Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intradiscal Glucocorticoid Injection for Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain Associated With Active Discopathy: A Randomized Trial.

Background Active discopathy is associated with a specific phenotype of chronic low back pain (LBP). Local inflammation has a role in active discopathy-associated symptoms. Objective To assess the efficacy of a single glucocorticoid intradiscal injection (GC IDI) in patients with chronic LBP with active discopathy. Design Prospective, parallel-group, double-blind, randomized, controlled study. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00804531). Setting 3 tertiary care centers in France. Patients 135 patients with chronic LBP with active discopathy on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Intervention A single GC IDI (25 mg prednisolone acetate) during discography (n = 67) or discography alone (n = 68). Measurements The primary outcome was the percentage of patients with LBP intensity less than 40 on an 11-point numerical rating scale (0 [no pain] to 100 [maximum pain] in 10-point increments) in the previous 48 hours at 1 month after the intervention. The main secondary outcomes were LBP intensity and persistent active discopathy on MRI at 12 months and spine-specific limitations in activities, health-related quality of life, anxiety and depression, employment status, and use of analgesics and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs at 1 and 12 months. Results All randomly assigned patients were included in the primary efficacy analysis. At 1 month after the intervention, the percentage of responders (LBP intensity <40) was higher in the GC IDI group (36 of 65 [55.4%]) than the control group (21 of 63 [33.3%]) (absolute risk difference, 22.1 percentage points [95% CI, 5.5 to 38.7 percentage points]; P = 0.009). The groups did not differ in LBP intensity at 12 months and in most secondary outcomes at 1 and 12 months. Limitation Tertiary care setting. Conclusion In chronic LBP associated with active discopathy, a single GC IDI reduces LBP at 1 month but not at 12 months. Primary Funding Source French Ministry of Health.
Growth promotion of Bifidobacterium species by poultry bone and meat trimming hydrolyzate.

UNLABELLED The growth of bifidobacteria that are employed in the production of functional food is often slow or limited, even on synthetic media. In this study, we investigated whether a peptide hydrolyzate (functional animal protein [FAP]), from poultry bones and meat trimmings, could be a potential source of growth stimulators. The bifidogenic activity of FAP on 18 strains of Bifidobacterium species was assessed via 2 different techniques: turbidimetric measurements and a direct count by fluorescence microscopy. Growth experiments were performed in B12 broth as the basal medium, B12 broth supplemented with N-acetylglucosamine, and B12 broth supplemented with FAP. FAP supplementation yielded the highest maximum optical density (OD) and count values. The use of the microscopic fluorescence counts allowed for better evaluation of the extent of growth and assessment of the viability of cells. FAP from poultry bones and meat trimmings has potential as a growth stimulator for different bifidobacteria of human origin. FAP is a promising ingredient for inclusion in industrial media that are used to culture probiotic strains, including bifidobacteria, because it supports growth very well and maintains cells at a high level of viability. PRACTICAL APPLICATION Proteinaceous hydrolyzate can be considered a promising ingredient for industrial media that are used to culture probiotic strains, including bifidobacteria, because it improves bacterial growth and maintains cells at a high level of viability.
Social Fingerprinting: Identifying Users of Social Networks by their Data Footprint

This research defines, models and quantifies a new metric for social networks: the social fingerprint. Just as one’s fingers leave behind a unique trace in a print, this dissertation introduces and demonstrates that the manner in which people interact with other accounts on social networks creates a unique data trail. Accurate identification of a user’s social fingerprint can address the growing demand for improved techniques in unique user account analysis, computational forensics and social network analysis. In this dissertation, we theorize, construct and test novel software and methodologies which quantify features of social network data. All approaches and methodologies are framed to test the accuracy of social fingerprint identification. Further, we demonstrate and verify that features of anonymous data trails observed on social networks are unique identifiers of social network users. Lastly, this research delivers scalable technology for future research in social network analysis, business analytics and social fingerprinting.
Effect of a cooling vest on core temperature in athletes with and without spinal cord injury.

BACKGROUND It is well accepted that persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) have impaired ability to regulate core temperature due to impaired vasomotor and sudomotor activity below their level of injury. Impaired heat dissipation puts SCI athletes at great risk of exercise-induced hyperthermia (EIH) (>37.8°C). There is minimal evidence for efficacy of any specific cooling method in SCI athletes in a thermoneutral sport-specific setting. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the extent of EIH in persons with and without SCI and subsequently examine the effect of a cooling vest to attenuate rise in core body temperature (Tc). METHODS SCI (n = 17) and able-bodied (AB; n = 19) athletes participated in a 60-minute intermittent sprinting exercise in a thermoneutral (21.1°C-23.9°C) environment. Participants were separated according to their level of injury: tetraplegia defined as above T1 (TP; n = 6), high paraplegia defined as T5 through T1 (HP; n = 5), low paraplegia defined as T6 and below (LP; n = 6), and AB (n = 19). Tc was recorded at 15-minute intervals using an ingestible thermometer pill. This protocol was completed with a cooling vest (V) and without a cooling vest (NV). RESULTS All SCI and most AB athletes experienced EIH. After 60 minutes, Tc of TP athletes was significantly increased compared to HP (P = .03) and AB athletes (P = .007). There was no significant effect of the vest on Tc over time for any group. CONCLUSIONS TP athletes have the highest risk of exercise-induced hyperthermia. The cooling vest does not significantly attenuate rise in Tc in SCI or AB athletes.
Quantifying rat pulmonary intravascular mononuclear phagocytes

Cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS) protect the host by clearing effete and foreign particulates from the circulation. The current study was designed to identify, quantify, harvest, and provide a partial functional characterization of the systemic host‐defense cell located in the pulmonary microvasculature of the rat. Critical colloid doses of test particulates (monastral blue B [MBB] or polystyrene beads) were infused intra‐arterially into anesthetized rats so that phagocytically active pulmonary intravascular phagocytes could be identified. Morphologic characterization of in situ phagocytes was performed using electron microscopy. The number of active phagocytes was then determined using tissue samples processed for light microscopy. Finally, sequential perfusion of the pulmonary vasculature with buffer, chelating agent, and collagenase allowed elution and preliminary functional characterization of the pulmonary intravascular mononuclear phagocyte (PIMP). Electron microscopy demonstrated that both mononuclear phagocytes and neutrophils contributed to pulmonary sequestration of circulating particulates. Light microscopy showed that the microvasculature of each alveolus contained 0.50 ± 0.19 active mononuclear phagocytes and 0.14 ± 0.12 active neutrophils. A chelation/ collagenase elution technique was then used to harvest the PIMP. Histologic evaluation of the postperfusion lungs indicated that 80% of the active phagocytes were removed by the technique. In total, the elution fluids contained 2.63 ± 1.04 × 107 cells, with 1.60 ± 0.78 × 107, 0.49 ± 0.17 × 107, and 0.54 ± 0.26 × 107 of those cells being mononuclear phagocytes, neutrophils, and lymphocytes, respectively. Functionally, the mononuclear phagocyte population exhibited a spectrum of phagocytic activities, with 51.5 ± 19.5% of the cells being inactive, 33.9 ± 13.4% exhibiting moderate phagocytic activity, and 14.6 ± 9.8% demonstrating intensive phagocytic capacity. The current study provides the first quantified demonstration that mononuclear phagocytes are primarily responsible for sequestering blood‐borne foreign particulates in the pulmonary circulation of the rat. Approximately 2 × 107 PIMP existed in the lungs of 300 gram rats. The functionally heterogeneous mononuclear phagocytes exhibited phagocytic capacities ranging from avidly phagocytic (14.6 ± 9.8% ) through moderately active (33.9 ± 13.4%) to inactive. The lung microvasculature's large pool of inactive mononuclear phagocytes may provide a recruitable mechanism to allow significant increases in clearance of circulating particulates. A resident pool of activatable mononuclear phagocytes might explain previous clinical observations of increased particulate localization in the lung microvasculature of septic patients. Anat. Rec. 252:626–636, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A microstrip leaky-wave antenna loaded with digitally controlled interdigital capacitors for fixed-frequency beam scanning

A digitally controlled half-width microstrip leaky-wave antenna (LWA) is presented for fixed-frequency beam scanning. The free edge of a half-width microstrip line is loaded with a number of periodic interdigital capacitors. Each capacitor is connected to the ground plane by a digital switch. By dynamically changing the reactance profile at the free edge of the microstrip the beam direction is changed at a fixed frequency. Full-wave numerical simulations show that the antenna has the ability to scan the main beam from 35° to 56 ° at 5.75 GHz.
A transcription initiation site for the hepatitis B virus X gene is directed by the promoter-binding protein

Recent studies have demonstrated the transacting function of the X gene product of hepatitis B virus. However, little information is available on the regulation of X gene expression. In this report, we first investigate a cellular factor regulating X gene transcription by DNA transfection, using the human hepatoma cell line HuH-7, which is permissive for HBV replication as well as X mRNA transcription. A sequence-specific cellular factor was found to bind to the promoter region upstream of the first ATG (nucleotide [nt] 1248) of the X open reading frame. DNase I footprinting analysis showed the binding sequence of this factor to be situated between nt 1097 and 1119, where an 8-bp palindrome structure resides. S1 nuclease analysis of X gene transcripts demonstrated the binding site to be adjacent to two major start sites (nt 1117 and 1125) of X mRNA. Second, we demonstrate that introduction of a mutation into the binding site gives rise to a loss of the binding with a concomitant shift of the transcription start site of X mRNA beyond the 8-bp palindrome structure, causing it to become more heterogeneous. Thus, the promoter-binding protein appears to be involved in directing the transcription initiation site of the X gene toward the downstream region of the X promoter when X protein is produced from X mRNA.
Comparison of fault-tolerant multilevel inverters

Fault-tolerant multilevel inverters outperform known fault-tolerant 2-level inverters regarding efficiency and power density. The most promising fault-tolerant multilevel inverters for system voltages below 2 kV are the flying capacitor and the active neutral point clamped type. They differ regarding required voltage overrating of semiconductors, tolerance for open and short-on failure types and maximum post-fault output power.
Chemical composition of the cell walls of Clostridium botulinum type A.

Cell walls were isolated by sonic disruption of log-phase cells of Clostridium botulinum type A strain 190L and purified by treatment with sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) followed by digestion with proteases. Electron microscopy revealed that the cell walls thus obtained were free of both cytoplasmic membrane and cytoplasmic fragments. The purified cell wall contained 8.7% total nitrogen, 15.0% total hexosamines, 22.4% reducing groups, 8.3% carbohydrate, and 3.1% glucose. The content of total phosphorus was very low (0.02%), and therefore it was expected that teichoic acid might be absent in the cell wall. The wall peptidoglycan contained glutamic acid, alanine, diaminopimelic acid, glucosamine and muramic acid in the molar ratios of 1.00:1.85:0:85:1.06:0.67. A low amount of galactosamine was also present, but no other amino acids were found in significant quantities. The SDS-treated cell walls were not attacked by lysozyme, but after extraction with hot formamide they were completely dissolved by the enzyme and released reducing groups. The lysozyme digest was separated into two constituents, the saccharide moiety and the peptide moiety on Sephadex G-50.
When cooperation goes wrong: brain and behavioural correlates of ineffective joint strategies in dyads

ABSTRACT Purpose: Human life is connoted by sophisticated interactions that involve not only single individuals, but larger social groups composed by members interacting each other. Cooperation secures a benefit to all the people engaged as well as important behaviors like helping, sharing, and acting prosocially. But what happens when the joint actions are not effective? Materials and method: In the present study, we asked 24 participants paired in 12 dyads to cooperate during an attentional task in a way to synchronize their responses and obtain better outcomes. In addition we tested inter-brain and cognitive strategy similarities between subjects. Then, we frustrated their strategies by providing false feedbacks signalling the incapacity to create a synergy, which was reinforced by a general negative evaluation halfway through the task. The effects of the feedback inmodulating subjects behavioural performance and brain responsiveness were explored by means of functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Results: Results showed a worsen performance after the negative feedback in the form of longer reaction times and a specifc pattern of brain activation involving th dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and the superior frontal gyrus. The DLPFC showed increased O2Hb (oxy-haemoglobin) level after the feedback, compatible with the need for higher cognitive effort. In addition, fNIRS measures revealed a decreased inter-brain synchronicity in post-feedback condition for the dyad. Also, the representation of negative emotions in response to failing interactions was signalled by a right-lateralized effect. Conclusions: Results were interpreted at light of available knowledge on perceived self-efficacy and the implementation of common goals and strategies.
,B-Hydroxy Fatty Acid Production by Ischemic Rabbit Heart DISTRIBUTION AND CHEMICAL STATES

A B S T R A C T ,B-Hydroxymyristate, -palmitate, and -stearate were produced by and accumulated in isolated rabbit heart when perfused ischemically for 2-10 min by the nonrecirculating Langendorff technique with 0.75 mM palmitate and 0.16 mM albumin. Tissue fractionation into mitochondria and cytosol showed that by 2 min of ischemia 44% of ,B-hydroxypalmitate and 38% f,-hydroxystearate was located in the cytosol; this percentage increased to >50% by 5 min of ischemia. Lipid fractionation studies showed that by 10 min these two f. -hydroxy fatty acids were distributed approximately as 60% acylcarnitine, 20% acyl-coen-zyme A (CoA), and 20% free fatty acids. All three chemical forms of ,B-hydroxypalmitate were found in both the mitochondria and the cytosol. After 10 min of ischemia f3-hydroxypalmitoyl-CoA and f3-hydroxy-stearoyl-CoA constituted at least 16% of the incremental long-chain acyl-CoA, whereas f#-hydroxy-palmitoylcarnitine and ,B-hydroxystearoylcarnitine constituted -8% of the incremental long-chain acylcarnitine. These data suggests that myocardial f3-hydroxyacyl-CoA oxidation is limited during ischemia. Substrate accumulates and is transferred to the cytosol where it accumulates primarily as ,-hydroxyacylcar-nitine.
Title Can Stabilization and Inhibition of Aquaporins Contributeto Future Development of Biomimetic Membranes ?

In recent years, the use of biomimetic membranes that incorporate membrane proteins, i.e., biomimetic-hybrid membranes, has increased almost exponentially. Key membrane proteins in these systems have been aquaporins, which selectively permeabilize cellular membranes to water. Aquaporins may be incorporated into synthetic lipid bilayers or to more stable structures made of block copolymers or solid-state nanopores. However, translocation of aquaporins to these alien environments has adverse consequences in terms of performance and stability. Aquaporins incorporated in biomimetic membranes for use in water purification and desalination should also withstand the harsh environment that may prevail in these conditions, such as high pressure, and presence of salt or other chemicals. In this respect, modified aquaporins that can be adapted to these new environments should be developed. Another challenge is that biomimetic membranes that incorporate high densities of aquaporin should be defectfree, and this can only be efficiently ascertained with the availability of completely inactive mutants that behave otherwise like the wild type aquaporin, or with effective non-toxic water channel inhibitors that are so far inexistent. In this review, we describe approaches that can potentially be used to overcome these challenges.
The Chinese stock markets provide a great example for testing the Differences-of- Opinion theory proposed by Hong and Stein, because the difficulty of short-selling stocks

The Chinese stock markets provide a great example for testing the Differences-ofOpinion theory proposed by Hong and Stein, because the difficulty of short-selling stocks in these markets fits the key assumption of the theory. Using daily data of the Shanghai and Shenzhen composite indexes from June 1995 to August 2001, we find evidence that supports the Hong-Stein theory: higher trading volume today, which proxies for the differences of opinion, predicts a more negatively skewed distribution for the stock returns on the next trading day. JEL Classification: C51, G12.
Strategic Pricing and Detailing Behavior in International Markets

We study three determinants of the levels of price and detailing effort across geographic markets: the within-market response to each variable, the nature of interfirm strategic interactions both within that market and across markets. We empirically examine the interactions of Prozac, Zoloft, and Paxil across the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France, and Italy. Our results indicate that all three factors driving marketing mix interactions are at play in this product category. The U.S. market is less price-sensitive than the European markets. Detailing elasticities are comparable across the United States, Germany, and Italy, while the United Kingdom and France show greater elasticity. For the U.S. market, we find that almost all deviations from Nash pricing and detailing levels are due to within-market interactions. In the U.K. market, deviations from Nash prices come about due mostly to across-market interactions--both with the United States as well as the rest of Europe, whereas deviations from Nash detailing levels are mainly due to across-market interactions with the United States. For Italy, we observe that both within and across-market interactions affect price and detailing levels. Overall, the pattern of interactions makes observed prices more similar across countries than prices implied by the estimated elasticities. This underscores the importance of considering within- and across-market interactions in developing multimarket strategy.
The Role of Physician Characteristics in Clinical Trial Acceptance: Testing Pathways of Influence

ABSTRACT Eight videotaped vignettes were developed that assessed the effects of three physician-related experimental variables (in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design) on clinical trial (CT) knowledge, video knowledge, information processing, CT beliefs, affective evaluations (attitudes), and CT acceptance. It was hypothesized that the physician variables (community versus academic-based affiliation, enthusiastic versus neutral presentation of the trial, and new versus previous relationship with the patient) would serve as communication cues that would interrupt message processing, leading to lower knowledge gain but more positive beliefs, attitudes, and CT acceptance. A total of 262 women (161 survivors and 101 controls) participated in the study. The manipulated variables primarily influenced the intermediary variables of post-test CT beliefs and satisfaction with information rather than knowledge or information processing. Multiple regression results indicated that CT acceptance was associated with positive post-CT beliefs, a lower level of information processing, satisfaction with information, and control status. Based on these results, CT acceptance does not appear to be based on a rational decision-making model; this has implications for both the ethics of informed consent and research conceptual models.
Social Media and Citizen Social Movement Process for Political Change: The Case of 2011 Egyptian Revolution

The power and role played by social media in developing social and political movements for political changes in North Africa and the Middle East have transformed how social media viewed and used. To date, few IS studies have investigated the role of Information Systems in the context of politics. The goal of this paper is to understand the role of social media including micro-blogs and social networking sites in activism, social movement, and revolutionary political change using the 2011 Cairo Revolts as part of narrative research. Particularly, we are interested in answering the research question: What is the process by which social media influence online activism and shape social movement for revolutionary political change? We develop a process-oriented view of the case of the Egyptian revolution and fall of Mubarak and present the story of the event that occurred in 2011 as an emergent and less than predictable event.
Coupled 3-D Analysis Employing FEM and Particle Method—Experimental Verification of Cold Crucible Induction Melting

This paper proposes a coupled 3-D finite element method (FEM) and particle method for the analysis of cold crucible induction melting. In this method, the magnetic field is calculated by FEM and the fluid motion equation and the heat equation of a molten metal are calculated by the particle method. The effectiveness of this method is verified through the analysis of the molten metal behavior in the crucible.
Towards a tool for non-intrusive individual load measurement and identification

This paper discusses the feasibility of measuring the energy usage of an entire household from a single point of measurement. While many studies have been performed and techniques already exist that achieve this, most solutions have difficulty in differentiating between multiple, similar, and small loads. This paper discusses the use of harmonic signatures to better differentiate between individual loads in extension to existing techniques.