Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimation model of body acceleration of crutch users based on body parts movement

For an evaluation of walking motions, a body acceleration is considered to be an important measure. The reason is that, if the walking motion is stable, the body acceleration usually shows almost periodic patterns, and if not, it does not. Therefore, it is thought that, for an evaluation of crutch walking motions, the crutch user's body acceleration would be required. That is, unstable crutch walks result in aperiodic body accelerations, and it may cause the users falling. In this research, an instruction system of a crutch walking for untrained patients has been developed. The body accelerations are usually measured by acceleration sensors being attached on the walker's body. Therefore, the sensor systems may disturb smooth walking motions. In addition, it is desirable that commonly available sensors can be utilized for measurements of the walker's body accelerations without anything attached on the body. Therefore, in this paper, a novel acceleration measurement method, i.e., a body-part movement-based acceleration measurement method, was proposed for crutch users. For this purpose, several participants' crutch walks were measured by both an optical motion capturing system and an acceleration sensor system, and multiple linear regression analyses were applied for the acceleration data. As a result, an estimation model with the body acceleration was derived.
Oncogenic Pathways in the Development of Oral Cancer

Abnormality of EGFR gene and overexpression of the protein have been reported in various human tumors, with an abnormal amplification of the EGFR gene being reported in oral squamous cell carcinoma, although not limited to the final stages of the carcinogenic process. In fact, a low level of gene amplification also occurs at a significant frequency in epithelial dysplasia and carcinoma in situ, and, moreover, increased EGFR gene copies via amplification seems to play an important role in the development of invasive cancer [2]. Moreover, the expression of proliferation markers TGF-α and EGFR in cells of the oral epithelium presenting a spectrum of dysplastic changes revealed a serial upregulation both in terms of area and intensity of staining of TGF-α in the epithelial cells of oral precancerous lesions exhibiting features of dysplasia. Likewise, TGF-α expression has been reported higher than EGFR’s in the proliferative pool of the oral epithelium in oral precancer lesions, thus suggesting that an initial upregulation of TGF-α was likely to exert a paracrine effect on the adjacent nonproliferative cells therefore increasing the expression of the cell surface receptor [3]. Significant linear increase in the intensity of staining of EGFR in the differentiated cells of the stratum spinosum in oral leukoplakia with mild epithelial dysplasia has also been reported, which might be explained by the inducing role of TGF-α over DNA synthesis in noncycling cells [3].
Identification of human whole saliva protein components using proteomics

The determination of salivary biomarkers as a means of monitoring general health and for the early diagnosis of disease is of increasing interest in clinical research. Based on the linkage between salivary proteins and systemic diseases, the aim of this work was the identification of saliva proteins using proteomics. Salivary proteins were separated using two‐dimensional (2‐D) gel electrophoresis over a pH range between 3–10, digested, and then analyzed by matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization‐time of flight (MALDI‐TOF)‐TOF mass spectrometry (MS) and tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). Proteins were identified using automated MS and MS/MS data acquisition. The resulting data were searched against a protein database using an internal Mascot search routine. Ninety spots give identifications with high statistical reliability. Of the identified proteins, 11 were separated and identified in saliva for the first time using proteomics tools. Moreover, three proteins that have not been previously identified in saliva, PLUNC, cystatin A, and cystatin B were identified.
Review article: Debriefing critical incidents in the emergency department

The impact of work related stressors on emergency clinicians has long been recognized, yet there is little formal research into the benefits of debriefing hospital staff after critical incidents, such as failed resuscitation. This article examines current models of debriefing and their application to emergency staff through a review of the literature. The goal being, to outline best practice, with recommendations for guideline development and future research directives. An electronic database search was a conducted in Ovid and Psychinfo. All available abstracts were read and a hand search was completed of the references. Included articles were selected by a panel of two experts. Models and evidence relating to their efficacy were identified from the literature, and detailed evaluation included. The reviewed literature revealed a distinct paucity regarding the efficacy of debriefing of clinicians post CI and in particular randomized controlled trials. Despite this debriefing is perceived as important by emergency clinicians. However evidence presents both benefits and disadvantages to debriefing interventions. In the absence of evidence based practice guidelines, any development of models of debriefing in the emergency healthcare setting should be closely evaluated. And future research directives should aim towards large randomized control trials.
cGMP inhibition of endothelin-stimulated inositol phosphate production in the fetal lamb pulmonary artery.

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) stimulates inositol phosphate production in vascular smooth muscle. In the present study, interactions between cyclic GMP (cGMP), cyclic AMP (cAMP) and ET-1 in fetal lamb pulmonary arteries were investigated using phosphoinositide hydrolysis studies and tissue bath techniques. ET-1 was found to be a potent vasoconstrictor of these vessels, with an EC50 of 15.8 nM. ET-1 stimulated total inositol phosphate (IP) production; basal IP production was 68 cpm/mg vs. 247 cm/mg with 1 microM ET-1. 8-bromo-cGMP (2 mM) significantly increased the threshold of ET-1 concentration for pulmonary artery contraction, but had no effect on IP production. Zaprinast (a selective type V phosphodiesterase inhibitor, 60 microM) did not affect ET-1-induced contractility or IP production. IBMX (0.5 mM), a non-specific phosphodiesterase inhibitor, inhibited the potent and maximal effects of ET-1 in arterial contraction and decreased ET-1-stimulated IP production by 49%, while forskolin had a lesser effect in the tissue bath and no effect on IP production. Thus, 8-bromo-cGMP and IBMX alter the contractile effects of ET-1 in the fetal pulmonary artery and IBMX also inhibits inositol phosphate production. The cross-talk mechanisms of these agents require further investigation.
Serum osteopontin levels are upregulated and predict disability after an ischaemic stroke

After an acute ischaemic stroke (AIS), several inflammatory biomarkers have been investigated, but their predictive role on functional recovery remains to be validated. Here, we investigated the prognostic relevance of biomarkers related to atherosclerotic plaque calcification, such as osteopontin (OPN), osteoprotegerin (OPG) and the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa‐B ligand (RANKL) in a cohort of patients with AIS (n = 90) during 90‐day follow‐up.
Association of Postural Sway with Disability Status and Cerebellar Dysfunction in People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Preliminary Study.

BACKGROUND The aims of this study were 1) to examine postural sway in the eyes open (EO) and eyes closed (EC) conditions in people with multiple sclerosis (MS) with moderate levels of disability compared with controls and 2) to examine relationships between postural sway and total Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores, functional system subscores, and clinical measures of strength and spasticity in the MS group. METHODS Thirty-four people with moderate MS and ten matched controls completed measures of postural sway with EO and EC, knee extension and ankle dorsiflexion isometric strength, EDSS total score and subscores, and spasticity levels. RESULTS Participants with MS swayed significantly more with EO and EC and had reduced knee extension and ankle dorsiflexion strength compared with controls (P < .001). In the MS group, increased sway was associated with higher total EDSS scores and cerebellar function subscores, whereas increased sway ratio (EC/EO) was associated with reduced sensory function subscores. Postural sway was not significantly associated with strength or spasticity. CONCLUSIONS Participants with MS swayed more and were significantly weaker than controls. Cerebellar dysfunction was identified as the EDSS domain most strongly associated with increased sway, and sensory loss was associated with a relatively greater dependence on vision for balance control. These findings suggest that exercise interventions targeting sensory integration and cerebellar ataxia may be beneficial for enhancing balance control in people with MS.
A MAGE‐1 peptide recognized on HLA‐DR15 by CD4+ T cells

Antigens encoded by MAGE genes and recognized by T cells are of interest for cancer immunotherapy because of their strict tumoral specificity and because they are shared by many tumors. Several MAGE‐1 peptide that are recognized by CD8+ cytolytic T lymphocytes have been used in therapeutic vaccination trials. To obtain anti‐tumor immune response, vaccines combining peptides recognized by CD8+ and peptides recognized by CD4+ T cells might be optimal. We focused therefore on the identification of MAGE peptides recognized by CD4+ T cells. We report here the identification of MAGE‐1 epitope EYVIKVSARVRF, which is presented to CD4+ T lymphocytes by HLA‐DR15. This HLA allele is present in 29 % of Asians and 17 % of Caucasians.
Structure of the Nasal Region of Non-Mammalian Cynodonts and Mammaliaforms: Speculations on the Evolution of Mammalian Endothermy

ABSTRACT Nasal regions of the non-mammalian cynodonts Massetognathus, Probainognathus, and Elliotherium were reconstructed from micro-computed tomography scans and compared with scans and published accounts of more derived forms, including Brasilitherium, Morganucodon, Haldanodon, and extant mammals. The basic structure of the modern mammalian nose, already present in non-mammalian cynodonts of the Early Triassic, underwent little modification during the Triassic. A respiratory chamber opened into a nasopharyngeal passage through an enlarged primary choana bordered posteriorly by a transverse lamina that formed the floor to a more posterior olfactory chamber. Cartilaginous respiratory turbinals initially provided a surface for evaporative cooling during periods of increased activity in the exceptionally high ambient temperatures of the Triassic. A similar mechanism for heat loss is present in extant crocodilians, squamates, and mammals. In the Late Triassic and Early Jurassic non-mammaliaform cynodonts (Elliotherium) and mammaliaforms (Morganucodon), the pterygopalatine ridges behind the hard secondary palate extended ventrally and formed the lateral walls to a narrow nasopharynx, as pterygoid hamuli do in extant mammals. Ridges in this position suggest the presence of a palatopharyngeus muscle in late non-mammaliaform cynodonts that could hold the larynx in an intranarial position during rest or low activity levels to prevent inhaled air from entering the oral cavity, thus allowing cartilaginous respiratory turbinals to assume an additional role as temporal countercurrent exchange sites for heat and water conservation. Ossification of respiratory turbinals in mammals enhanced their efficiency for conserving heat and water at rest, as well as their ability to dissipate heat during thermal stress.
Murine malaria: resistance of AXB/BXA recombinant inbred mice to Plasmodium chabaudi

The level of resistance to infection with Plasmodium chabaudi is genetically controlled. We have previously reported that a single dominant gene is responsible for the variation in host resistance to malaria between susceptible A/J- and resistant C57BL-derived mice. In the present study, recombinant inbred strain analysis was performed with AXB/BXA recombinant inbred strains derived from A/J and C57BL/6 progenitors. Typing of 17 AXB/BXA recombinant inbred strains confirmed the unigenic control of inheritance in this particular strain combination and allowed us to demonstrate genetic linkage between the traits of resistance (defined as a prolonged survival and a low peak parasitemia) and the magnitude of splenomegaly. The influence of sex on the course of infection, which we previously reported in the examination of segregating populations (Stevenson et al., Infect. Immun. 38:80-88, 1982), was again demonstrated in the survey of RI strains.
Highly directional emission from ultra-small photonic crystal resonators

Here, we emphasize the importance of a bottom reflector for achieving unidirectional far-field emission. As a result, over 80% of photons generated inside the cavity can be collected within a divergence angle of ±30° from the top. We also discuss interesting analogy in which the nanocavity-bottom reflector coupled system is treated as a point-like emitter in front of a mirror. Based on such a view point, the observed directivity is explained by using a comprehensive interference model. Finally, we propose a very practical form of an efficient photonic crystal nanolaser bonded on a flat metal surface, which may enable current injection and room-temperature continuous-wave operation.
Decoding EEG in Cognitive Tasks With Time-Frequency and Connectivity Masks

Electroencephalogram (EEG) is a measurable window looking into brain dynamics. Brain activities may exhibit different representations while executing different cognitive tasks, which can be recognized by decoding EEG. This is crucial for constructing a brain-computer interface (BCI), which directly bridges between the human brain and external experiments or devices for communication or function restoration. This paper proposed a mask-based approach integrating time-frequency mask (TFM) and connectivity mask (CM) to improve BCI performance. The TFM method does not require the discriminative time-frequency points to be centralized together as the specific-frequency-specific-time (SFST) method does. It can also achieve good performance when discriminative features are scattered. Moreover, this paper also developed a CM method in the spatial domain to extract interchannel connectivity features. The performance of these methods was quantitatively evaluated on three datasets involving different cognitive tasks: 1) a pointing movement dataset; 2) a self-paced finger-tapping dataset in BCI competition II; and 3) a slow cortical potential dataset in BCI competition II. Empirical results of this paper showed that the TFM method outperformed the SFST method on all three datasets and achieved comparable performance to the winning methods in the two BCI competition datasets. The performance was further improved by combining TFM and CM, exceeding that of the winning methods in the BCI competition datasets.
Role strain in occupational therapy fieldwork educators.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine if occupational therapy fieldwork educators are experiencing role strain. PARTICIPANTS Were recruited from a convenience sample of a university database of 315 fieldwork sites. METHODS The Role Strain in Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Educators Inventory was used to gather qualitative and quantitative data about practice. RESULTS The overall mean for role strain was 2.34/5 with a 73% return rate. The majority of participants fell into the moderate to low role strain category. Individuals with 5-10 years of practice had the greatest amount of role strain (2.43, SD 0.51, n=60). Participants working in pediatric settings had role strain in the moderate range. CONCLUSIONS Nine items emerged with the highest amount of role strain, such as coping with job expectations and inadequate time to meet role expectations. Creation of strategies to reduce role strain should be a priority in our changing healthcare environment.
Pulse Wave Velocity and Cognitive Decline in Elders: The Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study

Background and Purpose— Arterial stiffness is a measure of subclinical cardiovascular disease and increases with age. This study examines the association between arterial stiffness and cognitive decline in a cohort of older adults. Methods— A total of 2488 subjects with baseline measure of arterial stiffness (mean age, 74.2 years; 52.3% women) were prospectively followed over 9 years in the Health, Aging, and Body Composition Study. Arterial stiffness was measured as pulse wave velocity (PWV) and analyzed in tertiles. Cognitive function was assessed using the Modified Mini-Mental State examination at baseline and repeated at years 3, 5, 8, and 10. Lower Modified Mini-Mental State examination scores indicate worse function. We fit linear mixed models to examine longitudinal changes in cognitive function over the 9 years of follow-up and logistic regression models, restricted to 1331 participants, to examine cognitive impairment defined as a decrease of ≥5 points after 9 years. We adjusted for sociodemographics, Apoe4, and cardiovascular disease risk factors. Results— The annual decrease in Modified Mini-Mental State examination scores was 0.30 points at low PWV (95% confidence interval [CI], −0.37 to −0.22), 0.46 points at middle PWV (95% CI, −0.54 to −0.39), and 0.45 points at high PWV (95% CI, −0.53 to −0.38), from fully adjusted linear mixed models. In fully adjusted models, the odds of cognitive impairment after 9 years of follow-up was 40% greater for subjects with middle PWV (odds ratio [OR], 1.40; 95% CI, 1.03–1.92) and 59% greater for subjects with high PWV (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.16–2.18), compared with low PWV. Conclusions— High arterial stiffness was modestly associated with cognitive decline and impairment. Interventions to prevent arterial stiffness may be effective in delaying cognitive decline.
When stress happens matters: effects of earthquake timing on stress responsivity in pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of the study was to assess the effects of the timing of stress during pregnancy on emotional responses and birth outcome. We hypothesized that as pregnancy advanced women would become increasingly resistant to the adverse effects of stress, and so early stress would have more profound effects than later stress. STUDY DESIGN Forty pregnant women who had experienced an earthquake during pregnancy or shortly afterward were identified. Using regression analyses we determined whether the timing of the earthquake was related to an affective response to this event and to length of gestation. RESULTS The earthquake was rated as more stressful when it occurred early in pregnancy compared with late in pregnancy, and postpartum ratings were similar to first-trimester ratings (r (quad) =. 39; P <. 05). Stress experienced early in pregnancy was associated with shorter gestational length (r =.35; P <.05). CONCLUSIONS As pregnancy advances, women become decreasingly sensitive to the effects of stress. This decrease in vulnerability may reflect increasing protection of the mother and fetus from adverse influences during pregnancy.
New Evidence on the Valuation Effects of Convertible Bond Calls

Abstract This study examines the wealth effects of convertible bond call announcements on stockholders, straight bondholders, and called and non-called convertible debtholders. We document that forced conversions are associated with a significant loss in firm value. The results suggest that convertible call announcements can trigger both negative signal and wealth transfer effects. We show that at least part of the negative effect on stock prices results from wealth transfer to straight bondholders. Our analysis also lends empirical validity to the common contention that called convertible bondholders suffer wealth expropriation due to the elimination of the premium. The wealth effect on non-called convertible debtholders is insignificant. Cross-sectional analysis reveals that the negative signal effect is important in explaining bond, stock, and firm excess returns. Finally, we present evidence that refutes the notion that bonds are called to relieve the firm from restrictive debt covenants.
Electrostatic dominoes: long distance propagation of mutational effects in photosynthetic reaction centers of Rhodobacter capsulatus.

Two point mutants from the purple bacterium Rhodobacter capsulatus, both modified in the M protein of the photosynthetic reaction center, have been studied by flash-induced absorbance spectroscopy. These strains carry either the M231Arg --> Leu or M43ASN --> Asp mutations, which are located 9 and 15 A, respectively, from the terminal electron acceptor QB. In the wild-type Rb. sphaeroides structure, M231Arg is involved in a conserved salt bridge with H125Glu and H232Glu and M43Asn is located among several polar residues that form or surround the QB binding site. These substitutions were originally uncovered in phenotypic revertants isolated from the photosynthetically incompetent L212Glu-L213Asp --> Ala-Ala site-specific double mutant. As second-site suppressor mutations, they have been shown to restore the proton transfer function that is interrupted in the L212Ala-L213Ala double mutant. The electrostatic effects that are induced in reaction centers by the M231Arg --> Leu and M43Asn --> Asp substitutions are roughly the same in either the double-mutant or wild-type backgrounds. In a reaction center that is otherwise wild type in sequence, they decrease the free energy gap between the QA- and QB- states by 24 +/- 5 and 45 +/- 5 meV, respectively. The pH dependences of K2, the QA-QB <--> QAQB- equilibrium constant, are altered in reaction centers that carry either of these substitutions, revealing differences in the pKas of titratable groups compared to the wild type. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Influenza pharmacotherapy: present situation, strategies and hopes

Introduction: Influenza is a serious health threat for people of all ages. The causative virus is evolving continuously and the risk of an unexpected mutant, which cannot be controlled by seasonal vaccination, is real. New and more effective antiviral drugs are needed. Areas covered: This review examines the antiviral drugs with confirmed efficacy in combating influenza, as well as newer compounds that are currently undergoing testing and will hopefully be marketed in the near future. A comprehensive, state-of-the-art picture of drug therapy for influenza is presented, including novel solutions and effective strategies for prescribing currently available antiviral drugs, with emphasis on the importance of updated local epidemiological data, clinical assessment and laboratory testing. Expert opinion: Current anti-influenza drug research is no longer tied solely to viral envelope protein targets like haemagglutinin and neuraminidase. New drugs act on the viral RNA polymerase complex, which is involved in transcription and replication of the viral genome, and can prevent the maturation, replication and dissemination of numerous viral subtypes. Combating this infection and reducing the duration of symptoms also has important socioeconomic implications related to health-care spending (including hospitalization for complications) and sick-leave pay for workers.