Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The impact of cerclage in twin pregnancies on preterm birth rate before 32 weeks

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate whether cerclage in twins reduces the rate of spontaneous preterm birth <32 weeks when compared to expectant management. Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study of twin pregnancies with the following indications for cerclage from two institutions: history of prior preterm birth, ultrasound-identified short cervix ≤2.5 cm, and cervical dilation ≥1.0 cm. The “cerclage” cohort received a cerclage from a single provider at a single institution from 2003–2016. The “no cerclage” group included all patients with similar indications that were expectantly managed from 2010–2015, at a second institution where cerclages are routinely not performed in twin pregnancies. The primary outcome was the rate of spontaneous preterm birth at <32 weeks. Secondary outcomes were the rates of spontaneous and overall (including medically indicated) preterm births at <32 weeks, < 34 weeks, and <36 weeks, chorioamnionitis, birth weight, and neonatal mortality within 30 days of life. We also performed a planned subgroup analysis stratified by cerclage indication. Results: In all, 135 women were included in two cohorts: cerclage (n = 96) or no cerclage (n = 39). The rates of spontaneous preterm birth <32 weeks were 10.4% (n = 10) with cerclage versus 28.2% (n = 11) without cerclage (OR 0.23, CI 0.08–0.70, p = .017). After adjusting for cerclage indication, clinical history, age, chorionicity, insurance type, race, BMI, in-vitro fertilization, and multifetal reduction, there remained a significant reduction in the cerclage group of spontaneous preterm birth <32 weeks (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.24, CI 0.06–0.90, p = . 035), spontaneous preterm birth <36 weeks (aOR 0.34, CI 0.04–0.81, p = .013) as well as in overall preterm birth <32 weeks (aOR 0.31, CI 0.1–0.86, p = .018), and overall preterm birth <36 weeks (aOR 0.37, CI 0.10–0.84, p = .030). When stratified by short cervix or cervical dilation in the cerclage versus no cerclage groups, there was a significant decrease in spontaneous preterm birth <32 weeks in the cerclage group with cervical dilation (11.1 versus 41.2%, p = .01) but not in the cerclage group with short cervix only, even for cervical length <1.5 cm. Pregnancy latency was 91 days in the cerclage group versus 57 days in the no cerclage group (p = .001), with a median gestational age at delivery of 35 versus 32 weeks (p = .002). There was no increase in chorioamnionitis in the cerclage group. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in birth weight (median 2278 versus 1665 g, p < .001) and decrease in perinatal death <30 days (1.6 versus 12.9%, p = .001). Conclusions: Cerclage in twin pregnancies significantly decreased the rate of spontaneous preterm birth <32 weeks compared to expectant management. However, when stratified by cerclage indication, this decrease in primary outcome only remained significant in the group with cervical dilation.
Correlation of the Index of Activities of Daily Living (Index of ADOH) with the Functional Independence Measure (FIM) in Older Adults

Background: Index of Activities of Daily Oral Hygiene is correlated with Barthel Index, showing high discriminant capacity for dependency in manipulating oral self-care aids. Due to the reciprocation of disease, there is a need to correlate the Index of Daily Oral Hygiene with the Functional Independence Measure, a measure that integrates dentistry with other medical indices and the purpose of this study. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, a convenience sample of 73 nursing home residents, informed consents using the inclusion criterion of 65 years of age (VAWLA IRC, HS VA, PCC2001-121877) were obtained, and subjects were categorized into dentate and non-dentate groups. Attrition and post-hoc power calculations were reported. One accessor completed all assessments for the primary two assessment instruments, along with chart review for additional medical indices, and completion of resident oral self-care behavior questionnaire. Pearson r correlations (dentate group), confidence intervals using Fisher’s Norma transformation (p=0.05) and Spearman correlation (nondentate), rs correlation statistic with confidence interval, and t-statistic (p.05) were reported. Results: Significant correlations for dentate subject ADOH dependency was associated with FIM when decrements or dependencies were found in upper body functions: r = -0.35, CI -0.63 to 0.00 (p=0.05) to r = -0.049, CI -0.73 to -0.13 (p=0.01). For non-dentate subjects, ADOH dependency had a strong inverse relationship with ADL dependency: rs = -0.75, CI -0.93 to -0.73 (p=0.008) to rs = -0.093, CI -0.98 to -0.73 (p=0.0001). In non-dentate subjects, ADL was not associated with upper body strength and tasks involved in oral self-care behaviors for denture maintenance Conclusions: In dentate individuals, ADOH dependency is associated with functional decrements and significantly correlated with FIM dependency. In non-dentate individuals, ADOH dependency was not associated with FIM/ADL dependency. Thus, denture wearers can be dependent in FIM/ADL upper body function yet independent in maintaining denture, oral self-care behaviors.
Politicized Collective Identity A Social Psychological Analysis

This article develops a social psychological model of politicized collective identity that revolves around 3 conceptual triads. The 1st triad consists of collective identity, the struggle between groups for power, and the wider societal context. It is proposed that people evince politicized collective identity to the extent that they engage as self-conscious group members in a power struggle on behalf of their group knowing that it is the more inclusive societal context in which this struggle has to be fought out. Next, 3 antecedent stages leading to politicized collective identity are distinguished: awareness of shared grievances, adversarial attributions, and involvement of society at large. This sequence culminates in the final triad because the intergroup power struggle is eventually triangulated by involving society at large or representatives thereof. Consequences of politicized collective identity are discussed.
Supergravity M5-branes wrapped on Riemann surfaces and their QFT duals

We find solutions of eleven-dimensional supergravity for M5-branes wrapped on Riemann surfaces. These solutions preserve = 2 four-dimensional supersymmetry. They are dual to = 2 gauge theories, including non-conformal field theories. We work out the case of = 2 Yang-Mills in detail.
Structure of Two Iron-binding Proteins from Bacillus anthracis *

Bacillus anthracis is currently under intense investigation due to its primary importance as a human pathogen. Particularly important is the development of novel anti-anthrax vaccines, devoid of the current side effects. A novel class of immunogenic bacterial proteins consists of dodecamers homologous to the DNA-binding protein of Escherichia coli(Dps). Two Dps homologous genes are present in the B. anthracis genome. The crystal structures of these two proteins (Dlp-1 and Dlp-2) have been determined and are presented here. They are sphere-like proteins with an internal cavity. We also show that they act as ferritins and are thus involved in iron uptake and regulation, a fundamental function during bacterial growth.
Neuropsychological predictors of self-neglect in cognitively impaired older people who live alone.

OBJECTIVE The authors examined the accuracy of certain neuropsychological tests in the prediction of harm resulting from self-neglect in cognitively impaired seniors who lived alone. METHODS The study included 130 participants, aged 65 and older, who scored less than 131 on the Dementia Rating Scale. Neuropsychological tests were administered at baseline, resulting in eight predictive scores. Informants and primary care physicians provided information about harm that occurred to the participants during the 18-month prospective follow up. An incident was defined as harmful if it occurred as the result of self-neglect or disorientation and resulted in physical injury or property loss or damage and required emergency interventions. Proportional hazard regression analysis was conducted to examine the predictive relationship between the eight neuropsychological tests and time to incident harm with age, sex, education, the Charlson Comorbidity Index, and the Mini-Mental State Examination included in the model as covariates. RESULTS Twenty-seven participants experienced harm during the 18-month follow-up period. A proportional hazards model indicated that three neuropsychological tests, which measured recognition memory, executive functioning, and conceptualization, were independent risk factors for harm. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide insight into why harm occurred in these cognitively impaired elders who lived alone. They also support the ecologic validity of these tests and suggest directions for the development of intervention strategies for harm prevention.
A Live Attenuated H7N7 Candidate Vaccine Virus Induces Neutralizing Antibody That Confers Protection from Challenge in Mice, Ferrets, and Monkeys

ABSTRACT A live attenuated H7N7 candidate vaccine virus was generated by reverse genetics using the modified hemagglutinin (HA) and neuraminidase (NA) genes of highly pathogenic (HP) A/Netherlands/219/03 (NL/03) (H7N7) wild-type (wt) virus and the six internal protein genes of the cold-adapted (ca) A/Ann Arbor/6/60 ca (AA ca) (H2N2) virus. The reassortant H7N7 NL/03 ca vaccine virus was temperature sensitive and attenuated in mice, ferrets, and African green monkeys (AGMs). Intranasal (i.n.) administration of a single dose of the H7N7 NL/03 ca vaccine virus fully protected mice from lethal challenge with homologous and heterologous H7 viruses from Eurasian and North American lineages. Two doses of the H7N7 NL/03 ca vaccine induced neutralizing antibodies in serum and provided complete protection from pulmonary replication of homologous and heterologous wild-type H7 challenge viruses in mice and ferrets. One dose of the H7N7 NL/03 ca vaccine elicited an antibody response in one of three AGMs that was completely protected from pulmonary replication of the homologous wild-type H7 challenge virus. The contribution of CD8+ and/or CD4+ T cells to the vaccine-induced protection of mice was evaluated by T-cell depletion; T lymphocytes were not essential for the vaccine-induced protection from lethal challenge with H7 wt viruses. Additionally, passively transferred neutralizing antibody induced by the H7N7 NL/03 ca virus protected mice from lethality following challenge with H7 wt viruses. The safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy of the H7N7 NL/03 ca vaccine virus in mice, ferrets, and AGMs support the evaluation of this vaccine virus in phase I clinical trials.
Response Properties of Corticotectal and Corticostriatal Neurons in the Posterior Lateral Suprasylvian Cortex of the Cat

Lateral suprasylvian cortex (LS) is an important source of visual projections to both the striatum and superior colliculus. Although these two LS efferent systems are likely to be involved in different aspects of visual processing, little is known about their functional properties. In the present experiments, 86 neurons in halothane-anesthetized, paralyzed cats were recorded along the posterior aspects of the medial and lateral banks of LS (PMLS and PLLS). Neurons were selected for analysis on the basis of antidromic activation from electrodes chronically implanted in the superior colliculus and caudate nucleus. The segregated nature of corticostriatal and corticotectal neurons was apparent; in no instance could a neuron be antidromically activated from both the superior colliculus and the caudate nucleus. Many common features were revealed between corticotectal and corticostriatal neurons; the majority of neurons in both populations were binocular and contralaterally dominant, showed similar responses to stationary flashed light, and expressed within-field spatial summation and surround inhibition. However, a number of information-processing features distinguished between corticotectal and corticostriatal neurons; the former were generally tuned to lower velocities than were the latter, and, for a given eccentricity in visual space, corticotectal neurons had smaller receptive fields than did corticostriatal neurons. Moreover, most corticotectal neurons displayed a marked preference for movements toward temporal visual space, whereas corticostriatal neurons revealed no specialization for a particular direction of movement. In addition, whereas corticotectal neurons were selective for receding stimuli, corticostriatal neurons were selective for approaching stimuli. The presence of these two corticofugal pathways is discussed in relation to their presumptive functional roles in the facilitation of attentive and orientation behaviors.
Effect of immunization with a common recall antigen on viral expression in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

BACKGROUND Activation of the immune system is a normal response to antigenic stimulation, and such activation enhances the replication of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). We studied the effect of immunization with a common recall antigen on viral expression in HIV-1-infected patients, on the ability to isolate virus, and on the susceptibility to HIV-1 infection of peripheral-blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from control subjects not infected with HIV-1. METHODS Thirteen HIV-1-infected patients and 10 uninfected adults were given a 0.5-ml booster dose of tetanus toxoid. Studies were performed to evaluate changes in the degree of plasma viremia, proviral burden, the ability to isolate HIV-1, and the susceptibility of PBMCs to acute infection in vitro. Two patients underwent sequential lymph-node biopsies for the assessment of viral burden in these tissues. RESULTS All 13 HIV-1-infected patients had transient increase in plasma viremia after immunization, and the proviral burden increased in 11. These changes did not correlate with the base-line CD4+ T-cell counts. The lymph-node tissue also had increases in the proviral burden and viral RNA after immunization. The virus was more easily isolated from PBMCs from nine of the patients after immunization than before immunization. Despite considerable variability in the results, PBMCs from 7 of the 10 normal subjects were more easily infected in vitro with HIV-1 after immunization than before immunization. CONCLUSIONS Activation of the immune system by an ongoing antigen-specific immune response to an exogenous stimulus transiently increases the expression of HIV-1 and may enhance the susceptibility of uninfected subjects to HIV-1.
Juvenile Decertification

This study considers the impact of data from the Psychopathy Checklist: Youth Version (PCL:YV), the Massachusetts Youth Screening Instrument (MAYSI), and the Youth Level of Service Case Management Inventory (YLS/CMI) on the court’s decision whether to decertify an adolescent defendant back to juvenile court or keep the defendant in criminal court. There are significant positive relationships between certification status and age; number of violent charges; total charges; PCL:YV, YLS/CMI, and MAYSI total scores; and select subscales of the MAYSI and the YLS/CMI. Significant differences are found between those who remained in the adult criminal justice system and those who were decertified to the juvenile justice system for age, YLS/CMI total score, and the Prior and Current Offenses and Dispositions and Personality and Behavior subscales of the YLS/CMI. The combination of PCL:YV total score and select subscales from the MAYSI and YLS/CMI provided the most accurate model for predicting certification status.
Well-Being of College Students in China

In this study, we tested a modified academic satisfaction model based on social cognitive career theory in a sample of 757 college students in China. The hypothesized model included personality traits (extraversion and emotional stability), self-construals (independence and interdependence), environmental and person-cognitive variables (supports, self-efficacy, outcome expectations, and perceived goal progress) in the academic domain, and academic and global well-being outcomes. Pathways that consisted of academic supports, self-efficacy, and goal progress partially mediated the effects of personality traits and self-construals on academic satisfaction and/or stress, which were, in turn, predictive of life satisfaction. Although Chinese students perceived outcomes of completing a college degree as favorable, such outcome expectations did not predict progress made in the academic domain. Multigroup analyses showed that the modified academic satisfaction model was applicable to both male and female college students in two major metropolitan areas—Chongqing in Southwest China and Shanghai in East China. With evidence for measurement equivalence, full structural equivalence was present by gender, whereas two of the hypothesized paths differed by location. Results of the study suggest that outreach or intervention programs, which involve gathering supports, boosting self-efficacy, and facilitating goal progress in the academic domain, are particularly beneficial for promoting the well-being of Chinese college students.
Enabling Metacognitive Skills for Mathematics Problem Solving: A Collective Case Study of Metacognitive Reflection and Awareness

Metacognition encompasses knowledge and regulation that, through reflection, sustain problem solving behaviour. How metacognitive awareness is constructed from reflection on metacognitive knowledge and regulation and how these reflections enable metacognitive skills for Mathematics problem solving remain unclear. Three secondary schools representing instrumental case studies are collectively reported here. In the quantitative part, a Mathematics word problem and a reflection questionnaire were administered to all Grade 8 and 9 learners (n = 609). From each school, a top achiever in Mathematics was invited to an individual interview in the qualitative part (n = 3) and was video recorded while solving a Mathematics word problem. The findings suggest that metacognitive reflection is embedded in the regulatory process and fosters metacognitive awareness. Metacognitive reflection constructs person, task and strategy awareness, particularly through planning and monitoring as it assembles the metacognitive skills necessary for Mathematics problem solving.
HEMORRHAGE- AND RESUSCITATION-RELATED ALTERATIONS IN GASTROINTESTINAL CIRCULATION: EFFECT OF A LOW DOSE OF L-NMMA

The gastrointestinal tract, including its mucosal barrier, is most sensitive to ischemic insults. The present study was conducted to evaluate hemorrhage- and resuscitation-related regional alterations in gastrointestinal circulation in presence or absence of a low dose of NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA), a nonspecific nitric oxide synthase inhibitor. Organ-specific circulation was studied using the colored microsphere technique in rats subjected to prolonged hemorrhagic shock (180 min) followed by resuscitation with or without L-NMMA (2 mg/kg body weight) treatment at the end of resuscitation. We found an initial distal gradient in the intestinal blood flow with the highest rate in duodenum followed by jejunum, ileum, and colon. Hemorrhage resulted in the highest decrease in gastric blood flow. Resuscitation restored circulation in the intestinal tract to baseline levels except for gastric blood flow. L-NMMA treatment after completion of resuscitation did not deteriorate gastrointestinal blood flow. Our data show (a) a distal gradient in the intestinal blood flow from duodenum to colon, (b) that hemorrhage and resuscitation cause different degrees of alteration in gastric and intestinal blood flow, (c) that gastric perfusion does not recover after resuscitation, predisposing to further organ damage, and (d) that a low dose of L-NMMA does not deteriorate intestinal circulation in rats subjected to hemorrhage and resuscitation.
Paxillin comes of age

Paxillin is a multi-domain scaffold protein that localizes to the intracellular surface of sites of cell adhesion to the extracellular matrix. Through the interactions of its multiple protein-binding modules, many of which are regulated by phosphorylation, paxillin serves as a platform for the recruitment of numerous regulatory and structural proteins that together control the dynamic changes in cell adhesion, cytoskeletal reorganization and gene expression that are necessary for cell migration and survival. In particular, paxillin plays a central role in coordinating the spatial and temporal action of the Rho family of small GTPases, which regulate the actin cytoskeleton, by recruiting an array of GTPase activator, suppressor and effector proteins to cell adhesions. When paxillin was first described 18 years ago, the amazing complexity of cell-adhesion organization, dynamics and signaling was yet to be realized. Herein we highlight our current understanding of how the multiple protein interactions of paxillin contribute to the coordination of cell-adhesion function.
Delayed Treatment With Minocycline Ameliorates Neurologic Impairment Through Activated Microglia Expressing a High-Mobility Group Box1–Inhibiting Mechanism

Background and Purpose— Minocycline, a semisynthetic tetracycline antibiotic, has been reported to ameliorate brain injury and inhibit microglial activation after focal cerebral ischemia. However, the cerebroprotective mechanism of minocycline remains unclear. In the present study, we investigated that mechanism of minocycline in a murine model of 4-hour middle cerebral artery (MCA) occlusion. Methods— One day after 4-hour MCA occlusion, minocycline was administered intraperitoneally for 14 days. Neurologic scores were measured 1, 7, and 14 days after cerebral ischemia. Motor coordination was evaluated at 14 days by the rota-rod test at 10 rpm. Activated microglia and high-mobility group box1 (HMGB1), a cytokine-like mediator, were also evaluated by immunostaining and Western blotting. In addition, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase–mediated dUTP nick end-labeling immunostaining was carried out 14 days after cerebral ischemia. Results— Repeated treatment with minocycline (1, 5, and 10 mg/kg) for 14 days improved neurologic score, motor coordination on the rota-rod test, and survival in a dose-dependent manner. Minocycline decreased the expression of Iba1, a marker of activated microglia, as assessed by both immunostaining and Western blotting. Moreover, minocycline decreased the activation of microglia expressing HMGB1 within the brain and also decreased both brain and plasma HMGB1 levels. Additionally, minocycline significantly decreased the number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase–mediated dUTP nick end-labeling–positive cells and prevented ischemic brain atrophy 14 days after cerebral ischemia. Conclusions— Our results suggest that minocycline inhibits activated microglia expressing HMGB1 and decreases neurologic impairment induced by cerebral ischemia. Minocycline will have a palliative action and open new therapeutic possibilities for treatment of postischemic injury via an HMGB1-inhibiting mechanism.