Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
What is Intervertebral Disc Degeneration, and What Causes It?

Study Design. Review and reinterpretation of existing literature. Objective. To suggest how intervertebral disc degeneration might be distinguished from the physiologic processes of growth, aging, healing, and adaptive remodeling. Summary of Background Data. The research literature concerning disc degeneration is particularly diverse, and there are no accepted definitions to guide biomedical research, or medicolegal practice. Definitions. The process of disc degeneration is an aberrant, cell-mediated response to progressive structural failure. A degenerate disc is one with structural failure combined with accelerated or advanced signs of aging. Early degenerative changes should refer to accelerated age-related changes in a structurally intact disc. Degenerative disc disease should be applied to a degenerate disc that is also painful. Justification. Structural defects such as endplate fracture, radial fissures, and herniation are easily detected, unambiguous markers of impaired disc function. They are not inevitable with age and are more closely related to pain than any other feature of aging discs. Structural failure is irreversible because adult discs have limited healing potential. It also progresses by physical and biologic mechanisms, and, therefore, is a suitable marker for a degenerative process. Biologic progression occurs because structural failure uncouples the local mechanical environment of disc cells from the overall loading of the disc, so that disc cell responses can be inappropriate or “aberrant. ” Animal models confirm that cell-mediated changes always follow structural failure caused by trauma. This definition of disc degeneration simplifies the issue of causality: excessive mechanical loading disrupts a disc’s structure and precipitates a cascade of cell-mediated responses, leading to further disruption. Underlying causes of disc degeneration include genetic inheritance, age, inadequate metabolite transport, and loading history, all of which can weaken discs to such an extent that structural failure occurs during the activities of daily living. The other closely related definitions help to distinguish between degenerate and injured discs, and between discs that are and are not painful.
Effect of the use of instructional anatomy videos on student performance

Medical schools have reduced the time allotted to anatomy instruction. Consequently, schools engage students in more independent settings using information and communication technologies (ICT). There has been limited research in the use of video aids, a type of ICT, to enhance anatomy examination performance. The objective of this study is to describe the design, usage, and effect on examination performance of eight locally developed instructional anatomy videos. First‐year UCSF medical students (n = 141) had access to the videos. They reported their video usage, reason for usage, and satisfaction. The prior year students (n = 141) served as a historical control group. Anatomy and radiology examination performance was compared between groups while controlling for prior performance. The students with and without access to the videos did not differ in examination performance. Sixty‐one (43%) students in the experimental group responded to the survey. Of these, 79% reported using at least one video, viewing an average of 4.75 of the eight videos. They watched 3.27 (SD = 1.57, range 1–5) of the five anatomy videos and 1.48 (SD = 1.35; range 0–3) of the three radiology videos. In a regression analysis controlling for age and MCAT scores, using the anatomy videos at least once improved anatomy examination performance by 3.4% (P‐value = 0.007). There was no relationship between radiology video usage and radiology exam score. Video resource availability did not enhance student performance in anatomy and radiology. However, when analyzing performance for those whom we knew level of video use, there was a statistically different and higher anatomy achievement. Anat Sci Ed, 2008. © 2008 American Association of Anatomists.
PPAR α/γ Agonist in Management of Diabetic Dyslipidemia: A Review

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the major contributors of mortality and morbidity in both industrialized countries and emerging nations, and 80% of the CVD deaths occur in low and middle income countries. According to the WHO’s world health statistics, it was reported that around 17.3 million CVD deaths globally occurred in the year 2008, with an anticipated increase to annual death of 23.3 million by 2030 [1]. Furthermore, diabetes and dyslipidemia are two important risk factors that should be controlled as the presence of two factors concomitantly increases CVD risk by 3-4 folds [2, 3].
Effects of an Individually Tailored Web-Based Chronic Pain Management Program on Pain Severity, Psychological Health, and Functioning

Background It is estimated that 30% of adults in the United States experience daily chronic pain. This results in a significant burden on the health care system, in particular primary care, and on the workplace. Chronic pain management with cognitive-behavioral psychological treatment is effective in reducing pain intensity and interference, health-related quality of life, mood, and return to work. However, the population of individuals with chronic pain far exceeds the population of therapists that can provide this care face-to-face. The use of tailored, Web-based interventions for the management of chronic pain could address limitations to access by virtue of its unlimited scalability. Objective To examine the effects of a tailored Web-based chronic pain management program on subjective pain, activity and work interference, quality of life and health, and stress. Methods Eligible participants accessed the online pain management program and informed consent via participating employer or health care benefit systems; program participants who completed baseline, 1-, and 6-month assessments were included in the study. Of the 645 participants, the mean age was 56.16 years (SD 12.83), most were female (447/645, 69.3%), and white (505/641, 78.8%). Frequent pain complaints were joint (249/645, 38.6%), back (218/645, 33.8%), and osteoarthritis (174/654, 27.0%). The online pain management program used evidence-based theories of cognitive behavioral intervention, motivational enhancement, and health behavior change to address self-management, coping, medical adherence, social support, comorbidities, and productivity. The program content was individually tailored on several relevant participant variables. Results Both pain intensity (mean 5.30, SD 2.46), and unpleasantness (mean 5.43, SD 2.52) decreased significantly from baseline to 1-month (mean 4.16, SD 2.69 and mean 4.24, 2.81, respectively) and 6-month (mean 3.78, SD 2.79 and mean 3.78, SD 2.79, respectively) assessments (P<.001). The magnitude of the 6-month effects were large. Trends for decreases in pain interference (36.8% reported moderate or enormous interference) reached significance at 6 months (28.9%, P<.001). The percentage of the sample reporting fair or poor quality of life decreased significantly from 20.6% at baseline to 16.5% at 6 months (P=.006). Conclusions Results suggest that the tailored online chronic pain management program showed promising effects on pain at 1 and 6 months posttreatment and quality of life at 6 months posttreatment in this naturalistic study. Further research is warranted to determine the significance and magnitude of the intervention’s effects in a randomized controlled trial.
Sour Ageusia in Two Individuals Implicates Ion Channels of the ASIC and PKD Families in Human Sour Taste Perception at the Anterior Tongue

Background The perception of sour taste in humans is incompletely understood at the receptor cell level. We report here on two patients with an acquired sour ageusia. Each patient was unresponsive to sour stimuli, but both showed normal responses to bitter, sweet, and salty stimuli. Methods and Findings Lingual fungiform papillae, containing taste cells, were obtained by biopsy from the two patients, and from three sour-normal individuals, and analyzed by RT-PCR. The following transcripts were undetectable in the patients, even after 50 cycles of amplification, but readily detectable in the sour-normal subjects: acid sensing ion channels (ASICs) 1a, 1β, 2a, 2b, and 3; and polycystic kidney disease (PKD) channels PKD1L3 and PKD2L1. Patients and sour-normals expressed the taste-related phospholipase C-β2, the δ-subunit of epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) and the bitter receptor T2R14, as well as β-actin. Genomic analysis of one patient, using buccal tissue, did not show absence of the genes for ASIC1a and PKD2L1. Immunohistochemistry of fungiform papillae from sour-normal subjects revealed labeling of taste bud cells by antibodies to ASICs 1a and 1β, PKD2L1, phospholipase C-β2, and δ-ENaC. An antibody to PKD1L3 labeled tissue outside taste bud cells. Conclusions These data suggest a role for ASICs and PKDs in human sour perception. This is the first report of sour ageusia in humans, and the very existence of such individuals (“natural knockouts”) suggests a cell lineage for sour that is independent of the other taste modalities.
Kinetic bottlenecks to chemical exchange rates for deep-sea animals – Part 2 : Carbon Dioxide

Increased ocean acidification from fossil fuel CO 2 invasion, from temperature-driven changes in respiration, and from possible leakage from sub-seabed geologic CO 2 disposal has aroused concern over the impacts of elevated CO2 concentrations on marine life. Discussion of these impacts has so far focused only on changes in the oceanic bulk fluid properties ( 1pH, 1[ ∑ CO2], etc.) as the critical variable and with a major focus on carbonate shell formation. Here we describe the rate problem for animals that must export CO2 at about the same rate at which O 2 is consumed. We analyse the basic properties controlling CO 2 export within the diffusive boundary layer around marine animals in an ocean changing in temperature ( T ) and CO2 concentration in order to compare the challenges posed by O 2 uptake under stress with the equivalent problem of CO 2 expulsion. The problem is more complex than that for a non-reactive gas, since with CO2 the influence of the seawater carbonate acid-base system needs to be considered. These reactions significantly facilitate CO2 efflux compared to O2 intake at equal temperature, pressure and fluid flow rate under typical oceanic concentrations. The effect of these reactions can be described by an enhancement factor, similar to that widely used for CO2 invasion at the sea surface. While organisms do need to actively regulate flow over their surface to thin the boundary layer to take up enough O 2, this seems to be not necessary to facilitate CO 2 efflux. Instead, the main impacts of rising oceanic CO 2 will most likely be those associated with classical ocean acidification science. Regionally, as with O2, the combination of T , P and pH/ pCO2 creates a zone of maximum CO2 stress at around 1000 m depth.
Short term wind speed forecasting with evolved neural networks

Concerns about climate change, energy security and the volatility of the price of fossil fuels has led to an increased demand for renewable energy. With wind turbines being one of the most mature renewable energy technologies available, the global use of wind power has been growing at over 20% annually, with further adoption to be expected. As a result of the inherent variability of the wind in combination with the increased uptake, demand for accurate wind forecasting, over a wide range of time scales has also increased. We report early work as part of the EU FP7 project 'ORIGIN', which will exploit wind speed forecasting, and implement and evaluate smart-meter based energy management in 300 households in three ecovillages across Europe. The ORIGIN system will capitalise on automated weatherstation data (available cheaply) to inform predictions of the wind-turbine generated power that may be available in short term future time windows. Accurate and reliable wind-speed forecasting is essential in this enterprise. A range of different methods for wind forecasting have been developed, ranging from relatively simple time series analysis to the use of a combination of global weather forecasting, computational fluid dynamics and machine learning methods. Here we focus on the application of neural networks, without (for the time being) the use of numerical weather predictions or expensive physical modelling methods. While work of this nature has been performed before, using past wind speeds to make predictions into the future, here we explore the use of additional recent meteorological data to improve on short-term forecasting. Specifically, we employ evolved networks and explore many configurations to assess the merits of using additional features such as cloud cover, temperature and pressure, to predict future wind speed.
Roles in Alzheimer Disease Apolipoprotein E and Apolipoprotein E Receptors : Normal Biology and Subject Collection The Biology of Alzheimer Disease Animal Models of Alzheimer Disease

Network Dysfunction -Protein: Synaptic and β Neurotoxicity of Amyloid Lennart Mucke and Dennis J. Selkoe Neurofibrillary Degeneration Biochemistry and Cell Biology of Tau Protein in Eva-Maria Mandelkow and Eckhard Mandelkow -Protein β Proteolytic Degradation of Amyloid Takaomi Saido and Malcolm A. Leissring Deposits in Alzheimer Disease -Protein and Amyloid β Biochemistry of Amyloid Colin L. Masters and Dennis J. Selkoe Brain Imaging in Alzheimer Disease al. Keith A. Johnson, Nick C. Fox, Reisa A. Sperling, et Disease The Neuropsychological Profile of Alzheimer
The Sloan Digital Sky Survey Quasar Catalog: Twelfth data release

We present the Data Release 12 Quasar catalog (DR12Q) from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III. This catalog includes all SDSS-III/BOSS objects that were spectroscopically targeted as quasar candidates during the full survey and that are confirmed as quasars via visual inspection of the spectra, have luminosities M i [ z = 2] H 0 = 70 km s -1 Mpc -1 , Ω M = 0.3, and Ω Λ = 0.7), and either display at least one emission line with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) larger than 500 km s -1 or, if not, have interesting/complex absorption features. The catalog also includes previously known quasars (mostly from SDSS-I and II) that were reobserved by BOSS. The catalog contains 297 301 quasars (272 026 are new discoveries since the beginning of SDSS-III) detected over 9376 deg 2 with robust identification and redshift measured by a combination of principal component eigenspectra. The number of quasars with z > 2.15 (184 101, of which 167 742 are new discoveries) is about an order of magnitude greater than the number of z > 2.15 quasars known prior to BOSS. Redshifts and FWHMs are provided for the strongest emission lines (C iv, C iii], Mg ii). The catalog identifies 29 580 broad absorption line quasars and lists their characteristics. For each object, the catalog presents five-band ( u , g , r , i , z ) CCD-based photometry with typical accuracy of 0.03 mag together with some information on the optical morphology and the selection criteria. When available, the catalog also provides information on the optical variability of quasars using SDSS and Palomar Transient Factory multi-epoch photometry. The catalog also contains X-ray, ultraviolet, near-infrared, and radio emission properties of the quasars, when available, from other large-area surveys. The calibrated digital spectra, covering the wavelength region 3600–10 500 A at a spectral resolution in the range 1300 R < 2500, can be retrieved from the SDSS Catalog Archive Server. We also provide a supplemental list of an additional 4841 quasars that have been identified serendipitously outside of the superset defined to derive the main quasar catalog.
Influence of structure of activated carbon with superhigh specific surface area on hydrogen storage capacity

Activated carbon adsorbents with superhigh specific surface areas (SHACs), which are used as adsorbents, were prepared by chemical activation of petroleum coke with potassium hydroxide. We investigated the influence of specific surface area on hydrogen desorption capacity using SHACs with the same pore size distribution, whereas the effect of pore size distribution on hydrogen desorption capacity was studied using SHACs with same specific surface area. Results revealed that hydrogen desorption capacity ( N ) increased with higher specific surface area ( S ) of SHAC adsorbents, according to the linear relation: N = k · S + b ( k > 0). At 273 K and 9.0 MPa, hydrogen desorption capacity of 20.96 mmol/g (4.02 wt%) was observed on a SHAC adsorbent with a specific surface area of 3348 m^2/g. There was a linear relationship between hydrogen desorption capacity and mesopore percentage in SHAC adsorbents, described as: N = k _2· X _mic + b ( k _2 > 0). Hydrogen desorption per unit mesopore surface amounted to 0.72 mmol/m^2.
Metabolic and hormonal adaptation in Bubalus bubalis around calving and early lactation

Pregnancy and lactation are physiological periods that result in an increased metabolic demand that, if not satisfied, could provoke a threat to homeostasis. In this study changes in the values of Non-Esterified Fatty Acids (NEFA) and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), glucose, insulin, thyroid hormones, milk composition and yield were investigated in buffaloes during the late pregnancy and early lactation. From a total of 50 buffaloes, blood samples were collected -7±5 days before expected calving; +7±5; +30±5 and +50±5 days post-partum; milk samples were collected at the same post-partum time points. On serum samples, the values of Non-Esterified Fatty Acids (NEFA), β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), glucose, insulin, Triiodothyronine (T3), Thyroxine (T4) and Thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) were evaluated. On milk, fat %, protein %, lactose %, somatic cells score (SCS), milk yield and daily milk production (DMP) were assessed. Peripartum period significantly influenced all studied parameters (P<0.05). Milk constituents and productivity statistically changed throughout monitoring period (P<0.005). Milk yield resulted positively correlated with insulin and TSH values, negatively correlated with NEFA and BHB. Insulin was negatively correlated with lactose % and positively correlated with SCS. The obtained results showed that the peripartum period and lactation are accompanied by marked changes in some biochemical variables and in the thyroid hormones values in Italian Mediterranean Buffaloes. Moreover, the relationship found between TSH values and milk yield seems to suggest a possible role of thyroid gland on the maintenance of lactogenesis. This study underlines the importance of monitoring the hormonal status of buffalo during the transition period in order to understand when adjustments of regulatory mechanisms break through physiological limits predisposing the buffalo to metabolic problems.
Moving towards a reliable HIV incidence test – current status, resources available, future directions and challenges ahead

SUMMARY In 2011 the Incidence Assay Critical Path Working Group reviewed the current state of HIV incidence assays and helped to determine a critical path to the introduction of an HIV incidence assay. At that time the Consortium for Evaluation and Performance of HIV Incidence Assays (CEPHIA) was formed to spur progress and raise standards among assay developers, scientists and laboratories involved in HIV incidence measurement and to structure and conduct a direct independent comparative evaluation of the performance of 10 existing HIV incidence assays, to be considered singly and in combinations as recent infection test algorithms. In this paper we report on a new framework for HIV incidence assay evaluation that has emerged from this effort over the past 5 years, which includes a preliminary target product profile for an incidence assay, a consensus around key performance metrics along with analytical tools and deployment of a standardized approach for incidence assay evaluation. The specimen panels for this evaluation have been collected in large volumes, characterized using a novel approach for infection dating rules and assembled into panels designed to assess the impact of important sources of measurement error with incidence assays such as viral subtype, elite host control of viraemia and antiretroviral treatment. We present the specific rationale for several of these innovations, and discuss important resources for assay developers and researchers that have recently become available. Finally, we summarize the key remaining steps on the path to development and implementation of reliable assays for monitoring HIV incidence at a population level.
Reconstructions of Traumatic Lacrimal Canalicular Lacerations: A 5 Years Experience

Background: The aim of this study is to evaluate the demographic and epidemiological data, clinical features and surgical outcomes of lacrimal canalicular lacerations. Methods: The charts ofall patients who applied to our emergency department with eyelid laceration from 2008 to 2013 were reviewed retrospectively. Demographic and epidemiological data, clinical characteristics, treatment outcomes, simultaneous injuries and complications of patients who underwent canalicular laceration repair surgery were analyzed. Results: A total of 556 patients were identified with an eyelid laceration, and in 42 (7.55%) of these patients 44 lacrimal canalicular lacerations were detected. The average age was 26.16±18.42 (range 5 to 78) years and mean follow-up time was 17.62±6.62 months (range 12-42 months). The male-to-female ratio was 5.3-1. The lower canaliculus was involved in 33 patients (78.57%), the upper in 7 patients (16.6%), and 2 patients (4.76%) had bicanalicular involvement. The most common etiology of canalicular laceration was assault (n = 16, 38.1%) followed by traffic accidents (n = 8, 19.05%). In 28 patients (66.67%) surgery was performed within 24 hours and in 14 patients (33.33%) surgery was performed between 24 hours and 6 days. In 32 patients (76.2%) direct anatomosis and in 10 patients (23.8%) indirect anastomosis was performed. Tubes were removed after a mean time of 5.8±2.8 months. Anatomic success was 96.87%, while functional success was 92.85%. Complications were detected in 3 cases: two patients had early tube extrusions and in patient had punctal slits. Conclusion: Reconstruction of traumatic lacrimal canalicular lacerations with stenting gives good results at long-term follow up. The Mini-Monoka tube is a safe, simple, effective method with few complications.
Central Mechanism of Analgesic Effect of the Aqueous Extracts of Schwenckia Americana and Lupeol its Main Isolated Active Molecule

*1,3Nsonde Ntandou GF, 2Makambila MC, 5Banzouzi JT, 4Ouamba JM, 1Abena AA *1Laboratoire de Biochimie et Pharmacologie, Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Université Marien NGOUABI, Brazzaville, B.P. 69, Congo 2Institut National de Recherche en sciences de la Santé, Cité Scientifique (ex-ORSTOM), Route de l’Auberge de Gascogne, Makélékélé, BrazzavilleCongo *3Laboratoire de Physiologie et Physiopathologie Animales, Faculté des Sciences et Techniques, Université Marien NGOUABI, Brazzaville, BP 69,Congo 4Unité de Chimie du Végétal et de la Vie, Faculté des Sciences, Université Marien Ngouabi, Brazzaville, B.P. 69, Congo 5Institut de Chimie des Substances Naturelles (ICSN-CNRS), 1 Avenue de la Terrasse-Bat 27, 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France