Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Contemporary treatment strategies for external pancreatic fistulas.

BACKGROUND Optimal treatment strategies for patients with external pancreatic fistulas have evolved with improved radiographic imaging and the development of transpapillary pancreatic duct stents. The aim of this study was to examine factors affecting fistula closure and develop a classification scheme to guide therapeutic interventions. METHODS Retrospective chart review was made of all patients with external pancreatic fistulas treated at our institution from January 1991 to January 1997. Side (partial) fistulas maintained continuity with the gastrointestinal tract; end (complete) fistulas had no continuity with the gastrointestinal tract. RESULTS Postoperative side fistulas resolved with medical treatment in 13 (86%) of 15 patients after a mean of 11 weeks of conservative management. Inflammatory side fistulas resolved with medical treatment in only 8 (53%) of 15 patients after a mean of 22 weeks; those that did not close initially did so with transpapillary stenting. End pancreatic fistulas never closed with medical treatment and were unable to be stented; therefore internal drainage or pancreatic resection was necessary to achieve closure. There were no differences in sepsis rates, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II scores, fistula site, total parenteral nutrition, somatostatin treatment, or initial fistula output between groups. CONCLUSIONS Classifying external pancreatic fistulas as to their pancreatic duct relationship and cause provides important prognostic and therapeutic information.
Neural mechanisms for integrating consecutive and interleaved natural events

To understand temporally extended events, the human brain needs to accumulate information continuously across time. Interruptions that require switching of attention to other event sequences disrupt this process. To reveal neural mechanisms supporting integration of event information, we measured brain activity with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) from 18 participants while they viewed 6.5‐minute excerpts from three movies (i) consecutively and (ii) as interleaved segments of approximately 50‐s in duration. We measured inter‐subject reliability of brain activity by calculating inter‐subject correlations (ISC) of fMRI signals and analyzed activation timecourses with a general linear model (GLM). Interleaving decreased the ISC in posterior temporal lobes, medial prefrontal cortex, superior precuneus, medial occipital cortex, and cerebellum. In the GLM analyses, posterior temporal lobes were activated more consistently by instances of speech when the movies were viewed consecutively than as interleaved segments. By contrast, low‐level auditory and visual stimulus features and editing boundaries caused similar activity patterns in both conditions. In the medial occipital cortex, decreases in ISC were seen in short bursts throughout the movie clips. By contrast, the other areas showed longer‐lasting differences in ISC during isolated scenes depicting socially‐relevant and suspenseful content, such as deception or inter‐subject conflict. The areas in the posterior temporal lobes also showed sustained activity during continuous actions and were deactivated when actions ended at scene boundaries. Our results suggest that the posterior temporal and dorsomedial prefrontal cortices, as well as the cerebellum and dorsal precuneus, support integration of events into coherent event sequences. Hum Brain Mapp 38:3360–3376, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Nucleic acids and protein synthesis in cancer cell mitochondria. II. Amino acid incorporation into proteins of rat liver and hepatoma cell mitochondria.

The energy source required for the amino acid incorporation into mitochondrial proteins has been investigated and comparative study has also been made on the rate of the amino acid incorporation in rat liver and rat hepatoma cell mitochondria. 1. The incorporation of amino acid into the protein in intact mitochondria of rat liver increased by about 40% on the addition of α-ketoglutarate and ADP, but no significant increase in the amino acid incorporation was observed on the addition of succinate and ADP. 2. The incorporation of amino acids into mitochondrial proteins was remarkably inhibited by the addition of respiratory inhibitors (cyanide, DNP at a high concentration). 3. The amino acid incorporation into mitochondrial proteins was scarcely or slightly inhibited by the addition of DNP at the concentration of 1×10-4M and insensitive to oligomycin (5 to 10 μg/ml). 4. The amino acid incorporation into the protein in the endogenous substrate system of the mitochondria was considerably inhibited by the addition of arsenite, and this inhibition somewhat recovered on the addition of ADP plus succinate. 5. The rate of the amino acid incorporations between rat liver and hepatoma cell mitochondria was at the same level. 6. Discussions were made on the energy source required for the amino acid incorporation into mitochondrial proteins, on the rate of protein synthesis per mitochondrion isolated from rat liver- and hepatoma cells, and on the possibilities of contamination of bacteria or microsomes and of the adsorption of amino acids onto the mitochondria.
Understanding long-term outcomes of chronic fatigue syndrome.

OBJECTIVE This study sought to examine long-term health, symptom, and disability outcomes among patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) by comparing those diagnosed with CFS 25 years ago with healthy controls. METHOD Of the 25 participants diagnosed with CFS 25 years ago, 5 self-reported that they maintained a diagnosis of CFS, while 20 reported no longer having a diagnosis. These two groups were compared with healthy controls on outcomes related to functioning and symptom severity. RESULTS Those who remitted from CFS showed significantly more impairment on 21 out of 23 outcomes compared with controls. On 17 outcomes, those who remitted had nonsignificant differences in impairment compared to those who maintained a CFS diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS Findings from this study suggest that over time many individuals will not maintain a CFS diagnosis but will not return to their premorbid level of functioning.
Differential localization of GABAA receptor subunits within the substantia nigra of the human brain: An immunohistochemical study

γ‐Aminobutyric acidA (GABAA) receptors (GABAAR) are inhibitory heteropentameric chloride ion channels comprising a variety of subunits and are localized at postsynaptic sites within the central nervous system. In this study we present the first detailed immunohistochemical investigation on the regional, cellular, and subcellular localisation of α1, α2, α3, β2,3, and γ2 subunits of the GABAAR in the human substantia nigra (SN). The SN comprises two major regions, the SN pars compacta (SNc) consisting of dopaminergic projection neurons, and the SN pars reticulata (SNr) consisting of GABAergic parvalbumin‐positive projection neurons. The results of our single‐ and double‐labeling studies demonstrate that in the SNr GABAA receptors contain α1, α3, β2,3, and γ2 subunits and are localized in a weblike network over the cell soma, dendrites, and spines of SNr parvalbumin‐positive nonpigmented neurons. By contrast, GABAARs on the SNc dopaminergic pigmented neurons contain predominantly α3 and γ2 subunits; however there is GABAAR heterogeneity in the SNc, with a small subpopulation (6.5%) of pigmented SNc neurons additionally containing α1 and β2,3 GABAAR subunits. Also, in the SNr, parvalbumin‐positive terminals are adjacent to GABAAR on the soma and proximal dendrites of SNr neurons, whereas linear arrangements of substance P‐positive terminals are adjacent to GABAA receptors on all regions of the dendritic tree. These results show marked GABAAR subunit hetereogeneity in the SN, suggesting that GABA exerts quite different effects on pars compacta and pars reticulata neurons in the human SN via GABAA receptors of different subunit configurations. J. Comp. Neurol. 506:912–929, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
HIV and Tuberculosis Coinfection in the Southern Region of Ethiopia: A Prospective Epidemiological Study

HIV has played a key role in TB, modifying its incidence and clinical presentation. This study describes the prevalence of HIV among TB patients attending health facilities in the southern region of Ethiopia. The HIV prevalence was 18% for female and 21% for male TB patients. 15% and 30%, respectively, of the rural and urban patients with TB were HIV positive (p<0.05). 19% (51/261) smear-positive PTB, 26% (36/137) smear-negative PTB and 11% (10/94) of the extrapulmonary TB patients were HIV positive. The proportion of patients with extra-PTB varied from 11% to 38% across the centres and was highest in the zones with the lowest HIV prevalence. In the light of limited diagnostic facilities, clinicians often make a clinical diagnosis of TB without laboratory confirmation. The increase in the number of TB cases could be due to HIV. However, the number of health facilities offering TB treatment in the area also increased (from 53 to 236) during the same period and the increase in TB is likely to be the result of a combination of factors, including improved detection and HIV. It is important to consider this multi-factorial phenomenon when interpreting the increase of TB in a geographical area.
The regulation of transmitter expression in postembryonic lineages in the moth Manduca sexta. I. Transmitter identification and developmental acquisition of expression

The majority of the neurons in the adult nervous system of Manduca sexta are born postembryonically, during larval life. Stereotypic arrays of identifiable neuroblasts generate their clonal families or lineages commencing at the end of the second larval instar through pupal day 2, when the neuroblasts die (Booker and Truman, 1987a). We have used immunohistochemical techniques to follow the neurochemical differentiation of GABA and a peptide similar to molluscan small cardioactive peptide B (SCPB) in identified lineages. We report here the distribution and developmental acquisition of the expression of these putative transmitters. There are 24 postembryonic lineages in the second thoracic ganglion of the larvae (Booker and Truman, 1987a). Immunoreactivity against GABA and SCPB is seen only in a subset of these 24 clonal families. GABA immunoreactivity is confined to the progeny of the E, K, M, N, T, and X neuroblasts and is expressed by most or all of the neurons in these lineages. The SCPB-like immunoreactivity is found in a subset of the neurons in only two clonal groups, the K and M groups, and is colocalized with GABA. These results show that, though heterogeneity in transmitter type exists (GABA, GABA/SCPB), members of a given lineage share at least some features (GABA) in common. The onset of transmitter expression was followed in detail for the K- and M-lineage neurons. During the larval stages, the postembryonic lineage cells are developmentally arrested in a partially differentiated state (Booker and Truman, 1987a) and do not express transmitter immunoreactivity at this time. Their maturation resumes with the onset of metamorphosis.
DIAGNOSTIC CONSIDERATIONS FOR NOVEL INFLUENZA A (H1N1) Research Article

confirmed 30 influenza A cases, 1 of influenza B, and resulted 67 negatives. The 30 samples positive for influenza A were tested using RT-PCR assay, which revealed 2 cases of seasonal influenza A, 7 cases of S-OIV, and 21 negatives for influenza infection. The TemPCR confirmed 1 of the seasonal influenza A cases but found the second case to be S-OIV. Tem-PCR confirmed the findings of RT-PCR in 3 of the SOIV cases but reported 4 of the cases negative for influenza. Additionally, Tem-PCR found 3 of the cases that were negative per RT-PCR were positive for S-OIV. The remainders were confirmed negative for influenza yet one was positive for adenovirus. The lone case of influenza B was confirmed with Tem-PCR. Among the 67 cases that were negative based on rapid influenza tests, Tem-PCR confirmed one case positive for S-OIV, however, the remainder were influenza negative. Tem-PCR identified viral organisms that comparator tests could not.
Ten days' use of oxymetazoline nasal spray with or without benzalkonium chloride in patients with vasomotor rhinitis.

CONTEXT In most countries, the use of topical nasal decongestants is limited to a maximum of 10 days because of the risk of developing rebound mucosal swelling and rhinitis medicamentosa. OBJECTIVE To determine whether topical nasal decongestants can be safely used for 10 days in patients with chronic inflammation of the nasal mucosa. DESIGN Double-blind, randomized, controlled, parallel study. PATIENTS Thirty-five patients with vasomotor rhinitis selected from our outpatient department. INTERVENTION Eighteen patients received oxymetazoline hydrochloride (0.5 mg/mL) nasal spray containing the preservative benzalkonium chloride (0.1 mg/mL), and the other 17 were treated with oxymetazoline nasal spray without benzalkonium chloride. Before and after the treatment, recordings of the nasal mucosa and minimal cross-sectional area were made with rhinostereometry and acoustic rhinometry, followed by histamine hydrochloride challenge tests. Symptoms of nasal stuffiness were estimated on visual analog scales (0-100) in the morning and the evening, just before the nasal spray was used. RESULTS No rebound swelling was found after the 10-day treatment in the 2 groups with either of the methods or as estimated by symptom scores. In the group receiving oxymetazoline containing benzalkonium chloride, but not in the other group, the histamine sensitivity was significantly reduced after treatment (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS It is safe to use topical nasal oxymetazoline with or without benzalkonium chloride for 10 days in patients with vasomotor rhinitis. However, this study indicates that benzalkonium chloride in nasal decongestant sprays affects the nasal mucosa also after short-term use.
Optimal Capital Structure and Dividend Policy for Control Efficient Family Business Groups : Theory and Empirical Evidence

I present a theory of the optimal capital structure and dividend policy for family business groups expanding in countries where the private control benefit is substantial and the market for corporate control is active. Here, issuing debt overcomes the limited dilution capacity of equity, but reduces the expected control benefit by increasing the probability of default. When family business groups grow, they may either (i) establish a subsidiary of an existing parent firm (Pyramidal structure), or (ii) establish a new stand-alone entity (Horizontal structure). The pyramidal structure intrinsically generates greater availability of internal capital, but limits the family’s ability to extract rent from the subsidiary. Therefore, in equilibrium, a large scale, less profitable firm emerges as a pyramidal subsidiary, and the subsidiary should be less leveraged than a stand-alone firm directly controlled by the family. Furthermore, the pyramidal structure implies (i) the parent firm can augment its own cash flow with dividends paid by subsidiaries (Co-insurance benefit), and (ii) control on subsidiaries is exercisable only if the parent firm is solvent (Control optionality). These two properties imply that the parent firm should be more leveraged than its subsidiaries. Therefore, the theory predicts decreasing leverage ratio from the top to the bottom along the pyramid, and this capital structure decision is supported by a dividend policy such that the parent firm should pay out less to maximize group internal capital while subsidiaries should pay out more to service the parent firm’s debt. Using a unique comprehensive data set of Korean business groups, Chaebols, I provide empirical evidence that is consistent with the theoretical predictions. Together, the empirical results and theory suggest that the controlling family of Korean Chaebol strategically designs the business group structure by making capital structure decision and dividend policy to optimize the control efficiency of the business group.
Visual defects among consumers of processed cassava (gari)

1 Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation, NNPC, Nigeria. 2 Human Physiology Department, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. 3 Social Development Department, Shehu Idris College of Health Sciences and Technology, Makarfi Kaduna State, Nigeria. 4 Pharmacy Department, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. 5 Chemical Engineering Department, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria. 6 center for energy research and training Ahmadu Bello university zaria.
Gapped Spectral Dictionaries and Their Applications for Database Searches of Tandem Mass Spectra*

Generating all plausible de novo interpretations of a peptide tandem mass (MS/MS) spectrum (Spectral Dictionary) and quickly matching them against the database represent a recently emerged alternative approach to peptide identification. However, the sizes of the Spectral Dictionaries quickly grow with the peptide length making their generation impractical for long peptides. We introduce Gapped Spectral Dictionaries (all plausible de novo interpretations with gaps) that can be easily generated for any peptide length thus addressing the limitation of the Spectral Dictionary approach. We show that Gapped Spectral Dictionaries are small thus opening a possibility of using them to speed-up MS/MS searches. Our MS-GappedDictionary algorithm (based on Gapped Spectral Dictionaries) enables proteogenomics applications (such as searches in the six-frame translation of the human genome) that are prohibitively time consuming with existing approaches. MS-GappedDictionary generates gapped peptides that occupy a niche between accurate but short peptide sequence tags and long but inaccurate full length peptide reconstructions. We show that, contrary to conventional wisdom, some high-quality spectra do not have good peptide sequence tags and introduce gapped tags that have advantages over the conventional peptide sequence tags in MS/MS database searches.
Visual processing levels revealed by response latencies to changes in different visual attributes

Visual latencies, and their variation with stimulus attributes, can provide information about the level in the visual system at which different attributes of the image are analysed, and decisions about them made. A change in the colour, structure or movement of a visual stimulus brings about a highly reproducible transient constriction of the pupil that probably depends on visual cortical mechanisms. We measured this transient response to changes in several attributes of visual stimuli, and also measured manual reaction times to the same stimulus changes. Through analysis of latencies, we hoped to establish whether changes in different stimulus attributes were processed by mechanisms at the same or different levels in the visual pathway. Pupil responses to a change in spatial structure or colour are almost identical, but both are ca. 40 ms slower than those to a change in light flux, which are thought to depend largely on subcortical pathways. Manual reaction times to a change in spatial structure or colour, or to the onset of coherent movement, differ reliably, and all are longer than the reaction time to a change in light flux. On average, observers take 184 ms to detect a change in light flux, 6 ms more to detect the onset of a grating, 30 ms more to detect a change in colour, and 37 ms more to detect the onset of coherent motion. The pattern of latency variation for pupil responses and reaction times suggests that the mechanisms that trigger the responses lie at different levels in cortex. Given our present knowledge of visual cortical organization, the long reaction time to the change in motion is surprising. The range of reaction times across different stimuli is consistent with decisions about the onset of a grating being made in V1 and decisions about the change in colour or change in motion being made in V4.
Adolescent attachment, family functioning and depressive symptoms

Background. Adolescence represents a challenging transitional period where changes in biological, emotional, cognitive and social domains can increase the risk of developing internalised problems including subthreshold depression. Adolescent-parent attachment style, perceived support and family functioning may increase risk for depressive symptoms or may reduce such risk. Adolescent-parent attachment, adolescent-perceived support from parents and family functioning were examined as correlates of depressive symptom presentation within this age group. Methods. Participants included a maternal parent and an adolescent (65.5% female) from each family. Adolescents were in Grade 7 ( n =175) or Grade 10 ( n =31). Data were collected through home interviews. The Self-Report of Family Inventory (SFI), Experiences of Close Relationships Scale (ECR), Network of Relationships Inventory (NRI), Children’s Depression Inventory (CDI) and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) were used to assess depression, parental support and attachment. Results. Two models were examined: one with adolescent report of depressive symptoms as the outcome and a second with parent report of adolescent internalising symptoms as the outcome. The model predicting adolescent-reported depressive symptoms was significant with older age, higher levels of avoidant attachment, and higher levels of youth-reported dysfunctional family interaction associated with more depressive symptomatology. In the model predicting parent report of adolescent internalising symptoms only higher levels of dysfunctional family interaction, as reported by the parent, were associated with higher levels of internalising symptoms. Conclusion. Positive family communication, cohesion and support predictive of a secure parent-adolescent attachment relationship reduced the risk of a depressive symptom outcome. Secure adolescents were able to regulate their emotions, knowing that they could seek out secure base attachment relations within their family and from friends during times of stress, buffering against the development of depressive symptoms.
Plant exudates may stabilize or weaken soil depending on species, origin and time

We hypothesized that plant exudates could either gel or disperse soil depending on their chemical characteristics. Barley (Hordeum vulgare L. cv. Optic) and maize (Zea mays L. cv. Freya) root exudates were collected using an aerated hydroponic method and compared with chia (Salvia hispanica L.) seed exudate, a commonly used root exudate analogue. Sandy loam soil was passed through a 500‐μm mesh and treated with each exudate at a concentration of 4.6 mg exudate g−1 dry soil. Two sets of soil samples were prepared. One set of treated soil samples was maintained at 4°C to suppress microbial processes. To characterize the effect of decomposition, the second set of samples was incubated at 16°C for 2 weeks at −30 kPa matric potential. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis of the exudates showed that barley had the largest organic acid content and chia the largest content of sugars (polysaccharide‐derived or free), and maize was in between barley and chia. Yield stress of amended soil samples was measured by an oscillatory strain sweep test with a cone plate rheometer. When microbial decomposition was suppressed at 4°C, yield stress increased 20‐fold for chia seed exudate and twofold for maize root exudate compared with the control, whereas for barley root exudate decreased to half. The yield stress after 2 weeks of incubation compared with soil with suppressed microbial decomposition increased by 85% for barley root exudate, but for chia and maize it decreased by 87 and 54%, respectively. Barley root exudation might therefore disperse soil and this could facilitate nutrient release. The maize root and chia seed exudates gelled soil, which could create a more stable soil structure around roots or seeds.