Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cytomegalovirus retinitis in AIDS patients: influence of cytomegaloviral load on response to ganciclovir, time to recurrence and survival

Objectives: Despite life‐long maintenance therapy, cytomegalovirus (CMV) retinitis frequently progresses in patients with AIDS. Virological markers that could clarify pathogenesis and identify risk factors for progression are required. Design and methods: We prospectively recruited 45 patients with CMV retinitis. Blood and urine samples were collected before and after induction therapy, and on a monthly basis thereafter during routine medical and ophthalmological assessment, and at any time retinitis progressed. CMV load was measured by quantitative‐ competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results: The median time to first progression of retinitis was 78 days and to death was 8.7 months. Eighty‐five per cent of patients who were PCR‐positive at diagnosis of retinitis became PCR‐negative after 21 days of ganciclovir induction therapy. Six patients who remained PCR‐positive after 21 days of treatment had a significantly higher CMV load at presentation (P = 0.005), and a shorter time to first progression of retinitis of 40 days. High CMV loads in blood at presentation were associated with a shorter time to progression (P = 0.16; relative hazard, 1.57) and a significantly shorter time to death (P = 0.004; relative hazard, 1.76). This significant relationship with survival remained after adjustment for potential confounding variables (CD4 count, age, method of drug administration). Conclusions: We conclude that CMV load in the blood of AIDS patients is an important factor in the pathogenesis of retinitis, and quantification of CMV could be used to both select patients for controlled clinical trials and to optimize individual anti‐CMV induction therapy.
A transitional curriculum for preparing medical students for internship, does it work?

Background: In a formative evaluation, we were supposed to find whether an innovative program has some merits to be continued or not. We also determined the critical points of the program. The evaluated program was a clinical pre-clerkship curriculum launched for departing to a less stressful medical clerkship. Materials and Methods: We analyzed the information contained in the students’ logbooks. Using Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure standardized questionnaire, we also assessed the students’ perception of learning environment within six clinical departments. Results: Totally, 64% of expected patient contacts, and teaching of more than 71% of required skills at 4 departments were carried out and students had more positive than negative perspective of their learning environments. Conclusion: The evaluand is a worthwhile program to be continued, though it needs some considerations for improvement.
Block five diagonal matrices and the fast numerical solution of the biharmonic equation

A factoring and block elimination method for the fast numerical solution of block five diagonal linear algebraic equations is described. Applications of the method are given for the numerical solution of several boundary-value problems involving the bi- harmonic operator. In particular, 22 eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the clamped square plate are computed and sketched.
Characterization of neuromuscular synapse function abnormalities in multiple Duchenne muscular dystrophy mouse models

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X‐linked myopathy caused by dystrophin deficiency. Dystrophin is present intracellularly at the sarcolemma, connecting actin to the dystrophin‐associated glycoprotein complex. Interestingly, it is enriched postsynaptically at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ), but its synaptic function is largely unknown. Utrophin, a dystrophin homologue, is also concentrated at the NMJ, and upregulated in DMD. It is possible that the absence of dystrophin at NMJs in DMD causes neuromuscular transmission defects that aggravate muscle weakness. We studied NMJ function in mdx mice (lacking dystrophin) and wild type mice. In addition, mdx/utrn+/− and mdx/utrn−/− mice (lacking utrophin) were used to investigate influences of utrophin levels. The three Duchenne mouse models showed muscle weakness when comparatively tested in vivo, with mdx/utrn−/− mice being weakest. Ex vivo muscle contraction and electrophysiological studies showed a reduced safety factor of neuromuscular transmission in all models. NMJs had ~ 40% smaller miniature endplate potential amplitudes compared with wild type, indicating postsynaptic sensitivity loss for the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. However, nerve stimulation‐evoked endplate potential amplitudes were unchanged. Consequently, quantal content (i.e. the number of acetylcholine quanta released per nerve impulse) was considerably increased. Such a homeostatic compensatory increase in neurotransmitter release is also found at NMJs in myasthenia gravis, where autoantibodies reduce acetylcholine receptors. However, high‐rate nerve stimulation induced exaggerated endplate potential rundown. Study of NMJ morphology showed that fragmentation of acetylcholine receptor clusters occurred in all models, being most severe in mdx/utrn−/− mice. Overall, we showed mild ‘myasthenia‐like’ neuromuscular synaptic dysfunction in several Duchenne mouse models, which possibly affects muscle weakness and degeneration.
The contribution of narrative morphosyntactic quality to reading comprehension in French immersion students

ABSTRACT This study investigated the relationship between L2 oral narrative morphosyntactic quality and L2 reading comprehension in a sample of 81 students enrolled in a Canadian French immersion program in Grade 1. Measures of French narrative generation and reading comprehension were administered concurrently. The proportion of utterances in the narratives that were judged to be grammatically acceptable was found to explain unique variance in reading comprehension, controlling for nonverbal intelligence, maternal education, phonological awareness, vocabulary and word reading. The results suggest that even in the earliest stages of L2 literacy acquisition, L2 oral language skills contribute to reading comprehension outcomes. The results of our study suggest that there may be value in providing L2 children with classroom-based story-related experiences that expose them to literate language.
Effects of Medium of Communication on Experimental Negotiation

Pairs of subjects performed a simple negotiation task over one of three media of communication (face-to-face, closed circuit television, or a loud-speaking audio link). One person was required to argue a case which was consonant with his personal views; the other person was required to argue a case that bore no necessary relationship to his personal views. Medium of communication had a significant effect on the outcome of the negotiation: the side whose case was consonant with his personal views was more successful under face-to-face than under audio-only communication. Results in the video condition resembled those in the face-to-face condition. The findings are interpreted in terms of a greater emphasis on interpersonal considerations (as opposed to interparty considerations) in face-to-face discussions than in audio discussions.
Clinical applications of optical coherence tomography in urology

Since optical coherence tomography (OCT) was first demonstrated in 1991, it has advanced significantly in technical aspects such as imaging speed and resolution, and has been clinically demonstrated in a diverse set of medical and surgical applications, including ophthalmology, cardiology, gastroenterology, dermatology, oncology, among others. This work reviews current clinical applications in urology, particularly in bladder, urether, and kidney. Clinical applications in bladder and urether mainly focus on cancer detection and staging based on tissue morphology, image contrast, and OCT backscattering. The application in kidney includes kidney cancer detection based on OCT backscattering attenuation and non-destructive evaluation of transplant kidney viability or acute tubular necrosis based on both tissue morphology from OCT images and function from Doppler OCT (DOCT) images. OCT holds the promise to positively impact the future clinical practices in urology.
Automatic Loop Summarization via Path Dependency Analysis

Analyzing loops is very important for various software engineering tasks such as bug detection, test case generation and program optimization. However, loops are very challenging structures for program analysis, especially when (nested) loops contain multiple paths that have complex interleaving relationships. In this paper, we propose the path dependency automaton (PDA) to capture the dependencies among the multiple paths in a loop. Based on the PDA, we first propose a loop classification to understand the complexity of loop summarization. Then, we propose a loop analysis framework, named Proteus, which takes a loop program and a set of variables of interest as inputs and summarizes path-sensitive loop effects (i.e., disjunctive loop summary) on the variables of interest. An algorithm is proposed to traverse the PDA to summarize the effect for all possible executions in the loop. We have evaluated Proteus using loops from five open-source projects and two well-known benchmarks and applying the disjunctive loop summary to three applications: loop bound analysis, program verification and test case generation. The evaluation results have demonstrated that Proteus can compute a more precise bound than the existing loop bound analysis techniques; Proteus can significantly outperform the state-of-the-art tools for loop program verification; and Proteus can help generate test cases for deep loops within one second, while symbolic execution tools KLEE and Pex either need much more time or fail.
Aestivation induces changes in transcription and translation of coagulation factor II and fibrinogen gamma chain in the liver of the African lungfish Protopterus annectens

ABSTRACT This study aimed to sequence and characterize two pro-coagulant genes, coagulation factor II (f2) and fibrinogen gamma chain (fgg), from the liver of the African lungfish Protopterus annectens, and to determine their hepatic mRNA expression levels during three phases of aestivation. The protein abundance of F2 and Fgg in the liver and plasma was determined by immunoblotting. The results indicated that F2 and Fgg of P. annectens were phylogenetically closer to those of amphibians than those of teleosts. Three days of aestivation resulted in an up-regulation in the hepatic fgg mRNA expression level, while 6 days of aestivation led to a significant increase (3-fold) in the protein abundance of Fgg in the plasma. Hence, there could be an increase in the blood-clotting ability in P. annectens during the induction phase of aestivation. By contrast, the blood-clotting ability in P. annectens might be reduced in response to decreased blood flow and increased possibility of thrombosis during the maintenance phase of aestivation, as 6 months of aestivation led to significant decreases in mRNA expression levels of f2 and fgg in the liver. There could also be a decrease in the export of F2 and Fgg from the liver to the plasma so as to avert thrombosis. Three to 6 days after arousal from 6 months of aestivation, the protein abundance of F2 and Fgg recovered partially in the plasma of P. annectens; a complete recovery of the transcription and translation of f2/F2 in the liver might occur only after refeeding. Summary: Changes occur in the transcription and translation of two pro-coagulant genes, coagulation factor II and fibrinogen gamma chain, in the liver of the African lungfish Protopterus annectens during three phases of aestivation.
Clinicopathological characteristics and outcomes of patients with ANCA-positive lupus nephritis : a large cohort study from a single Chinese center

Very limited clinicopathological and clinical outcome data are available regarding lupus nephritis (LN) patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs). The present study therefore investigated such data in a large cohort of LN patients in China. 478 patients with renal biopsy-proven lupus nephritis diagnosed in The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from January 1998 to December 2011 were enrolled. The primary endpoint was the composite of a doubling of baseline serum creatinine, end-stage renal disease, or death. The prevalence of ANCA seropositivity in this cohort was 14.0% (67/478). At the time of biopsy, ANCA-positive patients had higher CRP levels, higher ESR values, and were more frequently positive for anti-cardiolipin antibodies. However, they had lower eGFR values, and lower levels of HDL-C, LDL-C, and hemoglobin when compared with ANCAnegative patients. ANCA-positive patients had a higher prevalence of 2003 ISN/RPS class IV LN, and higher scores for karyorrhexis/fibrinoid necrosis, cellular glomerular crescents, interstitial inflammation, and tubular atrophy. At a median follow-up time of 56 months (range, 3-162 months), the event-free survival rate for a composite outcome was significantly lower among patients with ANCAs than patients without (P = 0.015). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that initial serum creatinine and CI score were the most important risk factors significantly affecting the primary outcome. Notably, ANCA was not independently associated with the primary outcome. Patients with ANCA-positive LN have more severe kidney injury and a worse long-term outcome compared with patients with ANCA-negative LN.
Change in Nuptiality Patterns among Cuban Americans: Evidence of Cultural and Structural Assimilation? 1

“Is assimilation dead? ” (Glazer, 1993). One group of sociologists argues that the classical assimilation model no longer, if it ever did, serves to facilitate our understanding of immigrant incorporation into American society. Another group contends that it remains a powerful tool. In this paper I test these two alternatives through an analyses of changing patterns of Cuban American nuptiality behavior throughout the 1970–90 period. Based predominantly on PUMS of the 1970, 1980 and 1990 U.S. censuses, I find support for the conjecture that the classical assimilation model, with some modifications, continues to provide us with a viable tool to study contemporary immigrant incorporation in the United States.
Randomised controlled trial of eutectic mixture of local anaesthetics cream for venepuncture in healthy preterm infants

AIM To assess the safety and efficacy of EMLA cream (eutectic mixture of local anaesthetics) used to induce surface anaesthesia for venepuncture in healthy preterm infants. METHODS Nineteen infants, median gestational age 31 weeks (range 26–33 weeks) were assessed in a randomised, double blind, placebo controlled, cross-over trial. Changes in physiological variables (heart rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation) and behavioural responses (neonatal facial coding system score, crying time) before and after venepuncture with EMLA cream were compared with those obtained with a placebo cream to assess efficacy. Toxicity was assessed by comparing methaemoglobin concentrations at 1 hour and 8 hours after application. RESULTS There was no significant difference in efficacy between EMLA and placebo creams in physiological and behavioural responses. There was no significant difference in methaemoglobin concentrations one hour after the cream had been applied. At eight hours, however, concentrations were significantly higher after EMLA than placebo (p=0.016). There was no evidence of clinical toxicity. CONCLUSION This study does not support the routine use of EMLA for venepuncture in healthy preterm infants.
Genome-wide RNAi screening identifies host restriction factors critical for in vivo AAV transduction

Significance Viral vectors based on the adeno-associated virus (AAV) are at the forefront of human gene therapy; yet, the molecular biology of these vectors is largely unexplored. The aim of this work was to unravel, in a systematic manner, the effect of the individual knockdown of over 18,000 human genes on the efficiency of AAV-mediated transduction. The results obtained connect AAV biology to the processing of cellular DNA damage and pave the way to practical applications to improve therapeutic gene transfer. Viral vectors based on the adeno-associated virus (AAV) hold great promise for in vivo gene transfer; several unknowns, however, still limit the vectors’ broader and more efficient application. Here, we report the results of a high-throughput, whole-genome siRNA screening aimed at identifying cellular factors regulating AAV transduction. We identified 1,483 genes affecting vector efficiency more than 4-fold and up to 50-fold, either negatively or positively. Most of these factors have not previously been associated to AAV infection. The most effective siRNAs were independent from the virus serotype or analyzed cell type and were equally evident for single-stranded and self-complementary AAV vectors. A common characteristic of the most effective siRNAs was the induction of cellular DNA damage and activation of a cell cycle checkpoint. This information can be exploited for the development of more efficient AAV-based gene delivery procedures. Administration of the most effective siRNAs identified by the screening to the liver significantly improved in vivo AAV transduction efficiency.
A New Hemihydrate of Valacyclovir Hydrochloride

Several crystal forms of valacyclovir hydrochloride, including two anhydrous and three hydrates, were investigated in this study. At the same time, a new hemihydrate of valacyclovir hydrochloride was first discovered and its properties were characterized by PXRD, TGA, DSC, and Raman in this study. The hemihydrate shows a distinctive PXRD pattern and a melting point of 209 °C with a water weight loss of 2.42% from the thermal analysis. The Raman spectra show a few distinctive peaks in the region of 1250–1400 cm−1 due to different crystal forms. The thermostability testing suggests it is a stable crystal form and remain the same for several months under high temperature and humidity. All these crystal forms show good dissolubility in the water at room temperature with excess 100 mg/mL.
Views of Inclusion

A B S T R A C T Parent participation is considered to be a vital component in the education of students with disabilities. Parents' roles in pivotal changes in special education—specifically, inclusion—are acknowledged, and their rights are protected in special education law. However, their perspectives are not always understood or considered in the decision-making process. In this study, parents of children with disabilities in South Africa and in a midwestern state of the United States participated in focus group discussions regarding inclusive education. The results indicated that parent perceptions, experiences, and barriers to effective family—school partnerships and parent advocacy were remarkably similar on the two continents. Implications and recommendations for preservice teacher education are discussed.
Guided tissue regeneration/deproteinized bovine bone mineral or papilla preservation flaps alone for treatment of intrabony defects. II: radiographic predictors and outcomes.

OBJECTIVES This study reports the secondary analysis of a randomized-controlled clinical trial designed to assess the efficacy of deproteinized bovine mineral and a collagen membrane in the treatment of intrabony defects. The specific aims of this report are (1) to analyse the radiographic bone changes 1 year after therapy and (2) to assess the association between radiographic defect angle and treatment outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS Baseline and 12-month radiographs were collected from 120 patients with advanced chronic periodontitis from 10 centres in seven countries as part of a multi-centre clinical trial. All patients had at least one intrabony defect > or =3 mm in depth. The treatment consisted of simplified or modified papilla preservation flaps to access the defect. After debridement of the area, a deproteinized bovine mineral and a collagen membrane were applied in the test subjects, and omitted in the controls. Main outcome measures were radiographic bone fill and defect resolution 1 year after surgery. RESULTS One hundred and twenty pairs of radiographs were obtained, of which 110 pairs were measurable (57 tests and 53 controls). One year after treatment, radiographic resolution of the intrabony component was significantly higher in the test group (3.2+/-1.7 mm) when compared with the controls (1.7+/-1.9 mm). Multivariate analysis indicated that the treatment and the baseline radiographic depth of the intrabony defect significantly influenced the radiographic bone fill of the intrabony defect 1 year following treatment. The percentage of resolution of the defect was influenced by the treatment provided and the baseline plaque score. The baseline radiographic defect angle did not show a significant impact on the clinical and radiographic outcomes. CONCLUSIONS Regenerative periodontal surgery with a deproteinized bovine bone mineral and a collagen membrane offered additional benefits in terms of radiographic resolution of the intrabony defect and predictability of outcomes with respect to papilla preservation flaps alone.
Remote sensing of three‐dimensional coral reef structure enhances predictive modeling of fish assemblages

LiDAR (light detection and ranging) allows for the quantification of three‐dimensional seascape structure, which is an important driver of coral reef communities. We hypothesized that three‐dimensional LiDAR‐derived covariables support more robust models of coral reef fish assemblages, compared to models using 2D environmental co variables. Predictive models of coral reef fish density, diversity, and biomass were developed using linear mixed effect models. We found that models containing combined 2D and 3D covariables outperformed models with only 3D covariables, followed by models containing only 2D covariables. Areas with greater three‐dimensional structure provide fish more refuge from predation and are crucial to identifying priority management locations that can potentially enhance reef resilience and recovery. Two‐dimensional seascape metrics alone do not adequately capture the elements of the seascape that drive reef fish assemblage characteristics, and the application of LiDAR data in this work serves to advance seascape ecology theory and practice in the third dimension.
Molecular diagnostic testing as an adjunct to morphologic evaluation of pancreatic ductal system brushings: Potential augmentation for diagnostic sensitivity

Malignancies arising from the pancreatic and biliary ductal systems present the gastroenterologist and pathologist with diagnostic challenges. Tumors of the pancreatic and/or biliary ductal system may present as either duct strictures or mass lesions. When lesions present as strictures without associated demonstrable masses, brushing cytology may represent the only reasonable diagnostic technique aside from open biopsy. Diagnostic sensitivities for brushing cytology have ranged from 18 to 90%. Positive diagnoses of malignancy are of great clinical value but a negative result is of relatively little clinical aid when the radiographic or clinical findings are suspicious for a malignancy.
A Scale to Measure Self-Concepts, Person Concepts, and Product Concepts

The author describes the construction of a scale to measure self-concepts, person concepts, and product concepts. Multivariate analysis and multidimensional scaling procedures are employed to develop a 15-item semantic differential scale. Measures of test-retest reliability are reported. Validity of the scale is assessed by the multitrait-multimethod matrix approach.