Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Higher blood pressure among Inuit migrants in Denmark than among the Inuit in Greenland

Study objective: Previous studies of blood pressure among the Inuit have given inconsistent results and studies comparing Inuit migrants with those living in traditional Inuit areas are absent. The purpose of the study was to compare the blood pressure of the Inuit in Greenland with that of Inuit migrants in Denmark. Design: Questionnaire, interview, and clinical examination in a cross sectional random population sample. Setting: A population based survey among Inuit in Greenland and Inuit migrants in Denmark. Participants: 2046 Inuit aged ≥18, 61% of the sample. Main results: Age and gender adjusted blood pressures were 117/72 mm Hg in Greenland and 127/81 mm Hg among the migrants (p<0.001). In both populations, blood pressure increased with age and body mass index, and was higher among men and non-smokers. In Greenland, blood pressure increased with the level of school education. The associations with Inuit heritage, alcohol, diet, and physical activity were not significant. The difference between the two populations persisted after adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, education, and smoking. Among those who had completed high school, there was no difference between the systolic blood pressure of the two populations while the difference for diastolic blood pressure was much less than for those with less education. Conclusions: Blood pressure was lower among the Inuit in Greenland than among the Inuit migrants in Denmark but the difference was absent (systolic pressure) or reduced (diastolic pressure) among the better educated. The results suggest that the blood pressure of the Inuit, especially Inuit men, may be responsive to factors related to the modern Western way of life.
Characterization of immune complexes containing cytomegalovirus‐specific IgM antibodies following a kidney graft

In order to demonstrate the viral specificity of IgM‐containing immune complexes (IgM‐CIC) detected by a C1q assay in renal allograft recipients developing a CMV infection, a technique is described allowing: (1) the dissociation of IgM‐CIC by action of an acid buffer, and (2) the characterization of the viral specificity of IgM antibodies released by this treatment. This step was performed by ELISA and Western Blot.
Postmenopausal osteoporosis is more related to hormonal aberrations than to lifestyle factors

Serum insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1) decreases with increasing age and this process is more pronounced in women after the menopause in parallel with the increasing prevalence of osteoporosis. This study was designed to compare IGF‐1 concentrations, vitamin D, intact parathyroid hormone (PTH) and lifestyle factors in postmenopausal, osteoporotic women with and without oestrogen replacement therapy (HRT), with an age‐matched random population sample of women.
Experimental Yersinia enterocolitica infection in mice: Kinetics of growth

Infection of several strains of laboratory mice with a virulent strain of Yersinia enterocolitica was followed by performing viable bacterial counts on homogenates of selected tissues at intervals after intragastric, aerogenic, or intravenous infection. It is observed that CD-1 mice are more susceptible to Y. enterocolitica infection than either the C57B1/6 or B6D2 strains. Development of an enteric infection is dose dependent; less than 5 × 107 organisms by mouth yields sporadic, low levels of systemic infection, with many of the animals showing no apparent infection. Increasing the challenge inoculum by a factor of 10 eliminates the variability among the animals, giving rise to an enteric infection in all of the mice that moves quickly to the mesenteric lymph node. The bacterial population in the lymph node multiplies rapidly, and the infection is disseminated to the spleen, liver, and lungs, ultimately killing most of the animals. Exposure to an aerogenic challenge of less than 1,000 organisms resulted in a fulminating pneumonitis with an invariably fatal outcome. Intravenous challenge with 500 organisms caused a rapidly fatal, systemic infection. The growth of the bacteria in the intravenously infected mouse depends upon the temperature at which the challenge inoculum had been grown in vitro. At temperatures below 26 C, the bacteria are cleared from the blood at a slower rate and are more resistant to intracellular killing, as compared to organisms grown at 37 C. This effect results in the inoculum increasing to greater numbers in the tissues in a shorter period of time.
Physicochemical Basis for the Inhibitory Effects of Organic and Inorganic Salts on the Growth of Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum and Pectobacterium atrosepticum

ABSTRACT Twenty-one salts were tested for their effects on the growth of Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum and Pectobacterium atrosepticum. In liquid medium, 11 salts (0.2 M) exhibited strong inhibition of bacterial growth. The inhibitory action of salts relates to the water-ionizing capacity and the lipophilicity of their constituent ions.
Current aspects of hearing loss from occupational and leisure noise

Hearing loss from occupational and leisure noise numbers amongst the most frequent causes of an acquired sensorineural hearing loss. Here we present a review of up-to-date findings on the pathophysiology of acoustic injury to the inner ear, with special attention being paid to its molecular-biological and genetic aspects. Epidemiological aspects shall also be dealt with, as shall the roles of lacking recovery from occupational noise due to additional exposure by leisure noise and the combined exposure of noise and chemicals. Based on the epidemiological and pathophysiological findings and against the background of published animal-experimental, pre-clinical and clinical findings, the various approaches for prevention, protection and therapeutic intervention with acoustic trauma are discussed. Pharmacological strategies involving anti-oxidative, anti-excitotoxic and anti-apoptotic substances as well as non-pharmacological strategies like "sound conditioning" are given attention. Furthermore, systemic and local substance application as well as the therapy of acute acoustic trauma and chronic hearing problems (including modern therapy forms for comorbidities such as tinnitus) shall be delved into.
Prognostic significance of tumorigenic cells with mesenchymal features in pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

BACKGROUND Specific populations of highly tumorigenic cells are thought to exist in many human tumors, including pancreatic adenocarcinoma. However, the clinical significance of these tumor-initiating (ie, cancer stem) cells remains unclear. Aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity can identify tumor-initiating cells and normal stem cells from several human tissues. We examined the prognostic significance and functional features of ALDH expression in pancreatic adenocarcinoma. METHODS ALDH expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in 269 primary surgical specimens of pancreatic adenocarcinoma and examined for association with clinical outcomes and in paired primary tumors and metastatic lesions from eight pancreatic cancer patients who had participated in a rapid autopsy program. The clonogenic growth potential of ALDH-positive pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells was assessed in vitro by a colony formation assay and by tumor growth in immunodeficient mice (10-14 mice per group). Mesenchymal features of ALDH-positive pancreatic tumor cells were examined by using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and an in vitro cell invasion assay. Gene expression levels and the invasive potential of ADLH-positive pancreatic cancer cells relative to the bulk cell population were examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and an in vitro invasion assays, respectively. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS ALDH-positive tumor cells were detected in 90 of the 269 primary surgical specimens, and their presence was associated with worse survival (median survival for patients with ALDH-positive vs ALDH-negative tumors: 14 vs 18 months, hazard ratio of death = 1.28, 95% confidence interval = 1.02 to 1.68, P = .05). Six (75%) of the eight patients with matched primary and metastatic tumor samples had ALDH-negative primary tumors, and in four (67%) of these six patients, the matched metastatic lesions (located in liver and lung) contained ALDH-positive cells. ALDH-positive cells were approximately five- to 11-fold more clonogenic in vitro and in vivo compared with unsorted or ALHD-negative cells, expressed genes consistent with a mesenchymal state, and had in vitro migratory and invasive potentials that were threefold greater than those of unsorted cells. CONCLUSIONS ALDH expression marks pancreatic cancer cells that have stem cell and mesenchymal features. The enhanced clonogenic growth and migratory properties of ALDH-positive pancreatic cancer cells suggest that they play a key role in the development of metastatic disease that negatively affects the overall survival of patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
EXTRAVASCULAR LOCAL COOLING OF THE BRAIN IN MAN.

W 'nEN we cool the homeothermic brain of man, we disturb its functions. In exchange for an improved ability to withstand ischemia, we hazard the little known factors of abnormal survival at subnormal temperatures. These hazards increase in direct proportion to the depth, duration and extent of cooling. The metabolic and cardiovascular dangers of surface cooling of the whole body below 30~ and the technical complexities of perfusion techniques are well known, s,l~ Bearing in mind that even the most specialized individual tissues are able to survive near freezing temperatures, it would appear that it is not the actual process of cooling the tissues that is hazardous, but rather it is the sequence of physiological changes in various parts of the body in response to cold. 2,6,H,~3 The recognition of these facts has led to the development of local cooling as an attempt to by-pass the general effects of hypothermia, particularly when deep hypothermia is required; i.e., in the terminology of Bigelow, 2 temperatures below ~8~ Fig. 1 is a suggested classification of hypothermia which will serve to guide our use of terms in this report. Local cooling of the nervous system has been achieved in animals by a number of workers 9,24,25,30,34,42 using pervascular methods. In man, a few reports using such methods also have appeared. 2~ However, extravascular local cooling has not, to our knowledge, received sufficient attention. In another study we have reviewed the earlier work in this field and reported our results with local extravascular cooling in animals? 9 I t was emphasized there that the pioneer observations of Trendelenburg 39-41 in 1910
La migración indígena intermunicipal en el estado de México

Esta investigacion analiza el proceso de migracion indigena intermunicipal en el estado de Mexico que ha originado en las dos ultimas decadas la reduccion, desaparicion y nacimiento de nuevas localidades y favorecido el deterioro de las condiciones de vida rural en la entidad. Con base en resultados censales y entrevistas a profundidad a migrantes internos, se construye un modelo logit que evalua el efecto que tienen diversas variables municipales sobre la decision de migrar: el costo de la migracion, el nivel de ingreso salarial, la productividad per capita y el capital humano. Los resultados muestran que el ingreso salarial tiene impacto negativo y el capital humano positivo sobre la decision de moverse hacia otros municipios. Esto verifica que mientras las condiciones socioeconomicas, el empleo y las retribuciones no mejoren en las comunidades rurales, la poblacion seguira moviendose hacia las areas urbanas de la entidad y presumiblemente hacia otras entidades.
Detecting spontaneous collaboration in dynamic group activities from noisy individual activity data

This paper investigates the problem of recognizing activities and dynamic ad-hoc collaboration involving multiple users. Thus, we consider people performing various predominantly physical, compound activities in a smart environment (which includes personal/wearable devices). In this case, being “compound” means that the activity can be decomposed into primitive (atomic) actions that are executed by individual users. We investigate how noisy recognition of the atomic actions of individual users can be used to identify instances of cooperation at the level of the compound activities. To this end, we first introduce a hierarchical tree plan library model for activity representation. Using this new model we developed an algorithm, which allows detecting of ad-hoc team interaction without any further knowledge about roles or preliminary designed tasks. We evaluate the model and algorithm “post-mortem” with data extracted from video footage of a real nurse-emergency-training session and with increasing difficulties by artificially adding recognition-errors.
On the centrality of complex human disease network

The glossary centrality means a function in which a numerical value C(v) is assigned to every node in a network. The conception is used to rank the nodes and is helpful to identify important nodes in networks. Generally, there are many different centrality measures, and use them together might more helpful. Thus, several familiar centrality measures are compared and then applied to a high-quality disease network of human. We first check the basal network properties of the disease network, and then give the centrality analysis of the network in the present work.
Identification of Two New Proteins in Spermidine Nucleoids Isolated from Escherichia coli

ABSTRACT The Escherichia coli nucleoid contains DNA in a condensed but functional form. Analysis of proteins released from isolated spermidine nucleoids after treatment with DNase I reveals significant amounts of two proteins not previously detected in wild-type E. coli. Partial amino-terminal sequencing has identified them as the products of rdgC andyejK. These proteins are strongly conserved in gram-negative bacteria, suggesting that they have important cellular roles.
A novel method for the cross‐sectional TEM preparation of thin films deposited onto water‐soluble substrates

A preparational method was developed solving the problem of cross‐sectional TEM preparation of thin films and layer systems deposited onto water‐soluble substrates. The technique is based on the replacement of the sample onto steady substrate, followed by mechanical and ion beam thinning. Cross‐sectional TEM micrographs of Ag and Ag/Ag2Se layers are shown presenting the efficiency of this novel technique. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Critical Appraisal of Observational Designs.

Although the randomized controlled trial (RCT) is generally identified as the most rigorous of the study designs for an individual research study, it is often impractical, impossible, or unethical to randomly assign subjects to exposure groups for study purposes. Useful alternatives to the experimental design of the RCT include the various observational designs. With observational designs, investigators observe subjects in their naturally occurring groups rather than assigning them to groups. Observational designs can be categorized as prospective or retrospective in nature. Among observational designs, the concurrent cohort study is a classic example of a prospective approach, whereas the case‐control and historical cohort designs take a retrospective approach. The cohort and case‐control study designs are less rigorous than the RCT but may offer more “real world” results, and therefore have their place in health research. In addition, these studies often provide the initial evidence to substantiate conducting an RCT. For that reason, it is important for physician assistants (PAs) to recognize the inherent strengths and limitations of observational studies. The aim of this article is to provide anoverview of cohort and case‐control designs and to discuss the inherent strengths and limitations of each design that need to be considered in their critical appraisal.
Recent advance in antiplatelet therapy: The mechanisms, evidence and approach to the problems

Antiplatelet therapy has been established as a preventive medicine for ischemic cardiovascular diseases both at acute and chronic phases. This therapy is also crucial for the prevention of thrombotic events after coronary stent implantation. So far, many lines of clinical evidence have demonstrated the beneficial effects of aspirin (an irreversible cyclooxygenase inhibitor) and thienopyridine derivatives (adenosine diphosphate (ADP)‐receptor P2Y12 inhibitors). Recently, it has been reported that the cardiovascular risk is elevated in patients with platelets resistant to these drugs, compared to the good responders. One of the current problems to be solved in antiplatelet therapy is to find out patients resistant to the antiplatelet therapy and improve its preventive effects. In addition to aspirin and thienopyridines, several types of drugs with antiplatelet effects are currently available in clinical practice. Clinical evidence has recently been accumulating for these drugs that can be potential alternatives in patients with aspirin or thienopyridine resistance. In this review, the mechanisms, evidence and approach to the present problems of drugs with antiplatelet effects are discussed.
Brain activity underlying stereotyped and non‐stereotyped retrieval of learned stimulus–response associations

When humans retrieve learned stimulus–response associations in a stereotyped manner the necessary brain structures may differ from those required when the same associations must be retrieved and adapted to new circumstances. We tested this hypothesis by means of tasks that resembled those employed in monkeys, using positron emission tomography (PET). Stimuli consisted of abstract two‐dimensional shapes. Stereotyped retrieval of learned stimulus–response associations was studied by the use of a concurrent discrimination task with fixed pairing. This was contrasted with conditions requiring retrieval and adaptation of learned associations: forced‐choice recognition, response reversal and concurrent discrimination with random pairing. Visuomotor control, passive viewing and fixation conditions were also included. During concurrent discrimination with fixed pairing, the left lower precentral gyrus and rostral anterior cingulate demonstrated higher blood flow levels in comparison with recognition, concurrent discrimination with random pairing, and to a lesser degree, response reversal. In the left lower precentral gyrus these blood flow levels were also higher in comparison with control conditions. Conversely, during recognition, concurrent discrimination with random pairing and reversal, a single region within the right inferior frontal gyrus demonstrated higher blood flow levels in comparison with concurrent discrimination with fixed pairing and control conditions. This right inferior frontal gyrus activation did not depend on the need for active familiarity judgements or response inhibition. To conclude, the left lower precentral gyrus is more active during stereotyped retrieval of learned stimulus–response associations and the right inferior prefrontal cortex is more active when a learned stimulus–response association must be retrieved and adapted to new circumstances.
Multimodel identification of discrete-time nonlinear singularly perturbed system

Several physical systems are regarded as singularly perturbed systems. Therefore, it is necessary to determine models for these systems to facilitate their study. Whereas, identification problem of such systems is rarely evocated in literature. So, we propose in this work to identify the discrete-time nonlinear singularly perturbed systems using the uncoupled state multimodel approach. This approach is an effective method for modeling complex processes such as nonlinear systems. A numerical example given satisfactory results is presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed identification method.
Social cardboard: Pretotyping a social ethnodroid in the wild

Pretotyping is a set of techniques, tools, and metrics for gauging the interest in a product, prior to full-scale development [1]. This late breaking report describes a pretotyping case study of an ethnodroid - a robot that functions as an ethnographer - intended to engage with young children and record their learning progress. The central requirement for the project is that the robot will be able to interact socially with children aged 1-6 years in tablet-based tasks. We developed a simple robot made of MDF (thick cardboard), added tablets for the face and torso, and controlled a scripted interaction using Wizard of Oz (WoZ). Children's engagement with the robot was tested in an early learning centre which provided a relatively structured environment (“in the lab”) and at a science fair which provided a relatively unconstrained setting (“in the wild”). The rapid testing revealed distinct effects in the children's attitudes and behaviors in the two user contexts and provided insights into form, sensors and analyses for the design process.
Multiarray Micromachined Probe for Turbulence Measurements Assembled of Suspended Hot-Film Sensors

To meet the need to access experimentally the full tensor of velocity derivatives at smallest scales of turbulent flows, we developed, fabricated, and tested an out-of-plane micromachined hot-film sensor that has a suspended 100-nm thick sensing element. We present a unique multiarray hot-film probe as an assembly of five arrays of four sensors each. Experimental results demonstrate the improved resolution of the sensor compared with a conventional hot-wire and to a nonsuspended version of such a sensor. A simple and clear method for sensor spatial resolution evaluation is also discussed.
Peptide transport and chemotaxis in Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium: characterization of the dipeptide permease (Dpp) and the dipeptide‐binding protein

The dipeptide permease (Dpp) is one of three genetically distinct peptide‐transport systems in enteric bacteria. Dpp also plays a role in chemotaxis towards peptides. We have devised three selections for dpp mutations based on resistance to toxic peptides (bacilysin, valine‐containing peptides, and biala‐phos). All dpp mutations mapped to a single chromosomal locus between 77 and 78 min in Salmonella typhimurium and at 79.2 min in Escherichia coli. Expression of dpp was constitutive in both species but the absolute level of expression varied widely between strains. At least in part this difference in expression levels is determined by c/s‐acting sequences. The dpp locus of E. coli was cloned. The first gene in the operon, dppA, encodes a periplasmic dipeptide‐binding protein (DBP) required for dipeptide transport and chemotaxis. Downstream of dppA are other genes required for transport but not for chemotaxis. The dipeptide‐binding protein was found to share 26.5% sequence identity with the periplasmic oligopeptide‐binding protein OppA.