Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
"My World Has Expanded Even Though I'm Stuck at Home": Experiences of Individuals With Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Who Use Augmentative and Alternative Communication and Social Media.

PURPOSE This study aimed to expand the current understanding of how persons with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (pALS) use augmentative and alternative communication and social media to address their communication needs. METHOD An online focus group was used to investigate the experiences of 9 pALS who use augmentative and alternative communication and social media. Questions posed to the group related to (a) current use of social media, (b) advantages of social media, (c) barriers to independent use, (d) supports to independent use, and (e) recommendations for developers, policy makers, and other pALS. RESULTS Participants primarily reported that use of social media was a beneficial tool that provided increased communication opportunities, connections to communication partners, and networks of support. Specific results are discussed with reference to the research as well as implications for practice and recommendations for future research. CONCLUSIONS As individuals with ALS experience loss of function, some communication modes may no longer be viable. Providing access to different modes of communication, including social media, can allow independence, participation and better quality of life.
Ccm1 is required for arterial morphogenesis: implications for the etiology of human cavernous malformations

Hemorrhagic stroke is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in children, and is frequently associated with intracranial vascular malformations. One prevalent form of these vascular malformations, cerebral cavernous malformation, is characterized by thin-walled vascular cavities that hemorrhage and has been linked to loss-of-function mutations in CCM1. The neural and epithelial expression of CCM1 in adulthood suggests that cavernous malformations may be the result of primary neural defects. In this study, we generated mice lacking Ccm1 and demonstrate that Ccm1 is ubiquitously expressed early in embryogenesis and is essential for vascular development. Homozygous mutant embryos die in mid-gestation and the first detectable defects are exclusively vascular in nature. The precursor vessels of the brain become dilated starting at E8.5, reminiscent of the intracranial vascular defects observed in the human disease. In addition, there is marked enlargement and increased endothelial proliferation of the caudal dorsal aorta, as well as variable narrowing of the branchial arch arteries and proximal dorsal aorta. These vascular defects are not secondary to primary neural defects, as neural morphology and marker expression are normal even subsequent to the onset of vascular pathology. The defects in the vascular structure of embryos lacking Ccm1 are associated with early downregulation of artery-specific markers, including the Efnb2- and Notch-related genes. Finally, consistent with the murine data, we found that there is an analogous reduction in Notch gene expression in arterioles from humans with mutations in CCM1. Our studies suggest that cavernous malformations result from primary vascular rather than neural defects.
A biopsychosocial perspective on adjustment and quality of life following brain tumor: A systematic evaluation of the literature

Purpose. To systematically evaluate the literature on quality of life and adjustment to brain tumor from a biopsychosocial perspective. Methods. On the basis of the cancer and brain injury literature, a biopsychosocial organisational framework was initially developed to support an evaluative review of the brain tumor literature. This framework consisted of four themes relating to pre-illness characteristics, neuropathology, personal appraisals and reactions and social support. Electronic searches of Medline, PsycINFO and CINAHL databases identified 48 empirical studies (1980–2007) that investigated factors associated with quality of life or the adjustment of adults with brain tumor. A review of studies within each theme appraised these findings and evaluated the quality of methodology and extent to which biopsychosocial perspectives have guided investigations. Results. Overall, the review identified consistent associations between depression, performance status, fatigue and quality of life. Seven multivariate studies with strong methodology that adopted a biopsychosocial perspective were found. In general, the relationships among pre-illness and brain tumor characteristics, psychosocial variables and quality of life were unclear and various gaps in the literature emerged. Conclusions. Empirical findings within a biopsychosocial perspective may guide the development and delivery of support services for individuals with brain tumor; however, many important areas exist for future research.
Asynchronous activation of 10 muscle‐specific protein (MSP) genes during zebrafish somitogenesis

In the present study, 10 zebrafish cDNA clones coding for muscle‐specific proteins (MSPs) were characterized and most of them encode fast skeletal muscle isoforms. They are skeletal muscle α‐actin (acta1), fast skeletal muscle a‐tropomyosin (tpma), fast skeletal muscle troponin C (tnnc), fast skeletal muscle troponin T (tnnt), fast skeletal muscle myosin heavy chain (myhz1), fast skeletal muscle myosin light chain 2 (mylz2), fast skeletal muscle myosin light chain 3 (mylz3), muscle creatine kinase (ckm), parvalbumin (pvalb), and desmin (desm). Using these cDNA probes, their expression patterns in developing embryos and adults were compared by Northern blot hybridization and whole‐mount in situ hybridization. All of the 10 genes are expressed in both embryos and adult fish, and the expression is highly abundant in skeletal muscle. Among them, acta1, tpma, tnnc, tnnt, myhz1, mylz2, mylz3 and pvalb, are expressed specifically in fast skeletal muscle while ckm and desm are expressed in both fast and slow skeletal muscles. In addition, tpma, ckm, and desm are also expressed in the heart. Ontogenetically, the onset of expression of these MSP genes in zebrafish skeletal muscle varies and the expression occurs rostral‐caudally in developing somites. Shortly after the expression of myoD, desm is the first to be activated at ∼9 hpf, followed by tpma (∼10 hpf), tnnc (∼12 hpf), acta1 (∼12 hpf), ckm (∼14 hpf), myhz1 (∼14 hpf), mylz2 (∼16 hpf), mylz3 (∼16.5 hpf), tnnt (∼16.5 hpf), and pvalb (∼16.5 hpf). At later stages (after 48 hpf), these MSP genes are also expressed in fin buds and head muscles including eye, jaw, and gill muscles. Thus, our experiment demonstrated the order of expression of the 10 MSP genes, which may reflect the sequence of muscle filament assembly. In spite of the asynchrony in activation of these MSP genes, the timing of expression for each individual MSP gene appears to be synchronous to somite development as each somite has an identical timetable to express the set of MSP genes. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A preclinical study testing “Focused multiple laser beams,” a new concept of irradiation with the 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser for skin rejuvenation

ABSTRACT Introduction: In order to avoid epidermal heat damage, we developed a novel irradiation method termed “Focused multiple laser beams (FMLB),” which allows long-pulse neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser beams to be irradiated from several directions in a concentric fashion followed by focusing into the dermis without epidermal damage. This study aimed to assess whether FMLB achieves the desired dermal improvement without epidermal damage. Materials and methods: The dorsal skin of New Zealand White rabbits was irradiated with FMLB. Macroscopic and histological analyses were performed after 1 hour and 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks. Real-time PCR analysis of type I and III collagen expression was performed at two and four weeks. Results: Control groups exhibited skin ulcers which were healed with scar formation whereas FMLB groups remained intact macroscopically. Histologically, FMLB group showed increase in dermal thickness at four weeks while the epidermis remained intact. Real-time PCR demonstrated that both type I and III collagen increased at two weeks but decreased at four weeks. Conclusions: FMLB can deliver the target laser energy to the dermis without significantly affecting the epidermis.
Association between cyclooxygenase-2 expression in atypical hyperplasia and risk of breast cancer.

BACKGROUND The cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) enzyme, which is induced by inflammatory and mitogenic stimuli, plays a protumorigenic role in several human cancers. COX-2 is overexpressed in invasive and in situ breast cancers. Atypical hyperplasia in breast tissue, although benign, is associated with a high risk of breast cancer. We investigated whether COX-2 overexpression in atypical hyperplasia is associated with the risk of subsequent breast cancer. METHODS COX-2 expression was assessed immunohistochemically in archival sections from 235 women with atypia whose biopsy specimens were obtained at the Mayo Clinic from January 1, 1967, through December 31, 1991. COX-2 expression was scored as 0 (negative), 1+ (weak), 2+ (moderate), or 3+ (strong). Risk factor information and follow-up for breast cancer events were obtained via a study questionnaire and the medical records. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS Forty-one (17%) of the 235 women developed breast cancer during a median follow-up of 15 years. Moderate (category 2+) or strong (category 3+) COX-2 expression was identified in 71 (30%) and 34 (14%) of the 235 samples, respectively. The risk for developing breast cancer, relative to a control population (the Iowa Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry), increased with increasing COX-2 expression (relative risk [RR] = 2.63, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.56 to 4.15, for those with negative or weak COX-2 expression; RR = 3.56, 95% CI = 1.94 to 5.97, for those with moderate expression; and RR = 5.66, 95% CI = 2.59 to 10.75, for those with strong expression; P = .07). Overexpression of COX-2 was statistically significantly associated with the type of atypia (lobular vs ductal, P < .001), number of foci of atypia in the biopsy (P = .02), and older age at time of biopsy (>45 years, P = .01). CONCLUSIONS COX-2 appears to be a biomarker that further stratifies breast cancer risk among women with atypia and may be a relevant target for chemoprevention strategies.
Early detection of hepatocellular carcinoma increases the chance of treatment: Hong Kong experience

The prognosis for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is poor because of the low chance of curative treatment. To increase the chance of intervention and to improve survival, early detection of subclinical HCC (SCHCC) by α‐fetoprotein (AFP) and/or ultrasonography (USG) screening is implemented in many countries. Three hundred six Chinese patients with HCC diagnosed between January 1995 and December 1997 were recruited. They were categorized into two groups: 142 patients (group 1) had SCHCC diagnosed by screening (AFP and/or USG), and 164 patients (group 2) presented with symptomatic HCC. The tumor size was significantly smaller in group 1 compared with that of group 2 (3.5 cm vs. 8.1 cm; P < .0001). A significantly higher proportion of patients had bilobar involvement, multifocal HCC, diffuse‐type HCC, portal vein infiltration, and distant metastasis in group 2 when compared with group 1. Operability and feasibility of treatment by transcatheter intra‐arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in group 1 patients (26.8% and 45.1%, respectively) were significantly better than in group 2 patients (7.9% and 32.3%, P < .0001 and P = .03, respectively). The cumulative survival rate was significantly higher in group 1 than in group 2 (P < .0001). For those who had surgical resection and those who had TACE, group 1 patients had a higher cumulative survival rate compared with that of group 2 patients (P = .04 and P = .0003, respectively). Screening for HCC by AFP and/or USG can identify tumors at an early stage, resulting in a higher chance of receiving treatment. Whether it can improve survival requires a further prospective, randomized study.
Plasma antibody titres to heat shock proteins‐60, ‐65 and‐70: Their relationship to coronary risk factors in dyslipidaemic patients and healthy individuals

Objective To investigate the factors that may affect antibody titres to heat shock proteins (Hsp)‐60, ‐65 and ‐70, and serum C‐reactive protein (CRP) concentrations in patients with dyslipidaemia and other features of the metabolic syndrome as defined by ATPIII criteria. Material and methods. The study comprised 237 dyslipidaemia patients and 135 healthy individuals recruited from amongst university and hospital employees. Results. Compared to the healthy individuals, the dyslipidaemic patients had higher antibody titres to Hsp‐60 (p<0.01), Hsp‐65 (p<0.001) and Hsp‐70 (p<0.05), and higher serum CRP concentrations (p<0.001). The best‐fitting multifactorial models revealed that known coronary risk factors explained little of the variation in Hsp antibody titres: 3 % for Hsp‐60, 1 % for Hsp‐65 and 4 % for Hsp‐70 amongst the dyslipidaemic subjects. The corresponding values for the subgroup with the metabolic syndrome were 8 %, 3 % and 1 %, respectively. In contrast, the best‐fitting model explained 13.5 % of the variation in serum CRP concentrations among the dyslipidaemic patients, obesity being a major determinant; and 14 % in the subgroup with metabolic syndrome. Conclusions. The higher antibody titres to Hsp‐60, ‐65, and ‐70 in the dyslipidaemic patients may be related to a heightened state of immunoactivation associated with atherosclerosis in this group. Our data indicate that antibody titres to these Hsps are not associated with the classical coronary risk factors, although serum high sensitivity (hs)CRP concentrations were significantly related to obesity.
Analysis of Coupled Microring Resonators in Sheared Lattices

We present a field coupling method for analyzing coupled microring resonators (CMRs) in sheared 2-D lattices. Shearing has the effect of imparting phase shifts to certain coupling elements in the lattice, and is shown to be a simple way for realizing negative couplings in CMR networks. We mathematically show that the operation of shearing can be described by a similarity transformation on the field coupling matrix of the microring network. The analysis presented can be generalized to account for the position dependence of the coupling junctions of arbitrary 2-D CMR networks.
Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor antagonists for preventing the progression of diabetic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin II receptor antagonists (AIIRA) are considered to be equally effective for patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD), but renal and not mortality outcomes have usually been considered. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the benefits and harms ACEi and AIIRA in patients with DKD. SEARCH STRATEGY We searched MEDLINE (1966 to December 2005), EMBASE (1980 to December 2005), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, The Cochrane Library issue 4 2005) and contacted known investigators. SELECTION CRITERIA Studies comparing ACEi or AIIRA with placebo or each other in patients with DKD were included. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two authors independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. Statistical analyses were performed using the random effects model and results expressed as relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Heterogeneity among studies was explored using the Cochran Q statistic and the I(2) test, subgroup analyses and random effects metaregression. MAIN RESULTS Fifty studies (13,215 patients) were identified. Thirty eight compared ACEi with placebo, five compared AIIRA with placebo and seven compared ACEi and AIIRA directly. There was no significant difference in the risk of all-cause mortality for ACEi versus placebo (RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.17) and AIIRA versus placebo (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.17). A subgroup analysis of studies using full-dose ACEi versus studies using half or less than half the maximum tolerable dose of ACEi showed a significant reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality with the use of full-dose ACEi (RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.61 to 0.98). Baseline mortality rates were similar in the ACEi and AIIRA studies. The effects of ACEi and AIIRA on renal outcomes (ESKD, doubling of creatinine, prevention of progression of micro- to macroalbuminuria, remission of micro- to normoalbuminuria) were similarly beneficial. Reliable estimates of effect of ACEi versus AIIRA could not be obtained from the three studies in which they were compared directly because of their small sample size. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Although the survival benefits of ACEi are known for patients with DKD, the relative effects on survival of ACEi with AIIRA are unknown due to the lack of adequate direct comparison studies. In placebo controlled studies, only ACEi (at the maximum tolerable dose, but not lower so-called renal doses) were found to significantly reduce the risk of all-cause mortality. Renal and toxicity profiles of these two classes of agents were not significantly different.
Comparative antioxidant activities and synergism of resveratrol and oxyresveratrol

Resveratrol (1) and oxyresveratrol (2) are phytoalexins with antioxidant activities (AAs) and proposed effects against several pathological processes. The main objective of this study was to provide a novel, comparative assessment of their AAs, and to test for potential synergism in their combined activities, or in combination with another phytochemical antioxidant, curcumin (3). The phytochemicals were tested at 10 µM total concentrations in a heme-based assay that involved, as the final step, quantification of tetramethyl-phenylene-diamine oxidation. Significant AAs were observed for both 1 and 2, 27–33% inhibition of oxidation (p < 0.05 relative to non-phytochemical control). The combination of 1 and 2 in the same assay (5 µM each) suggested a moderate synergistic effect of about 10% (41% inhibition of oxidation by 1/2 under the same conditions as for 1 and 2 separately). Combinations of 1/3 and 2/3 were also synergistic, but 1/3 had a two-fold greater AA (p < 0.05) than 2/3 (or 1/2). Our results indicate that (i) 1 and 2 are effective antioxidants in the assay, (ii) in combination, their AAs can synergise, and (iii) in relation to 2, 1 has a much greater synergistic potential with 3. The latter suggests different synergy mechanisms of the curcuminoid with each of the two stilbene phytoalexins.
Taste, movement, and death: varying effects of new prospero mutants during Drosophila development.

The PGal4 transposon inserted upstream of the pan-neural gene prospero (pros) causes several neural and behavioral defects in the Voila(1) strain. The precise excision of the transposon simultaneously rescued all these defects whereas its unprecise excision created new pros(V) alleles, including the null allele pros(V17). Here, we describe the relationship between the genetic structure of pros locus, larval locomotion, and larval gustatory response. These two behaviors showed varying degrees of variation depending upon the pros allele. We also found a good relation between behavioral alteration, the level of Pros protein in the embryo, and the degree of disorganization in the larval neuromuscular junction. These data suggest that the complete development of the nervous system requires a full complement of Pros, and that a gradual decrease in the levels of this protein can proportionally alter the development and the function of the nervous system.
An Alternative Perspective: A Critical Evaluation of the Waddell Threshold Extrapolation Model in Chemical Carcinogenesis

In a recent Perspective article (Toxicologic Pathology 31: 260—262, 2003) Waddell asserts that he has developed a log linear extrapolation model that can demonstrate a threshold and resolve for once and for all the uncertainies associated with low dose cancer risk extrapolation. However, his method essentially forces, rather than demonstrates, a threshold, and has many serious flaws that result in significant under-estimation of low dose risk. It would be a serious mistake for the scientific community to adopt Waddell's log linear extrapolation model for chemical carcinogenesis risk assessment.
Particle-based immiscible fluid-fluid collision

In this paper, we propose a new particle-based fluid-fluid collision model for immiscible fluid animation. Our model consists of two components, namely, collision detection and collision response. A useful modeling feature is that our model not only can prevent immiscible fluids from mixing with each other, but also can allow one fluid to run through or to wrap around another fluid. The model is very flexible and can work with many existing particle-based fluid models. The animation results are presented and show that the proposed model can produce a variety of fluid animations.
Preparation of spherically agglomerated crystals of aminophylline.

The spherically agglomerated crystals of aminophylline (theophylline-ethylenediamine complex) can be compounded directly into pharmaceutical formulations without further processing, e.g., granulation. Such crystals were prepared by mixing theophylline and ethylenediamine in a partially miscible solvent system, i.e., organic solvent-ethanol-water. The organic solvents used were chloroform, 1-hexanol, isopropyl acetate, isobutyl acetate, isoamyl acetate, benzene, toluene, n-hexane, or n-heptane. Spherical crystallization depended upon the solubility of theophylline in the solvent mixture. The resultant agglomerated crystals were identical with the theophylline-ethylenediamine complex by IR, X-ray, and differential scanning calorimetry analyses, and was the alpha-, beta-, or gamma-form when the water of crystallization was less than or equal to 0.5, 1.0, and 2.5 mol, respectively. When the amount of ethylenediamine used was less than 1.1 mL (0.0165 mol), the resultant agglomerated crystals were converted to anhydrous theophylline by washing with ethanol. When water was added to the system (greater than or equal to 0.3 mL, i.e., 0.0167 mol), water was occluded in the resultant agglomerates as water of crystallization. Ethylenediamine content in the agglomerated crystals could be controlled by changing the amount of ethylenediamine added in the crystallization solvent.