Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sudden Death as a Complication of Choriocarcinoma

We report the case of a young man with a history of sudden death. On autopsy, a large retroperitoneal mass was found along with secondaries in the liver and lungs. No testicular abnormality was detected on palpation. Based on histopathological examination, it was diagnosed to be a case of choriocarcinoma. Unfortunately, it was not definitively determined whether the retroperitoneal mass represents the primary tumor or secondary involvement with testes being the primary source. It is important that forensic pathologists are aware of this disease as a potential cause of sudden death. The main focus of the paper is the approach of a forensic pathologist to a case of a sudden death when an unexpected and undiagnosed tumor is found in the retroperitoneum and not much information is available about the clinical history of the deceased.
Whole Genome Analysis Reveals New Insights into Macrolide Resistance in Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

OBJECTIVE Mutations in 23S rRNA gene are known to be associated with macrolide resistance in Mycoplasma pneumoniae (M. pneumoniae). However, these mutations alone do not fully explain the high resistance rates in Asia. The aim of this study was to investigate other possible mutations involved in macrolide resistance in M. pneumoniae. METHODS The whole genomes of 10 clinical isolates of M. pneumoniae with macrolide resistance were sequenced by Illumina HiSeq2000 platform. The role of the macrolide-specific efflux transporter was assessed by efflux-pump inhibition assays with reserpine and carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenyl-hydrazone (CCCP). RESULTS A total of 56 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified in 10 clinical isolates in comparison to the reference strains M129 and FH. Strikingly, 4 of 30 SNPs causing non-synonymous mutations were clustered in macrolide-specific efflux system gene macB encoding macrolide-specific efflux pump protein of the ATP-binding cassette transporter family. In assays of the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of macrolide antibiotics in the presence of the efflux pump inhibitors caused a significant decrease of MICs, even under detectable levels in some strains. CONCLUSION Our study suggests that macrolide efflux pump may contribute to macrolide resistance in M. pneumoniae in addition to the common point mutations in 23S rRNA gene.
A Gene from the Mesophilic Bacterium Dehalococcoides ethenogenes Encodes a Novel Mannosylglycerate Synthase

ABSTRACT Mannosylglycerate (MG) is a common compatible solute found in thermophilic and hyperthermophilic prokaryotes. In this study we characterized a mesophilic and bifunctional mannosylglycerate synthase (MGSD) encoded in the genome of the bacterium Dehalococcoides ethenogenes. mgsD encodes two domains with extensive homology to mannosyl-3-phosphoglycerate synthase (MPGS, EC 2.4.1.217) and to mannosyl-3-phosphoglycerate phosphatase (MPGP, EC 3.1.3.70), which catalyze the consecutive synthesis and dephosphorylation of mannosyl-3-phosphoglycerate to yield MG in Pyrococcus horikoshii, Thermus thermophilus, and Rhodothermus marinus. The bifunctional MGSD was overproduced in Escherichia coli, and we confirmed the combined MPGS and MPGP activities of the recombinant enzyme. The optimum activity of the enzyme was at 50°C. To examine the properties of each catalytic domain of MGSD, we expressed them separately in E. coli. The monofunctional MPGS was unstable, while the MPGP was stable and was characterized. Dehalococcoides ethenogenes cannot be grown sufficiently to identify intracellular compatible solutes, and E. coli harboring MGSD did not accumulate MG. However, Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing mgsD accumulated MG, confirming that this gene product can synthesize this compatible solute and arguing for a role in osmotic adjustment in the natural host. We did not detect MGSD activity in cell extracts of S. cerevisiae. Here we describe the first gene and enzyme for the synthesis of MG from a mesophilic microorganism and discuss the possible evolution of this bifunctional MGSD by lateral gene transfer from thermophilic and hyperthermophilic organisms.
High Step-Up Soft-Switched Converters Using Voltage Multiplier Cells

In this paper, a soft-switched dc-dc converter using voltage multiplier cells is proposed for high-step up application. The proposed converter has the following advantages: 1) doubled voltage conversion ratio of the basic configuration (N = 1) compared to the conventional boost converter; 2) zero voltage switching turn ON of switches and zero current switching turn OFF of diodes; 3) low input current ripple, reduced size of the passive component and current stresses of switches due to interleaved structure, and 4) increased flexibility in device selection by adjusting the number of voltage multiplier cells. The proposed converter is compared to some high step-up converters. Experimental results from a 1-kW prototype are provided to validate the proposed concept.
Structural MRI Findings in Long-Term Cannabis Users: What Do We Know?

In animal studies, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has been found to affect brain morphology, particularly within areas rich in cannabinoid receptors (e.g., hippocampus, cerebral cortex). While cannabis remains the most widely used illicit drug worldwide, there has been limited work investigating its effects on human brain tissue. In this paper, we conducted a systematic review of existing structural magnetic resonance imaging studies to examine whether cannabis use is associated with significant changes in brain anatomy. We identified only 13 structural neuroimaging studies, which were diverse in terms of sample characteristics (e.g., age of participants, duration and frequency of use) and methodology (e.g., image analysis). No study found global structural changes in cannabis users, although six studies reported regional alterations. While changes in the hippocampus and parahippocampus were frequently identified, the findings were inconsistent across studies. The available literature also provides some evidence that regional structural changes are associated with cannabis use patterns (particularly cumulative dosage and frequency of use), as well as measures of psychopathology (e.g., measures of depressive and psychotic symptoms). Together, these structural imaging findings suggest that THC exposure does affect brain morphology, especially in medial–temporal regions. Given the small literature available and the limitations of studies to date, further research is clearly required, particularly given the prevalence of cannabis use worldwide.
Recurrent Tracheoesophageal Fistula

Abstract Repair of recurrent tracheoesophageal fistulas (rTEFs) remains a technically challenging endeavor. Although considered the gold standard, open surgical repair is associated with significant morbidity and rates of recurrence. Over the last 40 years, endoscopic techniques have gained popularity and been touted as a safer first line treatment. This review complies the published articles related to endoscopic repair of rTEFs and reports the various techniques, number of interventions, and success rates. Controversy will remain as to which technique is superior until prospective, multi-institutional studies are performed.
The Levels of Plasma Interleukin‐2 and Soluble Interleukin‐2R in Behçet's Disease: A Marker of Disease Activity

It is well known that patients with Behçet's disease (BD) have an activated immune system, probably mediated by soluble factors in the circulation. The purpose of our study was to examine the roles of plasma interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) and soluble interleukin‐2 receptor (sIL‐2R) in the pathogenesis of BD.
Growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Bruised Apple (Malus domestica) Tissue as Influenced by Cultivar, Date of Harvest, and Source

ABSTRACT Four of five apple cultivars (Golden Delicious, Red Delicious, McIntosh, Macoun, and Melrose) inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7 promoted growth of the bacterium in bruised tissue independent of the date of harvest (i.e., degree of apple ripening) or the source of the apple (i.e., tree-picked or dropped fruit). Apple harvest for this study began 4 September 1998 and ended 9 October, with weekly sampling. Throughout this study, freshly picked (<2 days after harvest) McIntosh apples usually prevented the growth of E. coli O157:H7 for 2 days. Growth of E. coli O157:H7 did occur following 6 days of incubation in bruised McIntosh apple tissue. However, the maximum total cell number was approximately 80-fold less than the maximum total cell number recovered from Red Delicious apples. When fruit was stored for 1 month at 4°C prior to inoculation with E. coli O157:H7, all five cultivars supported growth of the bacterium. For each apple cultivar, the pH of bruised tissue was significantly higher and °Brix was significantly lower than the pH and °Brix of undamaged tissue regardless of the source. In freshly picked apples, changes in the pH did not occur over the harvest season. Bruised Golden Delicious, McIntosh, and Melrose apple tissue pHs were not significantly different (tree-picked or dropped), and the °Brix values of McIntosh, Macoun, and Melrose apple tissue were not significantly different. Single-cultivar preparations of cider did not support growth of E. coli, and the cell concentration of inoculated cider declined over an 11-day test period. The rate of decline in E. coli cell concentration in the McIntosh cider was greater than those in the other ciders tested. The findings of this study suggested that the presence of some factor besides, or in addition to, pH inhibited E. coli growth in McIntosh apples.
Phytase: application in food industry

Phytates have been considered as a threat in human diet due to its antinutrients behaviour which known as strong chelators of divalent minerals such as Ca²+, Mg²+, Zn²+ and Fe²+. Phytic acid has a potential for binding positively charged proteins, amino acids, and/or multivalent cations or minerals in foods. The resulting complexes are insoluble, difficult for humans to hydrolyze during digestion, and thus, typically are nutritionally less available for absorption. The reduction of this phytates can be achieved through both enzymatic and non-enzymatic removal. Enzymatic degradation includes addition of either isolated form of wild-type or recombinant exogenous phytate-degrading enzymes microorganisms in the food matrix. Non-enzymatic hydrolysis of phytate occurred in the final food during food processing or physical separation of phytate-rich parts of the plants seed. The application of phytase with respect to breadmaking process, probiotics, animal feed supplement and transgenic crops are emphasised in this paper.
Rules of Interpretation (Article 32 of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties)

Discusses the role played by the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties 1969 art.32, which permits recourse to a treaty's travaux preparatoires and the circumstances of its conclusion as a "supplementary means of interpretation", in the Convention's overall interpretative scheme. Considers the potential application of art.32 in international investment disputes.
The emergence of new kinds of professional work within the health sector

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Health and behavior risks of adolescents with mixed-race identity.

OBJECTIVES This study compared the health and risk status of adolescents who identify with 1 race with those identifying with more than 1 race. METHODS Data are derived from self-reports of race, using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health), which provides a large representative national sample of adolescents in grades 7 through 12. Respondents could report more than 1 race. RESULTS Mixed-race adolescents showed higher risk when compared with single-race adolescents on general health questions, school experience, smoking and drinking, and other risk variables. CONCLUSIONS Adolescents who self-identify as more than 1 race are at higher health and behavior risks. The findings are compatible with interpreting the elevated risk of mixed race as associated with stress.
Hepatocellular carcinoma: treatment with intraarterial iodized oil with and without chemotherapeutic agents.

Thirty-one patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were given either an intraarterial injection of iodized poppyseed oil (Lipiodol) alone (group A, n = 6), an emulsion of iodized oil and doxorubicin hydrochloride (Adriamycin) (group B, n = 15), or chemoembolization with the same emulsion followed by gelatin sponge (Gelfoam) particles (group C, n = 10). Hepatic resection was subsequently performed. The frequencies of complete necrosis of tumor in the main lesion, daughter tumors, tumor thrombus, and foci of intracapsular invasion were evaluated in the cut surface of the resected specimen. Group C demonstrated the best therapeutic effects, showing complete necrosis of the main lesion in 83% (P less than .01), daughter tumors in 53% (P less than .01), tumor thrombus in 17%, and foci of intracapsular invasion in 67%. These results are superior to those reported previously for chemoembolization without iodized oil. Group B showed better results than group A, but the difference was not significant. Iodized oil alone (group A) had practically no therapeutic effect but was helpful in differentiating small HCC from regenerative nodules.
GSAWM for beamforming and directivity of linear antenna arrays

In this paper, a new evolutionary optimization algorithm named gravitational search algorithm with wavelet mutation (GSAWM) is adopted for optimal design of hyper beam pattern of linear antenna arrays. Hyper beam is derived from sum and difference beam patterns associated with hyper beam exponent parameter for the array. In GSAWM, particles are considered as objects and their performances are measured by their masses. All these objects attract each other by gravity forces, and these forces produce global movements of all objects towards the objects with heavier masses. GSAWM guarantees the exploitation step of the algorithm and it is apparently free from premature convergence. Extensive simulation results justify superior optimization capability of GSAWM over the aforementioned optimization techniques. By optimization of current excitation weights and uniform inter-element spacing, GSAWM achieves optimized hyper beam with much greater reduction in side lobe level (SLL), improved directivity and much more improved first null beam width (FNBW), keeping the same value of hyper beam exponent. The whole simulation experiment has been performed for 10-, 14-, and 20-element linear antenna arrays.
Forty-eight-month periodontal attachment loss incidence in a population-based cohort study: role of baseline status, incident tooth loss, and specific behavioral factors.

BACKGROUND The objectives of this study were to: 1) test hypotheses that behavioral factors, baseline clinical status, and incident tooth loss are significantly associated with attachment loss incidence (ALI) and 2) quantify the effect of incident tooth loss on conclusions made about ALI. METHODS The Florida Dental Care Study was a prospective study of persons > or =45 years old. In-person interviews and examinations were conducted at baseline and 48 months, with telephone interviews in between. RESULTS Of 560 persons with baseline and 48-month examinations, 22% of persons and 1.8% of teeth had ALI. This was highest among persons with no dental visit during follow-up (person-level incidence of 46%; 5.0% tooth-level incidence). Statistically significant covariates in a multivariable regression of ALI were: losing a tooth due to periodontal reasons after baseline, but before the 48-month examination; not receiving a dental cleaning; and baseline factors (worst attachment level of > or =7 mm, not flossing, a molar tooth, current smoker). CONCLUSIONS A substantial percentage of persons experienced ALI. Baseline attachment level and behavioral factors were significantly associated with ALI. Persons with incident tooth loss were also at increased risk for ALI, and teeth lost during follow-up had worse baseline attachment level. Had these teeth not been lost before the final examination, the ALI estimate could only have been higher. These findings demonstrate that those at greatest risk for ALI are least likely to enter the dental care system, and among those who do, one health outcome (tooth loss) can affect conclusions made about the incidence of another (ALI).
Testing the Effectiveness of a Number-Based Classroom Exercise

ABSTRACT Large numbers permeate political life, and students of political science can expect to encounter a wide range of numbers in newspaper articles, course readings, and statistics. Recent research in cognitive psychology demonstrates that American adults make systematic errors when comparing numbers in the millions, billions, and trillions. Political decisions made by voters often require weighing large quantities that range across many orders of magnitude, which is difficult without at least a basic understanding of relative magnitudes. If students also lack an understanding of large numbers, professors cannot meaningfully teach them about political phenomena involving such magnitudes. The authors designed and tested an exercise to improve students’ accuracy in dealing with large magnitudes, which had immediate and sustained effects on their political judgments about information involving large numbers.
Effect of Residual Bacteria on the Outcome of Pulp Regeneration In Vivo

It is not known to what extent residual infection may interfere with the success of pulp regeneration procedures. The aim of this study was to determine, radiographically and histologically, the effect of residual bacteria on the outcome of pulp regeneration mediated by a tissue-engineered construct as compared with traditional revascularization. Periapical lesions were induced in 24 canine teeth of 6 ferrets. After disinfection with 1.25% NaOCl and triple antibiotic paste, ferret dental pulp stem cells, encapsulated in a hydrogel scaffold, were injected into half the experimental teeth. The other half were treated with the traditional revascularization protocol with a blood clot scaffold. After 3 mo, block sections of the canine teeth were imaged radiographically and processed for histologic and histobacteriologic analyses. Associations between variables of interest were evaluated through mixed effects regression models. There were no significant differences between the 2 experimental groups in radiographic root development (P > 0.05). There was a significant association between the presence of persistent periapical radiolucency and root wall thickness (P = 0.02). There was also no significant difference in histologic findings between the 2 experimental groups (P > 0.05). The presence of residual bacteria was significantly associated with lack of radiographic growth (P < 0.001). The amount of dentin-associated mineralized tissue formed in teeth with residual bacteria was significantly less than in teeth with no residual bacteria (P < 0.001). Residual bacteria have a critical negative effect on the outcome of regenerative endodontic procedures.
Improved Monitoring of Cytomegalovirus Infection after Allogeneic Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation by an Ultrasensitive Plasma DNA PCR Assay

ABSTRACT Cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA amplification assays in plasma have shown limited sensitivity compared to the detection of pp65 antigen in leukocytes. Our goal was to increase the sensitivity of a commercial CMV DNA PCR quantitative assay. After modification, the new assay was able to reproducibly detect 20 CMV DNA copies/ml of plasma. We compared this new ultrasensitive PCR assay with the standard PCR and the pp65 test for CMV detection and quantification in 22 consecutive allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell recipients. CMV infection or reactivation was detected in 84 of 319 (26%) samples by the ultrasensitive PCR assay compared to 38 of 319 (12%) samples by the pp65 assay (P < 0.01). All samples positive by the pp65 assay were positive by the ultrasensitive PCR, and CMV episodes were detected on average 4 days earlier and 7 days later than the first and the last pp65-positive test, respectively. In addition, during CMV episodes, the ultrasensitive assay identified positive samples that were inconsistently detected by the pp65 assay. The ultrasensitive assay was also much more sensitive than the standard PCR, with 26 versus 12% of CMV DNA-positive samples (P < 0.01). This assay improved the monitoring of CMV infection or reactivation in hematopoietic allogeneic stem cell recipients.
Role of Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator in Pulmonary Clearance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa In Vivo1

Cystic fibrosis (CF)2 is a fatal genetic disease caused by mutations in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) that is commonly associated with chronic pulmonary infections with mucoid Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA). To test the hypothesis that CFTR plays a direct role in PA adhesion and clearance, we have used mouse lines expressing varying levels of human (h) or mouse (m) CFTR. A subacute intratracheal dose of 3 × 106 bacteria was cleared with similar kinetics in control wild-type (WT) and transgenic mice overexpressing hCFTR in the lung from the surfactant protein C (SP-C) promoter (SP-C-hCFTR+/−). In a second series of experiments, the clearance of an acute intratracheal dose of 1.5 × 107 PA bacteria was also similar in WT, hemizygous SP-C-hCFTR+/−, and bitransgenic gut-corrected FABP-hCFTR+/+-mCFTR−/−, the latter lacking expression of mCFTR in the lung. However, a small but significant decrease in bacterial killing was observed in lungs of homozygote SP-C-hCFTR+/+ mice. Lung pathology in both WT and SP-C-hCFTR+/+ mice was marked by neutrophilic inflammation and bacterial invasion of perivascular and subepithelial compartments. Bacteria were associated primarily with leukocytes and were not associated with alveolar type II or bronchiolar epithelial cells, the cellular sites of SP-C-hCFTR+/+ transgene expression. The results indicate that there is no direct correlation between levels of CFTR expression and bacterial clearance or association of bacteria with epithelial cells in vivo.
How Does Hedge Fund Activism Reshape Corporate Innovation?

This paper studies how hedge fund activism reshapes corporate innovation. Firms targeted by hedge fund activists experience an improvement in innovation efficiency during the five-year period following the intervention. Despite a tightening in R&D expenditures, target firms experience increases in innovation output, measured by both patent counts and citations, with stronger effects seen among firms with more diversified innovation portfolios. We also find that the reallocation of innovative resources and the redeployment of human capital contribute to the refocusing of the scope of innovation. Finally, additional tests refute alternative explanations attributing the improvement to mean reversion, sample attrition, management’s voluntary reforms, or activists’ stock-picking abilities.
On Loop Quantum Gravity Phenomenology and the Issue of Lorentz Invariance

A simple model is constructed which allows to compute modified dispersion relations with effects from loop quantum gravity. Different quantization choices can be realized and their effects on the order of corrections studied explicitly. A comparison with more involved semiclassical techniques shows that there is agreement even at a quantitative level. Furthermore, by contrasting Hamiltonian and Lagrangian descriptions we show that possible Lorentz symmetry violations may be blurred as an artifact of the approximation scheme. Whether this is the case in a purely Hamiltonian analysis can be resolved by an improvement in the effective semiclassical analysis.