Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Permanent neonatal diabetes caused by glucokinase deficiency: inborn error of the glucose-insulin signaling pathway.

Neonatal diabetes can be either permanent or transient. We have recently shown that permanent neonatal diabetes can result from complete deficiency of glucokinase activity. Here we report three new cases of glucokinase-related permanent neonatal diabetes. The probands had intrauterine growth retardation (birth weight <1,900 g) and insulin-treated diabetes from birth (diagnosis within the first week of life). One of the subjects was homozygous for the missense mutation Ala378Val (A378V), which is an inactivating mutation with an activity index of only 0.2% of wild-type glucokinase activity. The second subject was homozygous for a mutation in the splice donor site of exon 8 (intervening sequence 8 [IVS8] + 2T-->G), which is predicted to lead to the synthesis of an inactive protein. The third subject (second cousin of subject 2) was a compound heterozygote with one allele having the splice-site mutation IVS8 + 2T-->G and the other the missense mutation Gly264Ser (G264S), a mutation with an activity index of 86% of normal activity. The five subjects with permanent neonatal diabetes due to glucokinase deficiency identified to date are characterized by intrauterine growth retardation, permanent insulin-requiring diabetes from the first day of life, and hyperglycemia in both parents. Autosomal recessive inheritance and enzyme deficiency are features typical for an inborn error of metabolism, which occurred in the glucose-insulin signaling pathway in these subjects.
Organisatorischer Wandel von Gewerkschaften in postkommunistischen Laendern. Der Fall der Solidarnosc (Organisational Change of Trade Unions in Postcommunist Countries. The Case of Solidarnosc)

Seit der EU-Osterweiterung veraendern sich die Handlungsbedingungen der Gewerkschaften in Mittelosteuropa. Die Praegekraft des kommunistischen Erbes und der Dilemmata der Transformation lassen nach. Am Beispiel der Gewerkschaft Solidarnosc wird der organisatorische Wandel der Gewerkschaften untersucht. Es wird gezeigt, dass das Scheitern des parteipolitischen Engagements eine Hinwendung zur Mitgliederwerbung nach dem Muster des angelsaechsischen Organizing bewirkt hat. Die Herausbildung einer neuen Generation von Gewerkschaftern fuhrt zu Konflikten ueber die Identitaet der Gewerkschaft. Die jungen Gewerkschafter teilen nicht die kollektive Identitaet der Aelteren (Geschichte der Solidarnosc, Facharbeiterstolz), sondern begruenden ihr Engagement als Widerstand gegen Verletzung der als „normal“ wahrgenommenen Arbeitnehmerrechte. Das Fehlen einer kollektiven Identitaet erschwert die Stabilisierung der neu entstehenden Gewerkschaftsorganisationen. Die aufgrund von EU-Direktiven eingefuehrten Betriebsraete haben die industriellen Beziehungen bislang kaum beeinflusst. Die Datengrundlage der Analyse bilden qualitative Leitfadeninterviews mit Gewerkschaftern aus der Solidarnosc-Zentrale und aus vier Industriebetrieben in Polen.
Accumulation of 11C-methionine in the normal pituitary gland on 11C-methionine PET

Background For pituitary tumors, positron emission tomography (PET) with 11C-methonine (MET) has been reported as feasible to facilitate diagnosis. MET is well-known to accumulate in the normal pituitary glands, but almost no studies have examined the degree of MET accumulation in the normal pituitary gland. Purpose To investigate accumulation of MET in normal pituitary gland on PET/CT. Material and Methods Among patients who underwent PET/CT using MET over the past 7 years, 77 patients who fulfilled our criteria for normal pituitary glands were retrospectively selected. Maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) for the pituitary gland was measured. Results SUVmax of MET in the pituitary gland was in the range of 0.9–6.6 (mean ± standard deviation = 2.60 ± 1.04). A negative correlation between SUVmax and patient age (y = −0.032 × + 4.29, n = 77, r = 0.55) was found by linear regression analysis. SUVmax of the pituitary gland did not differ significantly between women and men. Conclusion MET shows strong accumulation in normal pituitary gland. PET/CT would thus be feasible to differentiate between normal and abnormal pituitary glands.
Effect of progesterone on ovarian follicles, emergence of follicular waves and circulating follicle-stimulating hormone in heifers.

The hypothesis was tested that greater growth of the dominant follicle of wave 1 (first follicular wave of an interovulatory interval), compared with that of subsequent anovulatory waves, is due to lower circulating concentrations of progesterone during the growing phase of the follicle. Control heifers (n = 6) were compared with heifers (n = 6) treated with a decreasing dose of progesterone from day 0 to day 5 (ovulation = day 0). Maximum diameter (12.7 +/- 0.9 versus 15.3 +/- 0.7 mm) and mean diameter of the dominant follicle of wave 1, averaged over days, were smaller (P < 0.05) in the progesterone-treated than in the control group. Progesterone treatment did not suppress circulating follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH); but the second FSH surge was earlier, resulting in earlier emergence of wave 2 as indicated by a tendency (P < or = 0.1) for group x day interactions attributed to earlier detection of the dominant follicle and an earlier rise in the total number of follicles detected. The stated hypothesis was supported. We also tested the hypothesis that exposure to low circulating concentrations of progesterone at the end of the growing phase of the anovulatory dominant follicle of wave 1 results in continued growth and prolonged maintenance of the dominant follicle. Heifers (n = 6 per group) were given a luteolytic dose of prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) on day 6 and treated with a low (30 mg day-1), physiological (150 mg day-1), or high (300 mg day-1) dose of progesterone on days 6 to 20. Continued periodic emergence of anovulatory follicular waves occurred (2.1 +/- 0.0 waves, 2.8 +/- 0.2 waves, 3.8 +/- 0.3 waves, respectively; P < 0.05) until treatment was stopped (interovulatory intervals: 26.2 +/- 1.0, 30.8 +/- 0.6 and 40.3 +/- 1.7 days, respectively; P < 0.05). Compared with the physiological dose group, the growth of the dominant follicle was inhibited to a lesser degree in the low-dose group since it grew for longer (P < 0.05) and to a larger diameter (P < 0.05), and persisted for longer (P < 0.05). Prolonged dominance of this oversized (> 20 mm) follicle was associated with delayed emergence of wave 2. The hypothesis was supported. Results also showed that the high dose of progesterone suppressed the dominant follicle more than the physiological dose when given during the growing phase, but not when given after the growing phase. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Beyond Binary Labels: Political Ideology Prediction of Twitter Users

Automatic political orientation prediction from social media posts has to date proven successful only in distinguishing between publicly declared liberals and conservatives in the US. This study examines users’ political ideology using a seven-point scale which enables us to identify politically moderate and neutral users – groups which are of particular interest to political scientists and pollsters. Using a novel data set with political ideology labels self-reported through surveys, our goal is two-fold: a) to characterize the groups of politically engaged users through language use on Twitter; b) to build a fine-grained model that predicts political ideology of unseen users. Our results identify differences in both political leaning and engagement and the extent to which each group tweets using political keywords. Finally, we demonstrate how to improve ideology prediction accuracy by exploiting the relationships between the user groups.
A Simple Scheme of Channel Estimation in Large MIMO Systems

We address the problem of channel estimation in a large multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system using pilot symbol aided algorithm in Rayleigh fading environment. Conventional minimum mean square error and minimum variance unbiased based channel estimators require the inversion of covariance matrices, which has computational complexity of the order of N6, where N is the number of antennas at source and destination. When there are hundreds of antennas, the aforementioned approaches are extremely complex. Recently, low complexity decoders based on polynomial expansion are proposed with computational complexity of the order of N4. We propose a very simple scheme of channel estimation in large MIMO system, in which we decompose the channel matrix in 2 × 2 matrices and then we estimate these 2 × 2 matrices in order to reduce the computational complexity to the order of N2 and making the system for practical use. Further, a decoder of OSTBC data is derived by assuming the perfect channel state information (CSI) at the destination; then perfect CSI is replaced by estimated CSI in the decision metric. The expression for the moment generating function (MGF) of the received signal-to-noise ratio at the destination node is derived. Using the MGF expressions, we obtain the analytical symbol error rate for the proposed channel estimation based decoder for general OSTBCs with M-ary phase-shift keying modulation symbols.
Speeding up Reinforcement Learning-based Information Extraction Training using Asynchronous Methods

RLIE-DQN is a recently proposed Reinforcement Learning-based Information Extraction (IE) technique which is able to incorporate external evidence during the extraction process. RLIE-DQN trains a single agent sequentially, training on one instance at a time. This results in significant training slowdown which is undesirable. We leverage recent advances in parallel RL training using asynchronous methods and propose RLIE-A3C. RLIE-A3C trains multiple agents in parallel and is able to achieve upto 6x training speedup over RLIE-DQN, while suffering no loss in average accuracy.
Cardiac Rhythm Management Devices (Part II): Perioperative Management

IN the first installment of this two-part communication, we reviewed the indications for an implanted pacemaker or internal cardioverter–defibrillator (ICD), provided a brief overview of how a device is selected, and described the basics of pacemaker and ICD design and function. Here we discuss specific device malfunction, electromagnetic and mechanical interference, and management for patients with a device or undergoing system implantation or revision. As in part I, the NASPE-BPEG (for North American Society for Pacing and Electrophysiology–British Pacing and Electrophysiology Group; sometimes abbreviated as NBG) generic pacemaker code is used to designate pacing modes.
Which imaging modalities should be used for biliary strictures of unknown aetiology?

Why is it so difficult to determine the nature of isolated biliary strictures? In patients with no history of biliary surgery, most bile duct strictures have to be considered malignant until proven otherwise. This usually leads to extensive usage of diagnostic imaging—in many cases even to explorative laparotomy. Furthermore, we usually have a “luxury problem”: doctors have to choose the appropriate imaging technique out of the wide range of endoscopic and radiological modalities. For this purpose, doctors should have information about each technique. In a multimodal approach, we prospectively analysed sensitivity and specificity for differentiation between malignant and benign strictures, penetration into surrounding tissues, vascular invasiveness and staging of lymph node. We included patients with jaundice of unknown aetiology and suspected biliary stricture. According to the study protocol, patients underwent diagnostic laparotomy; alternatively, a long follow-up of more than 12 months …
Large Animal Models for Left Ventricular Assist Device Research and Development

In vivo preclinical testing of left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) warrants a large animal model that faithfully simulates human etiology. Although LVAD recipients are in end-stage heart failure (HF), healthy, young animals have served as the experimental platform for most LVAD research and development (R&D) to demonstrate device safety, reliability, and biocompatibility. The rapidly growing HF epidemic, donor heart shortage, and clinical acceptance of LVAD for bridge-to-transplant therapy (BTT) has led to the expanded role of LVAD for destination therapy and bridge-to-recovery therapy. New paradigms for the clinical care of these emerging patient populations are needed. Clinically relevant, robust, and reproducible large animal models of HF are required to demonstrate efficacy, investigate physiologic responses, elucidate genetic, molecular, and cellular mechanism(s), and develop LVAD control strategies. The animal model must be comparable in size, anatomical structure, and phenotype; the technique used to initiate HF must reflect the clinical portrait, should be technically and financially feasible, result in predictable, stable, and irreversible HF, and demonstrate bidirectionality of the remodeling cascade. In this review, large animal species commonly used in cardiac research, techniques used to create chronic HF, and the combined applicability to preclinical LVAD R&D studies are presented.
Pregnancy and Pelvic Girdle PainAnalysis of Center of Pressure During Gait.

BACKGROUND A woman's body undergoes many changes during pregnancy, and it adapts by developing compensatory strategies, which can be sources of pain. We sought to analyze the effects of pregnancy and pelvic girdle pain (PGP) on center of pressure (COP) parameters during gait at different speeds. METHODS Sixty-one healthy pregnant women, 66 women with PGP between 18 and 27 weeks of pregnancy, and 22 healthy nonpregnant women walked at different velocities (slow, preferential, and fast) on a walkway with built-in pressure sensors. An analysis of variance was performed to determine the effects of gait speed and group on COP parameters. RESULTS In healthy pregnant women and women with PGP, COP parameters were significantly modified compared with those in nonpregnant women (P < .01). Support time was increased regardless of gait speed, and anteroposterior COP displacement was significantly decreased for women with PGP compared with healthy pregnant women. In addition, mediolateral COP displacement was significantly decreased in pregnant women compared with nongravid women. CONCLUSIONS Gait speed influenced COP displacement and velocity parameters, and gait velocity potentiated the effect of pregnancy on the different parameters. Pelvic girdle pain had an influence on COP anteroposterior length only. With COP parameters being only slightly modified by PGP, the gait of pregnant women with PGP was similar to that of healthy pregnant women but differed from that of nonpregnant women.
Formative and Classic Period Obsidian Procurement in Central Mexico: A Compositional Study Using Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry

This report presents the results of a compositional study using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) to examine central Mexican obsidian procurement at four sites dating to the Formative and Classic periods. The study demonstrates LA-ICP-MS to be a highly accurate obsidian sourcing technique, with results that are directly comparable to instrumental neutron activation analysis. It documents a shift circa 600 B.C. in which Middle Formative villages in Tlaxcala began to obtain obsidian almost exclusively from sources located in the Mesa Central, when they had previously obtained approximately 50 percent from Mesa Central sources and 50 percent from sources located in the Sierra Madre Oriental. This shift broadly coincided with the development of large regional centers in Tlaxcala-Puebla and suggests a linkage between the local political evolution occurring at this time and increased interactions with the Mesa Central economic sphere, including the Basin of Mexico. Obsidian workshop dump deposits next to Teotihuacan’s Moon Pyramid, dating to a millennium later, demonstrate the continued reliance on predominantly Mesa Central sources but also diversified procurement that drew on several sources. The Teotihuacan deposits exhibit the preferential utilization of particular sources depending on the types of implements being produced.
Second cessation of therapy in childhood lymphocytic leukemia.

acute lymphocytic leukemia, we studied the clinical courses of 17 patients who had relapsed in the bone marrow after elective cessation of therapy and had been treated again with systemic combination chemotherapy without meningeal prophylaxis. Sixteen patients attained second complete remission and were followed for 3-5 yr. Each child relapsed during continuation chemotherapy: 8 in the bone marrow, 6 in the central nervous system. 1 in the testes, and 1 in both the marrow and central nervous system. In 4 of the 7 patients with isolated extramedullary relapse, a new remission was induced. and after 30-44 mo of continuous second bone marrow remission, all therapy was again stopped. Two children remain in remission, off treatment, for 6+ and 27 + mo Three patient variables (length of first complete remission, time from cessation of therapy to relapse. and number of initial sites of relapse) were of value in predicting the length of second hematologic remission. The results of this study indicate that children who relapse after cessation of therapy should be treated as intensively as newly diagnosed patients, because new prolonged remissions may be achieved. A second course of preventive treatment to the central nervous system is recommended.
Identification of a high frequency of chromosomal rearrangements in the centromeric regions of prostate cancer patients

The aim of the present investigation was to study the major chromosomal aberrations (CA) like deletion, translocation, inversion and mosaic in prostate cancer patients of Tamilnadu, Southern India. Totally 45 blood samples were collected from various hospitals in Tamilnadu, Southern India. Equal numbers of normal healthy subjects were chosen after signing a consent form. Volunteers provided blood samples (5 ml) to establish leukocyte cultures. Cytogenetic studies were performed by using Giemsa-banding technique and finally the results were ensured by spectral karyotyping (SKY) technique. In the present investigation, major CA like deletion, translocation, inversion and mosaic were identified in experimental subjects. Results showed frequent CA in chromosomes 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 13, 16, 18 and X. In comparison with experimental subjects, the control subjects exhibited very low levels of major CA (P<0.05). In the present study, the high frequency of centromeric rearrangements indicates a potential role for mitotic irregularities associated with the centromere in prostate cancer tumorigenesis. Identification of chromosome alterations may be helpful in understanding the molecular basis of the disease in better manner.
New considerations for vowel nasalization based on separate mouth-nose recording

In this paper an experimental setting is described which allows to separately record the speech signals emitted from the mouth and the nostrils. A series of transitions from an oral configuration to the nasopharyngeal configuration is then recorded with a speaker capable to control the movement of his velum while minimizing that of other articulators. The analysis of the recorded signals in the light of simulations with an acoustic model clearly shows that the formant evolution pattern observed in the mouth output is essentially caused by a modification of the oral tract shape due to the velum lowering and the pharyngeal constriction, while the connection with the nasal tract can be neglected in first approximation. On the other hand, the velum movement controls rather the nose output amplitude than its spectral pattern.
Economic evaluation favours physiotherapy but not corticosteroid injection as a first-line intervention for chronic lateral epicondylalgia: evidence from a randomised clinical trial

Aim To determine the cost-effectiveness of corticosteroid injection, physiotherapy and a combination of these interventions, compared to a reference group receiving a blinded placebo injection. Methods 165 adults with unilateral lateral epicondylalgia of longer than 6 weeks duration from Brisbane, Australia, were randomised for concealed allocation to saline injection (placebo), corticosteroid injection, saline injection plus physiotherapy (eight sessions of elbow manipulation and exercise) or corticosteroid injection plus physiotherapy. Costs to society and health-related quality of life (estimated by EuroQol-5D) over the 1 year follow-up were used to generate incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) ratios for each intervention relative to placebo. Results Intention-to-treat analysis was possible for 154 (93%) of trial participants. Physiotherapy was more costly, but was the only intervention that produced a statistically significant improvement in quality of life relative to placebo (MD, 95% CI 0.035, 0.003 to 0.068). Similar cost/QALY ratios were found for physiotherapy ($A29 343; GBP18 962) and corticosteroid injection ($A31 750; GBP20 518); however, the probability of being more cost-effective than placebo at values above $A50 000 per quality-adjusted life year was 81% for physiotherapy and 53% for corticosteroid injection. Cost/QALY was far greater for a combination of corticosteroid injection and physiotherapy ($A228 000; GBP147 340). Summary Physiotherapy was a cost-effective treatment for lateral epicondylalgia. Corticosteroid injection was associated with greater variability, and a lower probability of being cost-effective if a willingness to pay threshold of $A50 000 is assumed. A combination of corticosteroid injection and physiotherapy was ineffective and cost-ineffective. Physiotherapy, not corticosteroid injection, should be considered as a first-line intervention for lateral epicondylalgia. Trial registration number anzctr.org Trial identifier: ACTRN12609000051246.
Anti-neutrophil serum attenuates dextran sulfate sodium-induced colonic damage in the rat.

BACKGROUND The role of neutrophils in experimental colonic damage induced by dextran sulfate sodium is uncertain. We test the hypothesis that neutrophils are of pathogenic significance and anti-neutrophil serum will attenuate the colonic damage induced by oral dextran sulfate sodium in rats. METHODS Rabbit anti-rat neutrophil serum (anti-neutrophil serum) or control rabbit serum was administered to, and circulating neutrophil count was monitored in, rats before and during feeding of dextran sulfate sodium or regular rat diet for 2 weeks. Histologic features of mucosal damage were evaluated in hematoxylin and eosin-stained proximal and distal colonic sections by a blinded observer. RESULTS Oral dextran sulfate sodium induces weight loss, diarrhea, peripheral neutrophilia, and colonic damage. Anti-neutrophil serum induced neutropenia and significantly attenuated the weight loss, the neutrophil infiltration in the colon, and the mucosal necrosis and pathologic index in the distal colon. CONCLUSION The data showing that anti-neutrophil serum attenuates distal colonic mucosal injury induced by dextran sulfate sodium support the hypothesis that neutrophils play a pathogenic role in this model of colonic mucosal damage.