Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distinguishing Osteomyelitis From Ewing Sarcoma on Radiography and MRI.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine whether clinical and imaging features can distinguish osteomyelitis from Ewing sarcoma (EWS) and to assess the accuracy of percutaneous biopsy versus open biopsy in the diagnosis of these diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS Three radiologists reviewed the radiographs and MRI examinations of 32 subjects with osteomyelitis and 31 subjects with EWS to determine the presence of 36 imaging parameters. Information on demographic characteristics, history, physical examination findings, laboratory findings, biopsy type, and biopsy results were recorded. Individual imaging and clinical parameters and combinations of these parameters were tested for correlation with findings from histologic analysis. The diagnostic accuracy of biopsy was also determined. RESULTS On radiography, the presence of joint or metaphyseal involvement, a wide transition zone, a Codman triangle, a periosteal reaction, or a soft-tissue mass, when tested individually, was more likely to be noted in subjects with EWS (p ≤ 0.05) than in subjects with osteomyelitis. On MRI, permeative cortical involvement and soft-tissue mass were more likely in subjects with EWS (p ≤ 0.02), whereas a serpiginous tract was more likely to be seen in subjects with osteomyelitis (p = 0.04). African Americans were more likely to have osteomyelitis than EWS (p = 0). According to the results of multiple regression analysis, only ethnicity and soft-tissue mass remained statistically significant (p ≤ 0.01). The findings from 100% of open biopsies (18/18) and 58% of percutaneous biopsies (7/12) resulted in the diagnosis of osteomyelitis, whereas the findings from 88% of open biopsies (22/25) and 50% of percutaneous biopsies (3/6) resulted in a diagnosis of EWS. CONCLUSION Several imaging features are significantly associated with either EWS or osteomyelitis, but many features are associated with both diseases. Other than ethnicity, no clinical feature improved diagnostic accuracy. Compared with percutaneous biopsy, open biopsy provides a higher diagnostic yield but may be inconclusive, especially for cases of EWS. Our findings underscore the need for better methods of diagnosing these disease processes.
Comparative Analyses of Prophage-Like Elements Present in Bifidobacterial Genomes

ABSTRACT So far, only scarce and rather diffuse information is available on bacteriophages infecting members of the genus Bifidobacterium. In the current study, we investigated the genetic organization, phylogenetic relationships, and, in some cases, transcription profiles and inducibility of 19 prophage-like elements present on the individual chromosomes of nine bifidobacterial strains, which represent six different species.
Hydrogen Sulfide Is an Endogenous Inhibitor of Phosphodiesterase Activity

Objective—Recent studies have demonstrated that hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is produced within the vessel wall from l-cysteine regulating several aspects of vascular homeostasis. H2S generated from cystathione &ggr;-lyase (CSE) contributes to vascular tone; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying the vasorelaxing effects of H2S are still under investigation. Methods and Results—Using isolated aortic rings, we observed that addition of l-cysteine led to a concentration-dependent relaxation that was prevented by the CSE inhibitors dl-propargylglyicine (PAG) and &bgr;-cyano-l-alanine (BCA). Moreover, incubation with PAG or BCA resulted in a rightward shift in sodium nitroprusside-and isoproterenol-induced relaxation. Aortic tissues exposed to PAG or BCA contained lower levels of cGMP, exposure of cells to exogenous H2S or overexpression of CSE raised cGMP concentration. RNA silencing of CSE expression reduced intracellular cGMP levels confirming a positive role for endogenous H2S on cGMP accumulation. The ability of H2S to enhance cGMP levels was greatly reduced by the nonselective phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine. Finally, addition of H2S to a cell-free system inhibited both cGMP and cAMP breakdown. Conclusion—These findings provide direct evidence that H2S acts as an endogenous inhibitor of phosphodiesterase activity and reinforce the notion that this gasotransmitter could be therapeutically exploited.
Pharmacokinetics of amoxicillin after oral administration in recently weaned piglets with experimentally induced Escherichia coli subtype O149:F4 diarrhea.

OBJECTIVE To measure the effect of Escherichia coli subtype O149:F4-induced diarrhea on the pharmacokinetics of orally administered amoxicillin in affected piglets relative to that of uninfected piglets. ANIMALS 22 healthy 4-week-old recently weaned Danish crossbred piglets. PROCEDURE 12 piglets were orally inoculated through gastric intubation with 10(9) CFUs of an E. coli O149:F4 strain and responded by developing diarrhea 12 to 16 hours later. Piglets were dosed with amoxicillin trihydrate solution (20 mg/kg) by gastric intubation. A control group of 10 age-matched piglets without signs of diarrhea was dosed similarly. Blood samples were obtained before amoxicillin administration and at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 6, 12, and 24 hours after amoxicillin administration. The plasma concentration of amoxicillin was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography. RESULTS A significant 39% decrease in the area under the plasma concentration versus time curve of amoxicillin was observed in piglets with diarrhea relative to that of control piglets. The maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) was significantly (52%) lower in piglets with diarrhea, compared with control piglets, while the elimination rate constant, time to reach Cmax, and elimination half-life were unchanged. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Escherichia coli-induced diarrhea may decrease systemic bioavailability of amoxicillin. Escherichia coli bacteria attach to the intestinal epithelial cells. Because it is assumed that the concentration of the antimicrobial at the site of infection reflects the systemic concentration, higher doses of amoxicillin in the treatment of piglets with E. coli O149:F4-induced diarrhea may be appropriate.
Schools-university partnerships for professional development: an impact assessment of the “lesson study” intervention on mathematics teachers in the Free State

School-university partnerships for professional development of teachers continue to be used extensively in South Africa to enhance the quality of teaching and learning, especially in mathematics. The success of such partnerships in changing teachers’ classroom practices, however, remains in doubt, in part because very few studies present empirical evidence of the changes. This paper assesses the impact of one such partnership, which resulted in perceived changes in teachers’ instructional practices and curriculum decisions after the intervention. Using retrospective pre-testing design, the study established that there were significant differences between teachers’ preand post-test scores, which suggests perceived changes in teachers’ instructional practices and curriculum decisions. The findings provide some empirical evidence that partnerships of this nature, between schools and universities, may prove valuable in attempts to improve the teaching of school mathematics, especially in the South African context.
Variation in PU.1 binding and chromatin looping at neutrophil enhancers influences autoimmune disease susceptibility

Neutrophils play fundamental roles in innate inflammatory response, shape adaptive immunity1, and have been identified as a potentially causal cell type underpinning genetic associations with immune system traits and diseases2,3 The majority of these variants are non-coding and the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, we profiled the binding of one of the principal myeloid transcriptional regulators, PU.1, in primary neutrophils across nearly a hundred volunteers, and elucidate the coordinated genetic effects of PU.1 binding variation, local chromatin state, promoter-enhancer interactions and gene expression. We show that PU.1 binding and the associated chain of molecular changes underlie genetically-driven differences in cell count and autoimmune disease susceptibility. Our results advance interpretation for genetic loci associated with neutrophil biology and immune disease.
The Role of Social Anxiety in Social Interaction Difficulties

Social anxiety was found to be the most common complaint in a sample of psychiatric patients reporting social interaction difficulties. High social anxiety was shown to be associated with impairments to social behaviour in socially anxious psychiatric patients and non-psychiatric volunteers. A comparison was made of systematic desensitization and a form of social skills training in the treatment of social interaction difficulties associated with high social anxiety. This indicated that while both therapies were effective in the reduction of social anxiety, the training programme was the more effective in reducing problem behaviour, but desensitization appeared to lead to a wider generalization of improvement as indicated by increases in social participation.
Rapid in vitro regeneration of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) cv. Kheneizi using tender leaf explant

Somatic embryogenesis has been accomplished from tender leaf base explant of date palm (Phoenix dactyliferaL.). Three to five mm long tender leaf base explants derived from the meristamatic region of 2-3 year old offshoots of date palm cv. Kheneizi were cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) basal medium supplemented with 10, 50, 100 and 150 mg l-1 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4-D) and incubated in dark for 6 weeks to initiate callus. Callogenesis was obtained in all 2,4-D concentrations tested; however, callus growth was most significant in media supplemented with 100 mg l-1 2,4-D. The leaf explants with callus were transferred to hormone-free MS medium for 4 weeks and then further sub-cultured to a medium supplemented with 0.5 mg l-1 ? -naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and 0.25 mg l-1 6-benzyl amino purine (BAP) which was effective in inducing shoot and root primordia within 10 weeks. In another 12 weeks, two more sub-culturing of shoot clumps in the same medium resulted in the development of shoot with roots and gave whole plants by 8 weeks. The plantlets were hardened and acclimatized to the ambient conditions and planted in pots, containing 1:1:1 peat, sand and dehydrated cow manure, which resulted in over 60% ex vitro plant survival. Early plant regeneration was achieved by this technique.
Utilization of Synthesized Zeolite for Improved Properties of Pyrolytic Oil Derived from Used Tire

This paper reports the investigation of zeolite NaY synthesized from kaolin, a locally abundant soil material found in the Benin City metropolis, Nigeria, as a suitable catalyst and its effect on the properties of pyrolytic oil produced from used tires. The pyrolysis process was conducted from a range of 1 to 10 wt. % of catalyst concentration to the used tire at an operating temperature of 600°C, heating rate of 15°C/min, and particle size of 6 mm. An increase in the catalyst weight gave a maximum yield of catalytic pyrolytic oil (CPO) of 21.3 wt. % at a catalyst-to-tire ratio of 7.5 wt. %. Although this was lower than the noncatalyzed pyrolytic oil yield (34.40 wt.%), the quality in terms of chemical composition and hydrocarbon fuel range varied from that of the noncatalyzed pyrolytic oil, as indicated by the FT-IR, NMR, and GC-MS analyses. From the GC-MS result, the CPO gave a benzene yield higher than that of noncatalyzed pyrolytic oil. The CPO benzene yield can be ranked as CPO (5 wt.%) > CPO (1 wt.%) > CPO (10 wt.%) > CPO (7.5 wt.%) > noncatalyzed pyrolytic oil. The catalyst also improved the yield of other valuable chemicals such as ethylbenzene, o- and p-xylene, styrene, toluene, quinoline, pyrene, thiophene, P-cresol, phenol, and limonene in the pyrolytic oil. For hydrocarbon range, the catalyst displayed the potential to increase the yield of carbon range (C6–C15), which is similar to gasoline (C6–C12) and kerosene (C11–C14), with a lower yield of diesel and fuel oils (C11–C20) when compared to the noncatalyzed pyrolytic oil.
Better Greedy Sequence Clustering with Fast Banded Alignment

Comparing a string to a large set of sequences is a key subroutine in greedy heuristics for clustering genomic data. Clustering 16S rRNA gene sequences into operational taxonomic units (OTUs) is a common method used in studying microbial communities. We present a new approach to greedy clustering using a trie-like data structure and Four Russians speedup. We evaluate the running time of our method in terms of the number of comparisons it makes during clustering and show in experimental results that the number of comparisons grows linearly with the size of the dataset as opposed to the quadratic running time of other methods. We compare the clusters output by our method to the popular greedy clustering tool UCLUST. We show that the clusters we generate can be both tighter and larger. 1998 ACM Subject Classification B.2. 4 Algorithms
Upregulation of ICAM-I by Plasmodium falciparum: in vitro and in vivo studies.

AIMS--To monitor the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule I (ICAM-I) in vitro after stimulation of human macrophages with Plasmodium falciparum antigens, as well as the plasma concentrations of soluble ICAM-I (SICAM-I) in vivo in malarial patients. METHODS--Human mononuclear leucocytes were cultured and stimulated for four hours with 300 ng/ml exogenous P falciparum antigens. CD14 and CD54 (ICAM-I) expression was monitored using flow cytometry. Soluble ICAM-I (s ICAM-I) was also measured in the blood of 122 outpatients with malaria before and after treatment (Rio Branco, Acre, Brazil). RESULTS--ICAM-I expression increased from 15% to 375% after four hours of stimulation. When sICAM-I was analysed in the plasma of 122 patients with P falciparum or Plasmodium vivax malaria by enzyme immunoassay, significant increases were found. These were more pronounced in patients with P falciparum malaria, compared with healthy controls, and with the same patients four weeks after treatment. CONCLUSION--ICAM-I expression may also be upregulated in human macrophages by exogenous Plasmodium antigens as well as by cytokines during the acute phase of malaria. sICAM-I concentrations are downregulated after treatment, probably caused by the absence of circulating Plasmodium antigens.
Cognitive stimulation for older people with Alzheimer's disease performed by the caregiver.

OBJECTIVE to learn the influence of cognitive therapy at home, conducted by the caregivers of older people with Alzheimer's Disease. METHOD a case study was developed with fi ve older people with Alzheimer's Disease and their caregivers. The stages of research development were: orientation with the caregivers; selection of older people and caregivers; approach of the study subjects at home; weekly meetings and reapplication of tests to follow up the cognitive function of the participants. RESULTS in three months it was possible to identify improved cognition, verified by the result of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The scores of the other tests (KATZ, LAWTON, CLOCK TEST and VFT) remained the same. CONCLUSION this strategy can be considered a light technology of nursing care for older people with dementia. When providing this care with the support of a nurse, caregivers re feel less anxious and understand the disease better.
Influence of herbicide tolerant soybean production systems on insect pest populations and pest-induced crop damage.

Conventional soybean weed management and transgenic herbicide-tolerant management were examined to assess their effects on soybean insect pest populations in south Georgia in 1997 and 1998. Soybean variety had very little impact on the insect species observed, except that maturity group effects were observed for stink bug, primarily Nezara viridula (L.), population densities on some sampling dates. Stink bugs were more abundant on the early maturing varieties in mid-season. Velvetbean caterpillar, Anticarsia gemmatalis Hübner, potato leafhopper, Empoasca fabae (Harris), and grasshoppers Melanoplus spp. were more numerous on either conventional or herbicide-tolerant varieties on certain dates, although these differences were not consistent throughout the season. Soybean looper, Pseudoplusia includens (Walker), threecornered alfalfa hopper, Spissistilus festinus (Say), and whitefringed beetles, Graphognathus spp , demonstrated no varietal preference in this study. Few weed treatment differences were observed, but if present on certain sampling dates, then pest numbers were higher in plots where weeds were reduced (either postemergence herbicides or preplant herbicide plus postemergence herbicide). The exception to this weed treatment effect was grasshoppers, which were more numerous in weedy plots when differences were present. In post emergence herbicide plots, there were no differences in insect pest densities between the conventional herbicides (e.g., Classic, Select, Cobra, and Storm) compared with specific gene-inserted herbicide-tolerant materials (i.e., Roundup and Liberty). Defoliation, primarily by velvetbean caterpillar, was different between soybean varieties at some test sites but not different between herbicide treatments. We did not observe differences in seasonal abundance of arthropod pests between conventional and transgenic herbicide-tolerant soybean.
Release of vasoactive peptides in the extracerebral circulation of humans and the cat during activation of the trigeminovascular system

The trigeminal ganglion was activated, in humans by thermocoagulation as part of the treatment of trigeminal neuralgia and in cats by electrical stimulation, and blood samples were taken from the external jugular vein for estimates of plasma levels of substance P and calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP). In those patients who were noted at the time of coagulation to have flushed there were marked elevations of the local (cranial) levels of both peptides. However, in the nonflushing patients no changes in the peptide levels were observed. Parallel experiments in the cat revealed that the levels of substance P—like and CGRP‐like immunoreactivity were increased during electrical stimulation of the trigeminal ganglion. The observation of elevation of substance P—like and CGRP‐like immunoreactivity after activation of the nociceptive afferent system of the head provides new insights into a putative role of peptides in the pathophysiology of migraine and cluster headache, and suggests new areas of possible therapeutic intervention.
Collaborative and Distributed Management of Versioned Model-driven Software Product Lines

Software Product Line Engineering promises a significant gain in productivity, yet with the addition of new challenges one of which is the increased complexity of collaborative development. This paper presents an approach to distributed and collaborative product line engineering based on a filtered editing framework that has been extended by multi-user support. Using filtered editing, the product line is developed in a single-version view in a local workspace and transparently organized in a local repository. The contributed conceptual extension orchestrates the evolution and synchronization of different copies of the repository. This way, local transactions realized by check-out and commit are complemented by remote transactions using the operations pull and push. The proposed approach has been implemented as an extension to the model-driven tool SuperMod backed by a REST-based web service, evolving the toolset to a distributed product line version control system. We discuss relevant design decisions and illustrate our contributions by several examples.
Arterial Spin Labeling Imaging Findings in Transient Ischemic Attack Patients: Comparison with Diffusion- and Bolus Perfusion-Weighted Imaging

Background: Since transient ischemic attacks (TIAs) can predict future stroke, it is important to distinguish true vascular events from non-vascular etiologies. Arterial spin labeling (ASL) is a non-contrast magnetic resonance (MR) method that is sensitive to cerebral perfusion and arterial arrival delays. Due to its high sensitivity to minor perfusion alterations, we hypothesized that ASL abnormalities would be identified frequently in TIA patients, and could therefore help increase clinicians’ confidence in the diagnosis. Methods: We acquired diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), intracranial MR angiography (MRA), and ASL in a prospective cohort of TIA patients. A subset of these patients also received bolus contrast perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI). Two neuroradiologists evaluated the images in a blinded fashion to determine the frequency of abnormalities on each imaging sequence. Kappa (ĸ) statistics were used to assess agreement, and the χ2 test was used to detect differences in the proportions of abnormal studies. Results: 76 patients met the inclusion criteria, 48 (63%) of whom received PWI. ASL was abnormal in 62%, a much higher frequency compared with DWI (24%) and intracranial MRA (13%). ASL significantly increased the MR imaging yield above the combined DWI and MRA yield (62 vs. 32%, p < 0.05). Arterial transit artifact in vascular borderzones was the most common ASL abnormality (present in 51%); other abnormalities included focal high or low ASL signal (11%). PWI was abnormal in 31% of patients, and in these, ASL was abnormal in 14 out of 15 cases (93%). In hemispheric TIA patients, both PWI and ASL findings were more common in the symptomatic hemisphere. Agreement between neuroradiologists regarding abnormal studies was good for ASL and PWI [ĸ = 0.69 (95% CI 0.53–0.86) and ĸ = 0.66 (95% CI 0.43–0.89), respectively]. Conclusion: In TIA patients, perfusion-related alterations on ASL were more frequently detected compared with PWI or intracranial MRA and were most frequently associated with the symptomatic hemisphere. Almost all cases with a PWI lesion also had an ASL lesion. These results suggest that ASL may aid in the workup and triage of TIA patients, particularly those who cannot undergo a contrast study.
Using E-Lifestyle to Analyze Mobile Banking Adopters and Non-Adopters

Because extant studies on mobile banking have typically considered respondents as a single group, which may yield cursory findings and a simplistic profile, this study clusters respondents based on their e-lifestyle and subsequently uses individual e-lifestyles as a moderator to investigate the e-lifestyle effects on mobile banking services adoption. By categorizing 613 respondents into five groups: digital laggards, traditional banking likers, digital followers, digital carers, and digital seekers, this study discovers that a person’s e-lifestyle significantly moderates the effects of individual attitudes, subject norms, and perceived behavioral control on their behavioral intention; although its moderating effect on the relationship between behavioral intention and actual behavior is insignificant. The comparison and analysis of five clustered customers further the current understanding about mobile banking adopters and non-adopters in Taiwan, which assists banks in effectively communicating with different e-lifestyle consumers.
Institutions, culture and migrants’ preference for state-provided welfare. Longitudinal evidence from Germany

Using the difference-in-differences estimator and data provided by the German Socio-Economic Panel, this article explores migrants’ preferences for state-provided welfare. The study finds evidence that over time, the preferences of immigrants and natives become more similar. We interpret this finding as evidence that the culture of home countries does not have a time-invariant effect, and that immigrants’ welfare preferences are subject to a socializing effect of the host countries’ welfare regime.