Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
D-lactate metabolism and the clinical signs of D-lactataemia in calves

SIR, – [Lorenz and others (2005)][1] are to be commended for having reported a very interesting study. However, their conclusion that hyper-D-lactataemia was the direct cause of the observed neurological signs may be premature for a number of reasons. First, the results in Table 1 suggest that
Periodic breathing and dysphagia associated with a localized lateral medullary infarction

Abstract: A 77‐year‐old man experienced sudden onset of dysphagia. An MRI revealed a left lateral medullary infarction. Portable polysomnography showed Cheyne‐Stokes‐like breathing with marked desaturation (lowest SaO2 74%) associated with apnoea. Oxygen administration reduced the apnoea‐hypopnoea index from 30.1 to 20.0 per hour. Sustained periodic breathing under normoxaemia suggested that the brainstem lesion, rather than peripheral factors such as prolonged lung‐chemoreceptor circulatory delay, was responsible for the abnormal breathing. Polysomnography or overnight SaO2 monitoring should be considered for patients with dysphagia due to a brainstem lesion, to investigate the possible presence of abnormal breathing.
Developmental frontal lobe imaging in moral judgment: Arthur Benton's enduring influence 60 years later

Early prefrontal cortex damage has been associated with developmental deficits in social adaptation, moral behavior, and empathy that alter the maturation of social cognition and social emotions. The seminal case of Ackerly and Benton (1948) continues to provide the most striking clinical example of prefrontal-related neurodevelopmental impairments, with more recent case reports confirming and elaborating these influential observations. This study investigated the prefrontal hypothesis of moral decision making in healthy, typically developing children and adolescents (10–17 years of age) using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Participants judged the actions in age-appropriate moral vignettes as right or wrong, and results were contrasted to a nonsocial/nonmoral baseline condition requiring similar right versus wrong judgments. Results confirmed a predominant cluster of activity in the most rostral-medial (frontal polar) prefrontal region across moral judgment conditions, along with left lateroposterior orbitofrontal/ventrolateral prefrontal, left temporoparietal junction, midline thalamus and globus pallidus, and bilateral inferior occipital clusters. Trials entailing ambiguous moral situations activated considerably more prefrontal and parietal regions than did routine moral situations, suggesting the need for more neurocognitive resources. While age regression analysis identified a few regions of greater or lesser activity with age, the frontal polar activations did not change with age. Findings confirm a significant role for anterior-medial prefrontal cortex in the typical development and maturation of moral decision making, consistent with clinical lesion case descriptions.
Cumulative advantages and the emergence of social and ethnic inequality: Matthew effects in reading and mathematics development within elementary schools?

This article examines the development of social and ethnic disparities in academic achievement in elementary schooling. It investigated whether reading and mathematics development in 136 mixed-ability classes shows path-dependent processes of cumulative advantage (Matthew effects) from Grades 4 to 6 (Grade 4 mean age = 10.62, SD = 0.57) resulting in growing inequality. Status-dependent processes of cumulative advantage, their interaction with path-dependent processes, and consequences for the degree of social and ethnic inequality are examined. Two complementary methods for analyzing multilevel data are used: growth curve and quasi-simplex models. No evidence for a Matthew effect was found in either domain. A compensation effect emerged for reading, to the benefit of ethnic minorities. A fan-spread effect was found for mathematics, partly attributable to status-dependent processes of cumulative advantage.
Expression of regulator of G protein signaling-2 in rat myometrium during pregnancy and parturition.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine the potential physiologic roles of myometrial regulator of G protein signaling-2 (RGS2), a G protein-associated GTPase, by the analysis of the changes in RGS2 messenger RNA expression during pregnancy and parturition and to examine factors that regulate these changes. STUDY DESIGN Myometrial RGS2 messenger RNA levels were analyzed by Northern blotting in rats (1). during pregnancy, parturition, and in the postpartum period; (2). with preterm-induced and delayed, postterm delivery; (3). that were ovariectomized and treated with either estradiol, progesterone, or both; and (4). with unilateral uterine pregnancies. RESULTS RGS2 messenger RNA was almost undetectable until day 5 of pregnancy, when it rose sharply and remained elevated up to and including day 19, at the time that progesterone withdrawal occurs. The expression of myometrial RGS2 messenger RNA on day 22 did not differ between rats either before or during delivery. Onapristone caused preterm delivery and a premature fall in RGS2 messenger RNA levels. In contrast, progesterone treatment prolonged pregnancy beyond day 25 and attenuated the decline in RGS2 messenger RNA levels. Simulation of the first 5 days of pregnancy resulted in a 3-fold rise in RGS2 messenger RNA expression. The levels of RGS2 in nonimplanted horns were approximately one half that of pregnant horns. CONCLUSION Sex steroids, in particular progesterone, and the presence of the conceptus play a role in the regulation of myometrial RGS2 messenger RNA expression. Although the elevated myometrial RGS2 messenger RNA expression corresponds to the period during pregnancy when the uterus is relatively quiescent and the down-regulation of RGS2 messenger RNA at the end of pregnancy may be related to the timing of parturition, the specific role of myometrial RGS2 remains unknown.
Consensus on the prehospital approach to burns patient management

Burns patients form a large group of trauma patients cared for by first aiders, ambulance staff, nurses, and doctors before reaching specialist care in hospital. Guidance for these important carers is often poor or confused and this engenders anxiety and detracts from optimal patient care. This paper outlines nine key steps in the initial management of burn patients in the prehospital environment based on current available evidence and a consensus of specialists from all disciplines caring for burns patients. The basis of care should be that simple things should always be performed well.
Emotional Intelligence and Nurse Recruitment: Rasch and confirmatory factor analysis of the trait emotional intelligence questionnaire short form.

AIM To examine the construct validity of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short form. BACKGROUND Emotional intelligence involves the identification and regulation of our own emotions and the emotions of others. It is therefore a potentially useful construct in the investigation of recruitment and retention in nursing and many questionnaires have been constructed to measure it. DESIGN Secondary analysis of existing dataset of responses to Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short form using concurrent application of Rasch analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. METHOD First year undergraduate nursing and computing students completed Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form in September 2013. Responses were analysed by synthesising results of Rasch analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. RESULTS Participants (N = 938) completed Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short form. Rasch analysis showed the majority of the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form items made a unique contribution to the latent trait of emotional intelligence. Five items did not fit the model and differential item functioning (gender) accounted for this misfit. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a four-factor structure consisting of: self-confidence, empathy, uncertainty and social connection. All five misfitting items from the Rasch analysis belonged to the 'social connection' factor. CONCLUSIONS The concurrent use of Rasch and factor analysis allowed for novel interpretation of Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short form. Much of the response variation in Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire Short form can be accounted for by the social connection factor. Implications for practice are discussed.
Association between estrogen receptor-beta expression and epidermal growth factor receptor mutation in the postoperative prognosis of adenocarcinoma of the lung.

PURPOSE Adenocarcinoma of the lung unrelated to a smoking habit occurs more frequently in women than men, thus suggesting an association between female hormones and development of these tumors. The aim of this study was to elucidate the correlation between expression of estrogen receptor (ER) and clinicopathologic factors, including a mutation in the tyrosine kinase domain of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and prognosis in adenocarcinoma of the lung. PATIENTS AND METHODS This study evaluated 447 resected primary lung adenocarcinoma specimens. The expression of ERalpha and ERbeta was evaluated with an immunohistochemical method. The EGFR mutation was evaluated with polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS A strong cytoplasmic expression of ERalpha and nuclear expression of ERbeta were detected in 49.4% and 48.5% of all patients, respectively. A strong nuclear expression of ERbeta was independently associated with the EGFR mutations (odds ratio = 2.947; 95% CI, 1.97 to 4.57; P < .001) and good differentiation (odds ratio = 1.84; 95% CI, 1.21 to 2.80; P = .004) and was correlated with an increasing disease-free survival in patients with EGFR mutations (hazard ratio = 2.18; 95% CI, 1.18 to 4.06; P = .014). However, no prognostic significance was identified in patients without EGFR mutations. No clinicopathologic and/or prognostic significance of a strong expression of cytoplasmic ERalpha was found. CONCLUSION A strong nuclear expression of ERbeta correlates with EGFR mutations, and its favorable prognostic significance was influenced by the EGFR mutations in adenocarcinoma of the lung.
Development of a Taxonomy of Keywords for Engineering Education Research

The diversity of engineering education research provides an opportunity for cross-fertilization of ideas and creativity, but it also can result in fragmentation of the field and duplication of effort. One solution is to establish a standardized taxonomy of engineering education terms to map the field and communicate and connect research initiatives. This report describes the process for developing such a taxonomy, the EER Taxonomy. Although the taxonomy focuses on engineering education research in the United States, inclusive efforts have engaged 266 individuals from 149 cities in 30 countries during one multiday workshop, seven conference sessions, and several other virtual and in-person activities. The resulting taxonomy comprises 455 terms arranged in 14 branches and six levels. This taxonomy was found to satisfy four criteria for validity and reliability: (1) keywords assigned to a set of abstracts were reproducible by multiple researchers, (2) the taxonomy comprised terms that could be selected as keywords to fully describe 243 articles in three journals, (3) the keywords for those 243 articles were evenly distributed across the branches of the taxonomy, and (4) the authors of 31 conference papers agreed with 90% of researcher-assigned keywords. This report also describes guidelines developed to help authors consistently assign keywords for their articles by encouraging them to choose terms from three categories: (1) context/focus/topic, (2) purpose/target/motivation, and (3) research approach.
Histochemical and immunohistochemical study of mucinous rectal carcinoma

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major health problem worldwide. The objective of our study was to assess the histopathological (HP) and immunohistochemical (IHC) profile of mucins from signet ring (SR) and mucinous rectal carcinoma, while evaluating their value as a prognostic factor and muco-secretive ability. The HP study (76 cases) included 4 categories of patients: pure mucinous (PM), mixed mucinous components (MM) (50-80% of the tumor cells), mixed mucinous components (Mm) (< 50% of the tumor cells) and signet ring (SR). The IHC study consisted of a total of 30 cases of MRC and was processed by the ABC/ HRP technique. The antibodies used have addressed their muco-secretive capacity: MUC1, 2 and MUC5AC. MRC cases were more frequent in the sixth decade, with a median age of 57.3 years. It could be noted that MRC tended to develop at younger ages. For the MP variant, the gender ratio was 1.37 in favor of men, while for the MM variant it was 1.16, 1.31 for the Mm and 1.6 in the case of signet ring type. Most of the MRC were moderately differentiated forms, except for the SR form, poorly differentiated forms predominating. Well-differentiated forms were the most underrepresented, being more common in the Mm version. Regarding the biochemical type of mucin, MP and SR were characterized by acid mucins and sialomucin, while in the Mm type, there was a balance of acidic and neutral mucins. The prevalence of mucin acids, respectively sulfomucin, was characteristic to younger ages and poor prognosis.
Le logement social collectif : Entre la conception et l’usage-cas de la ville de M’sila-

La presente recherche a pour objectif d’evaluer le degre d’adaptation du logement social locatif aux besoins des usagers en confrontant la conception aux pratiques habitantes, l’urgence des besoins non satisfaits signifie que certains aspects qualitatifs de la conception des logements tels que sa capacite d’adaptation aux besoins des utilisateurs ainsi que sa performance ont ete negliges ou generalement mal consideres. Compte tenu de l’importance que revet le logement dans la relation entre l’homme et son cadre de vie, l’evaluation des besoins et de la satisfaction des usagers vis-a-vis de leurs espaces sont des elements essentiels. Notre recherche s’inspire de la methode d’evaluation post occupationnelle (EPO) largement diffusee dans les domaines de l’architecture et de l’urbanisme. Cette methode vise a evaluer la performance d’un bâtiment et place au centre de sa demarche l’appreciation qu’en font les usagers. Une EPO constitue de ce fait une excellente demarche pour produire un diagnostic sur les forces et les faiblesses d’un immeuble. Pour ce faire, nous avons choisi la methode d’enquete pour l’evaluation des besoins et de la satisfaction des usagers en se basant sur l’etude de cinq cites de logements sociaux locatifs situes dans la ville de M’sila. La methodologie de recherche est basee sur la combinaison du questionnaire, entretien et photographie, un echantillon de 240 menages ont ete interviewes et plusieurs indicateurs ont ete utilises pour evaluer les elements physiques et non physiques de l’environnement bâti, des transformations et des modes d’appropriation ainsi que la relation entre la satisfaction des usagers dans le logement et la perception des differentes caracteristiques de leur milieu de vie. Le traitement des donnees de l’enquete a ete realise apres encodage du questionnaire, puis analyse par le logiciel statistique «Sphinx». Un entretien a ete mene avec les acteurs concernes par la conception et la realisation du logement social et a ete traite par la methode d’analyse de contenu afin de faire ressortir leurs points de vue sur la conception et la qualite du logement. Les resultats de la recherche ont abouti a un certain nombre de recommandations qui sont applicables a la conception et a la gestion des futurs logements en Algerie.
The authority of appearance: How robot features influence trait inferences and evaluative responses

Recent research indicates that robots' physical appearance affects inferences about their social traits, but little research has examined how features may influence evaluative responses (i.e., liking of and willingness to interact). The current studies investigated how robot appearance and function affect evaluative responses. Across four experiments, we assessed how robotic facial features (Study 1) and roles (e.g., companion vs. military; Study 2) influence trait inferences and evaluative responses, and the relationship between them. Study 3 examined the association between robot facial features and roles, and Study 4 examined both facial features and roles to see which drove social judgments. Results indicated that trait inferences and evaluative responses vary in response to both facial features and roles. Trait inferences predicted, with differing strength, evaluative responses towards robots. When pitting facial features against roles, features accounted more strongly for judgments. Implications for human-robot interaction and robot design are considered.
Treatment Response to Olanzapine and Haloperidol and its Association with Dopamine D2 Receptor Occupancy in First-Episode Psychosis

Objective: Response to typical antipsychotic medication has been associated with achieving a level of striatal dopamine D2 receptor occupancy in the range of 65% to 70%. We undertook this study to determine whether response to the atypical antipsychotic olanzapine occurs at lower levels of D2 receptor occupancy. Method: Eighteen patients who presented with a first episode of psychosis were randomized to receive olanzapine 5 mg daily or haloperidol 2 mg daily in a double-blind design. We acquired positron emission tomography (PET) scans using the D2 ligand [11C]raclopride within the first 15 days of treatment to determine the percentage of D2 receptors occupied by the medication. According to response, dosage was then adjusted to a maximum dosage of 20 mg daily of either drug. PET scans were repeated after 10 to 12 weeks of treatment. Results: At the first PET scan, the 8 olanzapine-treated patients had significantly lower D2 receptor occupancies (mean 63.4%, SD 7.3) than those observed in the 10 patients treated with haloperidol (mean 73.0%, SD 6.1). When patients were rescanned following dosage adjustment, mean D2 receptor occupancies were greater than 70% in both groups. D2 receptor occupancies did not differ significantly between the olanzapine-treated group (mean 72.0%, SD 5.7) and the haloperidol-treated group (mean 78.7%, SD 7.6). Conclusions: These results suggest that, in patients being treated for a first episode of psychosis, olanzapine has its antipsychotic effect at approximately the same levels of D2 receptor occupancy as are achieved with low dosages of haloperidol.
Pseudomonas bacteremia: pharmacologic and other bases for failure of treatment with gentamicin.

The species Pseudomonas aeruginosa is sensitive to gentamicin, but among 21 patients treated for pseudomonas bacteremia, only six were cured and 15 (71%) died. Seven patients with a rapidly fatal underlying disease died; five of eight considered to have ultimately fatal diseases died, and three of six patients with nonfatal primary diseases died. The dose was not predictive of the level in serum, and most patients received a suboptimal dose. The concentration in the serum was directly related to eradication of bacteremia and survival of the patient. The protective level in serum corroborated the in-vitro sensitivity tests. Gentamicin had a slow maximal bactericidal rate on Pseudomonas. Leukemic leukocytes in leukemic serum were less effective than normal leukocytes in normal serum in killing P. aeruginosa. The high fatality rate from pseudomonas bacteremia results from inadequate treatment, resistance of the organism to killing, and defective defense mechanisms in the patients. Proper use of gentamicin should cure patients if they do not have fatal underlying diseases.
Molecular Epidemiology of EBNA-1 Substrains of Epstein-Barr Virus in Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorders Which Have Infrequent p53 Mutations

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs), which are highly associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection, have a low frequency of molecular genetic abnormalities. Recently it has been suggested certain EBV substrains may be associated with specific lymphoma subtypes. The goals of our study were two fold: 1) to determine the prevalence of EBNA-1 substrains and prognostic utility in PTLD and 2) to determine the incidence of p53 gene mutations and p53 protein overexpression in 32 EBV-positive PTLD cases. Tumor DNA was sequenced to identify EBNA-1 substrains at codon 487 and p53 gene mutations in exons 5-8. The PTLD samples contained the following EBNA-1 substrains: P-thr in 17/32 (53%), P-ala in 11/32 (34%), and V-leu in 4/32 (13%). More heterogeneity within major subtypes was seen in the PTLD cases than in the referral group. A second group of 25 referral (non-PTLD) samples including infectious mononucleosis (6) and sequential EBV positive virology samples (19) contained P-thr in 17/25 (68%); P-ala in 2/25 (8%); and V-leu in 6/25 (24%). In the 29 B-cell PTLD the time to presentation was an average of 13.3 months in the P-ala group, 16.6 months in the P-thr group, and 40.6 months in the V-leu group: (p>0.05). There was no difference in survival in patients (median overall - 60 months) between the three different substrains of EBNA-1 (Log rank test, p=0.39). One of 31 (4.1%) cases (a diffuse large cell B-cell) had a p53 mutation. Seven of 31 (23%) cases (all B-cell), including the p53 mutated case, had over-expression of p53 protein. We conclude EBNA-1 substrains vary in PTLD and suggest the pattern reflects the geographical incidence of substrains in the region. We also conclude p53 mutations are not a significant molecular genetic abnormality in PTLD.
Noninvasive vascular elastography for carotid artery characterization on subjects without previous history of atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND Noninvasive vascular ultrasound elastography (NIVE) was recently introduced to assess mechanical properties (strain or elasticity) of peripheral vessel walls. The goal of this study was to determine strain values in subjects with normal carotid arteries and the reproducibility of these measurements. METHODS Sixteen individuals without previous history of carotid atherosclerosis were recruited in four age categories [40-49], [50-59], [60-69], and [70-79] years old. The left and right common and internal carotids (LCC, LIC, RCC, and RIC, respectively) were independently scanned by two radiologists (RAD-A and RAD-B). The axial strain elastograms were computed with the Lagrangian speckle model estimator. RESULTS Supported by Bland-Altman analyses, strain values between LCC and RCC were found similar with a Pearson correlation coefficient (r) of 0.83 (p < 0.0001). Equivalently, a good correlation was found between RAD-A and RAD-B for common carotids with r=0.80 (p < 0.0001). Lower strain values (p < 0.001) were measured for male common carotids (1.62 +/- 0.32%) than females (2.21 +/- 0.76%). Regarding the internal carotid strain measurements, the correlation was lower between RAD-A and RAD-B with r=0.52 (p=0.01), but drastically decreased between LIC and RIC (r=0.16, nonsignificant). Male internal carotid strain estimates (p=0.03) were lower (1.48 +/- 0.44%) than in females (1.84 +/- 0.64%). Additionally, male common and internal carotid mean elastic moduli varied from 33-106 kPa, whereas it covered a range of 25-67 kPa for females. Female carotids were more elastic (44 +/- 17 kPa) than males (58 +/- 17 kPa, p <0.001). CONCLUSION Strain measurements in common carotids were found reproducible. However, less consistency was observed for the deeper internal carotids. The NIVE imaging method still remains to be validated with pathological cases, but it might provide a unique approach for stroke prevention and characterization of vascular stiffness.