Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Short-term supervised inpatient physiotherapy exercise protocol improves cardiac autonomic function after coronary artery bypass graft surgery – a randomised controlled trial

Objective. Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is accompanied by severe impairment of cardiac autonomous regulation (CAR). This study aimed to determine whether a short-term physiotherapy exercise protocol post-CABG, during inpatient cardiac rehabilitation (CR), might improve CAR. Design. Seventy-four patients eligible for CABG were recruited and randomised into physiotherapy exercise group (EG) or physiotherapy usual care group (UCG). EG patients underwent a short-term supervised inpatient physiotherapy exercise protocol consisting of an early mobilisation with progressive exercises plus usual care (respiratory exercises). UCG only received respiratory exercises. Forty-seven patients (24 EG and 23 UGC) completed the study. Outcome measures of CAR included linear and non-linear measures of heart rate variability (HRV) assessed before discharge. Results. By hospital discharge, EG presented significantly higher parasympathetic HRV values [rMSSD, high frequency (HF), SD1)], global power (STD RR, SD2), non-linear HRV indexes [detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA)α1, DFAα2, approximate entropy (ApEn)] and mean RR compared to UCG (p < 0.05). Conversely, higher values of mean HR, low frequency (LF) (sympathetic activity) and the LF/HF (global sympatho-vagal balance) were found in the UCG. Conclusions. A short-term supervised physiotherapy exercise protocol during inpatient CR improves CAR at the time of discharge. Thus, exercise-based inpatient CR might be an effective non-pharmacological tool to improve autonomic cardiac tone in patient's post-CABG.
A Model to Assess the Accuracy of Detecting Arboviruses in Mosquito Pools

Abstract Vigilant surveillance of virus prevalence in mosquitoes is essential for risk assessment and outbreak prediction. Accurate virus detection methods are essential for arbovirus surveillance. We have developed a model to estimate the probability of accurately detecting a virus-positive mosquito from pooled field collections using standard molecular techniques. We discuss several factors influencing the probability of virus detection, including the number of virions in the sample, the total sample volume, and the portion of the sample volume that is being tested. Our model determines the probability of obtaining at least 1 virion in the sample that is tested. The model also determines the optimal sample volume that is required in any test to ensure a desired probability of virus detection is achieved, and can be used to support the accuracy of current tests or to optimize existing techniques.
Child poverty in the OECD

This paper provides an overview of the main trends in child income poverty since the mid-2000s, and explores to what extent child poverty trends are linked to demographic, policy and/or labour market changes. Trends in poverty and the standard of living of children in low-income families since the onset of the Great Recession are also closely examined: nearly 1 in 7 children is income-poor in the OECD, and child poverty increased in almost two/thirds of OECD countries with the Great Recession. About 1 in 10 children across the OECD live in a family with a standard of living below the 2005 poverty line. Children in low-income families experienced a decline in their standard of living in many countries, with the largest decline among families with the smallest incomes.
Dibutyryl cAMP treatment of neuroblastoma‐glioma hybrid cells results in selective increase in cAMP‐receptor protein (R‐I) as measured by monospecific antibodies.

The absolute levels of cAMP‐dependent protein kinase (cAMP‐dPK) subunits (R‐I, R‐II and C) and cGMP‐dependent protein kinase (cGMP‐dPK) holoenzyme were studied in neuroblastoma‐glioma hybrid cells before and after dibutyryl‐cAMP (Bt2cAMP) treatment which results in differentiation of these cells. The levels were determined by two different techniques utilizing antibodies which had been raised against each individual purified protein kinase subunit (or the holoenzyme in the case of the cGMP‐dPK). Electrophoretic transfer of samples from SDS‐polyacrylamide gels to nitrocellulose paper, followed by immunolabeling of protein kinase subunits with their respective antibodies and [125I]Protein A, demonstrated the monospecific nature of the antibodies, and a selective, several‐fold increase in the R‐I subunit in Bt2cAMP‐treated cells, with no change in the level of R‐II or C subunits. A simple enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) capable of measuring nanogram amounts of the various subunits confirmed the selective increase in the R‐I subunit. ELISA assay results also indicated that the R‐I subunits present before and after Bt2cAMP treatment are antigenically homologous. In conclusion, the specific, sensitive immunological methods described here demonstrate the capacity of neuroblastoma‐glioma hybrid cells to regulate separately the levels of the two distinct subunits (R‐I and C) of the Type I cAMP‐dPK.
Molecular profiling pleomorphic lobular carcinomas of the breast: evidence for a common molecular genetic pathway with classic lobular carcinomas

Pleomorphic lobular carcinomas (PLC) of the breast display histological features associated with classic invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), yet they also exhibit more conspicuous nuclear atypia and pleomorphism, and an aggressive clinical behaviour. From a breast cancer progression perspective, it is unclear whether PLC is a variant of ILC or is a high‐grade invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) that has lost E‐cadherin. The molecular features of 26 PLC were studied using immunohistochemistry [oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), HER2, p53 and E‐cadherin], 0.9 Mb resolution, microarray‐based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH), fluorescent (FISH) and chromogenic (CISH) in situ hybridization and loss of heterozygosity. Comparative analysis was performed with aCGH data from PLC with classic ILC (16 cases) and high grade IDC (35 cases). PLCs were frequently ER‐ and PR‐positive, E‐cadherin‐negative and occasionally HER2‐ and p53‐positive. Recurrent copy number changes identified by aCGH included gains on 1q, 8q, 11q, 12q, 16p and 17q and losses on 8p, 11q, 13q, 16q and Xq. Highly recurrent 1q+ (100% of cases), 16p+ (93%), 11q− (53%) and 16q− (93%) and evidence of the der(1;16)/der(16)t(1;16) rearrangement, as detected by FISH, suggested that PLC had a ‘lobular genotype’. Focal amplifications were evident at 8p12‐p11, 8q24, 11q13.1‐q14.1, 12q14, 17q12 and 20q13. Loss of BRCA2 was detected in 40% of PLC by LOH. Comparative analysis of aCGH data suggested the molecular features of PLC (ER/PR‐positive, E‐cadherin‐negative, 1q+, 11q−, 16p+ and 16q−) were more closely related to those of ILC than IDC, implicating an overlapping developmental pathway for these lobular tumour types. Molecular alterations found in PLC that are more typical of high‐grade IDC than ILC (p53 and HER2 positivity, 8q+, 17q24‐q25+, 13q− and amplification of 8q24, 12q14, 17q12 and 20q13) are likely to drive the high‐grade and more aggressive biology of PLC. Copyright © 2008 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Influence of tobacco marketing and exposure to smokers on adolescent susceptibility to smoking.

BACKGROUND Today the uptake of smoking is primarily an adolescent pursuit. Awareness of tobacco advertising and promotion is high, and evidence suggests that it plays a role in adolescent smoking uptake. PURPOSE We evaluated the influence of tobacco advertising and promotion and exposure to smokers on never-smoking adolescents' susceptibility to smoking. METHODS We used data on 3536 adolescent never smokers (those who had never even puffed on a cigarette) from the 1993 California Tobacco Survey. That survey questioned adolescents about smoking history and inclinations. For this analysis, we defined as susceptible to smoking those never smokers who said on the survey that they could not rule out independently deciding to try a cigarette soon or smoking one offered by a friend. Also for this analysis, we devised two indices: 1) a 5-point index of an individual's receptivity to tobacco advertising as determined by the number of positive responses to five survey items (recognition of advertising messages, having a favorite advertisement, naming a brand he/she might buy, owning a tobacco-related promotional item, and willingness to use a tobacco-related promotional item) and 2) an index classifying an individual's reported exposure to family and peer smoking into one of four levels. Using logistic regression, we assessed the independent importance of our indices in predicting susceptibility to smoking after adjustment for sociodemographic variables, including age, sex, and race/ethnicity, and for perceived school performance. Tests of statistical significance were two-sided. RESULTS Receptivity to tobacco advertising and exposure to smokers were independently associated with susceptibility to smoking, but the relationship appeared stronger for receptivity to advertising. Adolescents exposed to family members and peers (n = 489) who smoked were 1.89 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.30-2.74) times as likely to be susceptible, whereas adolescents who scored 4 or more on the Index of Receptivity to Tobacco Marketing (n = 361) were 3.91 (95% CI = 2.38-6.42) times as likely to be susceptible as those who scored 0. Even adolescents who scored 2 (n = 1090) were 2.03 (95% CI = 1.31-3.15) times as likely to be susceptible. There was no interaction effect between score on the Index of Receptivity to Tobacco Marketing and exposure to smokers. CONCLUSION Our results support the hypothesis that tobacco marketing may be a stronger current influence in encouraging adolescents to initiate the smoking uptake process than exposure to peer or family smokers or sociodemographic variables including perceived school performance.
WAF1 retards S-phase progression primarily by inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinases

The p21(WAF1/CIP1/sdi1) gene product (WAF1) inhibits DNA replication in vitro (J. Chen, P. Jackson, M. Kirschner, and A. Dutta, Nature 374:386-388, 1995; S. Waga, G. Hannon, D. Beach, and B. Stillman, Nature 369:574-578, 1994), but in vivo studies on the antiproliferative activity of WAF1 have not resolved G1-phase arrest from potential inhibition of S-phase progression. Here, we demonstrate that elevated WAF1 expression can retard replicative DNA synthesis in vivo. The WAF1-mediated inhibitory effect could be antagonized by cyclin A, cyclin E, or the simian virus 40 small-t antigen with no decrease in the levels of WAF1 protein in transfected cells. Proliferating-cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) overexpression was neither necessary nor sufficient to antagonize WAF1 action. Expression of the N-terminal domain of WAF1, responsible for cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) interaction, had the same effect as full-length WAF1, while the PCNA binding C terminus exhibited modest activity. We conclude that S-phase progression in mammalian cells is dependent on continuing cyclin and CDK activity and that WAF1 affects S phase primarily through cyclin- and CDK-dependent pathways.
Passive properties of human skeletal muscle during stretch maneuvers

Despite limited scientific knowledge, stretching of human skeletal muscle to improve flexibility is a widespread practice among althletes. This article reviews recent findings regarding passive properties of the hamstring muscle group during stretch based on a model that was developed which could synchronously and continuously measure passive hamstring resistance and electromyographic activity, while the velocity and angle of stretch was controlled. Resistance to stretch was defined as passive torque (Nm) offered by the hamstring muscle group during passive knee extension using an isokinetic dynamometer with a modified thigh pad. To simulate a clinical static stretch, the knee was passively extended to a pre‐determined final position (0.0875 rad/s, dynamic phase) where it remained stationary for 90s (static phase). Alternatively, the knee was extended to the point of discomfort (stretch tolerance). From the torque‐angle curve of the dynamic phase of the static stretch, and in the stretch tolerance protocol, passive energy and stiffness were calculated. Torque decline in the static phase was considered to represent viscoelastis stress relaxation. Using the model, studies were conducted which demonstrated that a single static stretch resulted in a 30% viscoelastic stress relaxation. With repeated stretches muscle stiffness declined, but returned to baseline values within 1 h. Long‐term stretching (3 weeks) increased joint range of motion as a result of a change in stretch tolerance rather than in the passive properties. Strength training resulted in increased muscle stiffness, which was unaffected by daily stretching. The effectiveness of different stretching tecniques was attributed to a change in strech tolerance rather than passive properties. Inflexible and older subjects have increased muscle stiffness, but a lower stretch tolerance compared to subjects with normal flexiblity and younger subjects, respectively. Although far from all questions regarding the passive properties of humans skeletal muscle have been answered in these studies, the measurement technique permited skeletal muscle.
Leak-Free Clear Corneal Incisions in Human Cadaver Tissue: Femtosecond Laser–Created Multiplanar Incisions

Objectives: To evaluate femtosecond (FS) laser–assisted leak-free clear corneal incisions (CCI) and paracentesis (P) in human eyes of deceased donors. Methods: Multiplanar CCI and P were created using an FS laser on human eyes of deceased donors (whole globe and corneal rims). Laser settings were programmed to multiplanar for CCI and single plane for P. Corneas were imaged by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and evaluated for leak by Seidel testing at various intraocular pressure (IOP) levels, and the wound was manipulated to mimic cataract surgery. Corneal endothelium cell damage and histological architecture were evaluated by microscopy. Results: The corneal incision software of the FS laser was used to create homogeneous CCI and P incisions. Morphological changes assessed by OCT and light microscopy/scanning electron microscopy showed consistent true multiplanar incisions with predefined intersecting planes. All Seidel testing was negative, indicating that FS laser–assisted incisions did not leak. Trypan blue stain of the endothelial surface showed limited cell damage from the FS laser incisions. Conclusions: The FS laser–created incisions corresponded well with the treatment plans, as evidenced by true multiplanar architecture. Incisions were sharply demarcated and demonstrated limited cell damage. No postprocedure leaking at extreme IOP or postcataract surgery–simulated conditions was noted. The FS laser may potentially reduce postoperative complications, such as infections that may be associated with CCI.
A new non-negative matrix factorization algorithm with sparseness constraints

The non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) aims to find two matrix factors for a matrix X such that X ≈ W H, where W and H are both nonnegative matrices. The non-negativity constraint arises often naturally in applications in physics and engineering. In this paper, we propose a new NMF approach, which incorporates sparseness constraints explicitly. The new model can learn much sparser matrix factorization. Also, an objective function is defined to impose the sparseness constraint, in addition to the non-negative constraint. Experimental results on two document datasets show the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method.
Automatic recognition of man-made objects in SAR images using support vector machines

Over the past two decades the remote sensing technology is applied in a large scale in environmental research and policy, i.e. water pollution monitoring and conservation of soil, etc. The methods for recognition of man-made objects in remote sensing images are providing capabilities for mapping and monitoring crucial objects or sites in environmental management, i.e. hazardous chemicals storerooms, oil depots, etc. However, the task of recognizing key man-made objects from large images is time consuming and complex. In the paper we aim at developing an automatic and fast image processing method for the recognizing man-made objects in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images, which is a supervised learning approach based on support vector machines. Firstly, a sample image data set which contains several classes of interested man-made objects is manually extracted from SAR images. Then we train the image data set by least squares support vector machines. After cross-validation and an exhaustive grid search, a model that can predict target label of data instances in the testing set is obtained. Finally we can implement classification in random image set using above prediction model and recognize the man-made objects. This approach needs no a priori knowledge, and only a set of train examples for the learning step is needed.
Neonatal bronchopulmonary dysplasia predicts abnormal pulmonary HRCT scans in long-term survivors of extreme preterm birth

Background: There is an increasing understanding that extreme preterm birth carries a risk of long-term pulmonary sequelae. A study was undertaken to investigate if, and in what way, neonatal factors were associated with subsequent abnormalities on pulmonary high-resolution CT (HRCT) scanning and if pulmonary function was related to these abnormalities. Methods: HRCT scanning and pulmonary function tests were performed less than 2 weeks apart in 74/86 eligible subjects (86%) born at a gestational age of ⩽28 weeks or with a birth weight of ⩽1000 g within a defined area in Western Norway in 1982–5 (n = 42) or 1991–2 (n = 32). Mean age at examination was 18 and 10 years, respectively. HRCT scans were interpreted by a paediatric radiologist blinded to the clinical data using a structured system allowing scores from 0 to 50. Results: Lung parenchymal abnormalities were found in 64 subjects (86%), the median (interquartile range) score being 3.0 (1.75–5.0) points. Prolonged neonatal requirement for oxygen treatment predicted poor outcome, and an increase of 100 days increased the average HRCT score by 3.8 points (p<0.001). There was also a positive association of the severity of pulmonary function abnormalities with the extent of HRCT abnormalities, exemplified by the relation between forced expiratory volume in 1 s and total HRCT score (β = −0.090; p<0.001). Conclusions: In area-based cohorts of long-term survivors of extremely preterm birth, prolonged neonatal requirements for oxygen treatment predicted subsequent structural abnormalities on HRCT scans and in pulmonary function, and these two outcome measures were interrelated.
Positive valence music restores executive control over sustained attention

Music sometimes improves performance in sustained attention tasks. But the type of music employed in previous investigations has varied considerably, which can account for equivocal results. Progress has been hampered by lack of a systematic database of music varying in key characteristics like tempo and valence. The aims of this study were to establish a database of popular music varying along the dimensions of tempo and valence and to examine the impact of music varying along these dimensions on restoring attentional resources following performance of a sustained attention to response task (SART) vigil. Sixty-nine participants rated popular musical selections that varied in valence and tempo to establish a database of four musical types: fast tempo positive valence, fast tempo negative valence, slow tempo positive valence, and slow tempo negative valence. A second group of 89 participants performed two blocks of the SART task interspersed with either no break or a rest break consisting of 1 of the 4 types of music or silence. Presenting positive valence music (particularly of slow tempo) during an intermission between two successive blocks of the SART significantly decreased miss rates relative to negative valence music or silence. Results support an attentional restoration theory of the impact of music on sustained attention, rather than arousal theory and demonstrate a means of restoring sustained attention. Further, the results establish the validity of a music database that will facilitate further investigations of the impact of music on performance.
Avoiding minorities: Social invisibility

Three experiments examined how self-consciousness has an impact on the visual exploration of a social field. The main hypothesis was that merely a photograph of people can trigger a dynamic process of social visual interaction such that minority images are avoided when people are in a state of self-reflective consciousness. In all three experiments, pairs of pictures—one with characters of social minorities and one with characters of social majorities—were shown to the participants. By means of eye-tracking technology, the results of Experiment 1 (n=20) confirmed the hypothesis that in the reflective consciousness condition, people look more at the majority than minority characters. The results of Experiment 2 (n=89) confirmed the hypothesis that reflective consciousness also induces avoiding reciprocal visual interaction with minorities. Finally, by manipulating the visual interaction (direct vs. nondirect) with the photos of minority and majority characters, the results of Experiment 3 (n=56) confirmed the hypothesis that direct visual interaction with minority characters is perceived as being longer and more aversive. The overall conclusion is that selfreflective consciousness leads people to avoid visual interaction with social minorities, consigning them to social invisibility. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Consistent Performance Differences between Children and Adults Despite Manipulation of Cue-Target Variables

Two behavioral experiments assessed the plasticity and short-term improvement of task switching in 215 children and adults. Specifically, we studied manipulations of cued attention to different features of a target stimulus as a way to assess the development of cognitive flexibility. Each experiment had multiple levels of difficulty via manipulation of number of cued features (2–4) and number of response options (2 or 4). Working memory demand was manipulated across the two experiments. Impact of memory demand and task level manipulations on task accuracy and response times were measured. There were three overall goals: First, these task manipulations (number of cued features, response choices, and working memory load) were tested to assess the stability of group differences in performance between children ages 6–16 years and adults 18–27 years, with the goal of reducing age group differences. Second, age-related transitions to adult-level performance were examined within subgroups of the child sample. Third, short-term improvement from the beginning to the end of the study session was measured to probe whether children can improve with task experience. Attempts to use task manipulations to reduce age differences in cued task switching performance were unsuccessful: children performed consistently worse and were more susceptible to task manipulations than adults. However, across both studies, adult-like performance was observed around mid-adolescence, by ages 13-16 years. Certain task manipulations, especially increasing number of response options when working memory demand was low, produced differences from adults even in the oldest children. Interestingly, there was similar performance improvement with practice for both child and adult groups. The higher memory demand version of the task (Experiment 2) prompted greater short-term improvement in accuracy and response times than the lower memory demand version (Experiment 1). These results reveal stable differences in cued switching performance over development, but also relative flexibility within a given individual over time.