Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Acute Effects of Different Stretching Exercises on Jump Performance

Pacheco, L, Balius, R, Aliste, L, Pujol, M, and Pedret, C. The acute effects of different stretching exercises on jump performance. J Strength Cond Res 25(11): 2991–2998, 2011—The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the short-term effects of different stretching exercises during the warm-up period on the lower limbs. A controlled, crossover clinical study involving 49 volunteers (14 women and 35 men; mean age: 20.4 years) enrolled in a “physical and sporting activities monitor” program. The explosive force was assessed using the Bosco test. The protocol was as follows: The test involved a (pre) jump test, general warm-up, intervention and (post) jump test. Each volunteer was subjected to each of the 5 interventions (no stretching [NS] and stretching: static passive stretching [P]; proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation [PNF] techniques; static active stretching in passive tension [PT]; static active stretching in active tension [AT]) in a random order. The jump test was used to assess the squat jump, countermovement jump (CMJ), elasticity index (EI), and drop jump. An intragroup statistical analysis was performed before and after each intervention to compare the differences between the different stretching exercises. An intergroup analysis was also performed. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found between all variables for the interventions “P,” “PNF,” and “TA” in the intragroup analysis, with each value being higher in the postjump test. Only the “P” intervention showed a significant difference (p = 0.046) for “EI,” with the postvalue being lower. Likewise, significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed for the “CMJ” measurements during the intergroup analysis, especially between “NS” and the interventions “P,” “PNF,” “AT,” and “PT,” with each value, particularly that for “AT,” being higher after stretching. The results of this study suggest that static active stretching in AT can be recommended during the warm-up for explosive force disciplines.
Effects on intracranial pressure of dural puncture in supine and head‐elevated positions. A study on the cat

Background: Lumbar dural puncture may reduce intracranial pressure (ICP) due to a hydrostatic pressure gradient created by distal opening of the spinal fluid column towards the atmosphere. The magnitude of the reduction in hydrostatic force on the brain should depend on the vertical distance between the brain and the dural opening, and thus will increase by head elevation. No studies have analyzed ICP after dural puncture in supine and upright positions.
A comparison of the psychological burden of PET/MRI and PET/CT scans and association to initial state anxiety and previous imaging experiences.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the level of psychological burden experienced by patients undergoing positron emission tomography (PET)/MRI scanning compared with PET/CT. METHODS 100 adult patients referred for PET/CT and underwent PET/MRI scanning were eligible. Initial state, psychological burden of PET/CT and PET/MRI, scan satisfaction and preference were assessed using a purpose-designed questionnaire, comprising 61 five-point Likert scale questions and a three-point tick box question indicating preference between PET/CT and PET/MRI. State anxiety was assessed using the state portion of the State Trait Anxiety Inventory. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests compared psychological burden experienced by participants following PET/CT and PET/MRI scan. RESULTS A greater level of psychological burden was experienced by patients during PET/MRI than PET/CT p ≤ 0.001, consistent with patients' preference for PET/CT over PET/MRI (p = 0.013). There was a significant relationship between PET/CT psychological burden and initial state (r = 0.386, p ≤ 0.001). No significant relationship was identified between Initial state and psychological burden of PET MRI (r = -0.089; p = 217). There was a significant relationship between psychological burden of PET/CT and PET/MRI (r = 0.354; p = 0.001). CONCLUSION Patients' experience increased psychological burden during PET/MRI compared with PET/CT. Previous scanning experiences and patients' interactions prior to and during PET/MRI improved patient satisfaction. Interventions could be implemented to improve imaging outcome. ADVANCES IN KNOWLEDGE This study provides evidence for the increased psychological burden of PET/MRI compared with PET/CT, and that people prefer the PET/CT procedure. We have shown that the patients who expressed a preference for PET/MRI demonstrated significantly lower psychological burden for that procedure than those that preferred PET/CT, which indicates that the benefit of reduced psychological burden could be facilitated by an appropriate intervention.
Detection of urinary tract infections by rapid methods

A review of rapid urine screens for detection of bacteriuria and pyuria demonstrates a number of available alternatives to the culture method. Selection of one or more of these systems for routine use is dependent upon the laboratory and the patient population being tested. The laboratory approach to the diagnosis of urinary tract infection should consider the clinical diagnosis of the patient whenever possible. Keeping in mind that quantitative urine cultures alone cannot be used to detect infection in some patient populations unless lower colony counts are considered, a rapid screen may be a more practical approach. It has become accepted that 10(5) CFU/ml can no longer be used as the standard for all patient groups, that pyuria often is important in making the diagnosis of a urinary tract infection, and that most of the rapid screens are more sensitive than the culture method at 10(5) CFU/ml. Presently, no one approach can be recommended for all laboratories and all patient groups. However, each diagnostic laboratory should select one approach which is best for its situation. It is not practical, efficient, or cost effective to define a protocol for each possible clinical condition; however, all should be considered when developing a protocol. This protocol should be compatible with the patient population and communicated to the physicians. Use of a rapid screen should be beneficial to the patient, the physician, and the laboratory.
The Combined Effect of Dynamic Splinting and Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation in Reducing Wrist and Elbow Contractures in Six Children with Cerebral Palsy

The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the feasibility of applying the combination of Dynamic splinting (DS) and Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) in order to improve wrist and elbow function, and range of motion, in children with upper limb contractures due to Cerebral palsy (CP). Six children aged seven to 16, with contractures at the wrist or elbow, were recruited. Following a 12-week baseline period all participants underwent a 12-week treatment period where DS was used for one hour per day and combined with NMES for the second half of the 1-h treatment. A 12-week follow-up period then ensued. Upper limb function was assessed with the Melbourne assessment, physical disability with the Paediatric Evaluation of Disability Index and the Activity Scale for Kids, and quality of life with the Pediatric Quality of Life Scale. Passive and active range of motion at the wrist and elbow were measured using manual and electrical goniometers. The technique of using combined NMES and DS was demonstrated to be feasible and compliance with the intervention was good. There was an increase in passive elbow extension in two participants treated for elbow contractures, although no accompanying change in upper limb function was demonstrated. Wrist range of movement improved in one participant treated for wrist contracture.
Understanding Socio-Technical Environments for Acceptance of Inter-Agency Anti/Counter-Terrorism Information Sharing Systems

The present research proposes to investigate the factors that influence acceptance of inter-organizational information sharing systems among anti/counter-terrorism agencies. Based on social exchange theory, transaction cost economics, and traditional IT acceptance theory, the study examines the impacts of perceived information assurance of information sharing partners, organizational norm of inter-agency information sharing, existing IT infrastructure and utilization, legal/authoritative pressure for ACT information sharing, and availability of technical standards for information sharing systems on inter-organizational anti/counter terrorism information sharing systems acceptance. The study administers a survey questionnaire to emergency responders such as law enforcement personnel, intelligence agents, firefighters, emergency medical staffs, and other government employees in the anti/counter-terrorism area. Survey participants are recruited through a non-governmental terrorism research institute and information security workshops. This paper reports an exploratory study that analyzed the first batch of survey responses from various emergency management organizations at the station level (e.g., headquarter, local offices, base, hospital, etc.). In the paper, a revised model with preliminary test results is presented, and findings are discussed for follow-up studies
Pain relief in ventilated preterms during endotracheal suctioning: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND In Switzerland approximately 8% of infants are born prematurely. Some of them undergo mechanical ventilation including endotracheal suctioning (ETS). ETS is one of the most frequently performed interventions and is linked to stress and pain, but its treatment is controversial. In Switzerland there is a lack of standardisation in pain relief for ETS. AIMS To test the hypothesis that an intermittent dose of morphine reduces pain during ETS and that subsequent multisensorial stimulation (MSS), as a non pharmacological comforting intervention, helps infants to recover from experienced pain. METHOD A randomized placebo controlled trial in two tertiary neonatal intensive care units (NICU) with a sample of 30 mechanically ventilated preterm infants was conducted. Pain was measured by three pain assessment tools (Bernese Pain Scale for Neonates, Premature Infant Pain Profile and Visual Analogue Scale) RESULTS Morphine did not lead to any pain relief from ETS as measured by three pain scales. Nor did the comforting intervention of MSS show any effect. Repeated-measure analysis of variance for the within and between groups comparison showed no statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS The administration of morphine for pain relief in ventilated preterm neonates during ETS remains questionable and the use of MSS as a comforting intervention after painful stimulus cannot be recommended. The validity testing of the instruments for this patient population should undergo a systematic validation trajectory. Future research should focus on options among non pharmacological interventions for relieving pain during ETS.
Design and implementation of a novel programmable power monitor chip

This paper proposes a novel programmable power monitor chip. With only three program pins and without any off-chip devices, the chip has 36-program states by taking different connections for the 3-program pins. The chip can monitor the voltage from 1.5v to 5.0v with 0.1v step. Special SH circuit and current limited digital blocks are employed to achieve ultra low quiescent power. The implementation is based on 2M1P 0.5um mixed signal process, the die area is 0.24mm2, and the quiescent current is only 3uA.
Lazy eyes zebrafish mutation affects Müller glial cells, compromising photoreceptor function and causing partial blindness

A behavioral assay based on the optokinetic reflex was used to screen chemically mutagenized zebrafish larvae for deficits in visual function. A homozygous recessive mutation, lazy eyes (lze), was isolated based on the observation that 5‐day postfertilization (dpf) mutants displayed weaker and less frequent eye movements than wild‐type fish in response to moving stripes. Electroretinographic (ERG) recordings revealed that mutants had severely reduced a‐ and b‐wave amplitudes relative to wild‐type fish, indicating outer retinal dysfunction. Retinal lamination and cellular differentiation were normal in the lze retina; however, mutant photoreceptor cells had small outer segments and pyknotic nuclei were occasionally observed in the outer retina and the marginal zone of lze. Cone, rod, amacrine, bipolar, and Müller cell marker analyses indicated that the typical lze retina contained fewer rod photoreceptors and fewer Müller cells than wild‐type fish at 5 dpf. At 3 dpf, however, mutant retinas had normal numbers of rod photoreceptors and Müller cells, suggesting that the initial differentiation of these cell types occurred normally. Rod photoreceptor histology was normal at this early stage, but Müller cells were often hypertrophied, suggesting that they were unhealthy. Constant light rearing of mutant animals accelerated the Müller cell degeneration, severely worsened the visual deficit, but had no obvious affect on the photoreceptors. When ERG responses and Müller cell degeneration from the same mutant animals were analyzed, the extent of the Müller cell loss matched closely the degree to which ERG responses were reduced. In summary, the lze gene appears to be required for Müller cell viability and normal visual function. The lze mutant may be a model for the study of the involvement of Müller cells in photoreceptor development and function. J. Comp. Neurol. 463:265–280, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Carcinoma of prostate in clinically benign enlarged gland.

BACKGROUND Carcinoma of the prostate is one of the common tumours of old age in men. This cross sectional study was conducted to detect carcinoma of prostate in clinically benign enlarged gland and to evaluate the efficacy of Digital rectal Examination in detection of prostatic cancer in patients presented at Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar from July 1998 to July 1999. METHODS Patients presenting with lower urinary tract symptoms over the age of 50 years were evaluated on English version of International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS), clinically examined and post-voiding residual urine determined on abdominal sonography. The selection criteria were; Severe IPSS, absence of signs of malignancy on Digital Rectal Examination (DRE) and post-voiding residual urine more than 100 ml. Thus a total 100 patients were selected for further study. Four ml blood was taken to assess Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) level pre-operatively. All these patients underwent either transvesical prostatectomy or transurethral resection of prostate (TURP) and enucleated prostatic tissues were sent to histopathology. RESULTS Eighty-five percent patients had PSA level up to 10 etag/ml. PSA level of 15 (15%) patients were above 10n gm/ml out of which 13 (13%) patients were having PSA in range of 11-12 etag/ml and two (2%) had PSA level between 20-25 etag/ml. Histopathology report of 2% patients turned out as adenocarcinoma of the prostate. CONCLUSION Out of 100 patients who were having clinically benign DRE findings, 2 turned out as Carcinoma of the prostate histologically.
Protective effects of alpha-tocopherol and tiopronin against cisplatin-induced ototoxicity.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the possible protective effects of alpha-tocopherol and tiopronin against cisplatin-induced cochlear damage. Cisplatin ototoxicity and nephrotoxicity seem to result from the inhibition of cochlear antioxidant defences, causing an increase in the amount of reactive oxygen species. Antioxidants, such as alpha-tocopherol and tiopronin, are able to suppress lipid peroxidation, thus attenuating tissue damage. MATERIAL AND METHODS Hartley albino guinea pigs were used. The animals were treated for 7 consecutive days with either (I) cisplatin alone, (II) cisplatin+alpha-tocopherol acetate, (III) cisplatin+tiopronin, (IV) cisplatin+alpha-tocopherol acetate+tiopronin, (V) alpha-tocopherol acetate alone or (VI) tiopronin alone. Changes in cochlear function were characterized by means of compound action potential threshold shifts. After the functional testing, tympanic bullae were removed and processed for morphological examination of the sensorineural epithelium. Renal function was evaluated by measuring serum blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels. RESULTS Cisplatin induced progressive high-frequency hearing loss of 40-50 dB SPL. Alpha-tocopherol and tiopronin co-therapy significantly slowed the progression of hearing loss. Treatment with alpha-tocopherol acetate or tiopronin alone was less effective. Morphological observations showed an important loss of outer hair cells and degeneration of the organ of Corti in the basal and middle turns. Injection of both alpha-tocopherol and tiopronin reduced cochlear outer hair cell loss more than treatment with a single drug. Beneficial effects of alpha-tocopherol and tiopronin on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity were observed. CONCLUSION This study supports the hypothesis that alpha-tocopherol and tiopronin interfere with cisplatin-induced damage, and suggests that concurrent treatment with the two drugs can be useful in protecting against hearing loss.
A Review on PML Nuclear Bodies and their Interaction with Herpesviruses

PML nuclear bodies (PNBs) are proteinaceous structures which predominantly reside inside the nuclei of mammalian cells. Their antiviral effects on a wide range of DNA and RNA viruses are shown. Viruses have evolved a diverse range of mechanisms to overcome the antiviral effect of PNBs. In particular, herpesviruses enter into an association with PNBs to control such antiviral effects. An outcome of this association is switching between the two life cycles of the virus. In this manuscript, we have reviewed our current knowledge on the biology of PNBs and the interplay between them and herpesviruses with an emphasis on the factors that affect the life cycle of the virus.
Laboratory and epidemiologic assessment of a recent influenza B outbreak

A viral surveillance system in Nashville detected an outbreak of influenza B that occurred between January and March 1986. Paired sera from 32 individuals with culture‐documented influenza B illness were tested using three serologic assays. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using purified hemagglutinin‐neuraminidase and plaque neutralization detected a seroresponse in 69% and 66% of these individuals, respectively. These assays were superior to hemagglutination inhibition, which detected a 41% seroresponse. ELISA was preferred because of cost and ease of performance.
Traumatic Brain Injury in Older Adults: Epidemiology, Outcomes, and Future Implications

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant problem in older adults. In persons aged 65 and older, TBI is responsible for more than 80,000 emergency department visits each year; three‐quarters of these visits result in hospitalization as a result of the injury. Adults aged 75 and older have the highest rates of TBI‐related hospitalization and death. Falls are the leading cause of TBI for older adults (51%), and motor vehicle traffic crashes are second (9%). Older age is known to negatively influence outcome after TBI. Although geriatric and neurotrauma investigators have identified the prognostic significance of preadmission functional ability, comorbidities, sex, and other factors such as cerebral perfusion pressure on recovery after illness or injury, these variables remain understudied in older adults with TBI. In the absence of good clinical data, predicting outcomes and providing care in the older adult population with TBI remains problematic. To address this significant public health issue, a refocusing of research efforts on this population is justified to prevent TBI in the older adult and to discern unique care requirements to facilitate best patient outcomes.
Functional contribution of Pds5 to cohesin-mediated cohesion in human cells and Xenopus egg extracts

Sister chromatid cohesion is essential for proper segregation of the genome in mitosis and meiosis. Central to this process is cohesin, a multi-protein complex conserved from yeast to human. Previous genetic studies in fungi have identified Pds5/BimD/Spo76 as an additional factor implicated in cohesion. Here we describe the biochemical and functional characterization of two Pds5-like proteins, Pds5A and Pds5B, from vertebrate cells. In HeLa cells, Pds5 proteins physically interact with cohesin and associate with chromatin in a cohesin-dependent manner. Depletion of the cohesin subunit Scc1 by RNA interference leads to the assembly of chromosomes with severe cohesion defects. A similar yet milder set of defects is observed in cells with reduced levels of Pds5A or Pds5B. In Xenopus egg extracts, mitotic chromosomes assembled in the absence of Pds5A and Pds5B display no discernible defects in arm cohesion, but centromeric cohesion is apparently loosened. Unexpectedly, these chromosomes retain an unusually high level of cohesin. Thus, Pds5 proteins seem to affect the stable maintenance of cohesin-mediated cohesion and its efficient dissolution during mitosis. We propose that Pds5 proteins play both positive and negative roles in sister chromatid cohesion, possibly by directly modulating the dynamic interaction of cohesin with chromatin. This idea would explain why cells lacking Pds5 function display rather complex and diverse phenotypes in different organisms.
Prostate-specific antigen vaccines for prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is the most common malignant tumour in men and there are few treatment options available once the tumour becomes refractory to hormonal manipulation. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a secretory glycoprotein that is commonly expressed by prostatic epithelial cells and is found in elevated levels in the serum of men with prostate cancer. The identification of T cell specific epitopes within the coding sequence of PSA has led to the development of various vaccine strategies that target PSA in an attempt to treat established prostate cancer. These strategies have included human leukocyte antigen-restricted PSA peptides, dendritic cells pulsed with PSA, recombinant viruses expressing PSA and combinations of different vectors. In addition to PSA, several other antigens have been described that may be useful for targeting prostate tumours by vaccines. Animal studies have established the feasibility and safety for many of these agents and clinical trials are now in progress to evaluate the immunological and clinical responses of PSA vaccines. Further research in manipulating anti-PSA immunity with cytokines, costimulatory molecules and other immune modulating agents will likely improve the therapeutic effectiveness of PSA vaccines. Clinical trials designed to evaluate the effects of vaccination in different stages of disease and through different routes of administration need to be performed to define the optimal schedule for PSA vaccines in patients with prostate cancer, or for those at high risk of developing the disease.