Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Arthritis, foot pain and shoe wear: current musculoskeletal research on feet

Purpose of reviewBoth arthritis and foot pain are major public health problems. Approximately 24% of adults have foot ailments, and the prevalence increases with age. Foot pain, particularly related to shoes, footwear and rheumatic disorders, may be an important modifiable factor. Surprisingly, this topic has received little attention in the rheumatology community. Recent findingsDespite the major focus of structure and alignment in arthritis, remarkably little work has focused on the foot and nonsurgical foot interventions that might affect lower extremity joint alignment, structure and pain in rheumatic diseases. Emerging research suggests that there may be a significant role for foot orthotics and footwear in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis of the hip, knee and foot. This review highlights the current understanding on the topic of foot orthotics and footwear in adults with rheumatic diseases. SummaryBiomechanical evidence indicates that foot orthotics and specialized footwear may change muscle activation and gait patterns to reduce joint loading. Emerging evidence suggests that orthotics, specific shoe types and footwear interventions may provide an effective nonsurgical intervention in rheumatic diseases. Yet good data are sparse, and it is premature to recommend guidelines. As there are a limited number of studies that underpin the foot's role in arthritis cause and progression, clinical trials and prospective studies are of utmost importance to unravel the links between foot pain, foot conditions and interventions that lessen the impact of rheumatic diseases.
Comparative Effects of Monomethylsuccinate and Glucose on Insulin Secretion from Perifused Rat Islets

In the absence of any other exogenously added fuel, monomethylsuccinate, the methyl ester of succinic acid, at 10–20 mM stimulates insulin release in a biphasic pattern. In quantitative terms, first-phase release evoked by 20 mM MMSucc was comparable to that observed with 20 mM glucose but second-phase release was only 20% of the glucose-induced response. Secretion to both MMSucc and glucose was virtually abolished by the calcium channel antagonist nitrendipine (0.5 μM). In islets that had phosphoinositide pools labeled with [3H]inositol for 2 h, subsequent stimulation with 20 mM MMSucc results in dramatic and sustained increases in [3H]inositol efflux rates. Inositol phosphate levels are also increased. In contrast to secretion, the increase in phosphoinositide hydrolysis caused by MMSucc was largely resistant to nitrendipine, whereas significant reductions in glucose-induced phosphoinositide hydrolysis were observed in the presence of the calcium channel antagonist. MMSucc (2.75–10 mM) substitutes for glucose in that MMSucc supported the insulinotropic effects of the sulfonylurea tolbutamide (200 μM) and the gut hormone cholecystokinin (200 nM). A prior 15-min exposure to 20 mM MMSucc also sensitized islets to the stimulatory effects of 7.5 mM glucose. Finally, a 2-h exposure to 20 mM MMSucc desensitized the islet, in terms of both phosphoinositide hydrolysis and insulin secretion, to a subsequent exposure to 10 mM glucose. Thus, appropriate concentrations of MMSucc can cause qualitatively many of the effects induced by glucose. However, striking differences exist in the quantitative effects that are most simply explained by assuming that MMSucc is able to stimulate phosphoinositide hydrolysis to the same extent as glucose but is less able to enhance Ca2+ influx than glucose. If this view is correct, it leads to the conclusion that an intracellular calcium-independent signal derived from the metabolism of MMSucc is able to activate phosphoinositide hydrolysis in islets.
An embedded randomised controlled trial of a Teaser Campaign to optimise recruitment in primary care

Background: Marketing communication and brand identity is a fundamental principle of advertising and end-user engagement. Health researchers have begun to apply this principle to trial recruitment in primary care. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a Teaser Campaign using a series of postcards in advance of a conventional mail-out increases the number of primary care clinics that engage with a clinical trial. Methods: Embedded randomised recruitment trial across primary care clinics (general practitioners and physiotherapists) in the Sydney metropolitan area. Clinics in the Teaser Campaign group received a series of branded promotional postcards in advance of a standard letter inviting them to participate in a clinical trial. Clinics in the Standard Mail group did not receive the postcards. Results: From a total of 744 clinics that were sent an invitation letter, 46 clinics in the Teaser Campaign group and 40 clinics in the Standard Mail group responded (11.6% total response rate). There was no between-group difference in the odds of responding to the invitation letter (odds ratio = 1.18, 95% confidence interval = 0.75–1.85, p = 0.49). For physiotherapy clinics and general practice clinics, the odds ratios were 1.43 (confidence interval = 0.82–2.48, p = 0.21) and 0.77 (confidence interval = 0.34–1.75, p = 0.54), respectively. Conclusion: A Teaser Campaign using a series of branded promotional postcards did not improve clinic engagement for a randomised controlled trial in primary care.
Liver lesion detection, characterization, and effect on patient management: Comparison of single‐phase spiral CT and current MR techniques

This study compares liver lesion detection, characterization, and effect on patient management between single‐phase spiral CT and MRI using spoiled gradient echo (SGE), T2‐weighted fat‐suppressed spin echo, and serial post gadolinium SGE. All patients with suspected liver lesions who underwent spiral CT and MRI within a 1‐month period between January 1993 and September 1996 were included in the study. Spiral CT and MRI were interpreted prospectively in a blinded fashion by separate individual experienced investigators, and lesion detection and characterization were determined. Confirmation was obtained by surgery (6 patients), biopsy (18 patients), imaging follow‐up (36 patients), or combined reading of all imaging studies and clinical follow‐up (29 patients). Effect on patient management was determined by combined chart review and interview of the patients' physicians and by retrospective clinical assessment performed by a surgical oncologist and medical oncologist separately. Eighty‐nine patients were included in the study. Regarding true positive lesion detection, 295 and 519 lesions were detected on spiral CT and MR images, respectively, which was significantly different on a patient‐by‐patient basis (P < .001). More lesions were detected on MR than on spiral CT in 44 of 89 patients (49.4%), and 11 of these 44 patients had lesions shown on MRI in whom no lesions were apparent on CT images. No patients had true positive lesions shown on spiral CT that were not shown on MRI. Regarding lesion characterization, 129 and 466 lesions were characterized on spiral CT and MRI images, respectively, which was significantly different on a patient‐by‐patient basis (P < .001). More lesions were characterized on MR than CT images in 67 patients (75.3%). Regarding effect on patient management, chart review with physician interview demonstrated that findings on MRI provided information that altered patient management as compared with findings on spiral CT in 57 patients. Retrospective clinical evaluation by the surgical and medical oncologist showed that MRI was considered to have a greater effect on patient management than spiral CT in 58 and 55 patients, respectively. Comparing current MRI technique to single‐phase spiral CT, MRI detected more lesions in 49.4% and characterized more lesions in 75.3% of patients investigated for focal liver disease. MRI had a greater effect on patient management in each of the three methods than singlephase spiral CT in more than 61% of patients.
Power allocation for irregularly modulated MIMO signaling with iterative frequency domain detector

A new power allocation method for irregularly modulated signaling in single carrier point-to-point multiple input multiple output (MIMO) systems with an iterative frequency-domain (FD) soft cancellation (SC) minimum mean squared error (MMSE) equalization is proposed. The proposed method explicitly takes into account the convergence properties of the iterative equalizer while transmission power is minimized. The proposed scheme is based on the combination of irregular modulation, different signal constellations within one code word, and convergence constraint precoding (CCP), technique that decouples the spatial interference between streams using singular value decomposition (SVD), and minimizes the transmission power while achieving the target mutual information for each stream after iterations at the receiver side. Numerical results show that the proposed scheme improves the transmission rate adaptivity of the original CCP while ensuring the convergence with reduced transmission power.
Stigma and social barriers to medication adherence with urban youth living with HIV

Abstract Youth adherence to highly active anti-retroviral therapy (HAART) is poor, and little research exists that identifies the reasons youth have difficulty adhering to medications. Given that complete adherence is necessary for favourable health outcomes, it is essential to examine the obstacles youth face in adhering to HAART. The present investigation sought to identify these barriers and to systematically examine the experiences and attitudes youth have towards medications. Twenty-five adolescents and young adults presenting to a public primary care facility for treatment of HIV infection were asked to participate in focus groups which explored their attitudes and experiences around medication adherence. Participants provided richly detailed descriptions of the challenges of managing HIV stigma and their efforts to hide their status from friends, family, doctors, and even themselves. Fifty percent of respondents indicated that they skipped doses because they feared family or friends would discover their status. These results suggest that HIV stigma impacts treatment for youth on several levels, from the accuracy of communication with medical providers to medication adherence, subsequent health outcomes, and the emergence of treatment resistant strains.
Increase of brain oxidative stress in mild cognitive impairment: a possible predictor of Alzheimer disease.

BACKGROUND The isoprostane 8,12-iso-iPF(2alpha)-VI, a specific marker of in vivo lipid peroxidation, is increased in Alzheimer disease (AD). The pathological changes associated with AD have a long silent phase before the appearance of clinical symptoms. Several studies have shown that AD is preceded by a prodromal phase characterized by mild cognitive impairment (MCI). OBJECTIVE To investigate levels of this biomarker in subjects with MCI. DESIGN AND MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, we measured 8,12-iso-iPF(2alpha)-VI levels in urine, plasma, and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with AD, subjects with MCI, and cognitively normal elderly subjects. SETTING AND PATIENTS Subjects attending the Memory Disorders Clinic. RESULTS We found significantly higher 8,12-iso-iPF(2alpha)-VI levels in cerebrospinal fluid, plasma, and urine of subjects with MCI compared with cognitively normal elderly subjects. CONCLUSIONS These results imply that individuals with MCI have increased brain oxidative damage before the onset of symptomatic dementia. Measurement of this isoprostane may identify a subgroup of patients with MCI with increased lipid peroxidation who are at increased risk to progress to symptomatic AD.
Transstadial Transmission of Hepatozoon canis by Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae) in Field Conditions

Abstract This study investigated possible transovarial and transstadial transmission of Hepatozoon canis by Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille) ticks collected from naturally infected dogs in a municipal dog shelter and the grounds of the shelter. Four hundred sixty-five engorged nymphs were collected from 16 stray dogs that were found to be infected with H. canis by blood smear and PCR analyses and maintained in an incubator at 28 °C for moulting. Four hundred eighteen nymphs moulted to adults 14–16 d post collection. Unfed ticks from the shelter grounds comprised 1,500 larvae, 2,100 nymphs, and 85 adults; were sorted according to origin, developmental stage, and sex into 117 pools; and screened by 18S rRNA PCR for Hepatozoon infection. Of 60 adult tick pools examined, 51 were infected with H. canis. The overall maximum likelihood estimate (MLE) of infection rate was calculated as 21.0% (CI 15.80–28.21). Hepatozoon canis was detected in 31 out of 33 female pools (MLE 26.96%, CI 17.64–44.33) and 20 out of 27 male pools (MLE 14.82%, CI 20.15–46.41). Among 42 unfed nymph pools collected from the shelter, 26 were infected with H. canis, and MLE of infection was calculated as 1.9% (CI 1.25–2.77). No H. canis DNA was detected in any of the gDNA pools consisting of larva specimens. Partial sequences of the 18S rRNA gene shared 99–100% similarity with the corresponding H. canis isolates. Our results revealed the transstadial transmission of H. canis by R. sanguineus, both from larva to nymph and from nymph to adult, in field conditions. However, there were no evidence of transovarial transmission.
Efficacy and safety of oxycodone HCl/niacin tablets for the treatment of moderate-to-severe postoperative pain following bunionectomy surgery

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of two dose strengths of oxycodone hydrochloride (HCl)/niacin tablets for the treatment of moderate-to-severe postoperative pain following bunionectomy surgery. Research design and methods: Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, US multicenter, repeat-dose study (Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT00654069). A total of 606 patients aged ≥18 years with moderate-to-severe pain post-bunionectomy were screened, and 405 patients were randomized to receive placebo, 2 × 5/30 mg oxycodone HCl/niacin tablets, or 2 × 7.5/30 mg oxycodone HCl/niacin tablets administered every 6 hours for 48 hours. Ketorolac tromethamine was available as rescue medication. Main outcome measures: Primary efficacy endpoint was the sum of pain-intensity difference scores during the 48 hours (SPID48) following the initial dose of study drug. Secondary efficacy endpoints included a responder analysis and use of rescue medication. Safety evaluations included adverse events (AEs), vital signs, and clinical laboratory assessments. Results: Both doses of oxycodone HCl/niacin tablets demonstrated superior reductions in pain intensity compared with placebo as evidenced by the SPID48 (p < 0.0001 for both oxycodone HCl/niacin 2 × 5/30 mg and 2 × 7.5/30 mg). AEs were consistent with the known effects of oxycodone HCl and niacin. Most AEs were mild or moderate in intensity, and no serious AEs occurred. There were no discontinuations due to AEs in the placebo group; 2/135 (1.5%) discontinued due to AEs in the 2 × 5/30 mg group and 4/134 (3.0%) in the 2 × 7.5/30 mg group. A limitation of this study was that there was no active comparator arm. Conclusions: Oxycodone HCl/niacin tablets (5/30 mg and 7.5/30 mg) provide effective analgesia and are generally well tolerated in patients with moderate-to-severe pain following bunionectomy surgery.
Effects of lipid profile on forearm hyperemic response in young subjects.

INTRODUCTION The role of lipids in atherogenesis is now well established. However, the exact mechanisms by which different lipoproteins affect endothelial function and induce atherogenesis are still not well understood. In the present study we examined the effect of lipid profile on forearm vasodilatory response to reactive hyperemia, an index of endothelial function, in a cohort of young, low-risk adults. METHODS One hundred sixty seven healthy subjects were included in the study. The effect of total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides, apolipoprotein (apo)-A1, apo-B and apo-E on endothelial function and inflammatory process was examined. Endothelial function was evaluated by determining forearm vasodilatory response to reactive hyperemia (RH%) using gauge-strain plethysmography. RH% was defined as the % change of forearm blood flow from baseline to the maximum flow during post-ischemic hyperemia. Endothelium independent dilatation in response to nitroglycerin (NTG%) was defined as the % change of forearm blood flow from baseline to the maximum flow after sublingual nitroglycerin administration. RESULTS RH% was correlated with HDL (r = 0.267, p = 0.001), LDL (r = 0.355, p = 0.0001), triglycerides (rho = -0.366, p = 0.0001), apo-Al (r = 0.240, p = 0.004) and apo-B (r = -0.277, p = 0.005). NTG% was not affected by serum lipid levels. In multivariate linear regression, LDL (beta = -0.217 [SE: 0.098], p = 0.028), apo-A1 (beta = 0.277 [SE: 0.124], p = 0.027) and age (beta = 0.916 [SE:0.369], p = 0.015) were independent predictors for RH% in this population (R2 for the model: 0.243, p = 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS Elevated lipid levels decrease forearm vasodilatory response to reactive hyperemia. Apolipoproteins, and especially apo-Al, are important determinants of endothelial function in these subjects, independently of LDL, HDL and triglycerides, implying that full measurement of the lipid profile may be of great importance in risk stratification of young individuals.
Consumer Selection of E-Commerce Websites in a B2C Environment: A Discrete Decision Choice Model

Despite the suggestions of friction-free information availability, considerable price dispersions for the same product are not uncommon across online retailers in the business-to-consumer (B2C) segment. Online customers do not necessarily always buy from the site with the lowest price, suggesting that other forces are at work. This paper presents and empirically examines a model that proposes that Web site value in terms of (perceived) Web site quality as well as awareness of the site and consumer differences (on price sensitivity) are key variables in explaining online consumer behavior in their choice of Web site despite the existence of price dispersions. Two hundred ninety-three students participated in a series of controlled laboratory experiments making use of two different types of products in terms of complexity and expensiveness (Canon digital camera Powershot S400 and digital versatile disc full-screen edition of Star Wars: Episodes I and II) that required them to interact with three different real-world Web sites offering each of these two branded products and make their decision on which of the three Web sites they will chose to buy the product from. The prices varied across the Web sites, as did the quality of the sites on various dimensions and site awareness of the participants. Conditional logit models of discrete choice for each of the two product types indicate differential influences of Web site quality dimensions and price sensitivity. A number of interesting implications emerge, and pointers to further extensions of the research theme are discussed.
Indoor Localization and Automatic Fingerprint Update with Altered AP Signals

Wi-Fi fingerprinting has been extensively studied for indoor localization due to its deployability under pervasive indoor WLAN. As the signals from access points (APs) may change due to, for example, AP movement or power adjustment, the traditional approach is to conduct site survey regularly in order to maintain localization accuracy, which is costly and time-consuming. Here, we study how to accurately locate a target and automatically update fingerprints in the presence of altered AP signals (or simply, “altered APs”). We propose Localization with Altered APs and Fingerprint Updating (LAAFU) system, employing implicit crowdsourced signals for fingerprint update and survey reduction. Using novel subset sampling, LAAFU identifies any altered APs and filter them out before a location decision is made, hence maintaining localization accuracy under altered AP signals. With client locations anywhere in the region, fingerprint signals can be adaptively and transparently updated using non-parametric Gaussian process regression. We have conducted extensive experiments in our campus hall, an international airport, and a premium shopping mall. Compared with traditional weighted nearest neighbors and probabilistic algorithms, results show that LAAFU is robust against altered APs, achieving 20 percent localization error reduction with the fingerprints adaptive to environmental signal changes.
Dual Faces of IFNγ in Cancer Progression: A Role of PD-L1 Induction in the Determination of Pro- and Antitumor Immunity

IFNγ is a cytokine that plays a pivotal role in antitumor host immunity. IFNγ elicits potent antitumor immunity by inducing Th1 polarization, CTL activation, and dendritic cell tumoricidal activity. However, there are significant discrepancies in our understanding of the role of IFNγ as an antitumor cytokine. In certain circumstances, IFNγ obviously acts to induce tumor progression. IFNγ treatment has negatively affected patient outcomes in some clinical trials, while it has favorably affected outcomes in other trials. Several mechanisms, including IFNγ insensitivity and the downregulation of the MHC complex, have been regarded as the reasons for this discrepancy, but they do not fully explain it. We propose IFNγ-induced programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression as a novel mechanism by which IFNγ impairs tumor immunity. When tumor cells encounter CTLs in the local environment, they detect them via the high concentration of IFNγ secreted from CTLs, which induces PD-L1 expression in preparation for an immune attack. Thus, tumor cells acquire the capability to counterattack immune cells. These findings indicate that although IFNγ is thought to be a representative antitumor cytokine, it actually has dual roles: one as a hallmark of antitumor immunity and the other as an inducer of the immune escape phenomenon through various mechanisms, such as PD-L1 expression. In this context, the optimization of immunotherapy according to the local immune environment is important. Anti–PD-1/PD-L1 treatment may be particularly promising when efficient tumor immunity is present, but it is disturbed by PD-L1 expression. Clin Cancer Res; 22(10); 2329–34. ©2016 AACR.