Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessing Sensorimotor Function Following ISS with Computerized Dynamic Posturography.

INTRODUCTION Postflight postural ataxia reflects both the control strategies adopted for movement in microgravity and the direct effects of deconditioning. Computerized dynamic posturography (CDP) has been used during the first decade of the International Space Station (ISS) expeditions to quantify the initial postflight decrements and recovery of postural stability. METHODS The CDP data were obtained on 37 crewmembers as part of their pre- and postflight medical examinations. Sensory organization tests evaluated the ability to make effective use of (or suppress inappropriate) visual, vestibular, and somatosensory information for balance control. This report focuses on eyes closed conditions with either a fixed or sway-referenced base of support, with the head erect or during pitch-head tilts (± 20° at 0.33 Hz). Equilibrium scores were derived from peak-to-peak anterior-posterior sway. Motor-control tests were also used to evaluate a crewmember's ability to automatically recover from unexpected support-surface perturbations. RESULTS The standard Romberg condition was the least sensitive. Dynamic head tilts led to increased incidence of falls and revealed significantly longer recovery than head-erect conditions. Improvements in postflight postural performance during the later expeditions may be attributable to higher preflight baselines and/or advanced exercise capabilities aboard the ISS. CONCLUSIONS The diagnostic assessment of postural instability is more pronounced during unstable-support conditions requiring active head movements. In addition to supporting return-to-duty decisions by flight surgeons, the CDP provides a standardized sensorimotor measure that can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of countermeasures designed to either minimize deconditioning on orbit or promote reconditioning upon return to Earth.
Saliva with reduced calcium and phosphorous concentrations: Effect on erosion dental lesions.

OBJECTIVES To investigate whether saliva formulations with reduced calcium (Ca) and inorganic phosphorous (Pi) concentration would affect dental erosion caused by hydrochloric acid (HCl). METHODS Enamel and root dentine bovine slabs were embedded, polished, and measured for surface Knoop microhardness (SMH). After reference areas were created, specimens were exposed to HCl solution (0.01 M; pH 2; 120 s) and immersed in artificial salivas (6 hr) containing three different Ca/Pi concentrations (n = 15), which simulate serum conditions of normo-, mild, or severe hypocalcemia. The control group was immersed in Ca/Pi-free saliva. The study protocol was carried out 2×/day for 5 days. Surface loss of enamel and root dentine was assessed using an optical profilometer, and SMH was remeasured for enamel. RESULTS One-way analysis of variance (p < .001) and Tukey's test showed that enamel loss in groups subjected to artificial salivas that simulated mild or severe hypocalcemia did not differ from that resembling normocalcemia. %SMH was lower when saliva was mildly and normally concentrated in Ca/Pi (p < .001). Root dentine loss was higher in saliva simulating severe hypocalcemia than in those referring to mild, hypo-, and normocalcemia. CONCLUSIONS Depending on the dental substrate, salivary formulations resembling serum hypocalcemia affected surface loss due to erosion and rehardening thereof.
Quality of Care for Patients With Diabetes and Mulitmorbidity Registered at Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics

Background Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics are a new model of primary healthcare in Ontario. Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics are distinctive in that nurse practitioners are the primary care providers working with an interprofessional team. There have been no evaluations of the quality of care within the Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic model. Purpose Evaluation of the Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic model, specifically for complex clinical presentations, will provide insights that may be used to inform improvements to the delivery of care in the Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the extent to which diabetes care was complete and to determine the impact of organizational tools, including electronic medical record tracking, diabetes care template, and referral to community programs, on the completeness of care for patients with diabetes and multimorbidity at Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics. Methods An audit of 30 charts was conducted at five different Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics (n = 150) for patients with diabetes and at least one other chronic condition. Indicators included patient and organizational characteristics as well as diabetes care items taken from diabetes clinical guidelines. Results Overall, care for patients with diabetes and multimorbidity in Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics was complete. However, there were no significant associations between patient or organizational characteristics and the extent to which diabetes care was complete.
Comparison of Chemotherapies with Methotrexate, VP-16 and Actinomycin-D in Low-Risk Gestational Trophoblastic Disease

Objective: To compare the efficiency and toxicity of four chemotherapeutic regimens in low-risk gestational trophoblastic disease. Methods: Since 1974, 247 patients with low-risk gestational trophoblastic disease have been treated with 5-day intramuscular methotrexate (MTX) (conventional MTX), 5-day intravenous drip infusion of VP-16, 5-day intravenous actinomycin-D (Act-D) or 8-day alternating intramuscular MTX-folic acid (MTX-CF) at Chiba University School of Medicine. We compared the primary remission rate, the response of human chorionic gonadotropin and the prevalence of drug toxicities in these 4 regimens. Results: The primary remission rate was 73.6% in the conventional MTX regimen, 90.1% in VP-16, 84.0% in Act-D, and 60.0% in MTX-CF. The primary remission rate was significantly higher in the VP-16 and Act-D regimens than in the conventional MTX and MTX-CF regimens. The response rate was significantly higher in the VP-16 regimen than in the other 3 regimens. The drug toxicity with VP-16 and Act-D was less than that with conventional MTX and MTX-CF regimens. Conclusions: The VP-16 regimen was highly effective and less toxic for gestational trophoblastic disease compared with other chemotherapeutic regimens.
An Integrated Ka-Band Diplexer-Antenna Array Module Based on Gap Waveguide Technology With Simple Mechanical Assembly and No Electrical Contact Requirements

This paper presents the integration of a diplexer with a corporate feed network of a high gain slot array antenna at the Ka-band. A hybrid diplexer-splitter with a novel architecture is proposed to have compatibility for its direct integration with the feed network of the array antenna. A seventh-order hybrid diplexer-splitter is successfully integrated into a corporate feed network of a $16\times 16$ slot array antenna. The proposed integrated diplexer-antenna module consists of three distinct metal layers without the need of electrical contacts between the different layers based on the recently introduced gap waveguide technology. The designed module has two channels of 650-MHz bandwidths each with center frequencies 28.21 and 29.21 GHz. The fabricated prototype provides good radiation and input impedance characteristics. The measured input reflection coefficients for both Tx/Rx ports are better than −13 dB with the measured antenna efficiency better than 60% in the designed passband, which includes the losses in the diplexer.
Une méthode du point fixe pour la mise en œuvre de la commande prédictive non linéaire sous contraintes sur des EDP. Application à la stabilisation sous contraintes de l'équation aux dérivées partielles non linéaires de Kuramoto-Sivashinski

RÉSUMÉ. Une large part de la littérature sur la commande des systèmes représentés par des équations aux dérivées partielles (EDP) passe par l’application des outils classiques de l’automatique aux équations différentielles ordinaires résultant d’une discrétisation spatiale ou modale. Ces équations décrivent généralement l’évolution d’un vecteur d’état de dimension assez grande. Il est alors coutumier d’en conclure que, lorsque le système d’origine présente des non linéarités fortes, l’application de la commande prédictive devient problématique. Ce papier tente de relativiser cette position et invite le lecteur à y regarder de près. Les méthodes et arguments proposés sont illustrées à travers l’exemple de la stabilisation contrainte de la fameuses EDP dite de Kuramoto-Sivashinski.
Urological Treatment and Clinical Course of BK Polyomavirus-Associated Hemorrhagic Cystitis in Children after Bone Marrow Transplantation

Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) is a major complication of bone marrow transplantation (BMT). We describe the clinical course and urological management of BK polyomavirus-associated HC in children after bone marrow transplantation. From 8/88 to 11/95, a total of 117 consecutive pediatric patients received BMT. Nine patients (7.7%) developed HC after transplantation. HC in all 9 patients was characterized by late onset (day +24 to +50 post-BMT), long duration (1–7 weeks) and the excretion of BK polyomavirus in the urine as confirmed by electron microscopy, DNA hybridization and PCR techniques. Six children developed mild HC (grade 1–2) and were treated successfully by hyperhydration. In 3 patients, severe HC (grade 3–4) over 6 weeks required surgical interventions. In these 3 patients, cystoscopy revealed circumscript papulous tumors as the source of hematuria. Severe and persistent hematuria required blood transfusions, insertation of large suprapubic catheters and permanent bladder irrigation because of recurrent blood clot retention. Attempts to stop the hematuria in 2 of these patients by coagulation and laser vaporization (Nd:YAG) failed to stop the bleeding. Differential diagnosis of hematuria after BMT includes urinary tract infection, cyclophosphamide-induced chemical cystitis and bleeding due to BMT-induced thrombocytopenia. With the increasing number of BMTs in children, urologists may be confronted with BK polyomavirus-associated HC and must consider this in the differential diagnosis of hematuria after BMT.
Regulation of the mammalian heat shock factor 1

Living organisms are endowed with the capability to tackle various forms of cellular stress due to the presence of molecular chaperone machinery complexes that are ubiquitous throughout the cell. During conditions of proteotoxic stress, the transcription factor heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) mediates the elevation of heat shock proteins, which are crucial components of the chaperone complex machinery and function to ameliorate protein misfolding and aggregation and restore protein homeostasis. In addition, HSF1 orchestrates a versatile transcriptional programme that includes genes involved in repair and clearance of damaged macromolecules and maintenance of cell structure and metabolism, and provides protection against a broad range of cellular stress mediators, beyond heat shock. Here, we discuss the structure and function of the mammalian HSF1 and its regulation by post‐translational modifications (phosphorylation, sumoylation and acetylation), proteasomal degradation, and small‐molecule activators and inhibitors.
A test of the coevolution theory of autumn colours: colour preference of Rhopalosiphum padi on Prunus padus

According to the coevolution theory of autumn colours, the bright colours of trees evolved as a warning signal towards parasites colonizing the plant in autumn. We monitored colonization of the aphid Rhopalosiphum padi on individual tress of Prunus padus in autumn and observed a strong preference of aphids for trees with green leaves. This is the first direct observation of a key assumption of the theory, that parasites avoid bright colours. Moreover our observations, compared with previous data gathered on the same species, suggest that aphids colonizing trees with green leaves develop better in spring than aphids colonizing trees with bright autumn colours, which is consistent with the second main assumption of the coevolution theory.
Interactions between lexical access and articulation

ABSTRACT This study investigates the interaction of lexical access and articulation in spoken word production, examining two dimensions along which theories vary. First, does articulatory variation reflect a fixed plan, or do lexical access-articulatory interactions continue after response initiation? Second, to what extent are interactive mechanisms hard-wired properties of the production system, as opposed to flexible? In two picture naming experiments, we used semantic neighbour manipulations to induce lexical and conceptual co-activation. Our results provide evidence for multiple sources of interaction, both before and after response initiation. While interactive effects can vary across participants, we do not find strong evidence of variation of effects within individuals, suggesting that these interactions are relatively fixed features of each individual’s production system.
Some observations on the assay of staphylococcal enterotoxin by the monkey-feeding test.

Abstract A wide variation in susceptibility was found in approximately 1,000 Macaca mulatta injected intragastrically with staphylococcal enterotoxin. The relative susceptibility of animals can be predicted to some degree on the basis of past response to enterotoxin. Graded dosage-response curves are not very satisfactory unless new animals are used. Unprovoked emesis has been observed on rare occasions. False positive vomiting reactions due to a dialyzable agent have been encountered in experimental preparations. These reactions were promptly detected by the use of proper controls.
Growth Characteristics of Breast-Fed Compared to Formula-Fed Infants

In affluent populations, breast-fed infants generally exhibit a different pattern of growth than formula-fed infants. The average weight gain of the former is lower than that of the latter, even after complementary foods are introduced. In some studies, the length gain is also lower among breast-fed infants, whereas in others there is no significant difference in linear growth between feeding groups. Growth in head circumference does not differ by feeding mode. Because of the difference in weight gain, breast-fed infants are generally leaner than formula-fed infants by 12 months of age. Breast-fed infants appear to self-regulate their energy intake at a lower level than consumed by formula-fed infants and have a lower metabolic rate. Evidence to date suggests that there are no apparent adverse consequences associated with the lower intake and slower weight gain of breast-fed infants: compared to formula-fed infants, they do not differ in activity level, and they experience less illness and appear to have enhanced cognitive development. The reasons for differences in growth patterns by feeding mode require further research.
Effects of XIST/miR‐137 axis on neuropathic pain by targeting TNFAIP1 in a rat model

Non‐coding RNAs have been reported to participate in the pathophysiology of neuropathic pain. The objective of our study was to investigate the biological role of XIST in neuropathic pain development. In our study, we identify and validate that lncRNA XIST was markedly increased and miR‐137 was significantly decreased in chronic constriction injury (CCI) rats. XIST silencing alleviated pain behaviors including both mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia in the CCI rats. XIST was predicted to interact with miR‐137 by bioinformatics technology and dual‐luciferase reporter assays confirmed the correlation between XIST and miR‐137. miR‐137 was negatively modulated by XIST and upregulation of miR‐137 greatly reduced neuropathic pain development in CCI rats. Moreover, we observed that tumor necrosis factor alpha‐induced protein 1 (TNFAIP1) was enhanced in CCI rats and 3′‐untranslated region (UTR) of TNFAIP1 was exhibited to be a target of miR‐137 by bioinformatics prediction. TNFAIP1 can act as a crucial inflammation regulator by activating NF‐kB activity. Overexpression of miR‐137 significantly suppressed TNFAIP1 both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, upregulation of XIST reversed the inhibitory role of miR‐137 in neuropathic pain development by inhibiting TNFAIP1. In conclusion, our current study indicates that XIST can positively regulate neuropathic pain in rats through regulating the expression of miR‐137 and TNFAIP1. Our results imply that XIST/miR‐137/TNFAIP1 axis may serve as a novel therapeutic target in neuropathic pain.
Sources, transport and deposition of iron in the global atmosphere

Atmospheric deposition of iron (Fe) plays an important role in controlling oceanic primary productivity. However, the sources of Fe in the atmosphere are not well understood. In particular, the combustion sources of Fe and the subsequent deposition to the oceans have been accounted for in only few ocean biogeochemical models of the carbon cycle. Here we used a mass-balance method to estimate the emissions of Fe from the combustion of fossil fuels and biomass by accounting for the Fe contents in fuel and the partitioning of Fe during combustion. The emissions of Fe attached to aerosols from combustion sources were estimated by particle size, and their uncertainties were quantified by a Monte Carlo simulation. The emissions of Fe from mineral sources were estimated using the latest soil mineralogical database to date. As a result, the total Fe emissions from combustion averaged for 1960–2007 were estimated to be 5.3 Tg yr−1 (90% confidence of 2.3 to 12.1). Of these emissions, 1, 27 and 72% were emitted in particles 10 μm (PM> 10), respectively, compared to a total Fe emission from mineral dust of 41.0 Tg yr−1 in a log-normal distribution with a mass median diameter of 2.5 μm and a geometric standard deviation of 2. For combustion sources, different temporal trends were found in fine and medium-to-coarse particles, with a notable increase in Fe emissions in PM1 since 2000 due to an increase in Fe emission from motor vehicles (from 0.008 to 0.0103 Tg yr−1 in 2000 and 2007, respectively). These emissions have been introduced in a global 3-D transport model run at a spatial resolution of 0.94° latitude by 1.28° longitude to evaluate our estimation of Fe emissions. The modelled Fe concentrations as monthly means were compared with the monthly (57 sites) or daily (768 sites) measured concentrations at a total of 825 sampling stations. The deviation between modelled and observed Fe concentrations attached to aerosols at the surface was within a factor of 2 at most sampling stations, and the deviation was within a factor of 1.5 at sampling stations dominated by combustion sources. We analysed the relative contribution of combustion sources to total Fe concentrations over different regions of the world. The new mineralogical database led to a modest improvement in the simulation relative to station data even in dust-dominated regions, but could provide useful information on the chemical forms of Fe in dust for coupling with ocean biota models. We estimated a total Fe deposition sink of 8.4 Tg yr−1 over global oceans, 7% of which originated from the combustion sources. Our central estimates of Fe emissions from fossil fuel combustion (mainly from coal) are generally higher than those in previous studies, although they are within the uncertainty range of our estimates. In particular, the higher than previously estimated Fe emission from coal combustion implies a larger atmospheric anthropogenic input of soluble Fe to the northern Atlantic and northern Pacific Oceans, which is expected to enhance the biological carbon pump in those regions.
Is Stress Management Training a Useful Addition to Physician Advice and Nicotine Replacement Therapy during Smoking Cessation in Women? Results of a Randomized Trial

Purpose. To determine whether a stress management (SM) program could improve cessation rates when added to usual care (UC) among women attempting to quit smoking. Design. Randomized controlled trial conducted during a 12-month period. Setting. Smoking cessation clinics located within two tertiary care centers in Ottawa, Ontario. Subjects. A total of 332 women smokers 19 years or older who smoked 10 or more cigarettes per day were recruited via advertisements. Intervention. Either UC (physician advice and nicotine replacement therapy) or UC plus an eight-session group SM training program (coping skills development relevant to smoking-specific and generic stressors). Measures. Point prevalence abstinence 2 and 12 months after study intake. A secondary outcome of interest was change in perceived stress during the intervention period. Results. On an intent-to-treat basis, the addition of SM to UC had no incremental effect on 2-or 12-month abstinence rates. Abstinence rates at 2 months were 26.2% vs. 31.7% in the UC and SM groups, respectively (p = .59). At 12 months, the rates were 18.5% vs. 20.7% (p = .86). When quit rates were compared including only participants who demonstrated adequate adherence to the intervention protocol, there was a significant difference between the UC and SM groups at 2 months (34.9% vs. 48.7%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.88; 95% confidence interval, 1.04–3.42; p = .04) but not at 12 months (23.0% vs. 28.2%; adjusted odds ratio, 1.24; 95% confidence interval, .64–2.41; p = .53). There was a significant reduction in perceived stress from preintervention to postintervention; however, this decrease was not moderated by group assignment. Conclusion. The addition of SM in our setting neither increased abstinence rates nor reduced perceived stress over and above UC in women motivated to quit smoking. Poor attendance at the SM intervention undermined its effectiveness.
Retinoic Acid Increases in the Retina of the Chick with Form Deprivation Myopia

We previously reported that expression of retinoic acid receptor β increases in the sclera of the 2-week-old chick with form deprivation myopia (FDM) and that all-trans-retinoic acid (t-RA) influences proliferation and differentiation of scleral cells. The purpose of this study was to quantify t-RA in the retina of the chick with FDM and to investigate the role of t-RA in FDM in the chick. FDM was induced in 2-day-old chicks by placement of a translucent plastic goggle over one eye, with the contralateral eye used as a control. After 5 days, the chicks were sacrificed. t-RA was extracted from neural retina and served for high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. 3H-t-RA was used for normalization. Pieces of the retinae from 5 eyes served as one sample. As a result, t-RA was 0.960 ± 0.086 ng/eye (0.387 ± 0.056 ng/mg protein) in the myopic retina and 0.864 ± 0.108 ng/eye (0.319 ± 0.043 ng/mg protein) in the control retina. The concentration of t-RA (ng/mg protein) in the myopic retina was significantly higher than that in the control (p < 0.05, n = 7). These results demonstrate that t-RA increases in the retina within 5 days after visual deprivation. This finding suggests that t-RA may play a role in the metabolic changes in FDM.
Superantigen Production by Staphylococcus aureus in Psoriasis

Background: Activation of T cells is believed to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Recently, it has been proposed that psoriasis is a T-cell-mediated autoimmune reaction triggered by bacterial superantigen. Objective: We investigated whether patients with chronic plaque psoriasis bear superantigen-producing Staphylococcus aureus on the skin or the throat. Methods: S. aureus producing exfoliative toxin, staphylococcal enterotoxin B or toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 was isolated from the skin and throat of 100 psoriasis patients using Western blot analysis and polymerase chain reaction. Results: Only 5, 4 and 9 patients had super-antigen producing S. aureus identified on lesional skin, nonlesional skin and throat, respectively. The vast majority of patients did not bear superantigen-producing S. aureus. Conclusion: We believe that superantigens are not essential in sustaining disease activity but may, instead, be exacerbating or triggering factors for some psoriasis patients.