Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Breast cancer treatment-related patterns in side effects, psychological distress, and perceived health status.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To describe variations in side effects of treatment of breast cancer and concurrent variations in psychological distress and perceived health status. DESIGN Data were collected at six collection points: 7-10 days, one month, two months, three months, six months, and one year postsurgery. Standardized inventories, including subscales from the Psychosocial Adjustment to illness Scale, the Multilevel Assessment Inventory, and the investigator-developed Treatment Recovery Inventory, were completed by subjects in their homes at the six data-collection points. SETTING Self-report measures completed in subjects' homes. Private practices of breast surgeons at medical centers in the New York City metropolitan area SAMPLE Convenience sample of 93 women from a main longitudinal study (x = 51.4 years of age). MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES Psychological distress, perceived health status, and side effects of treatment for breast cancer. FINDINGS Fatigue and emotional distress were persistent issues. Psychological distress and perceived health status improved with no significant differences between breast-conserving and mastectomy groups. Significant differences existed between patients receiving chemotherapy versus no therapy between three and six months. Significant changes also existed in perceived health status and psychological distress in both the positive and negative node groups with no differences between groups. CONCLUSIONS Adjustment, a multidimensional and complex process, occurs over time. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE Patterns in side effects should enable clinicians to anticipate needs for planning methods of control over time. Nurses must assess side effects from a multidimensional perspective at all phases.
Usefulness of Accounting Information System in Emerging Economy: Empirical Evidence of Iran

The main objective of an accounting information system (AIS), a pre-eminently user-oriented system, is the collection and recording of data and information regarding events that have an economic impact upon organizations and the maintenance, processing and communication of information to internal and external stakeholders. The results of this study show that although AIS is very useful to Iranian corporation, it is a gap between what AIS is and what should be.
Negative pressure pulmonary edema following choking on a cookie

A 12‐year‐old boy developed severe acute respiratory distress during a school break requiring resuscitative measures. The episode started shortly after a short choking episode with a cookie. History, physical examination, laboratory results, chest X‐ray, and clinical course supported the diagnosis of negative pressure pulmonary edema (NPPE). NPPE occurring outside a hospital setting, especially following a short episode of choking on a cookie, is rarely reported in children. Understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms contributing to pulmonary edema can help in distinguishing NPPE from other causes of fulminant respiratory distress, and especially from other causes of noncardiogenic pulmonary edema. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2016;51:E25–E27. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Non-visual virtual interaction: Can Sensory Substitution generically increase the accessibility of Graphical virtual reality to the blind?

Most of the content of Graphical virtual environments is currently visual, severely limiting their accessibility to the blind population. While several steps improving this situation have been made in recent years they are mainly environment specific and there is still much more to be done. This is especially unfortunate as VR holds great potential for the blind, e.g., for safe orientation and learning. We suggest in this position paper that Visual-to-audio Sensory Substitution Devices (SSDs) can potentially increase their accessibility generically fashion by sonifying the on-screen content regardless of the specific environment while allowing the user to capitalize upon his experience from other use of the device such as in the real world. We will demonstrate the potential of this approach using several recent examples from literature and from our own work.
Effects of Radolmidine, A Novel &agr;2-Adrenergic Agonist Compared with Dexmedetomidine in Different Pain Models in the Rat

Background Intrathecally administered &agr;2-adrenoceptor agonists produce effective antinociception, but sedation is an important adverse effect. Radolmidine is a novel &agr;2-adrenoceptor agonist with a different pharmacokinetic profile compared with the well-researched dexmedetomidine. This study determined the antinociceptive and sedative effects of radolmidine in different models of acute and chronic pain. Dexmedetomidine and saline served as controls. Methods Male Sprague-Dawley rats were studied in acute pain (tail flick), carrageenan inflammation, and the spinal nerve ligation model of neuropathic pain. Mechanical allodynia was assessed with von Frey filaments, cold allodynia with the acetone test, and thermal hyperalgesia with the paw flick test. Locomotor activity–vigilance was assessed in a dark field. Dexmedetomidine and radolmidine were administered intrathecally in doses of 0.25 &mgr;g, 2.5 &mgr;g, 5 &mgr;g, and 10 &mgr;g. Results In the tail flick test, radolmidine showed a dose-dependent antinociceptive effect, being equipotent compared with dexmedetomidine. In carrageenan inflammation, intrathecal doses of 2.5 &mgr;g or 5 &mgr;g of dexmedetomidine/radolmidine produced significant antinociception compared with saline (P < 0.01). The two drugs were equianalgesic. In the neuropathic pain model, an intrathecal dose of 5 &mgr;g dexmedetomidine–radolmidine had a significant antiallodynic effect compared with saline (P < 0.01). The two drugs were equipotent. Intrathecal administration of both dexmedetomidine and radolmidine dose dependently decreased spontaneous locomotor acitivity–vigilance, but this effect was significantly smaller after intrathecal administration of radolmidine than after intrathecal dexmedetomidine. Conclusions Radolmidine and dexmedetomidine had equipotent antinociceptive effects in all tests studied. However, radolmidine caused significantly less sedation than dexmedetomidine, probably because of a different pharmacokinetic profile.
Evaluation of the Treatment Tradeoff Method in Rectal Cancer Patients: Is Surgery Preference Related to Outcome Utilities?

Background. The treatment tradeoff method (TTM) has been developed specifically for decision making at the level of the individual patient. The task is tailored to the clinical decision problem at hand and may therefore be more relevant to patients than methods of outcome valuation. Despite its wide use in oncology research, few methodological studies regarding validity have been conducted. Objective and Methods. The present study evaluates the validity of the TTM in rectal cancer patients who had undergone either 1 of 2 surgery types: 1 requiring a permanent stoma (stoma group) and 1 involving a postoperative risk of fecal incontinence (no-stoma group). The authors relate the surgery preference scores to the utilities of the 2 main surgery outcome states as well as to their utility difference. Results. Surgery preference was more strongly associated with the utility difference (r > 0.54 in the total patient group) than with the utilities of the surgery outcome states per se (r < 0.44 in the total patient group). In the stoma group, surgery preference was especially related to the utility of incontinence and in the no-stoma group especially to the utility of a permanent stoma. Conclusions. Patients indeed use their valuations of treatment outcomes states, especially those they are less familiar with, in determining their preference for one treatment over another. In clinical practice, the TTM may be used to obtain an indication of the treatment preference of an individual patient and may also be helpful to detect patients' motives to choose one treatment over another.
MODELLING AND SIMULATION OF DYNAMIC BEHAVIOUR OF ELECTRIC MOTOR DRIVEN MECHANISMS

Original scientific paper The paper reviews simplified equivalent torsional models as an efficient approach to modelling and simulating dynamic behaviour of electric motor driven mechanisms. The focus is put on preliminary design phase. Motion of the masses is described by a system of second-order non-homogeneous differential equations. The solution yields the law of motion as well as the torque function in the elastic bonds between the masses. Special attention is dedicated to accurate modelling of electric motor characteristics and resistant forces acting on executive parts of drive mechanisms. Stochastic nature of resistant forces is also considered. The aim is to demonstrate that the combination of a simplified model with an accurate description of drive and load torques produces satisfactory results, which are, therefore, useful in furthering the design process. Two examples involving drive mechanisms of a crane and a bucket-wheel excavator illustrate the approach.
The measured effect of taping on combined foot and ankle motion before and after exercise

The Inman ankle machine was modified to determine plantarflexion, dorsiflexion, inversion neutral, eversion neutral, plantarflexion inversion, and plantarflexion eversion before taping, immediately after taping, and with tape after a 2.5- to 3-hour football practice. The previously uninjured feet and ankles of 16 college- age football players were used. All were taped by the same method. A single-tailed paired-sample t-test was done to determine the minimum amount of restriction that could be expected for each motion after the exercise period. Ninety percent confidence intervals between untaped versus taped preexercise, untaped versus taped postexercise, and taped preexercise versus taped postexercise for all motions were determined. Inversion neutral, plantarflexion inversion, and ever sion neutral had an average residual restriction after exercise of 50%, or greater than the initial restriction prior to exercise. Plantarflexion, dorsiflexion, and plantarflexion eversion loosened significantly greater than 50%.
Effects of a High Dose, Aglycone-Rich Soy Extract on Prostate-Specific Antigen and Serum Isoflavone Concentrations in Men With Localized Prostate Cancer

The efficacy and safety of consuming high-dose isoflavone supplements for prostate cancer is not clear. A double-blind, placebo controlled, randomized trial was conducted in 53 men with prostate cancer enrolled in an active surveillance program. The treatment group consumed a supplement containing 450 mg genistein, 300 mg daidzein, and other isoflavones daily for 6 mo. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) was measured in both groups at baseline, 3 mo, and 6 mo, and serum concentrations of genistein, daidzein, and equol were assessed at baseline and 6 mo in the treatment group. Following the completion of the 6-mo double-blind study, men were enrolled in a 6-mo open label trial with the same isoflavone-rich supplement, and PSA was measured at 3 and 6 mo. PSA concentrations did not change in either group after 6 mo or after 12 mo when the open-label study was included. The 6 mo serum concentrations of genistein and daidzein (39.85 and 45.59 μmol/l, respectively) were significantly greater than baseline values and substantially higher than levels previously reported in other studies. Equol levels did not change. Although high amounts of aglycone isoflavones may result in significantly elevated serum concentrations of genistein and daidzein, these dietary supplements alone did not lower PSA levels in men with low-volume prostate cancer.
Requirement of serine phosphorylation for formation of STAT-promoter complexes.

Members of the interleukin-6 family of cytokines bind to and activate receptors that contain a common subunit, gp130. This leads to the activation of Stat3 and Stat1, two cytoplasmic signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs), by tyrosine phosphorylation. Serine phosphorylation of Stat3 was constitutive and was enhanced by signaling through gp130. In cells of lymphoid and neuronal origins, inhibition of serine phosphorylation prevented the formation of complexes of DNA with Stat3-Stat3 but not with Stat3-Stat1 or Stat1-Stat1 dimers. In vitro serine dephosphorylation of Stat3 also inhibited DNA binding of Stat3-Stat3. The requirement of serine phosphorylation for Stat3-Stat3.DNA complex formation was inversely correlated with the affinity of Stat3-Stat3 for the binding site. Thus, serine phosphorylation appears to enhance or to be required for the formation of stable Stat3-Stat3.DNA complexes.
Biochemical evidence for a homophilic interaction of the alpha 3 beta 1 integrin.

The purpose of this study was to determine if the alpha 3 beta 1 integrin could interact in a homophilic manner. Several earlier reports have shown that certain integrin adhesion receptors, namely alpha 2 beta 1, alpha 3 beta 1, and alpha 6 beta 4 localize to intercellular adhesion structures and, therefore, may participate in cell-cell interactions (Carter, W. G., Wayner, E. A., Bouchard, T. S., and Kaur, P. (1990) J. Cell Biol. 110, 1387-1404; Kaufmann, R. , Frosch, D. , Westphal, C. , Weber, L. , and Klein, C. E. (1989) J. Cell Biol. 109, 1807-1815; Hynes, R. O. (1987) Cell 48, 549-554; Symington, B. E. , Takada, Y. , and Carter, W. G. (1993) J. Cell Biol. 120, 523-535). We present data herein suggesting that the integrin alpha 3 beta 1 may interact homophilically in such cell-cell adhesion structures which contain this specific receptor or, alternatively, in receptor aggregates found in focal adhesions. The alpha 3 beta 1 receptor was purified by affinity chromatography on either human laminin or peptide GD-6-Sepharose and subsequently used as a substrate in cell adhesion assays. The immobilized alpha 3 beta 1 supported the adhesion of cells containing alpha 3 beta 1, and this attachment was specifically inhibited by monoclonal antibodies to both beta 1 and alpha 3 subunits. In addition, an affinity matrix containing purified alpha 3 beta 1 showed specific binding of only alpha 3 beta 1 from detergent extracts of cell surface proteins and such binding was cation-dependent. Finally, using biosensor technology involving the principle of surface plasmon resonance (BIAcore, Pharmacia Biosensor), alpha 3 beta 1, when bound to a carboxymethyl dextran-modified gold surface, was found to bind only other soluble alpha 3 beta 1 receptors and did not bind other purified integrins, including alpha 5 beta 1 and alpha v beta 3. These data strongly suggest that alpha 3 beta 1 likely interacts in a homophilic manner under our experimental conditions.
Loss of Cellular K+ Mimics Ribotoxic Stress

The tumor promoter palytoxin has been found to activate the stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase 1 (SAPK/JNK1), and it also potentiates, as demonstrated here, the p38/HOG1 mitogen-activated protein kinase and the upstream activator of SAPK/JNK1, SEK1/MKK4. In search of possible mechanisms for both the cytotoxicity and the activation of stress kinases by palytoxin, we found that palytoxin is a potent inhibitor of cellular protein synthesis. The inhibition of translation by palytoxin does not result from its direct binding to the translational apparatus. We have previously demonstrated that ribotoxic stressors (Iordanov, M. S., Pribnow, D., Magun, J. L., Dinh, T.-H., Pearson, J. A., Chen, S. L.-Y., and Magun, B. E. (1997) Mol. Cell. Biol. 17, 3373–3381) signal the activation of SAPK/JNK1 by binding to or covalently modifying 28 S rRNA in ribosomes that are active at the time of exposure to the stressor. Palytoxin acted as a ribotoxic stressor, inasmuch as it required actively translating ribosomes at the time of exposure to activate SAPK/JNK1. Palytoxin has been shown to augment ion fluxes by binding to the Na+/K+-ATPase in the plasma membrane of cells. To determine whether altered fluxes of either Na+ or K+ could be responsible for the effects of palytoxin on translation and on activation of SAPK/JNK1, cells were exposed to palytoxin in modified culture medium in which a major portion of the Na+ was replaced by either K+ or by choline+. The substitution of Na+ by K+ strongly inhibited the ability of palytoxin both to inhibit protein translation and to activate SAPK/JNK1, whereas the substitution of Na+ by choline+ did not. These results suggest that palytoxin-induced efflux of cellular K+ mimics ribotoxic stress by provoking both translational inhibition and activation of protein kinases associated with cellular defense against stress.
Insulin‐like growth factor II and androgen receptor expression in the prostate

Objective To determine the effect of insulin‐like growth factor (IGF)‐II on androgen receptor (AR) expression in prostate tissue, as IGFs may be important in re‐activating androgen‐regulated genes in advanced prostate cancer because they can trans‐activate the AR in the absence of ligand.
Update on Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Gonorrhea and Chlamydial Infections

Gonorrhea (aka "the clap," or "the drip") is caused by sexually transmitted Neisseria gonorrhoeae--a Gram-negative diplococcus. One of the most common reportable diseases in the United States, gonorrhea frequently affects sexually active adolescents. Approximately 30% of the 350,000 annual cases involve 15- to 19-year-olds. (That percentage is thought to be an underestimate! ) Those most often infected are young women 15 to 24 years old. Recent data suggest that infection rates are higher among teens who are homeless or pregnant, and in those from a minority group or an economically disadvantaged background.
Polyandry enhances offspring viability with survival costs to mothers only when mating exclusively with virgin males in Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract A prominent hypothesis for polyandry says that male–male competitive drivers induce males to coerce already‐mated females to copulate, suggesting that females are more likely to be harassed in the presence of multiple males. This early sociobiological idea of male competitive drive seemed to explain why sperm‐storing females mate multiply. Here, we describe an experiment eliminating all opportunities for male–male behavioral competition, while varying females’ opportunities to mate or not with the same male many times, or with many other males only one time each. We limited each female subject's exposure to no more than one male per day over her entire lifespan starting at the age at which copulations usually commence. We tested a priori predictions about relative lifespan and daily components of RS of female Drosophila melanogaster in experimental social situations producing lifelong virgins, once‐mated females, lifelong monogamous, and lifelong polyandrous females, using a matched‐treatments design. Results included that (1) a single copulation enhanced female survival compared to survival of lifelong virgins, (2) multiple copulations enhanced the number of offspring for both monogamous and polyandrous females, (3) compared to females in lifelong monogamy, polyandrous females paired daily with a novel, age‐matched experienced male produced offspring of enhanced viability, and (4) female survival was unchallenged when monogamous and polyandrous females could re‐mate with age‐ and experienced‐matched males. (5) Polyandrous females daily paired with novel virgin males had significantly reduced lifespans compared to polyandrous females with novel, age‐matched, and experienced males. (6) Polyandrous mating enhanced offspring viability and thereby weakened support for the random mating hypothesis for female multiple mating. Analyzes of nonequivalence of variances revealed opportunities for within‐sex selection among females. Results support the idea that females able to avoid constraints on their behavior from simultaneous exposure to multiple males can affect both RS and survival of females and offspring.
Serotonin transporter intron 2 polymorphism associated with rigid‐compulsive behaviors in Dutch individuals with pervasive developmental disorder

Two putatively functional polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter gene (HTT, SLC6A4) were examined for associations with risk for pervasive developmental disorders (PDDs) and specific autism phenotypes. Dutch patients diagnosed with PDD (N = 125, age range 5–20 years, DSM‐IV‐TR based criteria, ADI‐R and ADOS behavioral assessments) and their parents (N = 230) were genotyped for promoter ins/del (5‐HTTLPR) and intron 2 variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) alleles. Using the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT), no disorder‐specific preferential transmission of promoter (long and short) or intron 2 (10‐ and 12‐repeat) alleles was observed. However, multivariate analysis of continuous autism‐related behavioral measures revealed that subjects with intron 2 12/12 genotype were significantly more impaired in the rigid‐compulsive domain (P = 0.008). Quantitative TDT (QTDT) analysis also showed significant association of the intron 2 VNTR 12‐repeat allele with rigid‐compulsive behavior (P = 0.015). These results suggest that intron 2 VNTR alleles or nearby polymorphisms in linkage disequilibrium may play a role in specific aspects of the behavioral phenotype of autism. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The effect of one night's sleep deprivation on adolescent neurobehavioral performance.

STUDY OBJECTIVES To investigate the effects of one night's sleep deprivation on neurobehavioral functioning in adolescents. DESIGN Participants completed a neurobehavioral test battery measuring sustained attention, reaction speed, cognitive processing speed, sleepiness, and fatigue every 2 h during wakefulness. Baseline performance (defined as those test bouts between 09:00 and 19:00 on days 2 and 3, following two 10-h sleep opportunities) were compared to performance at the same clock time the day following total sleep deprivation. SETTING The sleep laboratory at the Centre for Sleep Research. PARTICIPANTS Twelve healthy adolescents (6 male), aged 14-18 years (mean = 16.17, standard deviation = 0.83). MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Sustained attention, reaction speed, cognitive processing speed, and subjective sleepiness were all significantly worse following one night without sleep than following 10-h sleep opportunities (all main effects of day, P < 0.05). Sleep deprivation led to increased variability on objective performance measures. There were between-subjects differences in response to sleep loss that were task-specific, suggesting that adolescents may not only vary in terms of the degree to which they are affected by sleep loss but also the domains in which they are affected. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that one night of total sleep deprivation has significant deleterious effects upon neurobehavioral performance and subjective sleepiness. These factors impair daytime functioning in adolescents, leaving them at greater risk of poor academic and social functioning and accidents and injuries.