Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Biomechanical analysis of bone mineral density, insertion technique, screw torque, and holding strength of anterior cervical plate screws.

✓ The bone mineral density (BMD) of 99 cadaveric cervical vertebral bodies (C3-7) was determined using dual x-ray absorptiometry. The vertebral bodies were randomly assigned to receive either a unicortical (51 bodies) or bicortical (48 bodies) Caspar cervical plating screw. The initial insertion torque was measured using a digital electronic torque wrench, and the force required to withdraw the screw from the vertebral body was determined. The mean BMD for the total group of 99 was 0.787 ± 0.154 g/cm2, the mean insertion torque was 0.367 ± 0.243 newton-meters, and the mean pullout force was 210.4 ± 158.1 newtons. A significant correlation was noted between BMD and torque (p < 0.0001, r = 0.42), BMD and pullout force (p < 0.0001, r = 0.54), and torque and pullout force (p < 0.0001, r = 0.88). Although the BMD of the unicortical and bicortical groups was equivalent (p = 0.92), the insertion torque and pullout force differed significantly (p = 0.02 and p = 0.008, respectively) for the unicortical and bicortical groups. A holding index for each screw and insertion technique was defined as the product of the BMD and insertion torque. The calculated holding index and resultant pullout force were significantly correlated for both techniques of screw insertion (r = 0.92), and a significant difference in holding index was observed with unicortical versus bicortical screw placement (p = 0.04). The determination of BMD and measurement of insertion torque to create a unique holding index provides an assessment of bone-screw interaction and holding strength of the screw, both of which impact on the resultant stability of cervical instrumentation. As the number of cervical plating systems increases, the determination of a holding index for various screws and insertion techniques may assist in the comparison of cervical instrumentation.
Induction of CTL in vivo by major histocompatibility complex class I‐peptide complexes covalently associated on the cell surface

The identification of endogenously produced antigenic peptides presented by MHC class I molecules has opened the way to peptide‐based strategies for CTL induction in vivo. Here we demonstrate that the induction in vivo of CTL directed against naturally processed antigens can be triggered by injection of syngeneic cells expressing covalent major histocompatibility complex class I‐peptide complexes. In the model system used, the induction of HLA‐Cw3 specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) in mice by cell surface‐associated, covalent H‐2Kd (Kd)‐Cw3 peptide complexes was investigated. The Kd‐restricted Cw3 peptide 170–179 (RYLKNGKETL), which mimics the major natural epitope recognized by Cw3‐specific CTL in H‐2d mice, was converted to a photoreactive derivative by replacing Arg‐170 with N‐β‐(4‐azidosalicyloyl)‐L‐2,3‐diaminopropionic acid. This peptide derivative was equivalent to the parental Cw3 peptide in terms of binding to Kd molecules and recognition by Cw3‐specific CTL clones and could be cross‐linked efficiently and selectively to Kd molecules on the surface of Con A‐stimulated spleen cells from H‐2d mice. Photocross‐linking prevented the rapid dissociation of Kd‐peptide derivative complexes that takes place under physiological conditions. Cultures of spleen cells or peritoneal exudate cells from mice inoculated i.p. with peptide‐pulsed and photocross‐linked cells developed a strong CTL response following antigenic stimulation in vitro. The cultured cells efficiently lysed not only target cells sensitized with the Cw3 170–179 peptide but also target cells transfected with the Cw3 gene. Moreover, their TCR preferentially expressed Vβ10 and JαpHDS58 segments as well as conserved junctional sequences, as has been observed previously in Cw3‐specific CTL responses. In contrast, no Cw3‐specific CTL response could be obtained in cultures derived from mice injected with Con A‐stimulated spleen cells pulsed with the peptide derivative without photocross‐linking.
Both α2 and α3 GABAA receptor subtypes mediate the anxiolytic properties of benzodiazepine site ligands in the conditioned emotional response paradigm

Mice with point‐mutated α2 GABAA receptor subunits (rendering them diazepam insensitive) are resistant to the anxiolytic‐like effects of benzodiazepines (BZs) in unconditioned models of anxiety. We investigated the role of the α2 GABAA subtype in a model of conditioned anxiety. α2(H101R) and wildtype mice were trained in a conditioned emotional response (CER) task, in which lever‐pressing for food on a variable interval (VI) schedule was suppressed during the presentation of a conditioned stimulus (CS+) that predicted footshock. The ability of diazepam, ethanol and pentobarbital to reduce suppression during the CS+ was interpreted as an anxiolytic response. Diazepam (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 8 mg/kg) induced a dose‐dependent anxiolytic‐like effect in wildtype mice. At high doses, diazepam (2, 4 and 8 mg/kg) was sedative in α2(H101R) mice. Analysis of the anxiolytic properties of nonsedative diazepam doses (0.5 and 1 mg/kg), showed that α2(H101R) mice were resistant to the anxiolytic effects of diazepam. Equivalent anxiolytic properties of pentobarbital (20 mg/kg) and ethanol (1 and 2 g/kg) were seen in both genotypes. These findings confirm the critical importance of the α2 GABAA subtype in mediating BZ anxiolysis. However, as a compound, L‐838417, with agonist properties at α2, α3 and α5‐containing receptors, gave rise to anxiolytic‐like activity in α2(H101R) mice in the CER test, α3‐containing GABA receptors are also likely to contribute to anxiolysis. Observations that α2(H101R) mice were more active, and displayed a greater suppression of lever pressing in response to fear‐conditioned stimuli than wildtype mice, suggests that the α2(H101R) mutation may not be behaviourally silent.
Histological changes in parts of foregut of rat after indomethacin administration.

BACKGROUND Indomethacin, a non-steriodalanti-inflammatory drug, is used mainly for the treatment of painful joints such as rehumatoid arthritis, osteo-arhtritis, gout, ankylosing spondylitis etc. It relieves pain, reduces swelling and tenderness of the joints. It also induces ulceration of stomach and small intestine both in experimental animals and humans. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this study indomethacin was given intrapertioneally in maximum therapeutic dose (4 mg/Kg body weight) to three experimental groups B, C and D for one, two and three weeks respectively. Group A was the control group. RESULTS Effects were observed in stomach pylorus and proximal duodenum. In the stomach pylorus, well defined superficial ulcers were identified during initial two weeks of drug administration. The ulcer penetrated as for as muscularis mucosae and ulcer bed had coagulative necrosis and inflammatory cells. During third week, stomach pylorus showed minor damage in the form of focal necrosis. Duodenum was affected less than stomach and showed villi with lost tips, tilted and distorted villi. Morphometric analysis showed changes in stomach pylorus and in duodenum. The number of mitotic figure was significantly increased in stomach pylorus. Duodenum showed insignificant to significant decrease in the height of villi. Increase in the number of goblet cells, columnar cells, and mitotic figure was also noted; which was undoubtedly part of the tissue response to an injury. CONCLUSION These observations suggested that indomethacin given in a maximum therapeutic dose, initially induces lesions in stomach pylorus and proximal duodenum but almost no effects were noted when duration of the drug administration was prolonged.
Estimating carbon loss due to internal decay in living trees using tomography: implications for forest carbon budgets

The world’s forests sequester and store vast amounts of atmospheric carbon, playing a crucial role in climate change mitigation. Internal stem decay in living trees results in the release of stored carbon back into the atmosphere, constituting an important, but poorly understood, countervailing force to carbon sequestration. The contribution of internal decay to estimates of forest carbon stocks, though likely significant, has yet to be quantified, given that an accurate method for the non-destructive quantification of internal decay has been lacking. To that end, we present here a novel and potentially transformative methodology, using sonic and electrical resistance tomography, for non-destructively quantifying the mass of stored carbon lost to internal decay in the boles of living trees. The methodology was developed using 72 northern hardwood trees (Fagus grandifolia, Acer saccharum and Betula alleghaniensis) from a late-successional forest in northwestern Connecticut, USA. Using 105 stem disks corresponding to tomographic scans and excised from 39 of the study’s trees, we demonstrate the accuracy with which tomography predicts the incidence and severity of internal decay and distinguishes active decay from cavities. Carbon mass fractions and densities, measured and calculated from 508 stem disk wood samples corresponding to density categories, as predicted by sonic tomography, were used with stem disk volumes to generate indirect estimates of stem disk carbon mass accounting for decay, CSD, or assuming no decay, CND; these indirect estimates were compared with direct estimates calculated using stem disk mass, Cmass, and carbon mass fraction data. A comparison of three linear regression models with Cmass as the response variable and CSD or CND as the predictor variable ( C m a s s ∼ C S D , R2 = 0.9733, Model 1; Cmass ∼ CND, R 2 = 0.8918 ) demonstrates the accuracy with which CSD predicts Cmass. Forcing the C m a s s ∼ C S D regression through the origin resulted in improved metrics ( R 2 = 0.9930 , Model 2) for which a null hypothesis that y = x (Model 3) could not be rejected ( p < 0.000 01 ). For each of the study’s 72 trees, two estimates of lower bole carbon mass—Cbole, accounting for decay, and C b o l e − N D , assuming no decay—were obtained using all three models, with the difference between Cbole and C b o l e − N D used to estimate the proportion of the lower bole’s carbon lost to decay, % C d e c . Overall, tomography identified decay in 47 of the 72 trees, with % C d e c values ranging from 0.13% to 36.7%. No decay was detected by tomography in the remaining 25 trees. The combined uncertainty due to both measurement error and model prediction error was ±2.1% for all three models. These results demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed methodology in non-destructively quantifying the carbon loss associated with internal decay in the boles of living trees, and its applicability to studies aimed at measuring internal decay rates, and more accurately quantifying forest carbon stocks.
Is stroke thrombolysis safe and efficacious in Hong Kong?

OBJECTIVE To investigate the safety and efficacy of stroke thrombolysis in a local hospital. DESIGN Historical cohort study. SETTING A tertiary hospital in Hong Kong. PATIENTS The outcome of acute ischaemic stroke patients treated with intravenous tissue plasminogen activator between October 2008 and May 2011 was compared to those admitted during the same period who were thrombolysis-eligible, but treated conservatively due to unavailability of the thrombolysis service after-hours. INTERVENTIONS Intravenous tissue plasminogen activator. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Primary outcome was functional independence (modified Rankin Scale score of 2 or below) at 3 months. Safety outcomes were symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage and 3-month mortality. Secondary outcomes were hospital length of stay, direct home discharge, and nursing home discharge. RESULTS A total of 48 thrombolysis and 63 non-thrombolysis patients were identified. Fifty-two percent of the thrombolysis group achieved functional independence compared to 24% of non-thrombolysis group (P=0.003), without significant increase in mortality (15% vs 13%, P=0.51) or symptomatic intracranial haemorrhage (4% vs 2%, P=0.58). Twenty-nine percent of the thrombolysis group patients were discharged home directly, versus 6% of non-thrombolysis group (P<0.001). Mean length of stay was shorter for the thrombolysis group (25 vs 35 days; P=0.034). A similar percentage from each group was discharged to nursing homes. CONCLUSION Implementation of the stroke thrombolysis service in Hong Kong appeared safe and efficacious. Patients who received thrombolysis had better outcomes compared to non-thrombolysis cohort. Further studies are needed to investigate the economics of stroke thrombolysis in Hong Kong, which may help to improve funding for provision of this service.
Growth hormone regulates the sensitization of developing peripheral nociceptors during cutaneous inflammation

Abstract Cutaneous inflammation alters the function of primary afferents and gene expression in the affected dorsal root ganglia (DRG). However, specific mechanisms of injury-induced peripheral afferent sensitization and behavioral hypersensitivity during development are not fully understood. Recent studies in children suggest a potential role for growth hormone (GH) in pain modulation. Growth hormone modulates homeostasis and tissue repair after injury, but how GH affects nociception in neonates is not known. To determine whether GH played a role in modulating sensory neuron function and hyperresponsiveness during skin inflammation in young mice, we examined behavioral hypersensitivity and the response properties of cutaneous afferents using an ex vivo hairy skin-saphenous nerve-DRG-spinal cord preparation. Results show that inflammation of the hairy hind paw skin initiated at either postnatal day 7 (P7) or P14 reduced GH levels specifically in the affected skin. Furthermore, pretreatment of inflamed mice with exogenous GH reversed mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity in addition to altering nociceptor function. These effects may be mediated through an upregulation of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGFr1) as GH modulated the transcriptional output of IGFr1 in DRG neurons in vitro and in vivo. Afferent-selective knockdown of IGFr1 during inflammation also prevented the observed injury-induced alterations in cutaneous afferents and behavioral hypersensitivity similar to that after GH pretreatment. These results suggest that GH can block inflammation-induced nociceptor sensitization during postnatal development leading to reduced pain-like behaviors, possibly by suppressing the upregulation of IGFr1 within DRG.
Organizational Culture, Social Equity, and Diversity: Teaching Public Administration Education in the Postmodern Era

Abstract An important issue closely related to social equity in public service delivery is the teaching of diversity/diversity management in public administration education.This essay addresses this observation in two ways. First, it provides an overview of the traditional cultural environment of public organizations and offers a view of a social equity subculture. Second, the essay presents a perspective on teaching diversity in public administration education as a way of enhancing a social equity focus in the classroom. The premise of this essay is that social equity can best be achieved if public administrators, public managers, and public service delivery personnel have a clear understanding and appreciation of diversity and diversity management that is built into the organization’s culture. If social equity is seen as having a connection to diversity within a public organization, it may affect how well the organization advances social equity in the public service delivery process. A concluding thought of the essay is that the teaching of social equity and diversity must be included in public administration education coursework and curricula and that a concerted effort should be made to diversify—racially and ethnically—public administration faculty.
The C. elegans LIM homeobox gene lin-11 specifies multiple cell fates during vulval development

LIM homeobox family members regulate a variety of cell fate choices during animal development. In C. elegans, mutations in the LIM homeobox gene lin-11 have previously been shown to alter the cell division pattern of a subset of the 2° lineage vulval cells. We demonstrate multiple functions of lin-11 during vulval development. We examined the fate of vulval cells in lin-11 mutant animals using five cellular markers and found that lin-11 is necessary for the patterning of both 1° and 2° lineage cells. In the absence of lin-11 function, vulval cells fail to acquire correct identity and inappropriately fuse with each other. The expression pattern of lin-11 reveals dynamic changes during development. Using a temporally controlled overexpression system, we show that lin-11 is initially required in vulval cells for establishing the correct invagination pattern. This process involves asymmetric expression of lin-11 in the 2° lineage cells. Using a conditional RNAi approach, we show that lin-11 regulates vulval morphogenesis. Finally, we show that LDB-1, a NLI/Ldb1/CLIM2 family member, interacts physically with LIN-11, and is necessary for vulval morphogenesis. Together, these findings demonstrate that temporal regulation of lin-11 is crucial for the wild-type vulval patterning.
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Gag Contains a Dileucine-Like Motif That Regulates Association with Multivesicular Bodies

ABSTRACT Multivesicular bodies (MVBs) are cholesterol-enriched organelles formed by the endocytic pathway. The topology of vesicle formation in MVBs is identical to that of retroviral budding from the plasma membrane, and budding of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) into MVBs in macrophages has recently been visualized. The Gag proteins from HIV-1, as well as many other retroviruses, contain short motifs that mediate interactions with MVBs and other endocytic components, suggesting that Gag proteins directly interface with the endocytic pathway. Here, we show that HIV-1 Gag contains an internalization signal that promotes endocytosis of a chimeric transmembrane fusion protein. Mutation of this motif within Gag strongly inhibits virus-like particle production. Moreover, wild-type Gag, but not the internalization-defective mutation, can be induced to accumulate within CD63-positive MVBs by treatment of cells with U18666A, a drug that redistributes cholesterol from the plasma membrane to MVBs. We propose that HIV-1 Gag contains a signal that promotes interaction with the cellular endocytic machinery and that the site of particle production is regulated by the subcellular distribution of cholesterol.
Impact of childhood trauma and cognitive emotion regulation strategies on risk-aversive and loss-aversive patterns of decision-making in patients with depression

ABSTRACT Introduction: Although poor decision-making ultimately impairs quality of life in depression, few studies describe the clinical characteristics of patients suffering from dysfunctional decision-making. This study aims to delineate the effect of childhood trauma and other personality factors on risk-aversive and loss-aversive patterns of decision-making in patients with depression. Methods: A total of 50 depressive patients completed surveys for the measurement of sociodemographic factors, trauma loads and other clinical characteristics, including depression, anxiety, and strategies for emotion regulation. Risk aversion and loss aversion were quantified using probability discounting task and a 50:50 gamble on monetary decision-making task under specified risks. Stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the factors, predicting risk aversion or loss aversion in depression. Results: Childhood trauma was the most prominent factor predicting loss aversion in patients with depressive disorders. Overall maladaptive emotion regulation strategies were associated with risk aversion. Conclusion: Childhood trauma and specific strategies of emotion regulation contribute to risk or loss aversion in patients with depression. These findings may provide useful insight into elaborative evaluation and interventions to improve decision-making and quality of life in patients with depression.
B‐Myb regulates the A2B adenosine receptor in vascular smooth muscle cells

The A2B adenosine receptor (A2BAR) has been described to control various vascular functions, including inhibition of smooth muscle cell proliferation. Here, we sought to understand the regulation of A2BAR gene expression in aortic vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), with a focus on the proliferation phase. Assays with A2BAR‐β‐gal aortic VSMCs, in which the endogenous A2BAR gene promoter drives the expression of prokaryotic β‐galactosidase (β‐gal) instead of the endogenous A2BAR gene, show that β‐gal expression is upregulated when the cells are induced to exit from cell cycle arrest. Similarly, the level of A2BAR mRNA is upregulated in proliferating primary aortic VSMCs. In search of related mechanisms, it was noted that the A2BAR gene promoter contains several putative binding sites for the proliferation‐inducing transcription factor, B‐Myb. Using a clone of the 5′ region upstream of the mouse A2BAR gene linked to a reporter gene, B‐Myb site deletion mutants were generated. It was determined that B‐Myb upregulates the A2BAR gene promoter, and specific promoter binding sites were identified as functional. In accordance, B‐Myb also elevates endogenous A2BAR mRNA and receptor activity, and this activity decreases cell proliferation. Our data are novel in that they show that this proliferation‐inhibiting A2BAR is itself an inducible receptor regulated by B‐Myb. J. Cell. Biochem. 103: 1962–1974, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A Phenomenological Study of Educators' Perspectives of School Climate in Secondary Schools Implementing Positive Behavior Intervention and Support

Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) is a school-wide initiative implemented in many schools across the United States as an approach for addressing discipline concerns and promoting a positive school climate. This study used a phenomenological design to examine the school climate perceptions of 13 staff member from three secondary schools from two school districts in the southeastern region of North Carolina that were implementing PBIS with fidelity. The transformative learning theory, which explains how knowledge may be obtained from lived experiences of individuals, guided the research study in examining three research questions: (a) How do select secondary school staff members describe the influence on school climate of implementing PBIS with fidelity? (b) What benefits, if any, do participants experience in the implementation of PBIS with fidelity? (c) What barriers, if any, do participants experience in the implementation of PBIS with fidelity? Data was collected from individual open-ended interviews, a focus group, and writing prompt responses. Data analysis revealed that all participant used positive terms to describe their school’s climate. Participants also experienced shared benefits and barriers to the implementation of PBIS in their school settings. The results of this study support the implementation of PBIS in secondary schools and addressed implementation barriers. The results could be used to guide the decision-making process of those responsible for the implementation of PBIS at the local school district level as well as at the individual school and classroom level.