Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Preservation of residual hearing with cochlear implantation: How and why

Conclusions Hearing may be conserved in adults after implantation with the Nucleus Contour Advance perimodiolar electrode array. The degree of hearing preservation and the maximum insertion depth of the electrode array can vary considerably despite a defined surgical protocol. Residual hearing combined with electrical stimulation in the same ear can provide additional benefits even for conventional candidates for cochlear implantation. Objectives We present preliminary results from a prospective multicentre study investigating the conservation of residual hearing after implantation with a standard-length Nucleus Contour Advance perimodiolar electrode array and the benefits of combined electrical and acoustic stimulation. Material and methods The subjects were 12 adult candidates for cochlear implantation recruited according to national selection criteria. A “soft” surgery protocol was defined, as follows: 1–1.2-mm cochleostomy hole anterior and inferior to the round window; Nucleus Contour Advance electrode array inserted using the “Advance-off-stylet” technique; and insertion depth controlled by means of three square marker ribs left outside the cochleostomy hole. These procedures had been shown to reduce insertion forces in temporal bone preparations. Variations in surgical techniques were monitored using a questionnaire. Pure-tone thresholds were measured pre- and postoperatively. Patients who still retained thresholds <90 dB HL for frequencies up to 500 Hz were re-fitted with an in-the-ear (ITE) hearing aid. Word recognition was tested in quiet and sentence perception in noise for the cochlear implant alone and in combination with an ipsilateral hearing aid. Results Hearing threshold level data were available for 12 patients recruited from 6 of the centres. Median increases in hearing threshold levels were 23, 27 and 33 dB for the frequencies 125, 250 and 500 Hz, respectively. These median increases include the data for two patients who had total loss of residual hearing due to difficulties encountered during surgery. “Cochlear view” X-ray images indicated that the depth of insertion varied between 300 and 430°, despite modest variations in the length of the electrode inserted (17–19 mm). The insertion angle had some influence on the preservation of residual hearing at frequencies of 250–500 Hz. Six of the 12 patients retained sufficient hearing for effective use of an ipsilateral ITE hearing aid (≤80 dB HL at 125 and 250 Hz; ≤90 dB HL at 500 Hz). Word recognition scores in quiet were improved from 10% to 30% with the cochlear implant plus ipsilateral hearing aid in 3 patients who had at least 3 months postoperative experience. Signal:noise ratio thresholds for sentence recognition were improved by up to 3 dB. Patients reported that they experienced greatly improved sound quality and preferred to use the two devices together.
The Role of Financial Intermediaries in the Internationalization of Capital Markets in Kenya: A Study of stock brokers in Kenya

Financial intermediaries continue to play a big role in the internationalization of capital markets. In Kenya all transactions in the Nairobi Securities Exchange must be carried out by an authorized stock broker. This study covered the stockbrokers and their role in the internationalization of capital markets within Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive survey. Population of interest comprised of 19 stockbrokerage firms licensed to operate at the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE). The study findings indicate that stock brokers contribute to the internationalization of capital markets through their roles in facilitating cross-listing, offshoring and foreign investor by aiding in sourcing for investment opportunities, provision of relevant information and transaction facilitation. Study findings further reveals that the government issues, lack of awareness and knowledge on innovative strategies, adequate financial resources, availability of adequate infrastructure and trading costs affects stock brokers role in the internationalization of capital markets. The study recommends that the government and policy makers should direct efforts towards addressing the various bottlenecks that hinder the effectiveness of the stock brokers in the internationalization of capital markets in Kenya. Further, towards realizing efficiency and effectiveness these firms need to embrace technology and innovation.
Lack of significant renal tubular injury despite acute kidney injury in acute decompensated heart failure

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a strong predictor of adverse events with an incompletely understood pathophysiology. Neutrophil gelatinase‐associated lipocalin (NGAL) is proposed as an early marker of renal tubular injury. Our aim is to determine whether AKI during treatment of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) is accompanied by renal tubular injury.
Complete hydatidiform mole in women aged 40 to 49 years.

OBJECTIVE To describe the clinical course of women aged 40 to 49 presenting with complete hydatidiform mole. STUDY DESIGN All cases of complete mole diagnosed at the New England Trophoblastic Disease Center were reviewed. A total of 82 patients met the study criteria. RESULTS Study patients had a mean age of 44.2 years, gravidity of 4.6 and parity of 2.6. The mean hCG on presentation was 230,484 mIU/mL. Most patients presented with abnormal vaginal bleeding (77%). Of the 82 patients, 83% underwent dilation and curettage without prophylactic chemotherapy; 53% of those patients developed gestational trophoblastic neoplasia (GTN). Patients who developed GTN were significantly more likely both before and after evacuation to have higher hCG levels than those who did not. There were no GTN cases among patients receiving either prophylactic chemotherapy or upfront hysterectomy. Aggressive upfront therapy was associated with shortened time to hCG normalization and fewer lines of surgical or chemotherapeutic therapy. CONCLUSION All women in their 40s with complete mole are at high risk for GTN and might benefit from aggressive upfront therapy. Those patients with hCG levels >175,000 mIU/mL constitute an "ultra-high-risk" group for whom prophylactic chemotherapy or hysterectomy should be especially considered.
25-Hydroxy vitamin D levels in premenopausal Turkish women with uterine leiomyoma

Abstract We aimed to evaluate the relationship between serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D levels and the risk of uterine fibroids in premenopausal women in Turkish population in this prospective observational cross-sectional study. Sixty-eight women with at least one uterine leiomyoma ≥10 mm were compared with 56 healthy controls. Serum 25-(OH) vitamin D3 levels were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. The groups were similar in terms of age, BMI, gravidity and parity numbers. The mean level of 25-(OH) D3 were 7.28 ± 4.94 ng/ml and 78% of patients (n = 97) had severe vitamin D deficiency ( < 10 ng/mL). Vitamin D levels were significantly lower in the study group (6.54 ± 4.66 ng/ml vs. 8.18 ± 5.16 ng/ml, respectively; p = .009). Vitamin D levels were not correlated with size, volume, localization and number of leiomyomas. Traditional covered clothing style, low education level and being housewife were risk factors for Vitamin D deficiency. This is the first study that investigates the vitamin D levels in women with leiomyomas in Turkish population. Influence of vitamin D on uterine leiomyoma formation to may lead to new preventive strategies in the future.
Recurrence Rate Using Fibrin Glue-Assisted Ipsilateral Conjunctival Autograft in Pterygium Surgery: 2-Year Follow-up

Aims: To determine the recurrence rate after pterygium excision with ipsilateral conjunctival autograft using fibrin glue. Methods: One hundred eleven eyes of 92 patients operated for primary pterygium were retrospectively evaluated for recurrence rate and intraoperative and postoperative complications. Pterygia were preoperatively divided in atrophic/grade 1 (n = 2; 1.80%), intermediate/grade 2 (n = 85; 76.58%), or fleshy/grade 3 (n = 24; 21.62%) types. All patients were operated using an ipsilateral conjunctival autograft fixed with fibrin glue. Only patients with 2-year follow-up were included in this study. Results: Two years after surgery, the mean recurrence rate was 4.50% (n = 5). No intraoperative complications were noted. Postsurgical complications were graft pseudoedema (n = 45; 40.54%), graft retraction (n = 3; 2.70%), and donor site granuloma (n = 1; 0.90%). Conclusion: Fibrin glue-assisted ipsilateral conjunctival autograft seems to be safe and efficacious and associated with a low rate of recurrence.
On the Risk of Mortality to Primates Exposed to Anthrax Spores

Current events have heightened the importance of understanding the risks from inhalation exposure to small numbers of spores of Bacillus anthracis. Previously reported data sets have not been fully assessed using current understanding of microbial dose response. This article presents an assessment of the reported primate dose‐response data. At low doses, the risk to large populations of low doses of inhaled spores (e.g., <100) is not insignificant.
Spatial distribution of external and internal intercostal activity in dogs

1 The observation that the external and internal interosseous intercostal muscles in the dog show marked regional differences in mechanical advantage has prompted us to re‐examine the topographic distribution of electrical activity among these muscles during spontaneous breathing. 2 Inspiratory activity was recorded only from the areas of the external intercostals with an inspiratory mechanical advantage, and expiratory activity was recorded only from the areas of the internal intercostals with an expiratory mechanical advantage. The expiratory discharges previously recorded from the caudal external intercostals and the inspiratory discharges recorded from the rostral internal intercostals were probably due to cross‐contamination. 3 Activity in each muscle area was also quantified relative to the activity measured during tetanic, supramaximal nerve stimulation (maximal activity). External intercostal inspiratory activity was consistently greater in the areas with a greater inspiratory advantage (i.e. the dorsal aspect of the rostral segments) than in the areas with a smaller inspiratory advantage, and internal intercostal expiratory activity was invariably greatest in the areas with the greatest expiratory advantage (i.e. the dorsal aspect of the caudal segments). 4 This topographic distribution of neural drive confers to the external intercostal muscles an inspiratory action on the lung during breathing and to the internal interosseous intercostals an expiratory action.
Identification of a Stress-Induced Factor of Corynebacterineae That Is Involved in the Regulation of the Outer Membrane Lipid Composition

ABSTRACT Corynebacterineae are gram-positive bacteria that possess a true outer membrane composed of mycolic acids and other lipids. Little is known concerning the modulation of mycolic acid composition and content in response to changes in the bacterial environment, especially temperature variations. To address this question, we investigated the function of the Rv3802c gene, a gene conserved in Corynebacterineae and located within a gene cluster involved in mycolic acid biosynthesis. We showed that the Rv3802 ortholog is essential in Mycobacterium smegmatis, while its Corynebacterium glutamicum ortholog, NCgl2775, is not. We provided evidence that the NCgl2775 gene is transcriptionally induced under heat stress conditions, and while the corresponding protein has no detectable activity under normal growth conditions, the increase in its expression triggers an increase in mycolic acid biosynthesis concomitant with a decrease in phospholipid content. We demonstrated that these lipid modifications are part of a larger outer membrane remodeling that occurs in response to exposure to a moderately elevated temperature (42°C). In addition to showing an increase in the ratio of saturated corynomycolates to unsaturated corynomycolates, our results strongly suggested that the balance between mycolic acids and phospholipids is modified inside the outer membrane following a heat challenge. Furthermore, we showed that these lipid modifications help the bacteria to protect against heat damage. The NCgl2775 protein and its orthologs thus appear to be a protein family that plays a role in the regulation of the outer membrane lipid composition of Corynebacterineae under stress conditions. We therefore propose to name this protein family the envelope lipids regulation factor (ElrF) family.
Suppressing N-Acetyl-l-Aspartate Synthesis Prevents Loss of Neurons in a Murine Model of Canavan Leukodystrophy

Canavan disease is a leukodystrophy caused by aspartoacylase (ASPA) deficiency. The lack of functional ASPA, an enzyme enriched in oligodendroglia that cleaves N-acetyl-l-aspartate (NAA) to acetate and l-aspartic acid, elevates brain NAA and causes “spongiform” vacuolation of superficial brain white matter and neighboring gray matter. In children with Canavan disease, neuroimaging shows early-onset dysmyelination and progressive brain atrophy. Neuron loss has been documented at autopsy in some cases. Prior studies have shown that mice homozygous for the Aspa nonsense mutation Nur7 also develop brain vacuolation. We now report that numbers of cerebral cortical and cerebellar neurons are decreased and that cerebral cortex progressively thins in AspaNur7/Nur7 mice. This neuronal pathology is prevented by constitutive disruption of Nat8l, which encodes the neuronal NAA-synthetic enzyme N-acetyltransferase-8-like. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This is the first demonstration of cortical and cerebellar neuron depletion and progressive cerebral cortical thinning in an animal model of Canavan disease. Genetic suppression of N-acetyl-l-aspartate (NAA) synthesis, previously shown to block brain vacuolation in aspartoacylase-deficient mice, also prevents neuron loss and cerebral cortical atrophy in these mice. These results suggest that lowering the concentration of NAA in the brains of children with Canavan disease would prevent or slow progression of neurological deficits.
Counter‐intuitive moral judgement following traumatic brain injury

Several neurological patient populations, including traumatic brain injury (TBI), appear to produce an abnormally 'utilitarian' pattern of judgements to moral dilemmas; they tend to make judgements that maximize the welfare of the majority, rather than deontological judgements based on the following of moral rules (e.g., do not harm others). However, this patient research has always used extreme dilemmas with highly valued moral rules (e.g., do not kill). Data from healthy participants, however, suggest that when a wider range of dilemmas are employed, involving less valued moral rules (e.g., do not lie), moral judgements demonstrate sensitivity to the psychological intuitiveness of the judgements, rather than their deontological or utilitarian content (Kahane et al., Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 7, 2011, 393). We sought the moral judgements of 30 TBI participants and 30 controls on moral dilemmas where content (utilitarian/deontological) and intuition (intuitive/counter-intuitive) were measured concurrently. Overall TBI participants made utilitarian judgements in equal proportions to controls; disproportionately favouring utilitarian judgements only when they were counter-intuitive, and deontological judgements only when they were counter-intuitive. These results speak against the view that TBI causes a specific utilitarian bias, suggesting instead that moral intuition is broadly disrupted following TBI.
Unemployment Insurance in an Economy with Single and Married Households

In the US economy married individuals are less likely to be unemployed than their nonmarried counterparts. At the same time, the family has long been identified as one of the main providers of insurance against multiple types of uncertainty, including the one generated by labor market frictions. Motivated by these two facts, I study an unemployment insurance program, resembling the one in place in the US, in a framework where the main source of heterogeneity among agents is the type of household they live in, that is, some agents live alone while others live with their spouses as a family. The central finding is that the unemployment insurance program improves the welfare of single households but not of married households. This result does not depend on the different characteristics between married people and singles. For single individuals living with their clones as a family, the unemployment insurance program is not welfare-improving, while for married individuals living apart as singles, unemployment insurance does improve welfare. Hence, the main reason why married households do not benefit from the unemployment insurance program is that the family, with its two earners, is able to provide enough insurance.
Prevalence of anemia in cancer patients not receiving antineoplastic treatment (ANT): Data from the European Cancer Anaemia Survey (ECAS).

8565 Background: Cancer-associated anemia occurs frequently in patients receiving ANT. Patients not receiving ANT may also have low hemoglobin (Hb) levels that may compromise optimal disease management and patient outcomes. METHODS Patients enrolled in ECAS (Ludwig et al, Eur J Cancer 2004;40:2293-2306) and not receiving ANT (chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or hormonal treatment) at enrollment were evaluated for prevalence of anemia (Hb <12.0 g/dL), effect of anemia on performance according to WHO score (0 to 4), and anemia treatment. Disease status at enrollment was catagorized as newly diagnosed (ND), persistent/recurrent (P/R), or in remission. RESULTS Of 15,367 enrolled patients, 7947 (53%) were not receiving ANT: 60% ND; 28% P/R disease; 12% in remission. Anemia was present in 32% of patients, with Hb levels 10.0-11.9 g/dL in 24%, and <10.0 g/dL in 8%. Anemia rates were P/R, 38%; ND, 30%; in remission, 25%. Poor performance scores correlated positively with lower Hb levels; for patients with Hb <8.0 g/dL, 8.0-9.9 g/dL, 10.0-11.9 g/dL, and ≥12.0 g/dL, worse WHO scores of 2-4 were recorded for 43%, 41%, 25%, and 15%, respectively. During ECAS 1168 patients with data after enrollment never received ANT, and 40% were anemic at some time (at enrollment and/or at follow-up). Hb nadirs were approximately evenly distributed: 11.0-11.9 g/dL, 37%; 10.0-10.9 g/dL, 29%, and <9.0-9.9 g/dL, 34%. Anemia was infrequently treated with only 31.4% of patients receiving anemia treatment at any time. Anemia treatments administered and mean Hb at initiation were 14% epoetin alone ± transfusion ± iron (9.8 g/dL); 9% transfusion ± iron (8.4 g/dL); 8% iron (11.7 g/dL). CONCLUSIONS Almost one-third of cancer patients who are not actively receiving ANT are anemic, including 25% of patients considered to be in remission. Anemia has a negative effect on performance, with worse WHO scores related to lower Hb levels. Anemia appears to be undertreated, with less than one-third of anemic patients receiving anemia treatment, and then only when Hb nadirs are <10.0 g/dL. To insure optimal management of cancer patients, all should be screened for anemia and receive the most effective anemia treatment. [Table: see text].
Effects of Prime Task on Affective Priming By Facial Expressions of Emotion

Priming of affective word evaluation by pictures of faces showing positive and negative emotional expressions was investigated in two experiments that used a double task procedure where participants were asked to respond to the prime or to the target on different trials. The experiments varied between-subjects the prime task assignment and the prime-target interval (SOA, stimulus onset asynchrony). Significant congruency effects (that is, faster word evaluation when prime and target had the same valence than when they were of opposite valence) were observed in both experiments. When the prime task oriented the subjects to an affectively irrelevant property of the faces (their gender), priming was observed at SOA 300 ms but not at SOA 1000 ms (Experiment 1). However, when the prime task assignment explicitly oriented the subjects to the valence of the face, priming was observed at both SOA durations (Experiment 2). These results show, first, that affective priming by pictures of facial emotion can be obtained even when the subject has an explicit goal to process a non-affective property of the prime. Second, sensitivity of the priming effect to SOA duration seems to depend on whether it is mediated by intentional or unintentional activation of the valence of the face prime. En dos experimentos con un procedimiento de doble tarea en el que los participantes habían de responder al “prime” o al “target” en diferentes ensayos, se estudió el efecto de “priming” sobre la evaluación afectiva de palabras, producido por imágenes de caras que mostraban expresiones emocionales positivas o negativas. En los experimentos se varió entre sujetos la naturaleza de la tarea a realizar respecto al “prime” y la duración del intervalo prime-target (SOA). En ambos experimentos se obtuvieron efectos significativos de la congruencia, es decir, evaluación más rápida de las palabras cuando “prime” y “target” eran de la misma valencia que cuando eran de valencia opuesta. Cuando la tarea con el “prime” orientaba a los sujetos hacia una propiedad afectivamente irrelevante de las caras (su género), se obtuvo “priming” con SOA de 300 mseg, pero no con SOA de 1000 mseg (Experimento 1). En cambio, cuando la tarea con el “prime” orientaba expresamente a los sujetos hacia la valencia de la cara, se obtuvo “priming” con ambas duraciones de SOA. Estos resultados muestran, en primer lugar, que puede obtenerse “priming” afectivo con imágenes de expresiones faciales de la emoción aun cuando el sujeto esté expresamente orientado a procesar una propiedad no afectiva del “prime”. En segundo lugar, la sensibilidad del “priming” a la duración del SOA parece depender de si el efecto está mediado por la activación intencional o no intencional de la valencia de la cara que actúa como “prime”.
Does the Kindling Model of Epilepsy Contribute to Our Understanding of Multiple Chemical Sensitivity?

Abstract: Multiple chemical sensitivity (MCS) is a phenomenon whereby individuals report an increased sensitivity to low levels of chemicals in the environment. Kindling is a model of synaptic plasticity whereby repeated low‐level electrical stimulation to a number of brain sites leads to permanent increases in seizure susceptibility. Stimulation that is initially subthreshold for subclinical seizure provocation comes, over time, to elicit full‐blown motor seizures. Kindling can also be induced by chemical stimulation, and repeated exposures to some pesticides have been shown to induce signs of behavioral seizure, facilitate subsequent electrical kindling, and induce subclinical electrographic signs of hyperexcitability in the amygdala. Many of the symptoms of MCS suggest that CNS limbic pathways involved in anxiety are altered in individuals reporting MCS. Limbic structures are among the most susceptible to kindling‐induced seizures, and persistent cognitive and emotional sequelae have been associated with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) in humans and kindling in animals. Thus, a number of parallels exist between kindling and MCS phenomena, leading to initial speculations that MCS may occur via a kindling‐like mechanism. However, kindling requires the activation of electrographic seizure discharge and has thus been primarily examined as a model for TLE. Events leading to the initial evocation of a subclinical electrographic seizure have been much less well studied. It is perhaps these events that may serve as a more appropriate model for the enhanced chemical responsiveness characteristic of MCS. Alternatively, kindling may be useful as a tool to selectively increase sensitivity in subcomponents of the neural fear circuit to address questions relating the role of anxiety in the development and expression of MCS.