Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The perceptions of do‐not‐resuscitate policies of dying patients with cancer

Patients in hospitals must authorize do‐not‐resuscitate (DNR) orders or the default cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) occurs. Using discursive analysis, we examined the speech of 28 cancer patients, judged as within 3 months of death, to determine how they justified preferences for DNR orders. Most saw these as a positive outcome of not interfering with a natural death with the decision being personal and the legal right of a competent autonomous person. If surrogates were required, they needed knowledge of the medical facts and the patient's wishes. The doctor was crucial, while family although likely to be supportive may be burdened by the responsibility. Some favored an early DNR discussion, but the majority favored a later discussion when it was applicable. At interview, 58% patients had a DNR order, rising to 82% by the time of death. Written orders were favored, yet 9 of 21 who did not want CPR had no DNR order. Hope was mentioned spontaneously by 25 patients, both as a thing over which patients had little control and as the desire of a positive future outcome. If doctors' and patients' assessments of eligibility for DNR orders do not coincide, the process and documentation of decision‐making needs revision. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Role of lipocalin 2 in intraventricular haemoglobin-induced brain injury

Objective Our recent studies have shown that blood components, including haemoglobin and iron, contribute to hydrocephalus development and brain injury after intraventricular haemorrhage (IVH). The current study investigated the role of lipocalin 2 (LCN2), a protein involved in iron handling, in the ventricular dilation and neuroinflammation caused by brain injury in a mouse model of IVH. Design Female wild-type (WT) C57BL/6 mice and LCN2-deficient (LCN2−/−) mice had an intraventricular injection of haemoglobin, and control mice received an equivalent amount of saline. MRI was performed presurgery and postsurgery to measure ventricular volume and the brains were used for either immunohistochemistry or western blot. Results Ventricular dilation was observed in WT mice at 24 h after haemoglobin (25 mg/mL, 20 µL) injection (12.5±2.4 vs 8.6±1.5 mm3 in the control, p<0.01). Western blotting showed that LCN2 was significantly upregulated in the periventricular area (p<0.01). LCN2 was mainly expressed in astrocytes, whereas the LCN2 receptor was detected in astrocytes, microglia/macrophages and neurons. Haemoglobin-induced ventricle dilation and glia activation were less in LCN2−/− mice (p<0.01). Injection of high-dose haemoglobin (50 mg/mL) resulted in lower mortality in LCN2−/− mice (27% vs 86% in WT; p<0.05). Conclusions Intraventricular haemoglobin caused LCN2 upregulation and ventricular dilation. Haemoglobin resulted in lower mortality and less ventricular dilation in LCN2−/− mice. These results suggest that LCN2 has a role in haemoglobin-induced brain injury and may be a therapeutic target for IVH.
A qualitative investigation of the temporal patterning of the precompetitive anxiety response

The aim of this study was to examine retrospective perceptions and causal beliefs about temporal experiences of competitive anxiety and related symptoms in the lead up to competition. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 9 elite performers to examine the interaction of intensity, frequency and direction of symptoms associated with competitive anxiety before competition. Data analysis identified six causal networks that supported theoretical predictions suggesting that intensity of cognitive anxiety symptoms remained relatively stable in the lead up to competition, whereas somatic anxiety peaked sharply at the onset of performance. Frequency of anxiety symptoms increased as the competition approached and changes in interpretation of anxiety symptoms were also reported, with self-confidence identified as a moderating variable. The findings highlight the dynamic properties of the stress response and emphasize the need to consider the idiosyncratic nature of the level, frequency and interpretation of performers' precompetitive experiences.
Role of Biotechnology for Protection of Endangered Medicinal Plants

The last two centuries of industrialization, urbanization and changes in land use converting agricultural and natural areas to artificial surface have led to European plants being considered amongst the most threatened in the world. In some countries, more than two-thirds of the existing habitat types are considered endangered. Human activity is the primary cause of risk for 83% of endangered plant species. Habitat destruction and loss are also a problem because they lead to the fragmentation of the remaining habitat resulting in futher isolation of plant population [1]. From another side during the last 10 years an intense interest has emerged in "nutraceuticals" (or "functional foods") in which phytochemical constituents can have longterm health promoting or medicinal qualities. Although the distinction between medicinal plants and nutraceuticals can sometimes be vague, a primary characteristic of the latter is that nutraceuticals have a nutritional role in the diet and the benefits to health may arise from longterm use as foods (i.e. chemoprevention) [2]. In contrast, many medicinal plants possess specific medicinal benefits without serving a nutritional role in the human diet and may be used in response to specific health problems over shortor long-term intervals [3].
Automatic selection of tuning parameters for feature extraction sequences

Computer vision algorithms are composed of different sub-algorithms often applied in sequence. Previous work on performance characterization illustrated how random perturbation models can be setup at various stages of an algorithm sequence for the input and output data. In this paper we address the issue of how one could utilize these random perturbation models in order to automate the selection of free parameters used in an algorithm sequence. We consider an operation sequence that involves edge finding, linking, corner finding and matching. Appropriate prior distributions for the parameters that describe the graytone/geometric characteristics of the image features are specified and validated by using an annotation process. The annotation process involves the manual specification (outlining) of the geometry and spatial extent of the image features. Statistics are gathered for parameters describing features of interest and non-interest (clutter features). The appropriate prior distributions are used to derive the theoretical expressions for feature detector performance over a given image population. These performance measures are then optimized to determine the tuning parameters for the feature detector(s). <<ETX>>
Lymph Fistulas after Inguinal Lymph Node Dissection—Assessment of Risk Factors and Future Treatment Strategies

Background: Inguinal lymph node dissections (ILND) have been commonly associated with postoperative complications such as lymphedema, lymph fistula and wound infections. The reported complication rates after ILND range from 14% - 77%, and a rationale for these large differences is the use of a variety of different definitions of complications. Patients and Methods: Files of patients that underwent inguinal lymph node dissection for lymph node metastases at the Department of General and Visceral Surgery of the University Hospital Frankfurt between February 2005 and March 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: 47 patients (65%) developed a lymphatic fistula in the course of the operation, of which 6 patients (8%) underwent reoperations. Surgical side infections (SSI) were seen in 15 patients (21%), all of them harbouring fistulas. Patients presenting with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 did not develop more fistulas than those with a BMI 2 (p = 0.30). Patients who suffered from a lymph fistula had significantly more visits in the outpatient clinic (p =
LOWER EXTREMITY HYPERMOBILITY, BUT NOT CORE MUSCLE ENDURANCE INFLUENCES BALANCE IN FEMALE COLLEGIATE DANCERS.

BACKGROUND Dance is a physically demanding activity, with almost 70% of all injuries in dancers occurring in the lower extremity (LE). Prior researchers report that muscle function (e.g. muscle endurance) and anatomical factors (e.g. hypermobility) affect physical performance (e.g. balance) and can subsequently influence LE injury risk. Specifically, lesser core muscle endurance, balance deficits, and greater hypermobility are related to increased LE injury risk. However, the potentials interrelationships among these factors in dancers remain unclear. PURPOSE The purposes of this study were to examine the relationships among core muscle endurance, balance, and LE hypermobility, and determine the relative contributions of core muscle endurance and LE hypermobility as predictors of balance in female collegiate dancers. STUDY DESIGN Cross-sectional. METHODS Core muscle endurance was evaluated using the combined average anterior, left, and right lateral plank test time scores(s). LE hypermobility was measured using the LE-specific Beighton hypermobility measure, defining hypermobility if both legs had greater than 10 ° knee hyperextension. Balance was measured via the composite anterior, posterolateral, and posteromedial Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) reach distances (normalized to leg length) in 15 female healthy collegiate dancers (18.3 + 0.5yrs, 165.5 + 6.9cm, 63.7 + 12.1kg). Point-biserial-correlation-coefficients examined relationships and a linear regression examined whether core endurance and hypermobility predicted balance (p<.05). RESULTS LE hypermobility (Yes; n = 3, No; n = 12) and balance (87.2 + 8.3% leg length) were positively correlated r(14)=. 67, (p=.01). However, core endurance (103.9 + 50.6 s) and balance were not correlated r(14)=. 32, (p=.26). LE hypermobility status predicted 36.9% of the variance in balance scores (p=.01). CONCLUSION LE hypermobility, but not core muscle endurance may be related to balance in female collegiate dancers. While LE hypermobility status influenced balance in the female collegiate dancers, how this LE hypermobility status affects their longitudinal injury risk as their careers progress needs further study. Overall, the current findings suggest that rather than using isolated core endurance-centric training, clinicians may encourage dancers to use training programs that incorporate multiple muscles - in order to improve their balance, and possibly reduce their LE injury risk. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 2b.
Public Investment in Developing Countries: A Blessing or a Curse?

This paper analyzes the impact of public investment on private investment in 116 developing countries between 1980 and 2006. It finds a strong crowding-out effect that seems to be the norm rather than the exception, both across regions and over time. This effect is dampened (or even reversed) in countries with better institutions that are more open to international trade and financial flows. These results confirm that while public infrastructure may complement private capital, distortions associated with the public investment process might crowd out private investment in the course of building public capital stocks. These distortions are more prevalent in countries with weak institutions or closed economies.
Diagnostic Accuracy in Subtyping Basal Cell Carcinoma by Clinical Diagnosis Compared with Punch Biopsy.

© 2016 The Authors. doi: 10.2340/00015555-2448 Journal Compilation © 2016 Acta Dermato-Venereologica. ISSN 0001-5555 Sir, We read with interest the recent article by Roozeboom et al. (1) reporting that a punch biopsy seems to be a better diagnostic tool than clinical diagnosis for the detection of histological basal cell carcinoma (BCC) subtypes. We wish to report our own results from a similar investigation and comment on the study design. To achieve an optimal therapeutic outcome it is important to identify those tumours most likely to respond to a chosen method (2). With the increasing use of topical therapies, which are unsuitable for the treatment of deep infiltrating and aggressive subtypes of BCC, studies aimed at evaluating the diagnostic performance of those methods most commonly used in daily practice to diagnose BCC are of great importance. BCC features can easily, and without discomfort to the patient, be assessed by clinical examination. By use of this method the entire tumour surface can be evaluated, but limited information about deeper tumour areas is obtained. Histological examination of a biopsy specimen is perceived to give a more accurate diagnosis of tumour subtype. A limitation of a diagnostic punch biopsy, however, is that it offers information from only a small, selected area of the whole tumour. The suggestion by Roozeboom et al. (1) that clinical diagnosis is inferior to punch biopsy in accurately subtyping BCC partly corroborates our own findings in a fairly similar designed investigation. This investigation emanates from an earlier described small, prospective study in which the primary aim was to investigate BCC thickness, but also included information about tumour subtype (3). The clinical diagnosis, punch biopsy and surgical excision of individual BCCs were obtained at a single visit. Through inspection and palpation, 2 consultants and an experienced registrar in dermatology first classified tumours clinically as either of superficial, nodular or aggressive subtypes, based on recognized clinical features (4). Then, a 3-mm biopsy punch was taken from the part of the tumour that was considered thickest in the clinical examination. Finally, a fusiform resection of the whole tumour was made. Biopsy Diagnostic Accuracy in Subtyping Basal Cell Carcinoma by Clinical Diagnosis Compared with Punch Biopsy
Octopus cells in the cochlear nucleus of the cat: heterotypic synapses upon homeotypic neurons.

Octopus cells (Osen, 1969) were identified and the octopus cell area (OCA) was localized three dimensionally in Nissl and Protargol stained sections of cochlear nuclei of adult cats. Octopus cells were then identified in rapid Golgi impregnations that provided a more complete description of the neuron with its entire dendritic tree, and in thin sections. The OCA was established as a region of neurons that are homogeneous morphologically in all these preparations. The inputs to octopus cells were examined in normal Golgi impregnations and in thin sections, in Nauta-Laidlaw preparations and thin sections, following complete cochlear ablations. Primary afferent fibers produce the predominant input of octopus cells. Primary endings terminate upon more than 70% of the somatic and proximal dendritic surface. The descending branches of primary auditory fibers produce thick collaterals with large, isolated boutons, and thin collaterals with small, clustered boutons. Both primary terminals end upon octupus cells.
Comparison of slide coagglutination test and countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis for detection of group B streptococcal antigen in cerebrospinal fluid from infants with meningitis

The usefulness of Phadebact streptococcus reagents for the detection of group B streptococcal antigen in cerebrospinal fluid was evaluated in 54 infants with meningitis and in 22 normal infants. Antigens was detected by slide coagglutination in 19 (82.6%) and by countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis in 20 (87.0%) of 23 cerebrospinal fluid specimens from infants with group B streptococcal meningitis at admission. After initiation of antimicrobial therapy, antigen could be detected in 11 of 19 (by slide coagglutination) and 7 of 18 (by countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis) cerebrospinal fluids. False-positive reactions were noted by slide coagglutination in one infant with S. bovis meningitis and one with group B streptococcal bacteremia without meningitis; none occurred with countercurrent immunoelectrophoresis. The commercial availiability, simplicity, sensitivity (82.6%), and specificity (96.4%) of the Phadebact slide coaggluatination test for detecting group B streptococcal antigen in cerebrospinal fluid suggest that it may be useful for the early and rapid diagnosis of group B streptococcal meningitis.
Impact of human mesenchymal stromal cells on antifungal host response against Aspergillus fumigatus

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are increasingly given as immunotherapy to hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) recipients with refractory graft-versus-host disease (GvHD). Whereas the immunosuppressive properties of MSCs seem to be beneficial in GvHD, there is, at the same time, major concern that MSCs increase the risk for infection. We therefore investigated the interplay of human MSCs with Aspergillus fumigatus and the impact of MSCs on different arms of the anti-Aspergillus host response in vitro. Although A. fumigatus hyphae increase mRNA levels of IL6 in MSCs, the extracellular availability of IL-6 and other pro-inflammatory cytokines remains unaffected. Human MSCs are able to phagocyte Aspergillus conidia, but phagocytosis of conidia is not associated with an alteration of the cytokine production by MSCs. In addition, human MSCs do not affect activation and function of A. fumigatus specific CD4+ T cells, and MSCs do not negatively impact the oxidative burst activity of phagocytes. Our in vitro data indicate that administration of human MSCs is not associated with a negative impact on the host response against A. fumigatus and that the fungus does not stimulate MSCs to increase the release of those cytokines which play a central role in the pathophysiology of GvHD.
Shorter distance between the nodule and capsule has greater risk of cervical lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid carcinoma.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between different sonographic features of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) on high-frequency ultrasound and cervical lymph node metastasis (CLNM). MATERIALS AND METHODS We enrolled 548 patients who underwent initial surgery for PTC between May 2011 and December 2012 in our hospital at diagnosis. The sonographic features of 513 PTC nodules in 513 eligible patients, who had single PTC nodules in their thyroid glands, were retrospectively investigated. All patients with a suspect malignant nodule (d<0.5cm) among multiple nodules were initially diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) to ascertain if the suspect nodule was PTC. The final diagnosis of all the thyroid nodules and existence of CLNM were based on postoperative pathology. Patients were divided into two groups: a positive group with CLNM (224 nodules) and a negative group without CLNM (289 nodules). The following factors were investigated: gender, age, echogenicity, echotexture, size, shape, location, margin, contour, calcification morphology, distance between the nodule and pre- or post-border of the thyroid capsule, vascularity and the differences between the two groups. RESULTS Correlation analysis showed that shorter distances between the nodule and pre- or post- border of thyroid capsule resulted in greater risk of CLNM (Spearman correlation coefficient=-0.22, p<0.0001). The significant factors in multivariate analysis were age<45yrs, larger size (d>1cm), "wider than tall" shape, extrathyroid extension and mixed flow (internal and peripheral) (p<0.05, OR=0.406, 2.093, 0.461, 1.610, 1.322). CONCLUSIONS Significant sonographic features of PTC nodules in preoperative high-frequency ultrasound are crucial for predicting CLNM.
Emotional Impulsivity and Emotional and Behavioral Difficulties Among Children With ADHD

Objective: Children with ADHD often demonstrate impulsive shifts in emotion, characterized by sudden and intense shifts in affect. This study examined the effects of emotional impulsivity over time on the emotional and behavioral functioning of children with ADHD using ecological momentary assessment (EMA). Method: Twenty-seven 8- to 12-year-old children with ADHD, and their parents, completed baseline measures of the children’s emotional and behavioral functioning. Parents and children then completed an EMA protocol, whereby they each rated the child’s affect three times daily for 28 days. Results: Hierarchical regression analyses strongly supported the relation of greater EMA-derived emotional impulsivity to children’s increased emotional and behavioral difficulties. These effects were evident across reporters and were maintained after controlling for baseline emotion dysregulation. Conclusion: Overall, this study demonstrated the utility of EMA-based assessments and suggested that emotional impulsivity may play an important role in the emotional and behavioral functioning of children with ADHD.
Ghrelin and obestatin modulate growth hormone‐releasing hormone release and synaptic inputs onto growth hormone‐releasing hormone neurons

Ghrelin, a natural ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS‐R), is synthesized in the stomach but may also be expressed in lesser quantity in the hypothalamus where the GHS‐R is located on growth hormone‐releasing hormone (GHRH) neurons. Obestatin, a peptide derived from the same precursor as ghrelin, is able to antagonize the ghrelin‐induced increase of growth hormone (GH) secretion in vivo but not from pituitary explants in vitro. Thus, the blockade of ghrelin‐induced GH release by obestatin could be mediated at the hypothalamic level by the neuronal network that controls pituitary GH secretion. Ghrelin increased GHRH and decreased somatostatin (somatotropin‐releasing inhibitory factor) release from hypothalamic explants, whereas obestatin only reduced the ghrelin‐induced increase of GHRH release, thus indicating that the effect of ghrelin and obestatin is targeted to GHRH neurons. Patch‐clamp recordings on mouse GHRH‐enhanced green fluorescent protein neurons indicated that ghrelin and obestatin had no significant effects on glutamatergic synaptic transmission. Ghrelin decreased GABAergic synaptic transmission in 44% of the recorded neurons, an effect blocked in the presence of the GHS‐R antagonist BIM28163, and stimulated the firing rate of 78% of GHRH neurons. Obestatin blocked the effects of ghrelin by acting on a receptor different from the GHS‐R. These data suggest that: (i) ghrelin increases GHRH neuron excitability by increasing their action potential firing rate and decreasing the strength of GABA inhibitory inputs, thereby leading to an enhanced GHRH release; and (ii) obestatin counteracts ghrelin actions. Such interactions on GHRH neurons probably participate in the control of GH secretion.
The DEFECTIVE IN ANTHER DEHISCENCE1 Gene Encodes a Novel Phospholipase A1 Catalyzing the Initial Step of Jasmonic Acid Biosynthesis, Which Synchronizes Pollen Maturation, Anther Dehiscence, and Flower Opening in Arabidopsis

The Arabidopsis mutant defective in anther dehiscence1 (dad1) shows defects in anther dehiscence, pollen maturation, and flower opening. The defects were rescued by the exogenous application of jasmonic acid (JA) or linolenic acid, which is consistent with the reduced accumulation of JA in the dad1 flower buds. We identified the DAD1 gene by T-DNA tagging, which is characteristic to a putative N-terminal transit peptide and a conserved motif found in lipase active sites. DAD1 protein expressed in Escherichia coli hydrolyzed phospholipids in an sn-1–specific manner, and DAD1–green fluorescent protein fusion protein expressed in leaf epidermal cells localized predominantly in chloroplasts. These results indicate that the DAD1 protein is a chloroplastic phospholipase A1 that catalyzes the initial step of JA biosynthesis. DAD1 promoter::β-glucuronidase analysis revealed that the expression of DAD1 is restricted in the stamen filaments. A model is presented in which JA synthesized in the filaments regulates the water transport in stamens and petals.