Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
What Community Resources Do Older Community-Dwelling Adults Use to Manage Their Osteoarthritis? A Formative Examination

Community resources can influence health outcomes, yet little research has examined how older individuals use community resources for osteoarthritis (OA) management. Six focus groups were conducted with 37 community-dwelling older adult African Americans and Whites who self-reported OA and resided in Johnston County, North Carolina. Descriptive analyses and qualitative constant comparison methodology revealed that individuals use local recreational facilities, senior centers, shopping centers, religious organizations, medical providers, pharmacies, and their social network for OA management. Participants also identified environmental characteristics (e.g., sidewalk conditions, curb-cuts, handicapped parking, automatic doors) that both facilitated and hindered use of community resources for OA management. Identified resources and environmental characteristics were organized around Corbin and Strauss framework tasks: medical/behavioral, role, and emotional management. As older Americans live with multiple chronic diseases, better understanding of what community resources are used for disease management may help to improve the health of community-dwelling adults, both with and without OA.
Design of Engineering Systems under Uncertainty via Real Options and Heuristic Optimization

Abstract – This paper presents a practical procedure for using real options valuation in the design optimization of complex engineering systems. Recognition of future uncertainty in both design requirements and the operating environment is the point of departure – a significant shift away from traditional design practice that posits known values for key technical and economic factors. The process leads to the identification of an initial design and a strategy for implementing future expansions according to the way the future unfolds – in contrast to the usual real options analyses that define a price for the option. Optimization of the design with the recognition of uncertainty leads to significant (greater than 10%) improvements in system performance. The optimization results in multiple desirable attributes, not only the maximization of expected value but also other considerations that may be useful to project managers, such as maximum possible loss or gain and the robustness of the design. A Value-at-Risk diagram conveniently displays these criteria. The optimization itself is extraordinarily complex, compared to standard options analyses, because the reality of design means that the performance of future states is not path independent (because the system evolves in response to its environment) so that the number of possible combinations is astronomical (over 10 to the power of 60 for the simple example problem). A Genetic Algorithm provides a practical solution to such problems, as demonstrated by a generic problem concerning the development of an offshore oil pipeline network.
Oncolytic Reovirus Infection Is Facilitated by the Autophagic Machinery

Mammalian reovirus is a double-stranded RNA virus that selectively infects and lyses transformed cells, making it an attractive oncolytic agent. Despite clinical evidence for anti-tumor activity, its efficacy as a stand-alone therapy remains to be improved. The success of future trials can be greatly influenced by the identification and the regulation of the cellular pathways that are important for reovirus replication and oncolysis. Here, we demonstrate that reovirus induces autophagy in several cell lines, evident from the formation of Atg5-Atg12 complexes, microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) lipidation, p62 degradation, the appearance of acidic vesicular organelles, and LC3 puncta. Furthermore, in electron microscopic images of reovirus-infected cells, autophagosomes were observed without evident association with viral factories. Using UV-inactivated reovirus, we demonstrate that a productive reovirus infection facilitates the induction of autophagy. Importantly, knock-out cell lines for specific autophagy-related genes revealed that the expression of Atg3 and Atg5 but not Atg13 facilitates reovirus replication. These findings highlight a central and Atg13-independent role for the autophagy machinery in facilitating reovirus infection and contribute to a better understanding of reovirus-host interactions.
3D Quasi-Passive Walker of Bipedal Robot with Flat Feet Gait Analysis of 3D Quasi-Passive Walking

In this paper, we analysis gaits of 3D quasi-passive walker with flat feet driven by an antagonistic pneumatic artificial muscle. Many bipedal robots have been proposed to realize the high energy efficiency walking. The passive dynamic walking does not require control input. Generally, a foot shape of passive dynamic walking robot is an arc foot. It is intended to establish a control method and walking mechanism to achieve energy efficient and stable gait. Therefore, we developed 3D quasi-passive walker with flat feet. An antagonistic mechanism is constituted by a pair of McKibben muscle. And an antagonistic pneumatic system is used as joint actuators of linkage mechanisms which control the torque, joint stiffness and position simultaneously. This paper shows that the 3D quasi-passive walking in the level ground can realize by the simple swinging (sine) input of the frontal direction, and the stride of the robot is proportional to lateral-plane input. Finally, we examine the structure of an ankle, the control method of an antagonistic pneumatic system and these gaits analysis using COP (Center Of Pressure) and ROS (Roll-Over Shapes).
Effect of a low glycemic index compared with a conventional healthy diet on polycystic ovary syndrome.

BACKGROUND Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are intrinsically insulin resistant and have a high risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Weight loss improves risk factors, but the optimal diet composition is unknown. Low-glycemic index (low-GI) diets are recommended without evidence of their clinical effectiveness. OBJECTIVE We compared changes in insulin sensitivity and clinical outcomes after similar weight losses after consumption of a low-GI diet compared with a conventional healthy diet in women with PCOS. DESIGN We assigned overweight and obese premenopausal women with PCOS (n = 96) to consume either an ad libitum low-GI diet or a macronutrient-matched healthy diet and followed the women for 12 mo or until they achieved a 7% weight loss. We compared changes in whole-body insulin sensitivity, which we assessed using the insulin sensitivity index derived from the oral-glucose-tolerance test (ISI(OGTT)); glucose tolerance; body composition; plasma lipids; reproductive hormones; health-related quality of life; and menstrual cycle regularity. RESULTS The attrition rate was high in both groups (49%). Among completers, ISI(OGTT) improved more with the low-GI diet than with the conventional healthy diet (mean +/- SEM: 2.2 +/- 0.7 compared with 0.7 +/- 0.6, respectively; P = 0.03). There was a significant diet-metformin interaction (P = 0.048), with greater improvement in ISI(OGTT) among women prescribed both metformin and the low-GI diet. Compared with women who consumed the conventional healthy diet, more women who consumed the low-GI diet showed improved menstrual cyclicity (95% compared with 63%, respectively; P = 0.03). Among the biochemical measures, only serum fibrinogen concentrations showed significant differences between diets (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION To the best of our knowledge, this study provides the first objective evidence to justify the use of low-GI diets in the management of PCOS.
Whole-body efficiency is negatively correlated with minimum torque per duty cycle in trained cyclists

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine whether there is a causal relationship between pedalling “circularity” and cycling efficiency. Eleven trained cyclists were studied during submaximal cycling. Variables recorded included gross and delta efficiency and the ratio of minimum to peak torque during a duty cycle. Participants also completed a questionnaire about their training history. The most notable results were as follows: gross efficiency (r = −0.72, P < 0.05 at 250 W) was inversely correlated with the ratio of minimum to peak torque, particularly at higher work rates. There was a highly significant inverse correlation between delta efficiency and average minimum torque at 200 W (r = −0.76, P < 0.01). Cycling experience was positively correlated with delta efficiency and gross efficiency, although experience and the ratio of minimum to peak torque were not related. These results show that variations in pedalling technique may account for a large proportion of the variation in efficiency in trained cyclists. However, it is also possible that some underlying physiological factor influences both. Finally, it appears that experience positively influences efficiency, although the mechanism by which this occurs remains unclear.
Atrial fibrillation begets atrial fibrillation. A study in awake chronically instrumented goats.

BACKGROUND In this study we tested the hypothesis that atrial fibrillation (AF) causes electrophysiological changes of the atrial myocardium which might explain the progressive nature of the arrhythmia. METHODS AND RESULTS Twelve goats were chronically instrumented with multiple electrodes sutured to the epicardium of both atria. Two to 3 Weeks after implantation, the animals were connected to a fibrillation pacemaker which artificially maintained AF. Whereas during control episodes of AF were short lasting (6 +/- 3 seconds), artificial maintenance of AF resulted in a progressive increase in the duration of AF to become sustained (> 24 hours) after 7.1 +/- 4.8 days (10 of 11 goats). During the first 24 hours of AF the median fibrillation interval shortened from 145 +/- 18 to 108 +/- 8 ms and the inducibility of AF by a single premature stimulus increased from 24% to 76%. The atrial effective refractory period (AERP) shortened from 146 +/- 19 to 95 +/- 20 ms (-35%) (S1S1, 400 ms). At high pacing rates the shortening was less (-12%), pointing to a reversion of the normal adaptation of the AERP to heart rate. In 5 goats, after 2 to 4 weeks of AF, sinus rhythm was restored and all electrophysiological changes were found to be reversible within 1 week. CONCLUSIONS Artificial maintenance of AF leads to a marked shortening of AERP, a reversion of its physiological rate adaptation, and an increase in rate, inducibility and stability of AF. All these changes were completely reversible within 1 week of sinus rhythm.
Risks and benefits of parathyroid fine-needle aspiration with parathyroid hormone washout.

OBJECTIVE To describe the experience with parathyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and parathyroid hormone (PTH) washout at Mayo Clinic Rochester, Rochester, Minnesota. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed all parathyroid FNA procedures performed at Mayo Clinic Rochester between January 2000 and December 2007. Clinical, biochemical, and imaging information, parathyroid FNA procedure, and cytology, surgical, and pathology reports were reviewed, and descriptive statistics, sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive values are presented. RESULTS During the study period, 75 parathyroid FNAs were performed on 74 patients. Cytology results were available for 74 of 75 procedures, with only 31% interpreted as parathyroid cells. PTH washout was performed in 67 patients (91%). Parathyroid FNA with PTH washout had a sensitivity of 84%, specificity of 100%, positive predictive value of 100%, and accuracy of 84%. At the time of surgical treatment, 2 patients were noted to have an inflammatory response from the parathyroid FNA biopsy, 1 had a parathyroid abscess, and 2 had a hematoma. In 3 of these 5 patients, the necessary conversion of a minimally invasive surgical procedure to the standard surgical approach prolonged the surgical time. CONCLUSION Parathyroid FNA with PTH washout had a superior performance in comparison with parathyroid scanning or ultrasonography alone. The main limitations of parathyroid FNA with PTH washout are (1) the need for initial identification of a potential parathyroid adenoma by ultrasonography and (2) the number of false-negative results. Parathyroid FNA resulted in complications affecting the surgical procedure in 3 patients.
Inhibition of p38 MAPK enhances ABT‐737‐induced cell death in melanoma cell lines: novel regulation of PUMA

The mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway is constitutively activated in the majority of melanomas, promoting cell survival, proliferation and migration. In addition, anti‐apoptotic Bcl‐2 family proteins Mcl‐1, Bcl‐xL and Bcl‐2 are frequently overexpressed, contributing to melanoma’s well‐documented chemoresistance. Recently, it was reported that the combination of MAPK pathway inhibition by specific MEK inhibitors and Bcl‐2 family inhibition by BH3‐mimetic ABT‐737 synergistically induces apoptotic cell death in melanoma cell lines. Here we provide the first evidence that inhibition of another key MAPK, p38, synergistically induces apoptosis in melanoma cells in combination with ABT‐737. We also provide novel mechanistic data demonstrating that inhibition of p38 increases expression of pro‐apoptotic Bcl‐2 protein PUMA. Furthermore, we demonstrate that PUMA can be cleaved by a caspase‐dependent mechanism during apoptosis and identify what appears to be the PUMA cleavage product. Thus, our findings suggest that the combination of ABT‐737 and inhibition of p38 is a promising, new treatment strategy that acts through a novel PUMA‐dependent mechanism.
Absorption of ciprofloxacin in patients with diabetic gastroparesis

The purpose of this study was to assess the pharmacokinetic profile of ciprofloxacin in 12 patients with diabetic gastroparesis. Patients received both a single 500-mg oral (p.o.) dose and a single 400-mg intravenous (i.v.) dose of ciprofloxacin separated by a 1-week washout period. Pharmacokinetic parameters (means +/- standard deviations) for the p.o. and i.v. doses were as follows: areas under the concentration-time curve from 0 h to infinity, 9.74 +/- 2.59 and 11.78 +/- 3.18 micrograms.h/ml, respectively; maximum concentrations of drug in serum, 2.13 +/- 0.67 and 4.21 +/- 1.07 micrograms/ml, respectively; and half-lives, 4.03 +/- 0.58 and 4.20 +/- 0.58 h, respectively. The ratio of the areas under the concentration-time curves from 0 h to infinity for the p.o. and i.v. doses was 0.84, with a 90% confidence interval of 0.68 to 0.98; the mean absolute bioavailability was calculated to be 67% (range, 43 to 82%). From these data it appears that ciprofloxacin is adequately absorbed in patients with diabetic gastroparesis.
Bayesian Treatments for Panel Data Stochastic Frontier Models with Time Varying Heterogeneity

This paper considers a linear panel data model with time varying heterogeneity. Bayesian inference techniques organized around Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) are applied to implement new estimators that combine smoothness priors on unobserved heterogeneity and priors on the factor structure of unobserved effects. The latter have been addressed in a non-Bayesian framework by Bai (2009) and Kneip et al. (2012), among others. Monte Carlo experiments are used to examine the finite-sample performance of our estimators. An empirical study of efficiency trends in the largest banks operating in the U.S. from 1990 to 2009 illustrates our new estimators. The study concludes that scale economies in intermediation services have been largely exploited by these large U.S. banks.
How to overcome (and exploit) tumor hypoxia for targeted gene therapy

Tumor hypoxia has long been recognized as a critical issue in oncology. Resistance of hypoxic areas has been shown to affect treatment outcome after radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery in a number of tumor sites. Two main strategies to overcome tumor hypoxia are to increase the delivery of oxygen (or oxygen‐mimetic drugs), and exploiting this unique environmental condition of solid tumors for targeted therapy. The first strategy includes hyperbaric oxygen breathing, the administration of carbogen and nicotinamide, and the delivery of chemical radiosensitizers. In contrast, bioreductive drugs and hypoxia‐targeted suicide gene therapy aim at activating cytotoxic agents at the tumor site, while sparing normal tissue from damage. The cellular machinery responds to hypoxia by activating the expression of genes involved in angiogenesis, anaerobic metabolism, vascular permeability, and inflammation. In most cases, transcription is initiated by the binding of the transcription factor hypoxia‐inducible factor (HIF) to hypoxia responsive elements (HREs). Hypoxia‐targeting for gene therapy has been achieved by utilizing promoters containing HREs, to induce selective and efficient transgene activation at the tumor site. Hypoxia‐targeted delivery and prodrug activation may add additional levels of selectivity to the treatment. In this article, the latest developments of cancer gene therapy of the hypoxic environment are discussed, with particular attention to combined protocols with ionizing radiation. Ultimately, it is proposed that by adopting specific transgene activation and molecular amplification systems, resistant hypoxic tumor tissues may be effectively targeted with gene therapy. J. Cell. Physiol. 197: 312–325, 2003© 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Definitional and Theoretical Issues and Research on Learning Disabilities

S has written a critique of the field of learning disabilities and writes persuasively about the need for change. According to Swanson, one of the areas that requires change is the fact that much of the research involving individuals with learning disabilities is merely empirical, oriented toward practice, and largely atheoretical. He proposes that the field of learning disabilities needs to develop and systematically test theories. Actually he goes farther than this and argues that the field needs metatheory. I agree about the need for theory in the field of learning disabilities. Theory is necessary to guide research and to advance the field. However, I am not sure what metatheory is nor am I clear on how metatheory is different from an ordinary theory. Swanson needs to address the issue of what metatheory is and how it differs from theory.
Iris: An Inter-cloud Resource Integration System for Elastic Cloud Data Centers

This paper proposes a new cloud computing service model, Hardware as a Service (HaaS), that is based on the idea of implementing ``elastic data centers'' that provide a data center administrator with resources located at different data centers as demand requires. To demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed model, we have developed what we call an Inter-cloud Resource Integration System (Iris) by using nested virtualization and OpenFlow technologies. Iris dynamically configures and provides a virtual infrastructure over inter-cloud resources, on which an IaaS cloud can run. Using Iris, we have confirmed an IaaS cloud can seamlessly extend and manage resources over multiple data centers. The experimental results on an emulated inter-cloud environment show that the overheads of the HaaS layer are acceptable when the network latency is less than 10 msec. We believe these results provide new insight to help establish inter-cloud computing.
The effect of diabetes on the wound healing potential of adipose‐tissue derived stem cells

To investigate whether diabetes mellitus affects the wound‐healing‐promoting potential of adipose tissue‐derived stem cells, we designed a wound‐healing model using diabetic mice. We compared the degree of wound healing between wounds treated with normal adipose tissue‐derived stem cells and wounds treated with diabetic adipose tissue‐derived stem cells. We evaluated the wound‐healing rate, the epithelial tongue distance, the area of granulation tissue, the number of capillary and the number of Ki‐67‐stained cells. The wound‐healing rate was significantly higher in the normal adipose tissue‐derived stem cells group than in the diabetic adipose tissue‐derived stem cells group; it was also significantly higher in the normal adipose tissue‐derived stem cells group than in the control group. Although the diabetic adipose tissue‐derived stem cells group showed a better wound‐healing rate than the control group, the difference was not statistically significant. Similar trends were observed for the other parameters examined: re‐epithelisation and keratinocyte proliferation; granulation tissue formation; and dermal regeneration. However, with regard to the number of capillary, diabetic adipose tissue‐derived stem cells retained their ability to promote neovasculisation and angiogenesis. These results reflect the general impairment of the therapeutic potential of diabetic adipose tissue‐derived stem cells in vivo.
Influence of Fining and Tartaric Stabilisation Procedures on White Wine Mannoprotein Content

Limpidity is a major quality attribute in white wine appreciation. After alcoholic fermentation and ageing, white wines are normally subjected to protein and tartaric stabilisation, followed by filtration. The impact of bentonite and gelatine fining and cold static tartaric stabilisation on the mannoprotein content of two white wines was studied. All treatments promoted a decrease in the content of mannoproteins. Bentonite fining largely affected the mannoproteins with the highest molecular weight, as did cold static tartaric stabilisation and gelatine fining.
A New Insight into the Main Metabolic Regulation of Escherichia coli Based on Systems Biology Approach

Abstract The systems biology approach was considered for the analysis of metabolic regulation in Escherichia coli. In particular, it was shown that the feed-forward and feed-back regulations are formed in the metabolic regulation by enzymatic and transcriptional regulations, where these contribute to the robustness of the cell system. Moreover, the effects of the specific pathway gene knockout such as Δ pgi , Δ zwf , and Δ pyk on the metabolic regulations were clarified based on systems biology approach. Mathematical modeling with computer simulation was also made for the main metabolism.
Consensus on the Use of Substituted Benzamides in Psychiatric Patients

The class of substituted benzamides includes compounds able to modulate dopaminergic neurons selectively and specifically. The first synthetic substituted benzamide was sulpiride, which has been replaced in the clinic by the more modern amisulpride. The compound is very selective for mesolimbic D2 and D3 receptors and, therefore, has a dual mechanism of action, which is associated with two different indications. At low doses (50 mg), amisulpride preferentially blocks presynaptic autoreceptors, producing an increase in dopamine release, and therefore acting as a dopaminergic compound able to resolve the dopaminergic hypoactivity that characterizes depression. At higher doses (400–1,200 mg), the drug exerts its activity on postsynaptic D3/D2 receptors located in the limbic region and prefrontal areas, producing selective dopaminergic inhibition, eliciting antipsychotic effects. In the present review, the clinical use of amisulpride in depressive syndromes is discussed, in particular in dysthymia and in schizophrenia. Based on experimental data, amisulpride is a treatment of choice for dopaminergic transmission disorders, both in depression and in schizophrenia.