Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long-Term Outcome After Surgical Treatment for Space-Occupying Cerebellar Infarction: Experience in 56 Patients

Background and Purpose— Surgical management of space-occupying cerebellar infarction is still controversial. Data on long-term outcome are lacking. The objective of this study was (1) to evaluate outcome after at least 3 years poststroke in patients with space-occupying cerebellar infarction treated by ventriculostomy/extraventricular drainage (EVD) or suboccipital decompressive craniectomy (SDC), or both, and (2) to determine predicting factors for outcome. Methods— In this retrospective single-center study 56 consecutive patients with acute space-occupying cerebellar infarction treated surgically between 1996 and 2005 were included. Baseline data included clinical findings, Glasgow Coma Scale on admission and before surgery, NIHSS on admission, mass effects on neuroimaging, and surgical treatment strategies. Modified Rankin Scale, NIHSS, and Scale for the Assessment and Rating of Ataxia were used to assess outcome. Results— 39.3% of patients had died, 51.8% had a mRS ≤3, 35.7% had a mRS ≤2, 28.6% had a mRS ≤1. There were no significant differences in survival between treatment groups. In multivariate analysis age and mRS score at discharge were the most evident independent predictors for outcome. Conclusions— So far this is the largest study on long-term outcome after space-occupying cerebellar infarction. The value of different treatment strategies and prognostic factors for patient selection remain unclear and should be evaluated in larger prospective case-series or registries. To investigate the issue of preventive SDC randomized trials are needed.
Fibronectin extra domain A stabilises atherosclerotic plaques in apolipoprotein E and in LDL-receptor-deficient mice

Summary The primary transcript of fibronectin undergoes alternative splicing in the cassette-type EDA and EDB exons and in the IIICs segment to generate different protein isoforms. Human carotid atherosclerotic plaques with a more stable phenotype are enriched with EDA containing fibronectin (FN-EDA). The aim of this study was to investigate the role of EDA containing fibronectin during atherogenesis. Mice constitutively expressing or lacking the EDA domain of fibronectin (EDA+/+ or EDA-/-) were crossed with ApoE-/- or LDL-R-/- mice and fed with a western type diet for 12 weeks. Lack of FN-EDA resulted in reduced atherosclerosis and in a plaque phenotype characterised by decreased calponin positive VSMC’s (-15 %) and increased macrophages (+20 %). This was paralleled by increased MMP2, MMP9, and reduced TIMP2, collagen 1A1, 1A2 and 3A1 gene expression compared to that of wild-type and EDA+/+ mice. In vitro, VSMCs and macrophages isolated from EDA-/- mice showed increased MMPs expression and activity compared to wild-type or EDA+/+ mice. Albumin-Cre recombinase/ EDA+/+/ApoE-/- mice, which produce EDA containing FN only in peripheral tissues, presented an extension, a composition and a gene expression pattern in the atherosclerotic lesions similar to that of controls. The inclusion of EDA in FN results in larger atherosclerotic plaques compared to mice lacking EDA but with a more favourable phenotype in two animals models of atherosclerosis. This effect depends on the EDA-containing fibronectin produced by cells in the vasculature but not in the liver. These observations set the stage for investigating the properties of circulating EDA containing FN in improving plaque stability.
The Vegetation NDVI Variation Trend in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Its Response to Climate Change

Based on 1999-2008 meteorological data and SPOT VEGETATION NDVI data, the linear correlation analysis method was used to analyze the temporal and spatial variation rules of vegetation cover in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The results showed that: from 1999 to 2008, the average annual temperature in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was increased, while the average annual precipitation was decreased; the annual NDVI showed a significant increasing trend, which was caused by the increase of grassland vegetation NDVI; the average NDVI of spring, summer and autumn showed a rising trend, and the extension of vegetation growth season in Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was far less obvious than the vegetation activities in the growth season ahead and peak growth season. Based on the analysis, we found the ecological environment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau developed towards the favorable direction under the impact of climate change.
Modulating protein function through reversible oxidation: Redox‐mediated processes in plants revealed through proteomics

It has been clearly demonstrated that plants redox control can be exerted over virtually every cellular metabolic pathway affecting metabolic homeostasis and energy balance. Therefore, a tight link exists between cellular/compartmental steady‐state redox level and cellular metabolism. Proteomics offers a powerful new way to characterize the response and regulation of protein oxidation in different cell types and in relation to cellular metabolism. Compelling evidence revealed in proteomics studies suggests the integration of the redox network with other cellular signaling pathways such as Ca2+ and/or protein phosphorylation, jasmonic, salicylic, abscisic acids, ethylene, and other phytohormones. Here we review progress in using the various proteomics techniques and approaches to answer biological questions arising from redox signaling and from changes in redox status of the cell. The focus is on reversible redox protein modifications and on three main processes, namely oxidative and nitrosative stress, defense against pathogens, cellular redox response and regulation, drawing on examples from plant redox proteomics studies.
Activation of Stress Response Pathways Promotes Formation of Antiviral Granules and Restricts Virus Replication

ABSTRACT The formation of protein-RNA granules is a part of both natural cellular function (P-bodies and nuclear HNRNPs) and the response to cellular stress (stress granules and ND10 bodies). To better understand the role of stress-induced granules in viral infection, we have studied the ability of cells to restrict poxvirus replication through the formation of antiviral granules (AVGs). Of cells infected with a wild-type poxvirus, a small number spontaneously formed AVGs. In these AVG-positive cells, viral gene expression was inhibited. The addition of compounds that altered RNA helicase activity, induced oxidative stress, or stimulated translation initiation factor phosphorylation significantly increased the number of AVG-positive cells. When AVGs formed, both viral translation and titers were decreased even when host translation persisted. Treatment with the antiviral compound isatin β-thiosemicarbazone (IBT), a compound that was used to treat smallpox infections, induced AVGs, suggesting a role for these structures in the pharmacological inhibition of poxvirus replication. These findings provide evidence that AVGs are an innate host response that can be exogenously stimulated to combat virus infection. Since small molecules are able to stimulate AVG formation, it is a potential target for new antiviral development.
Beyond cholesterol: the enigma of atherosclerosis revisited

Summary Atherosclerosis is widely regarded as a chronic inflammatory disease that develops as a consequence of entrapment of low density lipoprotein (LDL) in the arterial intima. Native LDL lacks inflammatory properties, so the lipoprotein must undergo biochemical alterations in order to become atherogenic. Modification is commonly regarded as being dangerous because it bestows inflammatory properties onto the lipoprotein. Most current models consider oxidation to be the decisive modifying event. Here, we submit a different concept for discussion. We propose that modification of tissue-entrapped LDL is required because it enables the lipoprotein to signal to the immune system and effect its own removal. Oxidation would be too haphazard to fulfill this function. We summarize the evidence indicating that modification occurs through the action of ubiquitous hydrolytic enzymes. Enzymatically remodeled LDL binds C-reactive protein. C-reactive protein bound to remodeled LDL not only activates complement but also regulates it by inhibiting activation of the terminal complement cascade. Simultaneously, epitopes are exposed to enable the lipoprotein to be recognized and taken up by macrophages. The high density lipoprotein-dependent reverse transport pathway concludes the sequence of events that clear tissues of cholesterol in a non-inflammatory manner very similar to what has been described for the removal of apoptotic cells. It is proposed that these physiological processes occur throughout life without harm, pathology evolving only when the machinery suffers overload. Detrimental effects are then evoked primarily by the unreigned activation of complement, macrophages, and other effectors of the immune system in the lesions.
Fractional Fourier Transformation-Based Blind Chromatic Dispersion Estimation for Coherent Optical Communications

In this paper, we propose and demonstrate a blind chromatic dispersion (CD) estimation method based on fractional Fourier transformation (FrFT). Through numerical simulations, the proposed CD estimation method is shown to be robust against the amplified spontaneous emission noise and nonlinear interference. Only 2048 samples are required for reliable CD estimation for single-carrier 28 GBd DP-QPSK or 32 GBd DP-16QAM signals, and the standard deviation can be as low as 98.9 and 103.6 ps/nm, respectively. The feasibility of the proposed CD estimation method has been experimentally verified using 28 GBd DP-QPSK and 14 GBd DP-16QAM signals over various transmission distances with CD ranges of 46 332-77 220 ps/nm and 5148-51 480 ps/nm, respectively. Compared with some other CD estimation methods, the method based on FrFT has advantages in the aspects of less computation complexity and robustness to transmission impairments.
Complications of warfarin therapy monitored by the international normalized ratio versus the prothrombin time ratio

The objective of our study was to determine the rates of bleeding complications and thromboembolic events in patients receiving oral anticoagulant therapy monitored with the prothrombin time (PT) ratio versus therapy monitored with the International Normalized Ratio (INR) using a retrospective time‐series study design. Over 650 patients enrolled in a large anticoagulation clinic were studied during two time periods corresponding to the use of the PT ratio versus the INR to guide anticoagulant therapy, with over 400 patient‐years of follow‐up for each time period. The rate of bleeding complications using the PT ratio to guide therapy was 6.7% (1.2% major, 5.5% minor) per patient‐year, compared with 2.9% (0% major, 2.9% minor) using the INR (p = 0.02). The rate of thromboembolic complications was 1.0% using the PT ratio, compared with 0.2% using the INR (p = NS). Therapy monitored with the INR required 19.8 visits per year, compared with 20.7 visits per year using the PT ratio. We conclude that the INR should be used to monitor oral anticoagulant therapy in an effort to reduce bleeding complications while maintaining an acceptable rate of thromboembolic events.
Using the socio-ecological framework to determine breastfeeding obstacles in a low-income population in Tijuana, Mexico: healthcare services.

BACKGROUND In Mexico, breastfeeding rates are one of the lowest of Latin America, with 14.4% of infants under 6 months being exclusively breastfed. Previous studies indicate that lack of support from healthcare services is a serious obstacle to breastfeeding mothers in Mexico. Our objective was to identify the main obstacles to breastfeeding presented by the healthcare services in a low-income population in Tijuana, Mexico. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used a socio-ecological framework to determine factors affecting breastfeeding practices. In four low-income communities in Tijuana we conducted focus groups and interviews with mothers, fathers, grandparents, and key informants. Interview notes and focus group transcripts were then studied in-depth independently by three researchers. The primary analytic technique was constant comparison. RESULTS One hundred twenty-nine subjects participated in this study: six focus groups (n=53) and 51 interviews among mothers, fathers, and grandparents, as well as 25 interviews among key informants. Main healthcare service obstacles to breastfeeding were erroneous information, lack of training and supervision, negative attitudes, miscommunication between healthcare providers (HCPs) and patients, detrimental medical practices such as giving free formula at hospitals, and the conflict of interest between the infant food industry and the HCPs. CONCLUSIONS This study showed that women in low-income communities in Tijuana face multiple obstacles to breastfeeding presented by healthcare services. In order to increase breastfeeding rates, institutional and structural changes are required.
Mental Disorder amongst Defendants in Liverpool Magistrates' Court

The Home Office advocates development of court liaison schemes to divert mentally disordered offenders into the care of health and social services. No-one has yet evaluated the amount of mental disorder that existing schemes fail to identify. We interviewed 136 defendants who had been detained by the police prior to their first appearance in Liverpool Magistrates' Court for their current alleged offence. We found very little mental illness but high levels of drug and alcohol misuse. Merseyside police policy advocates diversion at the earliest possible point and local general psychiatry services are willing to assess and treat offenders. The defendants with drug and alcohol problems are, however, neglected by the current initiatives in providing for this group. Addressing this need in a population which might not otherwise come to the attention of services could have an impact on personal and public health as well as on offending behaviour.
Application of electronmicroscopy, enzyme immunoassay, and RT‐PCR to monitor an outbreak of astrovirus type 1 in a paediatric bone marrow transplant unit

During 1997, an extensive outbreak of astrovirus occurred in a unit where paediatric patients were being treated for leukaemias and inherited immune deficiency disorders. Prolonged shedding of virus for many months following infection was demonstrated in three patients who had undergone bone marrow transplantation. Comparison of reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR), enzyme immunoassay (EIA), and electronmicroscopy (EM) to monitor the outbreak showed that many subclinical infections, mainly in children aged > 3 years could only be detected by RT‐PCR. Use of RT‐PCR revealed that several patients were infected earlier and shed virus for longer than by using EM or EIA. The virus responsible for the outbreak was identified as HAstV‐1 and was shown to have a sequence that differed from a strain obtained in 1988. J. Med. Virol. 57:313–321, 1999. © 1999 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Archosauriform endocranial morphology and osteological evidence for semiaquatic sensory adaptations in phytosaurs

The examination of endocranial data of archosauriforms has led to advances on the evolution of body size, nerve pathways, and sensory abilities. However, much of that research has focused on bird‐line archosaurs, resulting in a skewed view of Archosauria. Phytosauria, a hypothesized sister taxon to or early‐branching member of Archosauria, provides a potential outgroup condition. Most previous phytosaur endocranial studies were executed without the use of modern technology and focused on derived members of Phytosauria. We present a comparative CT examination of the internal cranial anatomy of Wannia scurriensis, the most basal known parasuchid phytosaur. Wannia scurriensis shows some overall similarity with extant crocodylians and derived phytosaurs in general endocranial shape, a large hypophyseal fossa, and trigeminal (CN V) innervation, but as a whole, the endocast has noticeable differences to crocodylians and other phytosaurs. The pineal region is expanded dorsally as in other phytosaurs but also laterally (previously unrecognized). CN V exits the pons in a more dorsal position than in Parasuchus hislopi, Machaeroprosopus mccauleyi, or Smilosuchus gregorii. Wannia scurriensis also exhibits a larger hypophyseal fossa relative to brain size than observed in P. hislopi or S. gregorii, which may indicate more rapid growth. The well‐preserved semicircular canals have lateral canals that are angled more anteroventrally than in derived phytosaurs. Extensive facial innervation from the large CN V indicates increased rostrum sensitivity and mechanoreceptive abilities as in Alligator mississippiensis. These endocranial similarities among phytosaurs and with Alligator indicate conserved ecological and functional results of an aquatic lifestyle, and highlight a need for further exploration of endocranial anatomy among Archosauriformes.
Topologically associated domains enriched for lineage-specific genes reveal expression-dependent nuclear topologies during myogenesis

Significance Genome biology aims to gain insight into nuclear function through the study of genome architecture. Analysis of the completed sequences of various eukaryotic genomes indicates that genes are nonrandomly distributed along chromosomes. Recent molecular approaches based on chromosome confirmation capture have identified topologically associated domains (TADs) as a unifying structural model for chromatin organization; however, whether linear gene order and TADs intersect to affect nuclear organization remains to be resolved. Using human myogenesis as a model, we found that a population of TADs have significant enrichment for myogenic-specific genes that results in changes in their subnuclear and intrachromosomal territory structure. We found that these changes in organization impact biallelic transcription and require cell division to be established. The linear distribution of genes across chromosomes and the spatial localization of genes within the nucleus are related to their transcriptional regulation. The mechanistic consequences of linear gene order, and how it may relate to the functional output of genome organization, remain to be fully resolved, however. Here we tested the relationship between linear and 3D organization of gene regulation during myogenesis. Our analysis has identified a subset of topologically associated domains (TADs) that are significantly enriched for muscle-specific genes. These lineage-enriched TADs demonstrate an expression-dependent pattern of nuclear organization that influences the positioning of adjacent nonenriched TADs. Therefore, lineage-enriched TADs inform cell-specific genome organization during myogenesis. The reduction of allelic spatial distance of one of these domains, which contains Myogenin, correlates with reduced transcriptional variability, identifying a potential role for lineage-specific nuclear topology. Using a fusion-based strategy to decouple mitosis and myotube formation, we demonstrate that the cell-specific topology of syncytial nuclei is dependent on cell division. We propose that the effects of linear and spatial organization of gene loci on gene regulation are linked through TAD architecture, and that mitosis is critical for establishing nuclear topologies during cellular differentiation.
Validation of data quality in the Swedish National Register for Oesophageal and Gastric Cancer

The Swedish National Register for Oesophageal and Gastric Cancer (NREV) was launched in 2006. Data are reported at diagnosis (diagnostic survey), at the time of surgery (surgical survey) and at first outpatient follow‐up (follow‐up survey). The aim of this study was to evaluate data originating from NREV in terms of comparability, completeness, accuracy and timeliness.
Wind energy conversion systems control using T-S fuzzy modeling

The paper investigates the wind energy conversion systems (WECS) control problem. To deal with the intrinsic nonlinear behavior of WECS, a T-S fuzzy model is proposed. The method assumes that the wind speed is unmeasurable. Then an H8 output feedback controller is designed by taking into account directly wind speed as perturbation. The design conditions are given in linear matrix inequalities (LMI) terms which can be solved efficiently using existing numerical tools. To illustrate the effectiveness of the given algorithm (wind disturbance rejection), the proposed synthesis techniques are applied to a dynamic model of the WECS.
Innovation capability, entrepreneurial orientation and performance within European network of living labs (ENoLL)

A survey instrument has been designed to capture basic demographics of the unit of observation - an individual living lab (LL) and to study the relationships between: 1. perceived LL Innovation Capability 2. perceived LL Entrepreneurial Orientation, 3. perceived LL Business Performance. This paper focuses on reducing the number of items across all the dimensions of the survey instrument by using unweighted least squares ULS solution. A total reduction of items from 109 to 65 across the entire survey instrument has been achieved. A link to an online survey has been sent to ~320 Living Lab managers within the European Network of Living Labs (ENoLL). Roughly 10% of responses from the entire population have been obtained through the process. On average, living labs are fairly opened and user centred innovation ecosystems characterised by strong, yet surprisingly risk-averse innovation cultures with rather flat management structures, relatively low internal and external competitive pressures, lack of sufficient resources for further development and relatively low scores related to perceived performance.
Development of a fish reporter gene system for the assessment of estrogenic compounds and sewage treatment plant effluents

This study reports on the development and application of a fish‐specific estrogen‐responsive reporter gene assay. The assay is based on the rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) gonad cell line RTG‐2 in which an acute estrogenic response is created by cotransfecting cultures with an expression vector containing rainbow trout estrogen receptor a complementary DNA (rtERα cDNA) in the presence of an estrogen‐dependent reporter plasmid and an estrogen receptor (ER) agonist. In a further approach, RTG‐2 cells were stably transfected with the rtERα cDNA expression vector, and clones responsive to 17β‐estradiol (E2) were selected. The estrogenic activity of E2, 17α‐ethinylestradiol, 4‐nonylphenol, nonylphenoxy acetic acid, 4‐tert‐octylphenol, bisphenol A, o,p′‐DDT, p,p′‐DDT, o,p′‐2,2‐bis(chlorophenyl)‐1,1‐dichloroethylene (o,p′‐DDE), p,p′‐DDE, o,p′‐2,2‐bis(chlorophenyl)‐1,1‐di‐chloroethane (o,p′‐DDD), p,p′‐DDD, and p,p′‐2,2‐bis(chlorophenyl)acetic acid (p,p′‐DDA) was assessed at increasing concentrations. All compounds except o,p′‐DDT, p,p′‐DDE, and p,p′‐DDA showed logistic dose‐response curves, which allowed the calculation of lowest‐observed‐effect concentrations and the concentrations at which half‐maximal reporter gene activities were reached. To check whether estrogen‐responsive RTG‐2 cells may be used to detect the estrogenic activity of environmental samples, an extract from a sewage treatment plant (STP) effluent was assessed and found to have estrogenic activity corresponding to the transcriptional activity elicited by 0.05 nM of E2. Dose‐response curves of nonylphenol, octylphenol, bisphenol A, and o,p′‐DDD revealed that the RTG‐2 reporter gene assay is more sensitive for these compounds when compared to transfection systems recombinant for mammalian ERs. These differences may have an effect on the calculation of E2 equivalents when estrogenic mixtures of known constitution, or environmental samples, such as STP effluents, are assessed.