Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessing Metabolism and Injury in Acute Human Traumatic Brain Injury with Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy: Current and Future Applications

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) triggers a series of complex pathophysiological processes. These include abnormalities in brain energy metabolism; consequent to reduced tissue pO2 arising from ischemia or abnormal tissue oxygen diffusion, or due to a failure of mitochondrial function. In vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) allows non-invasive interrogation of brain tissue metabolism in patients with acute brain injury. Nuclei with “spin,” e.g., 1H, 31P, and 13C, are detectable using MRS and are found in metabolites at various stages of energy metabolism, possessing unique signatures due to their chemical shift or spin–spin interactions (J-coupling). The most commonly used clinical MRS technique, 1H MRS, uses the great abundance of hydrogen atoms within molecules in brain tissue. Spectra acquired with longer echo-times include N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine, and choline. NAA, a marker of neuronal mitochondrial activity related to adenosine triphosphate (ATP), is reported to be lower in patients with TBI than healthy controls, and the ratio of NAA/creatine at early time points may correlate with clinical outcome. 1H MRS acquired with shorter echo times produces a more complex spectrum, allowing detection of a wider range of metabolites.31 P MRS detects high-energy phosphate species, which are the end products of cellular respiration: ATP and phosphocreatine (PCr). ATP is the principal form of chemical energy in living organisms, and PCr is regarded as a readily mobilized reserve for its replenishment during periods of high utilization. The ratios of high-energy phosphates are thought to represent a balance between energy generation, reserve and use in the brain. In addition, the chemical shift difference between inorganic phosphate and PCr enables calculation of intracellular pH.13 C MRS detects the 13C isotope of carbon in brain metabolites. As the natural abundance of 13C is low (1.1%), 13C MRS is typically performed following administration of 13C-enriched substrates, which permits tracking of the metabolic fate of the infused 13C in the brain over time, and calculation of metabolic rates in a range of biochemical pathways, including glycolysis, the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and glutamate–glutamine cycling. The advent of new hyperpolarization techniques to transiently boost signal in 13C-enriched MRS in vivo studies shows promise in this field, and further developments are expected.
Evaluation of Genetic Mutations Associated with Mycobacterium tuberculosis Resistance to Amikacin, Kanamycin and Capreomycin: A Systematic Review

Background Rapid molecular diagnostics for detecting multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (M/XDR-TB) primarily identify mutations in Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) genes associated with drug resistance. Their accuracy, however, is dependent largely on the strength of the association between a specific mutation and the phenotypic resistance of the isolate with that mutation, which is not always 100%. While this relationship is well established and reliable for first-line anti-TB drugs, rifampin and isoniazid, it is less well-studied and understood for second-line, injectable drugs, amikacin (AMK), kanamycin (KAN) and capreomycin (CAP). Methodology/Principal Findings We conducted a systematic review of all published studies evaluating Mtb mutations associated with resistance to AMK, KAN, CAP in order to characterize the diversity and frequency of mutations as well as describe the strength of the association between specific mutations and phenotypic resistance in global populations. Our objective was to determine the potential utility and reliability of these mutations as diagnostic markers for detecting AMK, KAN and CAP resistance. Mutation data was reviewed for 1,585 unique clinical isolates from four continents and over 18 countries. Mutations in the rrs, tlyA, eis promoter and gidB genes were associated with AMK, KAN and/or CAP resistance. Conclusions/Significance The rrs A1401G mutation was present in the majority of AMK, KAN and CAP resistant Mtb strains reviewed, but was also found in 7% of CAP susceptible strains. The 1401 mutation alone, however, was not found with sufficient frequency to detect more than 70–80% of global Mtb strains resistant to AMK and CAP, and 60% of strains resistant to KAN. Additional mutations in the rrs, eis promoter, tlyA and gidB genes appear to be associated with resistance and could improve sensitivity and specificity of future diagnostics.
An Empirical Investigation of End-User Query Development: The Effects of Improved Model Expressiveness vs. Complexity

Data models provide a map of the components of an information system. Prior research has indicated that more expressive conceptual data models (despite their increased size) result in better performance for problem solving tasks. An initial experiment using logical data models indicated that more expressive logical data models also enhanced end-user performance for information retrieval tasks. However, the principles of parsimony and bounded rationality imply that, past some point, increases in size lead to a level of complexity that results in impaired performance. The results of this study support these principles. For a logical data model of increased but still modest size, users composing queries for the more expressive logical data model did not perform as well as users composing queries for the corresponding less expressive but more parsimonious logical data model. These results indicate that, when constructing logical data models, data modelers should consider tradeoffs between parsimony and expressiveness.
Tumor Necrosis Factor (cid:97) Stimulates Osteoclast Differentiation by a Mechanism Independent of the ODF/RANKL–RANK Interaction

Osteoclast differentiation factor (ODF, also called RANKL/TRANCE/OPGL) stimulates the differentiation of osteoclast progenitors of the monocyte/macrophage lineage into osteoclasts in the presence of macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF, also called CSF-1). When mouse bone marrow cells were cultured with M-CSF, M-CSF–dependent bone marrow macrophages (M-BMM (cid:102) ) appeared within 3 d. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase–positive osteoclasts were also formed when M-BMM (cid:102) were further cultured for 3 d with mouse tumor necrosis factor (cid:97) (TNF- (cid:97) ) in the presence of M-CSF. Osteoclast formation induced by TNF- (cid:97) was inhibited by the addition of respective antibodies against TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1) or TNFR2, but not by osteoclastogenesis inhibitory factor (OCIF, also called OPG, a decoy receptor of ODF/RANKL), nor the Fab fragment of anti–RANK (ODF/RANKL receptor) antibody. Experiments using M-BMM (cid:102) prepared from TNFR1- or TNFR2-deficient mice showed that both TNFR1- and TNFR2-induced signals were important for osteoclast formation induced by TNF- (cid:97) . Osteoclasts induced by TNF- (cid:97) formed resorption pits on dentine slices only in the presence of IL-1 (cid:97) . These results demonstrate that TNF- (cid:97) stimulates osteoclast differentiation in the presence of M-CSF through a mechanism independent of the ODF/ RANKL–RANK system. TNF- (cid:97) together with IL-1 (cid:97) may play an important role in bone resorption of inflammatory bone diseases.
Electronic Outbreak Surveillance in Germany: A First Evaluation for Nosocomial Norovirus Outbreaks

Background In Germany, surveillance for infectious disease outbreaks is integrated into an electronic surveillance system. For 2007, the national surveillance database contains case-based information on 201,224 norovirus cases, three-quarters of which are linked to outbreaks. We evaluated the data quality of the national database in reflecting nosocomial norovirus outbreak (NNO) data available in 19 Hessian local public health authorities (LPHAs) and the influence of differences between LPHA's follow-up procedures for laboratory notifications of Norovirus positive stool samples on outbreak underascertainment. Methods Data on NNO beginning in 2007 and notified to the 19 LPHAs were extracted from the national database, investigated regarding internal validity and compared to data collected from LPHAs for a study on NNO control. LPHAs were questioned whether they routinely contacted all persons for whom a laboratory diagnosis of norovirus infection was notified. The number of outbreaks per 1,000 hospital beds and the number of cases within NNOs for acute care and rehabilitation hospitals were compared between counties with and without complete follow-up. Results The national database contained information on 155 NNOs, including 3,115 cases. Cases were missed in the national database in 58 (37%) of the outbreaks. Information on hospitalisation was incorrect for an estimated 47% of NNO cases. Information on county of infection was incorrect for 24% (199/820) of cases being forwarded between LPHAs for data entry. Reported NNO incidence and number of NNO cases in acute care hospitals was higher in counties with complete follow-up (incidence-rate ratio (IRR) 2.7, 95% CI 1.4–5.7, p-value 0.002 and IRR 2.1, 95% CI 1.9–2.4, p-value 0.001, respectively). Conclusions Many NNOs are not notified by hospitals and differences in LPHA procedures have an impact on the number of outbreaks captured in the surveillance system. Forwarding of case-by-case data on Norovirus outbreak cases from the local to the state and national level should not be required.
Extension of a d-q model of a permanent magnet excited synchronous machine by including saturation, cross-coupling and slotting effects

For the description of a permanent magnet excited synchronous machine the idealized equations of common synchronous machines can be used omitting the damping windings and replacing the current excitation by a permanent flux. For a more accurate modeling, nonideal behavior like saturation, cross-coupling magnetization and slotting effects can be included. This is done by extending the common d-q equations by additional elements. This also includes the time dependent variations of the parameters causing additional induced voltages especially at high currents and speed. The elements of the extended equations are extracted from a finite element analysis of the device under test. The derivation of the equations and a simulation of a permanent magnet excited synchronous machine with the applied theory are presented.
Microarray Analysis of Suppression Subtracted Hybridisation Libraries Identifies Genes Associated with Breast Cancer Progression

Background: A major challenge of cancer research is to identify key molecules which are responsible for the development of the malignant metastatic phenotype, the major cause of cancer death. Methods: Four subtracted cDNA libraries were constructed representing mRNAs differentially expressed between benign and malignant human breast tumour cells and between micro-dissected breast carcinoma in situ and invasive carcinoma. Hundreds of differentially expressed cDNAs from the libraries were micro-arrayed and screened with mRNAs from human breast tumor cell lines and clinical specimens. Gene products were further examined by RT-PCR and correlated with clinical data. Results: The combination of subtractive hybridisation and microarray analysis has identified a panel of 15 cDNAs which shows strong correlations with estrogen receptor status, malignancy or relapse. This panel included S100P, which was associated with aneuploidy in cell lines and relapse/death in patients, and AGR2 which was associated with estrogen receptor and with patient relapse. X-box binding protein-1 is also an estrogen-dependent gene and is associated with better survival for breast cancer patients. Conclusions: The combination of subtracted cDNA libraries and microarray analysis has thus identified potential diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers and targets for cancer therapy, which have not been identified from common prognostic gene signatures.
Psychological Treatment of Co‐occurring Anxiety Disorders in Clinical Practice: A Vignette Study

Background and Objectives Many individuals with anxiety difficulties present with co‐occurring anxiety disorders yet no evidence‐based guidelines exist on how to treat this presentation. The present study investigated how Australian psychologists approach treating co‐occurring anxiety disorders. Methods A total of 169 psychologists practicing in Australia undertook an online survey consisting of open‐questions relating to the treatment of DSM‐IV anxiety disorder diagnoses and reported practice in relation to two clinical vignettes. Participant responses were coded using a directed content analysis approach. Results The majority of psychologists reported utilising cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) interventions in the treatment of single and co‐occurring anxiety disorders but not specific evidence‐based treatment guides or protocols. The majority of the psychologists surveyed reported that they adopt a transdiagnostic approach to addressing co‐occurring anxiety disorders. Conclusions Psychologists typically do not follow a specific treatment guide in the treatment of anxiety disorders and judge a transdiagnostic approach incorporating CBT techniques as the best way to treat comorbidity. More effort may be needed to disseminate evidence‐based interventions for anxiety disorders and for authors of empirically supported treatments to provide clear guidelines regarding treating co‐occurring anxiety disorders.
Toward a General Relation Browser: A GUI for Information Architects

INTRODUCTION Web sites for corporations, government agencies, and other enterprises often are comprised on tens of thousands of web pages (whether static or dynamically generated). Information architects and webmasters provide site maps or visualizations to help users gain quick understandings of what is and what is not available in the site and how the site is structured. Such overviews aid people in formulating queries and in navigating the site (Greene et al., 2000). Rather than providing only static site maps and visual overviews, the electronic medium can be leveraged to create interactive overviews that support a variety of user interests. Creating interactive overviews requires substantial organizational as well as technical effort in today’s WWW environment. HCI research in pre-web days aimed to create User Interface Management Systems (UIMS), analogs to database management systems, that allow the designer to abstract away from the low-level details of electronic storage to focus on entities, relationships, and creating customizable views for end users (e.g., see Dewan, 1990; Kim and Foley, 1990; Myers et al., 1993). As the web matures, new tools for designers and information architects have emerged for created structured documents, however, creating interactive interfaces requires customized programming for each website and alternative view within the website. What is needed are tools and services that manage the graphical user interface (GUI) details and allow information architects to focus on organization and interaction design.
Effects of different levels of dietary supplemental caprylic acid and vitamin E on performance, breast muscle vitamin E and A, and oxidative stability in broilers

The paper reports data from four experiments (EXP). Broiler cockerels Ross 308 were allocated to 3 or 5 (EXP 4) dietary treatments comprising 300 (3 replicated pens of 100 chicks per pen), 50, 50 or 100 chickens. The EXP lasted 42, 38, 42 and 38 days. All basal diets contained adequate ingredients. The inclusion of 0.5% caprylic acid (CA) in diets reduced ( P < 0.05) body weight (EXP 1). The results of EXP 3 and 4 indicated that the diet supplemented with 0.25% CA and 30 mg vitamin E (total vitamin E concentration 50 mg) resulted in similar BW like the basal diet, but the increased supplemental vitamin E to 150 mg (EXP 3) or to 100 mg (EXP 4) decreased ( P < 0.05 and P < 0.001) BW and increased mortality. No differences were found between the fat and crude protein contents in dry matter of breast meat. Higher vitamin E doses in feed mixture significantly ( P < 0.001) increased the content of vitamins soluble in fats in breast meat - vita - min E (from 28.54 in the control to 80.28 mg/kg of dry matter) and vitamin A (from 0.34 to 0.44 mg/kg of dry matter). The addition of caprylic acid significantly decreased the speed of lipid oxidation measured after 3 (P < 0.02) and 5 (P < 0.05) days of storage in refrigerator at a temperature from 2.5 to 4°C. On the contrary, higher vitamin E doses and basal diet without CA supplement increased the oxidation of lipids.
Early Childhood Family Learning Environment's Influence on Adolescent Learning Achievement in Taiwan

THIS STUDY USED FOUR waves of the Taiwan Education Panel Survey (TEPS) for seventh to twelfth grade students to construct a latent growth model (LGM) and carry out a longitudinal analysis, in order to explore the influence of the early childhood family learning environment on later adolescent learning achievement, performance and change. The results showed that adolescents with better performance in early learning had greater growth in later learning achievements. In addition, when preschool children had a good family learning environment, it benefited their cognitive skill development before they entered elementary school, and enhanced their reading interest as well as self-education expectations. This consequence further improved adolescent learning achievements, and these advantaged children had significantly higher learning growth levels later than children without such advantages.
Automatic access to object identity: attention to global information, not to particular physical dimensions, is important.

The authors examined whether, by attending to physical properties of objects, participants can prevent the activation of semantic information. Participants received a reference object followed by a display containing both a matching target and a distractor. In Experiments 1 and 2, participants attended to motion and to surface texture, respectively. Some evidence for the processing of semantic information occurred. This result contrasted with a previous study in which no evidence for semantic information processing was apparent in a color matching task (M. Boucart & G.W. Humphreys, 1994). In Experiment 3, pictures were used with outline contours composed of randomly distributed red and green dots, one color being overrepresented. Participants matched pictures according to the dominant color. Evidence for semantic processing emerged. The authors suggest that these results cannot be explained in terms of attention operating differently on separate physiological channels. Instead it is proposed that what is crucial in activating stored object representations is whether the global configuration of the picture is processed.
Tailored environments to study motile cells and pathogens

Motile cells and pathogens migrate in complex environments and yet are mostly studied on simple 2D substrates. In order to mimic the diverse environments of motile cells, a set of assays including substrates of defined elasticity, microfluidics, micropatterns, organotypic cultures, and 3D gels have been developed. We briefly introduce these and then focus on the use of micropatterned pillar arrays, which help to bridge the gap between 2D and 3D. These structures are made from polydimethylsiloxane, a moldable plastic, and their use has revealed new insights into mechanoperception in Caenorhabditis elegans, gliding motility of Plasmodium, swimming of trypanosomes, and nuclear stability in cancer cells. These studies contributed to our understanding of how the environment influences the respective cell and inform on how the cells adapt to their natural surroundings on a cellular and molecular level.
Prosodic Patterns in Interaction of Low-Risk and at-Risk-of-Autism Spectrum Disorders Infants and Their Mothers at 12 and 18 Months

ABSTRACT Research has indicated differences in prosodic expression for infants-at-risk-of-autism spectrum disorders (ASD), and it has been proposed that caregiver speech to these infants may also be moderated prosodically. In typical development, the pitch range of maternal infant-directed speech (IDS) narrows and utterance intensity decreases with infant age, and similar patterns are evident in infant vocalizations. In this study, samples of English-speaking maternal and infant nonvegetative vocalizations produced during naturalistic interaction at ages 12 months and 18 months were analyzed to investigate this process in a group of infants-at-risk-of-ASD with their mothers and typically developing controls. Differences in the expression, developmental trajectory and synchrony of prosody were found for at-risk dyads compared with low-risk dyads. Possible explanations for these patterns and the implications for language development are explored.
Thoracoscopic resection of bulky thymoma assisted with artificial pneumothorax: A report of 19 consecutive cases

The aim of the present study was to examine the feasibility and efficacy of thoracoscopic radical resection of large retrosternal thymoma using artificial pneumothorax. A retrospective analysis was performed on 19 patients with bulky thymoma who underwent thoracoscopic resection using artificial pneumothorax by CO2 insufflation. The operations were performed with unilateral or bilateral thoracic incisions via single lumen endotracheal intubation and two-lung ventilation. This approach provided excellent exposure of the thoracic cavity and reliable control of the neuro-vascular structures in the anterior mediastinum, which was of vital importance for the extended resection of malignant thymoma. The operation time was 140.0±51.4 min without conversion to thoracotomy or sternotomy. The pathological diagnosis was confirmed by immunohistochemistry, including 5 cases of thymus lipomyoma, 1 case of thymus hyperplasia, 1 case of thymus cyst, 2 cases of type AB thymoma, 4 cases of type B1 thymoma, 4 cases of type B3 thymoma, and 2 cases of thymic carcinoma. Furthermore, there were no complications such as recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, phrenic nerve injury, pulmonary infection or atelectasis, with a hospital stay of 5.0±3.0 days. In conclusion, the thoracoscopic resection of thymoma using artificial pneumothorax is a preferable approach, that may be considered for patients with bulky retrosternal tumors.
Biscarbamate Cross-Linked Low-Molecular-Weight Polyethylenimine for Delivering Anti-chordin siRNA into Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells for Improving Bone Regeneration

Small-interfering RNA (siRNA) provides a rapid solution for drug design and provides new methods to develop customizable medicines. Polyethyleneimine 25 kDa (PEI25kDa) is an effective transfection agent used in siRNA delivery. However, the lack of degradable linkage causes undesirable toxicity, hindering its clinical application. We designed a low-molecular-weight cross-linked polyethylenimine named PEI-Et (Mn:1220, Mw:2895) by using degradable ethylene biscarbamate linkage with lower cytotoxicity and higher knockdown efficiency than PEI25kDa in delivery Chordin siRNA to human bone mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs). Suppression of Chordin by using anti-Chordin siRNA delivered by PEI-Et improved bone regeneration in vitro and in vivo associated with the bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) mediated smad1/5/8 signaling pathway. Results of this study suggest that Chordin siRNA can be potentially used to improve osteogenesis associated with the BMP-2-mediated Smad1/5/8 signaling pathway and biodegradable biscarbamate cross-linked low-molecular-weight polyethylenimine (PEI-Et) is a therapeutically feasible carrier material to deliver anti-Chordin siRNA to hBMSCs.