Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Partial and Double-Array Implantation of the Ossified Cochlea

Objective: To review our experience with partial standard and double-array cochlear implantation in the ossified cochlea. Study Design: Retrospective case review. Setting: Tertiary referral center. Patients: Twenty cochleae in 19 adult and pediatric patients with ossified cochleae. Intervention(s): Patients underwent either partial insertion of a standard electrode array or double-array electrode insertion for their cochlear implantation. Main Outcome Measure(s): Number of electrodes inserted, number of active electrodes at follow-up, and open-set speech performance. Results: Twelve patients (four children and eight adults) had partial insertion of standard array electrode. The mean number of electrodes inserted and active at follow-up was 14.8 and 11.3, respectively. Eight patients (four children and four adults) had a double-array electrode implanted. The mean number of electrodes inserted and active at follow-up was 18.1 and 16.3, respectively. Open-set speech recognition was better in children regardless of duration of deafness. There were no complications. Conclusion: These findings suggest that the double array allows for more usable electrodes than in partially inserted cochlear implant. Compared with adults, children with ossified cochlea do well both in partial standard and double-array insertion. Both insertion techniques are safe, with no complications occurring in our patients. Straight and double arrays should be available in the operating suite for any patient in whom suspected cochlear ossification is confronted.
Unwinding the twister ribozyme: from structure to mechanism

The twister ribozyme motif has been identified by bioinformatic means very recently. Currently, four crystal structures with ordered active sites together with a series of chemical and biochemical data provide insights into how this RNA accomplishes its efficient self‐cleavage. Of particular interest for a mechanistic proposal are structural distinctions observed in the active sites that concern the conformation of the U‐A cleavage site dinucleotide (in‐line alignment of the attacking 2′‐O nucleophile to the to‐be‐cleaved PO5′ bond versus suboptimal alignments) as well as the presence/absence of Mg2+ ions at the scissile phosphate. All structures support the notion that an active site guanine and the conserved adenine at the cleavage site are important contributors to cleavage chemistry, likely being involved in general acid base catalysis. Evidence for innersphere coordination of a Mg2+ ion to the pro‐S nonbridging oxygen of the scissile phosphate stems from two of the four crystal structures. Together with the finding of thio/rescue effects for phosphorothioate substrates, this suggests the participation of divalent ions in the overall catalytic strategy employed by twister ribozymes. In this context, it is notable that twister retains wild‐type activity when the phylogenetically conserved stem P1 is deleted, able to cleave a single nucleotide only. WIREs RNA 2017, 8:e1402. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1402
No Child Left Behind: Subsidized Child Care and Children's Long-Run Outcomes

Many developed countries are currently considering a move toward subsidized, widely accessible child care or preschool. However, studies on how large-scale provision of child care affects child development are scarce, and focused on short-run outcomes. We analyze a large-scale expansion of subsidized child care in Norway, addressing the impact on children's long-run outcomes. Our precise and robust difference-in-differences estimates show that subsidized child care had strong positive effects on children's educational attainment and labor market participation, and also reduced welfare dependency. Subsample analyses indicate that girls and children with low-educated mothers benefit the most from child care. (JEL J13, J16)
Relaxin causes selective outward remodeling of brain parenchymal arterioles via activation of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ

Brain parenchymal arterioles (PAs), but not pial arteries, undergo hypotrophic outward remodeling during pregnancy that involves peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ (PPARγ) activation. Relaxin, a peptide hormone produced during pregnancy, is involved in systemic and renal artery remodeling and activates PPARγ in vitro. Thus, we hypothesized that relaxin is involved in the selective outward remodeling of PAs through a PPARγ‐dependent mechanism. Nonpregnant rats were treated with relaxin (4 μg/h, osmotic minipump), relaxin plus PPARγ inhibitor GW9662 (10 mg/kg/d), or vehicle for 10 d. Vascular function and structure were compared in isolated and pressurized middle cerebral arteries (MCAs) and PAs taken from the same animals. Relaxin treatment increased serum relaxin to the level of pregnancy (54 ng/ml) and increased passive wall thickness (hypertrophy; 70±5 vs. 54±4 μm in vehicle; P<0.05) and inner diameter (outward remodeling; 10.6±0.5 vs. 8.0±0.6 μm in vehicle; P<0.05) in PAs, but not in MCAs. This hypertrophic outward remodeling was prevented by GW9662 that had diameters (57±3 μm) and wall thickness (8.6±1.0 μm) similar to vehicle. GW9662 also prevented relaxin‐induced changes in PPARγ target gene expression. These results suggest that relaxin produced during pregnancy may be partly responsible for selective remodeling of PAs during pregnancy through a mechanism involving PPARγ. —Chan, S. ‐L. , Cipolla, M. J. Relaxin causes selective outward remodeling of brain parenchymal arterioles via activation of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ. FASEB J. 25, 3229‐3239 (2011). www.fasebj. org
Escherichia coli DipZ: anatomy of a transmembrane protein disulphide reductase in which three pairs of cysteine residues, one in each of three domains, contribute differentially to function

DipZ is a bacterial cytoplasmic membrane protein that transfers reducing power from the cytoplasm to the periplasm so as to facilitate the formation of correct disulphide bonds and c‐type cytochromes in the latter compartment. Topological analysis using gene fusions between the Escherichia coli dipZ and either E. coli phoA or lacZ shows that DipZ has a highly hydrophobic central domain comprising eight transmembrane α‐helices plus periplasmic globular N‐terminal and C‐terminal domains. The previously assigned translational start codon for the E. coli DipZ was shown to be incorrect and the protein to be larger than previously thought. The experimentally determined translational start position indicates that an additional α‐helix at the N‐terminus acts as a cleavable signal peptide so that the N‐terminus of the mature protein is located in the periplasm. The newly assigned 5′ end of the dipZ gene was shown to be preceded by a functional ribosome‐binding site. The hydrophobic central domain and both of the periplasmic globular domains each have a pair of highly conserved cysteine residues, and it was shown by site directed mutagenesis that all six conserved cysteine residues contribute to DipZ function.
Blockade of Complement Activation Prevents Local and Pulmonary Albumin Leak After Lower Torso Ischemia—Reperfusion

Lower torso ischemia and reperfusion leads to both local and remote tissue injuries. The purpose of this study was to assess the role of complement in mediating the local and remote microvascular permeability after bilateral hind limb tourniquet ischemia. Four hours of ischemia and 4 hours of reperfusion produced an increased skeletal muscle permeability index (muscle/blood 125I albumin ratio) of 2.90 ± 0.35 compared with the index in nonischemic muscle of 0.25 ± 0.02 (p < 0.01). Muscle wet-to-dry-weight ratio increased from 3.93 ± 0.04 in sham to 5.55 ± 0.09 in ischemie muscle (p < 0.0001). Lung permeability rose at 4 hours as indicated by the increased bronchcoalveolar lavage (BAL)/blood 125I albumin ratio 4.36 ± 0.41 χ 10-3 versus sham 2.64 ± 0.28 χ 10-3 (p < 0.05) and neutrophil sequestration 0.28 ± 0.02 U/g myeloperoxidase (MPO) versus sham 0.14 ± 0.02 U/g (p < 0.001). Serum lytic activity of the classical but not the alternate complement pathway was reduced. The soluble complement receptor (sCR1) was used to inhibit complement activity and attenuated the increase in the permeability index after reperfusion in ischemie muscle 1.11 ± 0.08 (p < 0.01) and reduced the lung BAL/blood 125I albumin ratio to sham levels 2.46 ± 0.39 χ 10-3 (p < 0.05) at 6 mg/animal, without reducing the lung neutrophil sequestration, 0.24 ± 0.02 U/g. The authors conclude that complement activation occurred during tourniquet ischemia and mediated permeability changes in the ischemic muscle and the lungs during reperfusion.
A specified therapeutic window for neuregulin-1 to regenerate neonatal heart muscle.

The most prominent cause of impaired cardiac function in adults is ischemic heart disease such as myocardial infarction, whereas decreased heart function in children is generally the consequence of congenital heart disease (CHD), structural malformations of the heart that are present at birth. Heart defects are the most common birth defect in humans—and the most deadly too, boasting the infamous title of leading cause of birth defect-related morbidity and mortality (1). One in 100 newborns display signs of minor CHD, but in one out of 1,000 cases the malformations are severe enough to necessitate surgical intervention. The therapeutic conundrum is that surgical repair is often life-saving, but may not be enough by itself to guarantee the child a carefree existence later on. The human heart has virtually no inherent regenerative capability and despite long-standing efforts, no valid cardiac regenerative therapy proven to be clinically effective exists to date. Since scarred and dysfunctional regions of the heart cannot be replaced, children with CHD are at greater risk of developing chronic heart failure—even after surgical correction of the malformation (2,3). Unfortunately, currently available pharmacological therapies for heart failure were developed with the adult patient in mind and proved ineffective in pediatric trials, highlighting the need for child-specific heart failure therapies (4).
The Paradoxical Effect on Pneumonia of Chronic Inhaled Corticosteroids

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the leading infectious cause of death in developed countries. Several studies have shown that the risk of pneumonia is increased in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who are receiving chronic inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). The impact of ICS on pneumonia prognosis is controversial. Recent studies have shown that COPD patients with prior ICS use have less mortality after developing CAP as compared with patients with COPD without prior ICS use. This review discusses the association of ICS and the risk of CAP and its association with clinical outcomes in patients with COPD and pneumonia.
On the Coexistence of Perennial Plants by the Competition‐Colonization Trade‐Off

A competitively inferior species can coexist with a superior competitor in a metapopulation provided that the inferior species is a better colonizer of empty habitats (Levins and Culver 1971; see also Nee and May 1992; Dytham 1994; Moilanen and Hanski 1995). The same trade-off between competition and colonization can also maintain coexistence within a single population of plants that live in small patches supporting a single adult (henceforth called “sites”) and disperse their seeds randomly. With local populations interpreted as individual sites, the metapopulation model of Levins and Culver (1971) has been applied to model within-population coexistence of perennial plant species (e.g., Tilman 1994). However, Yu and Wilson (2001) pointed out that there may be an important difference between metapopulation dynamics and the site dynamics of plants: in the metapopulation model, it is assumed that dispersers of the competitively superior species displace established populations of the inferior species (displacement competition). In plants, seedlings may or may not be able to displace established adults; in the latter case, seedlings compete with one another only for the sites vacated by adult death (replacement competition). Yu and Wilson (2001) argued that under replacement competition, perennial species cannot coexist by the competitioncolonization trade-off alone. In this note, we show that the competition-colonization trade-off does maintain coexistence provided that seed numbers within individual sites are subject to demo-
A randomized clinical trial of basal insulin peglispro vs NPH in insulin‐naïve patients with type 2 diabetes: the IMAGINE 6 trial

Basal insulin peglispro (BIL) has a longer duration of action than conventional insulin analogues and a hepato‐preferential mechanism of action. This study assessed whether BIL was non‐inferior to isophane insulin (NPH) in reducing HbA1c in insulin‐naïve patients with type 2 diabetes, when added to pre‐study oral anti‐hyperglycaemic medications.
Intra-abdominal Abscesses and Laparoscopic Versus Open Appendectomies

surveillance was observed in our NICU without use of other interventions. Our data suggest that, with regard to NP, provision of continuous monitoring and ongoing feedback in a timely manner to the NICU staff was effective in reducing the rate of NP. Similar to our study, Schwab et al. used data from the German nosocomial surveillance system for NICU patients and reported a reduction in the rate of NP that resulted from participation in a surveillance system alone. Participation of NICU staff in a practical educational program about hand washing has proven to be effective at reducing the rate of NP. To our knowledge, almost all studies of interventions with before-after designs have yielded similar results. Our findings suggest that hand hygiene education is a fundamental means of controlling NP in NICUs with limited resources. Our study has several limitations. For some cases, we defined NP using clinical criteria and thus may have overestimated NP rates. Sometimes, our limited resources made it difficult to use invasive techniques for confirmation of NP. Not all cases of NP in our NICU were associated with use of a ventilator, and such infections were more easily preventable than ventilator-associated pneumonia. Our study was performed in a single NICU. The situation at our NICU may not be representative of the infection control situation at other NICUs.
Electrophysiological remodeling of the heart owing to rate.

Although damage to the heart from inflammation and infarction are well-established stimuli that trigger major cardiac remodeling, it has been known since 1954 that a persistent supraventricular tachycardia also can alter cardiac structure and function.1 This clinical observation was exploited 8 years later when it was demonstrated that rapid stimulation of the normal heart could produce reversible congestive heart failure.2 Since then, rapid pacing has been used frequently to create an investigational animal model of heart failure. The effects of prolonged pacing-induced tachycardia, in the range of 250 bpm for 3 or 4 weeks, has been studied in depth in several animal species and has been shown to cause extensive myocardial remodeling. Biventricular enlargement with reduced wall thickness and no increase in muscle mass, reduced cross-sectional myocyte area and increased length, disarray of myofibril alignment and cytoarchitecture, increases in contractile protein degradation, and destruction of the supporting myocardial collagen matrix represent some of the structural changes contributing to reduced ventricular function.3 Diminished responsiveness to β-adrenoceptor stimulation caused by a reduction in β-receptor density and a variety of alterations in the adrenergic signaling processes also occur.4 Replacement fibrosis, loss of cells, and reactive hypertrophy of the remaining cells have been noted recently.5 mRNA levels for specific cytoskeletal proteins increase, along with alterations in cytoskeletal architecture6 and abnormalities in phospholamban.7 In pigs subjected to 3 weeks of a tachycardia-induced cardiomyopathy, myocyte action potential showed reduced membrane resting potential, reduced amplitude and upstroke velocity, and prolonged duration at 90% repolarization. Peak L-type Ca2+ current density was reduced because of an absolute reduction in L-type Ca2+ current flow into the myocyte possibly caused by reduced open probability of the channel.8 However, in dogs that had rapid ventricular pacing for 3 to 4 weeks, action …
Henoch–Schönlein purpura‐related intestinal perforation: a steroid complication?

hood disease with a good prognosis. Two-thirds of the patients with HSP have abdominal manifestations. The most common intestinal complaint is colicky abdominal pain, which is often associated with vomiting, followed by intestinal hemorrhage, hematemesis, melena and hematochesia. The influence of HSP on the gastrointestinal system sometimes leads to serious complications, such as intussusception, massive hemorrhage and intestinal perforation. Early corticosteroid treatment for these intestinal complications is recommended.1 In this report we describe two cases with HSP-related intestinal perforation developed after corticosteroid treatment.
Investigating the effect of Internet Addiction on Social Skills and in High School Students' Achievement

The present study was done in order to investigate the relationship between internet addiction and social skills& high school students' achievements. The statistical universe of the study included all of the students of district 2 of Kermanshah City who were studying in academic year of 2013-2014. For this study, 320 students were selected, of which 150 students were girls and 170 were boys selected through cluster sampling. For the collection of the related data Internet Addiction Test (IAT), The Inventory of Social Skills (TISS) was used. The average score obtained on both of these was used as the scale of education achievement. The data was analyzed through regression method. The findings showed that Internet addiction could at a significant level predict social skills and educational achievement, that is, the higher the scores for internet addiction, the lower the social skills and educational achievement. Moreover, there was no significant difference between boys and girls with regard to internet addiction. Therefore, the results imply that unlimited use of internet has a devastating negative influence on both social skills and communications and educational achievements. So, some programs are necessary to be performed in order to change this process and control this behavioral model in schools both for the parents and the students.
Effects of Lexical Properties on Viewing Time per Word in Autistic and Neurotypical Readers

Eye tracking studies from the past few decades have shaped the way we think of word complexity and cognitive load: words that are long, rare and ambiguous are more difficult to read. However, online processing techniques have been scarcely applied to investigating the reading difficulties of people with autism and what vocabulary is challenging for them. We present parallel gaze data obtained from adult readers with autism and a control group of neurotypical readers and show that the former required higher cognitive effort to comprehend the texts as evidenced by three gaze-based measures. We divide all words into four classes based on their viewing times for both groups and investigate the relationship between longer viewing times and word length, word frequency, and four cognitively-based measures (word concreteness, familiarity, age of acquisition and imagability).
Isolation and Culture of Epithelial Progenitors and Mesenchymal Stem Cells from Human Endometrium1

Abstract Human endometrium is a highly regenerative tissue undergoing more than 400 cycles of growth, differentiation, and shedding during a woman's reproductive years. Endometrial regeneration is likely mediated by adult stem/progenitor cells. This study investigated key stem cell properties of individual clonogenic epithelial and stromal cells obtained from human endometrium. Single-cell suspensions of endometrial epithelial or stromal cells were obtained from hysterectomy tissues from 15 women experiencing normal menstrual cycles, and were cultured at clonal density (10 cells/cm2) or limiting dilution. The adult stem cell properties—self-renewal, high proliferative potential, and differentiation of single epithelial and stromal cells—were assessed by harvesting individual colonies and undertaking serial clonal culture, serial passaging, and culture in differentiation-induction media, respectively. Lineage differentiation markers were examined by RT-PCR, immunocytochemistry, and flow cytometry. Rare single human endometrial EpCAM+ epithelial cells and EpCAM− stromal cells demonstrated self-renewal by serially cloning >3 times and underwent >30 population doublings over 4 mo in culture. Clonally derived epithelial cells differentiated into cytokeratin+ gland-like structures in three dimensional culture. Single stromal cells were multipotent, as their progeny differentiated into smooth muscle cells, adipocytes, chondrocytes, and osteoblasts. Stromal clones expressed mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) markers ITGB1 (CD29), CD44, NT5E (CD73), THY1 (CD90), ENG (CD105), PDGFRB (CD140B), MCAM (CD146) but not endothelial or hemopoietic markers PECAM1 (CD31), CD34, PTPRC (CD45). Adult human endometrium contains rare epithelial progenitors and MSCs, likely responsible for its immense regenerative capacity, which may also have critical roles in the development of endometriosis and endometrial cancer. Human endometrium may provide a readily available source of MSCs for cell-based therapies.
Anti-TNF treatments in rheumatoid arthritis: economic impact of dosage modification

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic disease that leads to increases in health system economic burden through direct and indirect costs, including chronic treatment, reduced productivity and premature mortality. Anti-TNF agents have represented a major advance in the treatment of RA. The most commonly used (adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab) have demonstrated their cost–effectiveness at label doses. However, physicians may need to adapt the treatment by increasing the dose when a drug is not effective enough or by reducing it when there is a sustained effectiveness. In a cross-sectional study conducted in our hospital in which information from RA patients treated with anti-TNF drugs under conventional and modified doses were collected, the authors analyzed the costs of the medication in order to estimate the mean patient-year cost, the annual costs related to clinical efficacy and the cost per responder patient to anti-TNF treatment when dosage modification is undertaken in daily clinical practice.