Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Osteoporotic Fractures in Postmenopausal Women

To the Editor: The primary outcome results that Lv and colleagues presented indicate that serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels were significantly (P < .001) lower in participants with hip fracture than those of controls, suggesting that vitamin D insufficiency might contribute to the pathophysiology of fractures in postmenopausal women. We believe that the study results and interpretations would have been more meaningful if estrogen hormone replacement therapy (HRT) had been taken into account in the analysis. The article came did not address how many, or if any at all, of the subjects were undergoing HRT. It has been known for decades that menopause and its accompanying estrogen deficiency is associated with osteoporosis. Systemic HRT has been shown to increase bone mineral density and significantly decrease fracture risk. After discontinuation of systemic HRT, women may experience an increase in rate of bone loss, most notably during the first years, as well as an increase in fracture risk. The Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) Hormone Trials reported the antifracture efficacy of exogenous estrogen. Estrogen in the form of conjugated equine estrogen with or without a progestin significantly reduces fractures. Although the risk reductions were attenuated in both trials after the intervention, a significant protection against hip fracture persisted over a longer period with estrogen. A recent metaanalysis 7 of 28 studies that included 33,426 participants and 2,516 fracture cases, HRT was associated with lower risk of fracture, with a possible attenuation of this protection effect after HRT was stopped. Some studies indicate that fracture risk in postmenopausal women might depend on estrogen level. Despite the strong evidence supporting a role of exogenous estrogen in the treatment or prevention of osteoporotic fractures, it is not widely used or recommended because of the overall risks.
The Status of Telestroke in the United States: A Survey of Currently Active Stroke Telemedicine Programs

Background and Purpose Little is known about adoption or success of telestroke networks outside of published or federally funded programs. Under contract to the Health Resource Services Administration, we conducted an environmental scan of telestroke programs in the United States. Methods An analyst contacted all potential programs identified in comprehensive online searches, interviewed respondents, and collected response data about structural and functional components of currently operating telestroke programs. Results Among 97 potential programs contacted, 56 programs had confirmed telestroke activity, and 38 programs (68%) from 27 states participated. Hospital and community characteristics of nonparticipating programs were similar to those of participating ones. The top 3 clinical needs met by the telestroke were emergency department consultation (100%), patient triage (83.8%), and inpatient teleconsultation (46.0%). Telestroke programs were in operation a median of 2.44 years (interquartile range, 1.36–3.44 years); 94.6% used 2-way, real-time interactive video plus imaging, but only 44% used dedicated telemedicine consultation software. The mean number of spokes per hub increased significantly from 2007 to 2008 to 2009 (3.78 versus 7.60; P<0.05), and >80% of spoke sites were rural or small hospitals. Reimbursement was absent for >40% of sites. Sites rated inability to obtain physician licensure (27.77%), lack of program funds (27.77%), and lack of reimbursement (19.44%) as the most important barriers to program growth. Conclusions Telestroke is a widespread and growing practice model. Important barriers to expansion amenable to change relate to organizational, technical, and educational domains and external economic and regulatory forces.
The politics of presidential illness

Abstract This paper assesses the likelihood that the Iran-Contra scandal was shaped heavily by the effects of Ronald Reagan's cancer surgery in summer, 1985. During the President's hospitalization and in the period soon after, he took several actions—which he apparently did not remember—that launched a policy that was unwise, counterproductive, and a failure. These damaged both his Administration and his standing in history. The 25th Amendment afforded Reagan the means by which his involvement in these events could easily have been avoided. However, the President and his aides determined that he would resume the powers and duties of the presidency only hours after undergoing extensive cancer surgery. This decision contributed materially to the most damaging episode of Reagan's eight-year presidency.
Development and application of a health-related quality-of-life instrument for adults with cochlear implants: The Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: The goal was to develop a quantifiable, self-assessment health-related quality of life (QoL) instrument for use in cochlear implant (CI) users. DESIGN: Three principal domains were distinguished: physical, psychological, and social. Forty-five postlingually deaf adult multichannel CI users and 46 deaf candidates on the waiting list for CIs (control group) participated in the study. RESULTS: Retrospective scores for the CI group corresponded very well with the scores for the control group. Current QoL scores were substantially higher for all 6 subdomains. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability coefficients proved to be satisfactory, and the ability to detect clinical changes with the Nijmegen Cochlear Implantation Questionnaire (NCIQ) proved to be good. CONCLUSIONS: The psychometric characteristics of the NCIQ proved to be reliable and probably valid and sensitive to clinical changes. The data obtained with the NCIQ reflected that the instrument was able to detect that a CI had significant effects on several health-related QoL aspects, including the social and psychological domains.
The neo-Luddite's lament: excessive upgrades in the software industry

We examine two reasons why a monopoly supplier of software may introduce more upgrades than is socially optimal when the upgrade is backward but not forward compatible, so users who upgrade reduce others' network benefits. One explanation involves a commitment problem: profits and social welfare may suffer because ex post the monopolist will want to sell the upgraded product to new consumers. The second involves consumer heterogeneity. Here oversupply arises from the difference between the externality that upgrades impose on the marginal and average consumer, and from the effect of upgrades on sales of the base good.
Output feedback Parametric Controllers for an Active Valve Train Actuation System

The first commercial camless car engines featuring continuously variable valve timing are expected to be available by 2010 to meet the strict legislation on NOx and COx emissions. A key factor for the development of this technology is the design of controllers that can maintain accurate signal tracking in the presence of variations in engine parameters and running conditions. Towards this direction, we present a control design methodology and a new control implementation of an advanced optimizing parametric controller (Parco) for a research active valve train system at Lotus Engineering. The controller is based on a mathematical model for the active valve train and is derived off-line using novel parametric programming techniques. The simple explicit form of the controller enables its implementation on the currently available commercial microprocessor with sampling times of 0.1 ms. Simulation and experimental results demonstrated the superiority of the parametric controller in comparison with a conventional proportional derivative (PD) control scheme
Emotions and Interactive Agents

Research regarding the manners in which the efficiency of human-computer interactions can be improved has increased over the last decade. Avatars, as animated software agents, represented a new paradigm for this field. In this paper we present a computer model of emotions that can be easily integrated in an avatar-based interaction context. Enhanced with the emotion model the avatars manifest an expressive behavior, ultimately influenced by their personality definitions. Interaction is facilitated by the emotional feedback user receives through the full body behavior of the avatar determined on its overall emotional state
Modelling of Microshocks Associated With High-Voltage Equipment

Bodies close to high-voltage equipment may experience discharges to metallic objects at ground potential if they are not grounded themselves. A tool which is able to predict the occurrence of such events would provide considerable benefit to transmission network operators. In this study, models of microshocks are developed. Laboratory measurements coupling a high-voltage overhead line to a simple model of a human body are compared to the predictions of a commercially available software package. The software, called current distribution, electromagnetic fields, grounding, and soil structure analysis, is widely used in the power industry. The experimental measurement of the potential of the floating body is complex because of the high field in which it sits, and this is also discussed. The software is found to represent the measured data in the simple cases examined to within 10%, and is found to be satisfactory as a platform for further development.
Travelers' diarrhea in Mexico. A prospective study of physicians and family members attending a congress.

We conducted a prospective study of travelers' diarrhea on 73 physicians and 48 family members attending a medical congress in Mexico City, in October, 1974. Fecal and blood specimens were collected before, during and after their visit and examined for enteric bacterial pathogens, viruses and parasites. In 59 (49 per cent) participants travelers' diarrhea developed. Median duration of illness was five days. Onset occurred a median of six days after arrival. An etiologic agent was found in 63 per cent of ill participants. Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli of different, non-"enteropathogenic" serotypes was the most common cause; other responsible pathogens included salmonellae, invasive Esch. coli. , shigellae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Giardia lamblia and the human reovirus-like agent. Consumption of salads containing raw vegetables was associated with enterotoxigenic Esch. coli infection (P = 0.014). Travelers' diarrhea in Mexico is a syndrome caused by a variety of pathogens, the most common of which is enterotoxigenic Esch. col.
Group decision method for internet public opinion emergency with linguistic preference

In this paper, a group decision method is proposed to deal with internet public opinion emergency involved with multiple linguistic preference values. First each emergency expert compares all the candidate emergency plans to obtain the corresponding linguistic preference matrix. Then the adjusted decision weight of each expert can be calculated by the similarity measure between each expert's linguistic preference matrix and group judgement matrix. Finally, by fuzzy linguistic weighted aggregation operator we can get the collective preference degree of each internet public opinion emergency plan and select the most optimal one.
Proteobacterial ArfA Peptides Are Synthesized from Non-stop Messenger RNAs*

Background: The Escherichia coli ArfA peptide mediates alternative ribosome rescue. Results: Proteobacterial arfA transcripts lack in-frame stop codons, leading to ssrA tagging and degradation of ArfA peptides. Conclusion: ArfA synthesis from non-stop mRNA is conserved, ensuring that alternative rescue is regulated by tmRNA. Significance: The alternative ribosome rescue pathway acts as a failsafe to the tmRNA system in bacteria that contain arfA homologues. The translation of non-stop mRNA (which lack in-frame stop codons) represents a significant quality control problem for all organisms. In eubacteria, the transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA) system facilitates recycling of stalled ribosomes from non-stop mRNA in a process termed trans-translation or ribosome rescue. During rescue, the nascent chain is tagged with the tmRNA-encoded ssrA peptide, which promotes polypeptide degradation after release from the stalled ribosome. Escherichia coli possesses an additional ribosome rescue pathway mediated by the ArfA peptide. The E. coli arfA message contains a hairpin structure that is cleaved by RNase III to produce a non-stop transcript. Therefore, ArfA levels are controlled by tmRNA through ssrA-peptide tagging and proteolysis. Here, we examine whether ArfA homologues from other bacteria are also regulated by RNase III and tmRNA. We searched 431 arfA coding sequences for mRNA secondary structures and found that 82.8% of the transcripts contain predicted hairpins in their 3′-coding regions. The arfA hairpins from Haemophilus influenzae, Proteus mirabilis, Vibrio fischeri, and Pasteurella multocida are all cleaved by RNase III as predicted, whereas the hairpin from Neisseria gonorrhoeae functions as an intrinsic transcription terminator to generate non-stop mRNA. Each ArfA homologue is ssrA-tagged and degraded when expressed in wild-type E. coli cells, but accumulates in mutants lacking tmRNA. Together, these findings show that ArfA synthesis from non-stop mRNA is a conserved mechanism to regulate the alternative ribosome rescue pathway. This strategy ensures that ArfA homologues are only deployed when the tmRNA system is incapacitated or overwhelmed by stalled ribosomes.
Alien hand syndrome

A 47-year-old right-handed man presented with sudden onset of left-sided weakness and incoordination of his left hand. The patient stated that he was not able to operate his left hand appropriately (video E-1). On examination, he had mild weakness in his left arm and leg. When asked to perform tasks with his right hand, his left hand would imitate the other (video E-2). An MRI showed acute ischemic strokes of the right parietal …
Smad and p 38-MAPK signaling mediates apoptotic effects of transforming growth factor-1 in human airway epithelial cells

Undevia, Nidhi S. , Delbert R. Dorscheid, Bertha A. Marroquin, Wendy L. Gugliotta, Roberta Tse, and Steven R. White. Smad and p38-MAPK signaling mediates apoptotic effects of transforming growth factor1 in human airway epithelial cells. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 287: L515–L524, 2004. First published May 7, 2004; 10.1152/ajplung.00044. 2004. —Transforming growth factor1 (TGF1) belongs to a family of multifunctional cytokines that regulate a variety of biological processes, including cell differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis. The effects of TGF1 are cell context and cell cycle specific and may be signaled through several pathways. We examined the effect of TGF1 on apoptosis of primary human central airway epithelial cells and cell lines. TGF1 protected human airway epithelial cells from apoptosis induced by either activation of the Fas death receptor (CD95) or by corticosteroids. This protective effect was blocked by inhibition of the Smad pathway via overexpression of inhibitory Smad7. The protective effect is associated with an increase in the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 and was blocked by the overexpression of key gatekeeper cyclins for the G1/S interface, cyclins D1 and E. Blockade of the Smad pathway by overexpression of the inhibitory Smad7 permitted demonstration of a TGF-mediated proapoptotic pathway. This proapoptotic effect was blocked by inhibition of the p38 MAPK kinase signaling with the inhibitor SB-203580 and was associated with an increase in p38 activity as measured by a kinase assay. Here we demonstrate dual signaling pathways involving TGF1, an antiapoptotic pathway mediated by the Smad pathway involving p21, and an apoptosispermissive pathway mediated in part by p38 MAPK.
Road Vehicle Recognition in Monocular Images

This paper describes a monocular vision-based Vehicle Recognition System in which the basic components of road vehicles are first located in the image and then combined with a SVM-based classifier. The challenge is to use a single camera as input. This poses the problem of vehicle detection and recognition in real, cluttered road images. A distributed learning approach is proposed in order to better deal with vehicle variability, illumination conditions, partial occlusions and rotations. The vehicle searching area in the image is constrained to the limits of the lanes, which are determined by the road lane markings. By doing so, the rate of false positive detections is largely decreased. A large database containing thousands of vehicle examples extracted from real road images has been created for learning purposes. We present and discuss the results achieved up to date.
Temperature Dependence of Photosynthesis in Agropyron smithii Rydb. : III. Responses of Protoplasts and Intact Chloroplasts.

Protoplasts and intact chloroplasts isolated from Agropyron smithii Rybd. were utilized in an effort to determine the limiting factor(s) for photosynthesis at supraoptimal temperatures. Saturated CO(2)-dependent O(2) evolution had a temperature optimum of 35 degrees C for both protoplasts and intact chloroplasts. A sharp decline in activity was observed as assay temperature was increased above 35 degrees C, and at 45 degrees C only 20% of the maximal rate remained. The temperature optimum for 3-phosphoglycerate reduction by intact chloroplasts was 35 degrees C. Above this temperature, 3-phosphoglycerate reduction was more stable than CO(2)-dependent O(2) evolution. Reduction of nitrite in coupled intact chloroplasts had a temperature optimum of 40 degrees C with only slight variation in activity between 35 degrees C and 45 degrees C. Reduction of nitrite in uncoupled chloroplasts had a temperature optimum of 40 degrees C, but increasing the assay temperature to 45 degrees C resulted in a complete loss of activity. Reduction of p-benzoquinone by protoplasts and intact chloroplasts had a temperature optimum of 32 degrees C when measured in the presence of dibromothymoquinone. This photosystem II activity exhibited a strong inhibition of O(2) evolution as assay temperature increased above the optimum. It is concluded that, below the temperature optimum, ATP and reductant were not limiting photosynthesis in these systems or intact leaves. Above the temperature optimum, photosynthesis in these systems is limited in part by the phosphorylation potential of the stromal compartment and not by the available reductant.
A measure of progress in fold recognition?

We present a retrospective analysis of CASP3 threading predictions, applying evaluation and assessment criteria used at CASP2. Our purpose is twofold. First, we wish to ask whether measures of model accuracy are comparable between CASP3 and CASP2, even though they have been calculated differently. We find that these quantities are effectively the same, and that either may be used to compare model accuracy. Secondly, we wish to assess progress in fold recognition by comparing the numbers of CASP2 and CASP3 models that cross specific accuracy thresholds. We find that the number of accurate models at CASP3 drops sharply as the targets become more difficult, with less extensive similarity to known structures, exactly the pattern seen at CASP2. CASP3 teams do not seem to have predicted accurate models for targets of greater difficulty, and for a given difficulty range the best CASP3 models seem no more accurate than the best models at CASP2. At CASP3, however, we find greater numbers of accurate models for medium‐difficulty targets, with extensive similarity to a known structure but no shared sequence motifs. Threading methods would appear to have become more reliable for modeling based on remote evolutionary relationships. Proteins Suppl 1999;3:218–225. Published 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
2,3-Butanedione monoxime preserves coronary artery endothelium-dependent relaxation during myocardial ischemia in the isolated rat heart.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the potential benefit of 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM) in preserving endothelium-dependent coronary artery relaxation during myocardial ischemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS Langendorff-perfused rat heart model. Endothelium-dependent and independent relaxations were tested with infusion of 5-hydroxytryptamine (10(-6) mol/L) and sodium nitroprusside (10(-5) mol/L), respectively. Four groups of hearts (n = 6) were used. Group 1 was perfused with BDM (25 mmol/L) without ischemia for 30 mins. Group 2 was perfused for 10 mins with BDM and exposed to 30 mins of no flow ischemia (37 degrees C). Group 3 was perfused with cold (4 degrees C) nonoxygenated BDM (30 mins) and group 4 (control) was exposed to 30 mins of no flow ischemia alone. Left ventricular pressure (LVP), left ventricular pressure first derivative (dP/dt) and coronary basal flow were evaluated before treatment and after 30 mins of reperfusion. RESULTS BDM perfusion alone (group 1) did not affect coronary reactivity. Preservation of endothelium-dependent and -independent relaxation was significantly enhanced after ischemia in groups 2 and 3 (BDM-treated) compared with group 4 (control). No significant benefit was found regarding LVP and dP/dt in all groups. Postreperfusion coronary flow was decreased in all hearts except the controls (group 4), suggesting a residual BDM intrinsic effect on coronary flow. CONCLUSION These experiments suggest that BDM can enhance preservation of coronary artery endothelium-dependent and -independent relaxation during myocardial ischemia in the isolated rat heart.
Clinical findings in 56 cows with toxic mastitis

The clinical, haematological, biochemical and bacteriological findings in 56 cows with toxic mastitis are described. In addition to acute mastitis, the most frequent clinical findings were tachycardia in 40 of the cows, anorexia or reduced appetite in 50, reduced ruminal and intestinal motility in 52 and no ruminal and intestinal motility in 39. The most important haematological and biochemical findings were a high haematocrit in 26 of the cows, leucopenia in 23 and a high concentration of urea in 31. In 27 of the cows the secretion of the affected mammary gland did not resemble milk. The most commonly isolated bacteria were Escherichia coli from 26 of the cows and Staphylococcus aureus from 11. Seven of the cows were investigated by an exploratory laparotomy because the principal sign was intestinal in origin, but no abnormalities were found. Seventeen of the cows were euthanased immediately after the diagnostic work, and 14 during the course of their treatment.
IELs: enforcing law and order in the court of the intestinal epithelium

Summary: The intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) are mostly T cells dispersed as single cells within the epithelial cell layer that surrounds the intestinal lumen. IELs are, therefore, strategically located at the interface between the antigen‐rich outside world and the sterile core of the body. The intestine of higher vertebrates has further evolved to harbor numerous commensal bacteria that carry out important functions for the host, and while defensive immunity can effectively protect against the invasion of pathogens, similar immune reactions against food‐derived antigens or harmless colonizing bacteria can result in unnecessary and sometimes damaging immune responses. Probably as a result of this unique dilemma imposed by the gut environment, multiple subsets of IEL have differentiated, which all display characteristics of ‘activated yet resting’ immune cells. Despite this common feature, IELs are heterogeneous with regard to their phenotype, ontogeny, and function. In this review, we discuss the different subtypes of IELs and highlight the distinct pathways they took that led to their unique differentiation into highly specialized effector memory T cells, which provide the most effective immune protection yet in a strictly regulated fashion to preserve the integrity and vital functions of the intestinal mucosal epithelium.