidimensional structure of satisfaction with assistive technology related to the assistive technology device (eight items) and services (four items). The 12-item revised version that will result from this study should prove to be a reliable and valid instrument for measuring outcomes in the field of assistive technology.
Psychometric comparison of PHQ-9 and HADS for measuring depression severity in primary care.

BACKGROUND The 2004 National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines highlight the importance of assessing severity of depression in primary care. AIM To assess the psychometric properties of the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the depression subscale of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS-D) for measuring depression severity in primary care. DESIGN OF STUDY Psychometric assessment. SETTING Thirty-two general practices in Grampian, Scotland. METHOD Consecutive patients referred to a primary care mental health worker completed the PHQ-9 and HADS at baseline (n = 1063) and at the end of treatment (n = 544). Data were analysed to assess reliability, robustness of factor structure, convergent/discriminant validity, convergence of severity banding, and responsiveness to change. RESULTS Both scales demonstrated high internal consistency at baseline and end of treatment (PHQ-9 alpha = 0.83 and 0.92; HADS-D alpha = 0.84 and 0.89). One factor emerged each for the PHQ-9 (explaining 42% of variance) and HADS-D (explaining 52% of variance). Both scales converged more with each other than with the HADS anxiety (HADS-A) subscale at baseline (P<0.001) and at end of treatment (P = 0.01). Responsiveness to change was similar: effect size for PHQ-9 = 0.99 and for the HADS-D = 1. The HADS-D and PHQ-9 differed significantly in categorising severity of depression, with the PHQ-9 categorising a greater proportion of patients with moderate/severe depression (P<0.001). CONCLUSION The HADS-D and PHQ-9 demonstrated reliability, convergent/discriminant validity, and responsiveness to change. However, they differed considerably in how they catergorised severity. Given that treatment decisions are made on the basis of severity, further work is needed to assess the validity of the scales' severity cut-off bands.
Buccals are likely to be a more informative surrogate tissue than blood for epigenome-wide association studies

There is increasing evidence that interindividual epigenetic variation is an etiological factor in common human diseases. Such epigenetic variation could be genetic or non-genetic in origin, and epigenome-wide association studies (EWASs) are underway for a wide variety of diseases/phenotypes. However, performing an EWAS is associated with a range of issues not typically encountered in genome-wide association studies (GWASs), such as the tissue to be analyzed. In many EWASs, it is not possible to analyze the target tissue in large numbers of live humans, and consequently surrogate tissues are employed, most commonly blood. But there is as yet no evidence demonstrating that blood is more informative than buccal cells, the other easily accessible tissue. To assess the potential of buccal cells for use in EWASs, we performed a comprehensive analysis of a buccal cell methylome using whole-genome bisulfite sequencing. Strikingly, a buccal vs. blood comparison reveals > 6X as many hypomethylated regions in buccal. These tissue-specific differentially methylated regions (tDMRs) are strongly enriched for DNaseI hotspots. Almost 75% of these tDMRs are not captured by commonly used DNA methylome profiling platforms such as Reduced Representational Bisulfite Sequencing and the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip, and they also display distinct genomic properties. Buccal hypo-tDMRs show a statistically significant enrichment near SNPs associated to disease identified through GWASs. Finally, we find that, compared with blood, buccal hypo-tDMRs show significantly greater overlap with hypomethylated regions in other tissues. We propose that for non-blood based diseases/phenotypes, buccal will be a more informative tissue for EWASs.
Activation of Group II/III metabotropic glutamate receptors attenuates LPS‐induced astroglial neurotoxicity via promoting glutamate uptake

Altered glial function that leads to oxidative stress and excitotoxicity may contribute to the initiation or progression of neuronal death in neurodegenerative diseases. We report the pivotal role of astroglial Group II and III metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR) against neurotoxicity. Activation of Group II or III mGluR on astrocytes with selective agonists DCG‐IV or L‐AP4 respectively inhibited astroglial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐conditioned medium induced apoptosis of primary cultured mesencephalic neurons. Specific Group II or III mGluR antagonists APICA or MSOP completely abolished the neuroprotective effects of DCG‐IV and L‐AP4. Morphologic analysis showed that DCG‐IV or L‐AP4 could also attenuate the astroglial neurotoxicity to dopaminergic neurons. Measurement of extracellular glutamate concentration and [3H]‐glutamate uptake showed that the restoration of glutamate uptake capability in LPS‐treated astrocytes might be involved in the neuroprotective effects of activating astroglial Group II or III mGluR. Furthermore, we found that the repression of astroglial uptake function could be revived by GSH, and both Group II and III mGluR agonists could recover the endogenous reduced glutathione (GSH) level in LPS‐treated astrocytes. These results suggested that the possible mechanisms of neuroprotection by either Type II or Type III mGluR activation may involve restoration of endogenous GSH, in turn affording recovery of astroglial capability to take up glutamate. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.