Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evolution of age at menarche and at onset of regular cycling in a large cohort of French women.

BACKGROUND Early exposure to ovarian hormones is considered to increase breast cancer incidence. The age at which the ovaries become functional is thus important. METHODS We explored the evolution of age at first menstruation and at onset of regular cycling in 86 031 women participating in the E3N-EPIC cohort study, part of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer. RESULTS We observed an increase in mean age at menarche among women born between 1925 and 1930, followed by a steady decrease in the youngest birth cohorts. In contrast, age at onset of regular cycling increased gradually from 1925 onwards. There was thus a steady increase in the interval between age at menarche and at onset of regular cycling, mainly due to an increase in the percentage of women in whom regular cycling started at least 5 years after menarche (from 9.0% among women born in 1925-1929 to 20.8% in those born in 1945-1950). The increase in the interval between menarche and onset of regular cycling was even greater among women with a late menarche. CONCLUSIONS This increase might be due to a change in dietary intake and/or physical exercise aimed at achieving the slim silhouette desired by the younger generations.
Integrated Control of Oriental Fruit Moth (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in Peach Orchards Using Insecticide and Mating Disruption

Abstract The efficacy of an integrated and a conventional oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta (Busck), control program was compared using 4-ha blocks of peach at three Niagara Peninsula farms during 1997–1999. In the integrated program, chlorpyrifos was used to control first-generation larvae and mating disruption using Isomate M100 pheromone dispensers was used to control the second and third generations. In the conventional program, chlorpyrifos was used to control first-generation larvae and pyrethroids were used to control larvae of the later generations. The average release rate of pheromone was 23.7–26.4 mg/ha/h over a period of 86–91 d. The pheromone treatment reduced the capture of moths in pheromone-baited traps on average by 98%, suggesting a high level of disruption. The integrated program provided control of oriental fruit moth similar to the control provided by a conventional program. The mean percentage of peach shoots infested with first- and second-generation larvae, and fruit infested with third-generation larvae was not significantly greater in the integrated-program blocks during the 3-yr study. The elimination of insecticide sprays from the integrated-program blocks did not result in an increase in damage caused by plant bugs. The incidence of damage caused by other pests was negligible in both the integrated and conventional blocks.
Evaluation of Crestal Bone Loss Around Implants Placed at Equicrestal and Subcrestal Levels Before Loading: A Prospective Clinical Study.

INTRODUCTION Depth of placement of implant shoulder in relation to the crestal bone positively influence bone remodelling and preservation but the role of placement depth on bone loss before loading is not very clear. AIM To assess the effect of placement depth alone on the crestal bone loss around implant placed at subcrestal and equicrestal level before prosthetic loading. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients reporting to the Department of Prosthodontics with the complaint of missing teeth were enrolled in the study after analysing inclusion and exclusion criteria. A total of 24 implants were planned to be placed into two groups as Group E (n=12) and Group S (n=12). Follow up radiographs after implant placement and after six months were analysed for the amount of bone loss. RESULTS On six months follow up crestal bone levels of Group E were apical to Group S. Bone loss comparison between groups after six months follow up, revealed almost same mean bone loss. CONCLUSION The implants placed at subcrestal and equicrestal level did not show difference in crestal bone loss before prosthetic loading.
An autoradiographic study of the efferent connections of the preoptic region in the rat

The normal morphology of the rat preoptic region has been briefly described on the basis of Nissl‐ and silver‐stained preparations and its efferent connections have been studied autoradiographically in over 50 rat brains with single small injections of 3H‐proline, or various mixtures of 3H‐proline, 3H‐leucine, and 3H‐lysine. Injections in the anteroventral part of the lateral preoptic area labeled fibers projecting through, and perhaps to, the anterior and lateral hypothalamic areas and ending in the supramammillary region and ventral fiber lamina of the mammillary complex; other labeled fibers ended in the periventricular hypothalamic gray and the internal lamina of the median eminence. The posteromedial lateral preoptic area projects to the same regions, as well as to the medial septal‐diagonal band complex, and to the lateral habenula through the stria medullaris. Injections of the posterolateral lateral preoptic area labeled each of the above fiber systems as well as fibers to the main olfactory bulb, anterior olfactory nucleus and taenia tecta. Other fibers coursed over the genu of the corpus callosum, through the stria terminalis and ansa peduncularis to the medial, cortical and basal amygdaloid nuclei and the anterior amygdaloid area, and through the medial forebrain bundle to the substantia nigra. The transition region between the lateral preoptic and lateral hypothalamic areas at the level of the supraoptic nucleus has widespread connections as a whole (a) with the medial septal‐diagonal band complex, lateral septum and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, (b) through or to most of the hypothalamus, the substantia nigra, central tegmental field, central gray, superior central nucleus, and the locus coeruleus, (c) through the stria medullaris to the lateral habenula (bilaterally), parataenial, paraventricular, and mediodorsal nuclei of the thalamus, (d) through the stria terminalis and ansa peduncularis to the central, medial and cortical nuclei of the amygdala, and (e) to the main olfactory bulb, anterior olfactory nucleus, cingulate bundle, olfactory tubercle, medial septaldiagonal band complex and the lateral septum.
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis: An explosion of information

The paper by Tito et al. ( l ) , in this issue of Hepatology, is the latest in a fine series of publications on spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) from the Barcelona group. We have witnessed in the 1980’s an explosion of information regarding spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, which was a medical curiosity in the early 1970’s. Perhaps because of reluctance to perform a paracentesis (caused by fear of complications) and also because of the subtle manifestations of this infection, many physicians “never saw a case” and did not believe that it existed. However, since paracentesis has been shown to be a safe procedure (2), admission paracentesis is being performed routinely at many liver units. Routine paracentesis has documented a 10 to 27% prevalence of SBP (or one of its variants) at the time of hospital admission of patients with ascites (3-5). At the 46 bed Liver Unit where I practice, SBP is diagnosed as many as three times a day and at least once a week! This infection is now recognized as a very common complication of severe liver disease. Some skeptics are of the opinion that paracentesis causes rather than detects a significant proportion of ascitic fluid infections. However, in our experience, infection is caused by paracentesis only when the paracentesis needle enters the bowel (2, 6). Fortunately, this is a rare occurrence-10 “needle perforations” were documented among 1,578 taps in a retrospective study (6) and one iatrogenic peritonitis occurred among more than 800 taps in a prospective study (Runyon, B. A., unpublished observations). None of these needle perforations have resulted in a death, and only 2 of the 11 have resulted in clinical peritonitis. Should cirrhotics with coagulopathy receive prophylactic transfusion of fresh frozen plasma or platelets prior to paracentesis? At the USC Liver Unit, our answer is an emphatic “no.” We perform over 1,000 abdominal paracenteses per year. No one at our unit can remember ever giving or recommending prophylactic transfusions for this purpose in over 38 years of practice. The risk of bleeding from a paracentesis has been shown to be 1% (2). Prophylactic transfusions are unlikely to reduce this risk further. The risk is so low that it would take an enormous study to demonstrate the benefit of transfusion or to achieve an acceptable Type I1 error. Such a study will probably never be done. The risk of posttransfusion hepatitis exceeds the risk of bleeding from the paracentesis needle puncture. If the needle enters an artery or high pressure abdominal wall collateral vein,
Molecular systematic studies in cycads: Evidence fromtrnL Intron and ITS2 rDNA sequences

The results of a pilot DNA sequencing study of cycads conducted at the new molecular systematics laboratory at Fairchild Tropical Garden are presented and assessed with reference to previous phylogenetic analyses and classification schemes based on morphology and anatomy. Two DNA regions were sequenced and analyzed for variation, an intron in the trriL gene in the chloroplast genome (trriL intron) and the internal transcribed spacer region between the 5.8S and 26S ribosomal DNA subunits (ITS2). The trnL intron proved to be relatively conservative among cycad genera, while the ITS2 region contained higher levels of variation. Parsimony analysis of the sequences suggests a number of relationships, some of which were inferred by previous morphological studies, some of which are new. The sequences ofCycas are the most divergent among cycads, suggesting the longest isolation.Dioon is relatively isolated from the other genera and contains two major clades.Stangeria does not appear closely related toBowenia but does seem to have a weak affinity withZamia andMicrocycas. Lepidozamia is more closely related toEncephalartos than toMacrozamia. Sequence variation among the species ofCeratozamia is low.Microcycas andZamia are closely related.
3-D hand motion tracking and gesture recognition using a data glove

Hand motion tracking and gesture recognition are a fundamental technology in the field of proactive computing for a better human computer interaction system. In this paper, we have developed a 3-D hand motion tracking and gesture recognition system via a data glove (namely the KHU-1 data glove consisting of three tri-axis accelerometer sensors, one controller, and one Bluetooth). The KHU-1 data glove is capable of transmitting hand motion signals to a PC through wireless communication via Bluetooth. Also we have implemented a 3-D digital hand model for hand motion tracking and recognition. The implemented 3-D digital hand model is based on the kinematic chain theory utilizing ellipsoids and joints. Finally, we have utilized a rule-based algorithm to recognize simple hand gestures namely scissor, rock, and paper using the 3-D digital hand model and the KHU-1 data glove. Some preliminary experimental results are presented in this paper.
La théorie de la régulation à l'épreuve de l'économie de la qualité et du service

Cet article defend la these selon laquelle, pour parvenir a caracteriser un eventuel "regime post-fordiste", la theorie de la regulation devrait notamment revisiter et relativiser les concepts de croissance et de productivite sur lesquels elle repose largement. Elle devrait les considerer comme des conventions historiques attachees au paradigme fordiste, des conventions d'ailleurs fragilisees dans la periode recente par des critiques diverses. L'article propose egalement quelques hypotheses sur les nouveaux enjeux d'une regulation post-fordiste.
Toxicity of Engineered Nanomaterials: A Physicochemical Perspective

The global market for nanomaterial‐based products is forecasted to reach 100 billion dollars per annum for 2011–2015. Extensive manufacturing and the use of engineered nanomaterials have raised concerns regarding their impact on biological response in living organisms and the environment at large. The fundamental properties of nanomaterials exhibit a complex dependence upon several factors such as their morphology, size, defects, and chemical stability. Therefore, it is exceedingly difficult to correlate their biological response with their intricate physicochemical properties. For example, varying toxic response may ensue due to different methods of nanomaterial preparation, dissimilar impurities, and defects. In this review, we surveyed the existing literature on the dependence of cytotoxicity on physicochemical properties. We found that ENM size, shape, defect density, physicochemical stability, and surface modification to be the main causes that elicit altered physiological response or cytotoxicity. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J BiochemMol Toxicol 27:50‐55, 2013; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/jbt.21442
Acute optic neuritis

Idiopathic demyelinating optic neuritis (ON) most commonly presents as acute unilateral vision loss and eye pain and is frequently associated with multiple sclerosis. Although emphasis is often placed on the good recovery of high-contrast visual acuity, persistent deficits are frequently observed in other aspects of vision, including contrast sensitivity, visual field testing, color vision, motion perception, and vision-related quality of life. Persistent and profound structural and functional changes are often revealed by imaging and electrophysiologic techniques, including optical coherence tomography, visual-evoked potentials, and nonconventional MRI. These abnormalities can impair patients' abilities to perform daily activities (e.g., driving, working) so they have important implications for patients' quality of life. In this article, we review the sequelae from ON, including clinical, structural, and functional changes and their interrelationships. The unmet needs in each of these areas are considered and the progress made toward meeting those needs is examined. Finally, we provide an overview of past and present investigational approaches for disease modification in ON.
Bedside transpyloric tube placement in the pediatric intensive care unit.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of placing transpyloric feeding tubes at the bedside without fluoroscopy in critically ill pediatric patients. METHODS The patient population consisted of 90 patients (ages 1 week to 15 years, median age 9 months) admitted to a 26-bed pediatric intensive care unit in a university-affiliated pediatric hospital. Patient weights ranged from 2.4 to 100 kg with a median weight of 7.5 kg. Seventy-six patients were endotracheally intubated and mechanically ventilated; one patient had a tracheotomy. A total of 24 patients were pharmacologically paralyzed; 38 patients were receiving catecholamine infusions, and 17 patients had intracranial monitoring devices in place. All had concurrent nasogastric suctioning. Nonweighted Silicone Rubber 6F or 8F nasoenteric tubes were inserted at the bedside using metoclopramide, air insufflation and positioning to achieve transpyloric passage. Blue-dyed water was instilled in 58 patients to test for reflux and confirm transpyloric position. RESULTS Successful nonfluoroscopic bedside transpyloric (duodenal or jejunal) tube placement was verified radiographically in 84 (93%) patients; seven of these patients were less than 4 weeks of age. One patient had blue dye in the nasogastric fluids, consistent with duodenogastric reflux or failure of transpyloric passage. The abdominal radiographs confirmed the results of the blue dye test in all 58 patients. There were six (6.7%) unsuccessful attempts at transpyloric bedside tube placement: four were a result of hemodynamic instability, one was a result of oropharyngeal trauma, and one was due to intestinal malrotation. The average time for placement was 15 minutes with a range of 5 to 45 minutes. No complications from tube placement were observed. CONCLUSIONS Bedside placement of transpyloric feeding tubes is a safe and effective method to institute enteral feedings in critically ill pediatric patients.
World checklist of hornworts and liverworts

Abstract A working checklist of accepted taxa worldwide is vital in achieving the goal of developing an online flora of all known plants by 2020 as part of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. We here present the first-ever worldwide checklist for liverworts (Marchantiophyta) and hornworts (Anthocerotophyta) that includes 7486 species in 398 genera representing 92 families from the two phyla. The checklist has far reaching implications and applications, including providing a valuable tool for taxonomists and systematists, analyzing phytogeographic and diversity patterns, aiding in the assessment of floristic and taxonomic knowledge, and identifying geographical gaps in our understanding of the global liverwort and hornwort flora. The checklist is derived from a working data set centralizing nomenclature, taxonomy and geography on a global scale. Prior to this effort a lack of centralization has been a major impediment for the study and analysis of species richness, conservation and systematic research at both regional and global scales. The success of this checklist, initiated in 2008, has been underpinned by its community approach involving taxonomic specialists working towards a consensus on taxonomy, nomenclature and distribution.
IL‐33 is a chemoattractant for human Th2 cells

IL‐33 is a novel cytokine of the IL‐1 family and mediates its biological effect via the receptor ST2, which is selectively expressed on Th2 cells but not Th1 cells. IL‐33 drives production of Th2‐associated cytokines including IL‐5 and IL‐13 and thereby promotes defense and pathology in mucosal organs. Cell locomotion is crucial to the induction of an effective immune response. We report here the chemoattraction of Th2 cells by IL‐33. Recombinant IL‐33 increased the proportion of human Th2 cells, but not Th1 cells, in polarized morphology in vitro and stimulated their subsequent invasion into collagen gels in an IL‐33 concentration‐dependent manner. Injection of recombinant IL‐33 into the footpad of ST2–/– mice which had been adoptively transferred with polarized Th2 cells, led to local accumulation of the transferred Th2 cells. These data therefore demonstrate that IL‐33 is a selective Th2 chemoattractant associated with the pro‐inflammatory property of this novel cytokine.
[Magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of unilateral versus bilateral intraplaque hemorrhage in patients with carotid atherosclerotic plaques].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the difference in the vulnerability of carotid atherosclerotic plaques in patients with unilateral and bilateral intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH). METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted among 44 patients with unilateral IPH (30 cases) or bilateral IPH (14 cases) in the carotid plaques detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in our hospital between December, 2009 and December, 2012. The age, maximum wall thickness and incidence of fibrous cap rupture were compared between the two groups. RESULTS Compared with those with unilateral IPH, the patients with bilateral IPHs had a significantly younger age (66.6∓9.4 years vs 73.7∓9.0 years, P=0.027), a significantly greater maximum plaque thickness (6.3∓1.9 mm vs 5.0∓1.3 mm, P=0.035) and a higher incidence of ulcers (50% vs 13.3%, P=0.025). Logistic regression analysis revealed a significant association between bilateral IPHs and the occurrence of ulcer with an odd ratio (OR) of 6.5 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.5-28.7, P=0.014). After adjustment for gender in Model 1, bilateral IPHs were still significantly associated with presence of ulcer (OR=5.7, 95%CI: 1.1-29.2, P=0.036). But after adjustment for age (P=0.131) or maximum plaque thickness (P=0.139) in model 2, no significant correlation was found between bilateral IPHs and the presence of ulcer. CONCLUSION Compared with patients with unilateral IPH, those with bilateral IPHs are at a younger age and have a greater plaque burden and a higher incidence of fibrous cap rupture, suggesting a greater vulnerability of the carotid plaques in patients with bilateral IPHs.
Inhibitory effect of midkine-binding peptide on tumor proliferation and migration.

BACKGROUND To investigate the inhibitory effect of midkine-binding peptides on human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) proliferation and angiogenesis of xenograft tumor. METHODS The midkine-binding peptides were panned by Ph.D.-7(™) Phage Display Peptide Library Kit, and the specific binding activities of positive clones to target protein were examined by phage ELISA. The effect of midkine-binding peptides on proliferation of HUVECs was confirmed by MTT test. The xenograft tumor model was formed in BALB/c mice with the murine hepatocarcinoma cells H22 (H22). Microvessel density (MVD) was analyzed by immunohistochemistry of factor VIII staining. RESULTS Midkine-binding peptides have the inhibitory effects on tumor angiogenesis, a proliferation assay using human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) indicated that particular midkine-binding peptides significantly inhibited the proliferation of the HUVECs. Midkine-binding peptides were also observed to efficiently suppress angiogenesis induced by murine hepatocarcinoma H22 cells in BALB/c nude mice. CONCLUSION The midkine-binding peptides can inhibit solid tumor growth by retarding the formation of new blood vessels. The results indicate that midkine-binding peptides may represent potent anti-angiogenesis agents in vivo.
Model-based Estimation of Vehicle Roll State for Detection of Impending Vehicle Rollover

This paper describes a new methodology for designing model-based estimators for detection of impending vehicle rollover. Vehicle roll motions are induced by maneuvering and road disturbances. An estimator is designed based on a three-degrees-of freedom vehicle maneuvering model and a four-degrees-of freedom half-car suspension model to obtain good estimates of the vehicle roll angle and roll rate in driving situations in which both maneuvering and road disturbances affect the vehicle roll motions. The estimator uses already existing sensors, such as steering wheel angle sensor, lateral acceleration sensor, and yaw rate sensor, on a vehicle equipped with an electronic stability control (ESC) system. Since road disturbance is unknown or very expensive to measure, disturbance-decoupled-observer design technique is used in the design of the estimator. The performance of the estimator is evaluated through computer simulations using a validated vehicle simulator. It is shown that, only with already available sensor measurements, good estimates of the roll angle and roll rate can be obtained using the proposed estimator in driving situations in which both maneuvering and road disturbances affect the vehicle roll motions. A rollover index that indicates rollover danger has been computed using the measured lateral acceleration and yaw rate, and estimated roll angle and roll rate. The rollover index computed using the estimated states is shown to be a good measure for the danger of vehicle rollover.