Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ready for human spinal cord repair?

We are in an exciting time where, based on successfully established animal models, a partial repair of the damaged human CNS appears to be feasible. A paper in the present issue of Brain (Mackay-Sim et al. , 2008) deals with the outcome after transplantation of olfactory ensheathing cells (OEC) in subjects with chronic spinal cord injury. An earlier report described the surgical and safety procedures in this trial (Feron et al. , 2005). Presently, rehabilitation of spinal cord injury is limited to exploiting neuronal plasticity by functional training (Dietz, 2002). The combination of functional training and regenerative therapies, even if only limited structural repair is achieved, would certainly make an improved impact on outcome. There is an impressive number of promising approaches for inducing regeneration or limiting neuronal damage by neuroprotective treatments based on rodent experiments (for review see Raineteau and Schwab, 2001; Deumens et al. , 2005; Ramer et al. , 2005; Dietz and Curt, 2006). One is the application of regeneration-facilitating OEC at the lesion site. Convincing evidence was found that this approach leads to some spinal cord repair in rodent spinal cord injury (Li et al. , 1997; Ramon-Cueto et al. , 2000; Barnett and Chang, 2004). The present article (Mackay-Sim et al. , 2008) reports on the effect of this approach in six chronic complete (ASIA A) spinal cord injury subjects (phase I/IIa design) with regular follow-up using clinical, electrophysiological (MEP), imaging (MRI) and functional (Functional Independence Measure, FIM) examinations over 3 years. …
Real-World User Evaluations of a Visual and Interactive Web Search Interface

Although laboratory user studies are the most common method for validating the utility of information visualization systems, it may be difficult to determine if such studies accurately reflect the tasks of real users. In this paper, we describe a longitudinal real-world user evaluation of a visual and interactive Web search interface designed to support exploratory searching: theHotMap.com. Although we experienced some attrition during the course of the four-week study, the results indicate that many of the features of the system are beneficial and useful in real-world use. Although exploratory search comprised a small portion of the total search activities undertaken, the features of theHotMap.com which support query refinement and search results exploration did not interfere with the more common targeted searching tasks. As a result, most participants indicated that they found the system useful and easy to use.
Evaluation of a Tumor Microenvironment–Based Prognostic Score in Primary Operable Colorectal Cancer

Purpose: The tumor microenvironment is recognized as an important determinant of progression and outcome in colorectal cancer. The aim of the present study was to evaluate a novel tumor microenvironment–based prognostic score, based on histopathologic assessment of the tumor inflammatory cell infiltrate and tumor stroma, in patients with primary operable colorectal cancer. Experimental Design: Using routine pathologic sections, the tumor inflammatory cell infiltrate and stroma were assessed using Klintrup–Mäkinen (KM) grade and tumor stroma percentage (TSP), respectively, in 307 patients who had undergone elective resection for stage I–III colorectal cancer. The clinical utility of a cumulative score based on these characteristics was examined. Results: On univariate analysis, both weak KM grade and high TSP were associated with reduced survival (HR, 2.42; P = 0.001 and HR, 2.05; P = 0.001, respectively). A cumulative score based on these characteristics, the Glasgow Microenvironment Score (GMS), was associated with survival (HR, 1.93; 95% confidence interval, 1.36–2.73; P < 0.001), independent of TNM stage and venous invasion (both P < 0.05). GMS stratified patients in to three prognostic groups: strong KM (GMS = 0), weak KM/low TSP (GMS = 1), and weak KM/high TSP (GMS = 2), with 5-year survival of 89%, 75%, and 51%, respectively (P < 0.001). Furthermore, GMS in combination with node involvement, venous invasion, and mismatch repair status further stratified 5-year survival (92% to 37%, 93% to 27%, and 100% to 37%, respectively). Conclusions: The present study further confirms the clinical utility of assessment of the tumor microenvironment in colorectal cancer and introduces a simple, routinely available prognostic score for the risk stratification of patients with primary operable colorectal cancer. Clin Cancer Res; 21(4); 882–8. ©2014 AACR.
Anthropometric measurements as predictors of cephalopelvic disproportion

Objective. We assessed the efficacy of maternal anthropometric measurements and clinical estimates of fetal weight in isolation and in combination as predictors of cephalopelvic disproportion (CPD). Design. Prospective cohort study. Setting. Tertiary care teaching hospital, two affiliated hospitals with facilities for conducting cesarean delivery and seven affiliated primary care facilities with no operation theaters. Sample. Primigravidae over 37 weeks’ gestation attending these facilities during a 20‐month period with a singleton pregnancy in vertex presentation. Methods. Several anthropometric measurements were taken in 249 primigravidae. Fetal weight was estimated. Differences in these measurements between the vaginal delivery and CPD groups were analyzed. The validity of these measurements in predicting CPD was analyzed by plotting receiver operating characteristic curves and by logistic regression analysis. Main outcome measure. Mode of delivery. Results. Maternal height, foot size, inter‐trochanteric diameter and bis‐acromial diameter showed the highest positive predictive values for CPD. Combining some maternal measurements with estimates of fetal weight increased predictive values modestly, which are likely to be greater if the estimates of fetal weight are close to the actual birth weight. Based on multivariate analysis the risk factors for CPD in our population were foot length ≤23cm, inter‐trochanteric diameter ≤30cm and estimated fetal weight ≥3 000g. Conclusions. Maternal anthropometric measurements can predict CPD to some extent. Combining maternal measurements with clinical estimates of fetal weight only enhances the predictive value to a relatively modest degree (positive predictive value 24%).
Estimation of Osmotic Gradients in Soybean Sieve Tubes by Quantitative Autoradiography: Qualified Support for the MUnch Hypothesis.

An attempt was made to evaluate Münch's hypothesis of osmotically generated pressure flow in soybean (Glycine max L.) sieve tubes from velocity measurements and calculations of pressure potentials and sieve tube resistances. Pressure potential was estimated from values for water potentials and osmotic potential. Leaf water potential measurements were made by isopiestic thermocouple psychrometry, while the water potential of the nutrient solution was made with a vapor pressure osmometer. Osmotic potential was measured by first bringing the sucrose pools in the entire plant to the same specific radioactivity by steady-state-labeling of the shoot with constant specific radioactivity (14)CO(2) for 5 to 8 hours. Sucrose concentrations in sieve tubes were calculated from the disintegration rate per unit volume in sieve elements as measured by absolute quantitative microautoradiography of freeze-substituted, Eponembedded source (leaf) and sink (root) tissues.Conductivity of the sieve tubes was calculated from measurements of their dimensions in the petiole, stem, and root. The total pressure drop required for pressure flow at the observed velocities was calculated from the conductivity, velocity, and path length.In all experiments, the calculated sucrose concentration in source sieve tubes was greater than that in sink sieve tubes, with an average ratio (source to sink) of 1.79:1. However, the absolute sucrose concentrations (average values of 46.4 mg cm(-3) in the source and 23.9 mg cm(-3) in the sink) would have been insufficient to maintain positive turgor in the sieve elements, and the expected pressure differences would not have accounted for movement at the observed velocities. However, the low values for sucrose concentrations almost certainly were due to loss of sucrose during tissue preparation but, for technical reasons, such loss could not be accurately quantified.Assuming a sucrose concentration sufficient to maintain zero turgor in the root sieve tubes, a xylem water potential gradient (psi(w) [sink] - psi(w) [source]) of 2 bars between source and sink, and the measured ratio of sucrose concentrations in source and sink (1.79:1), the average turgor gradient between source and sink (psi(p) [sink] - psi(p) [source]) would have been about -1.6 to -3.5 bars, which compares favorably with the -1.07 to -2.41 bars average gradient that would have been required to drive translocation at the observed velocities.
Genetic Stability of Bacterial Artificial Chromosome-Derived Human Cytomegalovirus during Culture In Vitro

ABSTRACT Clinical human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) strains invariably mutate when propagated in vitro. Mutations in gene RL13 are selected in all cell types, whereas in fibroblasts mutants in the UL128 locus (UL128L; genes UL128, UL130, and UL131A) are also selected. In addition, sporadic mutations are selected elsewhere in the genome in all cell types. We sought to investigate conditions under which HCMV can be propagated without incurring genetic defects. Bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) provide a stable, genetically defined source of viral genome. Viruses were generated from BACs containing the genomes of strains TR, TB40, FIX, and Merlin, as well as from Merlin-BAC recombinants containing variant nucleotides in UL128L from TB40-BAC4 or FIX-BAC. Propagation of viruses derived from TR-BAC, TB40-BAC4, and FIX-BAC in either fibroblast or epithelial cells was associated with the generation of defects around the prokaryotic vector, which is retained in the unique short (US) region of viruses. This was not observed for Merlin-BAC, from which the vector is excised in derived viruses; however, propagation in epithelial cells was consistently associated with mutations in the unique long b′ (UL/b′) region, all impacting on gene UL141. Viruses derived from Merlin-BAC in fibroblasts had mutations in UL128L, but mutations occurred less frequently with recombinants containing UL128L nucleotides from TB40-BAC4 or FIX-BAC. Viruses derived from a Merlin-BAC derivative in which RL13 and UL128L were either mutated or repressed were remarkably stable in fibroblasts. Thus, HCMV containing a wild-type gene complement can be generated in vitro by deriving virus from a self-excising BAC in fibroblasts and repressing RL13 and UL128L. IMPORTANCE Researchers should aim to study viruses that accurately represent the causative agents of disease. This is problematic for HCMV because clinical strains mutate rapidly when propagated in vitro, becoming less cell associated, altered in tropism, more susceptible to natural killer cells, and less pathogenic. Following isolation from clinical material, HCMV genomes can be stabilized by cloning into bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs), and then virus is regenerated by DNA transfection. However, mutations can occur not only during isolation prior to BAC cloning but also when virus is regenerated. We have identified conditions under which BAC-derived viruses containing an intact, wild-type genome can be propagated in vitro with minimal risk of mutants being selected, enabling studies of viruses expressing the gene complement of a clinical strain. However, even under these optimized conditions, sporadic mutations can occur, highlighting the advisability of sequencing the HCMV stocks used in experiments.
Network Organization Unfolds over Time during Periods of Anxious Anticipation

Entering a state of anxious anticipation triggers widespread changes across large-scale networks in the brain. The temporal aspects of this transition into an anxious state are poorly understood. To address this question, an instructed threat of shock paradigm was used while recording functional MRI in humans to measure how activation and functional connectivity change over time across the salience, executive, and task-negative networks and how they interact with key regions implicated in emotional processing; the amygdala and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST). Transitions into threat blocks were associated with transient responses in regions of the salience network and sustained responses in a putative BNST site, among others. Multivariate network measures of communication were computed, revealing changes to network organization during transient and sustained periods of threat, too. For example, the salience network exhibited a transient increase in network efficiency followed by a period of sustained decreased efficiency. The amygdala became more central to network function (as assessed via betweenness centrality) during threat across all participants, and the extent to which the BNST became more central during threat depended on self-reported anxiety. Together, our study unraveled a progression of responses and network-level changes due to sustained threat. In particular, our results reveal how network organization unfolds with time during periods of anxious anticipation.
Monitoring the Environmental Impact of TiO$_{\bf 2}$ Nanoparticles Using a Plant-Based Sensor Network

The increased manufacturing of nanoparticles for use in cosmetics, foods, and clothing necessitates the need for an effective system to monitor and evaluate the potential environmental impact of these nanoparticles. The goal of this research was to develop a plant-based sensor network for characterizing, monitoring, and understanding the environmental impact of TiO2 nanoparticles. The network consisted of potted Arabidopsis thaliana with a surrounding water supply, which was monitored by cameras attached to a laptop computer running a machine learning algorithm. Using the proposed plant sensor network, we were able to examine the toxicity of TiO2 nanoparticles in two systems: algae and terrestrial plants. Increased terrestrial plant growth was observed upon introduction of the nanoparticles, whereas algal growth decreased significantly. The proposed system can be further automated for high-throughput screening of nanoparticle toxicity in the environment at multiple trophic levels. The proposed plant-based sensor network could be used for more accurate characterization of the environmental impact of nanomaterials.
A floating-point to integer C converter with shift reduction for fixed-point digital signal processors

A floating-point to integer C program translator is developed for convenient programming and efficient use of fixed-point programmable digital signal processors (DSPs). It not only converts data types and supports automatic scaling, but also conducts shift optimization to enhance execution speed. Since the input and output of this translator are ANSI C compliant programs, it can be used for any fixed-point DSP that supports ANSI C compiler. A shift reduction method is developed for minimizing the scaling overhead of translated integer C programs. It considers the data-path of a target processor and profiling results. Using the shift reduction method, 4% to 37% speedup is obtained. The translated integer C codes are 20 to 400 times faster than the floating-point versions when applied to TMS320C50, TMS320C60 and Motorola 56000 DSPs.
The Effect of College Employment on Graduation: Evidence from France

This paper investigates the effect of employment while in college on graduation, using data from the French Labour Force Surveys over the period 1992 to 2002. Using spatial variation in low-skill youth unemployment rates to circumvent the endogeneity of college employment decisions, we find a significant and very large detrimental effect of working while in college on graduation probability. We argue that this may be due to the lack of flexibility of the French university system, which does not offer much complementarity between schooling and in-school employment.
Ectopic Cushing's syndrome secondary to lung and mediastinal tumours -- report from a tertiary care centre in Iran.

INTRODUCTION Ectopic Cushing`s syndrome (ECS) secondary to neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) of the lung and mediastinum are rarely encountered. In this study, we present our experience in Iran on 15 patients with ECS secondary to lung and mediastinal tumours over a period of 27 years. MATERIAL AND METHODS Since 1985, 15 patients with ECS secondary to lung and mediastinal tumours have been diagnosed and prospectively followed by the endocrinology team of Taleghani Hospital, Tehran, Iran. The clinical signs and symptoms, laboratory findings, radiological features, immunohistochemical characteristics, management strategies and outcome data are here presented. RESULTS There were six women and nine men, aged 26-70 years, all presenting with typical features of Cushing's syndrome. Based on histopathologic evaluations, four patients had small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and seven patients had pulmonary NETs, one patient had a thymic NET, and one case was diagnosed as a lung tumourlet. The mean ± SD serum cortisol, 24h urine free cortisol and plasma ACTH were 47.2 ± 20.5 μg/dL, 2,702 ± 5,439 μg/day, and 220 ± 147 pg/mL, respectively. Pulmonary lesions ranged in diameter from 1.1 to 4 cm (mean 1.9 ± 1.1 cm). One patient had a 10 cm mediastinal mass. The duration of follow up in these cases was between one month and seven years (mean 29.9 ± 27.5 months). The four patients with SCLC died within three months of diagnosis. CONCLUSION Our data demonstrates the protean clinical and laboratory manifestations of ECS secondary to lung and mediastinal tumours, the problems encountered in diagnosis, and the need for a multidisciplinary approach. This study confirms other series from Western Europe and North America that, unlike the SCLC patients who show a poor outlook, ECS secondary to lung carcinoids has a more favourable prognosis.
Atlantic Inflow to the North Sea Modulated by the Subpolar Gyre in a Historical Simulation With MPI‐ESM

While the influence of the subpolar gyre (SPG) on thermohaline variability in the eastern North Atlantic is well documented, the extent and timescale of the influence of the SPG on North Sea is not well understood. This is primarily because earlier investigations on the causes of variability in the North Sea water properties mostly focused on the role of atmosphere and deployed regional models. Here using a historical simulation with the Max Planck Institute Earth System Model (MPI-ESM), we investigate circulation and water mass variability in key regions, namely, the Rockall Trough and the Faroe-Scotland Channel, which link the North Atlantic to the North Sea. We find that salinity covaries with advective lags in these three regions and that the northern North Sea salinity follows the Rockall Trough with a lag of 1 year. We show that recurring and persistent excursions of salinity anomalies into the northern North Sea are related to the SPG strength and not to the local acceleration of the inflow. Furthermore, we illustrate that the SPG signal is more pronounced in salinity than in temperature and that this simulated SPG signal has a period of 30–40 years. Overall, our study suggests that, at low frequency, water mass variability originating in the North Atlantic dominates changes in the North Sea water properties over those due to local wind-driven volume transport.
Natural Antimicrobials and Oral Microorganisms: A Systematic Review on Herbal Interventions for the Eradication of Multispecies Oral Biofilms

Oral diseases such as caries and periodontitis are mainly caused by microbial biofilms. Antibiotic therapy has reached its limits with regard to antimicrobial resistance, and new therapeutic measures utilizing natural phytochemicals are currently a focus of research. Hence, this systematic review provides a critical presentation of the antimicrobial effects of various medicinal herbs against in vitro, ex vivo, and in situ formed multispecies oral biofilms. Searches were performed in three English databases (PubMed, EMBASE, CAMbase) and the electronic archives of five German journals from the times of their establishment until October 10th, 2014, with the search terms “(plant extracts OR herbal extracts OR plant OR herb) AND (oral biofilm OR dental biofilm OR dental plaque OR oral disease OR dental disease). ” The pooled data were assessed according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (PRISMA). Initially, 1848 articles were identified, out of which 585 full-text articles were screened, 149 articles were reevaluated for eligibility and finally, 14 articles met all inclusion criteria. The data of 14 reports disclosed enhanced antiadhesive and antibiofilm activity by the plant extracts obtained from Vitis vinifera, Pinus spp. , Coffea canephora, Camellia sinensis, Vaccinium macrocarpon, Galla chinensis, Caesalpinia ferrea Martius, Psidium cattleianum, representative Brazilian plants and manuka honey. Overall, a positive correlation was revealed between herb-based therapies and elimination rates of all types of multispecies oral biofilms. In that context, integrating or even replacing conventional dental therapy protocols with herbal-inspired treatments can allow effective antimicrobial control of oral biofilms and thus, dental diseases.
An Analysis of Pediatric Blood Cultures in the Postpneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine Era in a Community Hospital Emergency Department

Objective: Blood cultures are commonly included in the evaluation of febrile children younger than 3 years without focal source of infection. Clinicians treat patients with a positive blood culture before final identification of the organism. Their treatment might include reevaluation in the emergency department (ED), additional tests, parenteral antibiotics, and hospital admission even for children who ultimately have false-positive (FP) blood cultures. The advent of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) has made occult bacteremia less common, decreasing the likelihood that a positive blood culture result before final organism identification will be a true pathogen. This study will identify the characteristics of patients with FP blood cultures in the post-PCV era. Methods: Charts were reviewed of all children ages 1 to 36 months with a temperature of at least 38.08°C who had a blood culture obtained in our community hospital ED from January 1997 to January 2005. Results: Bacteria grew in 106 (3.5%) out of 2971 blood cultures. True positives (TPs), defined as true pathogens, had a prevalence of 0.7%, representing 19.8% of positives. FPs, defined as contaminants, occurred in 2.8% of cultures, representing 80.2% of positives. Patients with FP cultures had lower mean white blood cell (WBC) counts (10.51 × 109/L vs. 16.95 × 109/L; P = 0.0001) and lower mean presenting temperatures (38.8°C vs. 39.4°C; P = 0.005). FPs had longer time to positivity (34.6 vs. 17.7 hours; P = 0.001) than TPs. A culture with a Gram stain suggestive of a contaminant, time to positivity greater than 24 hours and a WBC of less than 15 × 109/L had a PPV for an FP of 97%. When analysis was restricted to wellappearing children age 2 to 36 months with temperature of more than 39°C without focal source of infection who were discharged from the ED, these three criteria had a PPV for an FP of 100%. In these highly febrile children, the FPs had significantly lower WBCs (9.14 × 109/L vs. 22.84 × 109/L; P = 0.0001) and longer time topositivity (33.4 vs. 19.8 hours; P = 0.007) than TPs. The likelihood of obtaining FP cultures increased after the introduction of PCV from 62.5% to 87.8% odds ratio, 4.3; 95%confidence internal, 1.44-13.38). Conclusions: In the post-PCV era, the majority of blood culture results will be FPs. FP cultures are predictable in febrile children with WBC counts less than 15.00 × 109/L, time to positivity of more than 24 hours, and a Gram stain result suggestive of a contaminant. Prospective studies applying these criteria to the at-risk population for occult bacteremia are indicated.