Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Positive impacts of environmental characteristics on health and wellbeing in health-care facilities: A review

Well-designed indoor environments can support people’s health and welfare. In this literature review, we identify the environmental features that affect human health and wellbeing. Environmental characteristics found to influence health outcomes and/or wellbeing included: environmental safety; indoor air quality (e.g. odour and temperature); sound and noise; premises and interior design (e.g. construction materials, viewing nature and experiencing nature, windows versus no windows, light, colours, unit layout and placement of the furniture, the type of room, possibilities to control environmental elements, environmental complexity and sensory simulations, cleanliness, ergonomics and accessibility, ‛‛wayfinding’’); art, and music, among others. Indoor environments that incorporate healing elements can, for instance, reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure, lessen pain and shorten hospital stays.
Smooth Pursuit Eye Movements of Schizophrenics and Normal People Under Stress

Summary Eye movements while watching an oscillating pendulum were recorded in 24 chronic schizophrenics and 24 matched normal controls. As others have reported previously, abnormal tracking movements were significantly commoner in the schizophrenics. However, in a series of experiments with normal subjects it was found that conditions designed to distract attention, or to produce declining arousal and attention, produced abnormal tracking movements indistinguishable from those observed in schizophrenics. As chronic schizophrenics are known to perform badly on a variety of psychomotor tasks and there is evidence that this is due to impaired attention or heightened distractibility, it seems likely that these same factors are responsible for their poor eye-tracking performance.
(18)F-FDG PET/CT and Melanoma: Staging, Immune Modulation and Mutation-Targeted Therapy Assessment, and Prognosis.

OBJECTIVE Monoclonal antibodies that target the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint protein and its associated ligands, PD-L1 and PD-L2, and targeted inhibitors of mutated signal transduction molecules such as BRAF inhibitors show immense promise in treating patients with melanoma. We discuss the use of (18)F-FDG PET/CT for assessing therapy effectiveness, staging advanced disease, and determining prognosis of patients with melanoma. CONCLUSION FDG PET/CT is useful in staging disease, assessing therapy, and determining prognosis in patients with melanoma.
Cardiac preconditioning with 4-h, 17°C ischemia reduces [Ca2+]i load and damage in part via KATP channel opening

Brief ischemia before normothermic ischemia protects hearts against reperfusion injury (ischemic preconditioning, IPC), but it is unclear whether it protects against long-term moderate hypothermic ischemia. We explored in isolated guinea pig hearts1) the influence of two 2-min periods of normothermic ischemia before 4 h, 17°C hypothermic ischemia on cardiac cytosolic [Ca2+], mechanical and metabolic function, and infarct size, and 2) the potential role of KATP channels in eliciting cardioprotection. We found that IPC before 4 h moderate hypothermia improved myocardial perfusion, contractility, and relaxation during normothermic reperfusion. Protection was associated with markedly reduced diastolic [Ca2+] loading throughout both hypothermic storage and reperfusion. Global infarct size was markedly reduced from 36 ± 2 (SE)% to 15 ± 1% with IPC. Bracketing ischemic pulses with 200 μM 5-hydroxydecanoic acid or 10 μM glibenclamide increased infarct size to 28 ± 3% and 26 ± 4%, respectively. These results sugge.
Clodronate treatment reduces serum levels of interleukin-6 soluble receptor in Paget's disease of bone.

OBJECTIVE Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and its soluble receptor (sIL-6R) stimulate osteoclast formation and activity. The primary cell abnormality in Paget's disease of bone (PDB) involves osteoclasts. Pagetic osteoclasts overproduce IL-6 and IL-6 receptor in vitro. In vivo, IL-6 serum levels are very high in the acute phase of PDB. The aim of this study was to evaluate the modification in the serum levels of IL-6, sIL-6R and osteotropic hormones (parathormone, 25OHD3 and 1,25(OH)2D3) as a in long-term response to clodronate treatment in patients with PDB. METHODS 16 patients (8 females) with polyostotic PDB were studied. IL-6, sIL-6R and osteotropic hormones serum levels were evaluated in active PDB and after clodronate treatment (300 mg injected intravenously for 5 consecutive days). The sequential changes in total alkaline phosphatase (tALP) serum levels were used to assess the maximal pharmacological response to treatment. RESULTS In untreated pagetic patients, mean serum levels of IL-6 (3.20+/-1.18 pg/ml) and sIL-6R (35.02+/-8.33 ng/ml) were significantly increased. Serum osteotropic hormone levels fell within the normal range. Eight weeks after treatment, the maximal pharmacological response to clodronate was associated with a significant reduction of sIL-6R serum levels in all patients, without a significant variation in serum IL-6 and osteotropic hormone levels. Moreover, we observed a correlation between lower sIL-6R serum levels before clodronate therapy and complete remission of PBD, defined as a decrease of tALP serum levels within the normal range. CONCLUSION The decrease in serum sIL-6R levels could be one of the molecular mechanisms that play a role in the clinical response to clodronate treatment in PDB.
Opioid Agonists Modulate Release of Neurotransmitters in Bovine Trachealis Muscle

Background Stimulation of opioid receptors in the airways can modulate cholinergic neurotransmission and thereby reduce bronchoconstriction. This protecting effect of opioids against bronchoconstriction may be of clinical interest. Inhalation of opioids as a method of analgesia is likely to result in an opioid concentration at airway receptors sufficient to protect against bronchoconstriction; the concentration may be insufficient when opioids are administered by conventional techniques. In addition, new selective opioids may be developed that could more selectively protect the airways against bronchoconstriction.
Tropical diseases: an unsolved challenge.

Tropical diseases are infectious diseases that are found predominantly in the tropics, where ecological and socioeconomic conditions facilitate their propagation. Climatic, social, and economic factors create environmental conditions that facilitate transmission, and the lack of resources prevents affected populations from obtaining effective prevention and adequate care. Tropical diseases are diseases of the poor, and investments in control and research to develop more effective intervention tools and strategies have been minimal. For some, however, effective intervention methods have been developed, and successful control has been achieved. This article focuses on tropical diseases such as Malaria, tuberculosis, leprosy, dengue and leishmaniasis. But from all these diseases Malaria, tuberculosis and leprosy yet not have effective means of control. Control strategies are being implemented at scale and have already achieved a major reduction in the burden of disease, and the causative agent has even been eliminated in some previously endemic areas. Those successes have not come easily, and much remains to be done to ensure complete and sustained control of the diseases. While dengue and leishmaniasis are serious diseases that the World Health Organization (WHO) characterizes as lacking effective control measures. All these diseases are targeted for elimination as a public health problem.
Pattern reconfigurable millimeter wave microstrip quasi-Yagi active antenna

A pattern reconfigurable microstrip quasi-Yagi active antenna is design by the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method in this paper. This antenna operates at 50GHz and its radiation patterns can be reconfigured by using four switchable states. The antenna can be applied to half-duplex communication and millimeter wave identification systems.
The causes and diagnosis of influenza-like illness.

BACKGROUND Influenza and other respiratory viruses circulate between spring and autumn in temperate climates and all year in tropical climates. These viruses cause symptoms often referred to as influenza-like illness (ILI), but are not generally distinguishable on clinical grounds alone. OBJECTIVE This article provides a brief review of the surveillance, viral causes and current diagnostic methods used to identify viruses causing ILI. DISCUSSION Influenza-like illness surveillance with laboratory support, conducted in most Australian stats and territories, aims to define the impact of influenza seasons in the community and provide virus strains that may be used in future vaccine formulations. Surveillance may also be useful in the early stages of an influenza pandemic. In addition to influenza, viruses known to cause ILI include respiratory syncytial virus, rhinovirus, adenovirus, parainfluenza viruses, human coronaviruses (including the virus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome) and the recently recognised human metapneumovirus. Polymerase chain reaction assays are the most common diagnostic tests now used for the differential diagnosis of ILI.
Comparison of Face Mask, Head Hood, and Canopy for Breath Sampling in Flow-Through Indirect Calorimetry to Measure Oxygen Consumption and Carbon Dioxide Production of Preterm Infants <1500 Grams

Complete sampling of expired air is essential for accurate O2 consumption(CO2 production) [VO2(VCO2)] measurements with flow-through indirect calorimetry. In preterm infants complete sampling is critical, because only low sampling flows can be used. The accuracy of the various breath sampling systems at low flows and their patient compatibility is untested. We therefore measured 1) the accuracy of VO2(VCO2) measurements with a face mask, a head hood, and a canopy in vitro at low sampling flows; 2) the effect of breathing on measurements with the face mask; and 3) the effect of breath sampling systems on activity and body temperature of preterm infants. VO2(VCO2) were measured with a Deltatrac II™. In vitro we used a methanol miniburner incorporated into a doll, which could simulate low VO2(VCO2) and tidal breathing. In vivo we studied seven preterm infants <1500 g. With the face mask VO2(VCO2) measurements were accurate at a flow of 3 L/min (error-1 ± 0.8%), when tidal volume was <15 mL/breath and the distance between mask and manikin <1 cm. With hood and canopy VO2(VCO2) were underestimated at a flow of 3 L/min (error -13± 1% and -14 ± 5%), and results were markedly influenced by body position. For accurate measurements, the hood needed a flow of 4.5 L/min, the canopy 8.3 L/min. In vivo the face mask did not increase heart rate, respiration, activity, or rectal temperature, but hood and canopy increased rectal temperature by 0.3-0.4°C. For VO2(VCO2) measurements in infants <1500 g, a face mask should be used, which is accurate at low flows and does not change body temperature. Accuracy at low flows and patient compatibility of breath sampling systems should be evaluated and reported for VO2(VCO2) measurements in preterm infants.
Detection of DNA gains and losses in primary endometrial carcinomas by comparative genomic hybridization

Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) was used in a retrospective analysis of chromosomal imbalances in frozen primary tumor specimens from 14 endometrial carcinoma patients. Chromosome changes were detected in nine cases (64%), and tumor stage and grade tended to parallel the degree of genomic imbalances. Gain of the entire long arm of chromosome I was observed in six cases (43%), three of which displayed only this chromosome change. Other common sites of copy number increases included 8q21 → qter (4 cases), 10p15 (4 cases), 10q11 → q24 (3 cases), and 13q21 → qter (3 cases, each with stage III disease). Two of the tumors with gains of chromosome 10 involved the whole chromosome, and this was the sole abnormality in one case. DNA amplification at 5p14 → p15 was identified in one specimen, a stage III tumor having numerous imbalances. DNA microsatellite analysis revealed multiple replication errors (RER), indicative of the RER+ phenotype, in four of 13 (31%) cases evaluated. The RER+ phenotype was observed in four of six stage Ia tumors but in none of seven stage Ib or stage III tumors. Multiple genomic imbalances detected by CGH were not observed in RER+ tumors but were detected in five of nine tumors without the RER+ phenotype. These investigations demonstrate the feasibility of CGH for the retrospective assessment of chromosomal changes in endometrial carcinoma specimens. Moreover, these data suggest that the etiologies in tumors with and without the RER+ phenotype may differ. Genes Chromosom. Cancer 18:115–125, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The role of apolipoprotein E polymorphisms in levodopa‐induced dyskinesia

Molchadski I, Korczyn AD, Cohen OS, Katzav A, Nitzan Z, Chapman J, Hassin‐Baer S. The role of apolipoprotein E polymorphisms in levodopa‐induced dyskinesia. Acta Neurol Scand: 2011: 123: 117–121. © 2010 John Wiley & Sons A/S.
Variable structure sliding mode control for a class of uncertain distributed parameter systems with time delay

This paper considers sliding mode control of a class of parabolic uncertain distributed parameter systems with time delay. A sufficient condition of asymptotic stability for the sliding motion is derived. The sliding mode controller is designed to drive the state trajectory of the system to the sliding manifold in finite time. A simulation example is presented to illustrate effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method.
Nonlocal effects in mesoscopic superconducting aluminum structures.

We have measured the magnetoresistanceR(B) and the magnetic phase boundariesT c (B) of a mesoscopic superconducting Al loop and of the leads connected to the loop. Pronounced oscillations with flux periodh/2e ofR(B) andT c (B) are observed for the loop as well as for the leads. At low magnetic fields the oscillation amplitude ΔT c (B) of the loop is suppressed when compared to the usual Little-Parks oscillations in Al microcylinders. With increasing magnetic field, ΔT c (B) for the loop rises to the theoretically expected value, while the nonlocal oscillations in the leads are dying out. The results can be understood in terms of a proximity effect coupling between the leads and the loop, which is weakened when the temperature dependent coherence length decreases.
Heparin increases exercise-induced collateral blood flow in rats with femoral artery ligation.

The potential for heparin to enhance the training-induced increase in collateral-dependent blood flow to the distal hind-limb muscles was evaluated after bilateral femoral artery ligation in adult male rats (approximately 350 g). Rats received either saline (n = 34) or heparin (n = 36) injections and were kept sedentary (limited to cage activity) or exercised on a treadmill 5 days per week up a 15% incline by one of two protocols: (1) exercise at a constant moderate speed (20 m/min) for approximately 6 wks or (2) exercise at a progressively increased speed for 7 to 8 weeks (started at 20 m/min, increased at 15 minutes to 25 m/min, and then increased at 30 minutes to 30 m/min). Heparin- and saline-treated rats, exercised by the moderate-speed protocol, were run for the same time each day. Collateral-dependent blood flow to the distal limb tissue was determined by using 15-microns 85Sr-labeled microspheres in an isolated hindquarter preparation perfused in the descending aorta at 100 mm Hg. For comparison with the above groups, sedentary animals with acute femoral artery ligation and without femoral obstruction were included. Exercise tolerance increased from approximately 7 minutes initially to 30 to 40 minutes per bout; tolerance was greater in the heparin-injected rats than in the saline-injected rats (P < .05). Muscle performance of the gastrocnemius-plantaris-soleus muscle group (GPS) during isometric contractions in situ improved with training, was further increased by heparin administration (P < .001), and generally scaled with recovery of blood flow. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Platelet Collagen Receptors

Summary Collagens are important platelet activators in the vascular subendothelium and vessel wall. Since the regulation of platelet activation is a key step in distinguishing normal haemostasis from pathological thrombosis, collagen interactions with platelets are important targets for pharmacological control. Platelets have two major receptors for collagens, the integrin α2 β1, with a major role in adhesion and platelet anchoring and the Ig superfamily member, GPVI, principally responsible for signalling and platelet activation. In addition, GPIb-V-IX, can be considered as an indirect collagen receptor acting via von Willebrand factor as bridging molecule and is essential for platelet interactions with collagen at high shear rates. There is some evidence for additional receptors, which may regulate the response to individual collagen types. This review discusses how these receptors work separately with specific agonists and proposes possible mechanisms for how they work together to regulate platelet activation by collagen, which remains controversial and poorly understood.
Destabilized green ̄ uorescent protein for monitoring dynamic changes in yeast gene expression with ̄ ow cytometry

Green ̄uorescent protein (GFP) has many advantages as a reporter molecule, but its stability makes it unsuitable for monitoring dynamic changes in gene expression, among other applications. Destabilized GFPs have been developed for bacterial and mammalian systems to counter this problem. Here, we extend such advances to the yeast model. We fused the PEST-rich 178 carboxyl-terminal residues of the G1 cyclin Cln2 to the C terminus of yEGFP3 (a yeastand FACS-optimized GFP variant), creating yEGFP3Cln2PEST. We tested the hybrid protein after integrating modules harbouring the yEGFP3 or yEGFP3±CLN2PEST ORFs into the Saccharomyces cerevisiae genome. yEGFP3± Cln2PEST had a markedly shorter half-life (tK) than yEGFP3; inhibition of protein synthesis with cycloheximide lead to a rapid decline in GFP content and ̄uorescence (tK y30 min) in cells expressing yEGFP3±Cln2PEST, whereas these parameters were quite stable in yEGFP3-expressing cells (tK y7 h). We placed yEGFP3±CLN2PEST under the control of the CUP1 promoter, which is induced only transiently by copper. This transience was readily discernible with yEGFP3±Cln2PEST, whereas yEGFP3 reported only on CUP1 switch-on, albeit more slowly than yEGFP3±Cln2PEST. Cell cycle-regulated transcriptional activation/inactivation of the CLN2 promoter was also discernible with yEGFP3± Cln2PEST, using cultures that were previously synchronized with nocodazole. In comparison to CLN2, expression from the ACT1 promoter was stable after release from nocodazole. We also applied a novel ̄ow-cytometric technique for cell cycle analysis with asynchronous cultures. The marked periodicities of CLN2 and CLB2 (mitotic cyclin) transcription were readily evident from cellular yEGFP3±Cln2PEST levels with this nonperturbing approach. The results represent the ®rst reported successful destabilization of a yeast±GFP. This new construct expands the range of GFP applications open to yeast workers. Copyright # 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Physical activity and bone measures in young children: the Iowa bone development study.

OBJECTIVES Physical activity has a beneficial effect on bone development in circumpubertal children, although its effect on younger children is uncertain. In this cross-sectional study, we examined associations between physical activity and bone measures in 368 preschool children (mean age: 5.2 years, range: 4-6 years). DESIGN Physical activity was measured using 4-day accelerometry readings, parental report of children's usual physical activity, and parental report of children's hours of daily television viewing. Total body and site-specific bone mineral content and area bone mineral density (BMD) were measured by dual energy radiograph absorptiometry. RESULTS After adjustment for age and body size, accelerometry measures of physical activity and parental report of usual physical activity were consistently and positively associated with bone mineral content and BMD in both boys and girls (r = 0.15-0.28). Television viewing was inversely associated with hip BMD in girls (r = -0.15). The proportion of variance in bone measures explained by physical activity in linear regression models ranged from r(2) = 1.5% to 9.0%. In all of these models except total body BMD, at least 1 and often several of the physical activity variables entered as independent predictors. Activity variables most likely to enter the regression models were vigorous physical activity (as determined by accelerometry) and parental ranking of child's usual physical activity. CONCLUSIONS Findings indicate that there are statistically significant and, perhaps important, associations between physical activity and bone measures during early childhood, well ahead of the onset of peak bone mass. This would suggest that intervention strategies to increase physical activity in young children could contribute to optimal bone development.
Disc Degeneration Affects the Multidirectional Flexibility of the Lumbar Spine

Study Design An in vitro biomechanical investigation using human lumbar cadaveric spine specimens was undertaken to determine any relationship between intervertebral disc degeneration and nonlinear multidirectional spinal flexibility. Summary of Background Data Previous clinical and biomechanical studies have not established conclusively such a relationship. Methods Forty-seven discs from 12 whole lumbar spina specimens were studied under the application of flexion-extension, axial rotation, and lateral bending pure moments. Three flexihility parameters were defined (neutral zone (NZ), range of motion (ROM), and neutral zone ratio (NZR = NZROM)) and correlated with the macroscopic and radiographic degeneration. Results and Conclusions In flexion-extension, the ROM decreased and NZR increased with degeneration. In axial rotation, NZ and NZR increased with degeneration. In lateral binding, the ROM significantly decreased and the NZR increased with degeneration. In all three loading directions, the NZR increased, indicating greater joint laxity with degeneration.
1.2–3.8 GHz active quasi-circulator with >30 dB transmit-receive isolation

An active quasi-circulator (AQC) operating at a frequency band ranging from 1.2–3.8 GHz is designed in a 0.18-μm CMOS process. To improve the isolation between AQC's ports common-gate (CG), common-source (CS) and common-drain (CD) configurations have been employed. To particularly improve the transmitter-to-receiver port isolation, out-of-phase cancellation is employed by making the transmit signal traverse from two different out-of-phase paths. A figure-of-merit (FOM) has also been proposed to enable a fair comparison of different published works. For the proposed design, simulation results indicate >11 dB return losses (RL) for all three AQC ports. The AQC has maximum insertion losses (IL) of −10 dB and −7.8 dB between transmitter-to-antenna and antenna-to-receiver ports respectively. With a power dissipation of 40 mW, the proposed AQC displays a transmit-receive isolation of >30 dB and a high FOM of 1.948 GHz × mW.