Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Incongruence between Clinicians' Assessment and Self-Reported Functioning Is Related to Psychopathology among Patients Diagnosed with Gastrointestinal Disorders

In a previous exploratory study we observed no relevant differences in psychopathology, personality, and functioning between inpatients diagnosed with gastrointestinal motor disorders (GMDs) or functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGDs) [1]. However, we observed higher levels of incongruence between clinician-assessed performance status and patients’ self-reported levels of functioning among patients diagnosed with FGDs. Likewise, research in other medical conditions has shown incongruences between self-reported and clinician-reported or objective measures [2]. Furthermore, in a study on chronic depression, the authors found that discrepancies between patients’ and physicians’ assessments of medical comorbidities were related to higher levels of depressive symptomatology [3]. In this line, the aim of this study was to explore whether the inconsistencies between clinician-assessed and patient self-reported levels of functioning could be related to psychopathology among patients admitted for evaluation of gastrointestinal motility.
Thin-Film Limits for Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert Equations

We derive a damped wave-type limit for the Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert equation in thin films starting from the full micromagnetic model. The result, previously encountered in [A. Capella, C. Melcher, and F. Otto, Nonlinearity, 20 (2007), pp. 2519–2537] in the context of reduced models for domain wall motion, applies in situations with topological singularities near the boundary. We also establish improved continuity properties for the limit equation and a relation between the kinetic energy in terms of the stray-field energy defect.
Co‐evolution from yeast to mouse: cDNA cloning of the two NF‐Y (CP‐1/CBF) subunits.

NF‐Y is a CCAAT box binding protein critical for the expression of diverse eukaryotic genes. We have purified the A and B subunits of NF‐Y and, using microsequencing and PCR technology, have cloned the corresponding cDNAs. NF‐YA and NF‐YB show stretches of arresting sequence homology to the yeast transcriptional activators HAP2 and HAP3. Unlike their yeast counterparts, however, the two mouse subunits appear necessary and sufficient for CCAAT binding activity. We hypothesize that in the case of NF‐Y, DNA binding and dimerization both rely on residues within the homology domains, which include rather suggestive ‘half‐finger’ motifs.
Spread of Gypsy Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) and Its Relationship to Defoliation

Abstract Gypsy moth management is divided into three components: eradication, suppression, and transition zone management. All three components require knowledge of the boundaries that delimit these areas. Additional interest is also placed on the relationship between population spread and defoliation to prepare for the gypsy moth advance in new areas and minimize its impact. We developed relationships between advancing population boundaries, which were estimated using an algorithm implemented under the USDA Forest Service Gypsy Moth Slow-the-Spread Project and defoliation records collected by State and Federal agencies. We used current data from Wisconsin, West Virginia, and Virginia and historical data from the lower peninsula of Michigan. We observed that in West Virginia, Virginia, and Michigan, defoliation generally occurred in areas where moth abundance exceeded 300 male moths per pheromone-baited trap (i.e., the 300-moth population boundary), whereas in Wisconsin, it generally occurred between the 100- and 300-moth population boundaries. We also detected temporal changes in Michigan in the relationship between boundaries and defoliation, where the transition time between the 10-moth population boundary and defoliation was 4–5 yr. Recent data from Wisconsin suggest a similar transitional time, whereas recent data from West Virginia and Virginia do not seem to contradict an earlier study suggesting a transition time of roughly 8 yr.
Circulating messenger RNA of alpha-fetoprotein: a possible risk factor of recurrence after resection of hepatocellular carcinoma.

HYPOTHESIS Isolated tumor cells may be associated with micrometastasis. Circulating alpha-fetoprotein messenger RNA (AFP mRNA) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been considered to represent isolated tumor cells. We propose that circulating AFP mRNA may have prognostic value after curative resection of HCC. DESIGN A prospective cohort study. SETTING Referral center. PATIENTS Eighty-one consecutive patients who underwent curative resection of HCC. MEASUREMENTS A nested reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay for circulating AFP mRNA before and again 12 weeks after surgery in 81 patients and in a control group. Clinicopathological variables and postoperative course (recurrence and recurrence-free survival) were examined for correlation with the levels of circulating AFP mRNA. RESULTS Of the 81 patients, 22 (27.2%) and 19 (23.4%) had AFP mRNA detected preoperatively and postoperatively, respectively. The recurrence-free survival at 1, 2, and 3 years after resection was significantly shorter in the latter patients (52.6%, 15.6%, and 0%, respectively; P<.001) but not in the former (81.8%, 54.5%, and 29.2%; P = .28). In univariate analysis, a significantly higher recurrence rate was found in patients with liver cirrhosis (P = .03), Edmondson-Steiner differentiation grade III or IV (P<.001), incomplete or absent capsule (P = .001), vascular invasion (P<.001), daughter nodules (P = .003), or a positivity for postoperative circulating AFP mRNA (P<.001). Postoperative positivity for circulating AFP mRNA remained a significant risk factor (P = .002; hazard ratio 3.13; 95% confidence interval, 1.52-6.47) in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION The detection of circulating AFP mRNA 12 weeks postoperatively is associated with an increased and earlier risk of HCC recurrence.
Symptom complaints following combat-related traumatic brain injury: Relationship to traumatic brain injury severity and posttraumatic stress disorder

Abstract Patients with a history of mild (n = 134) or moderate-to-severe (n = 91) TBI were asked to complete the Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) and the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist. Consistent with prior research, significantly more postconcussion symptoms were endorsed by the mild group. After controlling for age, time since injury, and mechanism of injury, TBI severity continued to be significantly related to postconcussion complaints on the NSI. However, after controlling for these same variables, along with posttraumatic stress disorder symptom severity, there no longer were differences between the TBI severity groups. That is, patients with mild TBI did not endorse significantly more complaints (adjusted mean = 22.4) than the moderate-to-severe group (adjusted mean = 21.8). These findings suggest that much of the symptom complaints in mildly injured patients may be due to emotional distress. (JINS, 2010, 16, 194–199.)
Regulation of spinach SNF1-related (SnRK1) kinases by protein kinases and phosphatases is associated with phosphorylation of the T loop and is regulated by 5'-AMP.

Members of the SNF1-related protein kinase-1 (SnRK1) subfamily of protein kinases are higher plant homologues of mammalian AMP-activated and yeast SNF1 protein kinases. Based on analogies with the mammalian system, we surmised that the SnRK1 kinases would be regulated by phosphorylation on a threonine [equivalent to Thr175 in Arabidopsis thaliana SnRK1 (AKIN10)] within the 'T loop' between the conserved DFG and APE motifs. We have raised an antibody against a phosphopeptide based on this sequence, and used it to show that inactivation of two spinach SnRK1 kinases by protein phosphatases, and reactivation by a mammalian upstream protein kinase, is associated with changes in the phosphorylation state of this threonine. We also show that dephosphorylation of this threonine by protein phosphatases, and consequent inactivation, is inhibited by low concentrations of 5'-AMP, via binding to the substrate (i.e. the kinase). This is the first report showing that the plant SnRK1 kinases are regulated by AMP in a manner similar to their mammalian counterparts. The possible physiological significance of these findings is discussed.
Strategies for nevirapine initiation in HIV-infected children taking pediatric fixed-dose combination "baby pills" in Zambia: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND Fixed-dose combination scored dispersible stavudine, lamivudine, and nevirapine minitablets (Triomune Baby and Junior; Cipla Ltd) are simpler and cheaper than liquid formulations and have correct dose ratios for human immunodeficiency virus-infected children. However, they cannot be used for dose escalation (DE) of nevirapine. METHODS Children were randomized to initiate antiretroviral therapy with full-dose (FD) nevirapine (Triomune Baby or Junior in the morning and evening) versus DE (half-dose nevirapine for 14 days [Triomune in the morning and stavudine-lamivudine {Lamivir-S} in the evening], then FD), in accordance with World Health Organization weight-band dosing tables. The primary end point was nevirapine-related clinical or laboratory grade 3 or 4 adverse events (AEs). RESULTS In total, 211 children (median [interquartile range {IQR}] age, 5 [ 2-9 ] years; median [IQR] CD4 cell percentage, 13% [8%-18%]) were enrolled and followed up for a median (IQR) of 92 (68-116) weeks. There were 31 grade 3 or 4 AEs that were definitely/probably or uncertainly related to nevirapine in the FD group (18.0 per 100 child-years), compared with 29 in the DE group (16.5 per 100 child-years) (incidence rate ratio, 1.09; 95% confidence interval, 0.63–1.87; P = .74). All were asymptomatic; 11 versus 3 were single grade 3 or 4 elevations in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, all of which resolved without a change in nevirapine dose or interruption. Thirteen (12%) FD versus 2 (2%) DE children had grade 1 (2 in FD) or grade 2 (11 in FD and 2 in DE) rashes. Three (2 in FD and 1 in DE) substituted efavirenz, 3 (FD) continued FD nevirapine, and 9 (8 in FD and 1 in DE) temporarily interrupted nevirapine, followed by successful DE. Predictors of nevirapine rash were older age (P = .003) and higher CD4 cell count for age (P = .03). Twenty-two children died (12 in FD and 10 in DE), 1 FD and 5 DE children at <4 weeks; none were considered to be drug related by independent review. CONCLUSIONS Rash was more frequent with FD nevirapine, but 88% had no clinical toxicity; elevated AST or ALT levels were transient and resolved spontaneously, suggesting that routine laboratory monitoring has limited value. Dual pediatric stavudine-lamivudine minitablets are preferred for safe and simple DE; if unavailable, initiating FD Triomune requires timely review for rash, which could be managed by temporary reduction to half-dose Triomune or efavirenz substitution. TRIAL REGISTRATION Current Controlled Trials identifier: ISRCTN31084535 .
EARNINGS QUALITY AND FIRMS BOOK VALUE: AN EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE FROM THE LISTED FIRMS IN NIGERIA

The study examined the effect of earnings quality on book value of quoted companies in Nigeria from 2000 to 2016. A sample of 51 firms was purposively selected for the study out of the population of 173 firms that were listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange for the period. The study adopted Ex-post facto research design. Data extracted from the published audited financial statements of the firms. Pooled OLS technique was employed in data analysis. The study measured earnings quality with four separate earnings attributes: Accruals quality (AQ), earnings persistence (EPERS), earnings predictability (EPRED), and earnings smoothness (ESMOTH). The study revealed that earnings quality significantly affected book value of the listed firms in Nigeria. Specifically, accruals quality (AQ), earnings persistence (EPERS) and earnings smoothness (ESMOTH) each had a positive effect on book value while earnings predictability (EPRED) had negative effect on book value. By implication, since investors and analysts value high earnings quality, the study suggested that, constancy of earnings and discretionary nature of accruals should be considered, managers should equally ensure information disclosure to enhance quality of earnings and credibility of reported book value.
Effect of gender on echocardiographic outcomes of patients presenting with mitral stenosis at a tertiary care hospital.

BACKGROUND To assess the gender-based differences in the echocardiographic outcomes of patients with mitral stenosis presenting at a tertiary care hospital and the clinical implications of such differences. METHODS A total of 90 echocardiographs of both men and women (aged < or = 15 years) having mitral valve area (MVA) less than 4 cm2 were assessed. In addition to MVA, pressure halftime and left atrial diameter (LAD) of the patients was also recorded. Other co-existing valvular lesions were also assessed in addition to mitral stenosis. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS-17. RESULTS A higher prevalence of mitral stenosis (MS) was found in women than men (76.66% vs 24.44%). Men were having more severe mitral stenosis as compared to women (MVA = 1.19 cm2 vs 1.32 cm2). This also resulted in significantly higher left atrial dilatation in males as compared to women (45.09 vs 41.75, p = 0.0422). Most of the patients had other coexisting valvular lesions and isolated MS was rare. However, men had a predominance of aortic stenosis along with mitral stenosis (27% vs 4%, p = 0.0059) whereas women had a higher prevalence of mitral regurgitation along with mitral stenosis than the men (65% vs 36%, p = 0.0258). CONCLUSION There were certain significant differences in echocardiographic outcomes of patients based upon their gender. A gender-specific management approach towards the patients with mitral stenosis is essential to have better outcome.
Predictors of readmission after outpatient otolaryngologic surgery

Hospital readmissions increase costs to hospitals and patients. There is a paucity of data on benchmark rates of readmission for otolaryngological surgery. Understanding the risk factors that increase readmission rates may help enhance patient education and set system‐wide expectations. We aimed to provide benchmark data on causes and predictors of readmission following outpatient otolaryngological surgery.
Optimizing ventilation-perfusion lung scintigraphy: Parting with planar imaging

Summary Aim of the study was to introduce and verify a ventilation-perfusion (V/Q) acquisition protocol that incorporates new developments in scintigraphy in order to allow for a more balanced comparison with other diagnostic procedures. Methods: In 103 patients suspect of having pulmonary embolism, V/Q scans were acquired exclusively with SPECT technique. Ventilation was done with ultrafine aerosol. Planar images in eight directions were reconstructed through addition of three consecutive SPECT projections. Three referees examined the scans in regard to type, localization, and extent of V/Q defects. Results: Using this protocol, significantly more defects, especially of subsegmental size, were detected (p <0.Q1). Sensitivity, and diagnostic accuracy were also significantly improved (p <0.01) to 0.96, and 0.99, respectively. Furthermore, kappa values were increased up to 0.82 - a relevant enhancement in the ability to precisely localize V/Q defects. Conclusion: In conclusion this protocol provides high-resolution tomographic scans as well as high-quality planar images within a short acquisition time. Due to the significant increase in lesion detection, sensitivity, diagnostic accuracy, and anatomical localization of defects, it is a substantial improvement in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism that will put V/Q scintigraphy on a par with other tomographic methods.
Functional Characterization and Quantification of the Alternative PsbA Copies in Thermosynechococcus elongatus and Their Role in Photoprotection*

The D1 protein (PsbA) of photosystem II (PSII) from Thermosynechococcus elongatus is encoded by a psbA gene family that is typical of cyanobacteria. Although the transcription of these three genes has been studied previously (Kós, P. B., Deák, Z., Cheregi, O., and Vass, I. (2008) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1777, 74–83), the protein quantification had not been possible due to the high sequence identity between the three PsbA copies. The successful establishment of a method to quantify the PsbA proteins on the basis of reverse phase-LC-electrospray mass ionization-MS/MS (RP-LC-ESI-MS/MS) enables an accurate comparison of transcript and protein level for the first time ever. Upon high light incubation, about 70% PsbA3 could be detected, which closely corresponds to the transcript level. It was impossible to detect any PsbA2 under all tested conditions. The construction of knock-out mutants enabled for the first time a detailed characterization of both whole cells and also isolated PSII complexes. PSII complexes of the ΔpsbA1/psbA2 mutant contained only copy PsbA3, whereas only PsbA1 could be detected in PSII complexes from the ΔpsbA3 mutant. In whole cells as well as in isolated complexes, a shift of the free energy between the redox pairs in the PsbA3 complexes in comparison with PsbA1 could be detected by thermoluminescence and delayed fluorescence measurements. This change is assigned to a shift of the redox potential of pheophytin toward more positive values. Coincidentally, no differences in the QA-QB electron transfer could be observed in flash-induced fluorescence decay or prompt fluorescence measurements. In conclusion, PsbA3 complexes yield a better protection against photoinhibition due to a higher probability of the harmless dissipation of excess energy.
Gaussian processes with built-in dimensionality reduction: Applications in high-dimensional uncertainty propagation

The prohibitive cost of performing Uncertainty Quantification (UQ) tasks with a very large number of input parameters can be addressed, if the response exhibits some special structure that can be discovered and exploited. Several physical responses exhibit a special structure known as an active subspace (AS), a linear manifold of the stochastic space characterized by maximal response variation. The idea is that one should first identify this low dimensional manifold, project the high-dimensional input onto it, and then link the projection to the output. In this work, we develop a probabilistic version of AS which is gradient-free and robust to observational noise. Our approach relies on a novel Gaussian process regression with built-in dimensionality reduction with the AS represented as an orthogonal projection matrix that serves as yet another covariance function hyper-parameter to be estimated from the data. To train the model, we design a two-step maximum likelihood optimization procedure that ensures the orthogonality of the projection matrix by exploiting recent results on the Stiefel manifold. The additional benefit of our probabilistic formulation is that it allows us to select the dimensionality of the AS via the Bayesian information criterion. We validate our approach by showing that it can discover the right AS in synthetic examples without gradient information using both noiseless and noisy observations. We demonstrate that our method is able to discover the same AS as the classical approach in a challenging one-hundred-dimensional problem involving an elliptic stochastic partial differential equation with random conductivity. Finally, we use our approach to study the effect of geometric and material uncertainties in the propagation of solitary waves in a one-dimensional granular system.
Oxidative Stress in Response to Aerobic and Anaerobic Power Testing: Influence of Exercise Training and Carnitine Supplementation

The purpose of this study is to compare the oxidative stress response to aerobic and anaerobic power testing, and to determine the impact of exercise training with or without glycine propionyl-L-carnitine (GPLC) in attenuating the oxidative stress response. Thirty-two subjects were assigned (double blind) to placebo, GPLC-1 (1g PLC/d), GPLC-3 (3g PLC/d) for 8 weeks, plus aerobic exercise. Aerobic (graded exercise test: GXT) and anaerobic (Wingate cycle) power tests were performed before and following the intervention. Blood was taken before and immediately following exercise tests and analyzed for malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and xanthine oxidase activity (XO). No interaction effects were noted. MDA was minimally effected by exercise but lower at rest for both GPLC groups following the intervention (p = 0.044). A time main effect was noted for H2O2 (p = 0.05) and XO (p = 0.003), with values increasing from pre- to postexercise. Both aerobic and anaerobic power testing increase oxidative stress to a similar extent. Exercise training plus GPLC can decrease resting MDA, but it has little impact on exercise-induced oxidative stress biomarkers.
Circadian Rhythms of Oxidative Phosphorylation: Effects of Rotenone and Melatonin on Isolated Rat Brain Mitochondria

Mitochondrial experiments are of increasing interest in different fields of research. Inhibition of mitochondrian activities seems to play a role in Parkinson's disease and in this regard several animal models have used inhibitors of mitochondrial respiration such as rotenone or MPTP. Most of these experiments were done during the daytime. However, there is no reason for mitochondrial respiration to be constant during the 24h. This study investigated the circadian variation of oxidative phosphorylation in isolated rat brain mitochondria and the administration-time-dependent effect of rotenone and melatonin. The respiratory control ratio, state 3 and state 4, displayed a circadian fluctuation. The highest respiratory control ratio value (3.01) occurred at 04:00h, and the lowest value (2.63) at 08:00h. The highest value of state 3 and state 4 oxidative respiration occurred at 12:00h and the lowest one at 20:00h. The 24h mean decrease in the respiratory control ratio following incubation with melatonin and rotenone was 7 and 32%, respectively; however, the exact amount of the inhibition exerted by these agents varied according to the time of the mitochondria isolation. Our results show the time of mitochondrial isolation could lead to interindividual variability. When studies require mitochondrial isolation from several animals, the time between animal experiments has to be minimized. In oxidative phosphorylation studies, the time of mitochondria isolation must be taken into account, or at least specified in the methods section.
miR-375 targets PDK 1 and regulates glucose-induced biological responses in pancreatic β-cells

This is an uncopyedited electronic version of an article accepted for publication in Diabetes. The American Diabetes Association, publisher of Diabetes, is not responsible for any errors or omissions in this version of the manuscript or any version derived from it by third parties. The definitive publisher-authenticated version will be available in a future issue of Diabetes in print and online at http://diabetes.diabetesjournals. org. Diabetes Publish Ahead of Print, published online June 30, 2008