Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of acoustic dynamic range on phoneme recognition in quiet and noise by cochlear implant users.

The present study measured phoneme recognition in cochlear implant users when the dynamic range of the input speech signals was reduced by either peak clipping or center clipping. In quiet, reducing the acoustic dynamic range to 30 dB still provides sufficient speech information for phoneme identification in cochlear implant users with 4-channel continuous interleaved sampler strategy and normal-hearing listeners listening to correspondingly degraded speech. Phoneme recognition decreased when the dynamic range was reduced below 30 dB: peak clipping was more detrimental to vowel recognition and center clipping was more detrimental to consonant recognition. However, in background noise, center clipping produced a small increase in speech recognition for cochlear implant listeners.
CpG methylation in the serotonin transporter gene (SLC6A4) promoter region is not associated with age or social rank of male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

Association between serotonin-mediated behaviors and gene expression within the SLC6A4 gene promoter region in rhesus macaques ( Macaca mulatta ) has been reported. We propose that a relationship exists between the methylation within the CpG island upstream to the promoter region of the SLC6A4 gene, and male rhesus macaque age and social rank. We used a method involving sodium bisulfite treatment followed by restriction digest and qPCR amplification to quantify the amount of CpG methylation upstream to the SLC6A4 transcriptional start site. A methylation range between 0 and 10% of the CpG block upstream to the SLC6A4 gene promoter region were detected in a majority of individuals. Consistent with previous studies, the results indicate that CpG methylation is present only in very low amounts in the region upstream to the rhesus macaque SLC6A4 gene. CpG methylation is not significantly associated with male rhesus macaque age or social rank. Journal of Nature and Science, 1(4):e72, 2015
Loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and caspase activation enhance apoptosis in irradiated K562 cells treated with herbimycin A

Purpose: We previously reported that herbimycin A (HMA) alters the mode of cell death of K562 cells induced by radiation and enhanced their radiosensitivity. In the present study, we explored the apoptosis-inducing activity of HMA and the fundamental mechanism via which it regulates radiation-induced cell death. Materials and methods: Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) cell line K562 was used. For X-irradiation and drug treatment, cells were plated at approximately 2 × 105 cells/ml. Exponentially growing cells were treated with 10 Gy of X-ray using a 6-MeV X-ray machine at a dose rate of 200 – 300 cGy/min. The cells were treated with 0.25 μM HMA immediately after irradiation and HMA remained for the entire culture period. The modes of cell death were discriminated by morphological changes, analysis of cell cycle, analysis of the mitochondrial events, and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins. Results: Our data demonstrates that radiation induced a significant time-dependent increase of cell death and failed to sustain a prolonged G2 arrest in K562 cells. Radiation-induced cell death caused the accumulation of cyclinB1 and weak nuclear fragmentation, suggesting a mitotic catastrophe. This mitotic catastrophe was dependent upon the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (PTP) opening and was independent of caspase-3. In contrast, K562 cells treated with radiation and HMA had an accelerated cell death and induced a p53-independent apoptosis. This apoptotic pathway was dependent upon an initial hyperpolarization of the mitochondrial inner membrane, following the release of cytochrome c and subsequent caspase-3 activation. Conclusions: Two mechanisms of radiation-induced cell death in K562 cells, mitotic catastrophe and apoptosis, are regulated through distinct pathways, mitochondria and caspase-independent and -dependent, respectively. The findings of this study may provide new insights into improving the efficiency of radiotherapy in CML patients.
Significance of the fractional excretion of urea in the differential diagnosis of acute renal failure.

BACKGROUND Fractional excretion of sodium (FENa) has been used in the diagnosis of acute renal failure (ARF) to distinguish between the two main causes of ARF, prerenal state and acute tubular necrosis (ATN). However, many patients with prerenal disorders receive diuretics, which decrease sodium reabsorption and thus increase FENa. In contrast, the fractional excretion of urea nitrogen (FEUN) is primarily dependent on passive forces and is therefore less influenced by diuretic therapy. METHODS To test the hypothesis that FEUN might be more useful in evaluating ARF, we prospectively compared FEUN with FENa during 102 episodes of ARF due to either prerenal azotemia or ATN. RESULTS Patients were divided into three groups: those with prerenal azotemia (N = 50), those with prerenal azotemia treated with diuretics (N = 27), and those with ATN (N = 25). FENa was low only in the patients with untreated plain prerenal azotemia while it was high in both the prerenal with diuretics and the ATN groups. FEUN was essentially identical in the two pre-renal groups (27.9 +/- 2.4% vs. 24.5 +/- 2.3%), and very different from the FEUN found in ATN (58.6 +/- 3.6%, P < 0.0001). While 92% of the patients with prerenal azotemia had a FENa <1%, only 48% of those patients with prerenal and diuretic therapy had such a low FENa. By contrast 89% of this latter group had a FEUN <35%. CONCLUSIONS Low FEUN (</=35%) was found to be a more sensitive and specific index than FENa in differentiating between ARF due to prerenal azotemia and that due to ATN, especially if diuretics have been administered.
Statistical Approach To Estimate Vaccinia-Specific Neutralizing Antibody Titers Using a High-Throughput Assay

ABSTRACT Because of the bioterrorism threat posed by agents such as variola virus, considerable time, resources, and effort have been devoted to biodefense preparation. One avenue of this research has been the development of rapid, sensitive, high-throughput assays to validate immune responses to poxviruses. Here we describe the adaptation of a β-galactosidase reporter-based vaccinia virus neutralization assay to large-scale use in a study that included over 1,000 subjects. We also describe the statistical methods involved in analyzing the large quantity of data generated. The assay and its associated methods should prove useful tools in monitoring immune responses to next-generation smallpox vaccines, studying poxvirus immunity, and evaluating therapeutic agents such as vaccinia virus immune globulin.
LARGE TYPICAL CELLS IN POISSON–DELAUNAY MOSAICS DANIEL HUG and ROLF SCHNEIDER Dedicated to Tudor Zamfirescu on the occasion of his sixtieth birthday

It is proved that the shape of the typical cell of a Poisson–Delaunay tessellation of R tends to the shape of a regular simplex, given that the surface area, or the inradius, or the minimal width, of the typical cell tends to infinity. Typical cells of large diameter tend to belong to a special class of simplices, distinct from the regular ones. In the plane, these are the rightangled triangles.
The influence of the Cole-Cole model coefficients on the parameters of the recovery voltage phenomena of paper-oil insulation

The paper presents the application of the Cole-Cole model for determining the runs of the return voltage of the paper-oil insulation sample through a computer simulation. Different insulation conditions were simulated through an adequate selection of parameters alpha and tau of the Cole-Cole model. For calculation purposes, a series-parallel substitute scheme, obtained through approximation of a discrete characteristic operator impedance Za of the model applied, was used. The diagnostics of the simulated insulation condition was based on the analysis of a few selected parameters of the return voltage, obtained from time characteristics.
Single-port video-assisted thoracoscopic mediastinal tumour resection.

OBJECTIVES To present the technique of single-port video-assisted thoracoscopic mediastinal tumour resection, which includes limited thymectomy, extended thymectomy, cyst excision and posterior mediastinal tumour excision, and the early results of resection with the use of this technique. METHODS Twenty-nine patients with mediastinal tumours were treated with single-port thoracoscopic mediastinal resection at Chung Gung Memorial Hospital between April 2014 and May 2015.The surgical intervention was performed through the fourth or fifth intercostal space at the anterior axillary line. A 5- or 10-mm 30° video camera and working instruments were employed simultaneously at this incision site throughout the surgery. The perioperative variables and outcomes were collected and analysed retrospectively. RESULTS Among the 29 cases included in the final analysis, 8 extended thymectomies, 5 limited thymectomies, 7 cyst excisions and 9 tumour excisions were performed successfully without the need for conversion. For the 29 patients who underwent single-port video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS), the mean operation time was 97.3 ± 31.2 min and the average blood loss was 34.1 ± 45.7 ml. The average length of the incision wound was 3.41 ± 0.76 cm and the average length of postoperative hospital stay was 3.75 ± 1.53 days. There were no mortalities, and mobility was achieved 30 days after surgery. CONCLUSIONS With regard to oncological concerns, the occurrence of postoperative myasthenia gravis or freedom from tumour recurrence is a paramount issue. Our cohort follow-up time was not long enough to address this, and more time and patients are needed for further evaluation. But our preliminary report showed that uniportal VATS for mediastinal tumour resection was a promising and safe technique with regard to short-term clinical outcome.
Digital dermatitis

Non Antibiotic Products Products used include bacteriocidal agents, for example, PVP-iodine and hydrogen peroxide/peroxyacetic acid as well as caustic agents, such as copper sulphate, formalin, peroxide based products, peracetic acid and others such as zinc sulphate. It is not certain however, how long these products will remain licensed for this purpose. Some alternatives would be antiseptics, acidified copper salts and organic acids with essential oils.
Treatment of Low-Risk Endometrial Cancer and Complex Atypical Hyperplasia With the Levonorgestrel-Releasing Intrauterine Device.

OBJECTIVE To assess efficacy of the levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine device (LNG-IUD) for treatment of complex atypical hyperplasia or low-grade endometrial cancer. METHODS This retrospective case series included all patients treated with the LNG-IUD for complex atypical hyperplasia or early-grade endometrial cancer from January 2003 to June 2013. Response rates were calculated and the association of response with clinicopathologic factors, including age, body mass index, and uterine size, was determined. RESULTS Forty-six patients diagnosed with complex atypical hyperplasia or early-grade endometrial cancer were treated with the LNG-IUD. Of 32 evaluable patients at the 6-month time point, 15 had complex atypical hyperplasia (47%), nine had G1 endometrial cancer (28%), and eight had grade 2 endometrial cancer (25%). Overall response rate was 75% (95% CI 57-89) at 6 months; 80% (95% CI 52-96) in complex atypical hyperplasia, 67% (95% CI 30-93) in grade 1 endometrial cancer, and 75% (CI 35-97) in grade 2 endometrial cancer. Of the clinicopathologic features evaluated, there was a trend toward the association of lack of exogenous progesterone effect in the pathology specimen with nonresponse to the IUD (P=.05). Median uterine diameter was 1.3 cm larger in women who did not respond to the IUD (P=.04). CONCLUSION Levonorgestrel-releasing IUD therapy for the conservative treatment of complex atypical hyperplasia or early-grade endometrial cancer resulted in return to normal histology in a majority of patients.
Foxp3-Mediated Suppression of CD95L Expression Confers Resistance to Activation-Induced Cell Death in Regulatory T Cells

CD4+CD25++Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) control self-reactive cells to maintain peripheral tolerance. Treg homeostasis has to be controlled tightly to ensure balanced Treg-mediated suppression. One mechanism that regulates the CD4+ T cell pool is activation-induced cell death (AICD). This is mimicked in vitro by TCR restimulation-induced expression of the death ligand CD95L (FasL/APO-1L/CD178) in expanded T cells. These cells express the death receptor CD95 (Fas/APO-1), and binding of CD95L to CD95 results in AICD. In contrast, Tregs do not undergo AICD upon TCR (re)stimulation in vitro despite a functional CD95 cell death pathway. In this study, we show that human and murine Tregs express low levels of CD95L upon stimulation. Knockdown of the transcriptional repressor Foxp3 partially rescues CD95L expression and AICD in human Tregs. Moreover, upon stimulation Foxp3-mutant Tregs from Scurfy mice express CD95L similar to conventional T cells. We further addressed whether exogenous CD95 stimulation provides a mechanism of Treg homeostatic control in vivo in mice. Triggering of CD95 reduced Treg numbers systemically as reflected by in vivo imaging and decreased GFP+ Treg numbers ex vivo. Our study reveals that Foxp3 negatively regulates CD95L expression in Tregs and demonstrates that Tregs are susceptible to homeostatic control by CD95 stimulation.
Brief treatment of emergency room patients with panic attacks.

OBJECTIVE Most research on treatment for panic disorder has involved chronic forms of the illness. To determine the efficacy of early intervention, the authors examined the effects of treatment for patients with panic attacks who were seen in the emergency room, which is the first point of contact with the health delivery system for many persons with panic attacks. METHOD The subjects were 33 patients with panic attacks seen in two emergency rooms. The presence of panic attacks was confirmed with a modified version of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-III-R; approximately 40% of the patients met the DSM-III-R criteria for panic disorder with agoraphobia. The patients were randomly assigned to groups receiving reassurance (N = 16) or exposure instruction (N = 17). Scores on the Fear Questionnaire agoraphobia subscale, Mobility Inventory, and Beck Depression Inventory and the frequency of panic attacks were determined at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. RESULTS The subjects who received exposure instruction significantly improved over the 6-month period on depression, avoidance, and panic frequency. The reassurance subjects did not improve on any measure and eventually reported more agoraphobic avoidance. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that early intervention with exposure instruction may reduce the long-term consequences of panic attacks. The exposure instruction was of value even though the subjects had relatively low levels of avoidance at the outset of the study.
Rotavirus Disease in Young Children from Hanoi, Vietnam

Background: Pathogen prevalences and antimicrobial susceptibilities are essential for the rational development of preventive strategies for diarrheal diseases, but little recent information from Vietnam is available. We prospectively studied the prevalence of enteric pathogens in children less than 5 years of age with acute diarrhea and in nondiarrhea controls in a city hospital in Hanoi, Vietnam for 1 year. Methods: Enteric bacteria and viruses were detected by standard culture methods, and enzyme immunoassay in 291 cases and 291 controls. Results: Detection rates of viral pathogens among cases and controls were 31% and 3% for rotavirus, 12% and 1% for astrovirus and 4% and 1% for adenovirus. For bacterial pathogens, Aeromonas, Shigella, Salmonella, Campylobacter and enterotoxigenic E. coli were isolated from cases and controls in 15% and 8%, 9% and 1%, 7% and 1%, 4% and 0%, and 3% and 0%, respectively. The isolation of bacterial and viral pathogens except for adenovirus was significantly lower in controls than cases. Fluoroquinolones were effective against most bacterial enteropathogens, but resistance was observed in 27% of Campylobacter isolates. Conclusions: Viral etiologic agents especially rotavirus were the most important cause of acute diarrhea in children less than 5 years of age in Hanoi. The burden of rotavirus in young children in Hanoi warrants consideration of using the recently released rotavirus vaccine.
Traumatic Thoracic and Lumbar Spinal Fractures: Operative or Nonoperative Treatment: Comparison of Two Treatment Strategies by Means of Surgeon Equipoise

Study Design. A center parallel cohort study with blinded inclusion based on clinical equipoise. Objective. To compare outcomes of nonoperative and operative treatment strategies in terms of quality of life and neurologic and functional status. Summary of Background Data. Despite a considerable body of literature, sound evidence regarding the optimal treatment for traumatic thoracic and lumbar spine fractures is lacking. Methods. Medical records of patients hospitalized for traumatic spinal fractures between 1991 and 2002 were identified in 2 trauma centers in the same country with established and different treatment strategies. Eligibility was retrospectively assessed for each case by a panel of orthopaedic surgeons who were representative of the 2 medical centers, and who were blinded to the treatment actually administered. Patients were included in the study when there was disagreement on the suggested treatment method. Thus, 2 comparable groups were identified undergoing nonoperative or operative treatment. Outcome assessment and comparison across groups focused on quality of life, residual pain, neurologic recovery, and employment in the middle-long-term follow-up. Results. Discordance in regards to choice of treatment was identified in 190 (95 treated nonoperative, 95 operative) of 636 potentially eligible patients. Patients were comparable regarding baseline characteristics, except for a somewhat higher proportion of males and neurologic impairment in the operative group. Seventeen percent of the nonoperative and 21% of the operative group developed complications and 3 patients displayed neurologic deterioration for which a treatment change was considered necessary. Follow-up was complete in 79%; mean follow-up time was 6.2 years with a minimum of 2 years. Pain scores, disability indexes, and general health outcome were comparable at follow-up. Compared with matched population norms, outcomes were poorer regardless of treatment method. Neurologic recovery was better in the operative group, but this difference did not reach statistical significance. Multivariate regression analyses revealed that female gender and neurologic impairment were independent predictors of poor functional outcome. Eighty-eight and 83% of the nonoperatively and operatively treated patients were employed at some point after a rehabilitation period. Conclusion. Overall outcome of nonoperative and operative treatment in middle-long-term follow up is comparable, although there seems to be a difference in neurologic recovery patterns. Studies on the cost-effectiveness of treatment options and the patterns of recovery within 2 years after injury would assist in guideline development and stimulate interest for future research.
Recent admixture generates heterozygosity–fitness correlations during the range expansion of an invading species

Admixture, the mixing of historically isolated gene pools, can have immediate consequences for the genetic architecture of fitness traits. Admixture may be especially important for newly colonized populations, such as during range expansion and species invasions, by generating heterozygosity that can boost fitness through heterosis. Despite widespread evidence for admixture during species invasions, few studies have examined the demographic history leading to admixture, how admixture affects the heterozygosity and fitness of invasive genotypes, and whether such fitness effects are maintained through time. We address these questions using the invasive plant Silene vulgaris, which shows evidence of admixture in both its native Europe and in North America where it has invaded. Using multilocus genotype data in conjunction with approximate Bayesian computation analysis of demographic history, we showed that admixture during the invasion of North America was independent from and much younger than admixture in the native range of Europe. We tested for fitness consequences of admixture in each range and detected a significant positive heterozygosity–fitness correlation (HFC) in North America; in contrast, no HFC was present in Europe. The lack of HFC in Europe may reflect the longer time since admixture in the native range, dissipating associations between heterozygosity at markers and fitness loci. Our results support a key short‐term role for admixture during the early stages of invasion by generating HFCs that carry populations past the threat of extinction from inbreeding and demographic stochasticity.
Effect of Heat Shock and Mutations in ClpL and ClpP on Virulence Gene Expression in Streptococcus pneumoniae

ABSTRACT Spread of Streptococcus pneumoniae from the nasopharynx to other host tissues would require the organism to adapt to a variety of environmental conditions. Since heat shock proteins are induced by environmental stresses, we investigated the effect of heat shock on ClpL and ClpP synthesis and the effect of clpL and clpP mutations on the expression of key pneumococcal virulence genes. Pulse labeling with [35S]methionine and chase experiments as well as immunoblot analysis demonstrated that ClpL, DnaK, and GroEL were stable. Purified recombinant ClpL refolded urea-denatured rhodanese in a dose-dependent manner, demonstrating ClpL's chaperone activity. Although growth of the clpL mutant was not affected at 30 or 37°C, growth of the clpP mutant was severely affected at these temperatures. However, both clpL and clpP mutants were sensitive to 43°C. Although it was further induced by heat shock, the level of expression of ClpL in the clpP mutant was high at 30°C, suggesting that ClpP represses expression of ClpL. Furthermore, the clpP mutation significantly attenuated the virulence of S. pneumoniae in a murine intraperitoneal infection model, whereas the clpL mutation did not. Interestingly, immunoblot and real-time reverse transcription-PCR analysis demonstrated that pneumolysin and pneumococcal surface antigen A were induced by heat shock in wild-type S. pneumoniae. Other virulence genes were also affected by heat shock and clpL and clpP mutations. Virulence gene expression seems to be modulated not only by heat shock but also by the ClpL and ClpP proteases.
Ab initio structure determination of 5-anilinomethylene-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-4,6-dione from laboratory powder data--a combined use of X-ray, molecular and solid-state DFT study.

The crystal structure of the title compound was solved from laboratory powder diffraction data in the triclinic group P\bar 1 by simulated annealing using the program DASH. Since Rietveld refinements yielded inaccurate geometries the structure was finally refined by geometry optimization using energy minimization in the solid state with the DFT/plane-waves approach. The molecule is essentially planar and its Meldrum's acid moiety (2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-4,6-dione) has a flattened boat conformation. The bond orders in the molecule estimated using a natural bond-orbitals formalism correlate with the optimized bond lengths. The structure in the solid state is based on dimer units in which the molecules are held by N-H.O and C-H.O hydrogen bonds in addition to electrostatic interactions. These units interact through weak C-H.O hydrogen bonds. It is suggested that structure refinement by energy minimization at the DFT level of theory may in many cases successfully replace Rietveld refinement.