Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parametric statistics for evaluation of the visual analog scale.

when the standard operative maximum wall suction might inadvertently be used to suction the neonatal oropharynx and trauma might be induced. There is no easy way to know during sections if suction is causing esophageal trauma because of the usual blood-stained amniotic fluid at cesarean delivery. Careful intubation of the newborn by skilled personnel is fundamentally important. Routine use of the bulb syringe and use of regulated suction only when indicated, and always below 100 mm Hg, are also important to avoid traumatic esophageal perforation in neonates.
Risk factors for recurrence of clinical signs associated with thoracolumbar intervertebral disk herniation in dogs: 229 cases (1994-2000).

OBJECTIVE To assess risk factors for recurrence of clinical signs associated with thoracolumbar intervertebral disk disease (IVDD) in dogs that had decompressive laminectomy without attempted prophylactic treatment of other disk spaces. DESIGN Retrospective study. ANIMALS 229 dogs. PROCEDURE Medical records of dogs that had decompressive laminectomy without prophylactic fenestration for a first episode of IVDD and were available for follow-up were reviewed. Information on 7 clinical and 8 radiographic potential risk factors were recorded. RESULTS Clinical signs associated with recurrence of IVDD developed in 44 (19.2%) dogs. Ninety-six percent of recurrences developed within 3 years after surgery. Recurrence developed in 25% of Dachshunds and 15% of dogs of other breeds combined. Number of opacified disks was a significant risk factor for recurrence. Risk increased with number of opacified disks in an almost linear manner; each opacified disk increased risk by 1.4 times. Dogs with 5 or 6 opacified disks at the time of first surgery had a recurrence rate of 50%. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE When all likely episodes of recurrence are considered and a long follow-up period is achieved, true rate of recurrence of IVDD appears to be higher than in many previous reports. Dogs with multiple opacified disks at the time of first surgery should be considered a high-risk subpopulation.
Frequency Estimation of Sinusoidal Signals in Multiplicative and Additive Noise

In this paper, frequency estimation of sinusoidal signals in multiplicative and additive noise is addressed. Based on the parametric localization of distributed sources and the minimax theorem, an eigenanalysis-based frequency estimator is proposed. Furthermore, we present processing and analysis for pseudofrequency estimates in the proposed method. Especially, a priori knowledge of multiplicative noise is not required as compared with the distributed signal parameter estimator (DSPE). Monte Carlo experiments are carried out to evaluate performance. Simulation results confirm that the proposed method provides better performance than the nonlinear least squares (NLS) approach and the conventional MUSIC algorithm for separating closely spaced sinusoidal signals in multiplicative and additive noise.
Identification of a Novel Coxsackievirus A16 Strain Isolated from the Clinic HFMD Sample in Hubei Province in 2010

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) and Coxsackievirus A16 (CoxA16) are two major pathogens of Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) that epidemic periodically among children and cause deaths occasionally. There is no effective vaccine or drug for HFMD to date. Here the whole genome of a clinic virus isolate GDV126（China Center for Type Culture Collection, CCTCC）of HFMD was sequenced in Hubei 2010. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrates that the virus belongs to CoxA16. Both phylogenetic and recombination analysis of GDV126 showed that the GDV126 was a recombinant strain of CoxA16. In addition, GDV126 had different cell tropism from EV71. This work demonstrated the genetic variations and evolution of the HFMD pathogens and implicated complication to prevent the disease.
A Stochastic Approximation Framework for a Class of Randomized Optimization Algorithms

We study a class of random sampling-based algorithms for solving general non-differentiable optimization problems. These are iterative approaches that are based on sampling from and updating an underlying distribution function over the set of feasible solutions. In particular, we propose a novel and systematic framework to investigate the convergence and asymptotic convergence rates of these algorithms by exploiting their connections to the well-known stochastic approximation (SA) method. Such an SA framework unifies our understanding of these randomized algorithms and provides new insight into their design and implementation issues. Our preliminary numerical experiments indicate that new implementations of these algorithms based on the proposed framework may lead to improved performance over existing procedures.
Effect of epilepsy magnetic source imaging on intracranial electrode placement

Intracranial electroencephalography (ICEEG) with chronically implanted electrodes is a costly invasive diagnostic procedure that remains necessary for a large proportion of patients who undergo evaluation for epilepsy surgery. This study was designed to evaluate whether magnetic source imaging (MSI), a noninvasive test based on magnetoencephalography source localization, can supplement ICEEG by affecting electrode placement to improve sampling of the seizure onset zone(s).
Rapid recognition at 10 months as a predictor of language development

Infants’ ability to recognize words in continuous speech is vital for building a vocabulary. We here examined the amount and type of exposure needed for 10-month-olds to recognize words. Infants first heard a word, either embedded within an utterance or in isolation, then recognition was assessed by comparing event-related potentials to this word versus a word that they had not heard directly before. Although all 10-month-olds showed recognition responses to words first heard in isolation, not all infants showed such responses to words they had first heard within an utterance. Those that did succeed in the latter, harder, task, however, understood more words and utterances when re-tested at 12 months, and understood more words and produced more words at 24 months, compared with those who had shown no such recognition response at 10 months. The ability to rapidly recognize the words in continuous utterances is clearly linked to future language development.
An accurate method for correction of head movement in PET

A method is presented to correct positron emission tomography (PET) data for head motion during data acquisition. The method is based on simultaneous acquisition of PET data in list mode and monitoring of the patient's head movements with a motion tracking system. According to the measured head motion, the line of response (LOR) of each single detected PET event is spatially transformed, resulting in a spatially fully corrected data set. The basic algorithm for spatial transformation of LORs is based on a number of assumptions which can lead to spatial artifacts and quantitative inaccuracies in the resulting images. These deficiencies are discussed, demonstrated and methods for improvement are presented. Using different kinds of phantoms the validity and accuracy of the correction method is tested and its applicability to human studies is demonstrated as well.
Effects of hybridization and life history tradeoffs on pathogen resistance in the Harvester ants (Pogonomyrmex)

A fundamental challenge faced by all organisms is the risk of infection by pathogens that can significantly reduce their fitness. The evolutionary dynamic between hosts and pathogens is expected to be a coevolutionary cycle, as pathogens evolve by increasing their level of virulence and hosts respond by increasing their level of resistance. The factors that influence the dynamics of adaptation by pathogen and host in response to one another are not well understood. Social insects live in dense colonies in high-pathogen soil environments, making them an ideal model system to study the factors influencing the evolution of pathogen resistance. In this thesis work, I investigated several alternative hypotheses to explain patterns of host resistance to entomopathogenic fungi in the harvester ant genus Pogonomyrmex: that high resistance is associated with high environmental pathogen loads, that local adaptation leads to increased resistance to coevolved pathogen populations, that life history tradeoffs increase allocation to resistance in harsher environments, and that increased genetic diversity caused by interspecific hybridization enhances inherent resistance. First, I characterized patterns of spatial variation in abundance and diversity of fungal pathogens among habitats of Pogonomyrmex species. I found 17 genera of fungi in the soil, six of which were entomopathogenic. Lower precipitation habitats, where P. rugosus occurs, had the lowest diversity, while the highest was experienced by the H lineage, one of two hybrid populations. When actual infection rates of field-caught workers were compared, the mesic-habitat P. barbatus was infected significantly more often. These results suggest that habitat does plays a role in fungal diversity, and that species are exposed to more entomopathogens may be more likely to get infected. Second, I tested experimentally whether hybridization and or habitat differences play a role in pathogen resistance by testing the effect of soil type and species identity on infection rates in pupae of the two species and their hybrids. This experiment showed P. rugosus ants had the highest inherent resistance to infection, supporting the life history tradeoff hypothesis. This suggest that Pogonomyrmex ants species are allocating their resources differently according to their environment, with more stressful environment leading to less investment in reproduction and more in protection against pathogens. Overall our study shows that environment plays a role in differences in infection risk, while genetic effects such as hybridization may not play a role in pathogen resistance.
Amifostine (WR2721) Confers DNA Protection to in Vivo Cisplatin-Treated Murine Peripheral Blood Leukocytes

Amifostine [S-2-3-aminopropil amino ethyl phosphorotioic acid], a modulator agent for antineoplastic drugs involved in free radicals generation has given controversial results in cisplatin treated leukocytes in vitro. We have evaluated the amifostine protection over leukocytes in vivo, using comet assay. Groups of five OF1 male mice were given one of three doses of amifostine (56, 105 and 200 mg/Kg) after a cisplatin single injection (10 mg/Kg). Serum malonyldialdehide levels, catalase and superoxide dismutase activity were also evaluated. Amifostine showed significant DNA protection (p< 0.01) at the two lower doses evaluated. Malonyldildehide decreased in all amifostine treatments with respect to cisplatin while antioxidant enzyme activities remained unchanged. However, DNA migration increased with the highest amifostine dose; in fact highest dose of amifostine did no protect damage caused by cisplatin this result have implications on amifostine treatment schedules in clinical practice.
Genetic alterations in human epithelial thyroid tumours

Thyroid tumours represent an appropriate model for the study of epithelial neoplastic transformation. Indeed, different types of tumours (benign adenomas, differentiated and anaplastic carcinomas) are well recognised, in vitro models which reproduce different degrees of neoplastic transformation are available and functional parameters (i.e. iodine uptake, hormone production, response to TSH stimulation) can be studied in vivo or in vitro. The roles of somatic mutations, gene rearrangement (s) and level of gene expression in carcinogenesis are now well established. Several techniques can be used to detect such genetic alterations in human tumours: 1) the gene transfer assay, which detects dominant oncogenes capable of inducing malignant transformation of receptor rodent cells (e.g. ras, ret, trk); 2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) ampli®cation, followed by differential oligonucleotide probing and/or sequencing that detect mutations or rearrangements; 3) hybridization with speci®c probes, able to detect polymorphisms or rearrangements in cellular DNA digested with speci®c restriction enzymes, and 4) the Northern, immunoprecipitation and Western techniques, able to determine the level of expression of a gene. The application of these techniques to thyroid tumours, has focused particular attention on the role of point mutations activating (or inhibiting) the genes for the TSH receptor (TSHR), ras, gsp, and p53 (Ito et al., 1992; Lemoine et al., 1988a,b, 1989; Lyons et al., 1990; Russo et al., 1995a,b, 1996; SuaÂrez et al., 1988, 1990, 1991; Yashimoto et al., 1992), speci®c rearrangements of the oncogenes ret and trk (Bongarzone et al., 1989; Bounacer et al., 1997; Fusco et al., 1987; Grieco et al., 1990; Santoro et al., 1992) and alterations in the pattern of expression of the oncogene met (Di Renzo et al., 1992; Ivan et al., 1997). In this review, we will analyse results concerning the activation of ras, gsp, TSHR, ret, trk and met and discuss whether these genes play an alternative or a complementary role in human epithelial thyroid `spontaneous' or radiationinduced tumorigenesis (the most frequent radiation-induced tumorigenic process in man). We will also discuss the role of tumour-suppressor genes in this process.
Lipid mobilization in cachexia: mechanisms and mediators

Purpose of reviewExtensive loss of body fat is considered as a hallmark of cancer cachexia which affects the quality of life and shortens survival. Evidence suggests that increased lipid mobilization has a central role in adipose tissue wasting. This review summarizes recent progress, with a particular focus on the mechanisms and the potential mediators of lipid mobilization in cachexia. Recent findingsAccelerated fat loss begins at around 7 months before death and predicts survival in advance cancer patients. Adipose tissue remodelling with reduced lipid storage is evident in cancer patients with cachexia. Enhanced lipolysis regulated by adipose triglyceride lipase and hormone-sensitive lipase could be essential for triacylglycerol degradation. In addition to cytokines, other factors such as zinc-&agr;2-glycoprotein (ZAG) are implicated in adipose atrophy. ZAG expression and release by adipose tissue is upregulated in weight-losing cancer patients, and serum ZAG has been shown as a marker for pancreatic cancer-associated cachexia, suggesting that ZAG may function locally and systemically to stimulate lipid mobilization. SummaryRecent progress in clinical and mechanistic studies provides some new insights into the pathogenesis of adipose atrophy in cachexia. Further studies to unravel the mechanisms and mediators may lead to novel pharmacological targets to ameliorate cachexia syndrome.
Influence of ageing and physical activity on vascular morphology in rat skeletal muscle

Key structural and functional properties of the skeletal muscle vasculature that underlie diminished vascular conductance with ageing remain obscure. The purpose of this investigation was to test the hypotheses that (1) reduced levels of spontaneous physical activity in old rats are associated with skeletal muscle vascular remodelling (e.g. arterial rarefaction), and (2) consequent to a vascular remodelling, calculated shear stress is maintained in feed arteries of aged muscle at levels commensurate with that in young. Activity during daily light and dark cycles (12–12 h) was measured at 30‐s intervals for 2 weeks in young (6 months; n= 9) and old (24 months; n= 9) Fisher 344 rats via telemetry. Subsequently, the gastrocnemius complex and soleus muscles were excised and all feed arteries were counted, isolated, cannulated and maximally dilated for measurement of luminal diameter. Resting blood flow was also measured to estimate vessel wall shear‐stress in the feed arteries perforating the soleus and gastrocnemius muscles. Overall, young rats were ∼1.6 times more active during dark periods and ∼4 times more active during light periods than old rats. In addition, young rats had approximately one additional feed artery perforating both the soleus (young, 3.3 ± 0.2; old, 2.6 ± 0.2 vessels; P < 0.05) and gastrocnemius (young, 8.8 ± 0.1; old, 7.5 ± 0.2 vessels, P < 0.05) muscles compared with old rats. However, average vessel wall shear stress at rest was similar between young and old rats (soleus: Y, 65 ± 5; O, 64 ± 5 dynes cm−2; gastrocnemius: Y, 329 ± 22; O, 327 ± 27 dynes cm−2) resulting from a larger vessel diameter in arteries from old rats. In conclusion, lower activity levels of old rats likely contribute to resistance artery rarefaction and, consequently, this provides a plausible mechanism for the altered blood flow patterns observed during exercise in aged skeletal muscle.
mTOR Regulation and Therapeutic Rejuvenation of Aging Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Rapamycin reverses aging-related declines in hematopoietic stem cell function. Restoring Hematopoietic Function Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function decreases with age, a process that likely contributes to the weakened adaptive immune response characteristic of older individuals. Chen et al. found that HSCs from old mice showed increased activation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling compared to those from young mice. Intriguingly, inhibition of mTOR with the drug rapamycin reversed aging-related declines in mouse HSC function and enhanced the ability of old mice to mount an effective immune response to infection with influenza virus. The authors thus propose that manipulation of mTOR signaling may lead to therapeutic approaches to restoring aging-related declines in HSC function. Age-related declines in hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function may contribute to anemia, poor response to vaccination, and tumorigenesis. Here, we show that mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) activity is increased in HSCs from old mice compared to those from young mice. mTOR activation through conditional deletion of Tsc1 in the HSCs of young mice mimicked the phenotype of HSCs from aged mice in various ways. These included increased abundance of the messenger RNA encoding the CDK inhibitors p16Ink4a, p19Arf, and p21Cip1; a relative decrease in lymphopoiesis; and impaired capacity to reconstitute the hematopoietic system. In old mice, rapamycin increased life span, restored the self-renewal and hematopoiesis of HSCs, and enabled effective vaccination against a lethal challenge with influenza virus. Together, our data implicate mTOR signaling in HSC aging and show the potential of mTOR inhibitors for restoring hematopoiesis in the elderly.
Unilateral sensorineural hearing loss: Analysis of 200 consecutive cases

The spectrum of diseases diagnosed and the protocol used in the investigation of 200 consecutive patients with unilateral sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is presented. The diagnostic tests found most useful in defining the site of the lesion were a combination of a well‐masked pure tone audiogram, speech discrimination score (SDS), acoustic reflex test (ART), and a vestibular evaluation using photoelectric nystagmography (PENG) and the Torok Monothermal Differential Caloric Test. With this protocol, the site of the lesion was correctly defined in 94% of patients with unilateral progressive SNHL. Laboratory and radiological studies confirmed a variety of lesions other than acoustic tumors. It is, therefore, felt that the primary objective of investigations should be to define the site of the lesion rather than aim to diagnose a specific disease entity.
IL-18 and IL-12 induce intestinal inflammation and fatty liver in mice in an IFN-γ dependent manner

BACKGROUND In murine models of inflammatory bowel disease, colonic inflammation is considered to be caused by an aberrant Th1-type immune response. AIM To investigate if systemic administration of interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-18 to wild-type BALB/c mice induces liver injury and intestinal inflammation, and if pathological changes are observed, what cytokines are involved. METHODS Mice (BALB/c-wild-type (wt), MRL-lpr/lpr, BALB/c-interferon γ knock out (IFN-γ KO), C57BL/6-inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) KO, and BALB/c tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α) KO) were injected intraperitoneally each day with IL-12 (20 ng/g/mouse) and/or IL-18 (200 ng/g/mouse). RESULTS Administration of IL-12 and IL-18 to BALB/c-wt mice induced prominent intestinal mucosal inflammation and fatty liver, leading to piloerection, bloody diarrhoea, and weight loss. IL-12 and IL-18 induced striking elevations in serum levels of IFN-γ that caused NO production, although increased NO had no exacerbating effect on mice. Moreover, iNOS KO mice, or MRL lpr/lpr mice lacking functional Fas were equally susceptible to IL-12 and IL-18. Administration of IL-12 and IL-18 did not induce TNF-α production in wild-type mice, and the same treatment to TNF-α KO mice induced intestinal mucosal inflammation. Furthermore, they had diffuse and dense infiltration of small fat droplets in their hepatocytes associated with an increase in serum levels of liver enzymes. In contrast, the same treatment in IFN-γ KO BALB/c mice and iNOS KO mice did not induce these changes. CONCLUSIONS Our study strongly indicates that IL-18 together with IL-12 induces intestinal mucosal inflammation in an IFN-γ dependent but TNF-α, NO, and Fas ligand independent manner, and fatty liver is dependent on IFN-γ and NO.
High-Performing Students with Low Critical Thinking Skills

This study focused on selected cognitive measures, work habits, and performance patterns of students with low critical thinking skills who achieved high grades in a large entry-level course. The high-performing low critical thinkers were compared on all target variables with both low critical thinkers who achieved low grades in the course and high critical thinkers who achieved high grades. The findings point to particular work habits that instructors could promote in helping low critical thinkers improve their course performance.
Exploring User Acceptance of Free Wireless Fidelity Public Hot Spots : An Empirical Study

Research regarding commercial and free wireless fid elity (Wi-Fi) public hot spots acceptance and adoption is sketchy. Therefore , it has become imperative to understand the critical factors that affect their acceptance. The focus of this study is free Wi-Fi public hot spot users, with the objective to better understand their user acceptance. In doing so, this study integrated two well-established initial acceptance models, specifically, the technology acceptance mod el and the diffusion of innovation theory. This study was conducted using an on-line sthat collected data from 129 users. It uses the Partial Least Square (PLS) techn ique to examine the relationship between variables. The results indicate that each c ritical factor has direct or indirect positive effects on current use and/or future use i ntention, which confirmed the majority of the proposed hypotheses. Relative advantage emer ged as the only construct with a direct positive effect on both current use and futu re use intentions.