Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adolescents' physical activity: competition between perceived neighborhood sport facilities and home media resources.

OBJECTIVE To examine the independent, competing, and interactive effects of perceived availability of specific types of media in the home and neighborhood sport facilities on adolescents' leisure-time physical activity (PA). METHODS Survey data from 34 369 students in 42 Hong Kong secondary schools were collected (2006-07). Respondents reported moderate-to-vigorous leisure-time PA, presence of sport facilities in the neighborhood and of media equipment in the home. Being sufficiently physically active was defined as engaging in at least 30 minutes of non-school leisure-time PA on a daily basis. Logistic regression and post-estimation linear combinations of regression coefficients were used to examine the independent and competing effects of sport facilities and media equipment on leisure-time PA. RESULTS Perceived availability of sport facilities was positively (OR(boys) = 1.17; OR(girls) = 1.26), and that of computer/Internet negatively (OR(boys) = 0.48; OR(girls) = 0.41), associated with being sufficiently active. A significant positive association between video game console and being sufficiently active was found in girls (OR(girls) = 1.19) but not in boys. Compared with adolescents without sport facilities and media equipment, those who reported sport facilities only were more likely to be physically active (OR(boys) = 1.26; OR(girls) = 1.34), while those who additionally reported computer/Internet were less likely to be physically active (OR(boys) = 0.60; OR(girls) = 0.54). CONCLUSIONS Perceived availability of sport facilities in the neighborhood may positively impact on adolescents' level of physical activity. However, having computer/Internet may cancel out the effects of active opportunities in the neighborhood. This suggests that physical activity programs for adolescents need to consider limiting the access to computer-mediated communication as an important intervention component.
Risk Factors for Mortality among HIV-Positive Patients with and without Active Tuberculosis in Dar Es Salaam, Tanzania

Background The aim of this study was to describe risk factors for mortality and clinical characteristics of HIV-infected patients with and without tuberculosis (TB) coinfection. Methods A cohort of HIV-infected patients with CD4+ T-cell counts of ≤200 cells/ml was recruited, consisting of 255 HIV-infected patients without active TB and 231 patients with active TB. All received a well-supervised treatment with an efavirenz-based HAART, and those coinfected with TB received appropriate anti-TB treatment. They were followed up for 48 weeks after HAART initiation. Results Common presenting symptoms in HIV-only patients were fever (36.5%), headache (34.5%), skin rash (34.5%) and weight loss (32%), while in HIV-TB patients the symptoms were weight loss (58%), cough (57.6%), night sweats (44.6%) and fever (34.2%). HIV-TB patients had significantly lower body mass index, Karnofsky scores and haemoglobin levels compared to those infected with HIV only, despite similar baseline CD4+ T-cell counts. Overall, 12 (4.7%) HIV patients developed TB and 7 (3%) HIV-TB patients had worsening of their TB symptoms during the study period. Mortality was similar in the two groups, being 10.9% (16 deaths per 100 person years) and 11.3% (17 deaths per 100 person years) in HIV-only and HIV-TB patients, respectively. Overall, more males (13.1%) died compared to females (9.6%). Predictors of mortality were presence of oral candidiasis, Kaposi's sarcoma, low Karnofsky score, and low baseline white blood cell and CD4+ T-cell counts. Conclusions The outcomes following well-supervised treatment of HIV-TB patients are similar to those in patients with HIV alone. Predictors of mortality were those of advanced disease.
Dialect and Migration in a Changing Europe

Contents: Klaus J. Mattheier: Introductory Remarks - Paul Kerswill/Ann Williams: Mobility Versus Social Class in Dialect Levelling: Evidence from New and Old Towns in England - Edgar Radtke: The Migration Factor and the Convergence and Divergence of Southern Italian Dialects - Juan Antonio Moya Corral: Migration et changement linguistique a Grenade (Espagne) - M. Teresa Turell: More on the Interplay Between Internal and External Factors: Dialect Convergence and Divergence of Catalan - Francisco Baez de Aguilar Gonzalez: Linguistic Changes in Modern Andalusia - David Britain/Peter Trudgill: Migration, Dialect Contact, New-Dialect Formation and Reallocation - Peter Auer/Birgit Barden/Beate Grosskopf: Long-Term Linguistic Accomodation and its Sociolinguistic Interpretation: Evidence from the Inner-German Migration After the Wende - Brit Maehlum: Strategies of Neutrality in the Arctic - John Helgander: Mobility and Language Change: The Case of Upper Dalarna, Sweden - H. Scholtmeijer: Language in the Dutch Polders: Why Dialects Did Not Mix - Hendrik Boeschoten: Convergence and Divergence in Migrant Turkish - Raphael Berthele: Divergence and Convergence in a Multilectal Classroom: Patterns of Group Structure and Linguistic Conformity - Yaron Matras: Migrations and 'Replacive Convergence' as Sources of Diversity in the Dialects of Romani - John B. Trumper/G. Chiodo: A Changing Europe: The Presence Versus Absence of Drastic Events Provoking or Blocking Internal Migration and Their Possible Contribution to Linguistic Change or Conservation. Part I: Reggio Calabria.
High Affinity Binding of Epibatidine to Serotonin Type 3 Receptors*

Epibatidine and mecamylamine are ligands used widely in the study of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the central and peripheral nervous systems. In the present study, we find that nicotine blocks only 75% of 125I-epibatidine binding to rat brain membranes, whereas ligands specific for serotonin type 3 receptors (5-HT3Rs) block the remaining 25%. 125I-Epibatidine binds with a high affinity to native 5-HT3Rs of N1E-115 cells and to receptors composed of only 5-HT3A subunits expressed in HEK cells. In these cells, serotonin, the 5-HT3R-specific antagonist MDL72222, and the 5-HT3R agonist chlorophenylbiguanide readily competed with 125I-epibatidine binding to 5-HT3Rs. Nicotine was a poor competitor for 125I-epibatidine binding to 5-HT3Rs. However, the noncompetitive nAChR antagonist mecamylamine acted as a potent competitive inhibitor of 125I-epibatidine binding to 5-HT3Rs. Epibatidine inhibited serotonin-induced currents mediated by endogenous 5-HT3Rs in neuroblastoma cell lines and 5-HT3ARs expressed in HEK cells in a competitive manner. Our results demonstrate that 5-HT3Rs are previously uncharacterized high affinity epibatidine binding sites in the brain and indicate that epibatidine and mecamylamine act as 5-HT3R antagonists. Previous studies that depended on epibatidine and mecamylamine as nAChR-specific ligands, in particular studies of analgesic properties of epibatidine, may need to be reinterpreted with respect to the potential role of 5-HT3Rs.
Effects of graded concentrations of supplemental lead on lead concentrations in tissues of pigs and prediction equations for estimating dietary lead intake

The objectives of this experiment were to determine the effects of graded dietary lead (Pb) concentrations on body weight and Pb concentrations in blood, hair, soft tissues, and urine from pigs and to generate equations for estimating daily Pb intake. Sixteen barrows with initial body weight 36.3 kg (standard deviation = 2.3) were allotted to four dietary treatments that consisted of graded supplemental Pb concentrations (0, 10, 25, and 250 mg/kg of diet). Daily feed allowances for each pig were 1 kg for first two weeks and 2 kg for last two weeks. The hair and blood of pigs were collected on d 14 and 28. At the end of experiment, the pigs were euthanized, and the liver, kidneys, muscle, and urine samples were collected. The prediction equations for estimating daily Pb intake of pigs were generated using Pb concentration of blood, hair, tissues, or urine as an independent variable. The Pb concentrations in the blood, hair, liver, kidneys, muscle, and urine linearly increased (P < 0.01) with increasing dietary Pb concentrations. There were quadratic effects (P < 0.05) of increasing dietary Pb concentration on Pb concentrations in the blood, hair, and muscle. There were highly positive correlations between dietary Pb concentration and Pb concentrations in the blood, hair, liver, kidneys, muscle, and urine (r > 0.83; P < 0.01). The equations were significant (P < 0.01) and showed high r2 (>0.83), except the equation using Pb concentration in the muscle as an independent variable. In conclusion, the dietary Pb concentration was highly correlated with Pb concentrations in the blood, hair, soft tissues, and urine of pigs. The total dietary Pb intake can be estimated from the Pb concentrations in the blood, hair, soft tissues, or urine for pigs.
Conceptual Design of HTS Coil for SMES Using YBCO Coated Conductor

High Tc superconducting (HTS) toroidal coil using YBCO coated conductor is designed for 70 MJ class superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) for power system control. Its configuration and shape are optimized by means of genetic algorithm (GA) to minimize the required length of the conductor. The optimization is performed for two kinds of constrains, i.e., maximum electric field or flux flow loss of the coil, which are calculated by means of finite element method (FEM). The FEM analysis considers quantitative current density (J)-electric field (E) expressions based on percolation transition model. It is shown that the great transport performance against magnetic field of YBCO coated conductor can realize a very compact SMES coil compared with an existing Nb-Ti's one.
Broncho‐alveolar Lavage Matrix Metalloproteases as a Sensitive Measure of Bronchiolitis Obliterans

Bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) is a survival‐limiting factor in lung transplantation. There are no common BO markers in use. Since BO is associated with extracellular matrix remodeling, we asked whether matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) and their tissue inhibitors (TIMPs) could serve as BO markers. In 72 lung transplant patients (34 BO syndrome (BOS) 0, 15 BOS 0‐p, and 23 BOS 1) serum and broncho‐alveolar lavage (BAL) MMP and TIMP levels were examined by ELISA. The BAL cell counts were additionally analyzed. The serum MMP‐2, MMP‐8, MMP‐9 and TIMP‐2 levels were not different in all groups. In contrast, the BAL MMP‐8, ‐9 and TIMP‐1 levels were significantly elevated in BOS 0‐p (p = 0.003; p = 0.007; p = 0.0003, respectively) and BOS 1 (p = 0.003; p = 0.001; p = 0.0004, respectively) as compared to BOS 0 patients. The BAL MMP‐8, ‐9 and TIMP‐1 levels were significant predictors of BOS 0‐p (p = 0.01; p = 0.01; p = 0.01, respectively) and BOS‐1 (p = 0.007; p = 0.01; p = 0.006, respectively) in receiver operating characteristic analysis. Except for BAL macrophages that were significantly decreased in BOS 0‐p versus BOS 0 patients; other cell counts were not different between the groups. BAL MMP‐8, ‐9 and TIMP‐1 might be useful markers to detect BO in lung transplant patients.
Prevalence and growth of Listeria on naturally contaminated smoked salmon over 28 days of storage at 4 degrees C.

Only limited data are available on the growth characteristics of Listeria in naturally contaminated ready-to-eat foods. To evaluate Listeria contamination patterns and growth in smoked salmon, 72 smoked salmon product samples from two processing plants were tested for Listeria spp. and L. monocytogenes. Samples were divided into four approximately equal portions: one portion was tested on receipt, and the other three were vacuum sealed and stored at 4 degrees C for 7, 14, and 28 days. Listeria testing was performed using both an enrichment procedure and direct plating to enumerate Listeria in samples that contained >2 to 10 CFU/g. Five samples were positive for Listeria spp. , including one sample that was positive for L. monocytogenes. Most samples yielded only sporadic positive results among the portions tested on days 0, 7, 14, and 28. Only one sample contained Listeria spp. in numbers above the detection limit for enumeration. For this sample, the portions tested on days 7 and 28 contained 46 and 52 CFU/g, respectively, whereas the portion tested on day 14 was negative. Overall, our data indicate that there is considerable heterogeneity in Listeria spp. distribution within a single positive smoked fish sample. Even with refrigerated storage for 28 days, none of the naturally contaminated samples reached Listeria spp. numbers >100 CFU/g, which indicates that Listeria growth was limited within a 4-week storage period. However, because of the apparent heterogeneity of Listeria distribution within samples, the interpretation of growth data collected on naturally contaminated samples is difficult.
Structural changes of the human superior cervical ganglion following ischemic stroke.

OBJECTIVE The sympathetic nervous system participates in the modulation of cerebrovascular autoregulation. The most important source of sympathetic innervation of the cerebral arteries is the superior cervical ganglion. The aim of this study was to investigate signs of the neurodegenerative alteration in the sympathetic ganglia including the evaluation of apoptosis of neuronal and satellite cells in the human superior cervical ganglion after ischemic stroke, because so far alterations in human sympathetic ganglia related to the injury to peripheral tissue have not been enough analyzed. MATERIALS AND METHODS We investigated human superior cervical ganglia from eight patients who died of ischemic stroke and from seven control subjects. Neurohistological examination of sympathetic ganglia was performed on 5 microm paraffin sections stained with cresyl violet. TUNEL method was applied to assess apoptotic cells of sympathetic ganglia. RESULTS The present investigation showed that: (1) signs of neurodegenerative alteration (darkly stained and deformed neurons with vacuoles, lymphocytic infiltrates, gliocyte proliferation) were markedly expressed in the ganglia of stroke patients; (2) apoptotic neuronal and glial cell death was observed in the human superior cervical ganglia of the control and stroke groups; (3) heterogenic distribution of apoptotic neurons and glial cells as well as individual variations in both groups were identified; (4) higher apoptotic index of sympathetic neurons (89%) in the stroke group than in the control group was found. CONCLUSIONS We associated these findings with retrograde reaction of the neuronal cell body to axonal damage, which occurs in the ischemic focus of blood vessels innervated by superior cervical ganglion.
Reduced expression of metabotropic glutamate receptor 2mRNA in T cells of ALS patients

Metabotropic glutamate receptors alter the vulnerability of neurons to excitotoxic damage and are reported to display abnormal expression in the central nervous system of ALS patients. Using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction, we investigated the mRNA expression of specific metabotropic glutamate receptor subtypes in T lymphocytes of 20 patients with sporadic ALS, compared with healthy age‐matched control subjects and patients with other neurological disorders. The levels of metabotropic glutamate receptor 2 mRNA were markedly reduced, whereas the expression of other subtypes (1b, 3, 8) was similar to control levels. Our findings may provide a reliable peripheral marker of the glutamatergic dysfunction that characterizes ALS. Ann Neurol 2006
Molecular subgroups of adult medulloblastoma: a long-term single-institution study.

BACKGROUND Recent transcriptomic approaches have demonstrated that there are at least 4 distinct subgroups in medulloblastoma (MB); however, survival studies of molecular subgroups in adult MB have been inconclusive because of small sample sizes. The aim of this study is to investigate the molecular subgroups in adult MB and identify their clinical and prognostic implications in a large, single-institution cohort. METHODS We determined gene expression profiles for 13 primary adult MBs. Bioinformatics tools were used to establish distinct molecular subgroups based on the most informative genes in the dataset. Immunohistochemistry with subgroup-specific antibodies was then used for validation within an independent cohort of 201 formalin-fixed MB tumors, in conjunction with a systematic analysis of clinical and histological characteristics. RESULTS Three distinct molecular variants of adult MB were identified: the SHH, WNT, and group 4 subgroups. Validation of these subgroups in the 201-tumor cohort by immunohistochemistry identified significant differences in subgroup-specific demographics, histology, and metastatic status. The SHH subgroup accounted for the majority of the tumors (62%), followed by the group 4 subgroup (28%) and the WNT subgroup (10%). Group 4 tumors had significantly worse progression-free and overall survival compared with tumors of the other molecular subtypes. CONCLUSIONS We have identified 3 subgroups of adult MB, characterized by distinct expression profiles, clinical features, pathological features, and prognosis. Clinical variables incorporated with molecular subgroup are more significantly informative for predicting adult patient outcome.
Inflammation and cardiovascular risk assessment in Moroccan obese patients with and without metabolic syndrome: importance of lipoproteins ratios.

BACKGROUND Obesity predisposes an individual to numerous risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Inflammation, reported as a link between obesity and cardiovascular disease, contributes to the development of atherosclerosis. OBJECTIVES The aim of our study was to assess the relationship between lipid parameters, low grade inflammation and metabolic syndrome in a sample of obese Moroccan adults with or without metabolic syndrome (MetS). PATIENTS & METHODS Our study included 235 obese patients, mean aged 53.30 ± 9.73 years, with or without MetS. Our data included anthropometric measurements, lipoprotein and apolipoproteins profiles and several lipid ratios. RESULTS In patients with MetS, lipoprotein profile alterations and low-grade inflammation were observed. Lipid ratios were better predictors of cardiovascular risk than lipids alone because of their relative associations with lipoproteins and apolipoproteins. CONCLUSION Our study shows that Moroccan obese adults with MetS have altered lipoproteins profiles and suffer from low-grade inflammation. Indeed, we have detected a high level of small dense LDL particles and HDL particles defectiveness. Hence, we propose that risk management of cardiovascular events should be based on lipoprotein ratios rather than lipids alone. Treatments should also take into account inflammatory markers and LDL heterogeneity.
Diagnostic tools in linkage analysis for quantitative traits

Diagnostic methods are key components in any good statistical analysis. Because of the similarities between the variance components approach and regression analysis with respect to the normality assumption, when performing quantitative genetic linkage analysis using variance component methods, one must check the normality assumption of the quantitative trait and outliers. Thus, the main purposes of this paper are to describe methods for testing the normality assumption, to describe various diagnostic methods for identifying outliers, and to discuss the issues that may arise when outliers are present when using variance components models in quantitative trait linkage analysis. Data from the Rochester Family Heart Study are used to illustrate the various diagnostic methods and related issues. Genet Epidemiol 24:302–308, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Deux premières étapes vers les documents auto-explicatifs

Dans le cadre du projet LIDIA, nous avons montré que dans de nombreuses situations, la TA Fondée sur le Dialogue (TAFD) pour auteur monolingue peut offrir une meilleure solution en traduction multicible que les aides aux traducteurs, ou la traduction avec révision, même si des langages contrôlés sont utilisés. Nos premières expériences ont mis en évidence le besoin de conserver les « intentions de l’auteur » au moyen « d’annotations de désambiguïsation ». Ces annotations permettent de transformer le document source en un Document Auto-Explicatif (DAE). Nous présentons ici une solution pour intégrer ces annotations dans un document XML et les rendre visibles et utilisables par un lecteur pour une meilleure compréhension du « vrai contenu » du document. Le concept de Document Auto-Explicatif pourrait changer profondément notre façon de comprendre des documents importants ou écrits dans un style complexe. Nous montrerons aussi qu’un DAE, traduit dans une langue cible L, pourrait aussi être transformé, sans interaction humaine, en un DAE en langue L si un analyseur et un désambiguïseur sont disponibles pour cette langue L. Ainsi, un DAE pourrait être utilisé dans un contexte monolingue, mais aussi dans un contexte multilingue sans travail humain additionnel.
How Global Versus Local Perception Fits Regulatory Focus

We propose a reciprocal relation between regulatory-focus systems and global versus local processing styles—specifically, that global processing fits a promotion focus on advancement, whereas local processing fits a prevention focus on security. In Study 1, participants were shown large letters made of small letters and decided if either of two specific letters appeared on the screen. Strength of promotion focus was positively correlated with speed of processing global letters and negatively correlated with speed of processing local letters, whereas the reverse was true for strength of prevention focus. In Study 2, participants first worked on a global or local task and later chose between two objects. Consistent with our fit proposal, participants who had performed the global task assigned a higher price to their chosen object if they had chosen it in apromotive, eager manner than if they had chosen it in a preventive, vigilant manner, whereas the reverse was true for participants who had performed the local task.
Intact Membrane Lipids of “Candidatus Nitrosopumilus maritimus,” a Cultivated Representative of the Cosmopolitan Mesophilic Group I Crenarchaeota

ABSTRACT In this study we analyzed the membrane lipid composition of “Candidatus Nitrosopumilus maritimus,” the only cultivated representative of the cosmopolitan group I crenarchaeota and the only mesophilic isolate of the phylum Crenarchaeota. The core lipids of “Ca. Nitrosopumilus maritimus” consisted of glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) with zero to four cyclopentyl moieties. Crenarchaeol, a unique GDGT containing a cyclohexyl moiety in addition to four cyclopentyl moieties, was the most abundant GDGT. This confirms unambiguously that crenarchaeol is synthesized by species belonging to the group I.1a crenarchaeota. Intact polar lipid analysis revealed that the GDGTs have hexose, dihexose, and/or phosphohexose head groups. Similar polar lipids were previously found in deeply buried sediments from the Peru margin, suggesting that they were in part synthesized by group I crenarchaeota.