Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The phylogenetic distribution, anatomy and histology of the post‐cloacal bones and adnexa of geckos

Post‐cloacal bones of gekkotans may be present as a single (medial) pair, two pairs (medial and lateral), or may be lacking. We, herein, demonstrate that the presence of a single medial pair is the ancestral condition for the Gekkota, that the lateral pair is of sporadic occurrence within and between families, except for the Eublepharidae where it is universal, and that absence is also of sporadic occurrence except for the Sphaerodactylidae where it is the ancestral condition. Adult male Tokay geckos (Gekko gecko) possess only the medial pair of bones, and these exhibit a regionally‐specific expression of woven, fibrolamellar, and lamellar bone, and an enclosed medullary cavity. Females and small juvenile males lack bony elements but exhibit a conspicuous band of dense connective tissue located about the anterior and lateral margins of the cloacal sacs. As males grow and attain sexual maturity, the medial post‐cloacal bones condense in this band of dense connective tissue, and are thus shown to be dermal ossifications, similar to osteoderms but with muscular associations (although this is also known for crocodylians). Based upon ontogenetic data we set forth a scenario to explain the loss of the medial post‐cloacal bones in various lineages. Differential staining of the cloacal sacs failed to reveal any specialized glandular structures. Investigation of the post‐cloacal spurs shows them to be associated with cellular connective tissue of a type similar to that found in the vicinity of the medial post‐cloacal bones. This suggests that the lateral post‐cloacal bones may also be dermal bones, but histological evidence is needed to corroborate this. J. Morphol. 277:264–277, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Longterm methotrexate therapy in psoriatic arthritis: clinical and radiological outcome.

OBJECTIVE To determine whether methotrexate (MTX) therapy for 24 months prevents progression of radiographic damage in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). METHODS Patients who were given MTX during their attendance at the psoriatic arthritis clinic were enrolled in the study. Patients who had never had MTX and who were matched by damage, actively inflamed joints, sex, and disease duration were identified from the PsA database as controls. The outcome measure was increase in the number of damaged joints. RESULTS The study population comprised 38 patients (16 F, 22 M) with a mean age of 44.6 years and disease duration of 11.4 years. Twenty-three patients continued therapy for 24 months. Clinical evaluation revealed that 45% of the patients had > or = 40% improvement in actively inflamed joint count at 6 and 24 months. Radiographs were available for 19 of the 23 patients who took MTX for 24 months, and they were compared to their respective controls. Radiographic damage scores at 24 months showed an increase in the damage score in 63% of the patients. Compared to the matched controls, there was no statistically significant difference in the progression in damage. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that compared to other regimens, MTX conferred no advantage with respect to clinical response or longterm damage even after 24 months of therapy.
Apoptosis in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is not restricted to motor neurons. Bcl‐2 expression is increased in unaffected post‐central gyrus

We searched for the presence of apoptotic cell death and studied the distribution of bcl‐2, an oncoprotein that counteracts apoptosis, in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Brain and spinal cord specimens from 12 ALS patients were compared with those from six non‐neurological controls. ALS brain tissue was pre‐selected by the presence of reactive cortical damage. Apoptosis was demonstrated by in situ end‐labelling of fragmented DNA, a method that is suitable for formalin‐bed, paraffin‐embedded tissue. All ALS patients exhibited some apoptosis, eight of them did so in each of the three central nervous system (CNS)‐levels studied. Apoptosis was not restricted to the motor system, but also affected other neuronal and non‐neuronal CNS elements. Apoptosis corresponded with cell shrinkage, and neuro‐nophagia in Nissl stains and with small Nissl‐positive bodies. None of the non‐neurological controls showed as much apoptosis as any of the ALS cases. Immunocyto‐chemically, the overall distribution of BcI‐2 did not differ between ALS and non‐neurological controls. In ALS, however, we found variable degrees of increased Bcl‐2 expressed in the nuclei and in the cytoplasm. We found no inverse relationship between apoptosis and bcl‐2 expression.
TRPV4 Channels in Human White Adipocytes: Electrophysiological Characterization and Regulation by Insulin

Intracellular calcium homeostasis in adipocytes is important for the regulation of several functions and is involved in pathological changes in obesity and other associated diseases. Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) channels are an important route for calcium entry that operates in a variety of cells and intervenes in a number of functions. In this study, the expression and operation of TRPV4 channels in human cultured adipocytes was evaluated using RT‐PCR, Western blotting, the whole‐cell patch‐clamp technique and fluorescence measurements to characterize these channels and determine intracellular calcium responses. Both the hypoosmolarity and 4alpha‐phorbol‐didecanoate (4αPDD), a specific TRPV4 agonist, induced a similar HC‐067047‐sensitive current, which was predominantly inward, and an intracellular Ca2+ concentration increase, which was exclusively dependent on extracellular calcium, and membrane depolarization. The current had a reverse potential of +31 ± 6 mV and exhibited preferential permeability to Ca2+. Insulin, which regulates metabolic homeostasis in adipocytes, attenuated the TRPV4‐mediated effects. These results confirm the function of TRPV4 in human cultured adipocytes and its regulation by insulin. J. Cell. Physiol. 231: 954–963, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The psychometric validation of the OAB family impact measure (OAB‐FIM)

Although overactive bladder (OAB) impacts patient health‐related quality of life, the impact of OAB on family members is not known. Presently, no validated instruments exist to assess family impact, thus we examined the psychometric properties of a new instrument, the overactive bladder family impact measure (OAB‐FIM).
Shorter implants in clinical practice: rationale and treatment results.

INTRODUCTION The use of shorter implants offers a number of potential advantages if such utilization yields the same level of treatment success as the use of longer implants. The purpose of this retrospective study was to assess the survival of short implants in various clinical situations in function over time. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective study was conducted of all patients treated between May 2000 and May 2007 who received endosseous implants that were less than 10 mm in length. Patient age, gender, location of implants, type of prosthesis, time in function, and stability of peri-implant crestal bone were assessed. RESULTS The retrospective analysis identified 2,073 implants of 6 mm, 7 mm, 8 mm, or 9 mm in length placed in a variety of clinical situations in 1,774 patients. Cumulative implant survival rates for implants in function in various areas of the mouth supporting single crowns or short-span fixed prostheses ranged from 98.1% to 99.7%. Each indication was examined with regard to individual success and failure rates and mean time in function. CONCLUSIONS When utilized appropriately, implants of 6 to 9 mm in length demonstrate cumulative survival rates under function comparable to those reported for longer implants.
Emulsan production by Acinetobacter calcoaceticus in the presence of chloramphenicol

When exponentially growing cultures of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus RAG-1 or RAG-92 were either treated with inhibitors of protein synthesis or starved for a required amino acid, there was a stimulation in the production of emulsan, an extracellular polyanionic emulsifier. Emulsan synthesis in the presence of chloramphenicol was dependent on utilizable sources of carbon and nitrogen and was inhibited by cyanide or azide or anaerobic conditions. Radioactive tracer experiments indicated that the enhanced production of emulsan after the addition of chloramphenicol was due to both the release of material synthesized before the addition of the antibiotic (40%) and de novo synthesis of the polymer (60%). Chemical analysis of RAG-1 cells demonstrated large amounts of polymeric amino sugars; it was estimated that cell-associated emulsan comprised about 15% of the dry weight of growing cells. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that a polymeric precursor of emulsan accumulates on the cell surface during the exponential growth phase; in the stationary phase or during inhibition of protein synthesis, the polymer is released as a potent emulsifier.
Effect of system and operational parameters on the performance of an immersion-cooled multichip module for high performance computing

Immersion cooling is making a resurgence for use in server applications driven by an increase in chip densities and the need for reduction in overall data center power usage. This paper focuses on pool boiling characteristics from an array of heaters which simulate electronic chips on a vertically-oriented printed circuit board. A pool boiling study was conducted on an array of four bare die using two different dielectric fluids; namely Novec 649 and HFE 7100, both with low global warming potential (GWP). Tests were conducted at two die spacings; 25mm and 10mm under two different pool conditions: saturated and 15°C subcooled representing a start-up transient. Data were collected for increasing and decreasing heat flux cycles. The flux dissipated was found to be 14.6 W/cm2 and 14.2 W/cm2 with Novec 649 and HFE 7100 respectively for the test board with 10mm die spacings under subcooled conditions. These values are recorded at self-imposed maximum surface temperatures that ensured operation well below the critical heat flux. These flux values are quite high especially since they are attained without the need to modify the surface or add heat sinks. In an effort to increase thermal performance, tests were also conducted on dies spaced 25mm apart augmented with two different enhanced heat sinks featuring microporous and microfinned surfaces. Enhanced heat sinks performed better than bare die and the flux dissipated was found to be 18.87 W/cm2 and 18.31 W/cm2 using Novec 649 and HFE 7100 respectively under subcooled conditions. Additionally, these values were achieved at surface temperatures 15°C lower than the surface temperatures recorded by the bare dies for dissipating the same amount of heat. High speed images were obtained to provide a better understanding of nucleation characteristics.
In-patient falls: what can we learn from incident reports?

BACKGROUND a previous analysis of 12 months data from the National Reporting and Learning System offered useful insights on contributory factors for patient falls but was limited due to the small data set of free-text analysis (n = 400). A subsequent pilot study of 4,571 reports found an apparent difference in the contributory factors for patients described as having cognitive and physical impairments. OBJECTIVE to analyse 3 years national incident data (2005-08) to further explore the contributory factors of in-patient falls. METHODS a total of 20,036 reports (15% sample) were analysed by coding the free-text data field. Contributory risk factors were compared with the whole sample and explored with the Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests. RESULTS data were reported about the degree of harm (100% of reports), (un)witnessed status of fall (78%), location (47%), patient activity (27%), physical impairment/frailty (9.5%) and cognitive impairment/confusion (9.2%). Less than 0.1% of reports provided data about dizziness, illness, vision/hearing, and medicines. Overall, patients were more likely to be harmed when away from the bed space, mobilising/walking and by falling from the bed when not intending to leave the bed. CONCLUSIONS this analysis explored incident reports at a level of detail not previously achieved. It identifies significant contributory factors for fall locations and activities associated with physical and cognitive characteristics.
Sentinel lymph nodes in a swine model with melanoma: contrast-enhanced lymphatic US.

PURPOSE To determine if lymphatic channels and sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) with and without metastases can be detected with lymphatic ultrasonography (US) after peritumoral injection of a US contrast agent and to determine if lymphatic US can be used to assess SLNs for the presence of metastatic infiltration. MATERIALS AND METHODS Six swine with 17 melanomas were evaluated. Conventional gray-scale, color flow, and gray-scale phase-inversion harmonic US examinations were performed. A US contrast agent was administered in four sites around each melanoma (1-mL total dose). Lymphoscintigraphy was followed by injection of a blue dye and then dissection. SLNs identified at lymphatic US were characterized by two readers in consensus as normal or as having metastases; results were compared with histologic findings. Statistical analyses included the sign test and the kappa statistic. RESULTS Lymphatic US depicted 28 SLNs, while lymphoscintigraphy depicted 27 "hot spots" suspected of representing SLNs (including two false-positive findings). Dissection after blue dye injection helped identify 31 SLNs. There were no false-positive US findings for SLN detection. Five of six nodes not seen with lymphoscintigraphy were detected with lymphatic US. The accuracy of SLN detection was 90% (28 of 31) for lymphatic US and 81% (25 of 31) for lymphoscintigraphy (P =.29). Lymphatic US correctly depicted metastases in 19 of 20 SLNs, and five of the eight normal SLNs were correctly characterized, with an accuracy of 86% (kappa = 0.62). CONCLUSION Detection of SLNs with lymphatic US compared favorably with that at lymphoscintigraphy. Lymphatic US can depict metastases within the SLN, which was not possible with lymphoscintigraphy.
SPECIAL SERIES: ORIGINAL ARTICLES Using the outcome for imputation of missing predictor values was preferred

Background and Objective: Epidemiologic studies commonly estimate associations between predictors (risk factors) and outcome. Most software automatically exclude subjects with missing values. This commonly causes bias because missing values seldom occur completely at random (MCAR) but rather selectively based on other (observed) variables, missing at random (MAR). Multiple imputation (MI) of missing predictor values using all observed information including outcome is advocated to deal with selective missing values. This seems a self-fulfilling prophecy. Methods: We tested this hypothesis using data from a study on diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. We selected five predictors of pulmonary embolism without missing values. Their regression coefficients and standard errors (SEs) estimated from the original sample were considered as ‘‘true’’ values. We assigned missing values to these predictorsdboth MCAR and MARdand repeated this 1,000 times using simulations. Per simulation we multiple imputed the missing values without and with the outcome, and compared the regression coefficients and SEs to the truth. Results: Regression coefficients based on MI including outcome were close to the truth. MI without outcome yielded very biasedd underestimateddcoefficients. SEs and coverage of the 90% confidence intervals were not different between MI with and without outcome. Results were the same for MCAR and MAR. Conclusion: For all types of missing values, imputation of missing predictor values using the outcome is preferred over imputation
Sequential combined therapy with omalizumab and rituximab: a new approach to severe atopic dermatitis.

BACKGROUND Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common chronic skin disease, and a significant percentage of AD patients have severe forms. Inflammation based on type 2 helper T cells (T(H)2), autoantibodies, and CD8+ T cells could play a relevant role in this disease. When the patient requires systemic immunosuppressors for disease control, side effects are frequent. We propose a sequential therapeutic strategy with 2 monoclonal antibodies, omalizumab (anti-immunoglobulin [Ig] E) and rituximab (anti-CD20), which might induce clinical benefit with few side effects in selected individuals with AD. METHODS We report 6 cases of severe AD refractory to conventional therapy. The patients underwent sequential switch therapy with omalizumab and rituximab. Clinical response was assessed by means of the decrease in body surface affected. Immunological parameters and side effects were also monitored. RESULTS Four patients received omalizumab before a high-dose cycle of rituximab. In the case of recurrences, either low-dose cycles of rituximab or omalizumab were administered. A long-term clinical benefit was observed in 3 out of 4 patients. Two patients first received high-dose rituximab followed by either low-dose rituximab or omalizumab, and one of them achieved a response at 17 months. No severe side effects were recorded. Serum IgE level and B-cell counts decreased with therapy, the latter returning to baseline levels 10 to 11 months after treatment. Specific antibody responses remained protective during the study. CONCLUSIONS With our proposed switch therapy, 4 out of 6 patients achieved a dramatic clinical improvement. This novel strategy targets different arms of the immune response and might be a good alternative for patients with severe AD.
Hand Motion Analysis Using the Imperial College Surgical Assessment Device: Validation of a Novel and Objective Performance Measure in Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral Nerve Blockade

Background and Objectives: The Imperial College Surgical Assessment Device (ICSAD) has been validated in various settings as an objective tool to measure technical performance. We sought to establish (1) the construct validity of the ICSAD as an assessment tool in ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block by determining its ability to discriminate between operators of different experience level and (2) the concurrent validity of the ICSAD by correlating it with a task-specific checklist and a global rating scale. Methods: We compared 30 performances of ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block by junior residents with 30 performances by highly experienced consultant anesthesiologists. We also studied 10 anesthesiologists undertaking a 1-year regional anesthesia fellowship and compared a performance in their first month to one in their last 3 months. We used the ICSAD to measure 3 dexterity parameters during the scanning and needling phases of each block: time taken, number of movements, and path length traveled by each hand. Two blinded expert observers evaluated video recordings of each block using a 30-item task-specific checklist and a 7-item global rating scale. Results: Consultants (experts) performed significantly better than residents (novices) on all ICSAD parameters in both scanning and needling phases. Fellows demonstrated improvement in all ICSAD parameters between their early and late performance, reflecting their transition from novice to expert. The task-specific checklist and global rating scale were also highly discriminating between novice and expert performances. There was excellent correlation between all 3 measurement tools, thereby establishing their concurrent validity. Conclusions: The ICSAD is both valid and useful in assessing performance of ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block.
On the Differences in Storm Rainfall from Hurricanes Isidore and Lili. Part II: Water Budget

Abstract Part I of this two-part paper examined the satellite-derived rainfall accumulation and rain potential history of Hurricanes Isidore and Lili (2002). This paper (Part II) uses analyses from the Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System (NOGAPS) to examine the water budget and environmental parameters and their relationship to the precipitation for these two storms. Factors other than storm size are found to account for large volumetric differences in storm total rainfall between Lili and Isidore. It is found that the horizontal moisture convergence was crucial to the initiation and maintenance of Isidore’s intense rainfall before and during its landfall. When the storm was over the ocean, the ocean moisture flux (evaporation) was the second dominant term among the moisture sources that contribute to precipitation. During Isidore’s life history, the strong horizontal moisture flux convergence corresponded to the large storm total precipitable water. The large difference in budget-derive.
The Human Lysyl-tRNA Synthetase Gene Encodes Both the Cytoplasmic and Mitochondrial Enzymes by Means of an Unusual Alternative Splicing of the Primary Transcript*

Two cDNAs encoding human lysyl-tRNA synthetase have been identified. One encodes the cytoplasmic form of the enzyme identified previously. The second cDNA contains the same sequence but with a 180-bp insertion at the 5′-end of the mRNA. This results in a predicted protein whose carboxyl 576 amino acids are identical to those of the cytoplasmic enzyme but with a different amino terminus of 49 amino acids that contains a putative mitochondrial targeting sequence. Expression of the two lysyl-tRNA synthetase-green fluorescent protein gene fusions in a human cell line confirmed that the cytoplasmic form was targeted to the cytoplasm and the mitochondrial form to mitochondria. The genomic lysyl-tRNA synthetase gene consisted of 15 exons. The two isoforms were created by alternative splicing of the first three exons of the gene. The cytoplasmic form was created by splicing exon 1 to exon 3. The inclusion of exon 2 between exons 1 and 3 produced an mRNA encoding the mitochondrial isoform with an additional upstream small open reading frame, consisting mainly of a portion of the 5′ coding region of the cytoplasmic isoform. This is the first example of mitochondrial targeting sequence being encoded on the second exon of a gene. Ribonuclease protection analysis showed that the mRNA encoding the cytoplasmic isoform makes up approximately 70%, and the mitochondrial isoform approximately 30%, of the mature transcripts from the lysyl-tRNA synthetase gene. The mitochondrial form of the enzyme, purified after expression in Escherichia coli, aminoacylated in vitro transcripts corresponding to both the cytoplasmic and mitochondrial tRNALys, despite the difference in the discriminator base sequence in the acceptor stems of these tRNAs.
Proteomics Identification of Cyclophilin A as a Potential Prognostic Factor and Therapeutic Target in Endometrial Carcinoma*

Endometrial carcinoma is one of the most common malignancies of the female genital tract, and there is an urgent need for discovery of novel factors for prognostic assessment and therapeutic targets to endometrial carcinoma. Herein a two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and MALDI-Q-TOF MS/MS-based proteomics approach was used to identify differentially expressed proteins in endometrial carcinoma. Of the 99 proteins identified, cyclophilin A was one of the most significantly altered proteins, and its overexpression was confirmed using RT-PCR and Western blot analyses. Immunohistochemistry suggested a link between cyclophilin A expression and poor differentiation and decreased survival (p < 0.01). Knockdown of cyclophilin A expression by RNA interference led to the significant suppression of the cell growth and the induction of apoptosis in endometrial carcinoma HEC-1-B cells in vitro (p < 0.01) and the inhibition of tumor growth in vivo (p < 0.01). These data suggest that cyclophilin A may serve as a novel prognostic factor and possibly an attractive therapeutic target for endometrial carcinoma.