Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differential involvement of brainstem noradrenergic and midbrain dopaminergic nuclei in cognitive control

Several lines of evidence suggest that the lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC), the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), the parietal cortex, and the thalamus are central cortical nodes in a network underlying cognitive control. However, the role of catecholamine producing midbrain and brainstem structures has rarely been addressed by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). We hypothesized differential activation patterns in the ventral tegmental area (VTA)/substantia nigra (SN) and locus coeruleus (LC) with respect to the degree of cognitive control during a Stroop task in healthy subjects. Forty‐five healthy subjects were investigated by the manual version of the Stroop task in an event‐related fMRI design. We observed significant BOLD activation of both the SN/VTA and LC during the Stroop interference condition (incongruent vs. congruent condition). LC, but not SN/VTA activation significantly correlated with the Stroop interference. Interestingly, a significant linear decrease in BOLD activation during the incongruent condition during the experiment was mainly observed in the fronto‐cingulo‐striatal network, but not in SN/VTA and LC. Using psychophysiological (PPI) analyses, a significant functional connectivity during cognitive control was observed between SN/VTA and the nigrostriatal/mesolimbic dopaminergic system. For the LC, distinct functional connectivity pattern was observed mainly to the dorsolateral and ventrolateral PFC. Both regions revealed significant functional connectivity to the dACC, parietal and occipital regions. Thus, we demonstrate for the first time that functional activation patterns in the SN/VTA and the LC are modulated by different demands of cognitive control. In addition, these nuclei exhibit distinguishable functional connectivity patterns to cortical brain networks. Hum Brain Mapp 37:2305–2318, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Can the Earth's dynamo run on heat alone?

SUMMARY The power required to drive the geodynamo places significant constraints on the heat passing across the core‐mantle boundary and the Earth’s thermal history. Calculations to date have been limited by inaccuracies in the properties of liquid iron mixtures at core pressures and temperatures. Here we re-examine the problem of core energetics in the light of new firstprinciples calculations for the properties of liquid iron. There is disagreement on the fate of gravitational energy released by contraction on cooling. We show that only a small fraction of this energy, that associated with heating resulting from changes in pressure, is available to drive convection and the dynamo. This leaves two very simple equations in the cooling rate and radioactive heating, one yielding the heat flux out of the core and the other the entropy gain of electrical and thermal dissipation, the two main dissipative processes. This paper is restricted to thermal convection in a pure iron core; compositional convection in a liquid iron mixture is considered in a companion paper. We show that heat sources alone are unlikely to be adequate to power the geodynamo because they require a rapid secular cooling rate, which implies a very young inner core, or a combination of cooling and substantial radioactive heating, which requires a very large heat flux across the core‐mantle boundary. A simple calculation with no inner core shows even higher heat fluxes are required in the absence of latent heat before the inner core formed.
Invasive staging of non-small cell lung cancer: a review of the current evidence.

STUDY OBJECTIVES To determine the test performance characteristics of transbronchial needle aspiration (TBNA), transthoracic needle aspiration (TTNA), endoscopic ultrasound-guided needle aspiration (EUS-NA), and mediastinoscopy in staging non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Systematic search of MEDLINE, HealthStar, and Cochrane Library databases to July 2001 and print bibliographies. Included were studies comparing staging results of TBNA, TTNA, EUS-NA, or mediastinoscopy against either tissue histologic confirmation or long-term clinical follow-up (> or = 1 year). Patients included were those with NSCLC or small cell lung cancer. MEASUREMENT AND RESULTS For patients with lung cancer, the pooled sensitivity for TBNA was 0.76, the pooled specificity was 0.96, and the negative predictive value (NPV) was 0.71. For TTNA, the pooled sensitivity was 0.91, with an NPV of 0.78. EUS-NA had a pooled sensitivity of 0.88, a pooled specificity of 0.91, and an NPV of 0.77. For standard cervical mediastinoscopy, the pooled sensitivity was 0.81, with an NPV of 0.91. The addition of either extended cervical mediastinoscopy or anterior mediastinotomy to standard cervical mediastinoscopy appeared to improve the sensitivity of any of the procedures alone. CONCLUSIONS Invasive clinical staging of NSCLC can be performed effectively by TBNA, TTNA, EUS-NA, or mediastinoscopy. Selection of the appropriate study is dependent on the degree of suspicion for metastatic disease, the patient's comorbid illnesses, and the availability and performance characteristics of procedural options.
DNA Diagnosis of Down Syndrome Using Polymerase Chain Reaction and Polymorphic Microsatellite Markers

Abstract For antenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome (trisomy 21) and for the determination of parental origin of nondisjoined chromosome, we have evaluated a simple PCR based DNA diagnostic method where polymorphic allelic fragments were resolved in 6% polyacrylamide gel. Three families, DS5 , DS7 and DS9 , each with a single child with trisomy 21 were studied ,using two polymorphic microsatellite markers D21S2055 and D21S11 located on the long arm of the chromosome 21.Trisomy 21 was identified by the presence of three distinct alleles while the origin of nondisjunction was found to be maternal in all three families. The PCR based DNA diagnostic method was found to be sensitive, reproducible and most efficient not only for diagnosis of trisomy 21, but also for tracing allelic transmission from parents to the offspring.
Estimating Occupational Illness, Injury, and Mortality in Food Production in the United States: A Farm-to-Table Analysis

Objectives: The study provides a novel model and more comprehensive estimates of the burden of occupational morbidity and mortality in food-related industries, using a farm-to-table approach. Methods: The authors analyzed 2008 to 2010 US Bureau of Labor Statistics data for private industries in the different stages of the farm-to-table model (production, processing, distribution and storage, and retail and preparation). Results: The morbidity rate for food system industries was significantly higher than the morbidity rate for nonfood system industries (rate ratio = 1.62; 95% confidence interval = 1.30 to 2.01). Furthermore, the occupational mortality rate for food system industries was significantly higher than the national nonfood occupational mortality rate (rate ratio = 9.51; 95% confidence interval = 2.47 to 36.58). Conclusions: This is the first use of the farm-to-table model to assess occupational morbidity and mortality, and these findings highlighting specific workplace hazards across food system industries.
Cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte antigen‐4 microsatellite polymorphism is associated with multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a B‐lineage malignancy with unknown aetiology. It has been considered that predisposing genetic factors might be implicated in the disease. In this study, the microsatellite polymorphism in the exon 3 of the cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte antigen‐4 (CTLA‐4) gene was analysed in patients with MM and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), together with ethnically matched healthy controls. The results showed that frequencies of the genotype 86/86 and of the allele 86 were significantly decreased in MM and MGUS compared with matched healthy controls, indicating that the CTLA‐4 microsatellite polymorphism might represent a susceptibility locus for MM and MGUS.
Integrating observational and experimental approaches to demonstrate causation in stream biomonitoring studies

Routine biomonitoring of aquatic ecosystems generally is performed with the intent of demonstrating a causal relationship between stressors and responses. However, because it is impossible to eliminate other potential explanations for observed spatiotemporal correlation between stressors and responses, demonstrating causal relationships is highly tenuous in descriptive studies. In this research we show how results of descriptive and experimental approaches can be integrated to demonstrate a causal relationship between heavy metals and benthic community responses in a Rocky Mountain stream (CO, USA). By using a stressor identification process, we show that effects and exposure data collected from a contaminated site (Arkansas River, CO, USA) can be integrated with experimental data to support causal arguments. Analysis of the spatial co‐occurrence of metals and benthic community responses in the Arkansas River provided support for the hypothesis that metals caused alterations in benthic community structure. Exposure pathways were quantified by measuring metal bioaccumulation in caddisflies (Trichoptera) collected upstream and downstream from metal inputs. A long‐term (10‐year) monitoring study showed that reductions in metal concentrations corresponded with improvements in benthic communities. These results were supported by microcosm and field experiments that quantified concentration‐response relationships between heavy metals and benthic community composition. Consistency of these responses was demonstrated by comparing results to a spatially extensive survey of metal‐polluted streams in Colorado. Our study demonstrates the power of integrating descriptive and experimental approaches for developing causal arguments in ecological assessments.
Thermodynamics of the Ce ?a transition: Density-functional study

We investigate the Cerium – isostructural phase transition by explicitly incorporating finite temperature mixing of the Ce nonmagnetic and magnetic states. Unique to our approach is the calculation of vibrational properties from phonon theory. The critical behavior of the transition is shown to be controlled by the configurational mixing entropy between the magnetic and nonmagnetic states. Our theoretical framework leads to accurate predictions of the critical point and equation of state associated with the Ce – phase transition.
Diagnosis and Integrative Treatment of Intracellular Bacterial Infections in Chronic Fatigue and Fibromyalgia Syndromes, Gulf War Illness, Rheumatoid Arthritis and other Chronic Illnesses

Bacterial and viral infections are associated with many chronic illnesses as causative agents, cofactors or more likely as opportunistic infections in immune suppressed individuals. The prevalence of invasive pathogenic Mycoplasma species infections (and possibly other bacterial infections, such as Chlamydia, Borrelia, etc.) in patients with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia Syndrome, Gulf War Illness, Rheumatoid Arthritis and other chronic illnesses was significantly higher than in healthy controls. When we examined chronic illness patients for multiple Mycoplasma species infections, we found that almost all patients had multiple intracellular infections, suggesting that multiple bacterial infections commonly occur in certain chronic illness patients. These patients generally respond to particular antibiotics if administered long-term, but an important part of their recovery involves nutritional supplementation with appropriate vitamins, minerals, immune enhancement and other supplements. Nutraceuticals appear to be necessary for recovery and maintenance of a strong immune system. In addition, patients should be removed from potentially immune- depressing drugs, such as some antidepressants, to allow recovery of their immune systems. Other chronic infections (viral), may also be involved in various chronic fatigue illnesses with or without mycoplasmal and other bacterial infections, and these multiple infections could be important in causing patient morbidity and resulting difficulties in treating these illnesses.
Small Airway Disease in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Small airway disease (SAD) has been recognized for many years as a central feature of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Histopathology studies have shown that the narrowing and destruction of small airways in COPD combined with inflammatory cell infiltration in the submucosa increases the severity of the disease. SAD is present in the early stages of COPD and becomes more widespread over time as the disease progresses to more severe COPD. The development of inhalers containing extra-fine particles allows the small airways to be pharmacologically targeted. Recent clinical trials have shown the efficacy of extra-fine triple therapy that targets the small airways in patients with COPD. This article reviews the importance and treatment of SAD in COPD.
Topical ketoprofen nanogel: artificial neural network optimization, clustered bootstrap validation, and in vivo activity evaluation based on longitudinal dose response modeling

Abstract Objectives: This work aimed at investigating the potential of solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) as carriers for topical delivery of Ketoprofen (KP); evaluating a novel technique incorporating Artificial Neural Network (ANN) and clustered bootstrap for optimization of KP-loaded SLN (KP-SLN); and demonstrating a longitudinal dose response (LDR) modeling-based approach to compare the activity of topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug formulations. Methods: KP-SLN was fabricated by a modified emulsion/solvent evaporation method. Box–Behnken design was implemented to study the influence of glycerylpalmitostearate-to-KP ratio, Tween 80, and lecithin concentrations on particle size, entrapment efficiency, and amount of drug permeated through rat skin in 24 hours. Following clustered bootstrap ANN optimization, the optimized KP-SLN was incorporated into an aqueous gel and evaluated for rheology, in vitro release, permeability, skin irritation and in vivo activity using carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model and LDR mathematical model to analyze the time course of anti-inflammatory effect at various application durations. Results: Lipid-to-drug ratio of 7.85 [bootstrap 95%CI: 7.63–8.51], Tween 80 of 1.27% [bootstrap 95%CI: 0.601–2.40%], and Lecithin of 0.263% [bootstrap 95%CI: 0.263–0.328%] were predicted to produce optimal characteristics. Compared with profenid® gel, the optimized KP-SLN gel exhibited slower release, faster permeability, better texture properties, greater efficacy, and similar potency. Conclusions: SLNs are safe and effective permeation enhancers. ANN coupled with clustered bootstrap is a useful method for finding optimal solutions and estimating uncertainty associated with them. LDR models allow mechanistic understanding of comparative in vivo performances of different topical formulations, and help design efficient dermatological bioequivalence assessment methods.
A retrospective clinical, laboratory and outcome analysis in 43 cases of acute aseptic meningitis

Forty‐three consecutive cases of acute aseptic meningitis (AAM) presenting within a 24‐months period were retrospectively analysed with respect to clinical symptomatology, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) findings, clinical course, treatment and outcome. Nineteen of the 43 AAM cases (44%) were caused by enterovirus, one by HIV (2%), two by Varicella zoster virus (5%), three due to herpes simplex virus I (7%), two due to herpes simplex virus II (5%), one due to Central European encephalitis virus (2%), and in 15 patients (35%) the aetiology of AAM remained unknown. Headache (100%) and fever (93%) were the presenting symptoms in the majority of cases. Signs of preceding infection were predominantly gastrointestinal in the enterovirus subgroup, but were inconsistently observed in the other subgroups. CSF findings at the first lumbar tap on admission generally revealed lymphomonocytic pleocytosis of less than 500 cells per μl, mild to moderately elevated protein and normal lactate and glucose levels. Initial therapy consisted of an empirical antiviral and antibiotic regimen until a serological diagnosis was available. Acyclovir, effective only in herpes family viruses, was initially administered to all AAM cases. Effective therapy for other viral pathogens are not broadly available and treating AAM of unknown aetiology imposes a particular problem. The average hospitalization time ranged from 16 to 31 days. Patients were either discharged home (72%) or transferred to a rehabilitation centre (28%). The outcome was good (40%) to fair (51%) in the majority of cases.
Physics-of-Failure Lifetime Prediction Models for Wire Bond Interconnects in Power Electronic Modules

This paper presents a review of the commonly adopted physics-of-failure-based life prediction models for wire bond interconnects in power electronic modules. In the discussed models, lifetime is generally accounted for by loading temperature extremes alone. The influence of the time spent at temperature on bond wear-out behavior and damage removal phenomena resulting from thermally activated processes is not addressed. The phenomenological considerations based on some unusual observations highlight the need for new approaches to wire bond life prediction models and thus motivate the proposal of a new time-domain damage-based crack propagation model.
Methodological considerations related to nurse researchers using their own experience of a phenomenon within phenomenology

AIMS This paper summarizes phenomenology and discusses how nurses can use their own experiences as data and maintain rigour within the method. It explores how data from researchers experiencing the phenomenon of interest could be used to explicate assumptions and pre-understandings and may also be used as data. BACKGROUND While the ethnographic concept of insider research has gained popularity, the notion of researcher as participant in phenomenology is relatively new. The lived experience of a phenomenon is unique to each person and utilization of the nurse researcher's experiences of the phenomenon should be considered for inclusion as data. DESIGN Discussion paper. DATA SOURCES Articles from 2001 - 2015 in the CINAHL and PubMed databases were identified using keywords such as 'insider research', 'phenomenology', 'bracketing' and 'qualitative research'. In addition, reference lists from articles used were examined to identify additional literature. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Phenomenology is a valuable research method. Usability, credibility, trustworthiness and auditability of data collected must be considered to ensure rigour and maintain orientation to the phenomenon under investigation. Nurse researchers may be interviewed as participants if these four principles are considered and methods used are made explicit. Utilizing appropriate research methods are as important as getting clinical practice correct to advance knowledge and benefit those under our care. CONCLUSION We recommend using the researchers' experience as a data source to gain a complete picture of the phenomenon under investigation. Using the approach proposed here, nurses can ensure they are incorporating all data sources available while maintaining research rigour.
Cytogenetic and flow cytometry evaluation of Richter syndrome reveals MYC, CDKN2A, IGH alterations with loss of CD52, CD62L and increase of CD71 antigen expression as the most frequent recurrent abnormalities.

OBJECTIVES Richter syndrome (RS) is a transformation of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL) into high-grade lymphoma. There are only limited data on flow cytometry (FCM) and cytogenetics in RS. METHODS In this study, FCM, classic cytogenetics (CC), and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) were performed in eight RS cases. RESULTS Most cases of RS were characterized by a loss/decrease of CD52 and CD62L and increased CD71 expression. CC identified complex karyotypes, with losses of 9/9p and 17/17p as the most frequent in four of seven cases. Seven RS cases demonstrated MYC abnormalities. Disruptions of CDKN2A and IGH were identified in five of seven and four of seven RS cases, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Newly diagnosed RS is an oncologic emergency, and a quick diagnostic decision is crucial in clinical practice. Therefore, in patients with CLL/SLL and rapidly enlarging asymmetric lymphadenopathy and/or extranodal tumors, we strongly advise FCM of fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) material, including CD62L, CD52, and CD71 analysis as well as assessment of karyotype and at least MYC abnormalities by FISH of the same FNAB material. Loss of CD52 expression in RS most likely predicts resistance to alemtuzumab therapy, which is frequently used in CLL.
Deletion constructions of symmetric 4-configurations. Part I

By deletion constructions we mean several methods of generation of new geometric configurations by the judicious deletion of certain points and lines, and introduction of other lines or points. A number of such procedures have recently been developed in a systematic way. We present here one family of such constructions, and will describe other families in the following parts.
Positive and Negative Selection of Antibody Repertoires during B‐Cell Differentiation

The strategy that has been followed in the experiments presented herein relies on the analyses of immunoglobulin (Ig) repertoires expressed by B cells representing different stages of maturation. Basically, therepertoiresofthreesetsofB cells were addressed: the emergent repertoire (newly-formed B cells in the bone marrow), the available repertoire (peripheral immunocompetent resting B cells) and the actual repertoire (high-rate Ig-secreting cells) (Jerne 1971. Vaz et al. 1984). assuming that these populations represent the progression of B lymphocytes along successively more mature stages of development. There is also a pragmatic reason to address these three differentiation stages, namely the existence of reliable quantitative assays that can score all cells comprising each of these repertoires (see Table I). The compartment of "memory" B cells is not included in our analysis, as we are not aware of procedures that selectively and unequivocally record their Ig repertoire. We shall first review some of our findings indicating that the emergent, available and actual IgV-region repertoires of B cells in unimmunized mice differ significantly. Having established this fact, we will discuss the questions concerning the mechanisms and significance of these repertoire differences. We will conclude that tbe expressed Ig repertoires are the result of V-regiondependent selection processes acting on a continuous output of bone marrow B cells carrying clonally distributed, diverse Ig surface receptors. An a priori argument supporting the notion that B-cell differentiation in normal individuals is accompanied by selection is based on the fact that there are bottlenecks in the