Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Treadmill Exercise Rehabilitation Improves Ambulatory Function and Cardiovascular Fitness in Patients With Chronic Stroke: A Randomized, Controlled Trial

Background and Purpose— Physical inactivity propagates disability after stroke through physical deconditioning and learned nonuse. We investigated whether treadmill aerobic training (T-AEX) is more effective than conventional rehabilitation to improve ambulatory function and cardiovascular fitness in patients with chronic stroke. Methods— Sixty-one adults with chronic hemiparetic gait after ischemic stroke (>6 months) were randomized to 6 months (3×/week) progressive T-AEX or a reference rehabilitation program of stretching plus low-intensity walking (R-CONTROL). Peak exercise capacity (Vo2 peak), o2 consumption during submaximal effort walking (economy of gait), timed walks, Walking Impairment Questionnaire (WIQ), and Rivermead Mobility Index (RMI) were measured before and after 3 and 6 months of training. Results— Twenty-five patients completed T-AEX and 20 completed R-CONTROL. Only T-AEX increased cardiovascular fitness (17% versus 3%, &dgr;% T-AEX versus R-CONTROL, P<0.005). Group-by-time analyses revealed T-AEX improved ambulatory performance on 6-minute walks (30% versus 11%, P<0.02) and mobility function indexed by WIQ distance scores (56% versus 12%, P<0.05). In the T-AEX group, increasing training velocity predicted improved Vo2 peak (r=0.43, P<0.05), but not walking function. In contrast, increasing training session duration predicted improved 6-minute walk (r=0.41, P<0.05), but not fitness gains. Conclusions— T-AEX improves both functional mobility and cardiovascular fitness in patients with chronic stroke and is more effective than reference rehabilitation common to conventional care. Specific characteristics of training may determine the nature of exercise-mediated adaptations.
Bacteriological and chemical quality of swimming pools water in developing countries: A case study in the West Bank of Palestine

Monitoring was carried out during summer 2000 in all the swimming pools in the West Bank of Palestine. Fifty-eight water samples, collected from 46 swimming pools, were examined for Coliforms and bacterial species including Streptococci, Salmonellae, and Staphylococcus. Salmonellae were isolated in 21 out of 23 samples. All of the examined samples from the swimming pools water were unacceptable according to the Palestinian and WHO standards. Extensive efforts are required to improve the water quality of the swimming pools in the West Bank, mainly public awareness, training of governmental inspectors, operators and owners of the swimming pools, in addition to a strict system for monitoring of the water quality.
Safety of combination interferon alfa-2b/ribavirin therapy in chronic hepatitis C-relapsed and treatment-naive patients.

The coadministration of ribavirin with recombinant interferon alfa-2b (rIFN-alpha 2b) compared with rIFN-alpha 2b alone markedly enhanced sustained virologic response rates in relapsed and treatment-naive chronic hepatitis C patients. The potential for ribavirin to likewise exacerbate the adverse events associated with the alpha interferons is reviewed. The overall safety and tolerability of combination rIFN-alpha 2b/ribavirin therapy was evaluated in 2,089 patients treated in phase III clinical studies conducted in the United States and internationally. Serious adverse events were also evaluated on an interim basis in > 25,000 patients--a majority of whom were treated with combination therapy (open label)--treated worldwide in investigator-initiated studies. Patients in the phase III studies received 3 million International Units rIFN-alpha 2b three times per week by subcutaneous injection plus either ribavirin or placebo orally in divided daily doses of 1,000 or 1,200 mg for patients weighing < or = 75 or > 75 kg, respectively. Adverse event frequency and severity and dose modifications were recorded throughout the 24-week (relapse) or 48-week (naive) treatment period and 24-week follow-up period. Clinically significant adverse events included anemia and depression. There was no evidence that the adverse effects of alpha interferon (e.g., fatigue, depression, neutropenia) were exacerbated by ribavirin. Severe adverse events were limited due to strict adherence to dose-modification criteria; approximately 6% to 9% of patients discontinued combination therapy because of an adverse event. Clinically serious adverse events, dose reductions and discontinuations, and potential mechanisms of toxicity associated with rIFN-alpha 2b and ribavirin are examined.
On transform – domain decoding of Gabidulin codes

Gabidulin codes are the rank metric analogues of Reed–Solomon codes and found many applications including network coding. Interleaving or the direct sum of Gabidulin codes allows both decreasing the redundancy and increasing the error correcting capability for network coding. In this paper, for Gabidulin codes we propose a transform–domain algorithm correcting both errors and erasures. We show how to generalize this algorithm for interleaved Gabidulin codes. The transform–domain approach allows to simplify derivations and proofs and also simplifies finding the error vector after solving the key equation.
Plant-Derived Antimalarial Agents: New Leads and Efficient Phytomedicines. Part II. Non-Alkaloidal Natural Products

Malaria is still the most destructive and dangerous parasitic infection in many tropical and subtropical countries. The burden of this disease is getting worse, mainly due to the increasing resistance of Plasmodium falciparum against the widely available antimalarial drugs. There is an urgent need for new, more affordable and accessible antimalarial agents possessing original modes of action. Natural products have played a dominant role in the discovery of leads for the development of drugs to treat human diseases, and this fact anticipates that new antimalarial leads may certainly emerge from tropical plant sources. This present review covers most of the recently-published non-alkaloidal natural compounds from plants with antiplasmodial and antimalarial properties, belonging to the classes of terpenes, limonoids, flavonoids, chromones, xanthones, anthraquinones, miscellaneous and related compounds, besides the majority of papers describing antiplasmodial crude extracts published in the last five years not reviewed before. In addition, some perspectives and remarks on the development of new drugs and phytomedicines for malaria are succinctly discussed.
A sneak preview to the chapter “ Recommender Systems in Technology Enhanced Learning ”

This paper offers an excerpt of a chapter that will appear later in the First Handbook on Recommender Systems. It focuses on the field of Technology enhanced learning (TEL) that aims to design, develop and test socio-technical innovations that support and enhance learning practices of both individuals and organisations. TEL is therefore an application domain that generally covers technologies that support all forms of teaching and learning activities. Since information retrieval (in terms of searching for relevant learning resources to support teachers or learners) is a pivotal activity in TEL, the deployment of recommender systems has attracted increased interest. This chapter attempts to provide an introduction to recommender systems for TEL settings, as well as to highlight their particularities compared to recommender systems for other application domains. 2 Nikos Manouselis1, Hendrik Drachsler2, Riina Vuorikari2,3, Hans Hummel2, Rob Koper2
Delayed Postconditioning in the Mouse Heart In Vivo

Background— Reperfusion during acute myocardial infarction remains the best treatment for reducing infarct size. Postconditioning, applied at the onset of reperfusion, reduces myocardial infarction both in animals and humans. The objective of this study was to identify the time delay to apply postconditioning at reperfusion, allowing preservation of cardioprotection in the mouse myocardium. This is a major issue in the management of acute myocardial infarction patients. Methods and Results— Mice were subjected to 40 minutes of ischemia and 60 minutes of reperfusion (IR60′). Postconditioning protocols corresponding to repetitive ischemia (3 cycles of 1 minute of ischemia and 1 minute of reperfusion) were applied during early reperfusion at various time durations (&Dgr;t) after reopening of the coronary artery (&Dgr;t=10 seconds, 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 30, and 45 minutes; PostC&Dgr;t). Infarct size/area at risk was reduced by 71% in PostC&Dgr;1 compared with IR60′ mice (P=5×10−6). There was a linear correlation (r2=0.91) between infarct size and &Dgr;t, indicating that the cardioprotective effect of delayed postconditioning was progressively attenuated when &Dgr;t time increased. The protective effect of PostC&Dgr;1 and PostC&Dgr;15 was still effective when the duration of reperfusion was prolonged to 24 hours (IR24 hours; PostC&Dgr;1 and PostC&Dgr;15 versus IR24 hours, P=0.001). Similar results were obtained for internucleosomal DNA fragmentation and lactate dehydrogenase release. Conclusions— This study in our in vivo mouse model of myocardial IR shows for the first time that delaying the intervention of postconditioning to 30 minutes does not abrogate the cardioprotective effect of postconditioning. This finding provides evidence that the time window of protection afforded by postconditioning may be larger than initially reported.
Selective regulation of MMP and TIMP mRNA levels in tree shrew sclera during minus lens compensation and recovery.

PURPOSE In juvenile tree shrews, a minus-power lens placed in front of the eye produces increased axial elongation and a myopic shift in refractive state that compensates for the power of the lens. Scleral tissue remodeling and modulation of the mechanical properties of the sclera occur during lens compensation. In this study, the time course of changes in scleral mRNA levels of three MMPs and three TIMPs during compensation for a minus lens and during recovery was investigated, to determine which, if any, are temporally associated with changes in the mechanical properties of the sclera and the axial elongation rate. METHODS Competitive RT-PCR was used to measure the levels of mRNA for MT1-MMP, MMP-2, MMP-3, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, and TIMP-3 in the scleras of tree shrews that had received either 1, 2, 4, or 11 days of monocular -5-D lens treatment, or 11 days of -5-D lens treatment followed by 2 or 4 days of recovery. RESULTS Relative to their control eyes, treated eye MT1-MMP and MMP-2 mRNA levels were significantly higher, and TIMP-3 levels were lower by 1 to 4 days of minus lens treatment. These differential effects were absent by 11 days of treatment when the treated eyes had compensated for the lens. The levels of all three TIMPs spiked upward in both eyes after 2 days of recovery. The differential changes in MT1-MMP, MMP-2, and TIMP-3 mRNA levels were all restricted to the treated eye and were temporally associated with the differential changes in axial elongation, refractive state, and the previously measured changes in creep rate. CONCLUSIONS The observed changes in MT1-MMP, MMP-2, TIMP-2, and TIMP-3 mRNA are consistent with visually modulated MT1-MMP activation of MMP-2 and with MT1-MMP degradation of scleral extracellular matrix components. These data constitute further evidence that visual signals modulate gene expression of selected MMPs and TIMPs to control scleral remodeling, the mechanical properties of the sclera, axial elongation, and refractive state.
Evaluating the Effects of Virtual Pair Programming on Students' Achievement and Satisfaction

Pair programming is a lightweight software development technique in which two programmers work together at one computer. In literature, many benefits of pair programming have been proposed, such as increased productivity, improved code quality, enhanced job satisfaction and confidence. Although pair programming provides clear pedagogical benefits, its collocation requirement and the limited time during a lab session are serious barriers in the full deployment and evaluation of this programming technique. This paper reports on a study that investigated the effectiveness of Virtual Pair Programming (VPP) on student performance and satisfaction in an introductory Java course where students worked collaboratively in pairs on homework programming assignments, using online tools that integrated desktop sharing and real time communication. The results of this study support previous research findings and suggest that VPP is an effective pedagogical tool for flexible collaboration and an acceptable alternative to individual/solo programming experience, regarding productivity, code quality, academic performance and student satisfaction.
EPIDEMIOLOGY OF MARITAL UNHAPPINESS

unhappiness while white males are least susceptible. Blacks who have attained a high level of education experienced a low level of marital unhappiness. A number of other variables are found to be related to marital unhappiness. Incidence data indicate that the onset of marital unhappiness is most likely to occur among those who marry young but stay married for considerably long periods of time.
Cultural Differences in Social Interaction during Group Problem Solving.

ABSTRACT Cross-cultural psychology has begun to analyze cultural differences on collectivism and the implications of these differences for s:Jcial processes such as group productivity. This study examined natural social interaction during a problem-solving task that required discussion and the establishment of a consensus. The relationship of collectivist values to social interaction was examined by comparing 10 pairs of white, English-speaking undergraduates from the United States, a highly individualistic society and 9 pairs of Hispanic undergraduates who have been found to be collectivistic. Subjects, none of whom knew each other, performed a group-process task simulation, "Lost at Sea. " Pairs were videotaped while working on the task and were given a questionnaire to rate their own and the partner's behavior during the task on 32 adjectives. Transcriptions of Hispanic pairs' verbal interactions were translated to English, cultural backgrounds were disguised, and transcriptions were content-analyzed. The results revealed that, compared to the English-speaking students, Hispanic pairs tended to interact less and to evidence significantly higher probabilities of uncooperative or aggressive verbal behaviors and lower probabilities of cooperative or constructive behaviors. Because the Hispanics' collectivist orientation is more likely to be evidenced among family and friends, results must be interpreted in view of the differing affiliative patterns of the subjects. (NB)
Assessment of Adipose Tissue from Whole Body 3T MRI Scans

Accurate assessment of total body and the distribution of regional adipose tissue is a critical problem emerging in the United States. Using manual segmentation of MRI scanned images is a problem due to the high variation between manual delineations. Manual segmentation also requires highly trained experts with knowledge of anatomy. In this study, we used a specific water saturation sequence and histogram based segmentation method that provides robust delineation results for adipose tissue from whole body MRI scans. Both phantom and human subject studies were performed. Compared with a standard clinical T1-weighted acquisition, our method appears to give superior quantitative results
Epidemiology and control of scrapie within a sheep flock

Mathematical models of the transmission dynamics of scrapie are used to explore the expected course of an outbreak in a sheep flock and the potential impacts of different control measures. All models incorporate sheep demography, a long and variable scrapie incubation period, horizontal and vertical routes of transmission and genetic variation in susceptibility. Outputs are compared for models which do and do not incorporate an environmental reservoir of infectivity, and which do and do not incorporate carrier genotypes. Numerical analyses using parameter values consistent with available data indicate that, in a closed flock, scrapie outbreaks may have a duration of several decades, reduce the frequency of susceptible genotypes, and may become endemic if carrier genotypes are present. In an open flock, endemic scrapie is possible even in the absence of carriers. Control measures currently or likely to become available may reduce the incidence of cases but may be fully effective only over a period of several years.
ML-Optimization of Ported Constraint Grammars

In this paper, we describe how a Constraint Grammar with linguist-written rules can be optimized and ported to another language using a Machine Learning technique. The effects of rule movements, sorting, grammar-sectioning and systematic rule modifications are discussed and quantitatively evaluated. Statistical information is used to provide a baseline and to enhance the core of manual rules. The best-performing parameter combinations achieved part-of-speech F-scores of over 92 for a grammar ported from English to Danish, a considerable advance over both the statistical baseline (85.7), and the raw ported grammar (86.1). When the same technique was applied to an existing native Danish CG, error reduction was 10% (F=96.94).
Programming with Implicit Flows

Modern software differs significantly from traditional computer applications that mostly process reasonably small amounts of static input data-sets in batch mode. Modern software increasingly processes massive amounts of data, whereby it is also often the case that new input data is produced and/or existing data is modified on the fly. Consequently, programming models that facilitate the development of such software are emerging. What characterizes them is that data, respectively changes thereof, implicitly flow through computation modules. The software engineer declaratively defines computations as compositions of other computations without explicitly modeling how data should flow along dependency relations between data producer and data consumer modules, letting the runtime to automatically manage and optimize data flows.
Changes in anatomical brain connectivity between ages 12 and 30: A HARDI study of 467 adolescents and adults

Graph theory can be applied to matrices that represent the brain's anatomical connections, to better understand global properties of anatomical networks, such as their clustering, efficiency and “small-world” topology. Network analysis is popular in adult studies of connectivity, but only one study - in just 30 subjects - has examined how network measures change as the brain develops over this period. Here we assessed the developmental trajectory of graph theory metrics of structural brain connectivity in a cross-sectional study of 467 subjects, aged 12 to 30. We computed network measures from 70×70 connectivity matrices of fiber density generated using whole-brain tractography in 4-Tesla 105-gradient high angular resolution diffusion images (HARDI). We assessed global efficiency and modularity, and both age and age2 effects were identified. HARDI-based connectivity maps are sensitive to the remodeling and refinement of structural brain connections as the human brain develops.
Production of 7-epi-pectenotoxin-2 seco acid and assessment of its acute toxicity to mice.

Pectenotoxins (PTXs) accumulate in shellfish feeding on dinoflagellates of the genus Dinophysis, so that humans can be exposed to these toxins through shellfish consumption. Some PTXs are toxic to experimental animals, whereas others are of much lower toxicity. Pectenotoxin-2, the most abundant PTX from most Dinophysis spp. , is rapidly metabolized by most shellfish to a mixture of pectenotoxin-2 seco acid (2) and 7-epi-pectenotoxin-2 seco acid (1). A mixture of 1 and 2 was produced during purification of an extract from in vitro enzymatic hydrolysis of pectenotoxin-2. These were separated by preparative HPLC, and the structure of 1 was confirmed by one- and two-dimensional 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy and LC-MS3 analyses. No toxic changes were recorded in mice injected intraperitoneally with 1 or 2 at a dose of 5000 microg/kg. PTX seco acids are therefore unlikely to be of consequence to human consumers at the concentrations found in contaminated shellfish.
Adjusting for Patient Acuity in Measurement of Nurse Staffing: Two Approaches

Background:Researchers who examine the relationship between nurse staffing and quality of care frequently rely on the Medicare case mix index to adjust for patient acuity, even though it was developed originally based on medical diagnoses and may not accurately reflect patients' needs for nursing care. Objectives:The aim of this study was to examine the differences between unadjusted measures of nurse staffing (registered nurses per 1,000 adjusted patient days) and case mix adjusted nurse staffing and nurse staffing adjusted with nursing intensity weights, which were developed to reflect patients' needs for nursing care. Method:Secondary data were used from 579 hospitals in 13 states from 2000 to 2006. Included were three measures of nurse staffing and hospital characteristics including ownership, geographic location, teaching status, hospital size, and percent Medicare inpatient days. Results:Measures of nurse staffing differed in important ways. The differences between the measures were related systematically to ownership, geographic location, teaching status, hospital size, and percentage Medicare inpatient days. Discussion:Without an accurate method to incorporate acuity into measurement of nurse staffing, research on the relationship between staffing and quality of care will not reach the full potential to inform practice.
Mitochondrial Dysfunctions and Altered Metals Homeostasis: New Weapons to Counteract HCV-Related Oxidative Stress

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection produces several pathological effects in host organism through a wide number of molecular/metabolic pathways. Today it is worldwide accepted that oxidative stress actively participates in HCV pathology, even if the antioxidant therapies adopted until now were scarcely effective. HCV causes oxidative stress by a variety of processes, such as activation of prooxidant enzymes, weakening of antioxidant defenses, organelle damage, and metals unbalance. A focal point, in HCV-related oxidative stress onset, is the mitochondrial failure. These organelles, known to be the “power plants” of cells, have a central role in energy production, metabolism, and metals homeostasis, mainly copper and iron. Furthermore, mitochondria are direct viral targets, because many HCV proteins associate with them. They are the main intracellular free radicals producers and targets. Mitochondrial dysfunctions play a key role in the metal imbalance. This event, today overlooked, is involved in oxidative stress exacerbation and may play a role in HCV life cycle. In this review, we summarize the role of mitochondria and metals in HCV-related oxidative stress, highlighting the need to consider their deregulation in the HCV-related liver damage and in the antiviral management of patients.