Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Characterization of initiator and effector caspase expressions in dystrophinopathies

There is evidence that apoptotic cell death mechanisms contribute to muscle fiber loss in dystrophin‐deficient muscle but there is little knowledge about the final degrading events of muscle fiber apoptosis. In muscle biopsy specimens from 14 patients with a dystrophinopathy (10 patients with DMD, two with Becker MD, two DMD carriers), expression of APAF‐1 and caspase‐9, upstream members of the apoptotic protease cascade, as well as of the downstream executioners caspase‐2, ‐6 and ‐7, were studied by immunohistochemistry and Western blots. Besides predominant immunoreactivity in regenerating muscle fibers, which may contribute to apoptotic events during new muscle fiber formation, caspase‐9, ‐6 and ‐7 displayed upregulation in non‐regenerating, light microscopically intact but atrophic muscle fibers. Western blot analyses confirmed the upregulations. These findings indicate that, once activated, caspase‐9 initiates a proteolytic, muscle fiber degrading cascade involving the downstream executioners caspase‐6 and ‐7. However, lacking coexpression of APAF‐1 suggests the existence of other pathways of caspase‐9 activation than through the “apoptosome” in dystrophinopathies.
Campylobacter jejuni 72Dz/92 cjaC gene coding 28 kDa immunopositive protein, a homologue of the solute‐binding components of the ABC transport system

Screening of the Campylobacter jejuni 72Dz/92 cosmid gene bank enabled identification of the cjaC (Camp. jejuni antigen C) gene encoding a highly immunogenic protein of apparent molecular mass 28 kDa. Gene bank searches indicated significant overall homology of the cjaC gene product, mainly to the Gram‐negative periplasmic solute‐binding proteins of the ABC transport system which recognize polar amino acids and opines. CjaC protein contains the motif LVAC at the end of the putative 19 amino acid signal sequence, which suggests that it might be a lipoprotein. In the 5′ flanking region of the cjaC gene, two potential promoter regions were observed. The cjaC gene is conserved among some isolates of three serotypes commonly isolated from humans (HL serotypes 1,4,71).
Variation in Prehospital Use and Uptake of the National Field Triage Decision Scheme

Abstract Background. The Field Triage Decision Scheme is a national guideline that has been implemented widely for prehospital emergency medical services (EMS) and trauma systems. However, little is known about the uptake, modification, or variation in field application of triage criteria between trauma systems. Objective. To describe and compare the use of field triage criteria by EMS personnel in six regions, including the timing of guideline uptake and the use of nonguideline criteria. Methods. This was a retrospective cohort study of injured children and adults transported by 48 EMS agencies to 105 hospitals (trauma centers and non–trauma centers) in six Western U.S. regions from 2006 through 2008. We used probabilistic linkage to match patient-level prehospital information from multiple sources, including EMS records, base-hospital phone communication records, and trauma registry data files. Triage criteria were evaluated individually and grouped by “steps” (physiologic, anatomic, mechanism, and special considerations). We used descriptive statistics to compare the frequency of triage criteria use (overall and between regions) and to evaluate the timing of guideline uptake across multiple versions of the guidelines. Results. A total of 260,027 injured patients were evaluated and transported by EMS over the three-year study period, of whom 46,414 (18%) met at least one field triage criterion and formed the primary sample for analysis. The three most common criteria cited (of 33 in use) were EMS provider judgment (26%), age <5 or >55 years (10%), and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score <14 (9%). Of the 33 criteria in use, five (15%) were previously retired from the guidelines and seven (21%) were never included in the guidelines. 11,048 (24%) patients had more than one criterion applied (range 1–21). There was large variation in the type and frequency of criteria used between systems, particularly among the nonphysiologic triage steps. Only one of six regions had translated the most recent guidelines into field use within two years after release. Conclusion. There is large variation between regions in the frequency and type of field triage criteria used. Field uptake of guideline revisions appears to be slow and variable, suggesting opportunities for improvement in dissemination and implementation of updated guidelines. Key words: triage; trauma; injuries and wounds; emergency medical services; guideline adherence
HLA-TNF haplotype heterogeneity in Greek SLE patients.

OBJECTIVE To examine TNF microsatellite allele frequencies in SLE patients in the Greek population, where disease susceptibility is less associated with HLA-DR3 haplotypes. METHODS A cohort of 46 Greek SLE patients were investigated. Allele frequencies for the TNF microsatellite markers a, b, c and d were determined using a fluorescence based DNA fragment sizing technique. HLA class II typing was performed using a molecular based technique. RESULTS Associations between SLE and DRB1*1501, *1601 and *0701 were observed and DRB1*0301 was only marginally increased in patients. Linkage disequilibrium was found between DRB1*1501 and TNF a11 and also for DR3 and TNF a2, b3, d2. Stratification of patients suggested that DRB*1501 and TNF a11 frequencies were higher in SLE patients with renal disease and TNF a2 and b 3 frequencies in those without, although these differences did not reach statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS SLE in this Greek population appears to be associated with a number of HLA-DRB1 alleles. The development of renal complications in these patients may be related to the TNF polymorphism encoded on these HLA haplotypes.
Brain and exercise: a first approach using electrotomography.

PURPOSE The impact of exercise on brain function has gained broad interest. Because hemodynamic and imaging studies are difficult to perform during and after exercise, electroencephalography (EEG) is often the method of choice. Within this study, we aimed 1) to extend prior work examining changes in scalp-recorded brain electrical activity associated with exercise and 2) to use a distributed source localization algorithm (standardized low-resolution brain electromagnetic tomography [sLORETA]) to model the probable neural sources of changes in EEG activity after exercise. METHODS Electrocortical activity of 22 recreational runners (21-45 yr) was recorded before and after exhaustive treadmill ergometry. Data were analyzed using sLORETA. RESULTS There was an increase in alpha-1 activity (7.5-10 Hz) immediately after exercise, which was localized to the left frontal gyrus (Brodmann area 8). This finding is consistent with alterations in emotional processing. Fifteen minutes after exercise, a decrease in alpha-2 (10-12.5 Hz), beta-1 (12.5-18 Hz), and gamma activities (35-48 Hz) was observed in Brodmann areas 18 and 20-22, which are well known to be involved in language processing. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that sLORETA is a robust method that allows brain activity maps to be generated from standardized EEG recordings following exercise.
Open-label, 2-period sequential drug interaction study to evaluate the effect of a 100-mg dose of desvenlafaxine on the pharmacokinetics of tamoxifen when coadministered in healthy postmenopausal female subjects.

BACKGROUND Potential drugdrug interactions are a concern for patients taking tamoxifen. OBJECTIVE This study was designed to determine the effect of coadministering desvenlafaxine on tamoxifen pharmacokinetics. MATERIALS AND METHODS This open-label, 2-period inpatient and outpatient study enrolled healthy, postmenopausal women. Period 1, day 1, subjects were administered tamoxifen 40 mg followed by 23 days of blood sampling for pharmacokinetic analyses. During period 2, subjects received desvenlafaxine 100 mg/d for 28 days; a single dose of tamoxifen 40 mg was administered with desvenlafaxine 100 mg on day 7, followed by 23 days of blood sampling. Pharmacokinetics of tamoxifen and its metabolites (AUC over infinite time (AUC(inf)), AUC to the last measurable concentration (AUC(last)), peak plasma concentration (C(max)) were compared for monotherapy vs. combination therapy using the ratio of adjusted mean differences. A superposition method was used in the statistical analysis of N-desmethyl-tamoxifen and endoxifen to address the carry-over observed for those metabolites. The test for interaction was considered negative if the 90% confidence intervals (CIs) for the ratios were within 80 - 125%. RESULTS Coadministration of tamoxifen with steady-state desvenlafaxine did not alter tamoxifen AUC(inf), AUC(last), and C(max), as reflected by the ratio of adjusted geometric means (90% CIs) of 100.7% (96.7%, 104.9%), 103.5% (100.2%, 106.9%), and 99.4% (94.0%, 105.2%), respectively. Similarly, coadministration did not alter 4-hydroxy- tamoxifen and N-desmethyl-amoxifen pharmacokinetics. The 11.8% (88.2% (82.6%, 94.2%)) and 8.0% (92.0% (84.7%, 100.0%)) decreases in endoxifen AUC(last) and C(max), respectively, were not significant (90% CIs fell wholly within the prespecified acceptance range). CONCLUSIONS Steady-state desvenlafaxine 100 mg did not affect tamoxifen pharmacokinetics. For women treated with tamoxifen, desvenlafaxine may represent a safe and effective treatment unlikely to alter tamoxifen efficacy.
Deconvolution-based indoor localization with WLAN signals and unknown access point locations

In this paper, the problem of Received Signal Strength (RSS)-based WLAN positioning is newly formulated as a deconvolution problem and three deconvolution methods (namely Least Squares, Weighted Least Squares and Minimum Mean Square Error) are investigated with several RSS path loss models. The deconvolution approaches are compared with the fingerprinting approach in terms of performance and complexity. The main advantage of the deconvolution-based approaches versus the fingerprinting methods is the significant reduction in the size of the training database that need to be stored at the server side (and transferred to the mobile device) for the WLAN-based positioning. We will show that the deconvolution based estimation can decrease of the order of ten times the size of the training database, while still being able to achieve comparable root mean square errors in the distance estimation.
Rossby Wave–Coastal Kelvin Wave Interaction in the Extratropics. Part I: Low-Frequency Adjustment in a Closed Basin

Abstract The interaction of open and coastal oceans in a midlatitude ocean basin is investigated in light of Rossby and coastal Kelvin waves. The basinwide pressure adjustment to an initial Rossby wave packet is studied both analytically and numerically, with the focus on the low-frequency modulation of the resulting coastal Kelvin wave. It is shown that the incoming mass is redistributed by coastal Kelvin waves as well as eastern boundary planetary waves, while the incoming energy is lost mostly to short Rossby waves at the western boundary. The amplitude of the Kelvin wave is determined by two mass redistribution processes: a fast process due to the coastal Kelvin wave along the ocean boundary and a slow process due to the eastern boundary planetary wave in the interior ocean. The amplitude of the Kelvin wave is smaller than that of the incident planetary wave because the initial mass of the Rossby wave is spread to the entire basin. In a midlatitude ocean basin, the slow eastern boundary planetary wave.
Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Body Composition of Soccer Referees; Do These Correlate With Proper Performance?

Background: The elite-level referee is exposed to similar physical demands to those placed on a midfield soccer player. They have an important responsibility to implement the rules of the game. So, good health and performance of soccer referees have a great importance. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess the cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition of all 78 soccer referees officiating at the Iranian Premier League and determine the correlation between these parameters and performance. Patients and Methods: In a cross-sectional study, all referees selected for the competitions were enrolled. Participants underwent exercise stress test, pulmonary function test and body composition assessment. Then the weekly scores of each referee, assessed by qualified supervisors of national federation were obtained using the FIFA standard form throughout the season (34 weeks) and registered. Results: Among 78 participants (including 32 center and 46 side referees), mean and standard deviation of age, body mass index, percent of body fat, VO2max and performance scores were 37 ± 3.8, 23.6 ± 2.1, 20.7 ± 3.9, 59.9 ± 7.1 and 85.8 ± 0.25, respectively. No significant correlation between referees’ mean score and selected parameters were found. Conclusions: It seems that the acquired scores of top-class referees may be influenced by multiple factors other than the laboratory findings of cardiopulmonary fitness and body composition.
ASSESSING "NEIGHBORHOOD EFFECTS": Social Processes and New Directions in Research

▪ Abstract This paper assesses and synthesizes the cumulative results of a new “neighborhood-effects” literature that examines social processes related to problem behaviors and health-related outcomes. Our review identified over 40 relevant studies published in peer-reviewed journals from the mid-1990s to 2001, the take-off point for an increasing level of interest in neighborhood effects. Moving beyond traditional characteristics such as concentrated poverty, we evaluate the salience of social-interactional and institutional mechanisms hypothesized to account for neighborhood-level variations in a variety of phenomena (e.g., delinquency, violence, depression, high-risk behavior), especially among adolescents. We highlight neighborhood ties, social control, mutual trust, institutional resources, disorder, and routine activity patterns. We also discuss a set of thorny methodological problems that plague the study of neighborhood effects, with special attention to selection bias. We conclude with promising .
Repeated Exposure to High‐Frequency Low‐Amplitude Vibration Induces Degeneration of Murine Intervertebral Discs and Knee Joints

High‐frequency, low‐amplitude whole‐body vibration (WBV) is being used to treat a range of musculoskeletal disorders; however, there is surprisingly limited knowledge regarding its effect(s) on joint tissues. This study was undertaken to examine the effects of repeated exposure to WBV on bone and joint tissues in an in vivo mouse model.
The functioning of individuals on a drug abuse treatment waiting list.

Using structured interviews and the SCL-90R, study was made of the behaviors of 29 applicants to a residential treatment program for cocaine abuse who had been placed on the program's waiting list for periods ranging from 1 to 6 months. It was hypothesized that applicants waiting treatment for 3 months or less (N = 16) would be more likely to view themselves as treatment candidates and would show behaviors different from those waiting 4-6 months (N = 13). Being on the waiting list a longer period was associated with greater evidence of criminal justice involvement, but with few other differences. Nearly half the total sample (48.3%) reported having significantly reduced drug use in association with their applying for treatment, but most applicants (58.6%) were pessimistic about their long-term capacity to remain free of drug-related difficulty. The pattern of SCL-90R scores for all subjects suggested significant psychiatric symptoms, including depression. Nonetheless, a majority of all applicants (51.7%) reported themselves as having become less interested in entering treatment. Nearly all applicants reported high levels of encouragement for their decision to enter treatment from persons with whom they were living and about half reported encouragement from friends. Of the 23 applicants who were IV drug users, 10 (41.7%) reported knowing someone who had contracted AIDS, 87.0% reported having changed behaviors--chiefly needle sharing--to reduce the risk of infection, and 69.6% reported having obtained HIV testing. The difficulty encountered in locating a random sample of applicants suggests the problem of maintaining a useful waiting list for treatment. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The organization of metabolic reaction networks: a signal-oriented approach to cellular models.

Complex metabolic networks are characterized by a great number of elements and many regulatory loops. The description of these networks with mathematical models requires the definition of functional units that group together several cellular processes. The approach presented here is based on the idea that cellular functional units may be assigned directly to mathematical modeling objects. Because the proposed modeling objects have defined inputs and outputs, they can be connected with other modeling objects until eventually the whole metabolism is covered. This modular approach guarantees a high transparency for biologists as well as for engineers. Three criteria are introduced to demarcate functional units. The criteria consider the physiological pathways, the organization of the corresponding genes, and the observation that cellular systems can be structured into units showing a hierarchy of signal transduction and processing. As an example, the carbon catabolic reactions in Escherichia coli are discussed as members of a functional unit catabolism.
Transableism, disability and paternalism in public health ethics: taxonomies, identity disorders and persistent unexplained physical symptoms

Transableism is a term which refers to moving between states of being able and disabled by choice rather than by happenstance. Insofar as this may imply a choice to become dependent, claims upon the healthcare system are likely to result. In this piece we aim to explore some ethical and legal implications of such claims. In order to do so, we draw upon current debates over the place of autonomy, beneficence and paternalism in public health ethics, the taxonomy of disability and the status of persistent unexplained physical symptoms (PUPS).
Covert channel communication through physical interdependencies in cyber-physical infrastructures

Increasing efforts are being made in securing the communication infrastructure used in electric power systems. On the surface, this should greatly reduce the chances of successfully executing the type of coordinated and distributed cyber attacks necessary to cause large-scale failures. However, existing communications security schemes in power control systems only consider explicit communications. In this paper, we show that there is a rich set of covert communication channels available to attackers for use in coordinating large scale attacks against power grids. Specifically, we present PhyCo, a novel covert channel that leverages physical substrates, e.g., line loads, within a power system, to transmit information between compromised device controllers. Using PhyCo, two compromised controllers that are miles apart can coordinate their efforts by manipulating relays to modify the power network's topology. This can be done without requiring the use of any explicit communication channels, e.g., power line communications, and can evade intrusion detection sensors aimed at overt traffic. We have evaluated PhyCo using real-world programmable logic controllers on a realistic simulated power grid. Our results show that PhyCo can bypass existing intrusion detection sensors as well as physical inspections by carefully crafting covert communications to have minimal exterior consequences within normal operating thresholds.
Spontaneous intracranial hypotension: report of two cases.

Spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH) is a syndrome of low cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure characterized by postural headaches in patients without any history of dural puncture or penetrating trauma, originally described by Schaltenbrand in 1938. The majority, if not all, of the cases of SIH result from spontaneous CSF leaks.1 Precise determination of the spinal level of a CSF leak is important in the diagnosis and treatment of SIH. In this paper, the authors report two patients of SIH in which a CSF leak was demonstrated by radionuclide cisternography and computed tomographic myelography, and treated with epidual blood patch. Knowledge of this association can be helpful in the selection of imaging studied to facilitate diagnosis and treatment.
The Effects of Sensation Seeking, Misperceptions of Peer Consumption, and Believability of Social Norms Messages on Alcohol Consumption

The social norms marketing approach is one method used to reduce extreme alcohol consumption. The current study implemented a web-based survey (N = 891) to assess whether sensation-seeking, perceived moderate drinking norms, and social norm message believability impacted alcohol consumption on a college campus. Sensation seeking was not directly related to normative perceptions of others' moderate alcohol consumption. Sensation seeking, perceived norms, and message believability all had direct effects on alcohol consumption, and the interaction of sensation seeking and message believability impacted alcohol consumption, while the interaction of sensation seeking and perceived norms on alcohol consumption was marginally significant. Implications of these findings for the social norms marketing approach are discussed.
Interspecies Scaling of Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibodies: Initial Look

The authors evaluated interspecies scaling for the prediction of human clearance of 18 therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Human and monkey/chimpanzee data of 14 mAbs were classified based on the targeted antigens (soluble or membrane bound). Simple allometry and/or a time‐invariant method (elementary Dedrick plot) were performed. Results indicate that human clearance might be accurately predicted from monkey data for mAbs targeting soluble receptors or membrane‐bound receptors with limited tissue distribution using simplified allometry. The optimal exponents were estimated to be 0.85 or 0.90. If nonlinearity is anticipated at the human efficacious dose, pharmacokinetic parameters obtained at high doses in animals might not be sufficient for full pharmacokinetic characterization and prediction. Using prespecified criteria, including predicted human clearance (≤ or > 10 mL/d/kg), simplified allometric scaling might be helpful in predicting the effect of receptor‐mediated clearance for mAbs targeting membrane‐bound antigens. Furthermore, simplified allometry and an elementary Dedrick plot provide similar results in predicted clearance. Given the significant advantages offered by simplified allometry, it should be used when data are available from only 1 species. When reasonable data from ≥3 species are available, traditional allometry should be explored. Overall, clearance prediction is useful for human dose prediction in drug discovery and development.