Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Estimated life expectancy of Parkinson’s patients compared with the UK population

Objective: To calculate the best possible estimates for age specific life expectancy (LE) and anticipated age at the time of death (AAD) in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) compared with the general population in the UK. These may be of greater value to patients than standardised mortality ratios (SMRs), which are usually reported in studies on mortality in PD. Methods: A literature review identified articles with data on age stratified life expectancy or SMRs to calculate estimations of LE using the Gompertz function and data on mortality and LE in the UK from the Office of National Statistics and Actuarial Department for the year 2003. Results: Two UK studies and four from Western Europe were used to estimate LE and AAD for patients with PD from SMRs. The mean LEs of patients with PD compared with the general population were: 38 (SD 5) years for onset between 25 and 39 years compared with 49 (SD 5) years; 21 (SD 5) years for onset between 40 and 64 years compared with 31 (SD 7) years; and 5 (SD 4) years for onset age ⩾65 years compared with 9 (SD 5) years. The average AAD of patients with PD with onset between 25 and 39 years was 71 (SD 3) years and considerably lower than that of the general population (82 (SD 2) years). The difference between average AAD for older individuals with PD (onset ⩾65 years) and the general population was smaller, with an AAD of approximately 88 (SD 7) years compared with 91 (SD 5) years. Conclusions: The calculations showed that LE and AAD in PD are reduced for all onset ages but this reduction is greatest in individuals with a young onset. While the results are average estimates, these can provide useful indications of LE and AAD.
Development of street lights controller using wifi mesh network

This paper describes the development of controller street lights using wifi mesh network for saving the energy consumption of streetlight system. The road light used in this research is the light-emitting diode (LED) because of the great energy and the intensity of light can be controlled. This LED fitted wifi-based light controller that can be monitored and controlled remotely. In addition, the sensor nodes are also installed several sensors such as light sensors, humidity sensors, temperature sensors and current sensors to monitor environmental conditions. In order to realize the proposed system, we built a prototype and some miniature road lights installed in the laboratory, where the experiments prove that this system can control on-off and dimmers remotely using android applications. In real development, the maximum distance between the sensor nodes and the other nodes is 19 m.
Migration to Apoptotic “Find-me” Signals Is Mediated via the Phagocyte Receptor G2A*

Phagocytosis of apoptotic cells is fundamentally important throughout life, because non-cleared cells become secondarily necrotic and release intracellular contents, thus instigating inflammatory and autoimmune responses. Secreted “find-me” and exposed “eat-me” signals displayed by the dying cell in concert with the phagocyte receptors comprise the phagocytic synapse of apoptotic cell clearance. In this scenario, lysophospholipids (lysoPLs) are assumed to act as find-me signals for the attraction of phagocytes. However, both the identity of the lyso-PLs released from apoptotic cells and the nature of the phagocyte receptor are largely unknown. By a detailed analysis of the structural requirements we show here that lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC), but none of the lysoPC metabolites or other lysoPLs, represents the essential apoptotic attraction signal able to trigger a phagocyte chemotactic response. Furthermore, using RNA interference and expression studies, we demonstrate that the G-protein-coupled receptor G2A, unlike its relative GPR4, is involved in the chemotaxis of monocytic cells. Thus, our study identifies lysoPC and G2A as the crucial receptor/ligand system for the attraction of phagocytes to apoptotic cells and the prevention of autoimmunity.
Lack of tRNA-i6A modification causes mitochondrial-like metabolic deficiency in S. pombe by limiting activity of cytosolic tRNATyr, not mito-tRNA

tRNA-isopentenyl transferases (IPTases) are highly conserved enzymes that form isopentenyl-N6-A37 (i6A37) on subsets of tRNAs, enhancing their translation activity. Nuclear-encoded IPTases modify select cytosolic (cy-) and mitochondrial (mt-) tRNAs. Mutation in human IPTase, TRIT1, causes disease phenotypes characteristic of mitochondrial translation deficiency due to mt-tRNA dysfunction. Deletion of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe IPTase (tit1-Δ) causes slow growth in glycerol, as well as in rapamycin, an inhibitor of TOR kinase that maintains metabolic homeostasis. Schizosaccharomyces pombe IPTase modifies three different cy-tRNAsSer as well as cy-tRNATyr, cy-tRNATrp, and mt-tRNATrp. We show that lower ATP levels in tit1-Δ relative to tit1+ cells are also more decreased by an inhibitor of oxidative phosphorylation, indicative of mitochondrial dysfunction. Here we asked if the tit1-Δ phenotypes are due to hypomodification of cy-tRNA or mt-tRNA. A cytosol-specific IPTase that modifies cy-tRNA, but not mt-tRNA, fully rescues the tit1-Δ phenotypes. Moreover, overexpression of cy-tRNAs also rescues the phenotypes, and cy-tRNATyr alone substantially does so. Bioinformatics indicate that cy-tRNATyr is most limiting for codon demand in tit1-Δ cells and that the cytosolic mRNAs most loaded with Tyr codons encode carbon metabolilizing enzymes, many of which are known to localize to mitochondria. Thus, S. pombe i6A37 hypomodification-associated metabolic deficiency results from hypoactivity of cy-tRNA, mostly tRNATyr, and unlike human TRIT1-deficiency does not impair mitochondrial translation due to mt-tRNA hypomodification. We discuss species-specific aspects of i6A37. Specifically relevant to mitochondria, we show that its hypermodified version, ms2i6A37 (2-methylthiolated), which occurs on certain mammalian mt-tRNAs (but not cy-tRNAs), is not found in yeast.
Breast‐cancer incidence in relation to height, weight and body‐fat distribution in the Dutch “DOM” cohort

In a cohort of 11,663 participants in a breast‐cancer screening program, height, weight, waist circumference and hip circumference were measured, and information about menstrual and reproductive history was obtained by questionnaire. After exclusion of 83 women with unclear menopausal status, the subjects were divided into 3 sub‐cohorts: 5,891 women who were pre‐menopausal at the time of data collection, 3,521 women who had entered the study after natural menopause, and 2068 women who had been hysterectomized and/or ovariectomized. After a median follow‐up of 10.6 years, 147, 76 and 52 incident cases of breast cancer were detected in the 3 respective sub‐cohorts. No statistically significant association was found in any of the sub‐cohorts between breast‐cancer risk and height, weight, body‐mass index (BMI) or hip circumference. In the sub‐cohort of women with natural menopause, however, risk of breast cancer was positively and significantly associated with the ratio of waist‐to‐hip circumferences (WHR) (RR = 2.63 for upper vs. lower quartile), and this association did not change after adjustment for variations in disease risk related to body height and weight. Although similar to observations in other cohort studies showing positive associations between obesity and breast‐cancer risk in post‐menopausal women, our results are different, in that WHR and not BMI appears to be the more specific indicator of breast‐cancer risk. Int. J. Cancer 76:647–651, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay reactivity of torovirus-like particles in fecal specimens from humans with diarrhea

Toroviruses are recognized enteric pathogens of cattle and horses; in humans, similar pleomorphic particles have been described, but doubt has been raised concerning their identity as viruses. We screened fecal samples from humans with diarrhea for the presence of torovirus-like particles (TVLPs) by electron microscopy and subsequently used an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with bovine torovirus reference reagents to test for the presence of torovirus antigens. To add another selection criterion to this heterologous ELISA, we enriched the TVLPs from the stool specimens by using sucrose density gradients before testing. The results of ELISA and EM correlated significantly, the ELISA having a sensitivity of 68% and a specificity of 86% (chi-square, P < 0.0001). In the gradient, peaks of ELISA reactivity were found at a buoyant density of 1.16 g/ml and were parallel to those found when using bovine torovirus. Furthermore, in 50% of the ELISA-positive gradients, a hemagglutinin for human group O erythrocytes comigrated with the peaks of ELISA reactivity. We were unable to isolate human TVLPs in human colonic tumor or rectal tumor cells. We cloned and sequenced amplification products obtained by low-stringency polymerase chain reaction amplification using consensus primers mapping to the 3' end of the genome of animal toroviruses, but found no significant homologies with animals torovirus sequences. Rabbits were inoculated with material from the gradient peak fractions of human stool specimens, and their sera were assayed for immunologic comparison with bovine torovirus as a reference. A two-way antigenic cross-reactivity was seen between human TVLP and bovine torovirus reagents when tested by ELISA. The rabbit antisera to human TVLP detected a higher number of electron microscopy-positive stool specimens than did the rabbit antisera to bovine torovirus. The application of these assays and reagents should help to elucidate the roles of TVLPs and toroviruses in diarrheal disease in humans.
Neuropsychological Assessment of Attention Problems in Pathological Gamblers

Deficits in executive, frontally mediated attention processes have been observed in substance abusers. A significant rate of childhood histories of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has also been reported in this population, creating the question of whether attention problems predated addiction or were secondary to neurological drug or alcohol effects in pathological gamblers. To address this issue, the current study compared 33 non-substance-abusing pathological gamblers with 33 nonaddicted controls on nine attention measures and childhood behavior questionnaires. Gamblers performed significantly worse than controls on higher order attention measures and reported more childhood behaviors consistent with attention deficits. Results suggest attention deficits may be a risk factor for development, of addictive disorders.
Nonlinear Compensation of Multi-CAP VLC System Employing Clustering Algorithm Based Perception Decision

Nonlinearities induced by the electrical amplifiers and the optoelectronic devices can be detrimental effects in visible light communication (VLC) systems. In this paper, clustering algorithm based perception decision (CAPD) is proposed to mitigate the nonlinear distortion in a VLC system. Aided by CAPD nonlinear compensation, we experimentally demonstrate a multiband CAP modulated VLC system consisting of a red light-emitting diode as a transmitter and a p-i-n photodiode based differential receiver. The system performances including the Q factor, bit error rate (BER), and computational complexity are thoroughly investigated when using a pure linear blind equalization scheme (modified cascaded multimodulus algorithm, M-CMMA) and when using hybrid linear and nonlinear equalizers (M-CMMA + Volterra series based nonlinear equalizer). The experiment results show that compared to pure linear equalizer case, the measured BER can be enhanced up to 1e−6, correspondingly the Q factor of each subband can be improved for around 1.6–2.5 dB by employing CAPD. The CAPD method can outperform the Volterra series based nonlinear equalizer with a lower BER value (at least 10% reduction) and relatively lower complexity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that the clustering algorithm in machine learning is successfully applied to VLC systems.
Optimized spectral floor in multi-band spectral subtraction for dysarthric speech recognition

The advancements in automatic speech recognition through pre-processing of speech is an alternative way to improve word recognition rate. In this work, we explored the speech enhancement techniques for improving the performance of automatic speech recognition for degraded dysarthric speech. The spectral floor parameter is optimized in the multi-band spectral subtraction technique as it controls the amount of residual noise estimation to avoid crossing the lower bound. The enhanced dysarthric speech is compared with standard enhancement techniques such as Boll's spectral subtraction, multi-band subtraction and Kalman filtering using segmental signal-to-noise ratio, log spectral distortion, mel cepstral distortion and perceptual scores. Further, the improved speech is represented using complex cepstrum based features, and trained using general regression based classier. The recognition system is tested and evaluated for word accuracy. The proposed pre-processed speech enhances the speech recognition accuracy in comparison to baseline models along with no enhancement scheme.
Influence of mode and carbohydrate on the cytokine response to heavy exertion.

OBJECTIVE AND METHODS This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was designed to determine the influence of exercise mode and 6% carbohydrate (C) versus placebo (P) beverage ingestion, on blood cell counts, plasma glucose, hormone, and inflammatory cytokine responses (five total samples over 9 h) to 2.5 h of high-intensity running and cycling (approximately 75% VO2max) by 10 triathletes who acted as their own controls. Statistical significance was set at P < or = 0.05. RESULTS C relative to P ingestion (but not exercise mode) was associated with higher plasma levels of glucose and insulin, lower plasma cortisol and growth hormone, and diminished perturbation in blood immune cell counts. The pattern of change over time for interleukin (IL)-6 was significantly different between C and P conditions (P = 0.021) and between running and cycling modes (P < 0.001), with the lowest postexercise values seen in the C-cycling sessions (10.7 +/- 1.8 pg x mL(-1)) and the highest in the P-running sessions (51.6 +/- 14.2 pg x mL(-1)). The pattern of change over time between C and P conditions (but not modes) was significantly different for IL-1 receptor antagonist (P = 0.003), with values once again lowest for the C-cycling sessions (1.5 h postexercise, 301 +/- 114 pg x mL(-1)) and highest for the P-running sessions (1171 +/- 439 pg x mL(-1)). CONCLUSION These data indicate that carbohydrate versus placebo ingestion (4 mL x kg(-1) carbohydrate or placebo every 15 min of the 2.5-h exercise bout) is associated with higher plasma glucose levels, an attenuated cortisol response, and a diminished pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine response.
Dynamic Longitudinal Antibody Responses during Borrelia burgdorferi Infection and Antibiotic Treatment of Rhesus Macaques

ABSTRACT Infection with Borrelia burgdorferi elicits robust yet disparate antibody responses in infected individuals. A longitudinal assessment of antibody responses to multiple diagnostic antigens following experimental infection and treatment has not previously been reported. Our goal was to identify a combination of antigens that could indicate infection at all phases of disease and response to antibiotic treatment. Because the rhesus macaque recapitulates the hallmark signs and disease course of human Lyme disease, we examined the specific antibody responses to multiple antigens of B. burgdorferi following infection of macaques. Five macaques infected with strain B31 and 12 macaques infected with strain JD1 were included in the analysis. Approximately half of these animals were treated with antibiotics at 4 to 6 months postinoculation. Antibody responses to several B. burgdorferi recombinant antigens, including OspC, DbpA, BBK32, OspA, and OppA-2, were measured at multiple points throughout infection. We have previously shown a decline in the response to the C6 peptide following antibiotic treatment. Responses to OspA and OspC, however, were variable over time among individuals, irrespective of antibiotic treatment. Not every individual responded to BBK32, but anti-DbpA IgG levels were uniformly high and remained elevated for all animals. All responded to OppA-2, with a decline posttreatment that was slow and incomplete. This is the first demonstration of B. burgdorferi OppA-2 antigenicity in nonhuman primates. The combination of DbpA, OspC, OspA, and OppA-2 with the C6 diagnostic peptide has the potential to detect infection throughout all disease phases.
A qualitative assessment of provider perspectives on smoking cessation counselling.

RATIONALE, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES Few studies have examined doctors' views about counselling unmotivated smokers. This study explored doctors' perceptions of useful strategies to motivate patients to quit, how receptive they felt patients were to these strategies, and the benefits and drawbacks of discussing smoking cessation with patients. METHODS Fourteen semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with doctors and resident doctors. RESULTS Strategies reported by providers included: educating about the health risks of smoking, using 'scare tactics' to highlight the harmful effects and providing advice about how to quit. Providers believed that most patients were receptive to their strategies, but noted that they lacked feedback to know for sure. Providers saw the possibility of improving patients' health and decreasing overall health care costs as potential benefits, but cited the potential to damage rapport, competing priorities during already rushed visits and uncertainty about the effectiveness of their efforts as drawbacks that reduced their motivation to raise the issue with patients. CONCLUSIONS Doctors believe in the potential benefits of smoking cessation counselling but predominantly report focusing on enhancing patient's risk perceptions. They did not report attempting to use the wider array of recommended and empirically supported methods to counsel their patients. Providing doctors with increased training in motivational counselling and feedback about the efficacy their efforts or supplementing doctor care with behaviour change specialists would likely increase the benefits of counselling to patients.
Effects of Isometric Handgrip Protocol on Blood Pressure and Neurocardiac Modulation

Isometric handgrip (IHG) remains a well-studied cardiovascular and autonomic stimulus, however the effects of rhythmic IHG protocols remain largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the acute effects of 4 IHG protocols on blood pressure (BP) and neurocardiac reactivity and recovery responses. 12 healthy older participants (70±5 yrs, ♀=4) each completed 4 bilateral 12-min protocols (sham, IHG1, IHG2, IHG3) on separate visits. IHG1, IHG2, and IHG3 consisted of 4×2-min, 8×1-min, and 16×30-s isometric contractions, respectively, each completed at 30% MVC, while sham consisted of 4×2-min contractions completed at 3% MVC. BP and neurocardiac modulation were assessed during and following each protocol. Systolic BP (SBP) reactivity was increased during IHG1 compared to IHG2 (p<0.05), IHG3 (p<0.05), and sham (p<0.01), although during recovery delta SBP was lower following IHG1 (p<0.01), IHG2 (p<0.01), and IHG3 (p<0.05), compared to sham. Sample entropy, a measure of nonlinear heart rate variability was reduced during IHG1 (p<0.01) and IHG2 (p<0.05), while increased following IHG1 (p<0.05) and IHG3 (p<0.05), compared to sham. In conclusion, recovery responses from rhythmic IHG appear independent of contraction and/or rest period frequency-duration relationships. Investigation of rhythmic IHG protocols warrants further examination.
Study of Uncertainties in the Inversion Algorithms for Transverse Relaxation Distribution

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) relaxation spectrum is often used as fingerprints of molecular species, structure and dynamics in the study of complex multiphase system. Inversion algorithms such as singular value decomposition (SVD), Non-negative least square (NNLS), Solid iteration rebuild technique (SIRT) have been widely used in analyzing NMR data to obtain a T1 or T2 spectrum. However, due to the ill-conditioned nature of such inversion, it is difficult to determine the reliability of the inversion result. The concrete model is realized in MATLAB according the thought of the above three algorithms in this article. We converged to the true distribution by matching up the inversion spectrum from a series of true decay data collected from the NMR analyst instrument and a noisy simulated model, then evaluated the effects of noise in the original NMR data.
Hypothalamo‐Hypophyseal‐Testicular Function in Prepubertal Boys with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia following Chemotherapy and Testicular Radiotherapy

ABSTRACT. Hypothalamo‐hypophyseal‐testicular function was studied in twenty‐eight prepubertal boys with ALL in clinical and haematological remission. Eighteen were treated with combined systemic chemotherapy (24–36 months) and the other ten, who had testicular leukemic infiltrates, received chemotherapy (38–60 months) and testicular radiotherapy (2000 rad). Plasma levels of LH and FSH were measured before and after stimulation with LHRH (100 μg i.v.) and plasma levels of testosterone before and after stimulation with hCG (1500 IU/48 h/7 doses). In patients treated with chemotherapy alone, mean basal LH and FSH, mean responses to LHRH stimulation and mean testosterone levels after stimulation with hCG did not significantly differ from those of the controls. Five of these patients who had normal testosterone values after three doses of hCG had testosterone values below the normal range after seven doses. In patients treated with chemotherapy and testicular radiotherapy, mean basal FSH and mean responses to LHRH stimulation were significantly higher than those of the controls. Testosterone values after stimulation with hCG were low in three and very low in the other seven. In both groups of patients data from testicular biopsies were consistent with functional results. We conclude that chemotherapy causes slight testicular damage, but chemotherapy and testicular radiotherapy produce severe testicular damage in patients with testicular leukemic infiltrates.
A specific subform of the human cytomegalovirus transactivator protein pUL69 is contained within the tegument of virus particles

The polypeptide encoded by the open reading frame UL69 of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), which is homologous to the immediate-early regulator ICP27 of herpes simplex virus, has recently been identified as a transactivator protein that exerts a broad stimulatory effect on gene expression (M. Winkler, S. A. Rice, and T. Stamminger, J. Virol. 68:3943-3954, 1994). Here, we provide evidence that pUL69 is a phosphorylated tegument protein of HCMV. This finding could be demonstrated by Western blot (immunoblot) analyses with purified virions and a specific antiserum against pUL69. These experiments revealed that one phosphorylated subform of the three pUL69 polypeptides that are synthesized in infected fibroblast cells is contained within the HCMV virion. After the treatment of purified virions with detergents, pUL69 could not be detected within the membrane fraction, suggesting that it is either a capsid or a tegument protein. Its presence within dense bodies, however, shows that pUL69 is a constituent of the viral tegument.