Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Title Limited open reduction and Ilizarov external fixation in thetreatment of distal tibial fractures

We reviewed 31 distal tibial fractures (sixteen involving tibial plafond) treated with Ilizarov external fixation. The study population was composed of 19 males and 12 females, with an average age of 54 (range, 13-80 years). The fractures were classified according to the AO classification: In 14 of the pilon cases, open reduction of the intra-articular fragments and bone grafting via a limited incision was performed. Clinical follow up averaged 28 months (range, 18-42 months). All but one fractures united with an average healing time of 13.9 weeks (range, 10-20 weeks). All but one patient with AO Type A fracture had excellent or good functional scores. The 14 cases of AO C2 and C3 group had 6 good results, 5 fair results and 3 poor results. This method yielded satisfactory results comparable with previous studies using open reduction and internal fixation while decreasing the number of serious complications. Its usage can be recommended, especially in fractures with severe soft tissue damage and in comminuted fractures.
Agency Problems and Synergistic Effects in Romania: The Determinants of the Control Premium

Estimation of the control premium remains one of the main concerns in the financial literature: different approaches take into consideration synergistic effects, agency problems, and the bargaining power of different agents. We estimated the level of the control premium and its determinants for Romanian listed companies in the period 2000–2011. The median of the control premium was 25%. Using a linear regression model, we found that the determinants of the control premium for Romanian listed companies are similar to those revealed for other countries. The control premium was directly related to the liquidity of the shares of the acquired company before the transaction, to the percentage share purchased in the transaction, and to the ownership concentration of the acquired company. Also, its level was higher if the buyer was a corporation, and also if the acquirer, or the majority shareholder before the transaction, was Romanian. The control premium was inversely related to the size of the acquired company, to the bargaining power of the buyer, and to the fact that the acquirer was already a shareholder of the target company. The control premium increases if the target company has a majority shareholder, or at least shareholders owning more than 33% of the equity capital, before the transaction, but decreases if the ownership is dispersed. Moreover, we find that the sector of the target company has an influence on the control premium. Thus, if the firm was active in services or in the machinery and equipment industry, the control premium was higher, while if it was active in agriculture, construction, the food industry, or the chemicals industry it was lower.
Journal of Comparative Psychology Personality Structure in Brown Capuchin Monkeys ( Sapajus apella ) : Comparisons With Chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes ) , Orangutans ( Pongo spp . ) , and Rhesus Macaques ( Macaca mulatta )

Personality Structure in Brown Capuchin Monkeys (Sapajus apella): Comparisons With Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), Orangutans (Pongo spp.), and Rhesus Macaques (Macaca mulatta) F. Blake Morton, Phyllis C. Lee, Hannah M. Buchanan-Smith, Sarah F. Brosnan, Bernard Thierry, Annika Paukner, Frans B. M. de Waal, Jane Widness, Jennifer L. Essler, and Alexander Weiss Online First Publication, May 13, 2013. doi: 10.1037/a0031723
Understanding the Nature and Implications of Romantic Relationships Among Criminally Involved Individuals with Mental Illness

Abstract This study explores the role romantic relationships play for individuals who live with significant mental illness and are involved in the criminal justice system. Life-course researchers have long hypothesized about the important influence of romantic bonds as impacting outcomes for both criminally involved men and women in varying ways. Far less attention, however, has focused on individuals with significant mental illness and criminal justice system involvement, and there is almost none that addresses criminally involved individuals with mental illness’ own perspective on these matters. The current study examines the narratives of 111 probationers with mental illness on a specialty mental health caseload to understand how romantic relationships impact their lives. Findings demonstrate the dynamic influence of mental illness on romantic relationships in conjunction with addiction, violence, and criminal justice involvement. Each is discussed with special consideration given to the gendered impact that these relationships have on this group.
Chronic Alcohol Ingestion Increases Mortality and Organ Injury in a Murine Model of Septic Peritonitis

Background Patients admitted to the intensive care unit with alcohol use disorders have increased morbidity and mortality. The purpose of this study was to determine how chronic alcohol ingestion alters the host response to sepsis in mice. Methods Mice were randomized to receive either alcohol or water for 12 weeks and then subjected to cecal ligation and puncture. Mice were sacrificed 24 hours post-operatively or followed seven days for survival. Results Septic alcohol-fed mice had a significantly higher mortality than septic water-fed mice (74% vs. 41%, p = 0.01). This was associated with worsened gut integrity in alcohol-fed mice with elevated intestinal epithelial apoptosis, decreased crypt proliferation and shortened villus length. Further, alcohol-fed mice had higher intestinal permeability with decreased ZO-1 and occludin protein expression in the intestinal tight junction. The frequency of splenic and bone marrow CD4+ T cells was similar between groups; however, splenic CD4+ T cells in septic alcohol-fed mice had a marked increase in both TNF and IFN-γ production following ex vivo stimulation. Neither the frequency nor function of CD8+ T cells differed between alcohol-fed and water-fed septic mice. NK cells were decreased in both the spleen and bone marrow of alcohol-fed septic mice. Pulmonary myeloperoxidase levels and BAL levels of G-CSF and TFG-β were higher in alcohol-fed mice. Pancreatic metabolomics demonstrated increased acetate, adenosine, xanthine, acetoacetate, 3-hydroxybutyrate and betaine in alcohol-fed mice and decreased cytidine, uracil, fumarate, creatine phosphate, creatine, and choline. Serum and peritoneal cytokines were generally similar between alcohol-fed and water-fed mice, and there were no differences in bacteremia, lung wet to dry weight, or pulmonary, liver or splenic histology. Conclusions When subjected to the same septic insult, mice with chronic alcohol ingestion have increased mortality. Alterations in intestinal integrity, the host immune response, and pancreatic metabolomics may help explain this differential response.
Unraveling the Genetic Basis of Aspirin Hypersensitivity in Asthma Beyond Arachidonate Pathways

Although aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD) has attracted a great deal of attention because of its association with severe asthma, it remains widely under-diagnosed in the asthmatic population. Oral aspirin challenge is the best method of diagnosing AERD, but this is a time-consuming procedure with serious complications in some cases. Thus, development of non-invasive methods for easy diagnosis is necessary to prevent unexpected complications of aspirin use in susceptible patients. For the past decade, many studies have attempted to elucidate the genetic variants responsible for risk of AERD. Several approaches have been applied in these genetic studies. To date, a limited number of biologically plausible candidate genes in the arachidonate and immune and inflammatory pathways have been studied. Recently, a genome-wide association study was performed. In this review, the results of these studies are summarized, and their limitations discussed. In addition to the genetic variants, changes in methylation patterns on CpG sites have recently been identified in a target tissue of aspirin hypersensitivity. Finally, perspectives on application of new genomic technologies are introduced; these will aid our understanding of the genetic pathogenesis of aspirin hypersensitivity in asthma.
Empirical Analysis of High Maturity Quality Management Practices in a Globally Outsourced Software Development Environment

The growth of information technology outsourcing and distributed software development have posed new challenges in managing software projects. In this paper we develop and test empirical models of project performance in the context of high maturity distributed software development. By analyzing data collected on more than forty large distributed commercial projects from a leading software vendor we study the effect of resource dispersion between remote development centers on software quality and productivity. Audited and fine grained data collected from these distributed projects operating at very high process maturity level (CMM5) enables us to examine the effect of prevention, appraisal and failure-based quality management approaches on software project performance. Our results indicate that dispersion in software tasks between remote development centers negatively affect development productivity. However, we also find that the effect of dispersion on software quality can be mitigated using disciplined and highly mature development processes. Further in contrast to findings from the manufacturing quality literature, we find that failure-based quality management practices do help to improve software project performance. These empirical findings could explain the increased adoption of high process maturity frameworks such as CMM-5 among software service firms embarking on distributed development.
Multiple conserved regulatory elements with overlapping functions determine Sox10 expression in mouse embryogenesis

Expression and function of the transcription factor Sox10 is predominant in neural crest cells, its derivatives and in oligodendrocytes. To understand how Sox10 expression is regulated during development, we analysed the potential of evolutionary conserved non-coding sequences in the Sox10 genomic region to function as enhancers. By linking these sequences to a β-galactosidase marker gene under the control of a minimal promoter, five regulatory regions were identified that direct marker gene expression in transgenic mice to Sox10 expressing cell types and tissues in a defined temporal pattern. These possible enhancers of the Sox10 gene mediate Sox10 expression in the otic vesicle, in oligodendrocytes and in several neural crest derivatives including the developing peripheral nervous system and the adrenal gland. They furthermore exhibit overlapping activities and share binding sites for Sox, Lef/Tcf, Pax and AP2 transcription factors. This may explain high level and robustness of Sox10 expression during embryonic development.
A Novel Paradigm for Nonassociative Long-Term Memory in Drosophila: Predator-Induced Changes in Oviposition Behavior

Learning processes in Drosophila have been studied through the use of Pavlovian associative memory tests, and these paradigms have been extremely useful in identifying both genetic factors and neuroanatomical structures that are essential to memory formation. Whether these same genes and brain compartments also contribute to memory formed from nonassociative experiences is not well understood. Exposures to environmental stressors such as predators are known to induce innate behavioral responses and can lead to new memory formation that allows a predator response to persist for days after the predator threat has been removed. Here, we utilize a unique form of nonassociative behavior in Drosophila where female flies detect the presence of endoparasitoid predatory wasps and alter their oviposition behavior to lay eggs in food containing high levels of alcohol. The predator-induced change in fly oviposition preference is maintained for days after wasps are removed, and this persistence in behavior requires a minimum continuous exposure time of 14 hr. Maintenance of this behavior is dependent on multiple long-term memory genes, including orb2, dunce, rutabaga, amnesiac, and Fmr1. Maintenance of the behavior also requires intact synaptic transmission of the mushroom body. Surprisingly, synaptic output from the mushroom body (MB) or the functions of any of these learning and memory genes are not required for the change in behavior when female flies are in constant contact with wasps. This suggests that perception of this predator that leads to an acute change in oviposition behavior is not dependent on the MB or dependent on learning and memory gene functions. Because wasp-induced oviposition behavior can last for days and its maintenance requires a functional MB and the wild-type products of several known learning and memory genes, we suggest that this constitutes a paradigm for a bona fide form of nonassociative long-term memory that is not dependent on associated experiences.
Diffusion tensor MR imaging of the human brain.

PURPOSE To assess intrinsic properties of water diffusion in normal human brain by using quantitative parameters derived from the diffusion tensor, D, which are insensitive to patient orientation. MATERIALS AND METHODS Maps of the principal diffusivities of D, of Trace(D), and of diffusion anisotropy indices were calculated in eight healthy adults from 31 multisection, interleaved echo-planar diffusion-weighted images acquired in about 25 minutes. RESULTS No statistically significant differences in Trace(D) (approximately 2,100 x 10(-6) mm2/sec) were found within normal brain parenchyma, except in the cortex, where Trace(D) was higher. Diffusion anisotropy varied widely among different white matter regions, reflecting differences in fiber-tract architecture. In the corpus callosum and pyramidal tracts, the ratio of parallel to perpendicular diffusivities was approximately threefold higher than previously reported, and diffusion appeared cylindrically symmetric. However, in other white matter regions, particularly in the centrum semiovale, diffusion anisotropy was low, and cylindrical symmetry was not observed. Maps of parameters derived from D were also used to segment tissues based on their diffusion properties. CONCLUSION A quantitative characterization of water diffusion in anisotropic, heterogeneously oriented tissues is clinically feasible. This should improve the neuroradiologic assessment of a variety of gray and white matter disorders.
Molecular hydrogen in damped Lyα systems: clues to interstellar physics at high redshift

In order to interpret H2 quasar absorption-line observations of damped Lyα systems (DLAs) and subDLAs, we model their H2 abundance as a function of dust-to-gas ratio, including H2 self-shielding and dust extinction against dissociating photons. Then, we constrain the physical state of the gas by using H2 data. Using H2 excitation data for DLAs with H2 detections, we derive a gas density 1.5 log n(cm −3 ) 2.5, temperature 1.5 log T (K) 3, and an internal ultraviolet (UV) radiation field (in units of the Galactic value) 0.5 log χ 1.5. We then find that the observed relation between the molecular fraction and the dust-to-gas ratio of the sample is naturally explained by the above conditions. However, it is still possible that H2 deficient DLAs and subDLAs with H2 fractions less than ∼10 −6 are in a more diffuse and warmer state. The efficient photodissociation by the internal UV radiation field explains the extremely small H2 fraction (10 −6 ) observed for κ 1/30 (κ is the dust-to-gas ratio in units of the Galactic value); H2 self-shielding causes a rapid increase in, and large variations of, H2 abundance for κ 1/30. We finally propose an independent method to estimate the star formation rates of DLAs from H2 abundances; such rates are then critically compared with those derived from other proposed methods. The implications for the contribution of DLAs to the cosmic star formation history are briefly discussed. Ke yw ords: ISM: molecules ‐ galaxies: evolution ‐ galaxies: high-redshift ‐ galaxies: ISM ‐ quasars: absorption lines.
Increasing Lysine Content of Waxy Maize through Introgression of Opaque-2 and Opaque-16 Genes Using Molecular Assisted and Biochemical Development

The low lysine content of waxy maize cannot meet the nutritional requirements of humans, livestock, or poultry. In the present study, the high-lysine genes o2 and o16 were backcrossed into wx lines using the maize high-lysine inbreds TAIXI19 (o2o2) and QCL3021 (o16o16) as donors and the waxy maize inbred line QCL5019 (wxwx) as a receptor. In the triple-cross F1, backcross, and inbred generations, the SSR markers phi027 and phi112 within the wx and o2 genes and the SSR marker umc1121 linked to the o16 gene were used for foreground selection. Background selection of the whole-genome SSR markers was performed for the selected individuals. The grain lysine content was determined using the dye-binding lysine method. The waxiness of the grain was determined with the I2-KI staining and dual-wavelength spectrophotometric analysis. The BC2F2 generation included 7 plants of genotype wxwxo2o2O16_, 19 plants of genotype wxwxo16o16O2_, and 3 plants of genotype wxwxo2o2o16o16. In these seeds, the average amylopectin content was 96.67%, 96.87%, and 96.62%, respectively, which is similar to that of QCL5019. The average lysine content was 0.555%, 0.380%, and 0.616%, respectively, representing increases of 75.1%, 19.9%, 94.3%, respectively, over QCL5019. The average genetic background recovery rate of the BC2F3 families was 95.3%, 94.3%, 94.2%, respectively. Among these 3 wxwxo2o2O16O16 families, 4 wxwxo2o2O16o16 families, and 3 wxwxo2o2o16o16 families, the longest imported parent donor fragment was 113.35 cM and the shortest fragment was 11.75 cM. No significant differences in lysine content were found between the BC2F4 seeds and the BC2F3 seeds in these 10 families. This allowed us to increase the lysine content of waxy corn and produce seeds with excellent nutritional characteristics suitable for human consumption, animal feed, and food processing. This may be of significance in the breeding of high-quality corn and in improvement of the nutrition of humans, livestock, and poultry.
Population Dynamics and Rates of Molecular Evolution of a Recently Emerged Paramyxovirus, Avian Metapneumovirus Subtype C

ABSTRACT We report the existence of two distinct sublineages of avian metapneumovirus (MPV) subtype C, a virus which has caused serious economic loss in commercial turkey farms in the United States. This subtype is closely related to human MPV, infects multiple avian species, and is globally distributed. The evolutionary rates of this virus are estimated to be 1.3 × 10−3 to 7 × 10−3 substitutions per site per year, and coalescent estimates place its emergence between 1991 and 1996. The four genes examined show a concordant demographic pattern which is characterized by a rapid increase in population size followed by stable population grown until the present.
Interactive effects of triiodothyronine and androgens on prostate cell growth and gene expression.

T3 plays an important role in the regulation of cell growth and differentiation. In this study, we show the interactive effects of T3 and androgens on the growth response and expression of the prostate-specific genes, PSA (prostate-specific antigen) and hK2 (human glandular kallikrein), in the human prostate cancer cell line, LNCaP. T3 alone showed pronounced growth enhancement in a dose-dependent fashion. However, in the presence of androgens, higher concentrations of T3 were required to produce additional proliferative effects. T3, androgens, or a combination of the two up-regulated PSA protein production in a dose-dependent fashion, but T3 had little stimulatory effect on hK2 protein expression, regardless of the presence or absence of androgens. Using gene transfer assays, T3 alone showed no effect on transcriptional activation of a reporter gene mediated by the PSA or hK2 enhancer/promoters. T3 potentiated the androgen-mediated transcription of the PSA gene but not that of the hK2 gene. A previous st.
SwATrack: A Swarm Intelligence-based Abrupt Motion Tracker

Conventional tracking solutions are not feasible in handling abrupt motion as they are based on smooth motion assumption or constrained motion model; where the motion is often governed by a fixed Gaussian distribution. Abrupt motion however, is not subjected to motion continuity and smoothness. To assuage this, we propose a novel abrupt motion tracker that is based on swarm intelligence - the SwATrack. Unlike existing swarm-based filtering methods, we firstly introduce an optimised swarm-based sampling strategy to enrich the trade-off between the exploration and exploitation of the search space in search for the optimal proposal distribution. Secondly, we propose adaptive acceleration parameters to allow on the fly tuning of the best mean and variance of the distribution for sampling. The adaptive strategy requires no training stage thus allowing flexibility in the motion model, while relaxing the number of particles deployed. Experimental results in both the quantitative and qualitative measures demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in tracking abrupt motions.
The pap Operon of Avian Pathogenic Escherichia coli Strain O1:K1 Is Located on a Novel Pathogenicity Island

ABSTRACT We have identified a 56-kb pathogenicity island (PAI) in avian pathogenic Escherichia coli strain O1:K1 (APEC-O1). This PAI, termed PAI IAPEC-O1, is integrated adjacent to the 3′ end of the pheV tRNA gene. It carries putative virulence genes of APEC (pap operon), other E. coli genes (tia and ireA), and a 1.5-kb region unique to APEC-O1. The kps gene cluster required for the biosynthesis of polysialic acid capsule was mapped to a location immediately downstream of this PAI.