Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Writing Readiness Inventory Tool in Context (WRITIC): reliability and convergent validity.

BACKGROUND/AIM This study examined the reliability and convergent validity of the Writing Readiness Inventory Tool in Context, a measurement evaluating writing readiness in kindergarten children (aged from five to six years). METHODS Test-retest reliability was established with 59 children, inter-rater reliability with 72 children and convergent validity with 119 children. All participants were typically developing kindergarten children. Convergent validity was examined with the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration and the Nine-Hole Peg Test. RESULTS We found excellent test-retest and inter-rater reliability on the future norm-referenced subdomain 'Task performance' of Writing Readiness Inventory Tool in Context with intra-class correlation coefficient ranging from 0.92 to 0.95. On the other criterion-referenced subdomains, we found fair to good reliability with intra-class correlation coefficient ranging from 0.70 to 1.0 and weighted Kappa ranging from 0.30 to 0.89. Correlations with the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration and the Nine-Hole Peg Test were moderate with rs ranging from 0.34 to 0.40 and these are comparable with correlations in other handwriting studies. CONCLUSION Writing Readiness Inventory Tool in Context is an assessment of writing readiness that is stable over time and between raters. The expected moderate correlations with the Beery-Buktenica Developmental Test of Visual-Motor Integration and the Nine-Hole Peg Test support the construct of writing readiness.
Treatment of Complex Calcaneal Fractures with Bony Defects from Land Mine Blast Injuries with a Circular External Fixator

Four calcanei, which were massively destroyed as a result of blasting injuries from land mines, and 18 severely comminuted calcaneal fractures with bony defects (in one patient, both feet), also from land mines, were treated using a circular external fixator for reconstruction by osteogenic distraction. Because of the severe destruction of tissue to be treated, definitive orthopaedic treatment was delayed for 3 to 28 months (average, 10.1 months) after injury. Time from first use of the circular external fixator to removal of the apparatus ranged from 110 to 175 days (average, 143.7 days). Mean follow-up was 18 months. Of the 22 calcaneal injuries, 4 had excellent results, 11 good, 5 fair, and 2 had poor results. Better results were achieved in cases with lesser defects in bone and where definitive orthopaedic treatment was delayed until problems in soft tissue could be treated.
One-trocar surgery: a less invasive videosurgical approach in childhood.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE Laparoscopic techniques and instruments are evolving to lessen the invasiveness of this surgical approach. The authors present their experience with the videosurgical approach using only 1 trocar. METHODS Between October 1997 and January 2000 the authors performed 59 videosurgical procedures using a 1-trocar approach (mean age, 11.5 years; range, 4 to 18 years). A 10-mm Hasson trocar was inserted in an "open" fashion either through the umbilicus (laparoscopy) or below the apex of the 12th rib (retroperitoneoscopy). An operative laparoscope was used in all cases. The operations were 18 retroperitoneoscopic Palomo varicocelectomies, 1 retroperitoneoscopic renal biopsy, 38 appendectomies, and 2 ileal resections (Meckel's diverticulum, duplication cyst). For appendectomies and ileal resections, the corresponding intestinal loop was grasped and exteriorized through the umbilicus to perform conventional surgery. RESULTS Mean operating time was 50.9 minutes (range, 30 to 120) for laparoscopies and 44 minutes (range, 15 to 80) for retroperitoneoscopy. There were 11 conversions (8 appendectomies, 3 varicocelectomies) and no postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS "One-trocar surgery" is safe, effective, and fast with a low complication rate and excellent cosmetic results. The authors believe it is the least invasive as well as the most effective approach in the treatment of varicocele, appendicitis, and selected intestinal diseases.
Immunoreactive epitopes on an expressed recombinant flagellar protein of Borrelia burgdorferi

A recombinant Borrelia burgdorferi flagellin protein expressed in Escherichia coli is bound by a murine monoclonal antiflagellin antibody (H9724) and by antibodies in the sera of patients with Lyme disease. Immunoreactive epitopes on the flagellar protein were identified by immunoblot analysis of antibody binding to expressed truncated flagellar proteins. The epitope recognized by the murine monoclonal antibody is within the central heterologous region of the flagellar protein (amino acids 90 to 266). However, antiflagellin antibodies in the sera of patients with Lyme arthritis bound an epitope entirely within, or whose conformation was partly formed by, the 90 NH2-terminal amino acids of the flagellar protein. The binding of antibodies in the sera of patients with Lyme arthritis to the NH2-terminal region of the flagellar protein, a region with sequence homology to the flagellar proteins of other bacterial species, suggests the possibility that antigenic mimicry contributes to the immunopathogenesis of Lyme disease. The fact that human antibodies bind to a highly conserved and hence shared portion of the flagellin reduces the specificity of serological assays for the diagnosis of Lyme disease which use the flagellar protein as antigen.
Completeness of Kozen's Axiomatisation of the Propositional µ-Calculus

Propositional μ-calculus is an extension of the propositional modal logic with the least fixpoint operator. In the paper introducing the logic Kozen posed a question about completeness of the axiomatisation which is a small extension of the axiomatisation of the model system K. It is shown that this axiomatisation is complete.
Melatonin counteracts lipopolysaccharide‐induced expression and activity of mitochondrial nitric oxide synthase in rats

Mitochondrial nitric oxide synthase (mtNOS) is expressed constitutively, although it might be induced. Nitric oxide (NO) is a physiological regulator of mitochondrial respiration. Melatonin prevents mitochondrial oxidative damage and inhibits iNOS expression induced by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The loss of melatonin with age may be related to the age‐dependent mitochondrial damage. Thus, we examined the protective role of melatonin against the effects of LPS on mtNOS and on respiratory complexes activity in liver and lung mitochondria from young and old rats. The activity of mtNOS in control lung was low and did not change with age. LPS administration (10 mg/kg, i.v.) significantly increased mtNOS expression and activity and NO production in lung mitochondria, and the effect was greater in old rats. LPS administration also reduced the age‐dependent decrease of the respiratory complexes I and IV. Melatonin administration (60 mg/kg, i.p.) prevented the LPS toxicity, decreasing mitochondrial NOS activity and NO production. Melatonin also counteracted LPS‐induced inhibition of complexes I and IV. In general, the actions of melatonin were stronger in older animals than in younger ones. The results suggest that an inducible component of mtNOS, together with mitochondrial damage, occurs during sepsis, and melatonin prevents the mitochondrial failure that occurs during endotoxemia.
Identification of new putative susceptibility genes for several psychiatric disorders by association analysis of regulatory and non‐synonymous SNPs of 306 genes involved in neurotransmission and neurodevelopment

A fundamental difficulty in human genetics research is the identification of the spectrum of genetic variants that contribute to the susceptibility to common/complex disorders. We tested here the hypothesis that functional genetic variants may confer susceptibility to several related common disorders. We analyzed five main psychiatric diagnostic categories (substance‐abuse, anxiety, eating, psychotic, and mood disorders) and two different control groups, representing a total of 3,214 samples, for 748 promoter and non‐synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at 306 genes involved in neurotransmission and/or neurodevelopment. We identified strong associations to individual disorders, such as growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) with anxiety disorders, prolactin regulatory element (PREB) with eating disorders, ionotropic kainate glutamate receptor 5 (GRIK5) with bipolar disorder and several SNPs associated to several disorders, that may represent individual and related disease susceptibility factors. Remarkably, a functional SNP, rs945032, located in the promoter region of the bradykinin receptor B2 gene (BDKRB2) was associated to three disorders (panic disorder, substance abuse, and bipolar disorder), and two additional BDKRB2 SNPs to obsessive‐compulsive disorder and major depression, providing evidence for common variants of susceptibility to several related psychiatric disorders. The association of BDKRB2 (odd ratios between 1.65 and 3.06) to several psychiatric disorders supports the view that a common genetic variant could confer susceptibility to clinically related phenotypes, and defines a new functional hint in the pathophysiology of psychiatric diseases. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Eukaryotic Initiation Factor 4G-Poly(A) Binding Protein Interaction Is Required for Poly(A) Tail-Mediated Stimulation of Picornavirus Internal Ribosome Entry Segment-Driven Translation but Not for X-Mediated Stimulation of Hepatitis C Virus Translation

ABSTRACT Efficient translation of most eukaryotic mRNAs results from synergistic cooperation between the 5′ m7GpppN cap and the 3′ poly(A) tail. In contrast to such mRNAs, the polyadenylated genomic RNAs of picornaviruses are not capped, and translation is initiated internally, driven by an extensive sequence termed IRES (for internal ribosome entry segment). Here we have used our recently described poly(A)-dependent rabbit reticulocyte lysate cell-free translation system to study the role of mRNA polyadenylation in IRES-driven translation. Polyadenylation significantly stimulated translation driven by representatives of each of the three types of picornaviral IRES (poliovirus, encephalomyocarditis virus, and hepatitis A virus, respectively). This did not result from a poly(A)-dependent alteration of mRNA stability in our in vitro translation system but was very sensitive to salt concentration. Disruption of the eukaryotic initiation factor 4G-poly(A) binding protein (eIF4G-PABP) interaction or cleavage of eIF4G abolished or severely reduced poly(A) tail-mediated stimulation of picornavirus IRES-driven translation. In contrast, translation driven by the flaviviral hepatitis C virus (HCV) IRES was not stimulated by polyadenylation but rather by the authentic viral RNA 3′ end: the highly structured X region. X region-mediated stimulation of HCV IRES activity was not affected by disruption of the eIF4G-PABP interaction. These data demonstrate that the protein-protein interactions required for synergistic cooperativity on capped and polyadenylated cellular mRNAs mediate 3′-end stimulation of picornaviral IRES activity but not HCV IRES activity. Their implications for the picornavirus infectious cycle and for the increasing number of identified cellular IRES-carrying mRNAs are discussed.
Impact of Donor Characteristics on 2-Year Descemet Stripping Automated Endothelial Keratoplasty Outcomes in Patients With Fuchs Endothelial Dystrophy

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between donor tissue characteristics and surgical outcomes in patients with Fuchs endothelial dystrophy (FED) 2 years after undergoing Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK). Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed identifying 70 eyes with FED that underwent DSAEK. Donor endothelial cell density (ECD), donor death to preservation time, donor storage time, donor age, and postoperative recipient ECD were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed using univariate linear regression analysis and bidirectional elimination multiple stepwise linear regression. Results: Cornea donor age was a predictor of postoperative ECD at postoperative years 1 and 2 (P = 0.02, adjusted R2 = 0.07 and P = 0.002, adjusted R2 = 0.13, respectively). Donor age was also a predictor of postoperative ECD at years 1 and 2 after taking into account donor ECD, death to preservation time, and donor storage time (P = 0.02, adjusted R2 = 0.62 and P = 0.002, adjusted R2 = 0.12, respectively). Donor death to preservation time was a predictor of postoperative ECD at only postoperative year 2 (P = 0.03, adjusted R2 = 0.05). Donor storage time and donor ECD did not significantly impact postoperative ECD. Conclusions: Although donor age seems to have a statistically significant impact on postoperative ECD in patients with FED undergoing DSAEK, the relationship is weak. Other donor parameters did not have a consistent or significant impact on postoperative ECD.
Australian adolescents' attitudes and beliefs concerning pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood: the development, psychometric testing and results of a new scale.

Recent research suggests that many adolescents hold unrealistic and idealised beliefs about the likely consequences of pregnancy and parenthood. Such attitudes potentially play an important role in the aetiology of adolescent pregnancy. Disillusionment with reality may also contribute to postnatal depression, domestic violence and child abuse. This paper reports on the development of a scale to measure the prevalence of such beliefs. The scale was administered to a sample of 1546 Australian adolescents. Between one-quarter and one-third of the sample exhibited idealised beliefs, with males having higher levels of idealization. On factor analysis, the idealization construct comprised an overestimation of positive aspects and an underestimation of negative ones. Subjects reported that very few of their beliefs derived from formal educational input.
Trends in Stroke Attack Rates and Case Fatality in the Hunter Region, Australia 1996–2008

Background: The Hunter area in New South Wales, Australia, is a well-defined geographical area with a population of 578,486 (2006). This paper presents trends from 1996 to 2008 for prospectively registered hospital admissions of adults aged 20 years and above with acute stroke. Method: Crude, age-standardised and age-specific stroke attack rates per 100,000 population and case fatality rates at standard time points were calculated. A medical record audit of stroke and stroke mimics was undertaken to determine discharge coding accuracy. Results: 9,796 acute stroke events were registered among 8,830 individuals at 14 public acute hospitals. Crude and age-standardised attack rates decreased consistently from 1996 to 2008. Crude rates fell from 184 to 176 per 100,000 population and age-standardised rates from 129 to 106 per 100,000 (attack rate reduction of 0.85% per year, p = 0.027; and 2.38% per year, p < 0.001, respectively). Annual attack rates for females were on average 27.70% (p < 0.001) lower than for males. Age-specific rates fell for each age bracket between 45 and 74 years. Case fatality rates remained constant. There was a 97.5% proportion of agreement between audit and coding. Conclusion: This study demonstrates falling stroke attack rates but stable case fatality over 13 years in a mixed urban and rural population of New South Wales, Australia. It suggests benefits from cardio- and cerebrovascular prevention strategies; however, it also indicates that stroke remains a major disease burden in this region.
Emplacement and Crystallization Time for the Bushveld Complex

The Bushveld Complex formed by the crystallization of successive basaltic magmatism may be of the order of several million years. For example, the Columbia River Basalts (Hooper, injections of magma, which were sufficiently closely spaced in time that each previous magma had not cooled and differentiated 1988) were erupted in the period 17–12 Ma, with minor eruptions for a further 5 my, although most outpouring significantly before the addition of the next one. To constrain the emplacement and crystallization times, a thermal model is presented occurred within the first 2 my. It is now recognized that large intrusions were not emplaced in a single pulse, but which permits the investigation of the rate of cooling of magma in an intrusion repeatedly subjected to magma addition (and subresult from multiple magma injection. The question is how rapidly were magma chambers, such as the BC, traction). Such modelling indicates that magmas injected into the Bushveld Complex were emplaced within 75 000 years. At that filled and how much magma was involved. Answers are relevant to the dynamics of melt production, storage and time injection into the Complex ceased. The volume of rock in the Eastern and Western limbs is 370 000–600 000 km. However, transport in the mantle and crust. This paper describes a thermal modelling technique (not previously applied a quantitative evaluation of the Cr budget in the formation of chromitite layers indicates that large volumes of magma cannot be to magma chambers) which can be used to analyse this process, and to obtain an estimate of the emplacement accounted for in the preserved rock sequence. Similarly, an evaluation of the incompatible trace-element abundances, such as those for Zr time. To present this model it is necessary to discuss the stratigraphy, size, and connectivity of the different limbs and K, suggests that the chamber was open and that large volumes of differentiated magma escaped. The volume of magma therefore of the Bushveld Complex, and to consider the extent of tapping of the magma chamber as well as its filling. greatly exceeded the preserved volume of cumulate rocks, giving an estimated magma volume of over 1× 10 km. An average The term ‘Bushveld Complex’ has been given several meanings in the literature, and according to the South emplacement rate of 13 km/year is indicated by these calculations. African Commission on Stratigraphy (1980) includes not only the ultramafic–mafic layered rocks, but also the sills beneath the intrusion, volcanic rocks which pre-date the
Observations on the nutrition of digenetic trematodes

Both histological and histochemical studies have been made of the food, mode of feeding, gut cell structure and digestive sequences in a selected number of digenetic trematodes. The species investigated range from gut-dwelling trematodes feeding on the superficial epithelial tissues and associated mucoid secretions of the host to those forms living within the respiratory and circulatory system and feeding exclusively on blood. The mode of feeding is suctorial, brought about by the muscular pharynx and normal attachment process of the oral sucker. In one case there is evidence that this purely mechanical process is supplemented with enzymic secretions produced by the trematode which have a histolytic effect upon host tissues. On the basis of gut cell structure the species investigated are divided into those with cells and associated microvilli that vary in size and appearance so that the gastrodermal border is irregular in outline, and those with a gastrodermis comprising regular cuboidal or columnar cells bearing microvilli organized into a striated border. There is evidence to suggest that this difference in gut cell structure reflects differences in digestion. In all cases, gland cells are absent from the gastrodermis which is capable of both secretory and absorptive functions. Digestion is predominantly an extracellular process, but the exact sequence varies according to the nature of the food ingested and different degrees of adaptation are shown by the trematodes to the blood-feeding habit. The tissue-feeding species show less modification. I wish to thank Dr J. B. Jennings for helpful discussion and advice throughout the course of this work. The study was undertaken during the tenure of a Studentship from the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research.
Semi-automated separation of the epimeric dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloids lycopsamine and intermedine: preparation of their N-oxides and NMR comparison with diastereoisomeric rinderine and echinatine.

INTRODUCTION The diversity of structure and, particularly, stereochemical variation of the dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloids can present challenges for analysis and the isolation of pure compounds for the preparation of analytical standards and for toxicology studies. OBJECTIVE To investigate methods for the separation of gram-scale quantities of the epimeric dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloids lycopsamine and intermedine and to compare their NMR spectroscopic data with those of their heliotridine-based analogues echinatine and rinderine. METHODS Lycopsamine and intermedine were extracted, predominantly as their N-oxides and along with their acetylated derivatives, from commercial samples of comfrey (Symphytum officinale) root. Alkaloid enrichment involved liquid-liquid partitioning of the crude methanol extract between dilute aqueous acid and n-butanol, reduction of N-oxides and subsequent continuous liquid-liquid extraction of free base alkaloids into CHCl3 . The alkaloid-rich fraction was further subjected to semi-automated flash chromatography using boronated soda glass beads or boronated quartz sand. RESULTS Boronated soda glass beads (or quartz sand) chromatography adapted to a Biotage Isolera Flash Chromatography System enabled large-scale separation (at least up to 1-2 g quantities) of lycopsamine and intermedine. The structures were confirmed using one- and two-dimensional (1) H- and (13) C-NMR spectroscopy. Examination of the NMR data for lycopsamine, intermedine and their heliotridine-based analogues echinatine and rinderine allowed for some amendments of literature data and provided useful comparisons for determining relative configurations in monoester dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloids. A similar NMR comparison of lycopsamine and intermedine with their N-oxides showed the effects of N-oxidation on some key chemical shifts. A levorotatory shift in specific rotation from +3.29° to -1.5° was observed for lycopsamine when dissolved in ethanol or methanol respectively. CONCLUSION A semi-automated flash chromatographic process using boronated soda glass beads was standardised and confirmed as a useful, larger scale preparative approach for separating the epimers lycopsamine and intermedine. The useful NMR correlations to stereochemical arrangements within this specific class of dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloid cannot be confidently extrapolated to other similar dehydropyrrolizidine alkaloids. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.