Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dosage and predictors of arm practice during inpatient stroke rehabilitation: an inception cohort study

Abstract Purpose To describe the amount/type of arm practice completed by stroke survivors during inpatient rehabilitation; and establish predictors of arm practice dose achieved. Materials and methods Inception cohort study including 99 consecutively admitted stroke survivors. Amount (repetitions) and type of arm practice completed during inpatient rehabilitation and possible predictors of dose were recorded. Results Average length-of-stay was 36.9 days (standard deviation (SD) = 30.0, median = 28.0, interquartile range = 39.5) and days of therapy provided was 11.1 days (SD = 13.3, median = 6.0, IQR = 12.0). Mean number of arm practice sessions completed overall was 12.8 (SD = 15.3, median = 7.0, interquartile range = 15.0), or 2.0 sessions per week (SD = 1.5, median = 1.5, interquartile range = 1.7). Mean repetitions of practice completed per therapy day was 86.1 (SD = 76.5, median = 68.5, interquartile range = 88.2). Variation in practice dose was best explained by age (−1.3 repetitions per year of age, p = 0.04) and cognitive impairment (−34.9 repetitions, p = 0.03). In participants without cognitive impairment (n = 73) variation in dose was best explained by stroke severity (modified Rankin Sale = 5, –48.4 repetitions, p = 0.01), and the inability to grasp/release (Box and Block Test = 0, +48.3 repetitions, p = 0.03). Conclusions The amount of arm practice completed was low. Daily sessions were often not provided as recommended in clinical guidelines. Clinicians should focus on strategies to increase intensity and opportunities for arm practice. Implications for Rehabilitation Dose (repetitions) of arm practice varied greatly during inpatient rehabilitation. Number of arm rehabilitation sessions provided was lower than levels recommended in clinical guidelines. Therapists and researchers should focus on strategies to increase amount of therapy and opportunities for arm practice.
Ipsilateral Hemiparesis Following Epidural Hematoma in a Patient With Traumatic Brain Injury

tomy and removal of epidural hematoma (EDH) due to head trauma sustained as a result of falling while riding a bicycle. A brain computed tomography at onset showed an EDH on the left fronto-parieto-temporal lobes and subarachnoid hemorrhage (Fig. 1A). Brain magnetic resonance images 5 years after onset showed a leukomalactic lesion in the left subcortical white matter, left cerebral peduncle, and anterior center of the mid-pons (Fig. 1B). The patient showed mild hemiparesis in the left upper and lower extremities (manual muscle test, 4/5). DTI data were acquired 5 years after onset using a 1.5T Philips Gyroscan Intera System (Philips Medical Systems, Cleveland, OH, USA). Fibers passing through two regions of interest at the upper and lower pons were selected for corticospinal tracts (CSTs): FA threshold >0.15, direction threshold <27° [1]. Both CSTs, originating from the cerebral cortex including the primary motor cortex, descended to the medullary pyramid through the normal CST pathway. However, drastic narrowing of the right CST, was observed at the lower pons level (Fig. 1C). Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) was performed 5 years after onset using a Magstim Novametrix 200 magnetic stimulator (Magstim Co. Ltd., Spring Gardens, Whitland, UK) with a 9-cm mean diameter circular coil. Motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) were obtained from both abductor pollicis brevis (APB) muscles in relaxed state. MEP obtained from the left APB showed lower amplitude and higher excitatory threshold (ET) (latency=21.0 ms, amplitude=0.7 mV, ET=80%) compared to those of the right APB (latency=19.9 ms, amplitude=2.0 mV, ET=60%) [2] (Fig. 1D). In this study, the following three coinciding results were observed in terms of clinical features, DTT, and TMS in a patient with ipsilateral hemiparesis following EDH. (1) This patient presented with left hemiparesis, even though EDH was present in the left hemisphere. (2) On DTT, the right CST showed drastic narrowing at the lower pons level. And (3) the MEP obtained from the left APB showed low amplitude, delayed latency, and high ET compared with that of the right APB. As a result, the left hemiparesis in this patient appeared to be ascribed to partial injury of the right CST at the lower pons, due to downward compression by the left transtentorial herniation following the left EDH. Leukomalactic lesions on the left cerebral peduncle and anterior center of the pons, appeared to be additional evidence of this injury mechanism. Kernohan notch phenomenon is ipsilateral hemiplegia caused Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine Images in This Issue
Metabolic Control via Nutrient Sensing Mechanisms: Role of Taste Receptors and the Gut-Brain Neuroendocrine Axis.

Nutrient sensing plays an important role in ensuring that appropriate digestive or hormonal responses are elicited following the ingestion of fuel substrates. Mechanisms of nutrient sensing in the oral cavity have been fairly well-characterized and involve lingual taste receptors. These include heterodimers of G-protein coupled receptor (GPCRs) of the T1R family for sensing sweet (T1R2-T1R3) and umami (T1R1-T1R3) stimuli; the T2R family for sensing bitter stimuli; and ion channels for conferring sour and salty tastes. In recent years, several studies have revealed the existence of additional nutrient sensing mechanisms along the gastrointestinal tract. Glucose sensing is achieved by the T1R2-T1R3 heterodimer on enteroendocrine cells, which plays a role in triggering the secretion of incretin hormones for improved glycemic and lipemic control. Protein hydrolysates are detected by CaSR, the T1R1-T1R3 heterodimer and GPR92/93 which lead to the release of the gut-derived satiety factor CCK. Furthermore, several GPCRs have been implicated in fatty acid sensing: GPR40 and GPR120 respond to medium and long-chain fatty acids, GPR41 and GPR43 to short-chain fatty acids, and GPR119 to endogenous lipid derivatives. Aside from the recognition of fuel substrates, both the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract also possess T2R-mediated mechanisms of recognizing non-nutrients such as environmental contaminants, bacterial toxins, and secondary plant metabolites that evoke a bitter taste. These gastrointestinal sensing mechanisms result in the transmission of neuronal signals to the brain through the release of gastrointestinal hormones that act on vagal and enteric afferents in order to modulate the physiological response to nutrients.
Understanding Mycotoxin Contamination Across the Food Chain in Brazil: Challenges and Opportunities

Brazil is one of the largest food producers and exporters in the world. In the late 20th century, the European Union program for the harmonization of regulations for contaminants in food, including mycotoxins, led to the examination of mycotoxin contamination in foods at a global level. The problem of the rejection of food by the European Union and other countries became a Brazilian national priority because of economic and food safety aspects. Ochratoxin A in coffee and cocoa and aflatoxins in Brazil nuts are examples of the impact of technical trade barriers on Brazilian foods. To overcome these threats, several strategies were undertaken by Brazilian and international organizations. In this context, the Codex Commission on Food Contaminants (CCCF) has emerged as a forum to discuss with more transparency issues related to mycotoxins, focusing on establishing maximum levels and codes of practices for some commodities and mycotoxins to ensure fair trade and food safety. Our experience in investigating and understanding mycotoxin contamination across the food chains in Brazil has contributed nationally and internationally to providing some answers to these issues.
Anatomy, histology, and histochemistry of the olfactory organ of the Korean shuttles mudskipper Periophthalmus modestus

The Korean shuttles mudskipper Periophthalmus modestus has paired olfactory organs on its snout, consisting of anterior and posterior nostrils, a single olfactory canal with sensory and nonsensory epithelia, and a single accessory nasal sac. Its sensory epithelium consists of numerous islets forming a pseudostratified layer and contains various cells: olfactory receptor neurons, supporting cells, basal cells, lymphatic cells (LCs), and axon bundles. The sensory epithelium is a stratified squamous layer comprising stratified epithelial cells, mucous cells (MCs) with glycogen, flattened cells (FCs), LCs, and unidentified cells. Specific structures are as follows: (a) a tubular anterior nostril projecting outward, (b) a slit posterior nostril, (c) an elongated olfactory canal, (d) an ethmoidal accessory nasal sac, (e) axon bundles found only in the basal layer of the sensory epithelium, (f) FCs only at the top of the nonsensory epithelium, and (g) glycogen‐containing MCs. Such structures seem to be unique in that they have not been observed in most teleost fishes spending their whole life in water.
Malt1 deficient mice develop osteoporosis independent of osteoclast‐intrinsic effects of Malt1 deficiency

This study tested the hypothesis that mucosa associated lymphoid tissue 1 (Malt1) deficiency causes osteoporosis in mice by increasing osteoclastogenesis and osteoclast activity. A patient with combined immunodeficiency (CID) caused by MALT1 deficiency had low bone mineral density resulting in multiple low impact fractures that was corrected by hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT). We have reported that Malt1 deficient Mϕs, another myeloid cell type, are hyper‐responsive to inflammatory stimuli. Our objectives were to determine whether Malt1 deficient mice develop an osteoporosis‐like phenotype and whether it was caused by Malt1 deficiency in osteoclasts. We found that Malt1 deficient mice had low bone volume by 12 weeks of age, which was primarily associated with reduced trabecular bone. Malt1 protein is expressed and active in osteoclasts and is induced by receptor activator of NF‐κB ligand (RANKL) in preosteoclasts. Malt1 deficiency did not impact osteoclast differentiation or activity in vitro. However, Malt1 deficient (Malt1−/−) mice had more osteoclasts in vivo and had lower levels of serum osteoprotegerin (OPG), an endogenous inhibitor of osteoclastogenesis. Inhibition of Malt1 activity in Mϕs induced MCSF production, required for osteoclastogenesis, and decreased OPG production in response to inflammatory stimuli. In vitro, MCSF increased and OPG inhibited osteoclastogenesis, but effects were not enhanced in Malt1 deficient osteoclasts. These data support the hypothesis that Malt1 deficient mice develop an osteoporotic phenotype with increased osteoclastogenesis in vivo, but suggest that this is caused by inflammation rather than an effect of Malt1 deficiency in osteoclasts.
The right treatment for the right ventricle

Purpose of review Right ventricular (RV) function is an important determinant of morbidity and mortality in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Although substantial progress has been made in understanding the development of RV failure in the last decennia, this has not yet resulted in the development of RV selective therapies. In this review, we will discuss the current status on the treatment of RV failure and potential novel therapeutic strategies that are currently being investigated in clinical trials. Recent findings Increased afterload results in elevated wall tension. Consequences of increased wall tension include autonomic disbalance, metabolic shift and inflammation, negatively affecting RV contractility. Compromised RV systolic function and low cardiac output activate renin–angiotensin aldosterone system, which leads to fluid retention and further increase in RV wall tension. This vicious circle can be interrupted by directly targeting the determinants of RV wall tension; preload and afterload by PAH-medications and diuretics, but is also possibly by restoring neurohormonal and metabolic disbalance, and inhibiting maladaptive inflammation. A variety of RV selective drugs are currently being studied in clinical trials. Summary Nowadays, afterload reduction is still the cornerstone in treatment of PAH. New treatments targeting important pathobiological determinants of RV failure directly are emerging.
Brain-based ranking of cognitive domains to predict schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a devastating brain disorder that disturbs sensory perception, motor action, and abstract thought. Its clinical phenotype implies dysfunction of various mental domains, which has motivated a series of theories regarding the underlying pathophysiology. Aiming at a predictive benchmark of a catalogue of cognitive functions, we developed a bottom-up machine-learning strategy and provide a proof of principle in a multi-site clinical dataset (n=324). Existing neuroscientific knowledge on diverse cognitive domains was first condensed into neuro-topographical maps. We then examined how the ensuing meta-analytic cognitive priors can distinguish patients and controls using brain morphology and intrinsic functional connectivity. Some affected cognitive domains supported well-studied directions of research on auditory evaluation and social cognition. However, rarely suspected cognitive domains also emerged as disease-relevant, including self-oriented processing of bodily sensations in gustation and pain. Such algorithmic charting of the cognitive landscape can be used to make targeted recommendations for future mental health research.
Hand-Feel Touch Cues and Their Influences on Consumer Perception and Behavior with Respect to Food Products: A Review

There has been a great deal of research investigating intrinsic/extrinsic cues and their influences on consumer perception and purchasing decisions at points of sale, product usage, and consumption. Consumers create expectations toward a food product through sensory information extracted from its surface (intrinsic cues) or packaging (extrinsic cues) at retail stores. Packaging is one of the important extrinsic cues that can modulate consumer perception, liking, and decision making of a product. For example, handling a product packaging during consumption, even just touching the packaging while opening or holding it during consumption, may result in a consumer expectation of the package content. Although hand-feel touch cues are an integral part of the food consumption experience, as can be observed in such an instance, little has been known about their influences on consumer perception, acceptability, and purchase behavior of food products. This review therefore provided a better understanding about hand-feel touch cues and their influences in the context of food and beverage experience with a focus on (1) an overview of touch as a sensory modality, (2) factors influencing hand-feel perception, (3) influences of hand-feel touch cues on the perception of other sensory modalities, and (4) the effects of hand-feel touch cues on emotional responses and purchase behavior.
Patterned Metal/Polymer Strain Sensor with Good Flexibility, Mechanical Stability and Repeatability for Human Motion Detection

Wearable health monitoring smart systems based on flexible metal films are considered to be the next generation of devices for remote medical practice. However, cracks on the metallic surface of the films and difficulty in repeatability are the key issues that restrict the application of such wearable strain sensors. In this work, a flexible wearable strain sensor with high sensitivity and good repeatability was fabricated based on a patterned metal/polymer composite material fabricated through nanoimprint lithography. The mechanical properties were measured through cyclic tension and bending loading. The sensor exhibited a small ΔR/R0 error line for multiple test pieces, indicating the good mechanical stability and repeatability of the fabricated device. Moreover, the sensor possesses high sensitivity with gauge factors of 10 for strain less than 50% and 40 for strain from 50% to 70%. Various activities were successfully detected in real-time, such as swallowing, closing/opening of the mouth, and multi-angle bending of elbow, which illustrates the proposed sensor’s potential as a wearable device for the human body.
A Decision-Analytic Approach to Addressing the Evidence About Football and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy

Abstract Doubts can be raised about almost any assertion that a particular exposure can lead to an increase in a given adverse health effect. Even some of the most well-accepted causal associations in public health, such as that linking cigarette smoking to increased lung cancer risk, have intriguing research questions remaining to be answered. The inquiry whether an exposure causes a disease is never wholly a yes/no question but ought to follow from an appraisal of the weight of evidence supporting the positive conclusion in light of any coherent theories casting doubt on this evidence and the data supporting these. More importantly, such an appraisal cannot be made sensibly without considering the relative consequences to public health and economic welfare of specific actions based on unwarranted credulity (false positives) versus unwarranted skepticism (false negatives). Here we appraise the weight of evidence for the premise that repeated head impacts (RHIs) in professional football can increase the incidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and, in turn, cause a variety of cognitive and behavioral symptoms. We first dismiss four logical fallacies that should not affect the appraisal of the weight of evidence. We then examine four alternative hypotheses in which RHI is not associated with CTE or symptoms (or both), and we conclude that the chances are small that the RHI→ CTE→ symptoms link is coincidental or artifactual. In particular, we observe that there are many specific interventions for which, even under a skeptical appraisal of the weight of evidence, the costs of a false positive are smaller than the false negative costs of refusing to intervene.
Association of multiple patient and disease characteristics with the presence and type of pain in chronic pancreatitis

Pain is the primary symptom of chronic pancreatitis (CP) and associates with a number of patient and disease characteristics. However, the complex interrelations of these parameters are incompletely understood, and pain treatment remains unsatisfactory in a large proportion of patients. The aim of this study is to investigate multiple pain risk factors in a large population of CP patients, with a special emphasis on patients' patterns of smoking and alcohol use.
Baseline toxicity and volatility cut-off in reporter gene assays used for high-throughput screening.

Most studies using high-throughput in vitro cell-based bioassays tested chemicals up to a certain fixed concentration. It would be more appropriate to test up to concentrations predicted to elicit baseline toxicity because this is the minimal toxicity of every chemical. Baseline toxicity is also called narcosis and refers to nonspecific intercalation of chemicals in biological membrane leading to loss of structure of membranes and impaired functioning of membrane-related processes such as mitochondrial respiration. In cells baseline toxicity manifests as cytotoxicity, which was quantified by a robust live-cell imaging method. Inhibitory concentrations for baseline toxicity varied by orders of magnitude between chemicals and were described by a simple quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) with the liposome-water partition constant as sole descriptor. The QSAR equations were remarkably similar for eight reporter gene cell lines of different cellular origin, six of which were used in Tox21. Mass-balance models indicated constant critical membrane concentrations for all cells and all chemicals with a mean of 69 mmol.kglip-1 (95%CI: 49 to 89), which is in the same range as for bacteria and aquatic organisms and consistent with the theory of critical membrane burden of narcosis. The challenge of developing baseline QSARs for cell lines is that many confirmed baseline toxicants are rather volatile. We deduced from cytotoxicity experiments with (semi)volatile chemicals that only chemicals with medium-air partition constants >10000 L/L can be tested in standard robotic setups without appreciable loss of effect. Chemicals just below that cut-off showed cross-over effects in neighboring wells, whereas the effects of chemicals with lower medium-air partition constants were plainly lost. Applying the "volatility cut-off" to >8000 chemicals tested in Tox21 indicated that approximately 20% of Tox21 chemicals could have partially been lost during the experiments. We recommend applying the baseline QSARs together with volatility cut-offs for experimental planning of reporter gene assays, i.e., to dose only chemicals with medium-air partition constants > 10000 at concentrations up to the baseline toxicity level.
Expansion and Maintenance of CD133-Expressing Pancreatic Ductal Epithelial Cells via Inhibition of Transforming Growth Factor-β Signaling.

Restoring β-cell mass by the transplantation of pancreatic islets is an effective diabetes treatment, but it is limited by the shortage of donor organs. CD133-expressing pancreatic ductal epithelial cells (PDECs) have the ability to generate insulin-producing cells. The expansion of these cells is dependent on extrinsic niche factors, but few of those signals have been identified. In this study, CD133-expressing PDECs were purified by sorting from adult wild-type C57BL/6 mice and TGFβRIInull/null mice. Furthermore, using immunofluorescence and transplantation assays, we found that the inhibition of the TGF-β pathway promoted the expansion of CD133-expressing PDECs for many generations and maintained the ability of CD133-expressing PDECs to generate insulin-producing cells. Moreover, western blot, qRT-PCR, and dual luciferase assays using TGF-β inhibitors were performed to identify the mechanisms by which TGF-β signaling regulates proliferation and differentiation. The results showed that the inhibition of TGF-β signaling enhanced Id2 binding to the promoter region of the cell proliferation repressor p16 and promoted the expansion of CD133-expressing PDECs, and the increased Id2 binding to NeuroD1 decreased the transcription of Pax6 to maintain CD133-expressing PDECs in the Pdx1-expression stage. Taken together, the effect of TGF-β antagonists on CD133-expressing PDECs reveals a novel paradigm of signaling that explains the balance between the expansion and differentiation of pancreatic duct epithelial progenitors.
Study of the I/O Request Response Time in Network Storage Systems

Although the network storage technology has decreased the disadvantage of traditional storage systems based on host directed access storage, the introduction of the network layer has a strong impact on the average response time of I/O request and makes performance difficult to evaluate. In this paper, the process for two common network storage architectures, NAS (network attached storage) and SAN (storage area network), is discussed. Moreover, the evaluation model for network storage is presented. In the experiment it is found that the value that the model predicts is close to the data. The result of both the model and experiment shows that the performance of network is related not only to the physical character of the storage and network devices, but also to the workload. Moreover, the workload has less impacts on the performance of the fibre channel than on that of the TCP/IP network. Fibre channel has better performance only for I/O response rate.