Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dystonia

Purpose of ReviewThe purpose of this review is to provide an update on the classification, phenomenology, pathophysiology, and treatment of dystonia. Recent FindingsA revised definition based on the main phenomenologic features of dystonia has recently been developed in an expert consensus approach. Classification is based on two main axes: clinical features and etiology. Currently, genes have been reported for 14 types of monogenic isolated and combined dystonia. Isolated dystonia (with dystonic tremor) can be caused by mutations in TOR1A (DYT1), TUBB4 (DYT4), THAP1 (DYT6), PRKRA (DYT16), CIZ1 (DYT23), ANO3 (DYT24), and GNAL (DYT25). Combined dystonias (with parkinsonism or myoclonus) are further subdivided into persistent (GCHI [DYT5], SGCE [DYT11], and ATP1A3 [DYT12], with TAF1 most likely but not yet proven to be linked to DYT3) and paroxysmal (PNKD [DYT8], PRRT2 [DYT10], and SLC2A1 [DYT18]). Recent insights from neurophysiologic studies identified functional abnormalities in two networks in dystonia: the basal ganglia–sensorimotor network and, more recently, the cerebellothalamocortical pathway. Besides the well-known lack of inhibition at different CNS levels, dystonia is specifically characterized by maladaptive plasticity in the sensorimotor cortex and loss of cortical surround inhibition. The exact role (modulatory or compensatory) of the cerebellar-cortical pathways still has to be further elucidated. In addition to botulinum toxin for focal forms, deep brain stimulation of the globus pallidus internus is increasingly recognized as an effective treatment for generalized and segmental dystonia. SummaryThe revised classification and identification of new genes for different forms of dystonia, including adult-onset segmental dystonia, enable an improved diagnostic approach. Recent pathophysiologic insights have fundamentally contributed to a better understanding of the disease mechanisms and impact on treatment, such as functional neurosurgery and nonpharmacologic treatment options.
The Changing Conception of Measurement in Education and Psychology

Since the era of Binet and Spearman, classical test theory and the ideal of the standard test have gone hand in hand, in part because both are based on the same paradigm of experimental control by manipula tion and randomization. Their longevity is a conse quence of this mutually beneficial symbiosis. A new type of theory and practice in testing is replacing the standard test by the test item bank, and classical test theory by item response theory. In this paper it is shown how these also reinforce and complete each other.
Effect of physical form of a lucerne hay on digestion and rate of passage in sheep

Six 2-year-old Corriedale wethers fitted with rumen and abomasal cannulas were given a lucerne hay to appetite then at restricted intakes, first as chopped hay (CH) then as ground and pelleted hay (GP). Voluntary feed consumption (VFC) was 43% greater on GP hay. Water intake increased as feed intake increased and was greater on GP. Organic matter digestibility (OMD) decreased as intake increased (P < 0.001) but was greater on GP hay at restricted intakes (P < 0.001). Potential OMD was marginally greater for GP hay. The digestibility of fibre constituents decreased as intake increased but was not significantly affected by grinding and pelleting. Rumen OM content and OM flow to the duodenum increased as intake increased on CH hay (P < 0.001), but only rumen OM content increased with grinding and pelleting (P < 0.001). Consequently, the mean retention times (MRT) of solutes, particles, and microbial protein decreased as intake increased (P < 0.001) and increased with grinding and pelleting (P < 0.001). However, at VFC, the MRT of each component was not affected by grinding and pelleting. Nitrogen digestibility decreased as intake increased but was greater on GP hay at restricted intakes. Non-ammonia nitrogen flow to and digestion in the intestines increased with intake but was not affected by grinding and pelleting. Ammonia synthesis in the rumen increased as feed intake increased (P < 0.001) but its 26–32% contribution to non-ammonia nitrogen flowing to the duodenum, which reflects microbial synthesis, was not affected by intake or grinding and pelleting. It was concluded that rate of passage cannot be accurately predicted because it is a derived parameter, determined by the differential responses of rumen digesta content and digesta outflow to the dietary, environmental, and physiological factors affecting the animal. These differential responses are involved in determining the effects of intake and grinding of hay on its digestibility.
Time‐series models to quantify short‐term effects of meteorological conditions on bumblebee forager activity in agricultural landscapes

The decline of bumblebees in Europe has been linked primarily to agricultural intensification, although climate change also has the potential to disrupt plant–pollinator interactions, partly through an increased frequency of extreme short‐term weather events. There have been few attempts to use time‐series models to determine meteorological variables affecting forager activity at hourly time periods over several months. Time‐series models require large datasets to be reliable. We describe the use of infrared detectors at nest entrances to record forager exits/returns from 36 captive colonies of Bombus terrestris audax on a mixed farm in northern England, recording over a 78‐day period. Over 1.73 million individual records of forager activity were obtained. These were aggregated into 1872 hourly blocks and analyzed with autoregressive time‐series models that used nine meteorological factors as explanatory variables. Forager activity was positively linked to air temperature and solar elevation, and negatively associated with rainfall, humidity and wind‐speed. The effects of increased variability in meteorological conditions are considered in the context of these results. The time‐series models that we describe will be useful in future analyses of the large datasets of foraging behaviour that are becoming available through new technologies such as radio‐frequency identification and video tracking.
Genetic variability studies in Moth bean germplasm for seed yield and its attributing characters

Moth bean is a drought tolerant pulse crop grown in arid and semiarid regions of India. Genetic variability for yield and its component characters was studied in moth bean germplasm collected from different geographical regions of India. Analysis of variance showed the presence of significant variability among the genotypes studied and for all the traits excluding 100 seed weight. The estimates of PCV and GCV were high for plant height, primary branches per plant, secondary branches per plant, 100 seed weight, pods per plant and seed yield per plant. High heritability and Genetic Advance was observed for days to 50 per cent flowering, plant height, secondary branches per plant, pod length, pods per plant and seed yield characters studied offering scope for improvement of these traits through simple selection.
Exercise‐associated Intestinal Ischemia

Ischemic bowel disease exhibits a complex spectrum of clinical presentations and in the athlete the disease may be superimposed on dehydration, hyperthermia, and exhaustion. Physicians caring for athletes should be aware of the manifestations of ischemic bowel disease and the optimum methods of diagnosis and treatment. Abdominal pain and diarrhea are typical initial symptoms of ischemia and these symptoms generally limit further damage. However, symptoms may be overridden in cases of extreme athletic competition or other significant endurance events such as combat. Athletes and coaches should be aware of the danger of ischemic bowel disease. Patients or athletes with recurrent symptoms of abdominal pain and diarrhea during exercise may be at increased risk for ischemic damage. However, no underlying anatomic abnormalities have been noted. Ischemic hemorrhagic gastritis is generally reversible and may be controlled with effective acid blockade. Ischemic colitis generally presents with pain, diarrhea, and bleeding. It is usually mild but may require volume and transfusion support, rarely progressing to need for resection or stricture. Severe presentations with intestinal infarction are rare but potentially life threatening. The athlete is usually able to ultimately resume his or her activities without restriction.
Pollination in alpine Norway: flowering phenology, insect visitors, and visitation rates in two plant communities

Pollination studies in European alpine communities are few. The objective of this study was to describe the pollination ecology in two alpine plant communities at Finse, southwestern Norway. Because of late snowmelt and early winter at Finse, the time available for flowering and seed maturation is restricted. Flowering was concentrated at the beginning of the season in both communities, and large overlaps in flowering time were found for most species. In one of the communities, flowering peaks were significantly clumped, whereas in the other they were randomly distributed through the season. However, in this community, five insect-pollinated species flowered simultaneously early in the season. Diptera almost exclusively dominated the visitor assemblage. Most plant species pairs had high overlaps in flower visitor species. Species flowering simultaneously attracted the same visitor species. In one community, eight species pairs flowered sequentially and shared visitors. Visitation rates were highest at the.
Etiology, pathogenesis, antivirals and vaccines of hand, foot, and mouth disease

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), caused by enteroviruses, is a syndrome characterized by fever with vesicular eruptions mainly on the skin of the hands, feet, and oral cavity. HFMD primarily affects infants and young children. Although infection is usually self-limited, severe neurological complications in the central nervous system can present in some cases, which can lead to death. Widespread infection of HFMD across the Asia-Pacific region over the past two decades has made HFMD a major public health challenge, ranking first among the category C notifiable communicable diseases in China every year since 2008. This review summarizes our understanding of HFMD, focusing on the etiology and pathogenesis of the disease, as well as on progress toward antivirals and vaccines. The review also discusses the implications of these studies as they relate to the control and prevention of the disease.
Molluscicidal Activity of Eco-friendly natural compound (Rutin) Gained from Ethanolic Flowers Extract of Calendula officinalis on B. alexandrina, B. truncatus and Lymanea snails

Within 3000 intermediate host snails of Schistosomiasis and Fasciolasis were originated from Delta regions at Egypt mainly Beba in Beni Seuf governorate. They were selected on the basis of snails selection Schistosomiasis and Fasciolasis mainly Schistosoma haematobium, Schistosoma mansoni and Fasciola ova. Preliminary screening of C. officinalis flower ethanolic extract showed molluscicidal activity against Biomphalaria alexandrina, Bulenus truncatus and Lymanea snails under studying. Rutin as eco-friendly natural compound was separated from the ethanolic extract of C. officinalis flowers by TLC and column chromatography and was identified by different tools of spectral analysis. Ten snails per one liter water jars were applied. Four serial concentrations of rutin with comparing to the recommended molluscicide niclosamide were prepared as (0.05, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 g). Mortality percentages were observed after six, twenty four, forty-eight and seventy two hours. Our study revealed that rutin separated from ethanolic extract of Calendula officinalis flowers can be used in the control of both Schistosomiasis and Fasciolasis in Egypt. (El-Sheikh, Y. W. A.; Eltamny, H. M.; Soliman, H. A; Farag A.A and El Behary M.H.H. Molluscicidal Activity of Eco-friendly natural compound (Rutin) Gained from Ethanolic Flowers Extract of Calendula officinalis on B. alexandrina, B. truncatus and Lymanea snails. New York Science Journal 2012;5(4):19-27). (ISSN: 1554-0200). http://www.sciencepub. net/newyork . 4
Systemic treatment for advanced urothelial cancer: an update on recent clinical trials and current treatment options

After cisplatin-based chemotherapy became the standard treatment for metastatic urothelial cancer (mUC), very little progress has been made in the treatment landscape of this condition until recently. With increased knowledge about the molecular biology of mUC and advances in the field of cancer immunobiology, there has been an explosion in the number of clinical trials for mUC, and systemic treatment of mUC is rapidly changing. Despite the availability of several novel therapeutic agents, cisplatin-based cytotoxic chemotherapy remains the standard, first-line treatment option. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), including programmed death-1 and programmed death ligand-1 inhibitors, are preferred second-line treatment options that are also used in first-line cisplatin-ineligible settings. For patients with actionable fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) or FGFR3 genomic alterations, erdafitinib can be considered after platinum-based treatment. Enfortumab vedotin, a monoclonal antibody targeting nectin-4 conjugated to monomethyl auristatin E, has been approved for patients who do not respond to both cytotoxic chemotherapy and ICIs. In this review, we address the clinical trial data that have established the current standard treatments and ongoing clinical trials of various agents with different mechanisms as well as provide a brief overview of current practice guidelines and recommendations in patients with mUC.
Upscaling Ozone Flux in Forests from Leaf to Landscape

Although stomatal conductance for ozone (O3) correlates with leaf to air water vapor difference (VPDLA) at the leaf level, uncertainty in up-scaling to the whole tree level can be overcome by means of sap flow measurements at the tree trunk. Further up-scaling to the stand level is possible by relating whole tree O3 flux to silvicultural and/or tree-allometric data. In such a way, canopy conductance and O3 uptake can be related to ground surface area. When normalized, canopy conductance is demonstrated to follow a functional relationship to VPDLA across several forest ecosystems thus allowing a generalization of model approaches. Further up-scaling to the landscape level, however, needs further investigations due to differences in the response of canopy conductance to environmental drivers in forest stands and grassland ecosystems, respectively.
Nanoparticles in Targeted Alpha Therapy

Recent advances in the field of nanotechnology application in nuclear medicine offer the promise of better therapeutic options. In recent years, increasing efforts have been made on developing nanoconstructs that can be used as carriers for immobilising alpha (α)-emitters in targeted drug delivery. In this publication, we provide a comprehensive overview of available information on functional nanomaterials for targeted alpha therapy. The first section describes why nanoconstructs are used for the synthesis of α-emitting radiopharmaceuticals. Next, we present the synthesis and summarise the recent studies demonstrating therapeutic applications of α-emitting labelled radiobioconjugates in targeted therapy. Finally, future prospects and the emerging possibility of therapeutic application of radiolabelled nanomaterials are discussed.
Nucleolin and nucleophosmin expression patterns in pulmonary adenocarcinoma invading the pleura and in pleural malignant mesothelioma

Visceral pleural invasion (VPI) in adenocarcinoma of the lung is considered a poor prognostic factor. The purpose of this study was to analyze nucleolin and nucleophosmin expression in pulmonary adenocarcinoma (PA) with VPI and in pleural malignant mesothelioma.
Inhibitory Effects of Some Thai Plant Extracts on AAPH-induced Protein Oxidation and Protein Glycation

Oxidants can cause damage to biomolecules and alter cellular metabolism. Keys among the targets for oxidative damage are structural proteins and enzymes. It is expected that several constituents from Thai plants may be able to prevent such oxidative damages. The present study was carried out to investigate the inhibitory activity on 2,2'-azobis (2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride (AAPH)-induced protein oxidation and nonenzymatic protein glycation of Thai medicinal plant extracts, including the extracts of Phyllanthus emblica Linn. , Kaempferia parviflora, and Globba wintii C.H. Wright. The plant extracts were investigated for their inhibitory activities on AAPH-induced protein oxidation to allophycocyanin. The loss of allophycocyanin fluorescence was measured and interpreted as a half-life of the protein. The half-life of allophycocyanin in the presence of 1.0 µg/ml of P. emblica, K. parviflora and G. wintii C.H. Wright extracts were 21.24, 11.31, and 11.39 minutes, respectively. The assay of protein glycation at 37 o C for 2 weeks was also performed. The percent inhibition of protein glycation by the plant extracts was reported. P. emblica achieved 88.09 % inhibition against protein glycation formation at 10.0 µg/ml whereas, K. parviflora and G. wintii C.H. Wright achieved 28.10 % and 15.74 % inhibition at 50 µg/ml, respectively. Among the tested extracts, P. emblica Linn. extract had higher oxidative protein damage protection and higher protein glycation inhibitory effect than K. parviflora and G. wintii C.H. Wright extracts. Thus, it has a higher potential use as anti-aging therapy.
Study of low-peak-power highly coherent broadband supercontinuum generation through a dispersion-engineered Si-rich silicon nitride waveguide.

Since the first observation by Alfano and Shapiro in the 1970s [Phys. Rev. Lett.24, 584 (1970)PRLTAO0031-900710.1103/PhysRevLett.24. 584], supercontinuum generation study has become an attractive research area in the field of broadband light source design, including its use in various applications associated with nonlinear optics in recent years. In this work, the numerical demonstration of ultrabroadband supercontinuum generation in the mid-infrared (MIR) region via the use of complementary metal-oxide semiconductor compatible Si-rich silicon nitride as the core in a planar waveguide design employing one of two materials, either LiNbO3 or MgF2 glass, as the top and bottom claddings is explored. A rigorous numerical investigation of broadband source design in the MIR using 2 mm long Si-rich silicon nitride waveguides is carried out in terms of waveguide structural parameter variations, input peak power variation, varying unexpected deformation of the waveguide along the core region during fabrication, and spectral coherence analysis. Among the several waveguide models studied, two promising designs are identified for wideband supercontinuum generation up to the MIR using a relatively low input peak power of 50 W. Simulation results reveal that spectral coverage spanning from 0.8 µm to 4.6 µm can be obtained by using a LiNbO3-cladded waveguide, and similar spectral coverage is also predicted for the other design, a MgF2-cladded waveguide. To the best of our knowledge, this is the widest spectral span in the MIR region employing a Si-rich silicon nitride waveguide so far. In dispersion tuning as well as in supercontinuum generation, the effect of possible unexpected waveguide deformation along the transverse directions during fabrication is also studied. No significant amount of spectral change is observed in the proposed model for a maximum of 10° inside/outside variation along the width. On the other hand, even 1° upward/downward variation along the thickness could cause substantial spectral change at the waveguide output. Finally, the obtained output spectra from the proposed waveguides are found to be highly coherent and can be applied in various MIR region applications such as optical coherence tomography, spectroscopic measurement, and frequency metrology.
Apixaban for Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation: Why are Event Rates Higher in Clinical Practice than in Randomized Trials?—A Systematic Review

Abstract Background Recent reports suggest an important contribution from frequent off-label use of apixaban 2.5 mg twice daily to the higher rates of thromboembolic events observed in observational studies (OSs) relative to in randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and consequently, advocate against such use in all patients. Objectives To examine factors contributing to the higher thromboembolic event rates, we estimated the prevalence of off-label use in contemporary practice, and compared patient characteristics and rates of stroke/systemic embolism, major bleeding, and mortality by apixaban dose and by study design in a systematic review and meta-analysis. Results and Discussion We identified 18 OSs and 2 RCTs that included 155,228 and 11,928 patients, respectively. Patients in OSs more often received apixaban 2.5 mg twice daily (31.3% vs. 5.1%), were older (mean age 73.8 vs. 69.8 years), and had higher CHA2DS2-VASc scores (mean 3.6 vs. 2.9) versus those in RCTs. We observed a consistent pattern of higher rates of thromboembolic events, bleeding, and mortality in patients treated with 2.5 versus 5 mg twice daily apixaban in both OSs and RCTs. Conclusion The higher risk profiles of patients in OSs versus RCTs, and higher rates of both bleeding and mortality not attributable to thromboembolism in patients treated with apixaban 2.5 versus 5 mg twice daily suggest that differences in patient characteristics are additional important contributors to the higher than expected thromboembolic event rates in clinical practice.
Effects of neuromodulator RPCH on short-term dynamics of a key synapse in an oscillatory network of crab Cancer borealis

Central pattern generators (CPGs) generate the rhythmic movements in vertebrates and invertebrates. CPGs must be able to produce stable patterns to produce the rhythmic movement, and be flexible to adapt to the changing environment. CPGs are subject to activity-dependent plasticity and their activity is modified by neuromodulatory substances. Neuromodulators alter the intrinsic properties and synaptic strength. This alteration may then modulate the flexibility of the motor patterns. The pyloric network of the crustacean stomatogastric nervous system is a well-studied CPG that is subject to extensive neuromodulation. Effects of neuromodulators on intrinsic properties of neurons have been studied in great detail, but the effects of neuromodulators on the short-term plasticity of the synapses are overlooked. Therefore, the main goal of this study was to examine the role of neuromodulator RPCH on the short- term dynamics of pyloric LP to PD synapse, a key synapse, by using the crab Cancer borealis as a model system. Our results showed that, RPCH strengthened the LP to PD synapse in a dose-dependent manner, depressed the synapse, but did not affect the peak phase. Results of this study promote the understanding of how modulation of short-term synaptic dynamics of a key synapse affects the generation and the control of the pyloric rhythm. These results will help to better understand the mechanisms underlying pattern generation by CPGs in general. Moreover, such an understanding of modulation of a circuitry used in rhythmic behaviors should lead to treatments of certain illnesses or injuries such as spinal cord injury.