Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
How should a subarachnoid hemorrhage grading scale be determined? A combinatorial approach based solely on the Glasgow Coma Scale.

OBJECT The purpose of this study was to present a combinatorial approach used to develop a subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) grading scale based on the patient's preoperative Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score. METHODS There are 4094 different combinations that can be used to compress the 13 scores of the GCS into two to 12 grades. Break points, the positions in the scale in which two adjacent scores connote a significantly different outcome, are obtained by a direct comparison of the GCS and the Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS). Guided by the break points, the number of combinations to be considered can be limited. All possible combinations are statistically analyzed with respect to intergrade differences in outcome. Single combinations, with the maximum number of grades having maximum intergrade outcome differences for each corresponding set of adjacent grades, must be selected. The authors verified the validity of this combinatorial approach by retrospectively analyzing 1398 consecutive patients with aneurysmal SAH who underwent surgery within 7 days of the last hemorrhage episode. The patients' GCS scores were assessed just before surgery and their GOS scores were estimated 6 months post-SAH. The combinatorial approach yields only one acceptable grading scale: I (GCS Score 15); II (GCS Scores 11-14); III (GCS Scores 8-10); IV (GCS Scores 4-7); and V (GCS Score 3). CONCLUSIONS The combinatorial approach, guided by the break points, is so simple and systematic that it can be used again in the future when revision of the grading scale becomes necessary after development of new and effective treatment modalities that improve patients' overall outcome.
The Healing Journey

Help seeking is known to be a complex and difficult journey for people who self-injure. In this article, we explore the process of help seeking from the perspective of a group of people living in Northern Ireland with a history of self-injury. We conducted 10 semistructured interviews and employed a grounded theory approach to data analysis. We created two major categories from the interview transcript data: (a) “involution of feeling,” which depicts participants’ perspectives on barriers to help seeking; and (b) “to be treated like a person,” in which participants communicate their experiences of help seeking. The findings pose important implications for policy, practice, theory, and future research, including the need to increase the uptake of follow-up care among people who arrive at hospitals as a result of self-injury, self-harm, or suicidal behaviors.
Weighted Nadaraya-Watson estimation of conditional expected shortfall

This paper addresses the problem of nonparametric estimation of the conditional expected shortfall (CES) that has gained popularity in financial risk management. We propose a new nonparametric estimator of the CES. The proposed estimator is defined as a conditional counterpart of the sample average estimator of the unconditional expected shortfall, where the empirical distribution function is replaced by the weighted Nadaraya--Watson estimator of the conditional distribution function. We establish asymptotic normality of the proposed estimator under an α-mixing condition. The asymptotic results reveal that the proposed estimator has a good bias property. Simulation results illustrate the usefulness of the proposed estimator. Copyright The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com. , Oxford University Press.
GROWTH, YIELD AND NITRATE ACCUMULATION OF IRRIGATED CARROT AND OKRA IN RESPONSE TO NITROGEN FERTILIZATION

carota L. cv. T29). Treatments consisted of a control, 100, 150 and 200 kg N ha -1 . Significantly higher yields of carrot and okra were recorded at 150 kg N ha -1 . Nitrate concentration in both increased (> 35 to 200%) with increasing N. An excessive nitrate accumulation in both was recorded at 200 kg N ha -1 . Okra had 1.7 times higher nitrate accumulation than carrot. Early season okra had a significantly higher nitrate (~10%) than late season. Gross income and profitable return responded quadratically with increasing N. Results suggest that N fertilization of carrot and okra at 150 kg N ha -1 is optimum for economical yields with less accumulation of nitrate in vegetables.
Evolution of an Advocate

The coverage given to advocacy in the News Focus articles “Ecologists on a mission to save the world” by Jocelyn Kaiser (18 Feb., p. [1188][1]) and “A new breed of scientist-advocate emerges” by Kathryn S. Brown (p. [1192][2]) seems to fall into the journalistic “give the two extremes” trap. Over three decades, my ideas on advocacy have evolved, and I now have a personal file of past mistakes. The idea that science should (or can) be value-free is wrong. Scientists must make value judgments all the time—at the very least in the choice of projects (what is “worthwhile” investigating), in the choice of methods (for example, what level of impact on ecosystems or on individual organisms would be justified by the information gained), and in the interpretation of results (“the most important conclusion is…”). We cannot avoid such judgments: being steeped in values is part of being human. The success of science comes not from researchers' attempts to be objective, but from its adherence to rules (honesty, disclosure of procedures, attempts to disprove hypotheses) and its adversarial nature (peer review, replication by others, rewards for shifting the paradigm), and from the fact that nature serves as a final arbiter. When predictions are not met, it often points to where a system was misunderstood. Scientists' credibility should rest on openness about uncertainties, being clear if their own views oppose the consensus, readiness to change conclusions in response to new data, and persistence in telling policy-makers what they can reasonably expect from science. In addition, scientists who wish to be effective in helping change public policy on issues must increasingly participate in interdisciplinary research. In virtually all cases, society will be faced with difficult trade-offs, and scientists must help to clarify them. Scientists should not dictate what society wants, but rather interact vigorously with other scholars and the public to achieve ends that both are feasible and make sense scientifically. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.287. 5456.1188 [2]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.287. 5456.1192
Early dental management of patients with Mobius syndrome.

OBJECTIVE(S) The aim of this study was to evaluate the orofacial manifestations in patients with Mobius syndrome (MS), establish an early adequate dental treatment and discuss the possible etiology of all cases examined based on information about the gestational intercurrences. DESIGN Prospective study. SETTING Special Care Dentistry Center, School of Dentistry, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Subject(s) and methods: Twenty-nine patients with MS aged 0 to 4 underwent prospective dental examination as well as early orthodontic treatment. RESULTS All patients presented micrognathia, lack of lip seal, high arched palate and weak soft palate. The use of orthopedic appliances was recommended to all 29 patients, but only 13 adhered to treatment and were monitored for at least 24 months. We observed that, after 24 months of treatment, the palate was expanded and micrognathia became less severe in the majority of the cases. Pregnancy-related complications were reported by 27 (97%) of the 29 mothers. CONCLUSION(S) The early use of orthopedic appliances was important to prevent malocclusion and glossoptosis. Attempted abortion with misoprostol is associated with an increased risk of MS in infants.
Subjective well-being in China: Dimension re-test, structure validity, and generalizability

Using two Chinese samples, we retested the dimensionality of affect, tested the resultant model's structure validity, and examined the generalizability of subjective well-being using correlation analysis and factor analysis. We found empirical support for the independence of positive and negative affect which were not bipolar opposites on the same affect spectrum. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a three-factor construct fitted the data better than a one- or two-factor model, which was consistent with Diener et al's (1997) “tripartite theory”. Multiple indicators showed the three dimensions of subjective well-being had strong convergent and discriminant validity. Correlation with other constructs demonstrated they had strong criterion-related validity. Using Chinese samples to test the structure of subjective well-being also added a cross-cultural component to the literature and also indicated that the measure of subjective well-being could be generalized to Chinese employees.
Phytoremediation Efficacy of Salix discolor and S. eriocephela on Adjacent Acidic Clay and Shale Overburden on a Former Mine Site: Growth, Soil, and Foliage Traits

Plants regularly experience suboptimal environments, but this can be particularly acute on highly-disturbed mine sites. Two North American willows—Salix discolor Muhl. (DIS) and S. eriocephala Michx. (ERI)—were established in common-garden field tests on two adjacent coal mine spoil sites: one with high clay content, the other with shale overburden. The high clay content site had 44% less productivity, a pH of 3.6, 42% clay content, high water holding capacity at saturation (64%), and high soil electrical conductivity (EC) of 3.9 mS cm−1. The adjacent shale overburden site had a pH of 6.8, and after removing 56.5% stone content, a high sand content (67.2%), low water holding capacity at saturation (23%), and an EC of 0.9 mS cm−1. The acidic clay soil had significantly greater Na (20×), Ca (2×), Mg (4.4×), S (10×), C (12×) and N (2×) than the shale overburden. Foliar concentrations from the acidic clay site had significantly greater Mg (1.5×), Mn (3.3×), Fe (5.6×), Al (4.6×), and S (2×) than the shale overburden, indicating that these elements are more soluble under acidic conditions. There was no overall species difference in growth; however, survival was greater for ERI than DIS on both sites, thus overall biomass yield was greater for ERI than DIS. Foliar concentrations of ERI were significantly greater than those of DIS for N (1.3×), Ca (1.5×), Mg (1.2×), Fe (2×), Al (1.5×), and S (1.5×). There were no significant negative relationships between metal concentrations and growth or biomass yield. Both willows showed large variation among genotypes within each species in foliar concentrations, and some clones of DIS and ERI had up to 16× the Fe and Al uptake on the acidic site versus the adjacent overburden. Genetic selection among species and genotypes may be useful for reclamation activities aimed at reducing specific metal concentrations on abandoned mine sites. Results show that, despite having a greater water holding capacity, the greater acidity of the clay site resulted in greater metal mobility—in particular Na—and thus a greater EC. It appears that the decline in productivity was not due to toxicity effects from the increased mobility of metals, but rather to low pH and moisture stress from very high soil Na/EC.
Primary progressive multiple sclerosis as a phenotype of a PLP1 gene mutation

We report a 49‐year‐old woman with a history of progressive gait disturbance, white matter disease, and cerebrospinal fluid immunoglobulin abnormalities who met criteria for primary progressive multiple sclerosis and whose son died at age 10 years of an unknown congenital neurodevelopmental disorder. Sequencing of the proteolipid protein 1 gene showed a novel mutation, Leu30Arg (c.89T〉G), in the mother and son. Pelizaeus–Merzbacher disease is the cause of death in the son and explains the mother's adult‐onset neurological disorder. This case goes against dogma that mothers of severely affected sons are asymptomatic as adults and expands the differential diagnosis of primary progressive multiple sclerosis to include proteolipid protein 1 gene mutations. Ann Neurol 2005;58:470–473
The Prevalence of Arthritis

Estimates have been made of the prevalence of arthritis in various parts of the world during the past 40 years and widely differing figures have been reported. Estimates for rheumatoid arthritis for example have varied from 0.3 per cent in Greenland and 0.4 per cent in Cornwall, England, to 4 per cent in a recent survey in N.W. England and 11 per cent in Finland (Ehrstrom 1951; Hargreaves 1958; Lawrence 1961; Laing 1962). This may reflect racial and environmental influences on prevalence, as well as different methods of population sampling and criteria of diagnosis. The figures quoted refer to prevalences based on clinical diagnosis, but arthritis is often subclinical and detectable only on Xray. This applies particularly to the degenerative forms. Osteo-arthrosis for example is associated with symptoms in only some 25 per cent of cases. Rheumatoid arthritis, as determined radiologically by bone erosion at the joint margin, may similarly be found in the absence of a rheumatoid history (Kellgren and Lawrence 1956). Moreover, serology is capable of revealing the presence of rheumatoid serum factor in persons without clinical evidence of disease. Such persons have, in the past, been labelled 'false positives' but many are found to have radiological evidence of rheumatoid arthritis when subjected to routine radiography of the hands, feet and spine, and similar changes would no doubt be found elsewhere if a more thorough investigation were made. It is thus clear that a true picture of the prevalence of arthritis can only be obtained if routine clinical, radiological and serological checks are made on a population (or on a random sample thereof), regardless of whether symptoms are present or not. Such surveys have now been undertaken in several countries and useful information on 1
HIV‐1‐infected and/or immune‐activated macrophage‐secreted TNF‐α affects human fetal cortical neural progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation

Neurogenesis, tied to the proliferation, migration and differentiation of neural progenitor cells (NPC) is affected during neurodegenerative diseases, but how neurogenesis is affected during HIV‐1 associated dementia (HAD) has not been fully addressed. Here we test the hypothesis that HIV‐1‐infected and/or immune‐activated brain macrophages affect NPC proliferation and differentiation through the regulation of cytokines. We showed that human monocyte‐derived macrophages (MDM) conditioned medium (MCM) induces a dose dependant increase in NPC proliferation. Conditioned media from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐activated MDM (LPS‐MCM) or HIV‐infected MCM (HIV‐MCM) induced a profound increase in NPC proliferation. HIV‐infected and LPS‐activated MCM (HIV+LPS‐MCM) induced the most robust increase in NPC proliferation. Moreover, LPS‐MCM and HIV+LPS‐MCM decreased β‐III‐tubulin and increased GFAP expression, demonstrating an induction of gliogenesis and inhibition of neurogenesis. The increase of NPC proliferation and gliogenesis correlated with increases in production of TNF‐α by infected/activated MDM. Although both IL‐1β and TNF‐α induced NPC proliferation and gliogenesis, these effects were only partially abrogated by soluble TNF‐α receptors R1 and R2 (TNF‐R1R2), but not by the IL‐1 receptor antagonist (IL‐1ra). This indicated that the HIV‐1‐infected/LPS‐activated MCM‐mediated effects were, in part, through TNF‐α. These observations were confirmed in severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice with HIV‐1 encephalitis (HIVE). In these HIVE mice, NPC injected with HIV‐infected MDM showed more astrocyte differentiation and less neuronal differentiation compared to NPC injection alone. These observations demonstrated that HIV‐1‐infected and immune‐activated MDM could affect neurogenesis through induction of NPC proliferation, inhibition of neurogenesis, and activation of gliogenesis. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A Pilot Study of Self-Management-based Nutrition and Physical Activity Intervention in Cancer Survivors

ABSTRACT Exercise and a healthy diet are beneficial after cancer, but are not uniformly adopted by cancer survivors. This study reports on the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a self-management-based nutrition and exercise intervention for Australian cancer survivors. Adult survivors (n = 25) during curative chemotherapy (stratum 1[S1]; n = 11) or post-treatment (stratum 2 [S2]; n = 14) were recruited prospectively from a single center. The Flinders Living Well Self-Management Program™ (FLW Program) was utilized to establish patient-led nutrition and exercise goals and develop a tailored 12-wk intervention plan. Fortnightly reviews occurred with assessments at baseline, 6 and 12 wk. A recruitment and retention rate of 38% and 84% were observed. Both strata maintained total skeletal muscle mass. Small reductions in body mass index, hip circumference, and percentage body fat, and small increases in hand grip strength and exercise capacity among subjects in both strata were observed. No significant differences were observed between strata; however, significant increases in exercise capacity and global health status for S2 were observed from baseline to 12 wk. FLW Program is a feasible mode of delivering nutrition and exercise intervention to cancer survivors and it appears that there are no barriers to implementing this program early during chemotherapy. Hence, the additive effect of gains achieved over a longer duration is promising and this should be explored in randomized controlled trials adequately powered to observe clinically and statistically significant improvements in relevant outcomes.
Fast multi-area approach for distribution system state estimation

This paper presents the application of a fast two-step multi-area approach for state estimation in wide-area distribution systems. The possibility to perform Distribution System State Estimation (DSSE) in a multi-area framework, designing the methodology according to the configuration of the measurement infrastructure is assessed. In particular, the proposed methodology of multi-area DSSE considers areas with overlapping nodes and is generalized, with respect to previous literature, to deal with every possible measurement system. A new second step procedure has been also designed to obtain a computationally efficient refinement of the voltage profile. The proposed multi-area method can be performed in a decentralized way and with parallel processing, relying on limited data communication. Test results, obtained on the 123-bus IEEE test network, are presented and discussed.
Early syphilis: immunoglobulins reactive in immunofluorescence and other serologic tests.

Sera and serum fractions from 41 patients with darkfield-positive untreated primary and secondary syphilis were studied to reveal the immunoglobulins that are reactive in immunogluorescence and other serologic tests for syphilis. A monospecific indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) assay revealed that IgG is the major immunoglobulin class reactive with Treponema pallidum, and that smaller amounts of IgM and IgA antibodies may also react. IgG is the principal immunoglobulin operative in the fluorescent treponemal antibody-absorption (FTA-ABS) test, and in its predecessor tests, the fluorescent treponemal antibody 1:5 (FTA-1:5), and the fluorescent treponemal antibody-200 (FTA-200). “Sorbent,” or a sonicate of Reiter treponemes, which is used in the FTA-ABS test to distinguish syphilitic from nonsyphilitic sera, operationally acts mainly to prevent “natural” IgG antibodies in nonsyphilitic serum from reacting with T. pallidum. It does not prevent syphilitic IgG antibodies from reacting, and apparently it enhances their role relative to IgM and IgA antibodies. Reactivity in the Treponema pallidum immobilization (TPI) test and the Reiter protein complement-fixation (RPCF) test was found mainly in the 7 S fractions of sera as compared to the 19 S fractions. Absorbing a syphilitic serum with T. pallidum did not produce a measurable decrease in total levels of IgG, IgM, or IgA. Antilipoidal antibodies detectable in the VDRL slide test were found in both the 19 S and 7 S fractions of sera; the antibodies associated with primary syphilis were not confined to the IgM class. In the course of these studies, 19 S and 3.5 S IgG-related substances were noted to possess anti-T. pallidum reactivity, and IgA in the 7 S fraction of serum was observed to be functionally silent in contrast to IgA of higher weight.
Interferon γ-Induced Human Guanylate Binding Protein 1 Inhibits Mammary Tumor Growth in Mice

Interferon γ (IFN-γ) has recently been implicated in cancer immunosurveillance. Among the most abundant proteins induced by IFN-γ are guanylate binding proteins (GBPs), which belong to the superfamily of large GTPases and are widely expressed in various species. Here, we investigated whether the well-known human GBP-1 (hGBP-1), which has been shown to exert antiangiogenic activities and was described as a prognostic marker in colorectal carcinomas, may contribute to an IFN-γ-mediated tumor defense. To this end, an IFN-independent, inducible hGBP-1 expression system was established in murine mammary carcinoma (TS/A) cells, which were then transplanted into syngeneic immune-competent Balb/c mice. Animals carrying TS/A cells that had been given doxycycline for induction of hGBP-1 expression revealed a significantly reduced tumor growth compared with mock-treated mice. Immunohistochemical analysis of the respective tumors demonstrated a tightly regulated, high-level expression of hGBP-1. No signs of an enhanced immunosurveillance were observed by investigating the number of infiltrating B and T cells. However, hemoglobin levels as well as the number of proliferating tumor cells were shown to be significantly reduced in hGBP-1-expressing tumors. This finding corresponded to reduced amounts of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) released by hGBP-1-expressing TS/A cells in vitro and reduced VEGF-A protein levels in the corresponding mammary tumors in vivo. The results suggest that hGBP-1 may contribute to IFN-γ-mediated antitumorigenic activities by inhibiting paracrine effects of tumor cells on angiogenesis. Consequently, owing to these activities GBPs might be considered as potent members in an innate, IFN-γ-induced antitumoral defense system.