Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Human Papillomavirus Load Measured by Linear Array Correlates with Quantitative PCR in Cervical Cytology Specimens

ABSTRACT Carcinogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) infections are necessary causes of most anogenital cancers. Viral load has been proposed as a marker for progression to cancer precursors but has been confirmed only for HPV16. Challenges in studying viral load are related to the lack of validated assays for a large number of genotypes. We compared viral load measured by Linear Array (LA) HPV genotyping with the gold standard, quantitative PCR (Q-PCR). LA genotyping and Q-PCR were performed in 143 cytology specimens from women referred to colposcopy. LA signal strength was measured by densitometry. Correlation coefficients and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were used to evaluate analytical and clinical performance. We observed a moderate to strong correlation between the two quantitative viral load measurements, ranging from an R value of 0.61 for HPV31 to an R value of 0.86 for HPV52. We also observed agreement between visual LA signal strength evaluation and Q-PCR. Both quantifications agreed on the disease stages with highest viral load, which varied by type (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 [CIN2] for HPV52, CIN3 for HPV16 and HPV33, and cancer for HPV18 and HPV31). The area under the curve (AUC) for HPV16 Q-PCR at the CIN3 cutoff was 0.72 (P = 0.004), and the AUC for HPV18 LA at the CIN2 cutoff was 0.78 (P = 0.04). Quantification of LA signals correlates with the current gold standard for viral load, Q-PCR. Analyses of viral load need to address multiple infections and type attribution to evaluate whether viral load has clinical value beyond the established HPV16 finding. Our findings support conducting comprehensive studies of viral load and cervical cancer precursors using quantitative LA genotyping data.
Fair division and collective welfare

The concept of fair division is as old as civil society itself. Aristotle's "equal treatment of equals" was the first step toward a formal definition of distributive fairness. The concept of collective welfare, more than two centuries old, is a pillar of modern economic analysis. Reflecting fifty years of research, this book examines the contribution of modern microeconomic thinking to distributive justice. Taking the modern axiomatic approach, it compares normative arguments of distributive justice and their relation to efficiency and collective welfare. The book begins with the epistemological status of the axiomatic approach and the four classic principles of distributive justice: compensation, reward, exogenous rights, and fitness. It then presents the simple ideas of equal gains, equal losses, and proportional gains and losses. The book discusses three cardinal interpretations of collective welfare: Bentham's "utilitarian" proposal to maximize the sum of individual utilities, the Nash product, and the egalitarian leximin ordering. It also discusses the two main ordinal definitions of collective welfare: the majority relation and the Borda scoring method. The Shapley value is the single most important contribution of game theory to distributive justice. A formula to divide jointly produced costs or benefits fairly, it is especially useful when the pattern of externalities renders useless the simple ideas of equality and proportionality. The book ends with two versatile methods for dividing commodities efficiently and fairly when only ordinal preferences matter: competitive equilibrium with equal incomes and egalitarian equivalence. The book contains a wealth of empirical examples and exercises.
Thyroglobulin antibody status and differentiated thyroid cancer: what does it mean for prognosis and surveillance?

Purpose of review To provide an overview of the clinical utility of thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) measurements in the management of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC), taking into consideration the methodological concerns associated with these measurements. Recent findings In the past 1 to 2 years, clinical studies have added to our understanding of the limitations and pitfalls associated with TgAb assay methods, the association of autoimmune thyroid disease with DTC, the prognostic significance of TgAb positivity and the clinical utility of the trend of TgAb measurements as a surrogate tumor marker. Summary TgAb trends appear to have clinical utility as a surrogate tumor marker in the surveillance of TgAb-positive DTC patients. The prognostic significance of TgAb status (positive/negative) as well as the nature and clinical significance of the association of autoimmune thyroid disease with DTC is less clear.
Selective operative management of major blunt renal trauma.

BACKGROUND We reviewed the management and outcomes of patients at our Level I trauma center suffering major blunt renal trauma diagnosed and staged by CT scan. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the cases of 26 patients with blunt trauma at our institution who were initially hemodynamically stable and diagnosed with grade 4 or 5 renal injuries by CT scan. Patients were broken down into two groups based on whether they were managed conservatively or surgically. Patient characteristics and morbidity were analyzed. RESULTS There were 14 patients managed conservatively and 12 patients managed surgically. There was no statistically significant difference in morbidity between the two groups. The only statistically significant predictor of failure of conservative management was a coexisting solid organ intra-abdominal injury. CONCLUSIONS Conservative management of major blunt renal trauma is appropriate in hemodynamically stable patients.
Molecular Characterization of Human Atypical Sorbitol-Fermenting Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli O157 Reveals High Diversity

ABSTRACT Alongside the well-characterized enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC) O157:H7, serogroup O157 comprises sorbitol-fermenting typical and atypical enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC/aEPEC) strains that carry the intimin-encoding gene eae but not Shiga toxin-encoding genes (stx). Since little is known about these pathogens, we characterized 30 clinical isolates from patients with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) or uncomplicated diarrhea with respect to their flagellin gene (fliC) type and multilocus sequence type (MLST). Moreover, we applied whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to determine the phylogenetic relationship with other eae-positive EHEC serotypes and the composition of the rfbO157 region. fliC typing resulted in five fliC types (H7, H16, H34, H39, and H45). Isolates of each fliC type shared a unique ST. In comparison to the 42 HUS-associated E. coli (HUSEC) strains, only the stx-negative isolates with fliCH7 shared their ST with EHEC O157:H7/H− strains. With the exception of one O157:H− fliCH16 isolate, HUS was exclusively associated with fliCH7. WGS corroborated the separation of the fliCH7 isolates, which were closely related to the EHEC O157:H7/H− isolates, and the diverse group of isolates exhibiting different fliC types, indicating independent evolution of the different serotypes. This was also supported by the heterogeneity within the rfbO157 region that exhibited extensive recombinations. The genotypic subtypes and distribution of clinical symptoms suggested that the stx-negative O157 strains with fliCH7 were originally EHEC strains that lost stx. The remaining isolates form a distinct and diverse group of atypical EPEC isolates that do not possess the full spectrum of virulence genes, underlining the importance of identifying the H antigen for clinical risk assessment.
Effect of Added Grape Seed and Skin on Chicken Thigh Patties during Chilled Storage

The authors thank the MINECO, and CSIC for financial support of Projects AGL2012-31355/GAN and the Intramural 2014470E073. Also we are grateful the CAM and ESI Funds for the financial support the project MEDGAN-CM S2013/ABI2913). Thanks to the MIUR and UNIMOL for the PhD fellowship of Maria Nardoia.
Lumbar sympathectomy. Current role in the treatment of arteriosclerotic occlusive disease.

THE precise role of lumbar sympathectomy in the management of peripheral arteriosclerotic occlusive disease (PAOD) has always been poorly defined, and since the advent of alternative and more effective surgical methods it has been further obscured. A review of the clinical course of 243 patients selected for lumbar sympathectomy out of a group of 1,277 patients with peripheral atherosclerotic arterial occlusive disease—the remainder of whom, or 1,034, received treatment by angioplastic procedures—appeared to us to be capable of yielding information helpful in the clarification of the current indications for this operation. Clinical Material Selection and Classification of Cases. —The period covered by this survey corresponds to the era of the development and adoption of reconstructive surgical procedures as the primary form of treatment of atherosclerotic peripheral arterial disease. During this time we employed lumbar sympathectomy in the management of this disease under highly restricted indications. In essence, sympathectomy was
Development of Internal Body Image from Childhood to Early Adolescence

The study aimed at providing a psychogenetic characterization of the developmental patterns through which the graphic representations of the inside of the body progress, and at testing the developmental hypothesis of a progressive integration of genital parts into the internal body image. The drawings of the inside of the body by 360 children of both sexes and of age 5 to 10 yr. , and by 213 early adolescents, boys and girls of ages 11 to 14 yr. , were analyzed on the basis of a series of qualitative and quantitative criteria. The relationship between age and type of drawing corresponds to expectations in children and appears less linear for early adolescents. Further, data support the developmental process of integration of genitals into the body image and show differential aspects in boys and girls.
Impact of Dividend Policy on Shareholder s Welth : An Empirical Analysi of Inian Information Teholgy Sector

Dr Sumninder Kaur Bawa, Asst Prof, Department of Commerce and Business Management, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab. E-mail: skbawa_gndu@yahoo.com Prof Prabhjot Kaur, Sr Research Fellow, Department of Commerce and Business Management, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab. E-mail: prabh_jot18@yahoo.co.in
Influence of El Niño on Midtropospheric CO2 from Atmospheric Infrared Sounder and Model

AbstractThe authors investigate the influence of El Nino on midtropospheric CO2 from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) and the Model for Ozone and Related Chemical Tracers, version 2 (MOZART-2). AIRS midtropospheric CO2 data are used to study the temporal and spatial variability of CO2 in response to El Nino. CO2 differences between the central and western Pacific Ocean correlate well with the Southern Oscillation index. To reveal the temporal and spatial variability of the El Nino signal in the AIRS midtropospheric CO2, a multiple regression method is applied to the CO2 data from September 2002 to February 2011. There is more (less) midtropospheric CO2 in the central Pacific and less (more) midtropospheric CO2 in the western Pacific during El Nino (La Nina) events. Similar results are seen in the MOZART-2 convolved midtropospheric CO2, although the El Nino signal in the MOZART-2 is weaker than that in the AIRS data.
The Effects of a Functional Knee Brace During Early Treatment of Patients With a Nonoperated Acute Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tear: A Prospective Randomized Study

Objective:To evaluate the effect of a functional knee brace on nonoperated acute anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-deficient patients. Design:Prospective randomized clinical trial. Setting:University clinic. Patients:Ninety-five patients (18-50 years old) with an acute ACL tear were included in the present study. The subjects were randomized to either brace group, treated with functional bracing from the first testing session (<5 weeks postinjury) to 12 weeks postinjury or a control group, treated without bracing. The patients were followed for 6 months. Twenty-one subjects were excluded due to the following exclusion criteria: partial rupture or articular cartilage injury shown on MRI or with arthroscopy, or other injuries that negatively affected rehabilitation, or dropped out due to surgery (n = 22), or personal reasons (n = 10). Forty-two patients remained in the study, 22 in the brace group and 20 in the control group. Outcome Measurements:Visual analogue scale, Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, Cincinnati knee score, a brace evaluation form, and muscle peak torque. Results:When using the brace the subjects in the brace group experienced less (P = 0.047) sense of instability, evaluated with visual analogue scale, than the control group. However, bracing had no effect on any of the variables in Knee Osteoarthritis Outcome Score or Cincinnati knee score and no effect on quadriceps or hamstring muscle peak torque. Subjectively, the brace group experienced a positive effect of the brace on rehabilitation. Conclusions:Nonoperated acute ACL-deficient patients experienced a positive effect of the brace regarding sense of instability and rehabilitation. However, these findings were not supported by objective outcomes.
Nitric Oxide Airway Diffusing Capacity and Mucosal Concentration in Asthmatic Schoolchildren

Asthmatic patients show increased concentrations of nitric oxide (NO) in exhaled air (Feno). The diffusing capacity of NO in the airways (Dawno), the NO concentrations in the alveoli and the airway wall, and the maximal airway NO diffusion rate have previously been estimated noninvasively by measuring Feno at different exhalation flow rates in adults. We investigated these variables in 15 asthmatic schoolchildren (8–18 y) and 15 age-matched control subjects, with focus on their relation to exhaled NO at the recommended exhalation flow rate of 0.05 L/s (Feno0.05), age, and volume of the respiratory anatomic dead space. NO was measured on-line by chemiluminescence according to the European Respiratory Society's guidelines, and the NO plateau values at three different exhalation flow rates (11, 99, and 382 mL/s) were incorporated in a two-compartment model for NO diffusion. The NO concentration in the airway wall (p < 0.001), Dawno (p < 0.01), and the maximal airway NO diffusion rate (p < 0.001) were all higher in the asthmatic children than in control children. In contrast, there was no difference in the NO concentration in the alveoli (p = 0.13) between the groups. A positive correlation was seen between the volume of the respiratory anatomic dead space and Feno0.05 (r = 0.68, p < 0.01), the maximal airway NO diffusion rate (r = 0.71, p < 0.01), and Dawno (r = 0.56, p < 0.01) in control children, but not in asthmatic children. Feno0.05 correlated better with Dawno in asthmatic children (r = 0.65, p < 0.01) and with the NO concentration in the airway wall in control subjects (r < 0.77, p < 0.001) than vice versa. We conclude that Feno0.05 increases with increasing volume of the respiratory anatomic dead space in healthy children, suggesting that normal values for Feno0.05 should be related to age or body weight in this age group. Furthermore, the elevated Feno0.05 seen in asthmatic children is related to an increase in both Dawno and NO concentration in the airway wall. Because Dawno correlates with the volume of the respiratory anatomic dead space in control subjects and Feno0.05 correlates with Dawno in asthmatic children, we suggest that Dawno partly reflects the total NO-producing surface area and that a larger part of the bronchial tree produces NO in asthmatic children than in control children.
SycE, a chaperone‐like protein of Yersinia enterocolitica involved in the secretion of YopE

Pathogenic yersiniae secrete a set of 11 anti‐host proteins called Yops. The yop genes, scattered around the pYV plasmid, constitute a thermoinduced regulon controlled by the product of virF gene. The secretion of the Yops also requires the presence of the products of the other vir genes and operons, namely virA, virB and virC. The large virC operon and presumably some genes of the virA region encode a new secretion system. Mutations in any of these vir genes impair the production of all the Yops. In contrast, mutations in the yerA locus, located close to yopf, specifically abolish the expression of the cyto‐toxin YopE. We describe here the counterpart of yerA in Yersinia enterocolitica W22703. We demonstrate that the gene product of yerA regulates the production of YopE at a post‐transcriptional level. It specifically binds the YopE protein. We consider that it acts as a specific chaperone and we call it SycE (for specific YopE chaperone). We hypothesize that SycE is a link between translation and the specific Yop export machinery. It is the first representative of a new family of pYV‐encoded proteins.
The effect of buffer composition and deoxygenation on the concentration of ionized magnesium inside human red blood cells.

1. A method is described in which the concentration of ionized magnesium can be measured in intact red cells. The method uses an equilibrium dialysis technique originally developed by Ferreira & Lew (1976) and Flatman & Lew (1977) where the magnesium permeability of the red cell membrane is increased with the ionophore A23187. 2. The concentration of ionized magnesium in the oxygenated cells was found to be 0.39 mM and was not greatly affected by changes in the composition of the medium. 3. The concentration of ionized magnesium in deoxygenated cells showed more dependence on the composition of the medium. Values of 0.54 and 0.62 mM were found in cells incubated in Tris‐ and HCO3‐ buffered media respectively. The difference probably reflects increased competition between chloride and 2,3‐diphosphoglycerate for common binding sites on haemoglobin in Tris‐buffered cells. 3. Only a small increase of 0.16‐0.22 mM was found in the concentration of ionized magnesium when the cells were deoxygenated. These changes are smaller than had been anticipated from estimates of the binding of ATP and 2,3‐diphosphoglycerate to oxy‐ and deoxyhaemoglobin (Bunn, Ransil & Chao, 1971; Berger, Jänig, Gerber, Ruckpaul & Rapoport, 1973; Gerber, Berger, Jänig & Rapoport, 1973) and are unlikely to alter greatly the operation of magnesium‐dependent metabolic or transport systems.
Glial Cells in the Mouse Hippocampus Express AMPA Receptors with an Intermediate Ca2+ Permeability

Recently, we could demonstrate that ‘complex’ glial cells in mouse hippocampal slices express glutamate receptor channels of the α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA)/kainate subtypes. In the present study, we further characterized this glial receptor. Since voltage‐clamp control is imperfect and diffusion barriers hinder the quantitative analysis of the receptor currents in situ, the patch‐clamp technique was applied to glial cells acutely isolated from the mouse hippocampal CA1 stratum radiatum subregion. A concentration‐clamp technique was used which enabled very fast exchange of the extracellular solutions. Thus, it was possible to characterize the transient receptor currents with high time resolution. Application of L‐glutamate, AMPA and L‐homocysteate induced rapidly activating and fast desensitizing receptor currents in the suspended glial cells. In contrast, kainate induced non‐desensitizing currents. The corresponding dose‐response curve revealed a half‐maximum of current activation at 350 μM. The current/voltage relationship of the kainate‐evoked response was linear, with a reversal potential at ∼9 mV. Analysis of the reversal potential in solutions containing high concentrations of CaCl2 confirmed earlier in situ data by demonstrating significant Ca2+ permeability of the glial glutamate receptor channels in the hippocampus. The kainate‐induced receptor currents were markedly increased by cyclothiazide, a substance which selectively potentiates glutamate receptors of the AMPA subtype. We conclude that glial cells of the juvenile hippocampus mainly express heteromeric high‐affinity AMPA receptors. Most probably, the receptor channels are assembled from the low Ca2+‐permeable glutamate receptor‐2 subunit together with Ca2+‐permeable AMPA‐preferring subunits.
A META-ANALYSIS OF ECOSYSTEM SSERVICES ASSOCIATED WITH WETLANDS IN USFWS NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES

We conduct a novel meta-analysis of ecosystem service economic valuation results restricted to wetlands of the contiguous US. We focus our analysis on the estimation of benefits that wetlands contribute to water quality and flood and storm protection services. We developed a new statistical approach to enhance the accuracy and flexibility of our meta-analysis while maintaining a systematic approach. Using the new modeling method and the new domestic-oriented wetland valuation database, we estimate ecosystem service values at four case study National Wildlife Refuges.
Sequence Analysis of the Gene Encoding a Spotted Fever Group‐Specific Intracytoplasmic Protein PS120 of Rickettsia japonica

The 3,438‐nucleotide (nt) sequence containing a 3,054‐nt open reading frame of the gene (rps120) encoding an antigenic, intracytoplasmic, spotted fever group‐specific and heat‐stable 120‐kilodalton protein (PS120) of Rickettsia japonica was determined. The nt and deduced 1,018 amino‐acid (aa) sequences were compared to those of R. conorii since only those of this species had been determined among SFG rickettsiae. The homologies of these sequences between R. japonica and R. conorii were considerably high at 97 and 95%, respectively. These high homologies were comparable to those of β‐peptides encoded by the ompB genes among SFG rickettsiae. It was also found that the genome of R. prowazekii contained a nt sequence with 68% homology to that of the rps120 gene of R. japonica.
Can Alcohol Intoxication be Excluded as the Cause of Confusion following Head Injury?

Objective: To assess whether there is a breath alcohol level (BrAC) below which confusion in the head injured patient should not be attributed solely to the acute effects of alcohol Method: Based in the Accident and Emergency Ward in Glasgow Royal Infirmary, a prospective observational study was carried out over a five month period. Patients admitted to the ward were recruited for the study if they had a primary diagnosis of head injury. The outcome measures recorded and analysed were sequential 2 hrly BrAC readings (mg/L) and Glasgow Coma Scale findings (Eye opening, motor and verbal responses). The relationship between these was investigated, which revealed additional relevant factors affecting level of consciousness. Results: The breath alcohol analyser was found to be a useful non-invasive, quick and easy to use tool. The results obtained were consistent with the expected pattern of reducing BrAC levels over a 6 hour period. Within this group of patients, a poor correlation was found between each of the three responses of the Glasgow Coma Scale and BrAC readings. For those patients who remained confused, when their BrAC reading was less than 1 mg/L, other causes of a lowered level of consciousness were identified. Conclusion: Confusion in the head injured patient with a BrAC of less than 1 mg/L, should alert one to the likelihood of causes other than alcohol intoxication.