Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multiple organ infection and the pathogenesis of SARS

After >8,000 infections and >700 deaths worldwide, the pathogenesis of the new infectious disease, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), remains poorly understood. We investigated 18 autopsies of patients who had suspected SARS; 8 cases were confirmed as SARS. We evaluated white blood cells from 22 confirmed SARS patients at various stages of the disease. T lymphocyte counts in 65 confirmed and 35 misdiagnosed SARS cases also were analyzed retrospectively. SARS viral particles and genomic sequence were detected in a large number of circulating lymphocytes, monocytes, and lymphoid tissues, as well as in the epithelial cells of the respiratory tract, the mucosa of the intestine, the epithelium of the renal distal tubules, the neurons of the brain, and macrophages in different organs. SARS virus seemed to be capable of infecting multiple cell types in several organs; immune cells and pulmonary epithelium were identified as the main sites of injury. A comprehensive theory of pathogenesis is proposed for SARS with immune and lung damage as key features.
Blockade of TGF-ß Signaling Through the Activin Type IIB Receptor with the Small Molecule, SGI-1252

Blockade of TGF-β Signaling Through the Activin Type IIB Receptor with the Small Molecule, SGI-1252 Jordan David Fuqua Department of Exercise Sciences, BYU Master of Science Antagonism of the activin receptor signaling pathway represents a promising potential therapy for the muscular dystrophies and other muscle wasting disorders (i.e., cachexia or sarcopenia). Previous research has shown that antagonism of activin signaling promotes muscle growth, attenuates muscle wasting, and restores function in both wild type and diseased animals. Our laboratory has recently developed a novel small molecule (SGI-1252) that inhibits activin downstream (i.e., Smad2/3 phosphorylation) signaling. Purpose: In this study we determined how eight weeks of orally administered SGI-1252 affected TGF-β signaling, whole body mass, individual limb muscle mass, and muscle fiber cross sectional area (CSA). Methods: Wild-type (WT) mice were treated with SGI-1252 or a vehicle control (VC) via oral gavage (400 mg/kg 3 times per week) for 8 weeks. Body mass was measured twice per week during the 8-week treatment period. At the end of the treatment period, gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles were excised, weighed, and prepared for histological and biochemical analyses. Results: Following 8 weeks of treatment, there was no difference in weight gain between SGI-1252 (24.8 ± 1.8g) and VC treated mice (23.2 ± 1.5g) (p = 0.06). Gastrocnemius whole muscle mass was significantly greater in the SGI-1252 treated group relative to the VC treated mice (139.6 ± 12.8 mg vs 128.8 ± 14.9 mg) (p = 0.04), although when normalized with body mass there was no difference in gastrocnemius mass. For the TA muscle, there were no significant differences in whole muscle mass between SGI-1252 and VC groups, yet TA muscles in the SGI-1252 treated group had a reduced muscle fiber CSA compared to controls (621 ± 44 μm2 vs 749 ± 36 μm2) (p = 0.0005). There was a statistical trend of decreasing Smad2 phosphorylation in the SGI-1252 treated TA muscles (mean SGI-1252 = 0.668 vs VC = 0.848) (p = 0.06), and no significant differences in Smad2 phosphorylation in the gastrocnemius. Conclusions: Contrary to our hypothesis, 8 weeks of orally administered SGI-1252 was not effective in promoting increases in whole body mass, limb whole muscle mass, or myofiber cross sectional area. This may be due to the inability of SGI-1252, at the administered dose, to effectively decrease signaling downstream of the activin receptor. Clearly, studies using a wider range of doses and delivery methods will be needed to ascertain the efficacy of SGI-1252 as a potential therapeutic.
Current Status of Marker Genes of Bacteroides and Related Taxa for Identifying Sewage Pollution in Environmental Waters

Microbial source tracking (MST) endeavors to determine sources of fecal pollution in environmental waters by capitalizing on the association of certain microorganisms with the gastrointestinal tract and feces of specific animal groups. Several decades of research have shown that bacteria belonging to the gut-associated order Bacteroidales, and particularly the genus Bacteroides, tend to co-evolve with the host, and are, therefore, particularly suitable candidates for MST applications. This review summarizes the current research on MST methods that employ genes belonging to Bacteroidales/Bacteroides as tracers or "markers" of sewage pollution, including known advantages and deficiencies of the many polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods that have been published since 2000. Host specificity is a paramount criterion for confidence that detection of a marker is a true indicator of the target host. Host sensitivity, or the prevalence of the marker in feces/waste from the target host, is necessary for confidence that absence of the marker is indicative of the absence of the pollution source. Each of these parameters can vary widely depending on the type of waste assessed and the geographic location. Differential decay characteristics of bacterial targets and their associated DNA contribute to challenges in interpreting MST results in the context of human health risks. The HF183 marker, derived from the 16S rRNA gene of Bacteroides dorei and closely related taxa, has been used for almost two decades in MST studies, and is well characterized regarding host sensitivity and specificity, and in prevalence and concentration in sewage in many countries. Other markers such as HumM2 and HumM3 show promise, but require further performance testing to demonstrate their widespread utility. An important limitation of the one-marker-one-assay approach commonly used for MST is that given the complexities of microbial persistence in environmental waters, and the methodological challenges of quantitative PCR (qPCR) in such samples, the absence of a given marker does not ensure the absence of fecal pollution in the source water. Approaches under development, such as microarray and community analysis, have the potential to improve MST practices, thereby increasing our ability to protect human and ecosystem health.
An Experimental Study of Saturated and Unsaturated Permeabilities in Resin Transfer Molding Based on Unidirectional Flow Measurements

Resin transfer molding (RTM) is a manufacturing process of composite parts that consists of injecting a fluid resin through a fibrous reinforcement. Permeability of the fiber bed is a key parameter that governs the flow, together with the viscosity of the resin. In this paper, the saturated and unsaturated permeabilities of a glass-woven fabric are studied for different injection pressures and porosities of the fibrous reinforcement. Unidirectional injection experiments are carried out to evaluate the unsaturated permeability of the reinforcement during the injection and the saturated permeability that governs the permanent flow established after filling of the cavity. The unsaturated permeability is evaluated by a linear regression in function of the position of the resin front during transient flow experiments performed at constant injection pressure. For each position of the resin front in the test mold, a transient permeability can be calculated by application of Darcy’s law. This transient permeability depends on the injection pressure, position of the resin front in the mold, and porosity of the reinforcement. After a certain flow length called the convergence length, the transient permeability converges to a value that is independent of the flow rate and of the injection pressure. This limit value is called here the unsaturated permeability. The convergence length is related to a maximum flow rate or average particle velocity below which Darcy’s law holds. The saturated permeability is measured after all air bubbles have been evacuated from the cavity. As a result of this experimental investigation, three parameters can be identified that are characteristic of the pore structure of the fibrous reinforcement: (1) a maximum average resin velocity can be identified below which the transient permeability remains constant; (2) the saturated and unsaturated permeabilities differ by a value that remains constant within the injection pressure range used in this study and that is independent of the fiber volume content; (3) the new notion of convergence length proposed here, namely the flow length necessary to ensure convergence of the transient permeability, depends on the two-scale pore structure of the fibrous reinforcement. This study corroborates the findings of several other investigators, who have shown that the saturated permeability is always higher than the unsaturated permeability. The difference between these two permeability values is also related to the pore structure of the fiber bed. It is hoped that this work will contribute to define a much-needed standard on permeability measurements.
How Antitrust Enforcement Can Spur Innovation: Bell Labs and the 1956 Consent Decree

Is compulsory licensing an effective antitrust remedy to increase innovation? To answer this question, we analyze the 1956 consent decree that settled an antitrust lawsuit against Bell, a vertically integrated monopolist charged with foreclosing the telecommunications equipment market. Bell was forced to license all its existing patents royalty-free, including those not related to telecommunications. We identify the effect of the consent decree on follow-on innovations building on Bell patents by using exactly matched non-Bell patents as control group. We show that the consent decree led to a lasting increase in innovation but only in markets outside the telecommunications sector. (JEL D45, K21, L12, L24, L63, O31, O34)
Social Media in Crisis Management: An Evaluation and Analysis of Crisis Informatics Research

ABSTRACT Since the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the use of social media in emergency and crisis events has greatly increased and many studies have concentrated on the use of ICT and social media before, during, or after these events. The field of research that these studies fall under is called crisis informatics. In this article, we evaluate and analyze crisis informatics research by looking at case studies of social media use in emergencies, outlining the types of research found in crisis informatics, and expounding upon the forms of interaction that have been researched. Finally, we summarize the achievements from a human–computer interaction perspective and outline trends and challenges for future research.
SALL4 Immunoreactivity Predicts Prognosis in Western Hepatocellular Carcinoma Patients but Is a Rare Event: A Study of 236 Cases

Prognostic biomarkers that stratify patients with cancer are needed. Recent studies from Asia have implicated SALL4, a stem cell marker, as useful in identifying aggressive cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and >50% of the cases tested had upregulation by microarray or dense immunoreactivity. Given the differences in predominant etiologic factors between the Asian and Western HCC, we sought to determine the prevalence of SALL4 immunoreactivity and its clinical relevance in Western HCC patients. We constructed tissue microarrays from 236 adult HCCs. Two cores each of tumor and nontumor tissue were included for each case. SALL4 immunohistochemistry was scored in a semiquantitative manner and the results correlated with recurrence-free and overall survival, in addition to standard demographics. Among the 236 cases, 165 (70.0%) were male. The median age was 59 years (range: 19 to 83 y). The majority (78.4%) of patients were white, followed by African American (15.7%), Asian (3.8%), Hispanic (1.7%), and Native American (0.4%). The majority of patients had hepatitis C (42.8%), followed by alcoholic liver disease and hepatitis B (both 8.9%), and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (3.8%). SALL4 immunoreactivity was detected in a total of 3 cases (1.3%), and nonreactivity was validated on tissue sections from 73 cases. By univariate analysis, the SALL4-positive cases had significantly higher tumor grade (P=0.0251), more frequent lymphovascular invasion (P=0.0150), and shorter recurrence-free survival (7.90 vs. 57.54 mo; P=0.0115) and overall survival (7.90 vs. 64.87 mo; P=0.0018). Although SALL4 immunoreactivity in Western HCC is correlated with higher grade and poor prognosis, this is a rare event. Therefore, universal application of SALL4 as a biomarker for HCC should be performed with caution.
Heterogeneity in ADHD: Neurocognitive predictors of peer, family, and academic functioning

ABSTRACT Childhood attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is associated with impairments in peer, family, and academic functioning. Although impairment is required for diagnosis, children with ADHD vary significantly in the areas in which they demonstrate clinically significant impairment. However, relatively little is known about the mechanisms and processes underlying these individual differences. The current study examined neurocognitive predictors of heterogeneity in peer, family, and academic functioning in a well-defined sample of 44 children with ADHD aged 8–13 years (M = 10.31, SD = 1.42; 31 boys, 13 girls; 81% Caucasian). Reliable change analysis indicated that 98% of the sample demonstrated objectively-defined impairment on at least one assessed outcome measure; 65% were impaired in two or all three areas of functioning. ADHD children with quantifiable deficits in academic success and family functioning performed worse on tests of working memory (d = 0.68 to 1.09), whereas children with impaired parent-reported social functioning demonstrated slower processing speed (d = 0.53). Dimensional analyses identified additional predictors of peer, family, and academic functioning. Working memory abilities were associated with individual differences in all three functional domains, processing speed predicted social functioning, and inhibitory control predicted family functioning. These results add to a growing literature implicating neurocognitive abilities not only in explaining behavioral differences between ADHD and non-ADHD groups, but also in the substantial heterogeneity in ecologically-valid functional outcomes associated with the disorder.
Miniscrews for Orthodontic Anchorage: A Review of Available Systems

Introduction In recent years, extensive research has introduced novel ways of reinforcing orthodontic anchorage using a variety of devices temporarily anchored in bone (miniscrews). Currently, there are numerous manufacturers with different miniscrew designs on the market. Aims The aim of this paper is to discuss the key design features of different miniscrew systems on the market. Furthermore, to present clinical selection criteria of miniscrews in different settings taking into account the determinant factors. Methods Review of the literature was carried out using the following search methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL). The search was focused on studies published until January 2018. Results We studied each individual miniscrew from all the identified manufacturers in details. All the features were then summarised and presented as a clinical guideline for the selection of miniscrews. Conclusions In this article, we reviewed the development of miniscrews and outlined the general design features of miniscrews as well as specific design features of the current miniscrews in the market. Extensive research of the current products was carried out to help clinicians better understand the difference between the various designs of miniscrews that can be used.
A Contextual Online Game based on Inquiry Learning Approach for Improving Students ’ Learning Performance in a Chemistry Course

Digital game, a technological tool, can be in the form of a scenario or simulation with specific rules and principles for assisting students’ construction of knowledge and promoting their motivation. However, how to trigger students for acquiring educational goals in playing game remains to be settled, especially for chemistry course. In this study, a contextual educational digital game based on an inquiry-based learning strategy is developed to improving students’ learning performance. An experiment has been conducted on a high school chemistry course to evaluate the effects of the proposed approach on the learning performance of students. The experimental results indicate that the proposed approach effectively enhanced the students’ learning performances in terms of their conceptual understanding and learning motivation.
Genetic analysis of days open in beef cattle

The aim of this work was to analyse the genetic parameters affecting days open (DO) in beef cattle to evaluate its potential as criterion of selection. The present study characterises DO as a trait with considerable genetic variability, relative to that usually found for reproduction traits, especially for heifers and second calving cows. The estimates of heritability for the trait ranged from 0.091 for cows with 10 or more calvings to 0.197 for second calving cows. The genetic correlations estimated for DO in different parities are situated between 0.9 and 1, showing that the genes affecting the trait are substantially the same across parities of the dam. A substantial permanent environment (around 9%) seems to affect DO performance. Permanent environmental factors seem to be especially important in younger cows. Genetic correlation between DO and calving interval was positive and very high (1.0), while those between DO and gestation length and calving date were negative from low to moderate ( 0.089 and 0.308, respectively). DO can be used in improvement programs of beef cattle as an early indicator of reproductive performance of the cow. D 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
On Dynamic Link Inference in Heterogeneous Networks

Network and linked data have become quite prevalent in recent years because of the ubiquity of the web and social media applications, which are inherently network oriented. Such networks are massive, dynamic, contain a lot of content, and may evolve over time in terms of the underlying structure. In this paper, we will study the problem of dynamic link inference in temporal and heterogeneous information networks. The problem of dynamic link inference is extremely challenging in massive and heterogeneous information network because of the challenges associated with the dynamic nature of the network, and the different types of nodes and attributes in it. Both the topology and type information need to be used effectively for the link inference process. We propose an effective two-level scheme which makes efficient macroand micro-decisions for combining structure and content in a dynamic and time-sensitive way. The time-sensitive nature of the links is leveraged in order to perform effective link prediction. We illustrate the effectiveness of our technique over a number of real data sets.
Randomized clinical trials in carpal tunnel release: A double-edged sword

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) is the most common compressive neuropathy with significant societal implications. It accounts for 90% of all nerve compression syndromes. [6] The condition has a prevalence of 2.7% among people aged between 25 and 74 years old, as diagnosed by clinical examinations and nerve conduction studies. [1] CTS has a significant association with workers. A study in 2010 documented the prevalence of work‐related CTS to be 2%, with 3.1 million cases of work‐related CTS. [11] CTS also causes the highest median number of days away from work among major disabling workplace injuries and illnesses in the US. [4] Furthermore, more than 1 out of 10 patients stop working after CTS treatment; thus, CTS carries a huge socioeconomic burden. [3] Although conservative treatment measures are available, when they fail, surgical release often provides meaningful benefit. In 2006 alone, carpal tunnel release was performed more than 577,000 times in the United States. [7] Because of this frequency in the employed population, demand for faster recovery has spurred minimally invasive procedures such as the endoscopic carpal tunnel release.
Caring for people with dementia in hospital: findings from a survey to identify barriers and facilitators to implementing best practice dementia care

ABSTRACT Background: Best practice dementia care is not always provided in the hospital setting. Knowledge, attitudes and motivation, practitioner behavior, and external factors can influence uptake of best practice and quality care. The aim of this study was to determine hospital staff perceived barriers and enablers to implementing best practice dementia care. Methods: A 17-item survey was administered at two Australian hospitals between July and September 2014. Multidisciplinary staff working in the emergency departments and general medical wards were invited to participate in the survey. The survey collected data about the respondents’ current role, work area, and years of experience, their perceived level of confidence and knowledge in dementia care and common symptoms of dementia, barriers and enablers to implementing best practice dementia care, job satisfaction in caring for people with dementia, and to rate the hospital's capacity and available resources to support best practice dementia care. Results: A total of 112 survey responses were received. The environment, inadequate staffing levels and workload, time, and staff knowledge and skills were identified as barriers to implementing best practice dementia care. Most respondents rated their knowledge of dementia care and common symptoms of dementia, and confidence in recognizing whether a person has dementia, as moderate or high dementia. Approximately, half the respondents rated access to training and equipment as low or very low. Conclusion: The survey findings highlighted hospital staff perceived barriers to implementing best practice dementia care that can be used to inform locally tailored improvement interventions.