Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Anterior Spinal Fusion Complicated by Paraplegia: A Case Report of a False-negative Somatosensory-evoked Potential

A case of an anterior spinal artery syndrome complicating an anterior spinal fusion is reported. Besides documenting a relatively rare complication of anterior spinal surgery, the level of the lesion (T6) and the association of spinal shock are relatively unusual. Intraoperative somatosensoryevoked potentials (SEP) deteriorated only transiently and failed to reflect adequately the neurologic injury either intraoperatively or postoperatively. The shortcomings of SEP monitoring are discussed, and the recommendation is made to use the combination of SEPs with the wake-up test when possible.
Characterization of the Chicken Rhodopsin Promoter: Identification of Retina-Specific and glass-like Protein Binding Domains

The rhodopsin promoter was analyzed as a prototype for cis-acting DNA elements involved in photoreceptor-specific gene regulation. We report the isolation and sequence of 1.8 kb of 5' flanking sequence of the chicken rhodopsin gene and analysis of DNA-binding proteins to promoter fragments by gel retardation assay. These analyses identified retina- and brain-specific protein binding to several regions of the rhodopsin promoter both proximal and distal to the transcription start site. The tissue-specific protein binding patterns were consistent with that proposed previously based on the expression pattern of rhodopsin promoter-lacZ constructs in transgenic mice (1, 2). The data also confirm the presence of the chicken homolog to a rat retina-specific binding site in the proximal promoter described previously. The Drosophila glass gene, which encodes a site-specific DNA-binding zinc-finger protein, is known to be required for the normal development of all photoreceptors in this species (3). In this paper we identify a glass-like sequence motif in chick, which shows homology to the Drosophila Rh1 27-bp glass-binding sequence, and find that the chick glass-like element exhibits tissue-specific protein binding properties which parallel those observed with Drosophila glass.
Evaluation of serum and salivary sialic acid and nitric oxide levels in chronic periodontitis patients

Background: Chronic gingivitis and periodontitis are inflammatory diseases. Sialic acid occupies the interface between the host and pathogenic microorganisms. Nitric oxide has been linked to the etiopathogenesis of periodontal disease and is expressed in salivary glands as well as in their product. Hence this study has been designed to compare the evaluation of serum and salivary nitric oxide and sialic acid in chronic periodontitis patients Aim: To evaluate the serum sialic acid and nitric oxide level in periodontally healthy and chronic periodontitis subjects. To evaluate the salivary sialic acid and nitric oxide level in periodontally healthy and chronic periodontitis subjects. To correlate the levels of serum and salivary sialic acid and nitric oxide with disease severity Material and Methods: 40 subjects will be selected and will be divided into two groups. Group I – 20 subjects who are systemically healthy with healthy gingiva (Control group). Group II – 20 subjects who are systemically healthy with chronic periodontitis. (Periodontitis group). Clinical examination was done and the following parameters were assessed: Gingival index, Clinical Attachment Loss.
Insecticide-treated nets and malaria prevalence, Papua New Guinea, 2008–2014

Abstract Objective To investigate changes in malaria prevalence in Papua New Guinea after the distribution of long-lasting Insecticide-treated nets, starting in 2004, and the introduction of artemisinin-based combination therapy in 2011. Methods Two malaria surveys were conducted in 2010–2011 and 2013–2014. They included 77 and 92 randomly selected villages, respectively. In each village, all members of 30 randomly selected households gave blood samples and were assessed for malaria infection by light microscopy. In addition, data were obtained from a malaria survey performed in 2008–2009. Results The prevalence of malaria below 1600 m in altitude decreased from 11.1% (95% confidence interval, CI: 8.5–14.3) in 2008–2009 to 5.1% (95% CI 3.6–7.4) in 2010–2011 and 0.9% (95% CI 0.6–1.5) in 2013–2014. Prevalence decreased with altitude. Plasmodium falciparum was more common than P. vivax overall, but not everywhere, and initially the prevalence of P. vivax infection decreased more slowly than P. falciparum infection. Malaria infections were clustered in households. In contrast to findings in 2008–2009, no significant association between net use and prevalence was found in the later two surveys. The prevalence of both fever and splenomegaly also decreased but their association with malaria infection became stronger. Conclusion Large-scale insecticide-treated net distribution was associated with an unprecedented decline in malaria prevalence throughout Papua New Guinea, including epidemic-prone highland areas. The decline was accompanied by broader health benefits, such as decreased morbidity. Better clinical management of nonmalarial fever and research into residual malaria transmission are required.
A biosensor for environmental genotoxin screening based on an SOS lux assay in recombinant Escherichia coli cells

A genetically controlled luminescent bacterial reporter assay, the SOS lux test, was developed for rapid detection of environmental genotoxins. The bioassay is based on the recombinant plasmid pPLS-1, which was constructed as a derivative of pBR322, carrying the promoterless luxCDABFE genes of Photobacterium leiognathi downstream of a truncated cda gene from ColD with a strong SOS promoter. E. coli recA+ strains containing this construction are inducible to high levels of light production in the presence of substances or agents that cause damage to the DNA of the cells. The light signal, reflecting the SOS-inducing potency, is recorded from the growing culture within 1 s, and the test results are available within 1 to 2 h. Induction of bioluminescence was demonstrated by treatment of E. coli C600(pPLS-1) with 6 genotoxic chemicals (mitomycin C, N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine, nalidixic acid, dimethylsulfate, hydrogen peroxide, and formaldehyde) and with UV and gamma radiation. A clear dose-response relationship was established for all eight genotoxins. The sensitivity of the SOS lux test is similar to that of other bioassays for genotoxicity or mutagenicity, such as the SOS chromotest, umu test, and Ames mutatest. These results indicate that the SOS lux test is potentially useful for the in situ and continuous detection of genotoxins.
Lower bounds of moving target estimation in low frequency UWB SAR

Lower bound of moving target estimation, in a multi-antenna channel ultra wide band (UWB) synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system is studied in this work. The main focus is to derive lower bound for systems having a very long integration time associated with position and velocity estimation, which is often connected to low frequency systems. Assuming a flat Earth model we consider the lower bound of the speed components in range and in the cross range direction. The estimation in cross range direction is associated with a considerable integration angle, and therefore the lower bound is determined in connection to a SAR process. It is found that the relative speed influences the covariance matrix of the clutter and therefore also the speed estimate. The influence increases the estimation performance of the relative speed and therefore also the performance of the cross range speed estimation.
Effect of penile-extender device in increasing penile size in men with shortened penis: preliminary results.

INTRODUCTION It has been suggested that the application of penile-extender devices increases penile length and circumference. However, there are a few scientific studies in this field. AIMS The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a penile-extender (Golden Erect(®) , Ronas Tajhiz Teb, Tehran, Iran) in increasing penile size. METHODS This prospective study was performed on subjects complaining about "short penis" who were presented to our clinic between September 15, 2008 and December 15, 2008. After measuring the penile length in flaccid and stretched forms and penile circumference, patients were instructed to wear Golden Erect(®) , 4-6 hours per day during the first 2 weeks and then 9 hours per day until the end of the third month. The subjects were also trained how to increase the force of the device during determined intervals. The patients were visited at the end of the first and third months, and penile length and circumference were measured and compared with baseline. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary end point of the study was changes in flaccid and stretched penile lengths compared with the baseline size during the 3 months follow-up. RESULTS Twenty-three cases with a mean age of 26.5 ± 8.1 years entered the study. The mean flaccid penile length increased from 8.8 ± 1.2 cm to 10.1 ± 1.2 cm and 10.5 ± 1.2 cm, respectively, in the first and third months of follow-up, which was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Mean stretched penile length also significantly increased from 11.5 ± 1.0 cm to, respectively, 12.4 ± 1.3 cm and 13.2 ± 1.4 cm during the first and second follow-up (P < 0.05). No significant difference was found regarding proximal penile girth. However, it was not the same regarding the circumference of the glans penis (9.3 ± 0.86 cm vs. 8.8 ± 0.66 cm, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Our findings supported the efficacy of the device in increasing penile length. Our result also suggested the possibility of glans penis girth enhancement using penile extender. Performing more studies is recommended.
Regulation of Autophagy by Protein Phosphorylation

Macroautophagy (hereafter called autophagy) is an intracellular lysosomal degradation process. Long-lived cytosolic proteins and entire organelles are enveloped by a double membrane. These vesicles are called autophagosomes and are transferred to lysosomes. The enclosed cargo is degraded by lysosomal hydrolases, and the resulting components are transported back to the cytosol and re-used for anabolic and catabolic processes. In recent years it became evident that autophagy is central for cellular homeostasis. Autophagy occurs at basal levels essentially in any cell type, and is actively induced under stress conditions, e.g. nutrient deprivation or infection. Additionally, the involvement of autophagy in human pathologies such as cancerogenesis and neurodegeneration is welldocumented and current therapeutic approaches hence target autophagy signaling pathways.
Parental perception and perceived locus of control in psychopathology.

Summary The intrusion of anxiety and disruption of ego functions seen in the more serious forms of psychopathology would seem incompatible with maintenance of an unimpaired sense of personal identity. The present study took the position that the psychiatric patient's fragile or poorly developed sense of his own identity would be reflected (a) in deficient or tenuous identifications with parental norms and values and (b) in the perception of less parental supportiveness and warmth, relative to nonpsychiatric patients, and (c) would lead the individual to perceive reinforcement as contingent primarily upon some external locus of control, rather than upon his own relatively enduring personal characteristics Support was obtained for (b) and (c), above, but not for (a).
Assembly rules and functional groups at global biogeographical scales

Summary 1. The taxonomic and functional composition of reef fish assemblages are quantified in three biogeographical regions: Great Barrier Reef, French Polynesia and Caribbean. Assemblages are described in three habitats of differing wave exposure. Functional abilities are estimated based on published analyses linking fin morphology and swimming performance. 2. Two questions were addressed: (1) To what extent are labrid assemblages similar among habitats and regions? (2) To what extent are functional characteristics of fish assemblages shaped by differences in biodiversity, evolutionary history and species composition? 3. All three regions display highly congruent patterns of habitat use, in terms of assemblage structure and functional characteristics, despite a five-fold difference in species richness, limited or no species overlap, and a 3·2-Myear history of isolation. Exposed reef crest assemblages were dominated by fishes with fins reflecting lift-based highspeed locomotion. In contrast to abundance-based patterns, species presence/absence data were uninformative. 4. The relationship between swimming ability and habitat use reveals underlying assembly rules at a functional level, emphasizing the utility of functional attributes as a metric for comparing system-level properties in taxonomically distinct faunas.
White matter and development in children with an autism spectrum disorder

Recent research suggests that brain development follows an abnormal trajectory in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The current study examined changes in diffusivity with age within defined white matter tracts in a group of typically developing children and a group of children with an ASD, aged 6 to 14 years. Age by group interactions were observed for frontal, long distant, interhemispheric and posterior tracts, for longitudinal, radial and mean diffusivity, but not for fractional anisotropy. In all cases, these measures of diffusivity decreased with age in the typically developing group, but showed little or no change in the ASD group. This supports the hypothesis of an abnormal developmental trajectory of white matter in this population, which could have profound effects on the development of neural connectivity and contribute to atypical cognitive development in children with ASD.
Combined immunoaffinity cDNA-RNA hybridization assay for detection of hepatitis A virus in clinical specimens

To apply cDNA-RNA hybridization methods to the detection of hepatitis A virus (HAV) in clinical materials, we developed a two-step method in which a microtiter-based, solid-phase immunoadsorption procedure incorporating a monoclonal anti-HAV capture antibody was followed by direct blotting of virus eluates to nitrocellulose and hybridization with 32P-labeled recombinant HAV cDNA. This immunoaffinity hybridization method is simple and involves few sample manipulations, yet it retains high sensitivity (10- to 30-fold more than radioimmunoassay) and is capable of detecting approximately 1 X 10(5) to 2 X 10(5) genome copies of virus. The inclusion of the immunoaffinity step removes most contaminating proteins and thus facilitates subsequent immobilization of the virus for hybridization. It also permits positive hybridization signals to be related to specific antigens and adds a level of specificity to the hybridization procedure. When the method was applied to 23 fecal specimens collected from individuals during week 1 of symptoms due to hepatitis A, 13 specimens were found to be reproducibly positive for HAV RNA by immunoaffinity hybridization, whereas only 11 contained viral antigen detectable by radioimmunoassay.
The Tits boundary of a CAT(0) 2-complex

We investigate the Tits boundary of CAT(0) 2-complexes that have only a finite number of isometry types of cells. In particular, we show that away from the endpoints, a geodesic segment in the Tits boundary is the ideal boundary of an isometrically embedded Euclidean sector. As applications, we provide sufficient conditions for two points in the Tits boundary to be the endpoints of a geodesic in the 2-complex and for a group generated by two hyperbolic isometries to contain a free group. We also show that if two CAT(0) 2-complexes are quasi-isometric, then the cores of their Tits boundaries are bi-Lipschitz.
Growth response of Ricinus communis L (castor oil) in spent lubricating oil polluted soil

The growth response of castor oil plant, Ricinus communis , in spent lubricating oil (SLO) was investigated using 1-6% w/w SLO and a control. The result showed that highest percent germination of approximately 92, was obtained in control and the least in 5% w/w. The early germination obtained in this study was significant when considered in the light of reported delay and depression of germination by spent lubricating oil in Capsicum annum, Lycopersicon esculentum, Solanum melongena and S. incanum . For parameters like plant height, stem girth, leaf area, fresh and dry weights, and root length, the mean values obtained were higher for 1% w/w than control. There was stimulation of growth at 1% w/w spent lubricating oil in soil. Plants in higher concentration (2–6% w/w) exhibited depression in growth. Plants grown in 1% w/w spent lubricating oil in soil flowered earlier than those grown in control. A difference of eight (8) days was observed. Journal of Applied Sciences and Environmental Management Vol. 9(2) 2005: 73-79
Clinical approach to optic neuritis: pitfalls, red flags and differential diagnosis

Demyelinating optic neuritis (ON) is the most common cause of optic neuropathy typically presenting with a subacute painful visual loss. In 20% of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), ON is the presenting symptom and half of the patients with isolated ON develop MS within 15 years. The diagnosis of ON plays an important role in neurological practice. A correct and early diagnosis is necessary to ensure optimal further investigations and treatment. Other causes of optic neuropathies such as connective tissue disorders, infectious diseases, tumours or ischaemic neuropathies are less frequent but clinical and therapeutic management can differ dramatically. We present five patients admitted to our hospital with suspected demyelinating ON, but the clinical work up revealed different causes of optic neuropathy. We discuss the differential diagnosis of ON and clinical red flags that require careful diagnostic assessment of other diseases. A workflow for the diagnosis of optic neuropathies is presented.
Functional Advantages Conferred by Extracellular Prokaryotic Membrane Vesicles

The absence of subcellular organelles is a characteristic typically used to distinguish prokaryotic from eukaryotic cells. But recent discoveries do not support this dogma. Over the past 50 years, researchers have begun to appreciate and characterize Gram-negative bacterial outer membrane-derived vesicles and Gram-positive and archaeal membrane vesicles. These extracellular, membrane-bound organelles can perform a variety of functions, including binding and delivery of DNA, transport of virulence factors, protection of the cell from outer membrane targeting antimicrobials and ridding the cell of toxic envelope proteins. Here, we review the contributions of these extracellular organelles to prokaryotic physiology and compare these with the contributions of the bacterial interior membrane-bound organelles responsible for harvesting light energy and for generating magnetic crystals of heavy metals. Understanding the roles of these multifunctional extracellular vesicle organelles as microbial tools will help us to better realize the diverse interactions that occur in our polymicrobial world.
Book Review: The Mystery of Being, II: Faith and Reality

2209, nn. 1-3 and "necessary" cooperatore simply coextensive, as the author seems to suggest (pp. 150, 320). He does not often leave any doubt as to his position on a given issue; it is not clear, however, whether he holds without qualification that integral confession is probably not required in the reception of doubtfully baptized converts, or only that it cannot be proved in general, prescinding from instructions of the Holy See for particular territories, such as the United States (p. 78, note 11). Again, the mere fact of sending a child to a sectarian school does not necessarily imply education or institution "in religione acatholica," as is suggested (p. 63). In the expression "aliud matrimonium. attentaverint" of canon 2356, as elsewhere, the word "attentare" is simply the proper term for attempting marriage and does not indicate that unmitigated guilt is required for the penalty (p. 147). Nor does the clause "facto verbo cum Sanctissimo" necessarily indicate an extensive interpretation (p. 112). There is apparently a slip of the pen in the conclusion of case 48 (p. 150), in which it is said that a certain party can be absolved from excommunication who, according to the preview of the case, would not have been excommunicated. The author justifies our continued enjoyment of the extended time for fulfilling the Easter Duty by a rather questionable appeal to custom based on the original induit of 1830 (p. 65, note 1). This can be explained more easily and more juridically on other principles: unlike a dispensation (canon 86), a rescript in general or a privilege in particular does not automatically cease with the cessation of its final cause; and, according to canon 4, this induit was not revoked by the Code. It remains, therefore, not as a custom but as an induit. Fr. Cloran's book is very much up to date. He incorporates all the most recent documents of the Holy See in this matter. The extensive bibliography cMtains the latest editions and shows an appreciation of the many good English-language works in this field, notably the Canon Law dissertations of the Catholic University of America. He has made commendable use of the collection of particular censures and reserved sins of the American dioceses. There are several schematic charts, but the value of charts is rather in composing than in having them. One addition that would make this work an even more useful contribution would be a second index according to the canons of the Code.
Identifying Patch Correctness in Test-Based Program Repair

Test-based automatic program repair has attracted a lot of attention in recent years However, the test suites in practice are often too weak to guarantee correctness and existing approaches often generate a large number of incorrect patches. To reduce the number of incorrect patches generated, we propose a novel approach that heuristically determines the correctness of the generated patches. The core idea is to exploit the behavior similarity of test case executions. The passing tests on original and patched programs are likely to behave similarly while the failing tests on original and patched programs are likely to behave differently. Also, if two tests exhibit similar runtime behavior, the two tests are likely to have the same test results. Based on these observations, we generate new test inputs to enhance the test suites and use their behavior similarity to determine patch correctness. Our approach is evaluated on a dataset consisting of 139 patches generated from existing program repair systems including jGenProg, Nopol, jKali, ACS, and HDRepair. Our approach successfully prevented 56.3% of the incorrect patches to be generated, without blocking any correct patches.
Mechanisms of impaired water excretion in adrenal and pituitary insufficiency. II. Interrelationships of adrenal cortical steroids and antidiuretic hormone in normal subjects and in diabetes insipidus.

The impaired water diuresis of adrenal or pituitary insufficiency is completely corrected by the administration of cortisol and other glucocorti-coid analogues (1-5). This correction results not from improved renal hemodynamics, altered tubular reabsorption of solutes, or removal of a nonosmotic (volume) stimulus to continued antidiuretic hormone (ADH) release, but probably from a direct effect of the steroid on the diluting segments of the nephrons (2, 6). This interpre-tation implies that the formation, release and inactivation of ADH are normal in the adrenal-insufficient subject.