Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tissue Doppler imaging provides incremental prognostic value in patients with systemic hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy

Objectives We sought to determine the prognostic value of left ventricular (LV) mitral annular velocities measured by tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in hypertensive patients with echocardiographic evidence of LV hypertrophy. Background Echo LV hypertrophy and LV geometry provide additional predictive value of all-cause mortality beyond traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Limited data exist regarding the predictive value of TDI velocities for cardiovascular risk stratification in treated hypertensive patients. Methods Two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiograms were obtained in 252 consecutive subjects, including 174 subjects with systemic hypertension and 78 age-matched normal subjects. The end point was cardiac death in subsequent median follow-up of 19 months. Results Nineteen patients (7.54%) died of cardiac causes. The TDI mitral annulus systolic velocity and the early diastolic mitral annular velocity (Em) were significantly lower in the non-survivors (all P < 0.001). The pseudonormal (PN) or restrictive filling pattern (RFP) was associated with cardiac mortality. The other parameters associated with cardiac mortality were LV ejection fraction, LV mass index, inter-ventricular septal wall thickness in diastole and the ratio of early mitral inflow to early myocardial velocity. In multivariate analysis, Em, inter-ventricular septal wall thickness in diastole and either PN or RFP were the strongest predictors. The addition of Em < 3.5 cm/s significantly improved the outcome of a model that contained clinical risk factors, inter-ventricular septal wall thickness in diastole > 1.4 cm and either PN or RFP (P = 0.043). Conclusions Early diastolic mitral annulus velocity measured by TDI provides prognostic information, incremental to clinical data and standard echocardiographic variables, for risk stratification of hypertensive patients under treatment.
Alagille syndrome and nephroblastoma: Unusual coincidence of two rare disorders

Alagille syndrome is a rare developmental disorder combining bile duct paucity, congenital cardiopathy, facial dysmorphy, vertebrae defects, and ocular abnormalities, and frequent renal abnormalities. It does not usually predispose to malignancies. Nephroblastoma has been observed in many developmental disorders, but never in Alagille syndrome. We report two original cases of nephroblastoma associated to Alagille syndrome. We identified a new V136G JAG1 missense mutation in one patient and a constitutional deletion of 20p12 in the other. In one nephroblastoma an additional somatic 1p36 deletion was present. The link between Alagille syndrome, JAG1 alterations and nephroblastoma is discussed. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2008;50:908–911. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Interaction of Gums and Antimicrobial Agents on Susceptibility of Selected Foodborne Pathogens

The objective of this study was to determine the combined effect of locust bean, xanthan, agar, carrageenanmaltodextrin and pectin gums on the growth, bacterial survival, and susceptibility of foodborne pathogens. The combine effect five different gums and antimicrobial agents (Tetracycline, Doripenem, Imipenem, Cefixime, Cipropoxacin, Ceftazidime, Kanamycin and Meropenem) on susceptibility of foodborne pathogens was tested using disc diffusion method. Amongst gums tested, treatment with carrageenan-maltodextrin (52.00 ± 2.00 mm) and pectin (51.00 ± 1.00 mm) resulted in a two-fold increased in susceptibility of Salmonella enterica to imipenem 10 μg, compared to the control (25.33 ± 1.00 mm). Treatment with locust bean and agar gums also led to a two-fold increase in susceptibility of Salmonella enterica to cefixime and xanthan also increased susceptibility Escherichia coli O157:H7 to doripenem. Addition of gums led to a slight increase or decrease on bacterial growth in treatment compared to control. Bacterial survival decreased in the presence of all gums during refrigerated storage with pectin producing a log 2.68 ± 0.10 CFUml-1 reduction. Tested gums could potentially be used in combination with antimicrobial medicines to improve their efficacy in the treatment of Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli O157:H7 infections. Our findings could potentially lead to synergistic use of gums and antimicrobial agents to enhance the treatment and reduce recovery period of foodborne infections leading to less dependence on antimicrobial medicines and subsequently promoting health.
ISG56 and IFITM1 Proteins Inhibit Hepatitis C Virus Replication

ABSTRACT Hepatitis C virus (HCV) often leads to persistent infection. Interferon (IFN) and IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) are amplified during HCV infection but fail to eliminate virus from the liver in a large number of infected patients. We have observed previously that HCV infection induces IFN-β production in immortalized human hepatocytes (IHH) as early as 24 h after infection, although virus replication is not inhibited. To gain insights on possible countermeasures of virus for the suppression of host antiviral response, the cellular transcriptional profiles of ISGs were examined after various treatments of IHH. The majority of ISGs were upregulated in IFN-treated IHH from the level for mock-treated cells. However, the comparison of ISG expression in IFN-treated IHH and IFN-pretreated, HCV genotype 2a-infected IHH indicated that virus infection suppresses the upregulation of a subset of effector molecules, including ISG56 and IFITM1. Similar results were observed for HCV-infected Huh7 cells. Subsequent study suggested that the exogenous expression of ISG56 or IFITM1 inhibits HCV replication in IHH or Huh7 cells, and the knockdown of these genes enhanced HCV replication. Further characterization revealed that the overexpression of these ISGs does not block HCV pseudotype entry into Huh7 cells. Taken together, our results demonstrated that ISG56 and IFITM1 serve as important molecules to restrict HCV infection, and they may have implications in the development of therapeutic modalities.
Prospective Study of Alcohol Use and Hearing Loss in Men

Objective: Hearing loss is a common and disabling sensory disorder, yet prospective data on potentially modifiable risk factors are limited. Previous studies suggest that alcohol consumption may influence the development of hearing loss, yet results have been inconsistent. The purpose of this study was to prospectively examine the relation between alcohol use and hearing loss in men. Design: We examined prospectively the independent association between alcohol intake and self-reported professionally diagnosed hearing loss in 26,809 men aged 40 to 74 yrs at baseline in 1986. Study participants completed detailed questionnaires at baseline and every 2 yrs thereafter. Incident cases of hearing loss were defined as those professionally diagnosed after 1986. Cox proportional hazards multivariate regression was used to adjust for potential confounding factors. Results: During 386,081 person-years of follow-up, 3447 incident cases of hearing loss were reported. Overall, there was no association between level of alcohol intake and risk of hearing loss. Compared with those who did not consume alcohol, the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) were 1.00 (0.89 to 1.12) for those who consumed 5.0 to 9.9 g/day, 1.08 (0.96 to 1.21) for 10.0 to 14.9 g/day, and 0.98 (0.85 to 1.13) for 30.0 to 49.9 g/day. The results did not differ by age group or folate intake. Among those with lower intake of vitamin B12, however, higher consumption of alcohol, specifically liquor, was associated with an increased risk of hearing loss. Conclusions: Our data suggest that low or moderate alcohol consumption does not influence the risk of hearing loss in older men. A possible relation between vitamin B12 intake, alcohol consumption, and hearing loss merits further investigation.
High hamstring tendinopathy: MRI and ultrasound imaging and therapeutic efficacy of percutaneous corticosteroid injection.

OBJECTIVE The goals of this study were to review the MRI and sonographic findings in patients diagnosed clinically with high hamstring tendinopathy and to evaluate the efficacy of ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injections in providing symptomatic relief. CONCLUSION MRI is more sensitive than ultrasound in detecting peritendinous edema and tendinopathy at the proximal hamstring origin. Fifty percent of patients had symptomatic improvement lasting longer than 1 month after percutaneous corticosteroid injection, and 24% of patients had symptom relief for more than 6 months.
Does e-HRM lead to better HRM service?

Abstract Electronic Human Resource Management (e-HRM) is often assumed to increase HRM service quality. This paper empirically examines the relationship between e-HRM and HRM service quality and addresses two calls from recent e-HRM studies, namely to highlight (i) the importance of the interplay between technological and organizational aspects and (ii) the finding that improved HRM service quality is a consequence of e-HRM implementation. We argue that the key drivers of HRM service quality are the strengths both of HRM and of e-HRM. The relationship may be mediated by the frequency of e-HRM usage. In addition, building on Adaptive Structuration Theory, the degree to which mediation occurs may differ within regimes of high and low e-HRM appropriation. We use moderated mediation analysis on a sample of 140 employees of an administration unit to shed light on the drivers of HRM service quality. While we identify strong positive direct effects of HRM strength and of e-HRM strength, we fail to uncover either mediation or contingent mediation effects. The study contributes to e-HRM research by identifying the main antecedent of HRM service quality as HRM strength.
The “Antidemocratic Personality” Revisited: A Cross‐National Investigation of Working‐Class Authoritarianism

More than 60 years ago, psychologists identified a potential threat to democracy from within, namely the “antidemocratic personality” arising from the “authoritarian syndrome. ” It was soon discovered that the problem of authoritarianism was especially acute among those who were low in education and income, and that it was associated with intolerance toward others. However, several important questions were left unresolved. We revisit fundamental theoretical and empirical questions concerning the existence and nature of “working-class authoritarianism,” focusing especially on four psychological aspects of authoritarianism, namely, conventionalism, moral absolutism, obedience to authority, and cynicism. In a cross-national investigation involving respondents from 19 democratic countries, we find that all four aspects of authoritarianism are indeed related to moral and ethnic intolerance. However, only obedience to authority and cynicism are especially prevalent among those who are low in socioeconomic status. Conventionalism and moral absolutism were significant predictors of economic conservatism, whereas obedience to authority and cynicism were not. We find no support for Lipset’s (1960) claim that working-class authoritarianism would be associated with economic liberalism. Instead, we find that authoritarianism is linked to right-wing orientation in general and that intolerance mediates this relationship. Implications for electoral politics and political psychology are discussed.
Postural Control in Young People with Visual Impairments and Various Risks of Falls

Introduction Early diagnosis of postural control deficiencies facilitates implementation of an individual rehabilitation plan to prevent falls. The aim of the study was to assess the risk of falling in individuals with visual impairments, and to compare performance-based and theoretical limits of stability in subjects with various risks of falling. Methods The study was comprised of 23 participants with severe visual impairments. The risk of fall was assessed with the Step Test. Performance-based limits of stability were measured with the Advanced Mechanical Technology, Inc. (AMTI) platform, and theoretical limits of stability were calculated based on the height of the center of mass (COM) and maximum body sway leaning angles. Results COM displacement values, corresponding to performance-based limits of stability, in individuals with visual impairments whose risk of falling was classified as high were significantly lower than the theoretical values (p ≤ .05). Similar differences were not observed in participants with visual impairments whose risk of falling was assessed as low. Individuals from the low-risk group showed significantly higher values of performance-based limits of stability than the participants from the high-risk group (p ≤ .01 for medio-lateral direction and p ≤ .05 for forward-backward direction). Discussion Nearly half of young people with visual impairments are at increased risk of falling. Such persons showed lower performance-based limits of stability than participants with visual impairments with a low risk of falling. Performance-based limits of stability in individuals with visual impairments with a high risk of falling are lower than their theoretical limits of stability. Implications for practitioners The fact that nearly half of young people with visual impairments are at an increased risk of falling necessitates implementation of preventive measures in this group, as well as among individuals who are blind.
Position and attitude control of two-wheeled mobile robot using multilayer minimum projection method

For robotics navigation, artificial potential functions are commonly utilized. Among these functions, control Lyapunov functions (CLFs) guarantee stability of nonlinear autonomous systems. Particularly, a vehicle such as a two-wheeled mobile robot is a major application for a navigation problem. However, it is difficult to stabilize due to the its nonholonomic constraint. This paper presents a controller design procedure based on a non-smooth CLF. The controller achieves asymptotic stability of the origin of the two-wheeled mobile robot in a complex workspace. For the complex workspace, the multilayer minimum projection method can generate a CLF. The method requires a CLF for an unconstrained system and a smooth mapping. This paper proposes a composite mapping constructed by smooth mappings. The composite mapping is adopted to be combined with a non-smooth CLF. The non-smooth CLF manages theoretical difficulty from the nonholonomic constraint of the two-wheeled mobile robot. The approach is validated in computer simulation. The result demonstrates the effectiveness of the presented method.
Ultrasensitive Properties of a Long-Period Grating Inscribed in a Dual-Mode Photonic Crystal Fiber

Sensitivity properties of a long-period grating inscribed in Ge-core, dual-mode photonic crystal fiber (PCF) have been studied numerically. While the fundamental mode of the PCF shows similar characteristics to conventional fibers, its higher order mode exhibits nonmonotonicity in phase matching curve that leads to dual resonance peaks. The dual peaks shift in opposite directions with any changes in strain or temperature and exploiting the separation between the peaks can result in an ultrasensitive device. Our analysis shows that the dual peaks separate by 180 nm when 2-mε strain is applied and 170 nm with a 275 °C rise in temperature, which are much higher than the shift in single resonance peaks. Numerical investigations on simultaneous measurement of strain and temperature are also made for the dual resonance case. Furthermore, due to a relatively small cladding radius, the fundamental mode shows a peak shift of 1848 nm per refractive index units when the ambient refractive index changes from 1.325 to 1.35. We infer that our proposed device can be used as a high-performance sensor for single or multiparameter sensing.
Fabrication of Phase-Shifted Fiber Bragg Grating by Femtosecond Laser Shield Method

We demonstrated a simple single-exposure method of fabricating phase-shifted fiber Bragg gratings (PSFBGs), in which a non-photosensitive SMF-28 fiber was irradiated by a femtosecond laser beam passing through a uniform period phase mask. The phase-shifted structure in the FBG was formed by shielding a small region of the incident femtosecond laser beam during its irradiation. The fabricated PSFBG exhibited a 0.2 nm narrow resonant frequency band, 88% peak reflectance, and 77% extinction ratio. All-optical switching based on cross-phase modulation was demonstrated in the PSFBG at 1549.625 nm. A switching extinction ratio of more than 40% was achieved for 0.6 kW pulse peak power.
The calcium sensing receptor is directly involved in both osteoclast differentiation and apoptosis

Intracellular transduction pathways that are dependent on activation of the CaR by Cao2+ have been studied extensively in parathyroid and other cell types, and include cytosolic calcium, phospholipases C, A2, and D, protein kinase C isoforms and the cAMP/protein kinase A system. In this study, using bone marrow cells isolated from CaR−/− mice as well as DN‐CaR‐transfected RAW 264.7 cells, we provide evidence that expression of the CaR plays an important role in osteoclast differentiation. We also establish that activation of the CaR and resultant stimulation of PLC are involved in high Cao2+‐induced apoptosis of mature rabbit osteoclasts. Similar to RANKL, Cao2+ (20 mM) appeared to trigger rapid and significant nuclear translocation of NF‐κB in a CaR‐ and PLC‐dependent manner. In summary, our data suggest that stimulation of the CaR may play a pivotal role in the control of both osteoclast differentiation and apoptosis in the systems studied here through a signaling pathway involving activation of the CaR, phospholipase C, and NF‐κB. — Mentaverri, R. , Yano, S. , Chattopadhyay, N. , Petit, L. , Kifor, O. , Kamel, S. , Terwilliger, E. F. , Brazier, M. , Brown, E. M. The calcium sensing receptor is directly involved in both osteoclast differentiation and apoptosis. FASEB J. 20, E1945‐E1954 (2006)
Selenium intakes of children from Malawi and Papua New Guinea consuming plant-based diets.

Dietary selenium intakes were determined over three seasons for 66 children aged 4-6 y in rural Malawi, and at one season for 67 children aged 6-10 y in rural Papua New Guinea. The selenium content of the foods consumed was assessed using instrumental neutron activation analysis. Median intakes of selenium for the Malawian children were 20 micrograms per day, 21 micrograms per day, and 15 micrograms per day at harvest, postharvest, and preharvest seasons, respectively. More than 43% of the Malawian intakes were below the U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowances for 4-6 y olds (20 micrograms per day). Median intake of Se for the Papua New Guinean children was 20 micrograms per day, with 87% of the intakes below the recommended level for 7-10 y olds (30 micrograms per day). Statistical comparisons of selenium intakes over three seasons for the 51 children present in all survey periods revealed that mean intakes were not significantly different in survey periods one and two, but decreased significantly in survey period three, when expressed per day (p less than 0.002), per MJ (p less than 0.003), or per kg (p less than 0.001). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Reading Strategies for Coping With Information Overload ca.1550-1700

This article surveys some of the ways in which early modern scholars responded to what they perceived as an overabundance of books. In addition to owning more books and applying selective judgment as well as renewed diligence to their reading and note-taking, scholars devised shortcuts, sometimes based on medieval antecedents. These shortcuts included the use of the alphabetical index, whether printed or handmade, to read a book in parts, and the use of reference books, amanuenses, abbreviations, or the cutting and pasting from printed or manuscript sources to save time and effort in note-taking.
Mixture Ratios of Local Bone to Artificial Bone in Lumbar Posterolateral Fusion

There have been no reports on the effects of the mixture ratio of local bone graft to artificial bone on the outcome of intervertebral bone fusion. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the mixture ratio of local bone removed from laminae and spinous processes to apatite- and wollastonite-containing glass ceramic (AWGC) granules affected fusion rates in spinal fusion. Posterolateral lumbar fusion at two levels without spinal instrumentation was performed in 35 patients who were diagnosed with lumbar spinal canal stenosis. The patients were randomly divided into three groups, each of which received a different mixture ratio of local bone to AWGC granules: 2:1, 1:1, and 1:2. The total mass of grafted bone was 20 g in all three groups. The fusion rate was approximately 80% in all three groups. Our results indicate that lumbar posterolateral fusion can be successfully achieved even when the mixture ratio of local bone graft to AWGC granules is 1:2.
GPR survey at the archaeological roman site of Ciavieja, El Ejido (Spain)

This paper describes the ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey performed on the archaeological site of Ciavieja, El Ejido (Spain). It is part of historical studies performed in Ciavieja in order to add information to previous studies and also to analyze the extent and importance of the remains buried in this site. The objective of the GPR survey was to locate the most promising areas within the archaeological site to help the architects and archaeologists with an optimal design for the park. The time slices built with the radar data show several locations with linear and square anomalies with sizes compatible with the ones of Roman walls or roman house rooms.
Effect of dietary calcium on the development of hypertension and hypertensive vascular lesions in DOCA-salt and two-kidney, one clip hypertensive rats.

OBJECTIVE To examine the effect of modest changes in dietary calcium on systolic blood pressure (SBP) and myocardial and renal vascular lesions in Sprague-Dawley rats. DESIGN Regular- (0.4%, by weight), high- (0.8%) or low-calcium (0.24%) diets were fed to normotensive control, deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt and two-kidney, one clip (2-K, 1C) hypertensive rats for 8 weeks. METHODS Tail-cuff SBP and metabolic balance were measured once a week. At the end of the study the kidneys and hearts were collected for histological study. RESULTS Dietary calcium had no effect on SBP in the DOCA-salt rats, but loading with calcium accelerated the rise in SBP in 2-K,1C rats (P < 0.01, high- versus regular-calcium diet). The high-calcium diet reduced the percentage medial area of intramyocardial arteries in the DOCA-salt and 2-K,1C hypertensive rats. The DOCA-salt rats on the low-calcium diet had a higher renal vascular lesions score than those on the regular- or high-calcium diet (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS A high-calcium diet appears to prevent intramyocardial vascular wall thickening in DOCA-salt and 2-K,1C hypertensive rats, and a low-calcium diet aggravates renal vascular lesions in DOCA-salt hypertensive rats. These effects are not related simply to changes in blood pressure.