Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using chloroplast DNA to trace postglacial migration routes of oaks into Britain

Postglacial migration is a major factor responsible for the patterns of genetic variation we see in natural populations. Fossil pollen data indicate that early postglacial colonists such as oak, were able to take both western and eastern migration routes into Britain. Analysis at a finer level is now permitted by the use of modern molecular techniques. A 13‐bp duplication in the chloroplast tRNALeul intron occurs in natural populations of East Anglian oaks, but is not found in other parts of Britain or from mainland Europe. The distribution of this marker suggests that the mutation occurred either in southern England, or during migration from the mainland, and became fixed in a source population from which East Anglia was colonized. Planting of non‐native trees for roadside boundaries and in the grounds of old houses and estates, explains the absence of the marker from some East Anglian oaks.
The learning curve associated with anteromedial portal drilling in ACL reconstruction

ABSTRACT Objectives: The objective of the current study was to evaluate the accuracy and precision of femoral and tibial tunnel placement during anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) using independent anteromedial portal (AMP) drilling over a three-year observation period. Methods: This study was a retrospective review of 161 consecutive primary ACL reconstructions from a single surgeon over his first 36-months in practice. Femoral and tibial tunnel angulation measurements were made on anteroposterior radiographs by a single observer utilizing the assessment method described by Aglietti et al. The accuracy and precision of tunnel placement across the three-year period were assessed with comparisons made. Results: Significantly improved accuracy was demonstrated toward the cadaveric ideal femoral tunnel angle of 33.5° over time. Improved precision of tunnel placement was also demonstrated evidenced by declining standard deviations across each year. Statistically significant improvement in femoral tunnel placement was seen between the first and second cohorts of 32 cases. No significant change was seen with respect to tibial tunnel angle across the observation period. Conclusions: A learning curve in developing accuracy and precision in ACL femoral tunnel placement using the AMP technique exists; our study indicates this to be somewhere between 32 and 64 cases. Tibial tunnel placement does not share the same learning curve using this surgical technique.
Psychological and Somatic Symptoms in Screening for Depression in Asthma Patients

Correctly identifying asthma patients who need treatment for depression is part of comprehensive care. The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of depressive symptoms measured by the short-form Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-SF), which measures somatic and psychological symptoms, with the original and short-form Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS and GDS-SF), which measure only psychological symptoms. In total, 257 asthma patients (mean age 42 years, 75% women) completed the GDS (score range 0–30, positive screen ≥ 11) and the CESD-SF (score range 0–30, positive screen ≥ 10). The performance of each scale was compared to clinical diagnoses of depressive disorders reported by physicians using a skill score analysis. Twenty percent of patients had GDS scores ≥ 11 and 32% had CESD-SF scores ≥ 10. The somatic symptom of restless sleep was the most common CESD-SF symptom and the symptom that contributed most to the total score. The GDS had a skill score of +. 16 (+1 = maximum possible, 0 = best guess) and the CESD-SF had a skill score of −. 02 compared to physician-reported depressive disorders. Similar results were found for the GDS-SF. Thus, more patients had a positive CESD-SF screen, which was attributable mostly to a somatic sleep symptom that overlaps with asthma symptoms, and the GDS was more consistent with physicians' reports of depressive disorders.
Apoptosis of human erythroid colony‐forming cells is decreased by stem cell factor and insulin‐like growth factor I as well as erythropoietin

To clarify the manner by which erythropoietin (EP), stem cell factor (SCF), or insulin‐like growth factor I (IGF‐I) regulate erythropoiesis, apoptosis of human erythroid progenitor cells was investigated. Human burst‐forming units‐erythroid (BFU‐E) partially purified from peripheral blood were cultured for 6 days to generate erythroid colony‐forming cells (ECFC), which consist mainly of colony‐forming units‐erythroid (CFU‐E). The cells were labeled with [3H]thymidine, incubated in serum‐free liquid media, at 37°C, for 16 h, and the pattern of DNA breakdown was analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. When these cells were incubated without EP, 70% of the total cellular DNA was broken down into DNA fragments of less than 5 kilobases and nuclear condensation and fragmentation, characteristic of apoptosis, were evident. While EP greatly reduced the amount of DNA breakdown to 23%, SCF and IGF‐I each reduced the amount of DNA breakdown to 38–46% and, when added together, to 24%. Dose‐response experiments with SCF and IGF‐I showed a dose‐dependent reduction in DNA fragmentation at concentrations that stimulate colony formation in serum‐free semisolid cultures. Finally, assays of ECFC performed by the plasma clot method, after serum‐free liquid culture, at 37°C, for 16 h, demonstrated marked protection of erythroid colony‐forming capacity by SCF or IGF‐I in the absence of EP, as well as by EP itself. These data indicate that human erythroid progenitor cells undergo apoptosis which is reduced by SCF and IGF‐I as well as EP and suggest that the control of apoptosis by each of these factors has a prominent role in the regulation of erythropoiesis. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Outcome of liver transplantation in patients with hemochromatosis

Recent preliminary reports suggest a poor outcome of orthotopic liver transplantation for patients with hemochromatosis. We analyzed an institutional experience with orthotopic liver transplantation for hemochromatosis, focusing on factors contributing to increased morbidity and mortality. Between March 1988 and October 1992, nine of 249 adults (3.6%) undergoing orthotopic liver transplantation had hemochromatosis. Mean age was 53 yr (range, 42 to 62 yr), and eight of nine patients were men. The diagnosis of hemochromatosis was based on transferrin saturation>62% and hepatic iron index>2.0. Only two patients were known to have hemochromatosis before liver transplantation. All nine patients underwent standard cardiac evaluation before transplantation, and no patient had detectable pre‐existing cardiac disease. One patient had a major operative cardiac complication as a result of pulmonary embolism and made a full recovery. Postoperatively, congestive heart failure developed in three patients and four patients had arrhythmias. One patient is undergoing phlebotomy for post‐transplant cardiac complications from hemochromatosis. Two patients had primary hepatic tumors in the explant liver. There were four deaths caused by multiorgan failure with congestive heart failure (1), infection (2), and/or malignancy (2). Five patients are alive 3 to 25 mo post‐transplant. The actuarial survival of the nine patients was 53% at 25 mo vs. 89% for 18 age‐ and sex‐matched control transplant recipients (p=0.1) and 81% for all other adult liver transplant recipients (p<0.01). In five of seven patients, post‐transplant liver biopsies revealed hepatic iron accumulation. We conclude that: (1) the survival of patients with hemochromatosis after liver transplantation is decreased when compared with other recipients; (2) the outcome after orthotopic liver transplantation for hemochromatosis cannot be predicted by standard pretransplant assessment, including cardiac evaluation; (3) cardiac, infectious and malignant complications account for excess morbidity and mortality post‐transplant; and (4) confirmation of hemochromatosis and phlebotomy therapy pretransplant might reduce cardiac complications after liver transplantation. (Hepatology 1994;20:404–410.)
Nurses' knowledge of pharmacological measures on acute pain management in Western Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE To assess the nursing knowledge of acute pain management in a tertiary hospital. METHODS Three hundred closed-answer questionnaires were distributed in various hospital departments at King Khalid National Guard Hospital in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in 2007. Three main topics were tested in the questionnaire; nursing opinion on patient self-report of pain as a main indicator of pain intensity, the need to increase opioids dose when the first dose had been safe but ineffective, and nurses' attitude toward the incidence of addiction, tolerance, and physical dependence. RESULTS Of the respondents, 45.8% used the patient self-report of pain as an indicator of pain intensity in the smiling patient (A), and 55.1% relied on that in the grimacing patient (B). Fifty percent of respondents in patient A and 30.5% in patient B decided to give no more morphine to both patients despite their pain, while 7.6% and 19.5% of nurses selected the option of giving higher morphine dose to both patients. Only 38.1% of nurses chose the correct answer for risk of addiction (<1%) and 41.6% selected an exaggerated response range from 25-100% as a chance of addiction. Very few nurses recognized the problem of tolerance and physical dependence and picked the right answers. CONCLUSION Nurses' knowledge of acute pain management is deficient in many aspects. Proper education is needed to improve their knowledge of pain.
The old problem of adherence: Research on treatment adherence and its relevance for HIV/AIDS

The international published research on patient adherence was selectively reviewed with the goal of determining its relevance for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. Results show that not adhering to treatment regimes is so widespread that no combination of sociodemographic variables is reliably predictive of patients' not following doctors' orders. Achieving 100% adherence for any treatment or patient group does not appear to be realistic. Characteristics of the patient's situation, of the given therapy, and of the disease itself affect adherence. In addition, the patient-doctor relationship and the context of the treatment are important. Often overlooked are the existential dimensions of meaning, self-determination and quality of life which are particularly important for the chronically ill. Treatment needs to be negotiated individually with each patient on the basis of an open therapeutic relationship and with the help of multidimensional interventions. Lessons from the discourse on safer sex can steer adherence research and practice away from a behavioural and reductionist approach toward the context and meaning of treatment.
Mohs Micrographic Surgery of Primary Cutaneous Mucinous Carcinoma Using Immunohistochemistry for Margin Control

BACKGROUND Primary cutaneous mucinous carcinoma is a rare adnexal malignancy with a high recurrence rate following conventional excision and the potential for aggressive local invasion. OBJECTIVE To enhance the microscopic detection of mucinous carcinoma in Mohs micrographic surgical sections by incorporating rapid immunohistochemical staining. METHODS Standard Mohs micrographic surgical technique was used in conjunction with frozen section immunohistochemistry using an antibody to low-molecular-weight cytokeratin. RESULTS Rapid immunoperoxidase staining using low-molecular-weight cytokeratin detected residual foci of mucinous carcinoma that were difficult to identify on routine frozen sections. Immunostaining was strongly positive in areas with clear evidence of tumor by routine histology, as well as in adjacent areas on a subsequent stage where frozen sections were equivocal or negative. Immunostaining was distinctly negative at the final surgical margin, which was shown by en face permanent sections to be free of tumor. The patient has been free of recurrence for 3 years. CONCLUSION Immunoperoxidase-guided Mohs micrographic surgery using low-molecular-weight cytokeratin enhances the sensitivity for detection of mucinous carcinoma, and may help contribute to complete tumor removal.
Predictors of Adherence by Adolescents to a Cognitive Behavior Therapy Website in School and Community-Based Settings

Background There have been no previous studies of the variables that predict adherence to online depression and anxiety intervention programs among adolescents. However, research of traditionally delivered intervention programs for a variety of health conditions in adolescence suggests that health knowledge, type and level of symptomatology, race, socioeconomic status, treatment setting, and support may predict adherence. Objective The aim was to compare adherence rates and identify the predictors of adherence to a cognitive behavior therapy website in two adolescent samples that were offered the program in different settings and under different conditions of support. Methods The first adolescent sample consisted of 1000 school students who completed the MoodGYM program in a classroom setting over five weeks as part of a randomized controlled trial. The second sample consisted of 7207 adolescents who accessed the MoodGYM program spontaneously and directly through the open access URL. All users completed a brief survey before the start of the program that measured background characteristics, depression history, symptoms of depression and anxiety, and dysfunctional thinking. Results Adolescents in the school-based sample completed significantly more online exercises (mean = 9.38, SD = 6.84) than adolescents in the open access community sample (mean = 3.10, SD = 3.85; t 1088.62 = −28.39, P < .001). A multiple linear regression revealed that school-based setting (P < .001) and female gender (P < .001) were predictive of greater adherence, as were living in a rural area (P < .001) and lower pre-test anxiety (P = .04) scores for the school-based sample and higher pre-test depression scores (P = .01) for the community sample. A history of depression (P = .33) and pre-test warpy thoughts scores (P = .35) were not predictive of adherence in the school-based or community sample. Conclusion Adherence is greater in monitored settings, and the predictors of adherence differ between settings. Understanding these differences may improve program effectiveness and efficiency.
The Interaction Effect in a Nonlinear Specification of Bank Lending: A Reexamination of ``Unnatural Selection"

Peek and Rosengren (2005) suggested the mechanism of ``unnatural selection,'' where Japanese banks with impaired capital increase credit to low-quality firms because of their motivation to pursue balance sheet cosmetics. In this study, we reexamine this mechanism in terms of the interaction effect in a nonlinear specification of bank lending, using data from 1994 to 1999. We rigorously demonstrate that their estimation results imply that Japanese banks allocated lending from viable firms to unviable ones regardless of the degree of bank capitalization.
Both the V2 and V3 regions of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 surface glycoprotein functionally interact with other envelope regions in syncytium formation

To map the regions of the external envelope glycoproteins of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) involved in the process of membrane fusion, we determined the syncytium-inducing capacity of a panel of transiently expressed chimeric envelope genes. This panel was generated by exchanging gene fragments between four previously studied envelope genes that exhibited a high degree of sequence homology yet displayed marked differences in syncytium-inducing capacity when expressed by recombinant vaccinia virus. The results demonstrate that multiple regions of the HIV-1 envelope glycoproteins are involved in syncytium formation. Some fragments, most notably those containing the V2 or V3 region, can transfer syncytium-inducing capacity to envelope proteins previously not capable of inducing syncytia. Moreover, it is shown that such regions functionally interact with other envelope regions, especially one encompassing the V4 and V5 regions of gp120 or a region encompassing part of gp41, to exert their function in membrane fusion.
Metabolomics Reveals Elevated Macromolecular Degradation in Periodontal Disease

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by tissue destruction. In the diseased oral environment, saliva has primarily been considered to act as a protectant by lubricating the tissue, mineralizing the bones, neutralizing the pH, and combating microbes. To understand the metabolic role that saliva plays in the diseased state, we performed untargeted metabolomic profiling of saliva from healthy and periodontitic individuals. Several classes of biochemicals, including dipeptide, amino acid, carbohydrate, lipids, and nucleotide metabolites, were altered, consistent with increased macromolecular degradation of proteins, triacylglycerol, glycerolphospholipids, polysaccharides, and polynucleotides in the individuals with periodontal disease. These changes partially reflected the enhanced host-bacterial interactions in the diseased state as supported by increased levels of bacterially modified amino acids and creatine metabolite. More importantly, the increased lipase, protease, and glycosidase activities associated with periodontitis generated a more favorable energy environment for oral bacteria, potentially exacerbating the disease state.
Relation of prenatal alcohol exposure to cognitive processing speed and efficiency in childhood.

BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure has been linked to deficits in processing speed in both infancy and later in childhood. This study was designed to examine prenatal alcohol-related deficits in both processing speed and processing efficiency in four domains of cognitive function. METHODS Black children (n=337; age, 7.5 years), prospectively recruited to over-represent prenatal alcohol exposure at moderate-to-heavy levels, were assessed on four processing speed tasks, using a Sternberg paradigm. Hierarchical linear modeling was used to contrast overall processing speed, indicated by reaction time (RT) differences at the intercept, with processing efficiency, indicated by the slope of RT changes across increasing levels of task difficulty. Performance on these tasks within an effortful cognitive framework was compared with RT on a task involving relatively more automatic processing. Path analysis was used to examine the degree to which the effect of prenatal alcohol exposure on working memory was mediated by slower RT. RESULTS Prenatal alcohol exposure was associated with slower processing speed on several of the Sternberg tasks, and the number comparison task showed a specific deficit in processing efficiency. These effects on tasks involving effortful processing contrasted with the lack of performance differences on the more automatic RT measure. The relation of prenatal alcohol exposure to working memory was mediated, in part, by an associated reduction in processing speed. CONCLUSIONS These data confirm reports by other investigators linking prenatal alcohol exposure to slower processing speed and show that this RT deficit is found within the context of complex cognition but not where automatic processing is involved. The reduction in RT accounts, in part, for the previously reported alcohol-related effects on working memory. The number comparison slope was the only specific component of information processing affected, confirming previous reports of a distinctive prenatal alcohol effect on number processing.
Early neonatal morbidity and mortality in growth‐discordant twins

Objective. To evaluate early neonatal morbidity and mortality in twin pregnancies with growth discordance. Design. Retrospective study. Setting. Tertiary teaching hospital, Sao Paulo, Brazil. Population. A total of 151 twin pregnancies managed and delivered at the Multiple Pregnancy Unit at São Paulo University Hospital between 1998 and 2004. Methods. Comparison between twin pregnancies with weight discordance ≥20% and pregnancies concordant for fetal weight. Cases with fetal death, abnormalities, twin‐to‐twin transfusion and delivery before 26 weeks or in another hospital were excluded. Outcome measures. Early neonatal morbidity (Apgar at 5 minutes <7, respiratory or neurological complications, infection, necrotizing enterocolitis, length of hospital stay) and mortality. Results. Forty (26.5%) pregnancies presented discordance ≥20% and 111 (73.5%) were concordant. In the discordant group, 75% of pregnancies had at least one growth restricted fetus (<10th centile). In concordant twin pregnancies, monochorionic cases (22.5%) presented with lower gestational age (34.3 vs. 36.2 weeks), lower birthweight (2,067 vs. 2,334 g) and a longer period of hospital stay (5.5 vs. 3.0) compared to dichorionic concordant twins. No differences between monochorionic and dichorionic subgroups were observed in discordant twins. Pregnancies in which at least one baby was born with a birthweight below the 10th centile showed that discordant pregnancies had a lower gestational age at delivery (35.2 vs. 36.8 weeks) and a longer period of hospital stay (9 vs. 4 weeks) compared to concordant cases. Neonatal mortality was similar in discordant (3.7%) and concordant (4.5%) twins. Conclusion. Early perinatal morbidity is increased in twin pregnancies with birthweight discordance ≥20% only when associated with fetal growth restriction and low birthweight.
Improved measurement with 2-D rotating fluxes considering the effect of internal field

This paper analyzes the effect of the internal field on the measurement with two-dimensional (2-D) rotating fluxes. It is demonstrated that due to the effect of the internal field, the misalignment of H sensing coils, causing the asymmetry of H loci and the discrepancy of the rotational core losses between two opposite rotating directions cannot be corrected completely. A numerical averaging method is employed to eliminate the angular error. Finally, the B and H loci and rotational core losses of a soft magnetic composite (SMC) material were measured under circular rotating magnetic flux density vectors, and the results were corrected by the proposed averaging method.
Current Account Dynamics Under Information Rigidity and Imperfect Capital Mobility

The current account in developed countries is highly persistent and volatile in comparison to output growth. The standard intertemporal current account model with rational expectations (RE) fails to account for the observed current account dynamics together with persistent changes in consumption. The RE model extended with imperfect capital mobility by Shibata and Shintani (1998) can account for persistent changes in consumption, but only at the cost of the explanatory power for the volatility of the current account. This paper replaces RE in the intertemporal current account model with sticky information (SI) in which consumers are inattentive to shocks to their income and infrequently adjust their consumption. The SI model can better explain a persistent and volatile current account than the RE model but it overpredicts the persistence of changes in consumption. The SI model extended with imperfect capital mobility almost fully explains current account dynamics and the persistence of changes in consumption, if high degrees of information rigidity and imperfect capital mobility are taken into account.