Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
China Angioplasty and Stenting for Symptomatic Intracranial Severe Stenosis (CASSISS): A new, prospective, multicenter, randomized controlled trial in China

Background Patients with symptomatic stenosis of intradural arteries are at high risk for subsequent stroke. Since the SAMMPRIS trial, stenting is no longer recommended as primary treatment; however, the results of this trial, its inclusion criteria and its center selection received significant criticism and did not appear to reflect our experience regarding natural history nor treatment complications rate. As intracranial atherosclerosis (ICAS) is the most common cause for stroke in Asian countries, we are hereby proposing a refined prospective, randomized, multicenter study in an Asian population with strictly defined patient and participating center inclusion criteria. Methods The China Angioplasty and Stenting for Symptomatic Intracranial Severe Stenosis (CASSISS) trial is an ongoing, government-funded, prospective, multicenter, randomized trial. It recruits patients with recent TIA or stroke caused by 70%–99% stenosis of a major intracranial artery. Patients with previous stroke related to perforator ischemia will not be included. Only high-volume centers with a proven track record will enroll patients as determined by a lead-in phase. Patients will be randomized (1:1) to best medical therapy alone or medical therapy plus stenting. Primary endpoints are any stroke or death within 30 days after enrollment or after any revascularization procedure of the qualifying lesion during follow-up, or stroke in the territory of the symptomatic intracranial artery beyond 30 days. The CASSISS trial will be conducted in eight sites in China with core imaging lab review at a North American site and aims to have a sample size of 380 participants (stenting, 190; medical therapy, 190). Recruitment is expected to be finished by December 2016. Patients will be followed for at least three years. The trial is scheduled to complete in 2019. Conclusion In the proposed trial, certain shortcomings of SAMMPRIS including patient and participating center selection will be addressed. The present manuscript outlines the rationale and design of the study. We estimate that this trial will allow for a critical reappraisal of the role of intracranial stenting for selected patients in high-volume centers.
Synergistic Roles of Amelogenin and Ameloblastin

Amelogenin and ameloblastin, the major enamel matrix proteins, are important for enamel mineralization. To identify their synergistic roles in enamel development, we generated Amel X −/− /Ambn −/− mice. These mice showed additional enamel defects in comparison with Amel X −/− or Ambn −/− mice. In 7-day-old Amel X −/− /Ambn −/− mice, not only was the ameloblast layer irregular and detached from the enamel surface, as in Ambn −/− , but also, the enamel width was significantly reduced in the double-null mice as compared with Amel X −/− or Ambn −/− mice. Proteomic analysis of the double-null teeth revealed increased levels of RhoGDI (Arhgdia), a Rho-family-specific guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitor, which is involved in important cellular processes, such as cell attachment. Both Amel X −/− /Ambn −/− mice and Ambn −/− mice displayed positive staining with RhoGDI antibody in the irregularly shaped ameloblasts detached from the matrix. Ameloblastin-regulated expression of RhoGDI suggests that Rho-mediated signaling pathway might play a role in enamel formation.
Bullying, psychosocial adjustment, and academic performance in elementary school.

BACKGROUND Over the past decade, concerns about bullying and its role in school violence, depression, and health concerns have grown. However, no large studies in the United States have examined the prevalence of bullying during elementary school or its association with objective measures of school attendance and achievement. OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of bullying during elementary school and its association with school attendance, academic achievement, disciplinary actions, and self-reported feelings of sadness, safety, and belonging. DESIGN Cross-sectional study using 2001-2002 school data. SETTING Urban, West Coast public school district. PARTICIPANTS Three thousand five hundred thirty (91.4%) third, fourth, and fifth grade students. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Self-reported involvement in bullying. RESULTS Twenty-two percent of children surveyed were involved in bullying either as a victim, bully, or both. Victims and bully-victims were more likely to have low achievement than bystanders (odds ratios [ORs], 0.8 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.7-0.9] and 0.8 [95% CI, 0.6-1.0], respectively). All 3 bullying-involved groups were significantly more likely than bystanders to feel unsafe at school (victims, OR, 2.1 [95% CI, 1.1-4.2]; bullies, OR, 2.5 [95% CI, 1.5-4.1]; bully-victims, OR, 5.0 [95% CI, 1.9-13.6]). Victims and bully-victims were more likely to report feeling that they don't belong at school (ORs, 4.1 [95% CI, 2.6-6.5] and 3.1 [95% CI, 1.3-7.2], respectively). Bullies and victims were more likely than bystanders to feel sad most days (ORs 1.5 [95% CI, 1.2-1.9] and 1.8 [95% CI, 1.2-2.8], respectively). Bullies and bully-victims were more likely to be male (ORs, 1.5 [95% CI, 1.2-1.9] and 3.0 [95% CI, 1.3-7.0], respectively). CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of frequent bullying among elementary school children is substantial. Associations between bullying involvement and school problems indicate this is a serious issue for elementary schools. The research presented herein demonstrates the need for evidence-based antibullying curricula in the elementary grades.
Delay-range-dependent stability for uncertain stochastic systems with interval time-varying delay and nonlinear perturbations

This paper considers the problem of robust stability for a class of uncertain stochastic systems with interval time-varying delay under nonlinear perturbations. A new delay-dependent method for robust stability of the systems is proposed. The innovation of the method includes employment of a tighter integral inequality and construction of an appropriate type of Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional. The restriction used to bound some trace term in the existing methods is also removed. The resulting criterion derived from this method has advantages over previous ones in that it has less conservatism and enlarges the scope of application. The reduction in conservatism of the proposed criterion is attributed to a method to estimate the upper bound on the stochastic differential of the Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional without neglecting any useful terms in the delay-dependent stability analysis. On the basis of the estimation and by utilizing free-weighting matrices, new delay-range-dependent stability criterion is established in terms of linear matrix inequality. Finally, numerical examples are provided to show the effectiveness and reduced conservatism of the proposed method.
Survival Beyond the Perinatal Period Expands the Phenotypes Caused by Mutations in GLE1

Mutations in GLE1 underlie Lethal Congenital Contracture syndrome (LCCS1) and Lethal Arthrogryposis with Anterior Horn Cell Disease (LAAHD). Both LCCS1 and LAAHD are characterized by reduced fetal movements, congenital contractures, and a severe form of motor neuron disease that results in fetal death or death in the perinatal period, respectively. Via trio-exome sequencing, we identified bi-allelic mutations in GLE1 in two unrelated individuals with motor delays, feeding difficulties and respiratory insufficiency who survived beyond the perinatal period. Each affected child had missense variants predicted to result in amino acid substitutions near the C-terminus of GLE1 that are predicted to disrupt protein-protein interaction or GLE1 protein targeting. We hypothesize that mutations that preserve function of the coiled-coil domain of GLE1 cause LAAHD whereas mutations that abolish the function of the coiled-coil domain cause LCCS1. The phenotype of LAAHD is now expanded to include multiple individuals surviving into childhood suggesting that LAAHD is a misnomer and should be re-named Arthrogryposis with Anterior Horn Cell Disease (AAHD). Too few cases have been reported to identify significant genotype-phenotype relationships, but given that perinatal lethality in AAHD typically resulted from respiratory failure, it is possible that early or aggressive airway management such as early tracheostomy and ventilation may enable survival beyond the perinatal period.
Lymphocyte and lymphocyte subset numbers in blood and bronchoalveolar lavage and pleural fluid in various forms of human pulmonary tuberculosis.

AUTHORS' REPLY We are grateful to Dr Meeran for his comments on this patient. He will be aware that since the introduction of multichannel automated analysis of serum it has become clear that asymptomatic patients with biochemical primary hyperparathyroidism are not uncommon. ' This patient clearly fell into this category and had no evidence ofactive bone disease. Furthermore, the changes in his urinary hydroxyproline:
Function of GB1 and GB2 subunits in G protein coupling of GABAB receptors

Many G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have recently been shown to dimerize, and it was suggested that dimerization may be a prerequisite for G protein coupling. γ-aminobutyric acid type B (GABAB) receptors (GPCRs for GABA, a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain) are obligate heterodimers of homologous GB1 and GB2 subunits, neither of which is functional on its own. This feature of GABAB receptors allowed us to examine which of the eight intracellular segments of the heterodimeric receptor were important for G protein activation. Replacing any of the three intracellular loops of GB2 with their GB1 counterparts resulted in nonfunctional receptors. The deletion of the complete GB2 C terminus significantly attenuated the receptor function; however, the proximal 36 residues were sufficient for reconstitution of wild type-like receptor activity. In contrast, the GB1 C terminus could be deleted and GB1 intracellular loops replaced with their GB2 or mGluR1 equivalents without affecting the receptor function. In addition, a large portion of the GB1 i2 loop could be replaced with a random coil peptide without any functional consequences. Thus, GB2 intracellular segments are solely responsible for specific coupling of GABAB receptors to their physiologic effectors, Gi and G protein-activated K+ channels. These findings strongly support a model in which a single GPCR monomer is sufficient for all of the specific G protein contacts.
Do clinical and laboratory parameters effect maternal and fetal outcomes in pregnancies complicated with hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count syndrome?

OBJECTIVE The aim of the study was to investigate whether the clinical features and laboratory parameters affect maternal and fetal outcomes in pregnancies complicated with HELLP syndrome. MATERIAL AND METHODS The medical records of pregnant patients complicated with HELLP syndrome were analyzed retrospectively between June 01, 2003 and June 01, 2010. The demographic data, medical history, admission symptoms, clinical and laboratory findings and recovery time were evaluated. The adverse maternal outcomes including eclampsia, placental abruption, disseminated intravascular coagulation, postpartum hemorrhage, pulmonary complications, cerebral edema and visual loss were recorded. Fetal growth restriction, necessity for neonatal intensive care unit admission and perinatal mortality were recorded as an adverse fetal outcome. RESULTS The incidence of HELLP syndrome was 0.52%. The mean age of the patients was 28.93±7.90 (range 17-45). HELLP syndrome was diagnosed on average in the 33.68±4.41(th) (ranged 24-40) week of gestation. Eighteen cases (40.9%) were nullipara and twenty-six cases (59.1%) multipara. The most common complications were eclampsia (40.9%) and abruption placenta (15.9%). Pregnancy was terminated within 48 hours in all patients. The rate of cesarean section was 90.9%. Perinatal mortality rate in HELLP syndrome was 31.8%. There was no maternal mortality. CONCLUSION Neither clinical characteristics nor laboratory parameters was found effective for prediction of adverse maternal and fetal outcomes.
Diversity of Telomere Palindromic Sequences and Replication Genes among Streptomyces Linear Plasmids

ABSTRACT Streptomyces sp. linear plasmids and linear chromosomes usually contain conserved terminal palindromic sequences bound by the conserved telomeric proteins Tap and Tp, encoded by the tap and tpg genes, respectively, as well as plasmid loci required for DNA replication in circular mode when the telomeres are deleted. These consist of iterons and an adjacent rep gene. By using PCR, we found that 8 of 17 newly detected linear plasmids in Streptomyces strains lack typical telomeric tap and tpg sequences. Instead, two novel telomeres in plasmids pRL1 and pRL2 from the eight strains and one conserved telomere in pFRL1 from the other strains were identified, while multiple short palindromes were also found in the plasmids. The complete nucleotide sequence of pRL2 revealed a gene encoding a protein containing two domains, resembling Tap of Streptomyces and a helicase of Thiobacillus, and an adjacent gene encoding a protein similar to Tpg of Streptomyces and a portion of the telomere terminal protein pTP of adenoviruses. No typical iterons-rep loci were found in the three plasmids. These results indicate an unexpected diversity of telomere palindromic sequences and replication genes among Streptomyces linear plasmids.
Mental Health Diagnoses and Recidivism in Paroled Offenders

Although the issue of mental illness among offender populations has received attention in the last number of years, there are a number of issues related to mental illness among such groups that require more study. One such topic relates to the association between mental illness, actuarially assessed risk of recidivism, and observed rates of reoffending. In the present investigation, file information was reviewed to determine the presence of a variety of mental health conditions. Actuarially based risk assessment data were also collected for participants as well as information regarding suspension, new charges, and convictions. A sample of 136 offenders housed in a halfway house operated by Correctional Service of Canada was included in the present investigation. Results indicated very high rates of serious mental illness in this high-risk population. Offenders with borderline personality disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder were significantly more likely to recidivate or be suspended. Suspensions refer to administrative decisions to place an offender in jail due to problematic behaviour (typically involving a breach of his release conditions or new charges/convictions). Offenders with a diagnosis of paraphilic disorder were significantly less likely to recidivate or be suspended. Results are discussed in light of the available literature.
The development of communication skills in deaf and hearing children.

HOEMANN, HARRY W. The Development of Communication Skills in Deaf and Hearing Children. CHILD DEVELOPMENT, 1972, 43, 990-1003. The quality and accuracy of peer-to-peer communicating in 8and 11-year-old deaf children using manual methods was compared with hearing children using spoken English. 3 tasks were presented requiring Ss to (1) describe a variety of pictured referents, (2) describe referents from the receiver's perspective, and (3) explain the rules of a game. Significantly poorer performances by the deaf Ss were attributed to an experiential deficit that affected their acquisition of a conventional language and the development of communication skills. Channel properties of the deaf children's gesture language are discussed in the light of their communicative behavior.
PACAP Increases the Cytosolic Ca2−/ Concentration and Stimulates Somatodendritic Vasopresson Release in Rat Supraoptic Neurons

Pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP)‐like immunoreactivity and its receptor mRNA have been reported in the supraoptic and the paraventricular nucleus (SON and PVN, respectively) and PACAP has been implicated in the regulation of magnocellular neurosecretory cell function. To examine the site and the mechanism of the action of PACAP in the neurosecretory cells, we measured AVP release from SON slice preparations and the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) from single dissociated SON neurons. PACAP at concentrations from 10−12 to 10−7 M increased [Ca2+]i in dissociated SON neurons in a dose‐dependent manner. The patterns of the PACAP‐induced [Ca2+]i increase were either sustained increase or cytosolic Ca2+ oscillations. PACAP (10−7 M) increased [Ca2+]i in 27 of 27 neurons and glutamate (10−4 M) increased [Ca2+]i in 19 of 19 SON neurons examined, whereas angiotensin II (10−7 M) increased [Ca2+]i in only 15 of 60 SON neurons examined. PACAP at lower concentrations (10−10 to 10−8 M) increased [Ca2+]i in 70–80% of neurons examined. Although the onset and recovery of the PACAP‐induced [Ca2+]i increase were slower than those observed with glutamate, the spatial distribution of the [Ca2+]i increases in response to the two ligands were similar: [Ca2+]i increase at the proximal dendrites was larger and faster and that at the center of the soma was smaller and slower. The PACAP‐induced [Ca2+]i responseswere abolished by extracellular Ca2+ removal, the l‐type Ca2+‐channel blocker, nicardipine, or by replacement of extracellular Na+ with N‐methyl d‐glucamine, and were partially inhibited by the Na+‐channel blocker, tetrodotoxin. The N‐type Ca2+‐channel blocker, ω‐conotoxin GVIA did not significantly inhibit the PACAP‐induced [Ca2+]i responses. Furthermore, PACAP (10−7 M) as well as glutamate (10−4 M) increased AVP release from SON slice preparations, and extracellular Ca2+ removal or nicardipine inhibited the AVP release in response to PACAP.
Statistical analysis of illiquidity risk and premium in financial price signals

Price is the most visible signal produced by competition and interaction among a complex ecology of entities in a system called financial markets. This thesis deals with statistical analysis and model identification based on such signals. We approach this problem at various levels of abstraction, with a particular emphasis on linking certain statistical anomalies identified to specific frictions that are only observable in a more microscopic view. We first give a brief review of the framework for the analysis of financial prices. We highlight the important role of information by introducing the concept of informational efficiency. The main body consists of two parts. Part A consists of Chapters 3, 4 and 5. We first link unpredictability of financial returns, a direct consequence of the informational efficiency, to the expected covariance structure of resulting return signals. We discuss a particular algorithm designed to detect the existence of weak mean-reverting component in the observed returns. Applying this detection scheme to US stock returns between 1995 and 2007, we detect a statistically significant but continually decreasing mean-reverting component in the returns. To explain this observation, we link the mean-reverting component to the arrival structure of buyers and sellers and their interactions. We discuss a particular model for this interaction and apply various tests to establish the validity of the proposed model. Part A concludes with an application of these tools in analyzing the sequence of events in August 2007 which resulted in a breakdown of normal behavior of the system. Part B, consisting of Chapters 6 and 7, also deals with the issue of predictability in financial returns, but at a different frequency and based on a different set of instruments. We first produce the evidence for an unusually high level of predictability among returns of certain classes of hedge funds. To explain this observation, we discuss a model built based on the notion of partially observed price signals. When prices are not observed, for example due to lack of trading, the most recent price is used to calculate the value of an investment, and this process results in perceived serial correlation in the calculated returns. We view this lack of trading as the second example of friction in this system, and set out to link this friction to the mean of the resulting returns signals. We find strong link between predictability and first moment in certain groups of returns used. Thesis Supervisor: Andrew W. Lo Title: Harris & Harris Group Professor
Rapid and frequent psychiatric readmissions: associated factors

Abstract Objective: This article aims to examine the impact of clinical and demographic factors on both rapid readmission (being readmitted within 30 d) and frequent readmission (experiencing three or more admissions) in a London mental health trust. Methods: A four-year study period with a sample of 7648 inpatients were examined with chi-square or Mann–Whitney U tests, and binary logistic regressions to assess the associations and possible predictors of rapid (readmitted within 30 d) and frequent (admitted at least three times) readmission. Results: Frequent admitters were more likely to be unemployed, have more care-coordinators, be living in accommodation with support, be Black or Black British, and to have certain diagnoses. Binary logistic regression revealed that our variables of interest explained between 36.1 and 60.9% of the variation in number of readmissions (±3 admissions), and between 3.7 and 4.2% of the variation in time to readmission (±30 d). Conclusions: Identifying factors that are associated with rehospitalisation and understanding their importance is necessary to reduce the risk of readmission. This study suggests that particular demographic, clinical and treatment factors require consideration to tackle the seemingly wide range of factors that could be affecting readmission to inpatient services.
Endogenous stages of Isospora acanthodactyli from sandy fringed-toed lizard (Acanthodactylus schmidti) in Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia

Endogenous stages of Isospora acanthodactyli from sandy fringed-toed lizard ( Acanthodactylus schmidti ) were described for the first time, in Al-Qassim, Saudi Arabia. Merogony and gamogony took place inside the host cell’s cytoplasm, in the distal part of the small intestine. Multinucleated meronts, microgamonts and macrogametes were described and measured. Keywords: Isospora acanthodactyli , sandy fringed-toed lizard, Saudi Arabia, endogenous stages, Apicomplexa African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 12(8), pp. 867-870
Effects of Cyclic Nucleotides on Lipid Biosynthesis in Mouse Mammary Gland Explants 1

Abstract The effects of dibutyryl cAMP, l-methyl-3-isobutyl xanthine (MIX), cGMP, dibutyryl cGMP, and 8-bromo cGMP on the rate of lipid synthesis in mouse mammary gland explants were studied. Dibutyryl cAMP at 10–4 <M selectively inhibited the effect of prolactin on the rate of [14C]acetate incorporation into lipids. At 10-3 <M, dB-cAMP inhibited the effects of insulin, insulin plus Cortisol, and prolactin. The phosphodiesterase inhibitor, MIX, inhibited both basal and prolactin-stimulated incorporation rates in a concentration-dependent fashion. These data suggest an inhibitory role for cAMP in the regulation of lipogenesis in the mammary gland. Cyclic GMP, db-cGMP, and 8-bromo cGMP were all without effect on either basal or prolactin-stimulated incorporation rates. Therefore, it appears that cGMP, by itself, is not involved in the regulation of lipogenesis in the mammary gland.