Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intravenous N-acetylcysteine for the PRevention Of Contrast-induced nephropathy – a prospective, single-center, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. The INPROC trial

Introduction Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) is a common clinical problem that is growing in importance as an increasing number of tests and procedures which utilize contrast media (CM) are performed. Aim To evaluate the efficacy of intravenous N-acetylcysteine (NAC) for prevention of CIN after diagnostic and/or interventional procedures requiring CM administration. Material and methods In a prospective, single-center, randomized, placebo-controlled trial the preventive effects of N-acetylcysteine were evaluated in 222 patients undergoing elective angiography and/or angioplasty. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either NAC or placebo. All patients received intravenous hydration with normal saline before and after catheterization. Serum creatinine (SCr) and estimated glomerular filtration rate were assessed at baseline, at 48–72 h and 10–15 days after CM administration. Contrast-induced nephropathy was defined as an increase in SCr of at least 44 µmol/l (0.5 mg/dl) or an increase of ≥ 25% of the baseline value 48–72 h after CM administration. Results Contrast-induced nephropathy occurred in 30 of 222 patients (13.5%): 9 of 108 patients in NAC (8.3%) and 21 of 114 patients in the control group (18.4%; p = 0.0281). The multivariate Cox analysis revealed that elevated SCr at 10–15 days (HR = 2.69; p = 0.018) and baseline SCr level (HR = 1.009; p = 0.015) were independent prognostic variables for adverse events during follow-up. Conclusions Our findings suggest that intravenous NAC along with intravenous hydration may help prevent declining renal function after CM exposure. Elevated SCr level 10–15 days after CM administration was associated with increased risk of adverse events in long-term observation, while elevated SCr within 72 h was not. Measuring SCr at least 10 days after exposure to CM may provide a better outcome measure.
The effect of animal weight on over ground locomotion in neurological diseases with a focus in CatWalk gait assessment.

Neurobehavioral tests, which assess animal function, are widely applied to evaluate treatment efficacy in various models of neurological diseases and in the progression of degenerative conditions (i.e. multiple sclerosis, degenerative cervical myelopathy). Nevertheless, despite the remarkable number of studies and articles published annually, results are failing to translate into humans. In our opinion, this discrepancy stems from poor standardization in behavioral protocols and their execution among researchers. Rodent locomotor analysis is increasingly the most prevalent form of neurobehavioral testing. As a result, the Automated Gait Analysis System, also known as CatWalk, has become the preferential assessment tool. According to the Noldus website, CatWalk has been cited 2 to 3 times more often than any other gait analysis system in the past 10 years. With this growth in popularity, we felt that an in depth analysis of the effect of body weight and speed on CatWalk parameters was warranted.
Survey and Cross-benchmark Comparison of Remaining Time Prediction Methods in Business Process Monitoring

Predictive business process monitoring methods exploit historical process execution logs to generate predictions about running instances (called cases) of a business process, such as the prediction of the outcome, next activity, or remaining cycle time of a given process case. These insights could be used to support operational managers in taking remedial actions as business processes unfold, e.g., shifting resources from one case onto another to ensure the latter is completed on time. A number of methods to tackle the remaining cycle time prediction problem have been proposed in the literature. However, due to differences in their experimental setup, choice of datasets, evaluation measures, and baselines, the relative merits of each method remain unclear. This article presents a systematic literature review and taxonomy of methods for remaining time prediction in the context of business processes, as well as a cross-benchmark comparison of 16 such methods based on 17 real-life datasets originating from different industry domains.
Oral health status in relation to cognitive function among older Japanese

Epidemiologic data examining the relationship between oral health status and cognitive status are sparse, especially in Asian populations. This study aimed to assess whether periodontal disease and tooth loss were related to cognitive impairment among older Japanese. Study participants were 291 Japanese (101 men and 190 women, average age: 80.9 years), classified into three groups based on a clinical examination of oral health status: no periodontal disease, periodontal disease, and edentulous. Periodontal disease was defined using criteria recommended in the consensus report of the European Workshop in Periodontology with a modification. Cognitive impairment was defined using the results of the Mini‐mental State Examination (MMSE) and Hasegawa Dementia Scale‐Revised (HDS‐R) scores. Multivariable logistic regression analyses assessed the relationship of the three‐category oral health status variable (reference category = no periodontal disease) with low MMSE score (≤23) and low HDS‐R score (≤20). Age, gender, years of education, body mass index, smoking status, drinking behavior, and history of cardiovascular disease were tested as potential confounders in the multivariable models. Periodontal disease and edentulous were significantly associated with greater odds of low cognitive performance after controlling for potential confounders. The multivariable adjusted odds ratios (ORs) (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) for low MMSE score associated with periodontal disease and edentulous were 2.21 (1.01–4.84) and 2.28 (1.06–4.90), respectively. The multivariable adjusted ORs (95% CIs) for low HDS‐R score associated with periodontal disease and edentulous were 4.85 (1.29–18.15) and 3.86 (1.05–14.20), respectively. Poor oral health status was significantly associated with cognitive impairment among community‐dwelling older Japanese. Additional well‐controlled longitudinal studies are needed to elucidate whether there may be a possible cause‐and‐effect relationship between oral health status and cognitive function.
Secular and Religious Social Support Better Protect Blacks than Whites against Depressive Symptoms

Purpose: Although the protective effect of social support against depression is well known, limited information exists on racial differences in this association. The current study examined Black-White differences in the effects of religious and secular emotional social support on depressive symptoms in a national sample of older adults in the United States. Methods: With a longitudinal prospective design, the Religion, Aging and Health Survey, 2001–2004, followed 1493 Black (n = 734) and White (n = 759) elderly individuals (age 66 and older) for three years. Race, demographics (age and gender), socio-economics (education and marital status) and frequency of church attendance were measured at baseline in 2001. Secular social support, religious social support, chronic medical conditions and depressive symptoms [8- item Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression scale (CES-D)] were measured in 2004. Multiple linear regression models were used for data analysis. Results: In the pooled sample, secular and religious social support were both protective against depressive symptoms, net of all covariates. Race interacted with secular (β = −0.62 for interaction) and religious (β = −0.21 for interaction) social support on baseline depressive symptoms (p < 0.05 for both interactions), suggesting larger protections for Blacks compared to Whites. In race-specific models, the regression weight for the effect of secular social support on depressive symptoms was larger for Blacks (β = −0.64) than Whites (β = −0.16). Conclusion: We found Black—White differences in the protective effects of secular and religious social support against depressive symptoms. Blacks seem to benefit more from the same level of emotional social support, regardless of its source, compared to Whites.
Vom Wert des Sammelns und vom Mehrwert des Digitalen – Verstreute Bemerkungen zur gegenwärtigen Lage der Bibliothek

It is time for the library's renaissance as collection, especially in the digital age. The various user scenarios of digital content require – quite traditionally – its ownership and permanent availability. With respect to the idea of collection, printed, digital and multimedia content have more in common than the current dichotomies of the virtual and the real want to make us believe. Today, if we talk about "Collections", we cannot be silent about "Specialised Information Services" as an arcanum of an understanding of the library that is entirely committed to current needs. At closer view, this turns out to be a strategy of easing the burdens that come with a collection's demands and expectations. An emphatic notion of collection and library is overdue to work against this externalization of the arduous work with the content.
Flight motor networks modulate primary olfactory processing in the moth Manduca sexta

Significance Across vertebrates and invertebrates, corollary discharge circuits (CDCs) project to and inform sensory networks about an animal’s movements, which directly impact sensory processing. Failure of CDCs likely underlie sensory hallucinations in schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, and dyspnea, highlighting the fundamental importance of CDCs for successfully interpreting sensory cues to adaptively interact with the external world. Ultimately, understanding the role of CDCs in integrating sensory motor function will be vital to understand these diseases, but mechanistically little is known about how CDCs function. CDCs have been identified in most sensory domains except olfaction. Our findings indicate that a histaminergic CDC enhances the ability of the olfactory system to more precisely encode stimulus temporal structure, resulting in enhanced olfactory acuity. Nervous systems must distinguish sensory signals derived from an animal’s own movements (reafference) from environmentally derived sources (exafference). To accomplish this, motor networks producing reafference transmit motor information, via a corollary discharge circuit (CDC), to affected sensory networks, modulating sensory function during behavior. While CDCs have been described in most sensory modalities, none have been observed projecting to an olfactory pathway. In moths, two mesothoracic to deutocerebral histaminergic neurons (MDHns) project from flight sensorimotor centers in the mesothoracic neuromere to the antennal lobe (AL), where they provide the sole source of histamine (HA), but whether they represent a CDC is unknown. We demonstrate that MDHn spiking activity is positively correlated with wing-motor output and increased before bouts of motor activity, suggesting that MDHns communicate global locomotor state, rather than providing a precisely timed motor copy. Within the AL, HA application sharpened entrainment of projection neuron responses to odor stimuli embedded within simulated wing-beat–induced flows, whereas MDHn axotomy or AL HA receptor (HA-r) blockade reduced entrainment. This finding is consistent with higher-order CDCs, as the MDHns enhanced rather than filtered entrainment of AL projection neurons. Finally, HA-r blockade increased odor detection and discrimination thresholds in behavior assays. These results establish MDHns as a CDC that modulates AL temporal resolution, enhancing odor-guided behavior. MDHns thus appear to represent a higher-order CDC to an insect olfactory pathway; this CDC’s unique nature highlights the importance of motor-to-sensory signaling as a context-specific mechanism that fine-tunes sensory function.
Determinants Associated with Veterinary Antimicrobial Prescribing in Farm Animals in the Netherlands: A Qualitative Study

Antimicrobial use in farm animals might contribute to the development of antimicrobial resistance in humans and animals, and there is an urgent need to reduce antimicrobial use in farm animals. Veterinarians are typically responsible for prescribing and overseeing antimicrobial use in animals. A thorough understanding of veterinarians' current prescribing practices and their reasons to prescribe antimicrobials might offer leads for interventions to reduce antimicrobial use in farm animals. This paper presents the results of a qualitative study of factors that influence prescribing behaviour of farm animal veterinarians. Semi‐structured interviews with eleven farm animal veterinarians were conducted, which were taped, transcribed and iteratively analysed. This preliminary analysis was further discussed and refined in an expert meeting. A final conceptual model was derived from the analysis and sent to all the respondents for validation. Many conflicting interests are identifiable when it comes to antimicrobial prescribing by farm animal veterinarians. Belief in the professional obligation to alleviate animal suffering, financial dependency on clients, risk avoidance, shortcomings in advisory skills, financial barriers for structural veterinary herd health advisory services, lack of farmers' compliance to veterinary recommendations, public health interests, personal beliefs regarding the veterinary contribution to antimicrobial resistance and major economic powers are all influential determinants in antimicrobial prescribing behaviour of farm animal veterinarians. Interventions to change prescribing behaviour of farm animal veterinarians could address attitudes and advisory skills of veterinarians, as well as provide tools to deal with (perceived) pressure from farmers and advisors to prescribe antimicrobials. Additional (policy) measures could probably support farm animal veterinarians in acting as a more independent animal health consultant.
A new series of brushless and permanent magnetless synchronous machines

This paper proposes a new series of brushless and permanent magnet-less synchronous machines. The main synchronous machine (SM) and the exciter machine are embedded in the same machine structure. Thus two different windings are put in the stator and rotor respectively. The exciter machine may be an induction or a synchronous machine but wound with different number of poles to have magnetic decoupling. Thus, these two machines can be independently controlled. However, the rotor winding (i.e. the field or excitation coils of the synchronous machine) is fed from the rotor windings of the exciter machine through a rotating rectifier. The rectifier converts the induced ac voltage/current to dc to feed the field of the SM. Depending on the type of exciter machine, two different types of machines result. This paper shows the performance of such machines. While details of performance in generating mode are considered, motoring operation is also possible. This paper shows some preliminary analytical and simulation results. Proposed machines have good potential and will definitely increase the use of synchronous machines in future.
Contralateral Electroacupuncture Relieves Chronic Neuropathic Pain in Rats with Spared Nerve Injury

Background Acupuncture and electroacupuncture (EA) are widely applied in the treatment of various conditions, including pain. Acupuncture stimulation is applied not only in areas close to pain sites, but also in distal regions or on the contralateral side of the body. Identifying which acupuncture paradigms produce best therapeutic effects is of clinical significance. Material/Methods Spared nerve injury (SNI) was applied to establish a rat model of neuropathic pain. We applied 14 sessions of EA (BL 60 and BL 40, 1–2 mA, and 2 Hz, 30 min per session) every other day from days 3 to 29 after surgery on the contralateral or ipsilateral side of pain. von Frey hair was applied to examine mechanical allodynia in the SNI model and analgesic effects of EA. All experimental procedures were approved by the Animal Care and Use Committee of our university, according to the guidelines of the International Association for the Study of Pain. Results SNI produced significant and long-lasting mechanical allodynia (p<0.001) in injured paws. Repeated EA on the contralateral side of the pain significantly attenuated mechanical allodynia from 14 days after surgery (p<0.05). By contrast, ipsilateral EA did not show analgesic effects (p>0.05). Conclusions These findings indicate that contralateral EA is superior to local EA in some types of pain disorders. Further investigations are needed for a more comprehensive understanding of the central mechanisms of acupuncture.
Transfer of Test-Enhanced Learning: Meta-Analytic Review and Synthesis

Attempting recall of information from memory, as occurs when taking a practice test, is one of the most potent training techniques known to learning science. However, does testing yield learning that transfers to different contexts? In the present article, we report the findings of the first comprehensive meta-analytic review into that question. Our review encompassed 192 transfer effect sizes extracted from 122 experiments and 67 published and unpublished articles (N = 10,382) that together comprise more than 40 years of research. A random-effects model revealed that testing can yield transferrable learning as measured relative to a nontesting reexposure control condition (d = 0.40, 95% CI [0.31, 0.50]). That transfer of learning is greatest across test formats, to application and inference questions, to problems involving medical diagnoses, and to mediator and related word cues; it is weakest to rearranged stimulus-response items, to untested materials seen during initial study, and to problems involving worked examples. Moderator analyses further indicated that response congruency and elaborated retrieval practice, as well as initial test performance, strongly influence the likelihood of positive transfer. In two assessments for publication bias using PET-PEESE and various selection methods, the moderator effect sizes were minimally affected. However, the intercept predictions were substantially reduced, often indicating no positive transfer when none of the aforementioned moderators are present. Overall, our results motivate a three-factor framework for transfer of test-enhanced learning and have practical implications for the effective use of practice testing in educational and other training contexts.
Sleep Disturbances in Australian Vietnam Veterans With and Without Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

STUDY OBJECTIVES Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a condition that may develop after a traumatic event, particularly combat-related trauma. Although sleep disturbance is a hallmark of PTSD, the prevalence of sleep disturbances in Australian veterans with PTSD remains uncertain. This study aimed to subjectively compare the prevalence of sleep disturbances in Australian Vietnam veterans with and without PTSD. METHODS A cross-sectional cohort study compared trauma-exposed Australian Vietnam veterans with and without PTSD. PTSD diagnosis was confirmed using the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale for DSM-5. Sleep information was evaluated using supervised structured questionnaires, including Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS) and Berlin and Mayo Questionnaires. RESULTS Two hundred fourteen male Vietnam veterans (108 with PTSD) were included. Participants with PTSD had higher body mass index (30.3 versus 29 kg/m2; P < .05), higher ESS score (9.2 versus 7.6; P < .05), and increased alcohol or medication use to assist with sleep (19% versus 6%; P < .01; and 44% versus 14%; P < .01). Those with PTSD were less likely to sleep well (32% versus 72%; P < .01) and reported higher rates of restless legs (45% versus 25%; P < .01), nightmares (91% versus 29%; P < .01), nocturnal screaming (73% versus 18%; P < .01), sleep terrors (61% versus 13%; P < .01) and dream enactment (78% versus 11.8%; P < .01). The PTSD group had higher rates of diagnosed OSA (42% versus 21%; P < .01) and an increased risk of OSA on the Berlin Questionnaire (69% versus 43%; P < .01). CONCLUSIONS Compared to trauma-exposed controls, Australian Vietnam veterans with PTSD demonstrated an increased prevalence of a wide range of sleep disturbances, including OSA. In veterans with PTSD, detailed sleep assessment, including consideration of polysomnography, is paramount.
Autoregulation of the Streptococcus mutans SloR Metalloregulator Is Constitutive and Driven by an Independent Promoter

ABSTRACT Streptococcus mutans, one of ∼600 bacterial species in the human oral cavity, is among the most acidogenic constituents of the plaque biofilm. Considered to be the primary causative agent of dental caries, S. mutans harbors a 25-kDa SloR metalloregulatory protein which controls metal ion transport across the bacterial cell membrane to maintain essential metal ion homeostasis. The expression of SloR derives in part from transcriptional readthrough of the sloABC operon, which encodes a Mn2+/Fe2+ ABC transport system. Here we describe the details of the sloABC promoter that drives this transcription as well as those for a novel independent promoter in an intergenic region (IGR) that contributes to downstream sloR expression. Reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) studies support the occurrence of sloR transcription that is independent of sloABC expression, and the results of 5′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends (5′ RACE) revealed a sloR transcription start site in the IGR, from which the −10 and −35 promoter regions were predicted. The results of gel mobility shift assays support direct SloR binding to the IGR, albeit with a lower affinity than that for SloR binding to the sloABCR promoter. The function of the sloR promoter was validated by semiquantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) experiments. Interestingly, sloR expression was not significantly affected when bacteria were grown in the presence of a high manganese concentration, whereas expression of the sloABC operon was repressed under these conditions. The results of in vitro transcription studies support the occurrence of SloR-mediated transcriptional activation of sloR and repression of sloABC. Taken together, these findings implicate SloR as a bifunctional regulator that represses sloABC promoter activity and encourages sloR transcription from an independent promoter. IMPORTANCE Tooth decay is a ubiquitous infectious disease that is especially pervasive in underserved communities worldwide. S. mutans-induced carious lesions cause functional, physical, and/or esthetic impairment in the vast majority of adults and in 60 to 90% of schoolchildren in industrialized countries. Billions of dollars are spent annually on caries treatment, and productivity losses due to absenteeism from the workplace are significant. Research aimed at alleviating S. mutans-induced tooth decay is important because it can address the socioeconomic disparity that is associated with dental cavities and improve overall general health, which is inextricably linked to oral health. Research focused on the S. mutans SloR metalloregulatory protein can guide the development of novel therapeutics and thus alleviate the burden of dental cavities.
Research for leveraging food policy in universal eating disorder prevention

Policy and legislation have emerged as important levers for universal prevention efforts in the context of eating disorders. However, to date, little attention has been paid to generating research that will inform opportunities to regulate the food environment, specifically the way that food is produced and marketed. The present paper aims to lay out a framework for research that will examine (1) the ways in which food industry may influence risk for eating disorders and (2) the impact of legislative efforts on eating disorder cognitions and behaviors. For these two pathways, specific examples of research that would serve to inform policy efforts aiming to decrease the risk for eating disorders by targeting the food environment are proposed. Overall, the present paper aims to issue a call for the eating disorder field to become involved in food policy and regulation.