Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Participation and the New Governance of Life

In the article we report on the findings of an EU-funded research project, Paganini (Participatory Governance and Institutional Innovation), that investigated the question of whether ‘politics of life’ themes have led to the emergence of new forms of governance in Europe. The focus of our research was on human embryonic stem cell research, genetic testing, GM crops, and BSE in the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, the Netherlands, and on the EU level—hotly contested topics at the intersection of society, politics, nature and the human body. We argue that, in the domain of life-political issues, the notions of participation and governance have become intermingled to an unusual extent. Our case studies demonstrate that the concept of participation needs to be rethought. While ‘spontaneous’ public participation certainly still is a political fact, increasingly participation has turned into a ‘technology’ that is based on the construction of publics. Different participatory technologies are linked to a changing landscape of political subjects considered relevant to the debate. As the case studies have shown, the design of any formal participatory arrangement involves a considerable amount of ‘engineering’, including arrangements seeking to invite a ‘representative’, disinterested, ‘pure’ public. There is no such thing as ‘the public’ waiting for pure representation. Formal participatory arrangements are inevitably based on a process of active construction, involving goal setting, selection, decision making and prioritization, including the decision to prioritize the pure public at the expense of engaged publics. What seems to be occurring today is that ‘old’ definitions of social order no longer hold and various groups try to impose new (partial) definitions of a new order on others. A new, postmodernist logic seems to be spinning new relations among citizens/consumers and scientists and administrators. Thus, there is no single New Way of governing Europe.
Spinosaur taxonomy and evolution of craniodental features: Evidence from Brazil

Fossil sites from Brazil have yielded specimens of spinosaurid theropods, among which the most informative include the cranial remains of Irritator, Angaturama, and Oxalaia. In this work some of their craniodental features are reinterpreted, providing new data for taxonomic and evolutionary issues concerning this particular clade of dinosaurs. The mesial-most tooth of the left maxilla of the holotype of Irritator is regarded as representing the third tooth position, which is also preserved in the holotype of Angaturama. Thus, both specimens cannot belong to the same individual, contrary to previous assumptions, although they could have been the same taxon. In addition, the position of the external nares of Irritator is more comparable to those of Baryonyx and Suchomimus instead of other spinosaurine spinosaurids. In fact, with regards to some craniodental features, Brazilian taxa represent intermediate conditions between Baryonychinae and Spinosaurinae. Such a scenario is corroborated by our cladistic results, which also leave open the possibility of the former subfamily being non-monophyletic. Furthermore, the differences between spinosaurids regarding the position and size of the external nares might be related to distinct feeding habits and degrees of reliance on olfaction. Other issues concerning the evolution and taxonomy of Spinosauridae require descriptions of additional material for their clarification.
A Measurement Rate-MSE Tradeoff for Compressive Sensing Through Partial Support Recovery

We consider the problem of estimating sparse vectors from noisy linear measurements in the high dimensionality regime. For a fixed number k of nonzero entries, we study the fundamental relationship between two relevant quantities: the measurement rate, which characterizes the asymptotic behavior of the dimensions of the measurement matrix in terms of the ratio m/log n (with m being the number of measurements and n the dimension of the sparse vector), and the estimation mean square error. First, we use an information-theoretic approach to derive sufficient conditions on the measurement rate to reliably recover a part of the support set that represents a certain fraction of the total vector power. Second, we characterize the mean square error of an estimator that uses partial support set information. Using these two parts, we derive a tradeoff between the measurement rate and the mean-square error. This tradeoff is achievable using a two-step approach: first support set recovery, and then estimation of the active components. Finally, for both deterministic and random vectors, we perform a numerical evaluation to verify the advantages of the methods based on partial support set recovery.
Zika Virus Testing Considerations: Lessons Learned from the First 80 Real-Time Reverse Transcription-PCR-Positive Cases Diagnosed in New York State

ABSTRACT The performance and interpretation of laboratory tests for Zika virus (ZKV) continue to be evaluated. Serology is cross-reactive, laborious, and frequently difficult to interpret, and serum was initially solely recommended for molecular diagnosis. ZKV testing was initiated in January 2016 in New York State for symptomatic patients, pregnant women, their infants, and patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome who had traveled to areas with ZKV transmission. Subsequently, eligibility was expanded to pregnant women with sexual partners with similar travel histories. Serum and urine collected within 4 weeks of symptom onset or within 6 weeks of travel were tested with real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) assays targeting the ZKV envelope and NS2B genes. In this review of lessons learned from the first 80 positive cases in NYS, ZKV RNA was detected in urine only in 50 patients, in serum only in 19 patients, and in both samples concurrently in 11 patients, with average viral loads in urine a log higher than those in serum. Among 93 positive samples from the 80 patients, 41 were positive on both gene assays, 52 were positive on the envelope only, and none were positive on the NS2B only. Of the 80 infected patients, test results for 74 (93%) would have defined their infection status as not detected or equivocal if the requirement for positive results from two assay targets (two-target-positive requirement) in the initial federal guidance to public health laboratories was enforced, if urine was not tested, or if the extended eligibility time for molecular testing was not implemented. These changes facilitated more extensive molecular diagnosis of ZKV, reducing reliance on time-consuming and potentially inconclusive serology.
A comparative evaluation of antibacterial efficacy of 'Activ points' and 'Combi points' as intra-canal medicaments against Enterococcus faecalis: an ex vivo study.

BACKGROUND Enterococcus faecalis has been found to be one of the most predominant bacterial species associated with failed endodontic cases. The ability of this microbe to form biofilms; penetrate into dentinal tubules; survival in low pH, high salinity and high temperatures and resistance to many intracanal medicaments, makes it one of the most resistant pathogen of all the root canal flora. Studies have shown that chlorhexidine is relatively more effective against E. faecalis as compared to other intra canal medicaments. But its placement in solution form or gel form up to the root apex is not only difficult but uncertain as well. The purpose of this study was to compare the antimicrobial efficacy of chlorhexidine releasing Activ points™ chlorhexidine and calcium hydroxide releasing Combi points™ with that of standard 2% chlorhexidine solution. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirty McKonkey agar plates were inoculated with Enterococcus faecalis and were divided into three groups. Test specimens (paper points soaked in 2% chlorhexidine solution chlorhexidine releasing Activ points™ and chlorhexidine and calcium hydroxide releasing Combi points™; 20 each) were placed in the plates and the zone of inhibition was measured around the specimen after 24 and 48 hrs. The results so obtained were subjected to statistical analysis. RESULTS Statistically significant difference was found in terms of zone of inhibition in between the three groups greatest being for Combi points™. CONCLUSION The findings of the present study suggest that Combi points™ and Activ points™ can be used safely as an alternative to 2% chlorhexidine solution as intra canal medicament with the additional advantage of availability of these points in ISO standard sizes easy placement up to the root apex and easy retrieval from the root canal system.
Diagnosis and management of vertebral artery stenosis.

Approximately one‐quarter of ischaemic strokes involve the posterior or vertebrobasilar circulation.1,,2 Stenosis of the vertebral artery can occur in either its extra‐ or intracranial portions, and may account for up to 20% of posterior circulation ischaemic strokes.3–,6 Stenotic lesions, particularly at the origin of the vertebral artery, are not uncommon. In an angiographic study of 4748 patients with ischaemic stroke, some degree of proximal extracranial vertebral artery stenosis was seen in 18% of cases on the right and 22.3% on the left.7 This was the second most common site of stenosis after internal carotid artery stenosis at the carotid bifurcation. Such stenotic lesions are now potentially treatable by endovascular techniques.8 In marked contrast with carotid artery stenosis, the optimal management of vertebral artery stenosis has received limited attention, and is poorly understood. This partly reflects difficulties in imaging the vertebral artery adequately, and limited surgical treatment options. Recent improvements in imaging and the arrival of vertebral artery angioplasty, however, have opened up new opportunities for intervention in this disease. We review vertebral artery anatomy, what is known of the natural history of vertebral artery disease, the role of imaging in the diagnosis of vertebral artery stenosis, and treatments for vertebral artery stenosis. The vertebral artery arises from the supraposterior aspect of the first part of the subclavian artery. In 6% of cases, the left vertebral artery arises directly from the aortic arch. Unlike the internal carotid artery, which is an almost direct extension of its parent vessel the common carotid artery, the vertebral artery branches almost at right angles to its feeding vessel. The vertebral artery, being 3–5 mm in diameter, is of much smaller relative calibre than the subclavian, with only a small amount of subclavian blood flow normally being directed into …
Region-Specific Myelin Pathology in Mice Lacking the Golli Products of the Myelin Basic Protein Gene

The myelin basic protein (MBP) gene encodes two families of proteins, the classic MBP constituents of myelin and the golli-MBPs, the function of which is less well understood. In this study, targeted ablation of the golli-MBPs, but not the classic MBPs, resulted in a distinct phenotype unlike that of knock-outs (KOs) of the classic MBPs or other myelin proteins. Although the golli KO animals did not display an overt dysmyelinating phenotype, they did exhibit delayed and/or hypomyelination in selected areas of the brain, such as the visual cortex and the optic nerve, as determined by Northern and Western blots and immunohistochemical analysis with myelin protein markers. Hypomyelination in some areas, such as the visual cortex, persisted into adulthood. Ultrastructural analysis of the KOs confirmed both the delay and hypomyelination and revealed abnormalities in myelin structure and in some oligodendrocytes. Abnormal visual-evoked potentials indicated that the hypomyelination in the visual cortex had functional consequences in the golli KO brain. Evidence that the abnormal myelination in these animals was a consequence of intrinsic problems with the oligodendrocyte was indicated by an impaired ability of oligodendrocytes to form myelin sheets in culture and by the presence of abnormal Ca2+ transients in purified cortical oligodendrocytes studied in vitro. The Ca2+ results reported in this study complement previous results implicating golli proteins in modulating intracellular signaling in T-cells. Together, all these findings suggest a role for golli proteins in oligodendrocyte differentiation, migration, and/or myelin elaboration in the brain.
Can Cystic Fibrosis Patients Finally Catch a Breath With Lumacaftor/Ivacaftor?

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a life‐limiting disease caused by defective or deficient cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) activity. The recent US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of lumacaftor combined with ivacaftor (Orkambi) targets patients with the F508del‐CFTR. The question remains: Is this breakthrough combination therapy the “magic‐bullet” cure for the vast majority of patients with CF? This review covers the contemporary clinical and scientific knowledge‐base for lumacaftor/ivacaftor and highlights the emerging issues from recent conflicting literature reports.
Success only and attribution retraining in the alleviation of depression and learned helplessness.

Success Only and Attribution Retraining in the Alleviation of Depression and Learned Helplessness (September 1978) Linda Jane Sobelman, B.S., State University of New York at Stony Brook M.S., University of Massachusetts Ph.D., University of Massachusetts Directed by: Professor Castellano Turner Theory in the area of learned helplessness postulates that depression reflects a belief that actions and consequent events are causally unrelated. The affective and motivational disturbances associated with depression are believed to result from this primary cognitive distortion. Therapy analogue studies have demonstrated that mastery experiences will reverse the perfomance deficits associated with depression and learned helplessness. Related research has demonstrated that training helpless children to take responsibility for failure and to attribute it to a lack of effort results in improved ability to cope with future failure. Other researchers in the area of depression have argued that depression reflects an exaggerated belief in one's responsibility for negative outcomes, rather than a
Loss of BRMS1 Promotes a Mesenchymal Phenotype through NF-κB-Dependent Regulation of Twist1

ABSTRACT Breast cancer metastasis suppressor 1 (BRMS1) is downregulated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and its reduction correlates with disease progression. Herein, we investigate the mechanisms through which loss of the BRMS1 gene contributes to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Using a short hairpin RNA (shRNA) system, we show that loss of BRMS1 promotes basal and transforming growth factor beta-induced EMT in NSCLC cells. NSCLC cells expressing BRMS1 shRNAs (BRMS1 knockdown [BRMS1KD]) display mesenchymal characteristics, including enhanced cell migration and differential regulation of the EMT markers. Mesenchymal phenotypes observed in BRMS1KD cells are dependent on RelA/p65, the transcriptionally active subunit of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB). In addition, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis demonstrates that loss of BRMS1 increases Twist1 promoter occupancy of RelA/p65 K310—a key histone modification associated with increased transcription. Knockdown of Twist1 results in reversal of BRMS1KD-mediated EMT phenotypic changes. Moreover, in our animal model, BRMS1KD/Twist1KD double knockdown cells were less efficient in establishing lung tumors than BRMS1KD cells. Collectively, this study demonstrates that loss of BRMS1 promotes malignant phenotypes that are dependent on NF-κB-dependent regulation of Twist1. These observations offer fresh insight into the mechanisms through which BRMS1 regulates the development of metastases in NSCLC.
Do Surgical Patients Benefit from Perioperative Gabapentin/Pregabalin? A Systematic Review of Efficacy and Safety

BACKGROUND:Gabapentin and pregabalin have antiallodynic and antihyperalgesic properties useful for treating neuropathic pain. These properties may also be beneficial in acute postoperative pain. In this study we evaluated randomized, controlled trials examining the analgesic efficacy, adverse effects, and clinical value of gabapentinoids in postoperative pain. METHODS:A systematic search of Medline, PubMed, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) databases yielded 22 randomized, controlled trials on perioperative administration of gabapentinoids for postoperative pain relief. RESULTS:Pain relief was better in the gabapentin groups compared with the control groups. The opioid-sparing effect during the first 24 h after a single dose of gabapentin 300–1200 mg, administered 1–2 h preoperatively, ranged from 20% to 62%. The combined effect of a single dose of gabapentin was a reduction of opioid consumption equivalent to 30 ± 4 mg of morphine (mean ± 95% CI) during the first 24 h after surgery. Metaregression analysis suggested that the gabapentin-induced reduction in the 24-h opioid consumption was not significantly dependent on the gabapentin dose. Gabapentin reduced opioid-related adverse effects, such as nausea, vomiting, and urinary retention (number-needed-to-treat 25, 6, and 7, respectively). The most common adverse effects of the gabapentinoids were sedation and dizziness (number-needed-to-harm 35 and 12, respectively). CONCLUSIONS:Gabapentinoids effectively reduce postoperative pain, opioid consumption, and opioid-related adverse effects after surgery. Conclusions about the optimal dose and duration of the treatment cannot be made because of the heterogeneity of the trials. Studies are needed to determine the long-term benefits, if any, of perioperative gabapentinoids.
Common Voting Rules as Maximum Likelihood Estimators

Voting is a very general method of preference aggregation. A voting rule takes as input every voter's vote (typically, a ranking of the alternatives), and produces as output either just the winning alternative or a ranking of the alternatives. One potential view of voting is the following. There exists a 'correct' outcome (winner/ranking), and each voter's vote corresponds to a noisy perception of this correct outcome. If we are given the noise model, then for any vector of votes, we can
Framing and Misperception in Public Good Experiments

Earlier studies have found that a substantial part of the contributions in public good games can be explained by subjects misperceiving the game's incentives. Using a large-scale public good experiment, we show that subtle changes in how the game is framed substantially affect such misperceptions and that this explains major parts of framing effect on subjects' behavior. When controlling for the different levels of misperception between frames, the framing effect on subjects' cooperation preferences disappears.
Biofilm detachment mechanisms in a liquid‐fluidized bed

Bed fluidization offers the possibility of gaining the advantages of fixed‐film biological processes without the disadvantage of pore clogging. However, the biofilm detachment rate, due to hydrodynamics and particle‐to‐particle attrition, is very poorly understood for fluidized‐bed biofilm processes. In this work, a two‐phase fluidized‐bed biofilm was operated under a constant surface loading (0.09 mg total organic carbon/cm2 day) and with a range of bed height (H), fluid velocities (U), and support‐particle concentrations (Cp). Direct measurements were made for the specific biofilm loss rate coefficient (bs)and the total biofilm accumulation (XfLf). A hydrodynamic model allowed independent determination of the biofilm density (Xf), biofilm thickness (Lf), liquid shear stress (τ), and Reynolds number (Re). Multiple regression analysis of the results showed that increased particle‐to‐particle attrition, proportional to Cp and increased turbulence, described by Re, caused the biofilms to be denser and thinner. The specific detachment rate coefficient (bs) increased as Cp and Re increased. Almost all of the 6, values were larger than predicted by a previous model derived for smooth biofilms on a nonfluidized surface. Therefore, the turbulence and attrition of bed fluidization appear to be dominant detachment mechanisms.
An Artificially Intelligent Jazz Performer

This paper presents an intelligent agent model for simulating the behavior of a jazz bass player during live performance. In jazz performance, there is a strikingly large gap between the instructions given in a chord grid and the music actually being played. To bridge this gap, we integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) methods within the intelligent agent paradigm, focusing on two critical aspects. First, the experience acquired by musicians in terms of previously heard or played melodic fragments, which are stored in the agent's ''musical memory''. Second, the use of these known fragments within the evolving context of live improvisation. In previous papers, we have presented a model for an improvising bass player, emphasizing the underlying problem solving method. In this paper, we describe the fully implemented model and give more details on how melodic fragments are represented, indexed and retrieved.
Cholesterol Biosynthesis and Homeostasis in Regulation of the Cell Cycle

The cell cycle is a ubiquitous, multi-step process that is essential for growth and proliferation of cells. The role of membrane lipids in cell cycle regulation is not explored well, although a large number of cytoplasmic and nuclear regulators have been identified. We focus in this work on the role of membrane cholesterol in cell cycle regulation. In particular, we have explored the stringency of the requirement of cholesterol in the regulation of cell cycle progression. For this purpose, we utilized distal and proximal inhibitors of cholesterol biosynthesis, and monitored their effect on cell cycle progression. We show that cholesterol content increases in S phase and inhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis results in cell cycle arrest in G1 phase under certain conditions. Interestingly, G1 arrest mediated by cholesterol biosynthesis inhibitors could be reversed upon metabolic replenishment of cholesterol. Importantly, our results show that the requirement of cholesterol for G1 to S transition is absolute, and even immediate biosynthetic precursors of cholesterol, differing with cholesterol merely in a double bond, could not replace cholesterol for reversing the cell cycle arrest. These results are useful in the context of diseases, such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease, that are associated with impaired cholesterol biosynthesis and homeostasis.