Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Altérations architecturales et fonctionnelles des éléments du couplage excitation-contraction des cardiomyocytes murins déficients en dystrophine

La dystrophie musculaire de Duchenne (DMD) est une myopathie genetique recessive qui se caracterise par l'absence d'une proteine sous membranaire, la dystrophine. Elle se traduit par la degenerescence progressive des muscles squelettiques et cardiaques. Particulierement, le myocarde developpe une cardiomyopathie caracterisee par une dilatation des ventricules et une reduction du volume d'ejection systolique qui conduisent a une mort prematuree des patients en moyenne a 25 ans. Actuellement, peu de donnees existent sur les causes menant a cette pathologie. Toutefois, de nombreux travaux sur la DMD suggerent que l'absence de dystrophine, comme dans les fibres musculaires squelettiques, contribue a fragiliser l'integrite membranaire et provoque une deregulation de canaux ioniques menant a une surcharge calcique intracellulaire dans les cardiomyocytes. Ce travail fut entrepris pour dresser un bilan des dommages structuraux et fonctionnels des cardiomyocytes ventriculaires issus de souris mdx, modeles d'etude de la DMD. Des experiences, realisees au moyen de la microscopie de conductance ionique a balayage (SICM), montrent une alteration du sarcolemme se traduisant par une perte locale de l'organisation en cretes et en sillons. De plus, une reduction et une modification du reseau de tubules-T accompagnent ces dommages membranaires. D'un point de vue fonctionnel, en combinant le SICM avec la microscopie confocale, les activites calciques au repos et suite a des stimulations depolarisantes ont ete enregistrees et analysees. Les resultats ont revele une occurrence doublee des phenomenes de liberations calciques spontanees, et un ralentissement du mecanisme d'excitation-contraction. Ainsi, l'ensemble de nos donnees experimentales montre que les recepteurs a la ryanodine de type 2, avec des proprietes biochimiques et fonctionnelles modifiees, participent a ces deregulations dans les cellules malades. Nous ne pouvons affirmer que toutes ces desorganisations topographiques et fonctionnelles sont dues a l'absence de la dystrophine. Cependant, nous suggerons que cette proteine pourrait jouer un role de tuteur qui maintiendrait l'integrite membranaire et tubulaire pour ainsi assurer l'homeostasie calcique des cellules cardiaques. Elle interviendrait donc dans l'architecture cellulaire de facon bien plus importante que celle revelee pour l'instant dans les fibres musculaires squelettiques.
Analysis of the Tuberculosis Control Program in the city of Cáceres, Brazil, prior to and after the implementation of a Family Health Program.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the effectiveness of the Tuberculosis Control Program, in conjunction with the recently incorporated Family Health Program, in the city of Cáceres, Brazil, between 1999 and 2004. METHODS This was a descriptive epidemiological study, based on the registry of tuberculosis cases diagnosed and treated in Cáceres, according to the characteristics of the cases diagnosed, whether or not the protocol for diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of patients was followed, as well as the type of health care facility involved. RESULTS The incidence of tuberculosis was reduced from 99.4 to 49.8 (per 100,000 inhabitants) between 1999 and 2004. The patients presented characteristics similar to those of patients from other regions of Brazil, with a predominance of males during their most economically productive years. Among the patients presenting pulmonary forms and treated via the Family Health Program, there was a reduction in the number of sputum smear microscopies performed at the moment of diagnosis (OR = 0.33; 95%CI: 0.16-0.66) and prior to discharge (OR = 0.32; 95%CI: 0.180.59). The patients monitored via the Family Health Program presented a 16.4% lower cure rate than did those treated at the referral center, as well as being more likely to abandon treatment (OR = 2.93; 95%CI: 1.15-7.46) and to die (OR = 5.71; 95%CI: 1.8518.1). CONCLUSION The decentralization of the treatment services to the family health clinics did not improve the treatment or monitoring of tuberculosis cases in the city of Cáceres.
Influence of number of pregnancies and total breast-feeding time on bone mineral density.

OBJECTIVE To analyze how the number of pregnancies and total breast-feeding time influence bone mineral density. METHODS 50 healthy women aged 35 to 40 years were studied. Weight, height, number of term pregnancies, time since last pregnancy and breast-feeding time were analyzed. They were divided in three groups as follows: I: nulligravidas; II: with term pregnancies, but no breast-feeding; III: with term pregnancies, with breast-feeding. Bone absorptiometry was done on all, at lumbar column and femur. The WHO criteria were used to define osteopenia and osteoporosis. Comparison among the groups was done with Student's t-test for independent samples, and simple regression analysis was done for number of gestations, total breast-feeding time, time since last birth, and T-score at lumbar column and femur. RESULTS The women were divided as follows: 15 in group I, 15 in group II, and 20 in group III. The average age was 37.7 +/- 1.5 years. No differences were found among the three groups in analyzed variables, when comparing bone mineral density, T- and Z-scores in L1-L4 average, femoral neck, trochanter, and Ward's triangle. There was no correlation among the number of gestations, total breast-feeding time, time since last birth, or T-scores at lumbar column and femur. CONCLUSION The number of pregnancies and breast-feeding time do not affect bone mineral density.
Population characteristics of domestic Aedes aegypti (Diptera: culicidae) in villages on the Kenya Coast I. Adult survivorship and population size.

Mark-release-recapture experiments were undertaken with newly-emerged domestic Aedes aegypti (L.) in Rabai village near Mombasa, Kenya, East Africa. The daily survivorship for males was 0.77 and for females, 0.89. The estimation of adult mosquito population size in the village of 34 houses was approximately 650 at any time. The village had variable production of adults and consequently no stable age distribution was characteristic. A high capture rate of marked mosquitoes, as well as a high percentage of marked captures in the village, indicated a highly localized population of indigenous mosquitoes.
EFFECTS OF DUSTS, GASES, VAPOURS, FUMES AND SMOKING ON GAS DIFFUSION - A CASE CONTROL STUDY

Airborne dusts are of particular concern because they are well known to be associated with classical widespread occupational lung diseases such as the pneumoconiosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, occupational asthma etc. To examine the effects of dusts, noxious gases / vapours, fumes and tobacco smoking on the level and rate of change of the diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO). In this paper I briefly review the significance of the single breath test of diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO). Methods: A cohort study of 420 workers out of which 60 represented the control group. The examination was carried out as follows: Using modified MRC questionnaire (MRCQ) on respiratory symptoms, Anthropometric measurements, Clinical check up, Laboratory tests, Pulmonary function examination, Forced expirogram Spirometry (FEV1,FVC, Tiffeneau Index), Single breathe method of diffusing capacity (DLCO). Qualitative exposure indicators were developed based on both, lifetime work and exposure histories. Results: DLCO measurements were done on 420 Workers engaged staff , COPD differential findings was tried to be obtained by using indirect parameters witch was at the level of significance FEV1 (p<0,0001), Tiffeneau Index (100 x FEV1/FVC) at the level (p<0,001), the results for FEV1 was related to the working environment conditions, whereas in relation to the category smoker with exception of a worker smoker at the mine Hajvalia (p<0.05), Tiffeneau Index (100 x FEV1/FVC) there were significant differences for the Tiffeneau Index for Leposavić and Magura (p<0.05) to the other groups of exposed workers we did not obtained statistically significant differences (p>0.05). The average rate of decline in DLCO (Mean for Nonsmokers/smokers): Coal seam surface Power Plant (n.s.21.8/s.21.0), Gasification (n.s.20.8/s.21.4), Procesing Lead and Zinc (n.s.18.9/s.18.3), Magnesite Mine (n.s.18.8/s.20.0), Cave exploitation (n.s.19.1/s.17.4), Lead and Zinc smelter (n.s.26.7/s.19.9), and Control group (n.s.25.7/s. 22.7). Compared with no-smokers, current smokers and ex-smokers had lower DLCO at baseline, but smoking status did affect in this control case study the change in DLCO only in two cases. Conclusions: Our results confirm a continuous deleterious effect of dusts, gases, vapours, fumes and tobacco smoking (DGVF) on DLCO, especially on exposed workers. Smoking was associated with lower DLCO levels, and was a significant predictor of rate of change in DLCO. Smoking status did affect the relationships between DGVF exposure and the level or rate of change of DLCO in this workers. Control methods should be implemented to prevent workers’ exposures, and smoking cessation should be promoted.
Development and validation of the Decision-Specific Reinvestment Scale

Abstract Items from the Reinvestment Scale were modified to create a decision-specific version of the scale. Principal components analysis of responses from 165 participants revealed one-, two-, three-, and four-factor solutions for the Decision-Specific Reinvestment Scale. Confirmatory factor analysis of responses from a second sample of 111 participants revealed that a 13-item two-factor solution showed the best fit. The first factor comprised six items referring to conscious monitoring of the process involved in making a decision, and was termed decision reinvestment. The second factor, decision rumination, comprised seven items related to focus on negative evaluations of previous poor decisions. In an initial assessment of predictive validity, Decision-Specific Reinvestment Scale scores of 59 skilled team sport players were found to be highly correlated with coaches' ratings of players' tendency to choke under pressure (r = 0.74), with high Decision-Specific Reinvestment Scale scores indicating greater susceptibility to poor decision-making under pressure. It was concluded that the Decision-Specific Reinvestment Scale highlights a performer's predisposition to engage in behaviours detrimental to performance under pressure, namely decision reinvestment and decision rumination.
The influence of oestradiol benzoate and progesterone on the secretory activity of the epithelium of the ampulla tubae in ovariectomized ewes: a light microscopical study.

The influence of oestradiol benzoate and progesterone on the morphological and secretory characteristics of the epithelium of the ampulla tubae was studied in ovariectomized ewes. In untreated ovariectomized animals the epithelial height is minimal, the nuclei of the secretory cells are located in the most apical part of the cells i.e. in the cytoplasmic protrusions, and secretum (PAS positive material) is not present. The only change after progesterone treatment is a slight increase in epithelial height. After treatment with oestradiol benzoate, the epithelium reacts with an increase in height and with a withdrawal of the nuclei of the secretory cells towards the basal region of the cell. Two or three days after the treatment, the amount of secretum is comparable to that during D2 or D3 of the normal oestrous cycle. It is concluded that the rise in oestrogen levels on the day prior to the onset of oestrus in a normal oestrous cycle is responsible for stimulating the biosynthetic apparatus of the secretory cell, resulting in a maximal storage of secretum two or three days after heat. Progesterone does not seem to play an important role in the release of the stored secretum; 10 days after a 3 days oestrogen treatment, the amount appears to be similar to that in animals receiving progesterone after application of oestrogen. It is suggested that release takes place as a logic consequence of synthesis without a specific trigger. The results after a combined administration of the two steroids indicate that progesterone interferes with the action of oestradiol benzoate. The apical position of the nuclei of the secretory cells during the luteal phase of the cycle must be attributed to a diminishing oestrogenic influence rather than to an active intervention of progesterone.
A 25.7 x 10(3) M(r) hydra metalloproteinase (HMP1), a member of the astacin family, localizes to the extracellular matrix of Hydra vulgaris in a head-specific manner and has a developmental function.

Hydra extracellular matrix (ECM) is composed of a number of components seen in vertebrate ECM such as laminin, type IV collagen, fibronectin, and heparan sulfate proteoglycan. A number of functional studies have shown that hydra ECM plays an important role in pattern formation and morphogenesis of this simple metazoan. The present study was designed to identify matrix degrading proteinases in hydra and determine their potential function in hydra morphogenesis. Using SDS-PAGE gelatin-zymography, five gelatinolytic bands were identified with relative molecular masses of 67 x 10(3), 51-58 x 10(3) (a triplet) and 25-29 x 10(3), respectively. Inhibition studies indicated that all of these gelatinases were metalloproteinases. Gelatin-zymography indicated that there was a differential distribution of these gelatinases along the longitudinal axis of hydra, with the 67 x 10(3) M(r) gelatinase being concentrated in the body column, while the 51-58 x 10(3) M(r) gelatinase triplet and the 25-29 x 10(3) M(r) gelatinase concentrated in the head region. Purification procedures were successfully developed for the 25-29 x 10(3) M(r) metalloproteinase which has been termed hydra metalloproteinase 1 (HMP1) and which appeared as a single band with a SDS-PAGE mobility of 25.7 x 10(3) M(r). The N-terminal sequence of purified HMP1 indicated that it has structural homology with metalloproteinases that belong to the astacin family. Subsequent cloning and sequencing of cDNA clones confirmed the identification of HMP1 as an astacin-like metalloproteinase. Immunocytochemical studies with antibodies generated against the purified enzyme and to a synthetic peptide indicated that HMP1 was localized to the ECM of tentacles. Functional studies were performed in which purified HMP1, anti-HMP1 IgG, or suspected substrates of HMP1 (e.g. growth factors such as TGF-beta 1) were introduced into the interepithelial compartment of hydra using a 'DMSO loading' procedure. These studies indicated that HMP1 has a functional role during a number of developmental processes such as head regeneration and cell differentiation/transdifferentiation of tentacle battery cells.
Intuition: A neglected hallmark of nursing knowledge

Intuition as a hallmark of nursing knowledge was traced through an analysis of literature published in the American Journal of Nursing between 1900 and 1985. Three questions were addressed: Does the concept appear in the literature; if so, what are its attributes; and how did they evolve through time? Titles of articles (n = 14,971) were examined and from this population only 51 were found to contain intuition or related terms. From analysis of the paucity of literature containing the concept it is concluded that intuition as an essential component of complex decision making is neglected in the professional literature.
Managing outsourcing process: applying six sigma

Purpose – The decision to manage an outsourced project is easy but to provide client satisfaction is a difficult process. Outsourcing has been broadly accepted due to the extensive and useful business need they provide, even in those situations where the planning/decision support paradigm provided by the system poorly fits the business. The purpose of this paper is to propose an effective modeling methodology for managing the process of outsourced projects for the clients.Design/methodology/approach – The paper proposes a cimosa, O3ML and business outsourcing process using DMADV methodology ‐‐ an effective modeling methodology for managing the process of outsourced projects for clients.Findings – The hybrid governance structure consists of inter‐organizational coordination mechanisms, inter‐organizational systems and social control. Companies that wish to offshore their business process should select the service providers that can facilitate setting up such hybrid governance structure.Research limitations.
Ultrastructural localization of concanavalin a receptors in normal and SV40‐transformed hamster and rat cells

The distribution of receptor sites for concanavalin A at the surface of normal and SV40‐transformed hamster cell cultures has been studied with the electron microscope after application of the Con A‐peroxidase method. Both normal and transformed cells show a strongly positive reaction. Although it has not been possible in single cases to distinguish with certainty between normal and transformed cells, the cell‐coat reaction of the majority of malignant hamster cultures shows a striking tendency to be more unevenly distributed than in normal controls. This remains true for cultures after relatively few or after many passages, and for lines derived from in vivo induced tumors or from in vitro transformed cultures. This observation confirms results obtained in this laboratory from hamster cells transformed by Polyoma virus or Adenovirus 12. However, in a few rat fibroblast cultures transformed by SV40 virus, we have so far not seen any difference in the cell‐coat reaction between normal and transformed cells. The possible reasons for the more irregular distribution of the cell‐coat reaction product of transformed hamster cells compared to normal controls are discussed.
Classification of Image Distortions Based on Features Evaluation

No Reference Image Quality Assessment (NR-IQA) refers to algorithms that predict the quality of distorted image where the reference image is not available. NR-IQA algorithms are divided into two categories: specific distortion quality assessment and general purpose quality assessment. The first type of algorithms deals with a specific distortion and predict the quality of the image based on this distortion. Which means it assumes that the distortion in the image is known. On the other hand, the general purpose quality assessment type predicts the quality of image with no information about the distortion that affecting the tested image. A two-stage framework, is proposed by Moorthy and Bovik [1], which classifies the distortion followed by distortion-specific quality assessment method. Our proposal here is to improve the classification portion by investigating the performance of different classification techniques and different features. Each feature is validated using different features evaluation techniques. As a result, we construct a set of optimal features that classify image distortions with a high accuracy rate.
A comparison of white spot lesion formation between a self-ligating bracket and a conventional preadjusted straight wire bracket.

AIM Demineralization following removal of orthodontic appliances is a common problem. Presence of archwires, especially those with loops and different types of ligatures, complicate cleaning around bands and brackets during orthodontic treatment. These factors led clinicians to develop self-ligating brackets. The purpose of this study was to compare the incidence of white spot lesion formation with the use of a self-ligating bracket with conventional preadjusted straight wire brackets. METHODS Twenty patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. In the first group (aged 13.4 ± 2.5 years), the teeth were bonded with In-ovation brackets; the second group's (aged 14 ± 3.34 years) teeth were bonded with conventional preadjusted straight wire brackets. The patients were followed throughout treatment, and the number of white spot lesions was noted at debonding. RESULTS The results revealed no statistically significant differences in white spot lesion development between conventional straight wire and self-ligating brackets. CONCLUSION No differences in terms of white spot lesion formation were found between conventional straight wire and self-ligating brackets, and white spot lesion formation does depend largely on patients' oral hygiene status, not the type of bracket or ligation used.
Radiographic findings of osteoarthritis versus arthroscopic findings of articular cartilage degeneration in the tibiofemoral joint.

PURPOSE To retrospectively correlate radiographic findings of osteoarthritis of the tibiofemoral joint with arthroscopic findings of articular cartilage degeneration within the tibiofemoral joint in patients with chronic knee pain. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was performed in compliance with HIPAA regulations. Approval from an institutional review board and a waiver of informed consent were obtained. The study group consisted of 125 patients with osteoarthritis of the tibiofemoral joint (66 men, 59 women; age range, 35-77 years; average age, 52 years) and 25 patients of similar age (14 men, 11 women; age range, 36-69 years; average age, 50 years) with no osteoarthritis of the tibiofemoral joint. All patients underwent standing anteroposterior radiography of the knee prior to arthroscopic knee surgery. Each articular surface of the tibiofemoral joint was graded at arthroscopy. Two radiologists retrospectively reviewed the knee radiographs to determine the presence of marginal osteophytes, joint space narrowing, subchondral sclerosis, and subchondral cysts. The sensitivity and specificity of the radiographic features of osteoarthritis for the detection of articular cartilage degeneration within the medial and lateral compartments of the tibiofemoral joint were determined. RESULTS The sensitivity of marginal osteophytes, joint space narrowing, subchondral sclerosis, and subchondral cysts for the detection of articular cartilage degeneration was 67%, 46%, 16%, and 10%, respectively, for the medial compartment and 49%, 7%, 6%, and 3%, respectively, for the lateral compartment. The specificity of marginal osteophytes, joint space narrowing, subchondral sclerosis, and subchondral cysts for the detection of articular cartilage degeneration was 73%, 95%, 100%, and 100%, respectively, for the medial compartment and 81%, 100%, 100%, and 100%, respectively, for the lateral compartment. CONCLUSION Marginal osteophytes were the most sensitive radiographic feature for the detection of osteoarthritis of the tibiofemoral joint. Joint space narrowing, subchondral sclerosis, and subchondral cysts were less sensitive radiographic features of osteoarthritis and rarely occurred in the absence of associated osteophyte formation.